Bald Eagle

     We made a visit to Casa De Meadows again today.  Joan spotted something along the shoreline of the pond.  She described what she saw as something as big as a  brown Bear Cub.  She hopped out of the car to get a closer look when it took flight, it was a Bald Eagle.  It flew across the pond to the opposite side of the development.  We drove over to that side and spotted the Eagle perched on a limb in a pine tree.  We both hopped out and started taking photos and videos.  The Eagle stared at us for about 30 seconds then, flew back to the other side.  While in flight, the Eagle was met in mid-air by another Eagle, and together they flew out of sight.  What a treat, if only for a moment.

     Today's Eagle photo shows what we believe to be a "third year" bird, based on our field guide.  It still has streaky brown feathers on its head and dark tips on its tail.  It also has spotty white feathers on its breast and wings.  We also believe that this particular Eagle is a female.  Female Bald Eagles can be up to 25 percent larger than males.  This bird is about twice as far away as an Eagle we spotted in July yet, it's much larger.  Enjoy these Bald Eagle photos.....tweet.....tweet!!  

Bald Eagle
(Taken 9/30/12, Englewood FL)



Bald Eagle
(Taken 7/22/12, Port Charlotte FL)


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

Photo Book

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Prairie Warbler

     We made a quick visit to Cedar Point Environmental Park today.  We've had great success here over the past few weeks.  We saw a Red-Bellied Woodpecker, a Red-Eyed Vireo and two Blue Jays.  Next, we drove over to one of our favorite birding spots in Englewood, Casa De Meadows.  It's a very nice community with a beautiful large pond, located off of San Casa Road.  We've seen an incredible assortment of birds here over the past year.  They include:

Herons:  Great Blue, Little Blue, Green, Tricolored.  Egrets:  Great and Snowy. 
White Ibis, Wood Storks, Anhingas, Double-Crested Cormorants, Gulls,
Ospreys, Hawks, Pied-Billed Grebes, Mottled Ducks, Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks, Belted Kingfishers, Common Gallinules, American Coots,
Spotted and Least Sandpipers, Killdeers, Red-Winged Blackbirds,
Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Boat-Tailed Grackles, Eastern Phoebes,
Warblers:  Palm, Prairie, Yellow-Throated.  Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, Mockingbirds

     Our featured feathered friend today is the Prairie Warbler.  They are a small warbler (4 3/4 inches) with a yellow face and underparts, a black eyeline and a yellow crescent under the eye.  They have black streaks on their flanks and a dark spot on the side of their neck.  Males and females are similar except, the female is more subdued with less streaking on her flanks.  Prairie Warblers are full-time Florida residents yet, we rarely see them.  What a nice treat today!  Gotta love warblers.....tweet.....tweet!!  

Prairie Warbler
(Taken 9/29/12, Englewood FL)

 

Prairie Warbler
(Taken 10/11/11, Our Backyard)

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



Belted Kingfisher

     This evening we visited Blind Pass Beach Park in Englewood, also known as Middle Beach.  It's a featured site along the Great Florida Birding Trail.  On the beach side you'll find Brown Pelicans and various Gulls.  In late fall and winter, many sandpiper and plover species can be found.  On the bay side (Lemon Bay), you can find waders such as Herons and Egrets at low tide.  Tonight on the bay side, we saw four Kingfishers in the glare of the setting sun, not the best lighting conditions for photos.  

     There are over 90 species of Kingfishers worldwide.  All have large heads, long sharp pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails. Most species have bright plumage with little differences between the sexes.
     Only three species can be seen in the U.S.  They are the Ringed, Green and Belted Kingfishers.  Ringed and Green Kingfishers are limited to the southern tip of Texas.  The Belted Kingfisher is found throughout North America.
     The Belted Kingfisher is one of the few bird species in which the female is more brightly colored than the male.  The female features a rufous (reddish-brown) band across her upper belly that extends down her flanks.  Both sexes have a large head with a bushy crest, a large white collar, a blue band on the breast with white underparts.  Their call is a very rapid rattling series of harsh checks.  Click on the link below for more information and to hear their call.  A shy and skittish bird, it's difficult to get close to them.  Enjoy these photo's of the Belted Kingfisher.....tweet.....tweet!!

