Exciting news!! They have arrived! The Great Blue Herons are coming back and are beginning to settle in at the wetlands rookery. Today was the first time this fall that I saw them ‘displaying’, as in this arched neck posture, and jockeying for the best nesting sites on the tree island. They looked just magical in […]
Visited a lovely preserve called Peaceful Waters Sanctuary this week. Such an apt name! Even in the rain, it was a pleasure to walk the trails and the boardwalk – not a soul around, just a few Herons and I enjoying this very tranquil spot. On my second trip, today, the handsome Green Heron was […]
I caught sight of this Osprey on the look-out, high up in a tree at Ding Darling NWR, and waited patiently for him to do something exciting! He sat staring intently out across the water below, occasionally bobbing in the wind to keep his balance on the skinny branches. It didn’t take too long to zero in on […]
The other morning was the chilliest so far this fall, and completely overcast, with occasional drizzle, so I wasn’t sure I’d see much on my walk. But I was delighted to encounter several of my favorite bird friends! The Wood Stork featured above was foraging among the marsh grasses, when he suddenly leapt up and made a […]
We witnessed a magnificent Sunset (above) over the Gulf of Mexico this past Sunday. The brilliant oranges and yellows got me thinking about how different “Fall” looks in different places. These beautiful, rich Purple Morning Glories above were blooming all along the roadside on the water’s edge at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge the other day. Their bright blossoms […]
Moments after I had passed the [human] fishermen and crabbers setting up their gear at the water’s edge early yesterday morning, I spotted this determined Yellow-crowned Night Heron, hiding in the shadows, out of sight of the humans! He looked quite self-satisfied As I approached, he gave me a slightly nervous, momentary glance, when he […]
Humans have a curious need to classify the elements of the natural world around us, and to assign names to these wonders. I wrote last week about my experiences with learning to identify birds, and how important this also seems to be to passersby who often ask, “Excuse me, but do you know which bird […]
As dusk closed in, the graceful flock of Glossy Ibis featured above sailed toward me in the waning light. From a distance, I wasn’t quite sure what they were, but as soon as I could discern their body shape and size, it was clear that these were Glossy Ibis and not some other wetland bird […]
Birder's Journey 