Drew's Birds

Cedar Waxwings Are Cool

2012-01-31T22:00:00.002-05:00

Timing is everything somedays.

I was actually taking a break in the middle of the day to search for some parakeets. I had seen them in different spots over the years but can't find a permanent, reliable place to get them on my local travels. So I did some drive arounds without luck and headed home, empty-handed. I stepped out of the van and heard a ton of high-pitched calls in front of the house. Goldfinches? Nope. Cedar Waxwings!

I was unloading the things I had in the van while keeping an ear to the sky and trees when I saw a bit of movement near the street. Birds were starting to head to the holly trees mere feet from the yard. Waxwings were mobbing. I grabbed the camera and positioned myself in the one stretch of shadows and began trying to focus on the fast flying, berry-grabbing birds. It was a very nice 20 minutes. I got a lot of good shots as they drifted back and forth, like this one.

Seriously, is there a more elegant looking bird than a perfectly lit Waxwing? I find them so stunning.

Those tans and yellows and that deep black around the mask. I almost can't breathe as I squeeze off shot after shot when they stop for a brief moment, hoping I can get a photo to capture the beauty of them. Did well today.

The best part of looking through the shots, though, was finding I got some good berry grabbing moments. The birds were quickly stripping the two trees right before my eyes in mere seconds. Every wave wiped out another section on the branches.

A bird would choose a branch, size up where the remaining berries were and slurp them down. I love this shot of a near-gone gulp.

Something I was happy to catch, I never saw the Waxwings actually tossing the berries into their mouths as they were about to swallow them. The camera doesn't lie.

Sorting through the 100 photos, I made another interesting discovery. Notice that tail tip on this bird?

Most Cedar Waxwings have yellow tips on their tails. This one is orange. I remember reading about this more rare sighting before so I did some research and the most agreed upon reason that some birds have orange tips is due to diet. Some birds feed on honeysuckle berries and develop the different coloration. This shot clearly shows the orange tips. Nice.

The encounter was over too soon for me. They left a few berries on the tree but the traffic was increasing and eventually the birds flew off to the North. There are usually one or two days that Robins and/or Waxwings put on a frenzy in the neighborhood. Trick is being there.

This may have been my only chance for this many Waxwings at one time this season and I am super happy to have been able to witness it. Bring on the Robin frenzy!

Diving Hooded Mergansers

2012-01-29T22:12:00.000-05:00

I always try to look for the Wintering Hooded Mergansers when I leave the banding site. Last week, a mowing crew scared everything away but today I happened upon a flock of Mergansers as I circled the back parking lot. Luckily, this flock was too close to shore to be able to hide before I got a few shots off.

As the flock moved away. I was able to get a few more shots. This one was closer than the last and I was trying to focus in on the male.

Before they drifted out too far I got the male singled out.

When the birds are either hungry or frightened, they dive under the water to either grab food or swim underwater as far as they can to avoid any danger.

Once they have reached their goal, the birds re-emerge from under the pond and show off their new hair-dos.

A female was also diving with that male. Though they do not sport the contrasting black and whites, they are still pretty little ducks.

The number of ducks is fluctuating but I enjoy seeing even a single bird during this time of year. Fortunately, there have been nearly a dozen every week. Mergansers are cool.

Still Watching Turkeys

2012-01-27T22:11:00.003-05:00

Another day leaving work, another great view of the local Wild Turkey flock that have been hanging out for the past week. Timing and light were more in my favor today. Plus, the birds did not seem as concerned when I slowed for shots. The Toms were still vigilant and now there are at least 8 birds in this flock hanging out. Colors are still as vibrant as ever.

I even managed to get a shot of the male and female in the same shot which I really like.

I love having this quick little set of encounters before my long drive home.Though it does make me hungry...

BirdCam Roundup

2012-01-25T21:04:00.003-05:00

The BirdCam has been running again for quite some time but other bird trips and demands have kept me from doing more than scanning and deleting a bunch of the shots so here is a collection from the past month that I found interesting.

Most of the shots are of Mourning Doves, of course. They are usually jockeying for position so most of the shots end up blurry. This is a nice clear one.

For some unknown reason, every now and then the cam takes a shot that is a little to a lot of purple. Sometimes it makes for a nice duotone.

One bird species we see, and hear, everyday is the Tutfted Titmouse. However, they are so quick that it is hard to get a shot of them and when the camera snaps a shot of them they usually have their backs to the camera. Stopping to stare helped this time.

This Winter we have a new guest at the feeders. A Western Palm Warbler has been flying in once the seed level is a bit lower. This mix has a little bit of fruit in it but most others birds don't seem to like that. Usually we have a Catbird eating the fruit but I haven't seen it this year. Instead, the Palm Warbler seems to love it!

I stopped putting out whole peanuts to save money last Summer. As a result, our Blue Jays abandoned us. Two days after I started the peanuts again...

Finally, one of my favorite birds has been hitting the feeders. I banded this particular Carolina Wren when he first arrived in the yard a few years ago. He was a young bird at the time. He and his mate started living in a wind chime I hung by the front door. The wind chime has a watering can at the top and he moved in a couple days after it was put up.

Hoping to get another shot of the Indigo Bunting that has returned again this year. It should be there in between the hundreds of dove and squirrel shots I will discard.

Inland Buffelhead

2012-01-23T23:39:00.002-05:00

Funny how things work out sometimes.

I had a chance to get my son to school and then head to work early. This meant I would be about an hour early. Not a bad thing in our business. Once I neared work, I check for my office keys and noticed they were not there. I was switching out cooler contents and left them at home. No one would be able to let me in until more than an hour as I am the first to arrive 95% of the time.

What to do? I remembered reading a post about some fun birds not terribly far away. I had over an hour to kill. Driving, it is! Mind you, I only glanced at directions to this spot and then decided I would never have time to visit there since my hours stretched from early light to zero light. I drove on on instinct. Fortunately, I remembered the street name and finally found it as I was about to give up. Then, as I rounded the curve, I spotted the bird I was after out of the corner of my eye. A male Bufflehead!

There are usually reports of Bufflehead along the coast of Florida during the Winter but I always miss seeing them. I had to go to the West coast to find my Lifers. Now, I have 3 in a tiny retention pond in Central Florida and not far from Disney!

The bird even did a little stretching so I could get and nice view of the wing pattern.

Along with the Bufflehead were about 35 Lesser Scaup and a few Hooded Mergansers.

Circling and diving for food was a pair of Forster's Terns.

Time to head to work. A little forgetfulness lead to a nice encounter with an infrequent visitor and really made my day get off to a wonderful start. Maybe I should forget my keys more often...

Visiting an Old Friend

2012-01-22T21:06:00.002-05:00

Since I had a little more time today, I decided to head over to Astatula and see hood the Say's Phoebe was doing. I didn't spot it on the fence it has been on for the past few years so I began to worry. I headed across the road and scanned the other pasture. Still no luck. I started wondering if other birds were around so I half-heartedly scanned the entire area for any signs of birds. Nope.