Belted Kingfisher (Female)
(Taken 3/9/12, Englewood FL)

Belted Kingfisher (Male)
(Taken 9/28/12, Englewood FL)
  

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

http://floridabirdingtrail.com/index.php/trip/trail/Blind_Pass_Beach/

Searching for Scrub-Jays at Shamrock Park

     Today we visited Shamrock Park and Nature Center in Venice.  This park is directly across the Intercoastal Waterway from Caspersen Beach Park.  There are miles of paved walkways in and around the park.  We were hoping to see many birds, specifically Florida Scrub-Jays.  The local Audubon chapter has documented 118 bird species at this location, including two closely monitored families of Scrub-Jays.
       We set out on the trails and came across many species of beautiful butterflies.  Then we spotted three hawks riding high on the thermals.  Further along we found an Eastern Phoebe, a Downy Woodpecker, a Loggerhead Shrike, Cardinals, Mockingbirds, Red-Bellied Woodpeckers and Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers.  As we made the final turn to finish our hike, six Scrub-Jays suddenly appeared.  They are so friendly and curious, they landed on us.  There were times when up to three Scrubs-Jays were on us at the same time.  We enjoyed the encounter, which lasted at least 30 minutes, and we took lots of "fun" photos.  We'll visit them again very soon.....tweet.....tweet!!



A Bird's Eye View

(Taken 9/27/12, Venice FL)

A Bird In The Hand.....

Gulf Fritillary
(Taken 9/27/12, Venice FL)


http://floridabirdingtrail.com/index.php/trip/trail/Shamrock_Park_and_Nature_Center/



Northern Bobwhite

     Today we visited a site called the Tippecanoe II Mitigation Area, in Port Charlotte.  It borders the Tippecanoe Environmental Park.  There wasn't much happening at this site but, we did see two Florida Scrub-Jays.  Then, we heard a Northern Bobwhite calling.  It's loud call announces its name (bob...WHITE).  We were blessed to have two pair of  Bobwhites in our backyard last spring.

     The Northern Bobwhite is a game bird of the eastern U.S. and Mexico.  It's a plump, short-tailed quail with reddish brown plumage.  The male has a white throat and eye line.  The female has a buffy (tan) throat and eye line.

     The conservation status of the Northern Bobwhite is "Near Threatened" (NT).  This status is assigned to a species that may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future.  Currently it does not qualify for "threatened" status, yet it is extensively hunted in some areas.  Enjoy today's photos of the Northern Bobwhite.....tweet.....tweet!!

Northern Bobwhites
(Taken 3/27/11, Our Backyard)

Northern Bobwhites
(Taken 2/6/11, Our Backyard)

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

Swainson's Thrush

     We stopped by the Cedar Point Environmental Park for a quick visit this afternoon.  We were blessed to spot a Swainson's Thrush.  Cedar Point has been a great birding location for us.  It seems that we discover a special bird each time we visit here.  Since the trails are wet, we just hang around the visitor's center and let the birds come to us.  They are very accommodating. 

     The Swainson's Thrush is a life list bird for us.  We had never seen one before today.  A migratory species, they travel eastward within North America and then south through Florida.  They winter from Panama to Bolivia.  The Swainson's Thrush was named after William Swainson, a 19th century English ornithologist.  Enjoy today's photos of the Swainson's Thrush.....tweet.....tweet!!


Swainson's Thrush
(Taken 9/25/12, Englewood FL)

Swainson's Thrush
(Taken 9/25/12, Englewood FL)

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

http://floridabirdingtrail.com/index.php/trip/trail/Charlotte_Harbor_Environmental_Center_Cedar_Point_Environmental_Park/

Northern Cardinal

     Today we feature another of our backyard regulars, the Northern Cardinal.  If you live in the eastern two-thirds of the country, you'll have no problem spotting one.  Just listen for that "metallic" chip or hang a feeder in your yard.....DONE.  In our yard, Cardinals are the first to appear at dawn, and the last to leave, well past dusk.  In late evenings during the fall and winter, long after all the other birds have retired for the night, we've counted as many as twenty Cardinals foraging on the lawn. 

