Two of a Kind

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

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

Tags: birding, Birds, birdwatching, flight, Florida, glossy ibis, Ibis, juvenile, nature, photographs, photography, photos, snake, White Ibis

33 thoughts on “Two of a Kind”

brighamstephen on 03/03/2016 at 9:03 PM said:

Wonderful pictures of these birds, especially the flight shots!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/04/2016 at 9:07 AM said:
  
  Thanks so much! 🙂
  
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Jodi on 03/03/2016 at 10:25 PM said:

beautiful shots!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/04/2016 at 9:09 AM said:
  
  Thanks so much, Jodi!
  
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belindagroverphotography on 03/03/2016 at 10:52 PM said:

What a treat to see, excellent shots!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/04/2016 at 9:10 AM said:
  
  Thanks, Belinda! Not even knowing there was a Glossy Ibis, they were extra special for me. 🙂
  
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circadianreflections on 03/03/2016 at 10:58 PM said:

Both would be lifers for me! We have the White faced which I don’t get cause it’s pink or red…perhaps because I only see it in winter. What a lovely silhouette flight shot! I would love to see Ibis in my markets parking lot!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/04/2016 at 9:12 AM said:
  
  Thanks Deborah! You’re gonna have to go visit your parents next January/February! 😉 I think it’s a great time of year for birding in Florida! 🙂
  
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  - circadianreflections on 03/04/2016 at 9:41 AM said:
    
    I’ve heard that, and your trip just cements it!
quietsolopursuits on 03/03/2016 at 11:25 PM said:

Excellent photos of two species that I’ve never seen in person! I really liked the series of photos of the juvenile with what ever it was, I’ll bet that in a year or two, the bird would have no problem deciding what to do with it.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/04/2016 at 9:14 AM said:
  
  Thanks so much, Jerry! The juvenile was hilarious, even hubby was cracking up. Yep, give him some time and he’d toss and swallow without hesitation, lol. 🙂
  
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aussiebirder on 03/04/2016 at 5:28 AM said:

Beautiful Glossy shots Donna. We had a Glossy breed hidden away in Sydney at Olympic Park which we found and not many knew about, it was a lifer, and we have not seen another since. It ended up in my book. We have similar problems with our Aussie White Ibis to your White Ibis, they have become city birds and raid garbage bins and rubbish dumps etc. Sydney has too many now, it has been an interesting study for scientists, as to why they have increased their Sydney habitation. Have a great weekend:-)

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/04/2016 at 9:25 AM said:
  
  I love to hear your cool finds like your Glossy, Ashley! Fun is a big part of birding. I was definitely surprised with the White Ibis in the parking lot. I think surrounding people thought I had lost my mind. The locals take all their beautiful Florida birds for granted I’m sure. Me, I don’t care what they think, lol. Have a great weekend also! 🙂
  
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  - aussiebirder on 03/05/2016 at 2:11 AM said:
    
    Ha ha! That’s just what I like my kindred spirited friend:-))
kathydoremus on 03/04/2016 at 8:13 AM said:

I love the snake/worm encounter!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/04/2016 at 9:26 AM said:
  
  Me too! 🙂
  
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niasunset on 03/04/2016 at 9:14 AM said:

WOW! They are all amazing photographs. Thank you dear Donna, have a nice weekend, Love, nia

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/04/2016 at 9:26 AM said:
  
  Thanks, Nia, have a nice weekend also!
  
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Lisa Rest on 03/04/2016 at 10:53 AM said:

Beautiful photos! Especially love the young White Ibis with the snake/worm. 🙂

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/04/2016 at 7:47 PM said:
  
  Thanks Lisa, it is so entertaining to watch juveniles ‘on their own’. 🙂
  
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tootlepedal on 03/04/2016 at 5:53 PM said:

You certainly kept your eyes open. All the better for us who delight in your pictures.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/04/2016 at 7:48 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Tom, for making me smile. 🙂
  
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anotherday2paradise on 03/04/2016 at 10:28 PM said:

Wow!! Your photos are stunning, Donna. Love the glossy ibis in flight. 🙂

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/06/2016 at 7:01 AM said:
  
  Thanks Sylvia! I didn’t even know a glossy ibis existed until I saw it in my Spoonbill photos and ID’d. So you can imagine how super-happy I was to have them at the campground! 🙂
  
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Tiny on 03/05/2016 at 11:04 AM said:

Great captures, Donna! The Glossy Ibis in breeding plumage is truly beautiful ! Happy you could see both.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/06/2016 at 7:12 AM said:
  
  Thanks, Helen! There were only a few males in breeding plumage, the rest duller glossies I assumed were females. What a harem the males had, lol. 🙂
  
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Gunta on 03/06/2016 at 11:45 PM said:

Wonderful shots. Especially loved seeing all the colors in the breeding plumage. What a beauty. Enough to turn any females heart aflutter.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/08/2016 at 11:32 AM said:
  
  No wonder there were so many females, that plumage really was beautiful. Wish I could have gotten more captures of the males. 🙂
  
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Tuxedo Sophisticated Cat on 03/08/2016 at 1:51 PM said:

Gorgeous photos. I love the white ibis and bird friend photo.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/11/2016 at 9:34 PM said:
  
  Sometimes a photo bomb works out great! I liked it too.
  
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Pam on 03/16/2016 at 8:39 AM said:

I love ibis. Saw a group of about 50 the other day in the grocery parking lot!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/16/2016 at 2:00 PM said:
  
  That is so cool! I would have loved to have seen that. I was really amazed to see them and a lot of other birds in areas that would not be the norm for our birds. All we ever have around our parking lots are gulls and mallards. 🙂 And that’s where I’ve gotten some of my nicest mallard close-ups!
  
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  - Pam on 03/17/2016 at 9:44 PM said:
    
    Mallard are very pretty too! I love their green heads.