American Robin

     Today's featured feathered friend is the American Robin, the state bird of Connecticut, Michigan and Wisconsin.  They are abundant year-round throughout the United States and their summer range includes most of Canada.  Here in southwest Florida, they begin to arrive by mid to late November, returning north in mid-March.       

     The Robin is the largest Thrush in North America.  Both males and females are about 10 inches in length with a wingspan of up to 15 1/2 inches.  Despite their deep-chested appearance they  weigh only 3 ounces.  Generally, adult males have a darker crown and reddish-orange breast.  Adult females are usually more subdued.  Juveniles are like adults but with buff spots on their backs and dark spots on their breasts. 

     Robins have a beautiful song, but rarely sing on their wintering grounds.  Sometimes after a rain shower we can hear them singing.  Otherwise, it's just a chorus of tooting birds, as they hop from branch to branch devouring berries from the many Brazilian Pepper trees around the yard. 

     Enjoy these photos of the American Robin.....tweet.....tweet!!  

American Robin (Male)
(Taken 11/27/11, Our Backyard)
(Brazilian Pepper Tree Berries)

American Robin (Female)

(Taken 2/28/12, Our Backyard)

American Robins
(Taken 3/1/12, Our Backyard)
(Turing our backyard in to a water park, one of our 5 birdbaths filled with Robins)

American Robins
(Another of the bird baths, our backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/id

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Robin

Razorbill Invasion in Florida

     Razorbill sightings have been occurring on both coasts of Florida over the past week.  Until now, there were less than 10 confirmed sightings in state history.  They are showing up in massive numbers on the east coast.  On the Gulf Coast they have been spotted off of Anna Maria Island, Venice, Stump Pass (Englewood) and Sanibel Island.

     In North America, Razorbills feed in the colder waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, from Maritime Canada to southern New England.  In the winter, they move as far south as New Jersey, sometimes Virginia.  The theory regarding the Florida invasion is that Hurricane Sandy greatly disrupted their food supply, driving them further south.

     We've read reports about birders from all over Florida going out to get a glimpse (and photos) of the Razorbill.  We didn't want to miss our chance so, on Friday the 14th we went to Stump Pass and walked up and down the beach for about 3 hours, nothing.  Then on Saturday the 15th, we spent most of the afternoon on Anna Maria Island, nothing.  Today, we drove to the Venice Jetty (south side) and walked to the end of the rock pier, nothing.  As we started walking back to the car we spotted one, then two more swimming together.  Many have described their appearance as miniature Penguins.  We saw a total of five and took over 400 photos, many from 15-20 feet from us.  Enjoy these photos of the Razorbill, a very rare Florida visitor.....tweet.....tweet!! 



Razorbill
(Taken 12/17/2012, South Jetty, Venice FL)

 

Pair of Razorbills looking for food
(Taken 12/17/2012, South Jetty, Venice FL)



Razorbill (Swimming underwater)
(Taken 12/17/2012, South Jetty, Venice FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Razorbill/id

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razorbill

A Tribute to Waldo Chesnut

     Today's post is dedicated to the memory of Waldo Chesnut, Joan's Dad. Waldo went to be with Jesus, our Lord and Savior, on December 1st. 

     Dad was a frequent guest, visiting us four times over the past 2 1/2 years from Schenectady NY.  He made our hobby his own, spending hours sitting quietly watching the birds from the canopy swing in our backyard.  He accompanied us to the Scrub-Jay Festival at Oscar Scherer State Park in February.  He came along with us on birding trips to many parks in Englewood, to the nearby Venice Rookery and to the beaches of Gasparilla Island, Sarasota and Longboat Key.  We took Dad to Sanibel Island near Ft. Myers and on a very special trip to Clewiston, near the southern tip of Lake Okeechobee.

      We invite you to look at this photo tribute to Dad, Waldo Emerson Chesnut.  We love you Dad, and we will miss you so much. 