Just as I was about to give up, I saw a flash out in the field near a large cart now in the field. I waited. It flashed out again and disappeared. Had to be the Say's. Yep. Now using the cart to hide and perch upon. I have revisited this bird for 5 years now and this is the best I can do.

It typically stays way out in the center of the pastures on either side of Ranch Road. When it switches sides, I do not know, but it is always about the same distance away. At least with the new lens I can make out the shape and colors better. Again, this species is typically a Western bird, rarely found in Florida. Definitely good enough for an ID verification.

There weren't a lot of birds out this day. It was nearing noon and the winds were up so besides the Say's I only found an American Kestrel and a few Palm Warblers near the doves down the road. So I headed out along Ranch Road hoping to find some Bluebirds or Florida Scrub Jays. No sign of either but there were a lot of Tree Swallows. I decided to head home.

As I neared the Say's site again, I noticed a speck on the wires ahead. Bluebird! Actually closer than I had expected. Too bad it wouldn't come closer or pose in a more natural setting.

I looked behind me and noticed another spec out on the fences. The female Bluebird was waiting for me to leave.

I had to linger a bit longer, however. I noticed a lot of activity in the nearby oak. Mostly Palm Warblers but there was more yellow in there so I stepped out to investigate. Sure enough, there were several Pine Warblers joining in the hunt for tasty insects.

Seems like there are more Pine Warblers around this year. Maybe the warmer weather has something to do with it. Or maybe the warmer weather has me out there looking more!

Either way, it is only January and the Pine Warblers and other birds are singing their Spring songs and I couldn't be happier.

Gobble, Gobble.

2012-01-22T09:30:00.001-05:00

Well, that was a surprise.

I left work just before sundown. There are few open places in the industrial space where our office is located but there is a pond nearby that I check from time to time. As I approached it tonight I noticed a large shape near a hedge surrounding a parking lot. I slowed and drove closer and discovered it was a female Turkey!

The bird moved under the hedge so I drove into the parking lot for a better view. Then I saw another turkey. Then another. Then another... Six in all, including two Toms. The birds moved back across the road and into a grassy area. It took me a while to get into a good shooting angle but I finally got one of the Toms in the light.

Beautiful feather colors that you don't think about. Turkey are rather abundant in Florida just not usually in such urban areas. Go figure.

Increased Activity at the Eagle Nest

2012-01-21T18:25:00.002-05:00

The eagles are spending more time at the next recently. Could be a sign of chicks to come! This is Dad coming back to the nest tree.

If I could only get more time in the daylight. Busy, busy...

Quick Check on the Mergansers

2012-01-20T20:24:00.001-05:00

Stopped by the Merganser area after banding and found a few hanging out. Kind of liked this female taking a stretch as I approached.

I was trying to get some shots of the other birds when a lawn maintenence crew parked right near the pond and scared the flock. Ended up with a flight shot but then they were gone.

Fewer birds but always a joy to watch.

Black Point Drive, Part 2

2012-01-19T21:11:00.001-05:00

Now that I had gotten my target bird, Gadwall, I continued my tour of the loop at Black Point. I wanted to try and make it around to the entrance again before dark so I made my way down the road, stopping briefly to get some other shots along the way. Just past Stop 7 I spotted a small flock of American Avocets resting in the shallow water.

To the right, a Belted Kingfisher watches for its next meal.

Some of the driving was slow as tourist stopped in the middle of the road to stare at something they have never seen before like this gator drifting up near Stop 10. "That's a baby!," I told them as I passed them on the left.

Back to the entrance and back to Stop 4 to see if the Gadwall had come closer to the road. Nope. Oh, well. I had the ID shots I was after so now a I could take a casual drive as sunset approached. There were not a lot of shorebirds around only a Semipalmated Plover...

...and a few peeps on the mud flats.

I relocated the Reddish Egret that was posing during my last trip. This time it was dancing around and fishing.

Drifting by in one of the impoundments, a male Northern Pintail. Such an impressive duck.

Approaching the Avocet flock again, I found a Snowy Egret cruising the edge of the road.

As the last of the day's sunshine finally breaks through the clouds a Pied-billed Grebe chugs along.

Nearby, a pair of Hooded Mergansers looks for a place to rest for the night.

Finally, a flock of Roseate Spoonbills glows in the waning light. One even yawns as I make my way towards home.

12 hours and 300 miles later and I can get some sleep myself. A long day but an inspiring one. I love Black Point Drive.

Black Point Drive, Part 1

2012-01-18T21:10:00.006-05:00

Since I had the Jay Watch luncheon just to the north, I planned to go home via I-95 so I was able to swing through Black Point Drive on Merritt Island hoping to get my latest Nemesis Bird, the Gadwall. This duck is reported nearly every year but I never seem to find them. I had direct sighting locations all week from the locals so chances were good i could get it this time.

Black Point is now charging $5 for a single day visit, so plan accordingly. Yearly passes can be purchased, too. I paid my fee and headed around the familiar curves and soon found a Great Egret where they almost always are just past Stop 1.

Nothing of real interest was at Stop 2 but the American Coot numbers really picked up by Stop 3. The Sun was beginning to drop low in the sky so I had to keep moving if I was to fined the Gadwall.

By the time I looked up the road toward Stop 4 I could see that there must be something good ahead. Cars were parked all along the shoulder. I arrived in the area and raised my binoculars. Just next to the American Wigeons was my target. Gadwall!

The drake and 2 hens feed alone but near the Wigeons. Interesting shape to their heads.

Not bad. Target bird checked off and the ponds were full of birds. Most I have seen in years. Thousands of Coots, many species of ducks, and in the back of the pond White Pelicans gulped down fish under the watchful eyes of Roseate Spoonbills.

Several Coots were diving near the side of the road when, suddenly, a Ruddy Duck popped up between them. Haven't seen a lot of them around this season.

As I was photographing the Ruddy Duck i saw a bright flash to my right. A Horned Grebe! Blink and you would miss it, and I could only manage a blurry shot before it dove back underwater over and over.

A bit farther down the drive, a Reddish Egret posed in the waning light.

Another species at Stop 4 was a large number of Northern Shoveler.

The plainer females and juveniles are fun to watch but seeing the males in bright plumage is striking.

Finally making my way past Stop 4 I glanced to my left and saw some other species in between the mangroves. Northern Pintails and Mottled Ducks rested apart from the bustling pond.

I decided to hurry around the rest of the loop and circle back around to see if the Gadwall would move even closer to shore before the light disappeared. Up in the larger impoundments the Coot numbers were staggering. In one stretch a large raft of them were streaming around the mangroves in a huge line before dispersing into the open water. I didn't even try to count them.

Part 2 will highlight the rest of my findings but for now, I have to hurry back to the entrance!

