Great Blue Heron

        Today's featured feathered friend is the Great Blue Heron.  It is the largest Heron in North America and a year-round resident across most of the United States.  East of the Rocky Mountains in the northern parts of their range, they migrate south for the winter. 

        Great Blue Herons are very large, big-bodied, long-necked wading birds with massive long deep-based bills.  The average standing height is 4 1/2 feet, the average length (tip of bill to tip of tail) is 4 feet and the average wingspan is 6 feet.  Despite it's size, it's average weight is only around 5 pounds.  Males and females are similar in appearance.  They are mostly grayish overall with an orangish bill and blue facial skin and dark legs.  The head is white with a wide black crown-stripe leading to short black plumes at the back of the head.

        A subspecies known as the Great "White" Heron can be found only in south Florida and some parts of the Caribbean.  Like the name implies, it's plumage is all white.  It is similar in appearance to the Great Egret, however, it is larger and has dull yellow legs and feet, while the Great Egret has black legs and feet.  We were blessed to find one on our 2010 visit to Key West.  Click on the links for more information and enjoy these photos of the stately Great Blue Heron.....tweet.....tweet!!



Great Blue Heron
(Taken 11/8/12, D.J. Wilcox Preserve, Ft. Pierce FL)

Mating Display
(Taken 2/2/12, The Rookery, Venice FL)

Adult with chicks on the nest
(Taken 2/2/12, The Rookery, Venice FL)

(Taken 3/4/13, Siesta Key, near Sarasota FL)

 

Great White Heron
(Great Blue Heron, White Morph)
(Taken 9/21/10, Key West FL)

 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/lifehistory

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

Great Egret

     Today's featured feathered friend is the Great Egret.  This large wader can be found near freshwater or saltwater habitats all across the United States.  Great Egrets are tall, long-legged wading birds with long S-curved necks and long dagger-like bills. In flight, the neck is retracted (tucked in) and the legs extend far beyond the tip of their short tail.

        Great Egrets stand nearly 3 1/2 feet tall, measure slightly more than  three feet in length,  weigh around three pounds, with a wingspan of about six feet.  Males and females are similar in appearance.  Their plumage is all white and they can be distinguished from other white egrets by a yellow bill, black legs and black feet.  In breeding plumage the bill may become darker, the lower legs lighter, the facial skin is green, and ornamental feathers (plumes) are displayed on the back.

         By the early 20th century the Great Egret was driven to near extinction in North America.  They were killed by hunters for their plumes used in the fashion industry, until it was banned around 1910.  The National Audubon Society was founded to protect birds from being killed for their feathers.  The Great Egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society, one of the oldest environmental organizations in North America.

        Enjoy these photos  of the elegant Great Egret.....tweet.....tweet!!

Displaying the long S-shaped neck.
(Taken 6/12/13, The Celery Fields, Sarasota FL)

 

In breeding plumage with green facial skin and darker bill.
(Taken 2/14/12, Beach Road, Englewood FL)

 

Adult with chicks (note the plumes on the adult).
(Taken 5/10/12, The Rookery, Venice FL)

 

In flight with neck retracted, carrying a fish.
(Taken 12/19/12, Myakka River State Park, near Sarasota FL)

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

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

Osprey

        Today's featured feathered friend is the Osprey.  The Osprey is the second most widely distributed raptor species on earth, behind the Peregrine Falcon.  They are found in temperate and tropical regions of every continent except Antarctica.  It is sometimes referred to as a sea hawk, a fish hawk or a fish eagle.  The Osprey is the provincial bird of Nova Scotia, Canada.

        Ospreys are long-winged hawks with short slender bodies.  They are dark brown above and white below.  Ospreys have small white heads with a broad brown eye stripe.  Their yellow eyes are large and piercing.  Their narrow wings are mostly white with a prominent dark patch at the wrists.  They average between 21 and 24 inches in length, between four and six pounds in weight and their wingspan averages between five and six feet.  In breeding pairs, females are visibly larger than males.  Juveniles have white spots on the back and buffy shading on the breast with reddish-orange eyes.

        The Osprey's diet is almost exclusively live fish and they are very skilled anglers.  They can spot a fish from heights of over 100 feet above the surface of the water.  Once they have selected a target, they will hover for a moment and then dive feet first into the water to snatch the fish.  They are not fussy eaters and will take any fish, usually between 10 and 14 inches long and weighing less than 12 ounces.

        Click on the links below to learn more about this fascinating raptor and enjoy these photo of the Osprey.....tweet.....tweet!!


Posing in a tree.
(Taken 6/30/12, Sports Complex, Englewood FL)

Adults at the nest. (male left, female on right)
(Taken 2/27/13, Oyster Creek Regional Park, Englewood FL)

 

Juveniles on the nest.
(Taken 4/24/12, Sanibel Island FL)

 

Up close and personal
(Taken 1/2/13, Parrish Park, Titusville FL)

Flying away with it's catch.
(Taken 1/1/13, The Celery Fields, Sarasota FL)



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

 

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