Bay Photos by Donna

There are actually three kinds of Ibis in the United States; but only two are found in Florida, the White Ibis and the Glossy Ibis.  The third is the White-faced Ibis which is the western U.S. replacement for the Glossy Ibis.

The White Ibis was fairly common and in abundance around our stay in Okeechobee, and I’ve already shared a few photos of them.  We actually had one foraging in the empty campsite just behind ours.  He gave me a fine pose!

White Ibis

 

You really could find the White Ibis just about anywhere.  I came out of the grocery store and whipped out my cell phone for this next ‘poor’ shot.

White Ibis in strip mall parking lot

 

It was also common to see flocks of White Ibis.

White Ibis

 

I liked the little fella in the next shot soaring with the White Ibis!

White Ibis and bird friend

 

Out for a drive around one of Lake Okeechobee’s boat ramps, there was a large flock of White Ibis foraging in the grassy sand areas.  There were quite a few juveniles in this group.  The juveniles are not born white but eventually turn all white with black wing-tips when they reach adulthood.

Juvenile White Ibis

 

While watching and taking photos of them, I sighted one with a snake or marine worm.  The snake/worm was still alive and squirming while the Juvenile White Ibis tried to figure out what to do with this fiesty snack.

Juvenile White Ibis

The snake/worm decided to take a chance and go for the juvenile’s face.

Juvenile White Ibis

The snake/worm’s head literally went to the juvenile’s beak and hit it. What a pretty strong snake/worm!

Juvenile White Ibis

 

My final shot of the series shows the juvenile had quickly dropped the snake/worm and was giving it a once-over.  We never did see him pick it back up, he just kept looking at it and pondering.

Juvenile White Ibis

 

The second Ibis was a new lifer for me, and I had quickly mentioned it in my Roseate Spoonbill post where a Glossy Ibis was in the background of a few of my Spoonbill captures.  At such a distance, I never got lucky on a full profile of one, just heads and tails.

Lo and behold, it was in the campground in the Preserve area where I saw a small flock fly in to feed a late afternoon and luckily several more late afternoons.  With their darkness and desire to stay hidden, I wasn’t so lucky in getting many shots while they were on the ground at their distance, but I did have fun with the challenge of their flight.

Glossy Ibis

 

Male Glossy Ibis in breeding plumage

 

 

Glossy Ibis in flight at sunset

 

Glossy Ibis on a cloudy late afternoon

 

Glossy Ibis

 

Glossy Ibis

 

What luck I felt to get both the White Ibis and Glossy Ibis while in Florida, with one being a new lifer!