     The adult male Northern Cardinal is probably more responsible for turning people into birding enthusiasts, than any other bird in history.  Who can resist that handsome and stylish brilliant red bird? He has a sharp crest, black face with a cone-shaped orange bill.  The adult female, equally as beautiful, is reddish-brown overall with warm reddish wings, tail and tip of her crest.  She has a grayish-black face and an orange bill.  Juveniles resemble adult females, but they have black bills.

     Both male and female Cardinals are great singers.  Like an audition, males sing in the early spring while the female selects the best singer as her mate.  During courtship, the male feeds seeds to the female beak-to-beak, resembling "a kiss".  In the spring and summer during breeding season, both sexes are very territorial. 

     The Northern Cardinal is the state bird of seven states, more than any other species.  It's the state bird of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.  Enjoy these photos of the Northern Cardinal.....tweet.....tweet!!



Northern Cardinal (mated pair)
(Taken 2/1/11, Our Backyard)

Northern Cardinal (Immature Male)
(Taken 6/3/12, Our Backyard)

(Taken 9/11/12, Our Backyard)

ttp://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/id

American Redstart

     Today was a stay at home day, so we were able to take a closer look at yesterday's photos.  After further review of our field guide, we discovered we had spotted an American Redstart in Sarasota.  They breed in North America, across southern Canada and the eastern U.S.  They winter in Central America, northern South America and the West Indies.  The American Redstart is a migratory warbler.

     The identification of the adult male American Redstart is unmistakable.  A stunning bird, black overall with large bright orange patches on his shoulders, flanks, wings and tail, with white underparts.  The female has the same markings but she is light grey or olive overall with yellow patches and gray or white underparts.  Females show a faint, thin eye ring.  Juveniles or immature American Redstarts resemble the adult female.

     American Redstarts feed almost exclusively on insects.  They are known to catch insects by gleaning them from leaves. This is a very active species. The tail is often held partly fanned out. They have been observed flashing the orange and yellow of their tails, on and off, to startle and chase insects from the underbrush.  Enjoy these photos of the American Redstart.  Gotta love warblers.....tweet.....tweet!!
 

American Redstart (1st winter plumage)
(Taken 9/22/12, Sarasota FL)

American Redstart (adult male)
(Taken 4/25/12, Stump Pass, Englewood FL)

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

Birding in Sarasota and Longboat Key

     Today we visited some sites on the Great Florida Birding Trail.  We drove about 35 miles Northwest to Sarasota, where our first stop of the day was at Arlington Park.  This is a great little site with paved walkways and beautifully manicured grounds.  The minute we got out of the car, we were greeted by a Downy Woodpecker and a Blue Jay.  We saw a Tufted Titmouse, a life-list bird for us.  We also saw a Red-Eyed Vireo and some Warblers that we're still trying to identify.

     Then, we drove to the northern tip of Longboat Key to a site called, Whitney Beach.  Here, you can walk right out onto the beach and see all sorts of Gulls, Terns and Plovers.  We saw Black Skimmers, Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, Willets and Laughing Gulls.  We'll have to make a return trip in the winter to see Oystercatchers and migrating Plovers.

     Finally, we returned to the southern tip of Longboat Key to the Quick Point Nature Preserve.  We saw Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Brown Pelicans and Belted Kingfishers here.  Along the trail we came across a Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron. 

     Enjoy today's photos.....tweet.....tweet!!



Tufted Titmouse
(Taken 9/22/12, Sarasota FL)

         

Black Skimmers
(Taken 9/22/12, Longboat Key FL)

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

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

http://floridabirdingtrail.com/index.php/trip/trail/Arlington_Park/

http://floridabirdingtrail.com/index.php/trip/trail/Greer_Island_Beach/

http://floridabirdingtrail.com/index.php/trip/trail/Quick_Point_Nature_Preserve/

Pine Warbler

      Cedar Point Environmental Park has been a birding hot spot for us this week.  Today's visit landed us a Pine Warbler.  One of the most appropriately named Warblers, it is rarely found away from pine trees.  Not all Pine Warblers migrate, so there's no way to determine if this bird is a migrant or a full-time resident.  Pine Warblers who do migrate from their northern range join resident Pine Warblers in the southern U.S for  the winter.  Although we don't have pine trees in our yard, we did spot a Pine Warbler visiting one of our bird baths.  We rarely see them, so this was a nice surprise.  Enjoy today's photos.....tweet.....tweet!! 

