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 […]
Category Archives: Birds
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, […]
A Sandhill Crane is literally what I call a ‘pretty, tall bird’. . . . .There is something about standing right next to this statuesque beauty – I could really feel its nearly 4 feet in height. And its beautiful face was so photogenic.Though I’ve written about Sandhill Cranes before, I couldn’t resist adding photos from this […]
I love the deep blue color of the water as it looked during a recent late afternoon walk at the Refuge, above.Very few birds were out and about, which is typical this time of year – though we can nearly always count on spotting a Great Blue Heron wading quietly through the marsh.It started to drizzle through […]
Although we knew mid-August in south Texas wouldn’t be the most ideal time for birding (!), we took a 2-day trip from our kids’ home in Houston to Aransas, a remote and wonderful 59,000 acre National Wildlife Refuge along the Gulf of Mexico. Aransas’ bays, fresh and salt water marshes, savannas, sloughs, and woodlands boast 165+ species of wildflowers, scores […]
The current time period on the Jewish calendar is known as The Three Weeks, preceeding Tisha B’Av, the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av. The 9th of Av commemorates multiple tragedies throughout Jewish history, including the story of the terrible destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple, resulting in the subsequent Babylonian Exile in 586 BCE.Expanding on a verse from […]
My daughter and her boyfriend sent us this very special postcard [above] from their recent visit to the Muir Woods in California. I love the wonderful quote from John Muir, which reminded me why he was such a hero of mine years ago: “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than one seeks.” Reading about John Muir‘s travels and his […]
Birder's Journey 