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 […]
Endlessly having fun . . . 1. Chase away competitors, 2. make a quick landing and grab a bite to eat, 3. take off . . . . . . and Repeat!
The stately Sandhill Cranes, year-round residents throughout Florida, are called ‘iconic members of the Florida ecosystem’ by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Below is a Florida Sandhill Crane distribution map from the University of Florida IFAS Extension illustrating the species’ broad range throughout North America, including its widespread presence in Florida. The Cranes […]
I recently spent an overcast morning at Orlando Wetlands, one of my favorite birding spots . . . Despite the clouds, it was still as lovely as ever~! A new half-mile long curving boardwalk was completed last winter, taking visitors across one of the lakes and providing previously inaccessible views of the marsh and cypress […]
We recently encountered this handsome Great Blue Heron fishing off a concrete wall at the Orlando Wetlands. Even though I’ve blogged about Great Blue‘s more than any other species, he was just too good looking to pass up~! I used to think of the Great Blue Heron as THE iconic Florida bird, but later realized […]
Roseate Spoonbills gather, as if on display. What a sight to behold as we started walking down the trail recently at Orlando Wetlands 💕~!
All young birds are pretty darn cute, but this guy really makes me smile! Amazingly, Sandhill Crane chicks are able to leave the nest just ONE day after hatching and follow the parents around! They stay close to the parents for 9-10 months (Audubon Field Guide). We’ve seen much younger Sandhill Crane colts in the […]
My husband and I turned down a familiar trail at Orlando Wetlands, when a dot of bright blue suddenly flashed through the tall marsh grass. I did a double-take – what WAS that?? I began thinking of all the blue birds I knew, as I struggled to get a clearer view. . . . Not […]
Sandhill Cranes are very large non-migratory birds that “breed and forage in open prairies, grasslands, and wetlands” (All About Birds, Florida FWC). Monogamous breeders, they are known for their unique mating dances! (listen on Bird Note and watch this Bird Note video (especially after 45 sec. or so). On a recent walk, I heard this […]
As I’ve mentioned before, healthy Florida Raccoons are regularly out and about in the daytime, unlike their northern counterparts. The curious fellow above was romping in the flowers alongside the trail at Orlando Wetlands. A few weeks ago, I had a different sort of Raccoon experience on the Corkscrew Swamp Boardwalk – see the sequence […]
Birder's Journey 