Pine Warbler
(Taken 9/21/12, Englewood FL)



Pine Warbler
(Taken 1/24/12, Our Backyard)

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

Palm Warbler

          Today we drove to Caspersen Beach Park in Venice.  This site is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail.  Many different species were present today.  We saw Mockingbirds, Cardinals, Doves, Blue Jays, Loggerhead Shrikes, Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers and two Black Vultures perched on a limb.  Also, we saw Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Brown Thrashers, a Red-Eyed Vireo, a Downy Woodpecker, a Red-Shouldered Hawk and a Green Heron.  Several families of Florida Scrub-Jays call this area home.  As soon as they saw us, several of them flew over and landed on our heads.

     Just as we were ready to leave, we came across a few Palm Warblers in the distance.  We weren't sure of the I.D. until we recognized their constant tail-bobbing.  Palm Warblers migrate from their breeding grounds in northern Canada to their wintering grounds in the southeastern United States.  They are among the earliest warblers to migrate, north or south.  Last year, they arrived at our yard on October 11th.  We look forward to seeing them in the yard very soon.....tweet.....tweet!! 

Palm Warbler
(Taken 1/13/12, Our Backyard)

Palm Warbler
(Taken 9/20/12, Venice FL)

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

http://floridabirdingtrail.com/index.php/trip/trail/Caspersen_Beach/







Black-and-White Warbler

     At last, we saw our first migrating warbler of the season.  We spotted a Black-and-White Warbler at the Cedar Point Environmental Park here in Englewood.  Although the bird was high in a pine tree and a good distance away, we took as many photos as we could hoping to get a nice shot. 

      It breeds in northern and eastern North America and migrates to Florida, Central and South America.  It feeds primarily on insects and unlike other warblers, forages like a Nuthatch, moving up and down tree trunks and along branches. 

     This is a life list bird for us, we had never a Black-and-White Warbler before today.  Shown in our photos is the female.  The male is more heavily streaked with a black cheek and throat.  The female has a grayish cheek with a black eye-line and an all white throat.  Check back for more Warblers.....tweet.....tweet!!

Black-and-White Warbler (Female)
(Taken 9/19/12, Englewood FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-and-white_Warbler/id

Brown Thrasher - Master Mimic

      Today we feature another of our backyard regulars, the Brown Thrasher.  The Brown Thrasher has bright reddish-brown (rufous) upper parts with two white wing bars.  A white breast with distinguished teardrop-shaped brown markings.  A long rufous tail, brilliant yellow eyes and a long slightly down-curved bill.  Males and females are similar in appearance, how stunning they are with those Chestnut-brown colors.

     Brown Thrashers are a bird of the "Mimidae" family, which includes Thrashers, Mockingbirds and Catbirds.  They're noted for their ability to mimic a wide variety of birds and outdoor sounds.  The male Brown Thrasher has the largest song repertoire of any bird in North America, estimated at over 1100 songs.  The Brown Thrasher is the state bird of Georgia.

     They made their first appearance to our yard in March 2011.  We've had as many as four in the yard at the same time.  It's fun to watch them "thrash" the leaves and dirt with that long bill, looking for insects.  And, oh how they love their baths.  We had read of their mastery of mimicry, yet we didn't here a peep from them for the longest time.  When we finally started to take notice, we discovered that they make many of the same sounds as their cousin, the Northern Mockingbird.  The biggest difference is that the Mockingbird belts out his songs, like he's performing on stage.  The Thrasher is much more subdued, like he's performing back stage.   Enjoy the photos of the beautiful Brown Thrasher.....tweet.....tweet!!
  

Brown Thrasher

(Taken 7/10/12, Our Backyard)

Brown Thrasher
(Taken 6/24/11, Our Backyard)

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

Summer Tanager

     Today we encountered our first migrating bird of the season.  We spotted the bird at the Cedar Point Environmental Park here in Englewood.  It was flitting around high in the pine trees.  Neither of us could make a positive identification.  As the saying goes, "shoot first and ask questions later".  We took as many photos as we could before it flew away. 

