Chasing Yellow
For the second day in a row, I received an e-Bird rare bird alert for a Cape May Warbler seen at the Everglades NP Gulf Coast Visitor Center, just two miles from me. A bird I’ve not captured, I decided to go see if I could find it. Heck, maybe someone else was there and could make it easy and show me!
The Cape May Warbler has a mossy green back, tiger-striped breast, chestnut cheek patch, and yellow underparts.
Well….no one else was there looking for it. And none of the Park Rangers set up in the outside tent for services were aware of it. (They are now, lol.)
So I watched the trees and walked the small nature trail, looking for a flash of yellow.
No luck with the Cape May Warbler. But that plan of mine to look for a flash of yellow paid off with two other yellow birds!
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Prairie Warbler
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Great Crested Flycatcher
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The Great Crested Flycatcher was flying back and forth from the tree to the ground, catching insects. I lucked out with one “on the ground” shot.
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Great Crested Flycatcher
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It was still a lucky, chasing yellow morning!
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Anhinga Perches on a Car
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I passed a female Anhinga perched on a branch within a mangrove.
Being very shy and skittish, I was shocked when she flew out of the mangrove, pass me, and then land before me on a car parked alongside the pond of water. 😲
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Anhinga (female) lands on a car
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With a leary eye on me, the female Anhinga then preceded to spread and dry her wings.
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“Excuse me please, while I dry off!”
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I’m very glad to say, it wasn’t my car! 😉
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Great Blue Heron in the Mangroves
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This Great Blue Heron was moving slowly through the dark waters, looking for fish at the roots within the shaded mangroves. A couple times s/he came into an opening where natural lighting filtered through, giving me two wonderful image opportunities.
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Great Blue Heron
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Great Blue Heron
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A Tricolored Heron’s Two Profiles
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I came upon this gorgeous Tricolored Heron standing in some cool spikey-looking grass.
A watchful red eye was already on me.
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Tricolored Heron – Profile #1
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After a couple photos, I did a slow, wide walk around the heron without looking it. When I got to a certain spot, I slowly turned around with my camera already raised and took the next photo.
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Tricolored Heron – Profile #2
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Hehe, is someone flirting with me? 😉
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Great Egret Reflections During Take-Off
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I’m glad I looked in the direction again at two Great Egrets, to see one preparing to launch.
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Great Egrets
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Great Egrets
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Who doesn’t love a windless, wetland reflection morning!
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Five On The Wing – #1
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This is the start of another post series to share photos of five different bird species in flight and ask which is your favored shot if you wish to share. I hope you enjoy them!
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Great Egret
Black Skimmers
Belted Kingfisher (male)
Brown Pelican (juvenile)
Blue-winged Teal
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Which of these birds on the wing do you favor the most? 😊
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Spotted Sandpiper
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I’ve seen Spotted Sandpipers several times on the docks and bulkheads along Barron River.
It’s hard to work with the ugliness of docks, and I finally felt lucky with this photogenic opportunity.
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Spotted Sandpiper
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The Spotted Sandpiper’s name insinuates it has spots, but where are they?
The above Spotted Sandpiper is in nonbreeding plumage, so it lacks its spots.
For comparison, below is a Spotted Sandpiper in breeding plumage I took last Spring.
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Spotted Sandpiper (breeding plumage)
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Series: Take A Moment and Enjoy A Sunset
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Sunset over Chokoloskee Bay at Everglades National Park Gulf Coast Visitors Center
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“The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire.”
— Pamela Hansford Johnson
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Red-bellied Woodpecker in Hot Pursuit
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I shared a post of a male Pileated Woodpecker in hot pursuit of a female a few weeks ago.
The Red-bellied Woodpeckers are playing the same games!
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Female Red-bellied Woodpecker on a dock piling
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Everywhere the female flew and landed, her suitor was quick to follow.
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“Hey, where did she go?”
Male Red-bellied Woodpecker
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The female allowed the male to catch her, and he was quick to impress by flaring his crest feathers.
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Female Red-bellied Woodpecker evaluating the male’s bonding display of crest feathers…..
Was she impressed? 😉
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Love is in the air with birds in Florida!
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Stalking with Elegance
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When it’s low tide at the Everglades NP Gulf Coast location, a small beach exposes at the far end of the bulkhead.
While I was sitting on the bulkhead by that beach a mid-afternoon, a Snowy Egret came around the bend and towards me along the beach, stalking for fish in the small incoming waves.
Sitting very still, I waited; and not for long. The Snowy Egret was on the move and was quickly right in front of me.
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“The Elegant Snowy Egret”
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I know the egret had to see me, but it didn’t give any indication acknowledging my presence. It just continued it’s stalking.
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“Ready to Strike”
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“Super Quick Strike”
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“Tiny Tasty Snack”
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Not missing a beat, the Snowy Egret continued on past me, searching for more.
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“The Elegant Snowy Egret”
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I think this is when I started breathing again. 😉
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Bay Photos by Donna 