Hooded Warbler - The Star of the Fallout

        Today's featured feathered friend is the Hooded Warbler.  This medium-sized warbler can be seen in the summer across most of the eastern United States.  They spend the winter months in Central America and the Caribbean, but every spring and fall they migrate along the Gulf coast.  On Monday March 17th, a severe spring storm resulted in a "fallout" grounding migrating birds by the thousands.  Forced to find food, rest and shelter, they were scattered all along the Florida Gulf Coast.  On the 18th, we spent the day at Fort De Soto County Park in Saint Petersburg, finding many Hooded Warblers (all males) and got some great photos.  This marks the second spring in a row that a "fallout" has produced hundreds of Hooded Warblers.  Spring migration has only just begun.  We check the weather forecasts daily and we are ready for that quick birding trip after a spring storm.

        Hooded Warblers are just over five inches long, weigh less than half an ounce and flutter about with a seven-inch wingspan.  The male sports a black hood and throat, a yellow face and forehead, a large black eye, an olive-green back, wings and tail, with bright yellow underparts.  The female is similar to the male but the hood patterns can vary.  Some females have hoods that are dark and extensive like males, but most females just have a dark border around the face.  Juveniles are similar to adults but have less black.

        Learn more about this species by clicking the links below.  Enjoy some of our favorite photos of the Hooded Warbler.....tweet.....tweet!!

Male Hooded Warbler
(Taken 3/18/14, Ft. De Soto County Park, St Petersburg FL)

Female Hooded Warbler
(Taken 4/6/13, Ft. De Soto County Park, St Petersburg FL)

Male Hooded Warbler
(Taken 3/18/14, Ft. De Soto County Park, St Petersburg FL)

Female Hooded Warbler
(Taken 4/6/13, Ft. De Soto County Park, St Petersburg FL)

Male Hooded Warbler
A bouquet of flowers for the star of the show.
(Taken 3/18/14, Ft. De Soto County Park, St Petersburg FL)

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

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

Wood Stork

        Today's featured feathered friend is the Wood Stork, formerly known as the Wood Ibis.  They are native to South America, Central America and the Caribbean.  They are year round residents in Southern Florida.  Of the world's 19 Stork species, the Wood Stork is the only one that breeds in North America.

       Males and females are similar in appearance.  They are very large, long-legged, short-necked wading birds with massive deep-based bills that droop at the tip.  Adults have scaly bald heads, grayish necks, dark bills and long black legs with pink feet.  When perched or standing they appear all white.  In flight, their black tails and flight feathers are visible.  Juvenile and immature  Wood Storks are similar to adults, but have grayish feathered heads and yellowish bills.  The average Wood Stork is 40 inches long with a 70 inch wingspan.  Males weigh up to 6 1/2 pounds while females weigh up to 5 1/2 pounds.  

        Click on the links below for more information about this species.  Enjoy some of our favorite Wood Stork photos.....tweet.....tweet!!

Wood Stork (Adult)
(Taken 11/16/13, Laurel FL)

 

Wood Stork (Juvenile/Immature)
(Taken 5/11/12, Englewood FL)

Up close and personal
(Taken 8/17/12, Englewood FL)

                                                          

Wood Stork in Flight
(Taken 3/7/14, Prairie Creek Preserve, Punta Gorda FL)

Say cheesseee !!!
(Taken 8/6/12, Englewood FL)

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

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

Eastern Meadowlark

        Today's featured feathered friend is the Eastern Meadowlark.  This dapper looking bird can be seen and heard year round.  They sing from fence posts, meadows and prairies throughout the eastern half of North America.  They can also be seen year round throughout the Caribbean and Central America, as well as in parts of Mexico and northern South America.  Their summer breeding range extends into southern Ontario and Quebec.

        Males and females are similar in appearance.  They have bright yellow underparts with a bold black "V" on the breast.  They have white flanks with black streaking.  Their heads, backs and wings are brown with black streaking.  They have deep-based, long, sharply pointed bills.  Juveniles are similar to adults but more subdued and lack the black V on the breast.  The male is 9 1/2 inches long, weighs around 5 ounces and has a wingspan of 15 inches.  The female is slightly smaller in all of these areas.

        Meadowlarks are part of the "Blackbird" family which also includes Orioles, Bobolinks, Cowbirds and Grackles.  Click here -----> http://youtu.be/bsFtOHWp4NE  to see a short video of an Eastern Meadowlark singing.  Enjoy some of our favorite photos of the beautiful Eastern Meadowlark.....tweet.....tweet!!

 

Eastern Meadowlark
(Taken 12/13/12, Clay Gully Road, Myakka City FL)

Eastern Meadowlark
(Taken 4/5/13, Clay Gully Road, Myakka City FL)

Eastern Meadowlark
(Taken 1/5/14, Prairie Creek Preserve, Charlotte Co. FL)

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

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