     When we got home, we downloaded our photos and discovered we had spotted a "first year" male Summer Tanager.  He is yellow in color with blotchy orange feathers on his head and an orange wash under his tail.  It's call is similar to that of the American Robin.  When full grown, the male Summer Tanager is the only bird in North America to display a completely red plumage.   
     On April 21st, there was a spring storm with high winds lasting for several days.  Migrating birds were sent off course and grounded.  This birding phenomenon is referred to as a "fall-out".  Upon hearing this news of the fall-out, we rushed to Sanibel Island to take photos.  We were able to add ten new species to our life list.  The birds were beautiful but, none posed for a photo like the Summer Tanager did.  He loves the camera.  Enjoy the photos of the Summer Tanager.....tweet.....tweet!!

Summer Tanager (Immature Male)
(Taken 9/17/12, Englewood FL)

Summer Tanager (Adult Male)
(Taken 4/24/12, Sanibel Island FL)

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

http://www.charlottecountyfl.com/communityservices/ParkPages/CedarPoint/

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

     Today we feature another of our backyard regulars, the Red-Bellied Woodpecker.  Eight species of Woodpeckers can be found in Florida.  Based on our sightings, the Red-Bellied by far the most abundant. 

       The male Red-Bellied has a red crown and nape, while the female has just a red nape.  It's distinctive red belly is often difficult to spot.  Juveniles have dusky heads with a few red feathers visible.  Beginning birders and non-birders generally confuse the Red-Bellied with the Red-Headed Woodpecker.  The identification is really quite simple.   The Red-Bellied has a red stripe on the top of it's head.  The Red-Headed is exactly that, it's entire head is red.

     Red-Bellied Woodpeckers can have up to three broods each season, we've noticed at least two.  In the spring the parents brought one fledgling to the yard.  In early July they brought two more.  They are very aggressive at our feeders.  Most of the other birds give them plenty of room.  Enjoy today's photos of the Red-Bellied Woodpecker.....tweet....tweet.

Red-Bellied Woodpecker (Male)
(Taken 2/11/11, Our Backyard)

 

Red-Bellied Woodpecker (Female)
(Taken 6/21/11, Our Backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-bellied_Woodpecker/lifehistory

Love Doves

      Since we starting birding, we've had four different species of Doves in our yard.  Last December, White-Winged Doves visited several times one week, then moved on.  We get an occasional visit from a pair of Eurasian Collared-Doves.  However, we get a visit every day from Mourning Doves and  Common Ground-Doves.

     Mourning Doves are one of the most familiar and common species across the country.  Who hasn't heard their low pitched "whoOO" and the "whistling" sound of their wings when they take-off and land?  The sexes are similar with subtle differences.  The male has a more "pinkish" breast.  The sides of their necks are iridescent in certain lighting.  Mourning Doves are the most widespread and abundant game birds in North America.  Each year millions are hunted for sport and meat, a major reason why their average life span is less than three years.  Mourning Doves are prolific breeders.  In warmer areas, they may raise up to six broods in a season.  Joan (and many others) refers to them as "love doves".

     The Common-Ground Dove is about half the size of a Mourning Dove.  As beginning birders we thought that they were baby Mourning Doves.  Imagine our embarrassment when we looked through our field guide and learned their true identity.  They are abundant in Mexico, the Caribbean and South America, but in the U.S. they can only be found in the deep south.  The sexes are similar with a "scaled" appearance on their neck and breast, and a black-tipped yellow bill.  The male has a more rosy colored breast, the female is more evenly colored.  Enjoy these photos of the Mourning Dove and the Common Ground-Dove.....tweet.....tweet!!  
 

Mourning Dove
(Taken 5/15/12, Placida FL)

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

Common Ground-Doves
(Taken 12/13/11, Our Backyard)

 http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Ground-Dove/id
  

" Love Doves "
(Taken 7/23/12, Englewood FL)

Northern Mockingbird - Our State Bird

     We were greeted by two Northern Mockingbirds while putting out the feeders this morning.  We enjoy watching them, they're behavior is comical.  They will land on a feeder just to see what's in it, then  jump down to the ground to catch an insect.  They eat the berries around the yard and they love taking baths.  We set out a dish of Bark Butter, which resembles peanut butter, and they devour it.  