Gull and Dove

2012-01-16T18:29:00.000-05:00

Before I get to the Merritt Island post(s), I forgot about a couple new birds for the year. The first bird I saw when I got to the Jay Watch luncheon was a Bonaparte's Gull that was hanging out on a sand bar. They are one of our Wintering birds and are sought after by birders every year. Didn't even have to look hard for this one.

Leaving the luncheon, I stopped by a little park along the highway just to check it out. As soon as I stepped out of the van I saw two birds in a tree. That position is contrary to their name: Common Ground Dove.

You can find the tiny Ground Doves in various habitats but they are very skittish and are difficult to photograph. I was happy to get them in a calm mood for once. Such a cute little thing.

Smyrna Dunes

2012-01-14T17:57:00.004-05:00

I had to drive up to a Jay Watch event north of Daytona Beach and decided to try for a couple of Life Birds on the way home. First on the list was a reported Purple Sandpiper at Smyrna Dunes. I had never been there, though I have been right near it many times in my years. I headed along the long boardwalk toward the beach and ended up taking a wrong turn and ended up on the beach on the wrong side. Dang.

Now I had a long walk through soft sands but my time was limited so I stayed on that course. Fortunately, it provided me with a nice surprise. The water roiled just off shore so I waited to see what might be causing it. The bird surfaced right in front of me. A Common Loon! Not all that common to me.

When I got to the jetty, it was crawling with people fishing. They nearly covered the entire structure! Even with all the activity, dozens of Ruddy Turnstones ran around the rocks in search of food.

No sign of the Sandpiper. However, there was another bird that caught my attention.

Sanderlings are very common in Winter along the beaches but I had not been able to find a single one this year. This one was so concerned with feeding that it basically let me approach slowly and I got my favorite shot of the year, so far.

This bird has very worn feathers but is still a beautiful creature. Now off to find the other Life Bird I was after. The next post might be rather long. It has been awhile since I was at Merritt Island.

Our Indigo Bunting Returns. Again!

2012-01-12T21:13:00.001-05:00

I was doing dishes when I noticed a speedy streak zip through the branches outside the kitchen window. The next time I looked up, a male Indigo Bunting was at the feeder! I ran to the camera and hoped it would stay for a minute or two.

Though not a clear shot, since it was taken from inside and through the window screen, it is easy to see our Bunting has returned. This is at least the third year in a row. I will have to keep my eyes open.

Now if those Goldfinches would return...

A Little Walk Around Lake Davis

2012-01-09T22:57:00.001-05:00

Took a few minutes to count the ducks out on Lake Davis, as I usually do nearly every day. Same bunch is still out there. No new excitement but they had been dispersing to other nearby lakes and just about leaving Lake Davis completely. Now the flock of nearly 300 is back.

American Coots also come in during the Winter. One year we had one individual that stay the entire year. Really atypical. Coots gather in the thousands on the coasts of Florida and are a favorite food of hawks and Bald Eagles. Gotta love the color combination.

I walked past the Coots and looked over the edge of the culvert and surprised a Green Heron from its feeding spot. Then it surprised me by flying into a nearby Cypress Tree!

Usually, a Green Heron will take off and get as far away from you as possible but this one must have thought the branches would conseal it well enough. Nope. Fine by me. A great chance to really see that beautiful feather pattern.

As I was snapping away, I heard a chip to my right. A Myrtle Warbler was looking for bugs in the adjacent tree and was making a direct line toward me and the heron. When smaller birds are concentrating on food they will usually ignore you or let you have a closer look if you stay still and let them figure out you are not a threat.

Myrtle Warblers are the Eastern variety that most folks call Yellow-rumps due to the yellow patch above their tail feathers (you can see it in this shot). The Western version is an Audubon's Warbler and have a more yellow throat. Since I band and record data on them I stick with Myrtle. Especially since that is where you often find them. In Wax Myrtle trees.

Not bad for a quick check of the lake. New lens is doing fine.

Pine Warbler

2012-01-08T13:52:00.002-05:00

Armed with a bit more confidence again, I tried another warbler shot as we were leaving our banding site. Sometimes you forget about these guys until their numbers appear again in the Winter. They are residents, for the most part, but usually stay high in the trees and when the Spring returns they are harder to spot.

You get a bit confused when you suddenly see a Pine Warbler. Most birds with yellow on them are migrating through.

Then you get the "Oh, yeah." moment and they are quickly gone. Some males get so yellow it is blinding.

A Nice Walk Home

2012-01-07T20:07:00.003-05:00

Had to take the van in for brakes and the wife had to head to work. The garage bays were so backed up they couldn't even look at it until another 2 hours. It was a nice morning, around 50-ish degrees. I decided to walk 2.5 mile home. I had wanted to stop by a spot, anyway.

Along the way back I found a few Mourning Doves on the fence around the local airport.

There wasn't much around the park I checked out. Just some Palm Warblers and Gallinules. There were a couple of Glossy Ibis that flew in which was special but otherwise...so I headed home and decided to check out the wetlands along the way.

The flock of 30 or so Ring-necked Ducks were still there and I was able to get a singled out shot of one of them. Like this one a bunch.

Right after that shot I headed in the direction of the house and noticed a lot of movement near the larger pond. Seemed a big feeding flock was moving through. Mostly Palm Warblers. Armed with the new lens, I tried for a shot or two. I was not disappointed.

Palm Warblers are nearly ever-present during the Winter. They flit back and forth all over the place in most habitats, including urban settings. Funny thing is, most are Western Palm Warblers like this. The Eastern, or Yellow, version is found in much smaller numbers and usually out in fields. I love Palm Warblers.

I was happy with that Palm shot so I headed down the sidewalk. Then I saw the Tri-colored Heron lurking in the reeds. Alright.

Yeah. I am going to enjoy this lens. And more birds along the way.

End of Year Coyote Sighting

2012-01-04T19:52:00.000-05:00

A little 2011 close-out. It has been just short of a year since we discovered a Coyote in the cemetery. Now it was 2 days before Christmas. I drove through tonight to check on the eagles and found our canine again. A year later and still looking very healthy.

It was just as wary of the van as it was way back then and decided to wait me out by finding the one open section in the area.

Even though it was nearing dark, that coat was beautiful. Sure I will see it again soon.

Revisiting Greenwood

2012-01-02T18:28:00.003-05:00

In the past, I used to go down the street to the Greenwood Wetlands a lot. Some of my 'getting serious' about trying to photograph birds days. Once our first son was born and walking, I used to take him over there and we would walk the loop. Until the visiting dogs scared him. I still ventured over from time to time until they started dredging the small pond near the road. Then the eagles in the adjoining cemetery grabbed more attention.

On the way to the store, I noticed something new in the pond. A bunch of Ring-necked Ducks! They haven't been there in ages. I decided to stop by on the way back. Any excuse to try the new lens some more.