Getting acquainted with a Florida Scrub-Jay
(Taken 12/22/2010, Our backyard)

  

Dad at the South Jetty - Venice FL
(Taken 11/14/2011)

 

Dad at Boca Grande Lighthouse Park
(Taken 6/2/2010, Gasparilla Island FL)



A surprise visit from a Florida Scrub-Jay
(10/16/2011, Our backyard)

 

Dad at Cedar Point Environmental Park
(Taken 11/10/2011, Englewood FL)



Dad and Joan at the Florida Scrub-Jay Festival
(Taken 2/4/2012, Oscar Scherer State Park, Osprey FL)



Dad keeping a sharp lookout for gators.
(Taken 2/4/2012, Oscar Scherer State Park, Osprey FL)

Good bye Dad, We love you.
(Taken 1/20/2012, City Island, Ken Thompson Parkway, Lido Key FL)

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Happy Thanksgiving

     It's Thanksgiving so, today's featured feathered friend is the Wild Turkey.  Enough said.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone.....tweet.....tweet!! 

Wild Turkeys
(Taken 11/6/12, Highlands County FL)

 

Wild Turkeys
(Taken 11/8/12, Okeechobee County, FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wild_Turkey/id



Hooded Merganser

     We subscribe to a website that posts "bird alerts".  One such alert said that Hooded Mergansers had started to arrive in our area and could be found in a pond near a shopping center in Sarasota.  So, we drove to the site and sure enough, there they were.  It is a life-list bird for us, we had never seen one before this trip.

     The male Hooded Merganser has a black head with a white-centered crest that is fan-shaped when raised.  When lowered it becomes a long white stripe behind his eye.  He has a black back, reddish-brown flanks and a white chest with black vertical stripes on his sides.  He has a pale yellow eye and a black bill.  The female has a grayish head with a pale cheek and a cinnamon brown crest.  Her back is dark and her flanks and breast are gray.  She has a dark brown eye.  Her bill is brownish on top (upper mandible) and orangish on the bottom (lower mandible). 

     Among Merganser species, the Hooded Merganser is the second smallest and the only one whose native habitat is restricted to North America.  They are about 18 inches in length, weigh between one and two pounds, with a wingspan of 23.5 to 26 inches.  They are short-distance migrants, moving to areas where winter temperatures allow for ice-free conditions on ponds, lakes and rivers.  Enjoy these photos of the Hooded Merganser.....tweet.....tweet!!  

Hooded Mergansers
(Taken 11/14/12, Sarasota FL)

Hooded Mergansers
(Taken 11/14/12, Sarasota FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Merganser/id

Crested Caracara

     We traveled over to the east coast this week on a three-day birding trip.  We visited many spots on the Great Florida Birding Trail as well as other parks and wildlife areas.  While driving through Okeechobee County we spotted a Crested Caracara sitting on a fence post along the roadside.  We pulled over to get some great photos and discovered a juvenile Caracara just a few feet away.  The Crested Caracara is a life list bird for us.

     Males and females are similar in appearance.  They have long necks, tails and long yellow legs.  They have a shallow flat crown with a black cap and nape.  The cheeks, neck and breast are whitish.  The lower neck, breast and back is finely barred.  They have a massive orange bill with a bluish tip.  The body is black, and their long narrow wings are black with white patches near the tips.  The tail is white with a broad black band at the tip.  Juvenile Caracaras are like adults, but brown in dark areas (not black), neck and face buffy with grayish legs.  Their bill is pinkish with a bluish tip.  

     Caracaras found in Florida are a threatened sub-species known as "Audubon's Crested Caracaras".  They are very rare, usually found in a five-county area of interior south Florida, north and west of Lake Okeechobee.  We were hoping to see one on this trip.  We saw a total of seven , what a blessing.  Enjoy these photos of the Crested Caracara.....tweet.....tweet!!

