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. ☺️
Tag 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)
These Purple Gallinules were literally up to their knees in Water Lettuce, a troublesome invasive exotic plant (FWC), earlier this season. The Purple Gallinule “readily accepts weedy conditions brought on by eutrophication and feeds on exotic weeds such as water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata).” (Birds of the World). I’m watching to see […]
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, […]
This beautiful iridescent bird is one of my favorites, and its colors really popped as I walked by on a recent sunny day! “Clearly the most colorful of our rails, the Purple Gallinule is among the most gaudy breeding birds in North America.” (Birds of the World) [Personally, I don’t think ‘gaudy’ is the best […]
When I visited Orlando Wetlands a couple of months ago, the Sandhill Crane parents were busy sitting on a nest. And now look at how big their adorable colts are getting!! The little ones are amazingly mobile not long after hatching. “Their down dries 2 to 3 hours after hatching, by which time their eyes […]
Birder's Journey 