Over 30 ducks were there. Probably part of the larger flock from the Lake Davis crew. It is only a few blocks away. Here is a good shot of a male and female together. Hard to get a shot of individuals as the flock usually sticks close together.

Not much else around that I noticed right away. Until I looked up. I totally missed that there was a Wood Stork right above me in a pine tree!

My first memory of Wood Storks was while driving home to Key West and my Dad pointing out a few of them in a ditch along the turnpike. He mentioned they were a rare sight back in the 70s. They are now doing quite well in the state and can be found readily all over, especially in the Winter when they flock to smaller lakes to feed.

Wood Storks are cool.

Let the New Year Begin!

2012-01-01T19:35:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!

Got a spiffy new lens for Christmas. Just like this Great-blue Heron, I am looking into the rising Sun and looking forward to a great year of birding and photography.

Let's get out there!!

Belated Christmas Present: Green-tailed Towhee

2011-12-28T07:40:00.003-05:00

Reports flooded in around December 10th that a rare bird had arrived in Pinellas County, FL. A local Audubon group took a trip to a small preserve in Safety Harbor and found a Green-tailed Towhee. The last one reported nearby was in 2003 when I just missed it then. My mind was spinning on trying to get to this bird sometime during the St. Pete CBC but I knew there was no way I could get there in daylight. Sigh.

So, I had to hope that it would stick around for the rest of the year. The next shot I would have would be either Christmas Day or the following morning. As we drove to my parent's house I knew it would be too late to get there on Christmas. Window was closing and it all came down to a couple hours the day after. Fingers were still crossed.

Dad and I headed out just before dawn. I had dreamed about perfect light in case the bird was there. One of my presents was a new IS lens. My old lens was about dead and this was the most amazing gift I have received in a while. Things were lining up. Then the fog rolled in. Perfect light was now removed from the picture.

I had read that an American Wigeon had been seen in a park that was said to host another bird I was after today, a Gadwall. The park was on the way so since it was still cloudy/foggy we swung through to try for the ducks. The Wigeon was spotted as soon as we exited the car.

We searched around but found no Gadwall. I was surprised to see a bunch of Limpkin, though. We counted at least 6 adults in the relatively small space.

As we rounded a bend, I spotted a Black-crowned Night Heron resting in the trees across the pond.

It seemed the fog was not going to clear quickly so we figured it was time to head to the Towhee spot and get situated. Possum Branch Preserve is a small parcel of land in between a bunch of developed areas but it is well maintained and has a very interesting habitat. I would love to get back there in better weather. As it was, we walked the trails to get to where we were headed and watched Sparrows and Myrtle Warblers fly back and forth on our way.

We reached our destination and waited for a bit. The fog rolled in thicker and it appeared it would be turning into night. Birds shut down. We decided to walk around an edge of the pond and back just to wait for more light. Back at the Towhee spot all we had was a Northern Mockingbird popping up into view.

Previous posts from the past week and a half suggested that many folks had to wait hours before the Towhee would show itself. This seemed to be later in the day. I decided to get out here closer to dawn. When the birds are more active. Soon after that Mockingbird shot was taken, Dad and I both spotted movement in the bushes. Target acquired! The Towhee was at hand.

It came out to scratch for food in the low light. However, the new lens seemed to handle it well. Such a pretty bird. This species is suppose to stay well to the West but we are having a few sightings in Florida this year.

It appears someone has thrown bird seed in the area lately. The Towhee seems to like it. I seem to like the Towhee. Nice Life Bird. I took nearly 100 shots before we decide to head back for the Gadwall search.

On the way out, the fog was just a bit less dense and some birds began feeding and moving about. Under a Wax Myrtle I noticed a Downy Woodpecker searching the lower branches in the deeper shade. Still, I managed some nice shots as this male probed for insects in the ends of branches.

Back at the other park the Wigeon was still in its feeding spot. The light was just a bit better.

We focused hard on every bird we saw, almost willing a Gadwall to appear. No luck. It was nice to find a couple new birds that were not there earlier like a female Wood Duck and a Lesser Scaup.

Several miles were walked. Many ponds were scanned and rescanned. No Gadwall. Oh, well. I will have to find my new Nemesis Bird elsewhere. This park was next to a park called Moccasin Lake so we dropped by to just get a feel of where it was. Dang. Park closed on Mondays. Go figure. BUT! The gate was surrounded by birds. Peacocks, actually.

Several were inside and out. Might as well get a close-up before heading home.

So, 2 out of 3 birds found. Not a bad few hours. Seems I keep getting to pick up a Life Bird every Christmas. Cool that they are so close to family. We all get to share.

Now I can relax until 2012. Nice way to wrap up the birding for the year. Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve Wood Duck

2011-12-24T19:30:00.001-05:00

Took a quick run around the lakes to see if there were any early Christmas presents out there. Nope. However, I did get another run at the small Wood Duck flock at Lake Emerald around the corner. Not bad for early morning.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

St. Pete CBC, 2011

2011-12-18T20:14:00.008-05:00

Ready for the tale? CBC stories last a while. Kick back.

I had the pleasure of joining long-time friends and birding activists Don and Lorraine Margeson for their crew on this latest St. Pete Christmas Bird Count (CBC). I have been helping out for years in other areas but it was nice to hang out with them and see some new territory in the county. We did very well with species and numbers counts. The weather was perfect! The past two years were rather cold and miserable so it was excellent to dress for the warm weather and go bird counting.

Don and I did some pre-dawn birding in the neighborhood and scored 5 Screech Owls and other local birds in the dark. Later, we gathered as the Sun rose and began to grab the birds we knew were around before sweeping the general area. The main bird we needed to add was the Lark Sparrow that Don first found last year. It returned this year and it was a Life Bird for a couple of us.

I caught a few shots with my ailing lens in the harsh morning light, but at least they were good enough for ID shots.

I have had a Lark Sparrow before on the East coast of Florida but it hid until I drove away so I heard it and saw it from my rear view window then. Now I had it right in front of me. Next year I should be better armed.

Don and I went through the water treatment plant right before dawn and recorded more birds along the way before heading back to his house to gather forces with Lorraine and Marianne before heading out into the light of day. From their house we tallied a lot of birds flying out into the area as the sun rose.

Our next stop as a group was back at the treatment plant to try and flush birds from the grasses and to listen for others passing overhead. here, Don and Danny Sauvageau watch the edge of the marsh for sparrows. Danny pegged some incoming Green-winged Teals soon afterwards.

I beat the bushes as the rest of the crew stayed up top and after I spooked an otter in the reeds, I got a shot of one of the seen Marsh Wrens around the pond.

In small waves, Black-hooded Parakeets would sail overhead. There have been reports of flocks over 500 in number in the area lately. Can't imagine the noise.

Taking more time to get a fix on the birds we were searching for, Lorraine and Marianne help track down our Grasshopper Sparrow for the day.