Crested Caracara (Adult)
(Taken 11/6/12, Okeechobee Co. FL)

    Note:  According to several sources, this bird has a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) band on it's left leg.  It's also banded with a GPS tracker on it's right leg.  If you'll look closely you can see the antenna (it's not a twig) along side the talons on it's right leg.  In addition, the yellow spot on the breast is it's skin.  This bird has just finished eating, it's crop has become engorged, protruding through it's feathers.  



Crested Caracara (Juvenile)
(Taken 11/6/12, Okeechobee Co. FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Crested_Caracara/id

http://floridabirdingtrail.com/index.php/conservation/bird/crested_caracara/
    

Double-Crested Cormorant

     Today's featured feathered friend is the Double-Crested Cormorant.  Of the 30 Cormorant species worldwide, six can be found in North America.  Of these, the Double-Crested Cormorant is by far the most abundant and widespread.  This large heavy-bodied bird can be found all across North America.  There are five subspecies of the Double-Crested Cormorant.  Sizes can vary within the subspecies but generally they are 27 to 35 inches in length, weighing between 2.5 to 5.5 pounds, with a wingspan of up to 48 inches.  Cormorants in Alaska are the largest, those in Florida are the smallest.  

     The Double-Crested Cormorant has a stocky body, long neck, medium-sized tail, webbed feet and a medium-sized hooked bill.  They are black with yellow or orange facial skin.  Adult males and females are similar in appearance.  Juveniles are dark gray or brown, with a pale upper breast and dark belly.  In breeding plumage a "double-crest" is visible on the crown, hence their common name.  These crests are white in Cormorants from Alaska, and black in other regions.
     The diet of the Double-Crested Cormorant is almost exclusively fish.  It dives under water to find it's prey and can stay submerged for over a minute.  After diving, it stands with outstretched wings, allowing them to dry.  They have less preen oil than other birds, so their feathers can get soaked rather than shedding water like a duck's.  Enjoy these photos of the Double-Crested Cormorant.....tweet.....tweet!!   



Double-Crested Cormorant drying it's wings.
(Taken 2/2/12, Venice FL) 

 

Double-Crested Cormorants fishing.
(Taken 2/2/12, Venice FL)

 http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Double-crested_Cormorant/id

Common Grackle

     Today's featured bird is the Common Grackle.  A year round Florida resident, they are one of the nine bird species that visit our backyard daily.  Three species of Grackles can be found in North America; the Common, the Boat-Tailed and the Great-Tailed.  The Common Grackle is the smallest and most widespread of the three.  

     At first glance the Common Grackle is a plain black bird with a yellow eye.  However, in reality they display an assortment of iridescent colors.  Both sexes have a bluish hood (head).  Males have either bronze or multi-colored bodies and wings.  Females have blackish-brown bodies and wings with little iridescence.  Juveniles are dark brown overall with a dark eye and lack iridescence.  Males are slightly larger than females.   

     Common Grackles are considered pests by farmers.  They form large flocks causing extreme crop damage, making them the target of eradication campaigns.  Even so, their numbers remain strong and they have extended their range westward, following the spread of agriculture.  Despite their unpopularity, check out the spectacular colors of the Common Grackle in these photos.....tweet.....tweet!!  

Common Grackle
(All photos taken 10/24/12, Our Backyard)

     

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Grackle/id

Yellow-Throated Warbler

     Today's featured feathered friend is the Yellow-Throated Warbler.  Twice this week we've had a visit from a  Yellow-Throated Warbler.  We've spotted them before on outings, but never in our own backyard.  Their preferred habitat is swamp and pine forests.  Our backyard doesn't fit this description at all, so to choose our yard to stop by for a drink and a quick bath is such a blessing.

     The Yellow-Throated Warbler is a medium sized warbler measuring 5 1/4 inches.  The sexes are very similar, both have a bright yellow throat and upper breast with a bold black triangular face patch.  Their flanks are heavily black-streaked.  They have a white eyebrow, white neck, black forehead, gray crown and two white wingbars.  Females have less black on the forehead and finer flank streaking.  

