Florida Birds in my ‘Backyard’
It is amazing that I don’t have to go far at all to find lots of birds, there’s so many right here in my home-away-from-home ‘camping backyard’ at Silver Palms RV Resort in Okeechobee. With five small lakes stocked with fish and a 16-acre protected wetland preserve right on the property, I am free to roam and shoot to my heart’s content!
No newbies for my bird life list in this post, but some of these are the best photo ops I’ve gotten of some of these birds, so that in itself is exciting.
I’ll start with another photo of the Loggerhead Shrike who was the ‘star’ of my last post, this time he’s got dinner!
Loggerhead Shrike with a lizard for dinner
Lo and behold, I can see a cell phone tower high in the sky off the property and a pair of Osprey are building a nest. For those of you who have followed me a long time, you know how much I love that! As soon as we arrived and got out of our vehicle, I heard the female calling out. What a welcome to Florida!
Cell tower with osprey nest started
Female Osprey (The Mrs.)
Male Osprey (The Mr.)
One of the lakes that is surrounded with open space (no campers!) appears to be the winter home for a small group of Lesser Scaup. They apparently feel very safe, although once you start towards them, they go to the other side of the lake.
Lesser Scaup (males black & white, females brown)
Lesser Scaup
I’m beginning to think these Scaup are here on vacation for the fountain spa! They love it!
Some of my other photo ops to date…..
Cattle Egret
Cattle Egret
Great Egret
Belted Kingfisher
Blue Jay
Blue Jay
Mourning Doves at sunset
Yellow-rumped Warbler, nicknamed “Butter Butt” for good reason!
What fun to be in a different environment of birds and land. I’m filling cards and exhausting batteries. That’s a good thing, right?!! Problem becomes the reviewing and editing to share the best when all you want to do is keep shooting!
For tomorrow’s holiday, I did not luck out with a bird heart photo this year so I am going to share one of my best from the past.
Great Egret “Heart”
Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone!