We recorded many more species along the way but this moment was interesting. An Anhinga with a fish impaled on its bill was moving along a retention pond. Not only does it seem that the bird can't really get the fish down its throat but what you don't see is the Great-blue Heron and Great Egret stalking the Anhinga to steal the fish. It was fun to watch.

Next, back to the house for lunch and a look around. We found a Hermit Thrush, American Redstart and other birds along the way. Plus, White Peacock butterflies were everywhere.

On the way to pick up lunch, we stopped by a housing development. On the way in we spotted a bunch of water-loving birds but didn't stop to photograph them. Fortunately. most of the same species were right a around the corner, including a remarkable flock of nearly 300 Lesser Scaup.

One of the birds near the entrance and now here was a White Pelican.

One of the fun parts of CBCs is grabbing all the little unseen ponds along the way. At one such stop we found gulls, Ring-necked Ducks, and a few Pied-billed Grebes.

Our final territory for the day was the golf course. We tallied up even more species while waiting for carts and then headed out around the course as our day was rapidly coming to a close. Fortunately, we racked up some more good birds for the count. In the weedy areas were Song Sparrows and Prairies Warblers.

One of our 9 Loggerhead Shrikes posed long enough for a nice photo.

As you try to get every bird counted by the end of the day, even a Northern Mockingbird counts as a nice find.

As does another Anhinga around the course.

We still managed to grab a few more species out on the golf course, including House Finch and this nearly hidden White-winged Dove. Every species counts!

We ended up shy of the past few years counts but the weather was way different all across the country. Results will still be pouring in from other sites and soon we will get an overall view of bird patterns in North America. Can't wait for the results. Can't wait for next year, either.

Pied-billed Grebe

2011-12-11T20:08:00.003-05:00

That's it. Pied-billed Grebe. I was trying for some new shots of the Mergansers but the light was bad and the birds were antsy. As I prepared to just head home, a Pied-billed Grebe surfaced in front of me.

Love these little birds. Winter is here.

Next weekend is the St. Pete Christmas Bird Count. I have helped out there for the past several years, driving from Orlando to help out my friends on the Gulf Coast. Always a blast. Always good photos. Stay tuned!

Revisiting the BirdCam

2011-12-07T19:48:00.003-05:00

Being short on funds last year really had me cutting back. Sadly, one of the obvious cutbacks was bird seed. Got enough mouths to feed. So I shut off most of my feeders at the beginning of Summer. I also shut down the BirdCam. It was hot, seed was costly, I was unemployed and not happy.

Now, back in a full-time job and seeing more migrating birds, I decided to get it running again. Birds being captured in the lens haven't changed much. The unit is even more beat up. Squirrels have knocked it over a couple times and the focus seems a bit weird at times. BUT! We are up and running again. So get ready to be reacquainted with some familiar faces and, hopefully, we will get some new ones in the upcoming months.

You remember them. Mourning Doves. The most common visitor to the feeders. They were slow to slow up again but are back in force.

They may be a dime a dozen but I still really like Mourning Doves.

I did keep a couple feeders active over the Summer. One with a baffle and one without. I kept the Titmice and Cardinals happy and they really didn't need too much extra attention. The Titmice quickly switched from the front of the house feeder to the cam side fairly quickly.

Now, they are drifting past and onto all of the feeders. Fine by me.

One problem the cam seems to have now is low light shots. Things are getting too blurry. But I like this one because it shows that the Carolina Wren I banded in the backyard a couple years ago is still around. I knew he had a brood last year so it is nice to see him still hanging out. Guess we are supplying the right environment.

In fact, we put up a windchime at the entrance to our front door. It is a little watering can with the Cardinal points on the bottom. Soon after we set it up, the Wrens took up residence in it! Extra cool.

A Closer Look at Mergansers

2011-12-05T18:24:00.003-05:00

Headed home from our latest banding session and was greeted by two good fortunate events. Slightly overcast skies and 20 (!) Hooded Mergansers feeding right near the parking lot. Since I get there near 11 AM, I usually have bad light for photos and this is the largest gathering of Mergansers here in years.

So, I present a gallery of different Merganser looks. First off, A typically standard male pose with the crest relaxed and above water for a while. Bit of a flat-top.

The females were there, too. Many flattened by water after dives so I was glad to have this more elaborate spiked version float by for a brief while.

Here, a male displays a fully revealed crest while trolling the pond.

Of course, we all need to stretch once and awhile. Nice to catch such a move in close proximity.

Finally, I did not take offence at this male showing me its rear-end. It was simply preening and I do enjoy the layers of color on the undertail coverts.

Nice to see this many Mergansers here this year. Now I wait to see what else arrives before the cold sets in.

Lesser Scaup Sighting

2011-12-04T06:27:00.001-05:00

Before heading out to get groceries, I did a quick search of mapping software to see if there were any names for the retention pond I just found over 60 Blue-winged Teals. No such luck. Just a retention pond. However, I did notice another body of water not far from where I sometimes buy groceries. Time for a swing-by.

It is a small pond in a little neighborhood complex (pre-planned and faux exclusive) so I wasn't hoping for much. I was surprised by the variety of birds. Several species of heron, Mallard, Coots, Ringed-necked Ducks, and my first shots of Lesser Scaup for the season.

Lesser Scaup are not rare in this part of the state in the Winter but always nice to find. The clouds moved in as I tried to get some shots as night closed in but... Next to the pair was a Ring-necked Duck for comparison.

Then, appropriate for a new discovery, a rainbow appeared off to the left as I prepared to head home.

A nice end to the day.

Anhinga Encounter

2011-12-03T13:25:00.004-05:00

As we move into December I continue to watch the ducks on Lake Davis. The Long-tailed Duck only stuck around for a couple of days but the Ring-necked Duck numbers are on the rise. Close to 300 of them gather daily. I was hoping for a discovery of something more interesting but it was not to be.

Until...

Anhingas are very common here. In fact, the other day I counted nearly two dozen of them positioned around our small lake. Anhingas, in my opinion, are rather cool. They come ashore or land in the trees to dry off between feedings. They are often rather jumpy when people get too close to them. So, it was a great surprise to have one actually come over to me as I did my duck count.

This female seemed to have no fear as she swam over and climbed up on the rocks a mere 6-8 feet from where I was standing. With my lens acting up as of late, it was easy pickin's to get some shots of this excellent Florida bird.

She was so close that that was my zoom lens pulled all the way back. I took as much time as possible doing a more close-up set while I could. Anhingas are often called Snake Birds due to the fact that when they swim all you can see is a long serpentine neck gliding just above the water's surface.

Females have the tan/brown neck and breast seen in this bird. Males are darker, nearly solid black, and have many white spots on their wings during breeding season. Once she let me take a ton of close-up shots, she relaxed enough to start sunning.

