Mr. and Mrs. Red-winged Blackbird, above, take turns feeding the nestlings, and chasing off intruders. ‘Females build the nests by winding stringy plant material around several close, upright stems and weaving in a platform of coarse, wet vegetation.’ (All About Birds) Sometimes, as shown here, it is remarkable that the nest is sturdy enough to stay […]
Author Archives: Birder's Journey
Least Bitterns are known for being shy and very well-camouflaged, great at hiding in the marsh. I spotted this Bittern fly in on a recent early July morning, and assumed it would quickly scoot off into the dense foliage. But when I hurried over to get a better look, she just stood there, posing atop […]
My history of previous Purple Gallinule posts seems to show there was more Purple Gallinule activity during the winter and early spring in the past. This year I must not have been paying attention! So happy to see some of these beauties are still popping up in the marsh now and again so I can […]
I was happy to be one of the first visitors out on the boardwalk at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary the other day. As I walked along in silence, I caught a glimpse of a large bird as it flew through the foliage over the swamp, off to my right. It glided by soundlessly and disappeared into […]
On the top right, petals from the Pond Apple tree fall into the water and make a lovely pink and white display. Bottom right, the graceful, hanging Fireflag blossoms are a favorite snack of the Purple Gallinules. iNaturalist experts confirmed for me that the plant on the left is Kosteletzkya Pentacarpos, or Saltmarsh Mallow, which […]
Just a few scenes from one of our favorite Florida birding spots. Even at this time of year, mid-June, when the birds are more scarce, it’s a great place for a day hike!
Yay…. I think that’s my mom heading this way! I’m starving! We’re still seeing lots of nest activity in our local wetlands, even though it’s mid-June already. This Great Egret youngster looked pretty excited when he saw his parent heading back to the nest. “Both parents feed the young by regurgitation. At the age of […]
On Mother’s Day, a friend and I went for a walk at our local refuge, hoping that maybe we’d catch a glimpse of a SwallowtaiI Kite, as we’d heard they were around. Incredibly, two spectacular Kites suddenly appeared toward the end of our walk~!! One performed its magical aerial acrobatics right in front of us, […]
Hard to believe that birds often build their nests in places that are so readily visible to human passersby. These images were all taken from separate and distinct nesting areas – there are many this time of year.
Birder's Journey 