Bald Eagle
Honestly, I was expecting to see a lot of Bald Eagles in Florida, but that hasn’t been the case. I had only seen one immature Eagle in flight and it was at a distance so my photo wasn’t the greatest.
Finally, last week luck was on my side. Hiking alone, I heard an Eagle call out. Scanning the sky and trees, I sighted a nest with the Eagle inside.
It wasn’t an easy photo to get in position with all the trees; this was the best I could do.
Bald Eagle Nest with Eagle inside feeding young
The Bald Eagle never stood up tall enough for me to get a good photo of it. Needing a walking break, I decided to hang around for a bit to see if the Eagle became more visible, while enjoying the solitude and tropical beauty surrounding me.
My break paid off. Twelve minutes later, the Bald Eagle left the nest and perched on one of the outer branches in the same tree.
Bald Eagle
“In order to see birds, it is necessary to become part of the silence.” ~ Robert Lynd
More Florida Birds – A Gallery
Some pretty shots of several more birds I’ve encountered in Florida.
Semipalmated Plovers
American Oystercatcher
Cattle Egret
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Roseate Spoonbill
Black Vulture
American Crow
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Caspian Tern (immature)
Double-crested Cormorants
This brings the total to 36 species of birds to date I’ve shared here with you since my arriving in Florida in January.
And I’m not done yet….. 🙂
Common Gallinule
The Common Gallinule is charcoal black with a white stripe, sports a bright red ‘shield’ on its forehead, and a red bill tipped in yellow.
Common Gallinule
This bird is in the rail family and was formerly known as the Common Moorhen.
Common Gallinule
I always think of candy corn when I see their beak. 🙂
Series: Take A Moment and Enjoy A Sunset
When a bright sun is setting and clouds are involved, we are blessed with a chance to watch a masterpiece unfold before our eyes.
This is one sunset, shot several minutes apart, creating one of those masterpieces.
Sunset over Chokoloskee Bay, Everglades
Sunset over Chokoloskee Bay, Everglades
A Brown Pelican flies over Chokoloskee Bay into the sunset
“The sun ignites the clouds below it as if they, and the water, itself, were on fire.”
― Anthony T. Hincks
Glossy Ibis
Glossy Ibises appear to look dark at a distance; but upon closer range and good light, they reveal beautiful colors of deep maroon, emerald, bronze, and violet.
Glossy Ibis
Glossy Ibis
While watching that last Glossy Ibis, it took flight.
Glossy Ibis taking flight
Glossy Ibis taking flight
Glossy Ibis taking flight
The flight was more of an airborne jump crossover to another area of grasses to continue on with foraging for food, providing even more wonderful photo ops for me. 🙂
(Photos taken at 10,000 Islands NWR within the Everglades NP)
White-eyed Vireo
I heard this bird singing its heart out and I didn’t know the song. So I stayed with it for a while as it sang and flitted within the tree.
Patience paid off! Here’s my lifer #195, the White-eyed Vireo.
White-eyed Vireo
White-eyed Vireo
White-eyed Vireo
Thank you, Mr/Ms Vireo, you made my day!
A cool fact: The White-eyed Vireo bathes by rubbing its body against dewy foliage in the morning.
Spotted Sandpipers
The Spotted Sandpiper is the most widespread breeding sandpiper in North America. They migrate to the entire lower portion across the United States for the winter.
Spotted Sandpipers visit daily right in front of our camp site on the boat docks along the Barron River at dawn and dusk.
Spotted Sandpiper
The Spotted Sandpipers presently lack their bold spots that appear during breeding season.
Spotted Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpipers
Spotted Sandpipers
Spotted Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper in flight
Spotted Sandpipers
These medium-sized shorebirds will soon be migrating back north. Until then, I’ll continue to enjoy watching them, scurrying along, bobbing those tails!
Fish Crow Goes Fishing
A Fish Crow goes fishing.
“The Stalk”
“Dive”
“Score!”
“Fish for Dinner”
“Just Before The Gulp”
Fish Crows are highly intelligent. And they will eat just about anything they can find or steal.
And, yes, they fish too. It is thought that Fish Crows learn to fish by watching other wading birds or gulls, or maybe with their smartness, they just figure it out themselves.
Blue-eyed Water Snake
(UPDATE: I have made corrections to my original post below to correct my ID. Experts have determined these photos are indeed a water snake but not a Cottonmouth as I originally ID’d. The information on the blue eyes is still true to fact. It is my intent to always provide correct ID’s and facts through my research before posting. I appreciate any comments and corrections to my posts. Thank you William!)
There are more than alligators lurking in Florida’s swamps and wetlands.
Everywhere I walk, I am diligent in paying attention on where I am stepping along my path.
Oh boy, was I ever so thankful I saw this water snake curled up beneath a clump of green before a few more steps.
I am not fond of snakes. Period.
Water Snake
I took some close-ups with my long lens 70-200mm with a 1.7x teleconverter. I was safe!
Water Snake Close-up
Water Snake Close-up
Some movement began as I kept looking for the water snake’s head.
And then it emerged.
Water snake with blue eyes
Blue eyes?? I had to google this myself.
A snake with blue eyes is getting ready to shed. This eye color change occurs as a result of skin loosening and fluid building up between the old and new skin layers. At the peak of this transformation, the snake’s eyes take on a milky blue or blue-gray color for 2-4 days. At this time, their vision is blurry. It should be shedding its skin in another week or so.
Water snake with blue eyes, a sign it is preparing to shed its skin
I felt I was now agitating the water snake so I backed away to leave. As I moved, it slithered down the grassy embankment and disappeared.
(Photos taken at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park)
Another Cardinal, But This One’s Not A Bird
My last post featured a Northern Cardinal, one of my favorite birds.
This post features another Cardinal, a bromeliad called the Cardinal Airplant.
Cardinal Airplant
Cardinal Airplants are one of 16 native bromeliads in Florida that are almost exclusively tropical and grow on woody hosts high in the canopy.
Cardinal Airplants
The Cardinal’s red stalks or “tanks” grow throughout the year. In January/February, they produce small purple flowers on the tips. No blooming purple flowers were seen on this trail a few days ago.
Cardinal Airplant
The Cardinal Airplant is listed as Endangered in Florida due to the Mexican bromeliad-eating weevil. In addition, it is threatened by illegal collecting and habitat destruction.
(Photos taken along Janes Scenic Drive in the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. The drive is an 11-mile long unimproved, narrow dirt road that dead-ends, giving you access to a portion of Florida’s remaining subtropical wilderness.)
Bay Photos by Donna 