The Reddish Egret is a “conspicuously long-legged, long-necked wader of coastal regions, more tied to salt water than any of our other herons or egrets.” (Audubon). The one seen above was spotted quietly foraging on a recent morning in a secluded pond on the Gulf coast of Florida. I was so delighted to stumble upon the […]
Category Archives: Marsh / Wetlands
Another little beauty from Circle B Bar Ranch Reserve. This vulnerable 8-day old Sandhill Crane colt gets around quite well, but keeps close to his parents. They will be watchful caregivers for about the next 10 months.Adult Sandhill Cranes (who are a stately 4-5 feet tall) mate for life and have only 1-3 young per nesting season. The […]
There is nothing quite so striking as a male Painted Bunting. How can so many vivid colors be present all at once in such a tiny, modest little bird? They seem (as All About Birds puts it) “to have flown straight out of a child’s coloring book.” Painted Buntings can be found across the southern U.S., […]
I was all alone on Black Point Drive at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge one recent chilly morning, when this lone White Pelican suddenly swooped in overhead.As they migrate south over Florida during the winter, these huge Pelicans are most often seen in groups, sometimes filling the sky as massive flocks glide by over the water. With a […]
Osprey (formerly called Fish Hawk, due to their almost exclusive diet of fish) boast a great success story. Once seriously endangered due to DDT and other pesticides, they have made a strong comeback and are now found throughout the U.S. (Audubon.org)“Unique among North American raptors for its diet of live fish and ability to dive into […]
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks (BBWD’s) are found year-round in parts of Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Mexico, and South and Central America, and are known to breed mostly in coastal Texas (All About Birds).But we happen to be lucky to have many breeding pairs of these charming ducks here in Palm Beach County, Florida every year! They are so […]
One overcast morning, the Brown Pelican appeared to be the largest of all the birds wading at the Refuge.But when he approached the VERY large White Pelican, the big guy called out to his friends, “Hey guys. . . . This little fellow says he’s a Pelican, too!” 😀“Hmmmm. . . . . Let’s go check this […]
This handsome young Great Blue Heron grabs a few private moments for himself.
I just can’t get enough of the brilliant pink Roseate Spoonbills, and most birders and visitors to our area feel the same way!The young Spoonie above was getting his bearings on a tall snag on a recent gloomy late afternoon. Looked like he was trying to figure out how to avoid the impending rainstorm.Four days later, this […]
What a thrill to get a glimpse of this beautiful, well-fed American Bittern. We were strolling along a boardwalk, when my husband suddenly spotted some movement in the tall marshy grasses . . . and then the Bittern emerged!Known for its solitary and elusive behavior, this ‘stout heron’ can be found in dense freshwater marshes (http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-bittern), and […]
