This elegant Great Egret circled overhead and then flew right past me yesterday afternoon. It seems inconceivable that this beautiful bird, along with other egrets, herons and ibises were once “harvested” in order to make fashionable women’s hats! In fact, the Great Egret “a dazzling sight in many a North American wetland” (All About Birds), was hunted almost […]
My husband spotted this beautiful Red-shouldered Hawk enjoying the waning moments of sunlight at the Refuge the other night.The Hawk seemed quite undisturbed by our presence as he gazed down at us from his perch.We enjoyed every moment, as the setting sun continued to cast that wonderful golden glow. Before long, the sun was too low […]
It’s always a thrill to spot an American Bittern! If you have the good fortune to encounter one at all, it is usually well-camouflaged – and it’s often likely to disappear from view quickly.When disturbed, the Bittern will frequently elongate his neck and point his head skyward, as if trying to blend in even more […]
I always love watching Purple Gallinules as they scale the heights of the tall, narrow Fireflag plants to get at their tasty purple blossoms.You can see the eager anticipation in his eyes as he gets closer!Success . . . . delicious! Off on a quest for more. . . .
The White Ibis, present year-round here in south Florida, is often seen unceremoniously probing for insects in the mud and grass on lawns and roadsides, looking less than glamorous. But our White Ibises also inhabit wetland marshes and shallow ponds, where they feed on fish, frogs, and small crustaceans (Audubon). I thought this one actually looked quite lovely, […]
As birders, we are always looking to the skies and paying attention to flight patterns as a key to identifying our fine feathered friends, like the Osprey featured above. But I’m always paying attention, too, to the interesting signs that are posted in our preserves and parks. I recently noticed this very cool sign above – the first […]
Birder's Journey 