Anhingas need to dry their wings between foraging and they almost always do it on the shore line here throughout the year. I feel so honored that this little girl felt so comfortable around me to hang out for a while. I left her to her drying right after that shot to go look for more birds during the day.

Hooded Mergansers Return

2011-11-27T18:21:00.001-05:00

We had a very interesting day at the banding station today. A lot of species and a few surprises. You should check it out.

Once I finish banding this time of year I like to make a slight detour by my old workplace to see what might have flown in to settle on the retention ponds. I have been expecting the Hooded Mergansers to return and today was the day. Near the road was a pair of females diving for food.

Across the pond, a couple of males drifted back and forth. The light was horrible for shots but these will do for the sighting ID.

They will stay in this general area through the Winter so I can try for better pictures week by week. Kind of comforting to know they are back in this spot year after year.

Finally! An Eagle Sighting!!

2011-11-25T14:46:00.003-05:00

Following my daily duck counts I swing through the cemetery in hopes of seeing the Bald Eagles again. Today, success!!! Looks like the female is sitting comfortably in the nest. Yay! No sign of the male, however.

Now to keep a close watch for more signs of progress.

Long-tailed Duck

2011-11-19T21:52:00.001-05:00

I headed home near dark after a Saturday at work. I circled Lake Davis and tried to get a count of the Ring-necked Ducks and to see if I could spot a duck I couldn't quiet make out as I headed in earlier in the day. It was still there, visible as lighter than the Ring-neckeds, but I still wasn't completely sure I was seeing what I thought I was. Could it be? Nah...

I kept trying to any shots that I could get before the dark completely descended. Doesn't help that my auto-focus is busted, too.

I held my thoughts to myself and rushed home to post to the birding list to get thoughts from the collective. The response was nearly unanimous...

Our little neighborhood lake had another rarity in the middle of downtown Orlando. A Long-tailed Duck!

I bet it is a madhouse out there in the morning...

Birdus Interruptus

2011-10-24T21:49:00.000-04:00

Seems my blogging posts might take longer to gear up again, after all.

I finally got a new full-time job! So, that is a good thing. The birds will begin again, I am sure of it.

Where are Those Eagles

2011-10-21T21:42:00.001-04:00

Well, I was hoping to add a bunch of Bald Eagle shots this month after they had returned and appeared to be setting up house. Since my last post on them I have been unable to spot them again. I drive through the cemetery nearly daily and I have not seen them.

Hope they haven't abandoned the site.

Mead Bird Walk

2011-10-15T14:33:00.001-04:00

Been too busy over at the banding site to post much personal stuff. If you ever see this page kinda go fallow it means I have been spending more time catching birds more than photographing them. You can always check out that site (updated weekly) if you need a fix.

To see our weekly reports, just head to my Wekiva Bird Banding Station blog.

Today, I did have to fulfill a promise made way back to lead a walk on behalf of the Orange Audubon at Mead Garden. They are raising awareness of birding in general and the special place that is Mead Garden.

Unfortunately, since I was leading and helping novice birders locate and identify birds, that shot is about all I could manage. We did have an excellent day with loads of birds all over the garden to keep smiles on everyone's face.

October is a busy month for birds in Florida. Hopefully, I can make it out to just enjoy.

Bald Eagles on the Nest

2011-10-06T10:47:00.002-04:00

Been a while since I posted here but I have been posting at my other blog about our banding efforts just to the North. After dropping the youngest at school, I headed back over to Greenwood Cemetery to see what might be around. Palm Warblers are back in the area and it is great to start hearing them chip as they move through the trees. Seems they are sticking near the lakes and I found a new Pied-billed Grebe so the ducks should be moving in soon. Fall is here.

I was also pleasently surprised to find that the Bald Eagles were actually on the nest today. They seemed to be eating a fish up there. Before I could get a group shot, one of the birds flew off but they were both there tending the sticks between bites of breakfast. The other bird is actually tucked down behind the nest edge.

Here is a closer view of the remaining eagle. A nice find on the way home.

Shouldn't be too long before we start seeing the next brood!

Momma Returns

2011-09-10T22:06:00.001-04:00

I swung through Greenwood Cemetery on the way home and found that the female Bald Eagle has returned to join the male found last week.

Um...yay! Should be a new brood starting soon. Fall is here!!

Bald Eagle Back at the Cemetery

2011-09-04T22:06:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts but there has not been much of anything happening around here during the last few weeks. Even our banding results have been very low. So, just a quick post for today to get September started.

We had a dismal day at the banding site. One Red-eyed Vireo. That's it! Seems Tropical Storm Lee cause current migrating birds to circle west through Texas. Sigh. Not that early September it super busy for us. That will come next month.

I did find at least one interesting sighting of note, though. On the way home I decided to swing through the cemetery to see if I could hear any warblers. Nothing. Tons of Northern Mockingbirds and Starlings instead. But up in the pines...

One of the Bald Eagles has returned! I haven't seen them since their last brood fledged and they left before the Summer.

Time to start Eagle Watch and prepare for the big push of Fall migrants!

Viera Wetland Detour

2011-08-19T10:39:00.007-04:00

I was headed home after the first day of Jay Watch and figured that since I was in the area, or closer than I might be in a long time, I veered South to check out Viera Wetlands near Melbourne, FL. There have been reports of sightings of Fulvous Whistling Ducks the past few days and I hoped for at least a distant glimpse.

I first swung around the Click Ponds and came upon a huge flock of birds, mostly Roseate Spoonbills.

Closer to the shore, a Snowy Egret waits for a meal.

The small pines that line the right side of the cells held a few Fish Crows resting and searching the area for opportunities.

I scanned the cells for the ducks. Not much on the beginning side but a few Moorhens and a nice Great Egret posing on a palm stump.

Swinging around the far side turned the light the wrong way but I couldn't resist still trying for a decent shot of the local Limpkin.

Throw in a badly lit White Ibis and it bookends that side of the drive.

Flying overhead, an Osprey zoomed in a circle and landed on one of the dead trees and constantly looked back and forth for the next fish to appear.

The most surprising moment of the trip was when a doe and fawn appeared right in front of me on the drive. The doe quickly crossed the road and waded into the cell.

The fawn was not so sure about this move and stayed on the fence side. I was hoping it would cross, too, but it just kept to the tree side and refused to. So, I had to get a poor shot through the windshield.

Once I passed the fawn, it circled back to join its mother. Once it was safely behind me I continued my search. A flash of blue caught my eye and soon found a feeding Purple Gallinule. It would never come into view more than this, though.

Resting on a culvert, an Anhinga sized me up.

I wasn't really looking for Least Bitterns but we all know they are there. Once one showed itself in the reeds I just had to slow for a few shots.

At one point, it seemed to be saying, "Farewell!" as I headed out of the wetlands for the drive home.

Alas, no Fulvous Whistling Ducks for me. I will have to try some other place at some other time in the future.

