Cattle Egrets are generally rather non-descript little egrets, but their color transformation at this time of year is astonishing!Most remarkable is the way their plain orange-y beaks turn a striking, deep reddish-orange, with vivid purple lores around their eyes!The Cattle Egret’s breeding plumage also highlights their beautiful peach feathers, and they often appear to be wearing spiked […]
Category Archives: Birds
I can sometimes identify a new bird using one of the many handy online sources that are so available these days. But this one was tricky. So, based on the recommendations of some birding friends, I posted this photo on both the Facebook page for the Sanctuary where we found it, and on the ABA’s What’s this […]
I nearly walked right past this pretty Purple Gallinule the other evening, but my husband caught sight of him peeking out from behind this Fireflag plant.What a treat! As we stood nearby on the boardwalk the Gallinule clambered up and down the narrow stalks to get at the tasty purple Fireflag flowers. He was no more […]
This lovely Roseate Spoonbill was just standing there, high up on a snag, the other evening. I didn’t manage to capture him in flight, or to capture any spectacular show of fluffing up his feathers. But that’s okay . . . just watching him rest there for awhile was enough to brighten my day~! To […]
There are lots of Red-winged Blackbird (RWBB) nests in our wetland at this time of year – and they’re easily recognizable. The females have expended enormous energy and time building these intricate woven baskets, slung between the upright branches of low marsh shrubs. Here is one of the busy moms sitting on her eggs – and […]
The close-up of the Green Heron featured above shows how sleek and handsome these small herons are as adults.But, when the young bird first begins to venture out from the nest, like this one, the Green Heron chick is a little ball of fluff, a vulnerable hatchling, covered with down. Even his eye doesn’t seem to […]
Before today, I had only seen an occasional Eastern Meadowlark, perched out in the open atop a low tree, or on a fence near a marshy preserve – its presence always signaled by its melodious singing 🎶.But this afternoon, Meadowlarks literally appeared at every turn as we wandered through Dinner Island Ranch, a wildlife management area (WMA) in south Florida. What […]
The almost all white plumage of this bird below poses an ID challenge for many newcomers to the wetlands, who often mistakenly assume he is one of the white egrets – a Snowy Egret or Great Egret.But the bluish-black color of his beak, and his unmistakable green legs are great clues to his true identity. His behavior gives […]
This juvenile Purple Gallinule was so delightful, I just had to show off his lovely face!A few clues to tell us that this is a Juvenile Purple Gallinule . . . His plumage has begun to show the wonderful blues and greens that will become shimmering, iridescent colors in the sunlight when he reaches adulthood. There is […]
Birder's Journey 