     Yellow-Throated Warblers can be found over most of the eastern U.S. except in New England and New York.  Northern birds migrate south for the winter.  In Florida, they can be found year round.  Enjoy these photos of the colorful and beautiful Yellow-Throated Warbler.....tweet.....tweet!!



Yellow-Throated Warbler
(Taken 9/19/12, Englewood FL)



Yellow-Throated Warbler
(Taken 10/23/12, Our Backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-throated_Warbler/id

Sandhill Crane

     Today's featured feathered friend is the Sandhill Crane.  This morning while putting out the feeders, a pair of Sandhills were foraging in our front yard.  Eventually they "walked" away, right down the middle of the street.  This pair (and maybe others) can be seen daily roaming around the neighborhood.  Their "trumpeting" call can be heard from very far away.

     Sandhill Cranes are large birds with long necks and legs.  They are pale gray, sometimes with a reddish wash.  They have a red crown with white cheeks and a thick tuft of feathers over the rump.  Males and females are similar in appearance.  In breeding pairs, males are noticeably larger than females.  Juveniles are cinnamon brown, changing to gray as they mature.

     Of the fifteen crane species in the world, only three can be found in North American.  The Sandhill, the Common Crane and the endangered Whooping Crane.  The Sandhill is by far the most abundant and the smallest of the three.  There are six subspecies of Sandhill Cranes, some of which are threatened or endangered.  Sizes can vary within the subspecies but generally, Sandhills are 41 to 48 inches in length, weighing 7 to 11 pounds, with a wingspan of up to 6 1/2 feet.   

     Check out either of the links provided below for much more information on this fascinating bird.  Enjoy the photos of the graceful and elegant Sandhill Crane.....tweet.....tweet!!   



Sandhill Cranes
(Family out foraging for food)
(Taken 3/2/12, Englewood FL)



 Trumpeting
(Taken 10/1/11, Wesley Chapel FL)



Close-Up
(Taken 8/23/12, Englewood FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sandhill_Crane/id

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandhill_Crane#Subspecies_and_evolution

Northern Flicker

     Our featured feathered friend today is the Northern Flicker.  The second largest woodpecker behind the Pileated, they can be found all across North America.  Flickers are the only woodpeckers that frequently feed on the ground.  Although they eat fruits, berries, seeds and nuts, insects are their main food source.  Ants alone can make up half of their diet.  Northern Flickers are brownish overall with a white rump patch.  Their backs are pale brown with thin black barring.  They have a crescent-shaped black bib on the breast with bold black spots on the belly.  There are other markings depending on which group they belong to.

          **  The Red-Shafted Flicker resides in western North America.  This group has red under the wings and tail.  They have a beige cap (top of the head) with a grey nape (back of the head).  Males have a red moustachial stripe.

          **  The Yellow-Shafted Flicker resides in eastern North America.  This group has yellow under the wings and tail.  They have a grey cap with a red patch on their nape.  Males have a black moustachial stripe.  Known as the "Yellowhammer", the Northern Flicker from this group is the state bird of Alabama.

      Females lack a moustachial stripe however, juvenile males from either group have an orange mustache.

     Flickers visit our backyard occasionally, usually just to get a drink.  Sometimes we'll see them tucked into the shrubbery eating berries.  A beautiful bird, enjoy these photos of the Northern Flicker.....tweet.....tweet!! 

Northern Flicker (Male)
(Taken 1/4/11, Our Backyard)



Northern Flicker (Female)
(Taken 5/20/12, Our Backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/id

Zebra Longwing and the Question Mark Butterflies

     On Saturday the 13th, we visited Lettuce Lake Regional Park in Tampa.  The park features a 3500 foot boardwalk with an observation tower overlooking the water.  A huge crowd of people were out enjoying a warm, sunny October day.  Along the boardwalk we spotted White Ibises, a Little Blue Heron, a Tricolored Heron and a Belted Kingfisher.  In the canopy we saw Cardinals, Downy and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, a White-Eyed Vireo, a Black-and-White Warbler and several Tufted Titmice.  We also spotted two butterflies, today's featured fliers.