Jay Watch, 2011

2011-08-17T10:10:00.001-04:00

The Saturday after we returned from our Alaska trip I had to go out for the annual Jay Watch out at Buck Lake. This marks my 5th year doing Jay Watch and it is always a fun, though hot, couple of days. Our task is to locate as many Florida Scrub Jays as possible and hopefully discover some new juvenile from any year's nesting season.

We use tape recorders to play Jay calls to bring the birds closer so we can register bands and count any birds in the surrounding areas around specified locations throughout the property. Unfortunately, we did not locate any juveniles this year. We did find a lot of the banded adults and even a nest that indicates that they at least tried, however.

After our first stop I found a flower I had not seen before. Neither had anyone else. Weeks later we found a match. A Florida Milkweed (Asclepias feayi) that was not known to be there in the past. A great find!

On the second day, I found a couple of jays at point 4. The first in was an adult that sat at the top of the oaks.

Another bird flew in and it turned out to be a female. Easy to tell once she began to do the typical 'hiccup' calls that only the females do.

It was nice to capture this behavior happening right before me.

On one of the last stops I relocated a bird that I got good shots of last year. Still here and healthy.

One more shot before we end the year's surveys.

Results will be tallied by the end of the year and then we will have another meeting to get those results of all of the volunteers from all over the state.

One More Visit to Lake Davis

2011-08-15T09:58:00.000-04:00

One more chance to get use to the rental lens before the Alaska cruise so I head back to Lake Davis. As soon as I arrived, Momma Mallard brought the young ones up for a rest and feeding.

Out in the lake, some older Mallards watched me with care.

A few Wood Duck chicks drifted by just off shore.

Then an older one slid into view. Love the feathers.

I worked the shoreline to find more birds and had a nice White Ibis wander close to me.

Introduced years ago, the Chinese Geese have been hanging out in the same spot for the past few months. They are quite obvious as they start honking and advancing toward anyone who strays too long.

Just above the geese was an Anhinga in the Cypress tree.

Then we headed off to the other side of the country for our excellent adventure. You know what happened there.

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

2011-08-13T09:29:00.004-04:00

So, a long time since I posted about the local birds but I had to get through the Alaska trip. Now I have to catch up on the local fare. Before we left on the trip I took the rental lens on a tour of Mead Garden and Lake Davis to get a feel for it.

Off to Mead. Near the ampitheatre I could hear come Carolina Wrens darting about and tried to get a shot of one deep in the bushes.

I decided to head down the creek path to see if anything was interesting down there. Not many birds so I focused on some of the flowers. First up was a nice Button Bush, still in bloom.

A little farther up the trail, the Ginger is in full bloom, too.

Up by Pennsylania Avenue, a pair of Wood Ducks swam in the creek.

Back at the pond, another male Wood Duck rested in the shade.

Mead is always a nice stop but time is short and I need to swing by Lake Davis. Sunning along the shore was an Anhinga.

Finally got an OK shot of the Common Moorhen chick before it headed into the reeds.

The Mallards are growing up nicely and the lens does a nice job capturing a pose.

Some of the ducklings are still grabbing at midges from the grasses.

I decided to try out the lens for getting a range of whites and this Great Egret made a good subject.

On the eastern side of the lake, another Anhinga rests on the culvert.

So far, I am impressed with the rental lens. Just getting use to the zooming action but, as seen in all of the trip posts, it works just fine. Wish I could afford to actually own it!

Bainbridge Island Family Reunion

2011-08-10T11:29:00.002-04:00

We headed to Bainbridge for our family reunion. I decided to get my birding fix in early so, after making greetings with everyone, I headed out for a quick walk around the area to see what was going on. I missed a chance to get a shot of the Glaucous-winged Gull dropping shells to open them but the bird did settle in for a rest of the beach.

A flock of European Starlings were flying around and one finally settled onto a wire near the house.

One of my favorite birds from our visit 5 years ago was a White-crowned Sparrow along the road. I headed back to where I spotted it then and, sure enough, several were still hanging around the grasses and feeding on the seeds. One of my favorite shots of the day, besides the kids and scenery, of course.

We all posed for a family photo for several cameras. So many kids! Nice to be all together.

We celebrated for a while, cooked and cracked crabs, and had a great time before heading out.

The next morning, we hurried to the airport for the flight home. Always amazing to see Mount Rainier during our drives. This is from the airport terminal as we waited for the plane.

As we wing our way from Seattle, we get one last look at the Mt. St. Helen's and other mountains and say goodbye to the west coast and settle in for the 6 hour trip back to Orlando.

It was July 4th and we wondered if we would be able to see any fireworks from our great height. We could! In several places, though we could not place exactly where we were at the time. We got home after midnight and were warmly welcomed by Oscar, our cat, moved the suitcases out of the way and went to bed. Good to be home.

Great trip. Many excellent memories. Now, time to catch up on past bird photos and prepare for the Jay Watch planned for next Saturday.

Violet-green Swallow

2011-08-09T11:24:00.002-04:00

I have mentioned my desire to get a shot of Violet-green Swallows. I had hoped to find them on the last trip but we were just a few weeks early for them to return. Where do I find the first sighting? At the hotel in SEATAC. Didn't have the camera then but they are always flying so quickly it wouldn't have mattered. I saw a lot of them on this trip but usually directly overhead at high speed.

While I was making my way to the neighborhood park I saw more of the birds flying overhead and I tried to get some shots but gave up after 20 minutes. I continued my stroll and caught a bird flying to a house to my right.

The bird zoomed out after a few seconds and I could tell it was my target bird. Does it really have a nest in that attic?! I watched for a while longer and the bird returned and left just as quickly. It was a Violet-green, after-all. I spent the next 20 minutes focusing on the spot and tried to get a shot as it bolted from the nest. It was not easy. Finally, I got a shot of an adult female heading back out for food.

As I waited, I had the good opportunity to meet a couple of the Neighborhood Watch members wondering what this stranger with a large camera was doing standing in front of a house. I explained about the swallows and, luckily, one flew right past us as I was talking about them. Satisfied, they left me to my obsession.

I didn't even know it then but I even got a shot of an adult male making a trip!

My Number One bird on my Wish List for this trip finally caught on...not film...sensor? Memory card? Whatever. Mission accomplished. Annnnnnnnd relax.

Port Orchard, July 3rd 2011

2011-08-08T11:16:00.002-04:00

Another dawn and another trek around the neighborhood. A lot of Song Sparrows were flitting about and I even spotted a couple of juveniles.

Nearby, I noticed a nest hanging in the branches. I have been unable to figure out what species it belongs to. Anyone?

I saw a couple of small birds taking off across the street and went over to investigate. A neighbor was tending the yard and her dog ran over to play with me. I hoped it would scare off the birds but it stayed right next to me as I looked for them and got a couple shots. They were nice adult Dark-eyed Juncos of the Oregon sub-species.

