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 […]
Category Archives: Marsh/Wetlands
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 […]
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 […]
It’s always exciting to spot a secretive American Bittern stalking around in the marsh. Unlike other herons who will often fly off when disturbed, the well-camouflaged Bittern will frequently stay right where it is, trying ever so hard to hide amongst the tall leaves. To enhance the effect of pretending to be part of the plant life, “alarmed birds ‘skypoint’, swaying […]
BirdNote recently highlighted this quote from an opinion piece in the Washington Post by Wendy Paulson of the Bobolink Foundation. I couldn’t agree more: ‘My hope is that when we emerge from this troubling time, people around the globe will find themselves more keenly aware of how blessed we are by the gifts of the […]
Adult Roseate Spoonbill above and his younger juvenile friend below were in attendance. You can easily tell who’s who by the differences in the colors of their heads, necks, bills, and the intensity of their pink plumage.They always make quite a showing at the Space Coast Birding Festival💕. These lovelies were all seen on Black Point […]
I attended the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival for the second time this year, one of the largest birding festivals in the U.S. Much of the Festival takes place close to one of my favorite birding spots, Merritt Island NWR, near Kennedy Space Center and Titusville, Florida.One of the birds frequently seen along Black Point Wildlife […]
Great Blue Herons work diligently on building their new nests at this time of year, spending much of their day collecting and adding branches.I watched as Mr. GBH flew off to the woods, looking for just the right branch. He thought about taking this long, bulky stick back to the nest, but later decided against it in favor […]
This quiet little Green Heron stood almost perfectly still in the shadows. He was barely noticeable and never stirred from this spot. Only his head moved. I assumed he had one leg tucked under his body, as these birds often do. But it’s also possible that he was missing a limb. I’ve always been amazed by how […]