     The Zebra Longwing is a black butterfly with yellowish-white stripes on elongated wings.  It's wingspan is 3 to 3 1/2 inches.  In 1996, the Zebra Longwing officially became the state butterfly of Florida.  In the U.S., they can be found in the southeast, from Virginia to Florida.  They feed on nectar and pollen.  They are the only butterflies known to eat pollen, which is probably why they have a long lifespan.  They can live from three to six months, compared to one month for other butterfly species.

     The Question Mark is an orange butterfly with dark markings, irregular wing edges and a brownish underside.  This ventral (wings closed) coloration helps it resemble a dead leaf when resting.  It's wingspan is 2 1/4 to 3 inches.  A silver mark on the ventral hindwing is broken into two parts, a curved line and a dot, creating a ?-shaped mark that gives the species its common name.  They feed on rotting fruit, tree sap, dung or carrion.  Only when these sources are unavailable do Question Marks visit flowers for nectar.  In winter months the Question Mark is more orange, and less dark.  They can be found in southern Canada, from the eastern edge of the Rockies south to Arizona and into Mexico, and the entire eastern U.S.

     You never know what you'll see while you're out birding.....tweet.....tweet!!

Zebra Longwing Butterfly
(Taken 10/12/12, Tampa FL)



Question Mark Butterfly

(Taken 10/12/12, Tampa FL)

Carolina Chickadee

     We took a few days off to visit family in the Tampa area.  While away, we were able to visit a few birding spots.  On Friday the 12th we drove into Citrus county and spent a few hours in Inverness.  Cooter's Pond Park has a fantastic boardwalk system that let's you get a "birds-eye" view of wetland wildlife.  We saw many Common Gallinules with their babies.  It's interesting to see them walk on the tops of Lilly pads.  There were lots of turtles out of the water getting some sun, many butterflies and dragonflies, and of course several gators.  In the trees and underbrush, we saw Carolina Wrens, Mockingbirds, Catbirds and an Eastern Phoebe.

     Later in the day, we drove north and visited the Withlacoochee State Forest.  The third largest state forest in Florida, it contains several Great Florida Birding Trail sites.  We stopped at the northern most site, the Two Mile Prairie Tract: Johnson Pond Trail.  It's way off the beaten path.  We chose this site specifically, because our guide book listed the possibility of at least ten different birds we had never seen before.  We walked a mile only to discover that Johnson's Pond is dried up.  We saw none of the birds we had hoped to see.  It seems that the information in our guide regarding this site is badly outdated.  However, not all was lost.  Walking the mile back to the car, we did manage to spot a Carolina Chickadee.  A new "life list" bird for us.  Not the best photo, but we worked hard to get this shot of the Carolina Chickadee.  Better birding days ahead.....tweet....tweet!!   



Carolina Chickadee
(Taken 10/12/12, Citrus Co. FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/carolina_chickadee/id



House Finch

     Our featured feathered friend of the day is the House Finch.  Along with our regular birds today, a female House Finch was in the backyard most of afternoon.  The House Finch is a year round Florida resident, but we've only seen them in our yard a few times.

     House Finches are six inches long and weigh about 3/4 of an ounce.  They have small heads and short, conical bills.  Both sexes have a brownish back, tail and wings, with two white wing bars, and a white belly heavily streaked with brown.  Males have a reddish head, breast and rump.  Males can also display orange or yellow colors, varying in intensity and derived from the berries and fruits in their diet.  As a result, their colors range from pale yellow to bright orange (both rare) to deep, intense red.  Studies have shown that during mating season females prefer males with the brightest and reddist color.