     Adult Mockingbirds look alike,  grayish-brown above and white below.  They have two wing bars that uncover white wing patches that "flash" during flight.  The juveniles have gray spots on their throats and breasts.  They are incredible singers, with a repertoire of over 200 songs.  We've heard them singing past midnight on well-lit nights during the spring.  They mimic the calls of other birds, the sounds of animals, and even squeaky gates.  Mockingbirds are related to Thrashers and Catbirds, from the family "Mimidae".  The state bird of Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas, let's here it for the Northern Mockingbird.....tweet.....tweet!!

Northern Mockingbird (Adult)
(Taken 3/2/12, Our Backyard)

Northern Mockingbird (Juvenile)
(Taken 7/20/11, Our Backyard)

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



Visit to Historic Spanish Point

     Today we visited Historic Spanish Point in Osprey, about 25 miles northwest of Englewood.  This is a fascinating place to learn about the history of Osprey and it's early settlers.  It's one of the largest intact actively preserved archaeological sites of the prehistoric period on Florida's Gulf Coast.  It's natural beauty makes it a premier destination for nature photographers and birders.  There are hundreds of species of native trees, shrubs, plants and flowers.  We're amazed at how many "new" species, colors and shapes of flowers we see with each outing.  There's also a Butterfly Garden where we spotted a few species we hadn't seen before.  We took over 1500 photos and over 50 videos, a tough job, but someone had to do it.   

     Guess what else we saw?  BIRDS.  We saw Anhingas, a Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpeckers, Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Carolina Wrens and a Red-Eyed Vireo.  There are plenty of tall trees at this site, mainly Live Oak, Pine and of course Palm.  It's difficult to spot birds in the tree tops, let alone get a good photo.  Our best bird photo today is of a Yellow-Throated Warbler, a year round resident.
      We were blessed with a great day, great weather and beautiful surroundings.  Of course, no one warned us of the vicious beast known to inhabit these grounds.  As luck would have it, we encountered the beast.  Enjoy the photos.....tweet.....tweet!!

Yellow-Throated Warbler
(Taken 9/13/12, Osprey FL)

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

http://historicspanishpoint.org/

Tropical Plant (Name Unknown)
(Taken 9/13/12, Osprey FL)

R O A R
(Lizzie  -  The Beast)

Visit to the Venice Rookery

     We were hoping to see migrating Warblers today.  We've read on several Birding websites that a few species of Warblers have been spotted in Northern Florida.  It was a lovely day for an outing, a beautiful breeze made it feel a bit cooler.  We drove about 12 miles north of Englewood to a site called Jelks Preserve.  We hiked for over an hour, with no birds in sight.  We took several nature shots and headed towards Venice.  On the way, we spotted a  Red-Shouldered Hawk swoop down and fly off with it's dinner.

    We arrived at the Venice Area Audubon Rookery about an hour before sunset.  Some friends from our Bible Study group told us about the Rookery last December.  Thanks for the tip Larry and Gail.  We enjoy visiting here, it's a photographers dream.  All year long birds roost and nest on a little island in the middle of a small pond.  You can stand on the banks at any point around the pond and get great photos, some from as little as 30 feet away.  Grab a lawn chair, pack a lunch and make a day of it.....tweet.....tweet!! 

Today's photos include a Green Heron and a Great Egret silhouetted by the spectacular sunset.

These are the birds that we've seen either on the island or on the property.

