This Limpkin was one of many who were enjoying the Apple Snails along the shoreline of Lake Kissimmee. Limpkins have a specially designed bill, the tip of which acts almost like tweezers, to pry open and extract the Apple Snail from its shell. But they also feed on insects, worms, small crustaceans, and other mussels (All […]
Author Archives: Birder's Journey
Northern Mockingbirds are well known for their melodious non-stop singing. They are expert mimics of other birds, and are continuously adding to their repertoire of sounds. In fact, male Mockingbirds may learn more than 200 songs over a lifetime (All About Birds).But I caught this lovely Mockingbird just resting quietly on a branch at dusk the other evening, occasionally fluffing […]
On a recent evening, we were treated to yet another beautiful sunset over one of our nearby wetland preserves.These two photos were taken just one minute apart. A few moments later, the sun disappeared completely below the horizon. This lovely scene brought to mind a verse from Psalms: “You make the lands of sunrise and sunset sing […]
Just moments before he flew off, I spotted this flashy Tri-colored Heron (sometimes still called the Louisiana Heron), in the pond this morning. Notice his slender, spear-like bill – compared to his head size, it is proportionately the longest bill of all the herons (The New Stokes Field Guide to Birds, Eastern Region, 2013). The Heron engaged in what David Sibley […]
The Kestrel suddenly appeared on a high tree over the marsh as I walked at the refuge this morning – what a lovely surprise! According to Florida Fish & Wildlife, the Southeastern American Kestrel (Falco sparverius paulus) is a permanent resident of Florida, whereas the common American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) that is found throughout the northern states is a winter migrant […]
There is something very exciting about watching a mama American Alligator guarding her nest for weeks all summer long, and then finally seeing these tiny creatures emerge in the fall! These 2 week old baby gators are no more than about 8-10 inches long. What a treat to watch the babies clamber all over one another and the […]
How delightful that the “thin, squeaky call notes” of the Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher give away its presence – otherwise, it would be almost impossible to spot this tiny bird! (National Audubon Society Pocket Guide of Songbirds & Familiar Backyard Birds – East).This morning I heard that distinct nasal, wheezy buzzing in the trees all around me. […]
I spotted these two Limpkins the other evening as they emerged from the reeds along the water’s edge with an Apple Snail, a favorite treat. The juvenile waited patiently as its parent expertly extracted the Apple Snail from its shell. “The Limpkin’s bill is uniquely adapted to foraging on apple snails. The closed bill has a gap just before the tip […]
These protective Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were whistling up a storm and making quite a scene this morning as we strolled along the boardwalk. We soon realized what all the commotion was about. . . Mama and her fuzzy little “bumblebee” ducklings were out and about, a time for all the grown-ups to keep a close watch […]
A short visual tribute to three of my favorite (and some of our most common) wetland birds . . . . These herons are here with us all year round, and keep us smiling no matter what the weather. Despite the summer heat, they always seem to find relief from the high temperatures in refreshing pools, […]
Birder's Journey 