     The House Finch is the most widely distributed songbird in North America and is a common backyard feeder.  It was once found only in the western U.S. and Mexico.  They were being sold illegally in New York City as "Hollywood Finches".  To avoid prosecution under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, vendors and owners released the birds in the 1940s.  The population quickly became established in the east and now the total North American population is estimated to be as high as 1.4 billion birds.  Enjoy these photos of the House Finch.....tweet.....tweet!!



House Finch (Male)
(Yellow and Red Plumage)
(Taken 11/18/11, Our Backyard)

House Finch (Female)
(Taken 10/10/12, Our Backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Finch/id

White-Eyed Vireo

     Our featured feathered friend of the day is the White-Eyed Vireo.  This morning we were able to get a few nice photos of one before it flew away.  We've only seen them in the backyard a few times, but we hear their "explosive" song quite often, especially during the winter.

     White-Eyed Vireos are a small and secretive bird of the eastern and southern United States.  Populations along the Gulf Coast and further south are year round residents.  Most North American birds migrate south, wintering in Mexico, northern Central America and the Caribbean.

     The White-Eyed Vireo is about five inches long.  It is grayish-olive above, white below with yellow flanks and two white wing bars on each wing.  The eyes have white irises that are surrounded by yellow "spectacles".  Males and females are similar in appearance.  Juveniles are similar to adults, but are duller overall with a black eye.  Enjoy today's photos of the White-Eyed Vireo.....tweet.....tweet!!



White-Eyed Vireo
(Taken 10/8/12, Our Backyard)



White-Eyed Vireo
(Taken 2/24/12, Our Backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wite-eyed_Vireo/id

The Royal Family of Butterflies

     Today at the Cedar Point Environmental Center here in Englewood, we finally spotted the Queen butterfly.  Our "Royal Family" of orange butterflies is now complete.  We had previously seen the Viceroy and the Monarch.  They are all butterflies in the Nymphalidae family, which contains over 6000 species.  Their larvae feed on plants in the Milkweed family.  Together, the Queen, Viceroy and Monarch form a mimicry complex (meaning, they're alike in many ways), in which all three species are highly distasteful or toxic to predators. 

     Enjoy this spectacular collection of Englewood's Royal Family of Orange Butterflies; the Queen, the Viceroy and the Monarch. 

     The Queen (Danaus gilippus) is closely related to the Monarch.  Adults have a slow, soaring flight and they are fond of flowers.  A frequent garden visitor, it typically rests and feeds with its wings closed.  It is orange or brown with black wing borders and small white forewing spots on its dorsal wing surface.  The ventral hindwings have black veins and small white spots in a black border.  The male has a black scent patch on its dorsal hindwings.  It's wing span is 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 inches.

Queen Butterfly (Male)
(Taken 10/8/12, Englewood FL)

     The Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) can be distinguished from the Monarch by its smaller size and the post median black line that runs across the veins on the hindwing.  The Viceroy is orange to mahogany with black markings, veins and  broad wing borders.  The borders contain central rows  of small white spots.  In Florida, Viceroys share the pattern of the Queen.  It's wingspan is 2 1/2 to 3 1/4 inches. The Viceroy is the state butterfly of Kentucky. 

Viceroy Butterfly
(Taken 8/17/12, Englewood FL)

     The Monarch (Danaus plexippus) is undoubtedly the best known of all North American butterflies.  It's annual fall mass migration is one of the greatest natural events undertaken by any organism on earth.  Adults have a strong, soaring flight.  Monarchs are orange with black veins and wing borders.  The black borders have two rows of small white spots.  Males are slightly larger than females.  Female Monarchs have darker veins on their wings.  Males have a small black scent patch in the center of each hindwing.  It's wing span is 3 1/2 to 4 four inches.  The Monarch is the state butterfly of Alabama, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas, Vermont and West Virginia.     