Egrets:  Great, Snowy and Cattle
Herons:  Great Blue, Little Blue, Green, Tricolored and Black-Crowned Night Herons
Ibis:  White and Glossy
Woodpeckers:  Downy and Red-Bellied
Mottled Ducks
Anhingas
Double-Crested Cormorants
Boat-Tailed Grackles
Red-Winged Blackbirds
Belted Kingfishers
Northern Mockingbirds
Warblers:  Palm and Yellow-Rumped


Green Heron
(Taken 7/26/12, The Rookery, Venice FL)

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

Great Egret at Sunset
(Taken 9/12/12, The Rookery, Venice FL)

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

http://veniceaudubon.org/rookery

Black-Bellied Whistling-Duck

     There were no surprise visitors in the yard today, just the regulars.  The Scrub-Jays came by to grab a peanut or two.  We got the garden hose out and sprayed water onto a few branches for them.  They have the body surfing (leaf bath) thing down to an art form.  A Carolina Wren was close by, but stayed hidden, then flew away.  It's amazing how such a small bird can sing such a loud song.  Joan has nicknamed him "Popcorn".  We'll post some photos of the Wren the next time he "pops" in.  He's a hard bird to photo as he's constantly moving.
     This afternoon we had thunderstorms.  We drove over to Medical Drive, near the hospital, parked the car and snuck up on some waterfowl.  We saw Common Gallinules, American Coots, Mottled Ducks and a family of Black-Bellied Whistling-Ducks.  They are really cool looking birds.  The name is appropriate too, as they make a high pitched whistling call.  Then we dodged rain drops, tried to keep the cameras dry, watched lightning get closer, heard thunder get louder, tried to keep the cameras dry and finally called it a day.  Enjoy the Duck photos.....tweet....tweet!!  Or maybe today it should be....quack....quack!!

Black-Bellied Whistling-Ducks
(Taken 5/23/12, during nesting)
(Medical Drive, Englewood FL)

Family of Black-Bellied Whistling-Ducks
(Taken 9/1/12, the result of nesting)
(Medical Drive, Englewood FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-bellied_Whistling-Duck/id

Photo Book

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Pure Happiness

     Joan is taking advantage of a rainy day to complete a photo book.  She goes on-line and creates books using the photos she's taken from the backyard and other outings.  These books are really neat to share with family and friends.  You can get them published from places such as; Kodak, Walgreen's, Shutterfly and MyPublisher, to name a few.  Joan has become a great photographer, much better than she'll ever admit.  Her photos have been featured on Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, National Audubon Society, Wild Birds Unlimited and Birds and Blooms websites.  She is also the winner of the Englewood Pioneer Days Photo Contest.  She submitted a photo of our beautiful Florida Scrub-Jays during mating season, and titled it "Pure Happiness".  Joan's winning photo announcement is shown below.
     The birds had a party today and invited all their friends.  Lots and lots of Doves and Grackles.  The Cardinals that were born this spring and summer have grown up.  They fledged as scrawny little things with black beaks.  Now, they have filled out and their beaks have turned orange.  Today's surprise visitor, was a male Red-Winged Blackbird.  He's a year round resident, but a rare visitor.  The female Red-Winged Blackbird visits even less.  We're not close to any lakes or ponds, which is usually where they hang out.  They nest in the reeds and perch on the cattails, which offers up some great photo ops.  Staying dry today.....tweet.....tweet!!
 

Joan's Winning Photo featured on the
Pioneer Days Photo Contest Poster
 

Red-Winged Blackbird (Male)
(Taken 4/16/12, Englewood FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-winged_Blackbird/id

Migration Anticipation

      The 2012 fall migration has begun.  In 2011, our winter guests began to arrive in early October.  First to show up were Gray Catbirds, followed closely by Palm Warblers and Yellow-Rumped Warblers.  We also had an Eastern Phoebe singing in the yard.  Others species showed up later in the fall and early winter.  We're eager to welcome all of them back any day now.

     In addition to the usual birds, today's surprise visitor was a Downy Woodpecker.  He's a year round resident and though he's often heard, he's seldom seen.  As new "birders", the Downy was our first "tricky" identification challenge.  We bought several field guides to help us make a positive I.D.  The Downy looks very similar to the Hairy Woodpecker.  However, the Downy is several inches smaller and has a shorter bill.  The Hairy Woodpecker is a year round resident as well, but we've never seen one.  We look forward to adding the Hairy to our life list.  Enjoy the photos and keep on birding.....tweet....tweet!!

Downy Woodpecker (Male)
(Taken 9/9/12, Our Backyard)

Downy Woodpecker (Male)
(Taken 3/23/12, The Rookery, Venice FL)

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