Just came back from an evening walk at our favorite wetlands. A slight movement here in the dense marsh foliage made me take a closer look – and there he was! How lovely to encounter this Least Bittern climbing deftly from stem to stem right in front of us. ☺️
Category Archives: Birds
Despite their prevalence here in our local wetlands, I haven’t posted in a very long time about Wood Storks. The Wood Stork is a “bald-headed wading bird [that] stands just over 3 feet tall, towering above almost all other wetland birds.” (All About Birds). The adult’s head is bald and scaly in appearance, and its […]
How much more beautiful can this lovely Great Egret make itself? 💚
Barred Owls are SO good at camouflage! We nearly walked right by this quiet fellow, hiding in plain sight just a few yards off the trail.
The White Ibis is so ubiquitous here in Florida that I often forget how limited their range is in North America! (See the All About Birds, White Ibis Range Map) The lovely brownish youngster above hasn’t yet matured, but soon he’ll grow into his completely white plumage and eventually be as handsome as the breeding […]
The Double-crested Cormorant is a common but dazzling sight here in our marshes and wetlands, with its sleek, glistening plumage and “striking aquamarine eyes that sparkle like jewels.” (All About Birds)
There is something irresistible about Black-necked Stilts, so elegant with their uncommonly long pink legs and streamlined torpedo-shaped bodies! 💕 They’ve been enjoying this very shallow, muddy section of the marsh for awhile now, but I haven’t noticed any nests yet. Their nests can be hard to find as they are “usually located on bare […]
These little Black-bellied Whistling Duck babies have just hatched over the past few days! Their very protective parents venture beyond the dense marsh grass to guide the ducklings out into a more open space right next to the boardwalk!
People often mistakenly think this bird above is a Red-headed Woodpecker, because – after all – he does have a red head. Since woodpeckers are most often spotted on trees, facing a trunk or branch, we can’t always see their bellies – but look at this guy showing off his gorgeous red breast feathers! Clearly, […]
For several years now we’ve had a large active Red-shouldered Hawk nest in our local wetlands. This fierce-looking fellow is one of the two juveniles hatched earlier this spring. “When about 5–6 wk old, young begin climbing out on branches away from nest.” (Birds of the World) The week I took this photo, the juveniles […]
Birder's Journey 