Actually, the first day was completely overcast, quite chilly and very windy – but beautiful nonetheless! We were treated to sightings of many of the Merritt Island ‘regulars’, only a few of which are pictured here. White Ibis and Cattle Egrets like those above were ubiquitous, and groups of Roseate Spoonbills gathered in the shallow, […]
Author Archives: Birder's Journey
This time of year, our Wood Storks stay pretty relaxed, singing and/or . . . . . . dancing.By next month, we’ll start seeing them doing pirouettes overhead.Then the crowds will arrive, and the Wood Storks will start taking over ALL the nesting tree islands!And then, come February and March, the huge fluffy Wood Storks will […]
These Cormorants are just irresistible. You can see at least one, calm as can be, relaxing along the boardwalk, almost every time you walk at Green Cay, a constructed Wetlands near my home.They seem to love the attention and ‘posing’ for strolling photographers of every type. You just have to watch out if you stand […]
One of our favorite places to bird is the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in southwest Florida. It was the last place we visited just before the pandemic – Who knew~!?!?!The Red-Shouldered Hawks were making a lot of noise overhead near the entrance, and the baby American Alligators were as quiet as can be back in the […]
We always hoped to see the Sandhill Crane pair with their colts when we visited the refuge in recent months, but I never managed to catch them in good light conditions. This time, we did a double-take as soon as we drove in the entrance road. The two adult Cranes were strolling right alongside us by the […]
My beloved younger sister Connie passed away very suddenly 2 weeks ago. Things will never be the same without her smiling face and upbeat approach to life ♥️. After losing her husband to a tragic accident a decade ago, Connie took up photography, with the guidance of a great teacher/mentor and dear friend. As a […]
The White Ibis, with its brilliant blue eyes, is one of the most abundant wading birds in Florida. White Ibises frequent saltwater marshes, coastal swamps, freshwater wetlands, ponds, fields – and lawns. They probe in the mud for small prey such as insects, crustaceans, and worms (See All about Birds, White Ibis). . . . which explains why […]
The Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge is one of my favorite birding spots here in Florida. Located just north of Vero Beach, Pelican Island NWR, established in 1903, has the distinction of being the very first National Wildlife Refuge. Thanks to the efforts of some very committed citizen advocates and a conservation-minded President, a system was created […]
At first glance, this hawk sitting in a large tree near our home looked somewhat like a Red-shouldered, a species we see often here. But it surprised us that he just sat there and never moved a bit, even as we got very close. We soon realized why. . . . The hawk was being ‘buzzed’ mercilessly by at least four loud […]
An hour before sunset, we were just finishing our walk at the local wildlife refuge, one of the only places nearby that didn’t close during the coronavirus. Miles of trails make it possible for visitors to hike and enjoy over a thousand acres of marsh and fresh water wetlands without coming close to other people.This alert […]
Birder's Journey 