Monarch Butterfly (Male)
(Taken 11/9/11, Englewood FL)

Blue Jay

     Our featured feathered friend today is the Blue Jay.  A year-round Florida resident, the Blue Jay is one of nine species that visit our backyard almost daily.  The Blue Jay is a large songbird with a perky crest.  It's plumage is various shades of blue, with black and white above, and with white or light gray underparts.  Both sexes are similar in appearance.  Juveniles are more grayish above with limited white markings on the wings.
       They have a variety of noisy calls.  They can mimic the call of a Red-Shouldered Hawk, sometimes used to deceive other birds into believing that a Hawk is present.

     It's diet is composed mostly of insects and nuts.  They are particularly fond of acorns.  In our backyard, it's all about peanuts.  They stuff food items in a throat pouch to cache elsewhere.  When eating, it will hold a seed or nut between it's feet to peck it open.  They are known to be nest raiders, taking and eating eggs and nestlings of other birds.  At feeders in Florida, Red-Headed Woodpeckers, Florida Scrub-Jays, Common Grackles, and Gray Squirrels strongly dominate Blue Jays, often preventing them from obtaining food.  We've witnessed this on many occasions.

     Native to North America, the Blue Jay can be found throughout most of the eastern and central U.S. and southern Canada.  Most Jays are present throughout the winter in all parts of their range however, western populations may be migratory.  Enjoy today's photos of the Blue Jay.....tweet.....tweet!!

Blue Jay
(Taken 2/25/12, Our Backyard)

Blue Jay (Juvenile)
(Taken 7/31/11, Our Backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue_Jay/id

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher

     This afternoon, we visited Shamrock Park in Venice.  A great location to get fabulous photos of Florida Scrub-Jays.  They were more than happy to pose for us today.  Along the trails we spotted Downy and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, Northern Mockingbirds, Mourning Doves, Common Ground-Doves and Palm Warblers.  We also saw the tiny Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, our featured feathered friend of the day.

     The Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher is a very small bird.  It measures only 4 1/2 inches in length and weighs a "hefty" quarter of an ounce.  They have blue-gray upperparts with white underparts,  a long slender bill, a long white-edged black tail and a bold white eye ring.  Females are a duller gray than males.  In breeding plumage the male has a black forehead and a black line over his eyes.  These are very active birds, constantly flitting around, which makes them extremely difficult to photograph.  More often than not, we're alerted to their presence by their call, a quiet but emphatic high-pitched buzz.       

     The Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher can be found all across the eastern half of the country.  In the west, it can be found in parts of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas.  Here in Florida, they're year-round residents.  The Blue-Gray is the only truly migrating gnatcatcher.   They migrate to the southern U.S., Mexico, northern Central America and the Caribbean.  Enjoy today's photos of the Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher.....tweet.....tweet!!

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
(Taken 2/21/12, Our Backyard)

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
(Taken 1/25/12, Our Backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue-gray_Gnatcatcher/id

Gray Catbird

     We've been anxiously awaiting their return, and the Gray Catbirds have finally arrived.  Named for their cat-like "mew" call, the Gray Catbird is slate gray with a thin black crown, a blackish tail and a reddish rump.  No other North American bird has a uniform dark gray plumage.  Males and females are similar in appearance.  

     Gray Catbirds are of the "Mimidae" family, which includes Mockingbirds and Thrashers.  They mimic the songs of other birds, tree frogs and even mechanical sounds.  The Gray Catbird's song is easily distinguished from their cousins, the Mockingbird and the Thrasher.  The Mockingbird repeats its phrases 3 to 4 times, the Thrasher usually twice, but the Catbird sings most phrases only once.  In contrast to most songbirds who choose to sing from a prominent perch, the Catbird usually sings under cover and out of sight. 

     Gray Catbirds can be found throughout North America east of the Rocky Mountains.  Unlike their cousins the Mockingbird and the Thrasher, Gray Catbirds are migratory birds.  They spend the winter season in the southern U.S., Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.  We welcome back the Gray Catbird for the winter, enjoy today's photos.....tweet.....tweet!!

  

Gray Catbird
(Taken 1/24/12, Our Backyard)

 

Gray Catbird
(Taken 1/15/11, Our Backyard)

     

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Gray_Catbird/id