Monday, August 21, 2017

Solar Eclipse

Stepped out to get some shots of the Solar Eclipse. We all went out to the parking lot to take a look. Our coverage was 86% here in Central Florida.

I don't have any special filters to take shots and you need something to act as solar glasses. For this one, I had one of my co-workers hold my solar glasses over the front of the lens as I snapped away. I think it came out pretty well.

Solar Eclipse

Don't know if I will ever get a chance to see a full eclipse so I grab any partial I can.

Tuesday, July 04, 2017

Mississippi Kites

I had tried to find a Mississippi Kite for a long time and one of my banding volunteer reacheds out to me during the Summer to say they are nesting around his neighborhood. We managed to meet up so he could try to get me a view of them as they soared around his area.

We drove around to a couple of parks and looked for them and it did not take long to spot one gliding overhead.

Mississippi Kite

We followed their pattern of flight, weaving through different roads and I stepped out to take a shot or two along the way.

Mississippi Kite

These raptors glided on the wing in many areas and we ended up in a spot or two that were free of power wires for a clearer shot.

Mississippi Kite

A final shot before they drifted far away.

Mississippi Kite

It was a nice cruise to get a new Life Bird on a perfect morning to share with a good friend. What new bird will be up next?.

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Spotted Sandpiper

I like to take a 12 mile loop that covers all of the local lakes from my house toward the airport. This morning, as I rounded Lake Weldona, I spotted a small bird walking by the shore. It was a very cloudy morning so the view wasn't great.

I cound tell by its behavior while it was walking and feeding that it was a Spotted Sandpiper.

Spotted Sandpiper

Nice to find even in the gloom. They only come through here briefly during migration.

Saturday, March 11, 2017

Another Green-winged Teal Visit

Had a nice surprise while touring the lakes. A pair of Green-winged Teal were visiting Lake Emerald. More of a pond just off the through street.

Green-winged Teal

They were feeding right at the shoreline not far from the curb.

Green-winged Teal

They didn't seem to mind me too much. They finished probing the mud and then just swam about in front of me.

Green-winged Teal

I finally had the good fortune to have some awesome light. Usually, I find them when it is raining or super cloudy.

Green-winged Teal

But even in poor light , I love to find them. They are so rare, especially in a downtown. environment.

Green-winged Teal

The head feathers of the male always blow me away.

Green-winged Teal

Took a quick run through the cemetary and the Bald Eagle chicks are now up on the edge of the nest. It won't be long before they start to 'branch'.

Bald Eagle

TK

Monday, February 20, 2017

Chicks Getting Larger

Back to Greenwood Cemetery to check on the Bald Eagle nest. Chicks are doing great and you can now see their heads above the rim of it.

Bald Eagle

TK

Monday, February 13, 2017

Looking for Breakfast

I head around the local lakes every chance I can to see what might be hanging out. Mainly looking for Wintering ducks but you never know. Today, I headed around and spotted a Great Blue Heron with a very interesting demeanor.

He was definitely on patrol and then I noticed that there were several Muscovy Duck males in defense mode closer to the road. I had to stop for some documenting photos.

Muscovy Duck, Great Blue Heron

Then I saw what the Heron was eyeing. Nestled next to an oak tree was a Mama Muscovy Duck blocking a clutch of ducklings.

Muscovy Duck, Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Herons will eat just about everything that moves if they can and this big boy was really interested in the duckling. The males did drive him off before I left but who knows what might happen later. They eat birds, fish, baby alligators, snakes, you name it.

Muscovy Duck, Great Blue Heron

I know that Muscovy Ducks are not natives but I hate to see predators in this scenario for some reason. Maybe they will make it, maybe not. Can't hang out all day. It is a jungle out there, even in your own backyard.

Saturday, February 04, 2017

The Final Sparrow Drive?

Several of the Wekiwa Basin Banding Station crew headed out for what will be the final Sparrow Drive done by Marianne Korosy after many years of research at the abandoned limestone quarries in the Weekie Wachee Preserve on Florida's west coast. Unlike the past couple of years, conditions were much drier which is more ideal for finding sparrows in the fields. Now we just had to hope that the winds would stay down,too.

Quarry

The mornings always start with an instructional course from Clay before we get to the activity of driving for sparrows on what will be involved.

Group

Once the instructions have been delivered, the group heads out to the first phase of walking through the scrub in hopes of moving birds into the nets.

Group

Our first bird of the day was a Savannah Sparrow.

Savannah Sparrow

Kay and Becki collected the next batch of birds and delivered them to the truck for data collection.

Kay and Becki

One of the next birds was a sought after Grasshopper Sparrow and it was a new capture of a migrant species.

Grasshopper Sparrow

Next up was a Swamp Sparrow.

Swamp Sparrow

Lynn insists on trying to get a shot of Andrew on these days and so Andrew got one back at her.

Swamp Sparrow

And here is Lynn's right back of the same bird.

Swamp Sparrow

In between runs, Andrew ran to check on the nets. The wind had blown down the end of the nets and in the end was an Eastern (Yellow) Palm Warbler.

Palm Warbler

Marianne processed the Palm Warbler back at the truck and there was a Western Palm Warbler caught at the same time.

Palm Warbler

One of the visitors was allowed to release the Palm Warbler after banding.

Palm Warbler

Another visitor was allowed to release the second Palm Warbler soon afterward.

Palm Warbler

In hopes of flushing out other birds from the far side of the net lanes, Lynn, Becki, and Andrew waded through the far grasses. Unfortunately, all of the sparrows decided to fly in the other direction.

Trek

The morning was calm until the Sun rose higher and the brought in the winds. The nets were soon billowing which decreases our chances of captures since birds can easily escape as the nets do not sit in their normal posture. If they are open like this the birds can simply fly back out.

Nets

Lynn was there when we did catch a Savannah Sparrow and we got a shot before it headed back for banding.

Savannah Sparrow

The next good surprise was a Le Conte's Sparrow on the way back to the truck.

Le Conte's Sparrow

Le Conte's Sparrows are one of the usual sparrows in this area from year to year and a great bird to have visitors get to see. They are are usually very elusive in grassy fields and difficult to observe up close.

Le Conte's Sparrow

During the next net run, Andrew climbed a nearby hilltop to try and spot the oncoming volunteers as they headed toward the nets. Andrew points, "There they are!"

Hilltop

Indeed they are! The crew crests the ridge and drives a few more birds towards the waiting nets.

Group

As we wrapped up the morning we got a couple more Savannah Sparrows down in the square of the nets.

Savannah Sparrow

One of the main target birds has always been Grasshopper Sparrows and we ended up with a couple more before we ended the day.

Grasshopper Sparrow

Marianne gave details of our last Grasshopper Sparrow of the day before we headed home for this fun season. Alas, this will be the last.

Grasshopper Sparrow

Congratulations to Marianne for a very successful banding project. We have known her for so many years and have been proud to be invited and to participate in her events over many, many years. Now, she moves on to new ventures and we return to the banding site at Lake Lotus. These Sparrow drives will be highly missed by all of us.