Last night I heard a strange song as we returned to the house. It took me all night to get the sound sorted out. It was an American Robin! When they come to Florida in the Winter they do not sing, they only make flight calls. Nice to actually hear their full voice. Many of them were feeding today including this one with the iconic pose with a tasty worm in its bill.

My main objective was to get up to the small park down the road to see what might be there. Hadn't been there in ages. I was detoured by some other birds but that will be the next post. When I got to the park (smaller than I remembered) there were loads of birds flying near the ground. In the low light I couldn't tell exactly what they were.

I tried to make them something new but all I can conclude is that they were a flock of juvenile Dark-eyed Juncos. Juncos are the only birds with white outer tail feathers that I can find and the good folks at Tweeters birding forum confirm it.

Back at the house, Spotted Towhees were creeping through the shadows.

The males were zipping by all over the place, calling and feeding. This female stayed in place and preened for a while as I tried to get a good shot. It was so dark under the trees that this was the best I could do.

Time to put the camera down for a few minutes but not before I took this shot of a small yellow flower in the neighborhood. Still trying to find out what it is.

I love this part of the country. Finding the birds in the dense canopy is a challenge but that is part of the fun. Now we have to head off to Bainbridge Island for the family reunion.

Theler Wetlands, Part 2

2011-08-07T11:21:00.001-04:00

After our Kingfisher encounter, we headed toward the car to make our way to a meet up with the rest of the family for dinner. Song Sparrows continued to zip across the trail and would sometimes sit out in the open.

Up in the reeds in front of us Red-winged Blackbirds mingled about and I noticed one bird in particular that looked a bit different. What some folks call a "Lizard Head". This is because they are birds with no head feathers and really show their dinosaur heritage.

It is not known for sure why this happens but some speculate it is due to mites that get on the birds and they shed the feathers to get rid of the mites. We see this in Cardinals back East.

Bald Eagles cruised the marsh and Pacific Wrens scurried into the grasses as we walked along. Soon, I noticed a bird house on a post that was bulging with grass. As I approached, a swallow darted out and back to the box.

My mind was racing, as was my heart rate, and I thought it was a Violet-green Swallow. I have been trying to get a good look at one for years. Could I be this lucky to have one right in front of me with a nest?

Once I calmed down I realized it was a Tree Swallow. Oh, well. At the time I was busy trying to get every shot I could so I kept snapping away and getting as close as I could without spooking the bird.

I didn't have to worry too much. It just sat and posed and kept a close watch on me. Even when the other family members caught up to me the bird remained on the lid of the box.

I think I even let out a, "Yes!" at some point since I couldn't believe I was getting such excellent shots. I could have sat there all day and exhausted my card space. But we had to leave.

If I lived anywhere close to this spot I would be out here ALL the time. Bet it is really hopping during migration. Thanks for taking me out there, Bill! I hope to be back someday.

Theler Wetlands, Part 1

2011-08-06T11:08:00.007-04:00

My brother-in-law Bill wanted to show me Theler Wetlands 5 years ago but time was short and I was itching to get to Nisqually that year. Today we headed over to this excellent spot in Belfair, Washington.

We took the left-hand trail out to the marsh boardwalk and immediately spotted Barn Swallows cruising over the grasses. Soon, one landed on a stump but took off before I could get a shot. I tried getting some flight shots but they were really moving. I stayed and tried more shots while Bill and his son headed for the end of the walk.

The swallow flock kept flying to a spot under the walk so I watched a little more. Suddenly, one of the swallows landed on the railing and was then joined by another. I took small steps toward them and to my surprise they allowed me to get pretty close. Like, real close.

While these birds rested on the railing I determined that they were young and the adults would fly by to make sure I wasn't a threat.

Eventually they flew off to join the adults. A couple of American Goldfinches zoomed by past us as we made our way to the other trail.

We headed down the trail and noticed some Mallards off to the side. Then a sound I really wasn't expecting erupted from the reeds and a couple of Red-winged Blackbird flew up into the trees. Don't know why I thought this species wouldn't be out here. Rounding a curve, a Fox Sparrow jumped out onto the trail and then back into the brush. Song Sparrows were flying all around.

On a branch overhanging the water, I spotted a Belted Kingfisher. I tried to get closer and it flew off, chattering away. Then I noticed that there was another. I had to ease out into some willows but the wind blowing grass and limbs back and forth made shooting a bit tricky. Eventually I got a pretty good shot.

It took me a minute to realize it was holding a fish! I noticed another Fisher on another branch and then another. All in all, there were 5 in the tree and I figured it was the whole family. Two adults and three young. Guess they brought the fish for the kids and it just didn't know quite what to do with it.

Soon, a noisy family came walking down the trail and scared all of the birds off. We turned back to head toward the car. I was still cursing the family for spoiling my shot opportunities when an adult landed on a post right out in front of me. The rusty belt shows this was a female.

There were more birds along the way and I will post them tomorrow.

Port Orchard, July 2nd 2011

2011-08-05T10:57:00.001-04:00

Like the previous times I have visited Port Orchard and stayed with the in-laws, I wake early in the morning to head out through the neighborhood while the rest of the family sleeps in. Though I didn't have the alarm clock bird, Pacific Wrens, waking me, it was still a joy to hear the local birds. Hairy Woodpeckers, Robins, and especially the Varied Thrushes calling in the early dawn light are a joy.

The only birds I could get a shot of were Song Sparrows.

Also seen were Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees and the occasional Violet-green Swallows flying by.

Later in the day we have scheduled a trip to Theler Wetlands. Can't wait!

Towel Animals

2011-08-04T09:48:00.002-04:00

One of the fun things on the cruise was coming back to the room and finding a set of towels folded into animal shapes on the bed after the crew made up the room while we were out. Here are most of our animals!

First up, the one that let us know we were in for many to follow, a Stingray. We were a bit confused and if it hadn't been for the eyes set on top we might have thought it was just a forgotten towel on the bed.

Next, an elephant! Nice.

The third day we were greeted by an animal I could not figure out. Just looked a bit, um, graphic. Once I mentioned that, Carolyn opted to skip the photo. So, Day 4. The sea lion.

Who can't say, "Aw!" to coming back to a little puppy waiting on the bed after a long day?

The final night we arrived in the room we did not see a towel animal and were a bit disappointed. So we settled in and headed to the balcony. Next to the desk we saw it. A monkey!

Back Through the Inside Passage

2011-08-03T09:34:00.008-04:00

Last day of traveling on the Zuiderdam leads us back through the Inside Passage. The rain finally caught us but we could still enjoy watching the scenery from the lower decks.

Since we are back in open waters we watch for sea birds after meeting up with our shipmates, Bill and Chris. They were birders from the UK and we spent quite some time watching the birds and glaciers together.

Most of the birds braving the rain and winds were Sooty Shearwaters.

They sometimes congregated in large flocks in search of food.

Sometimes a single bird would head in to join the group.

At last look at this Pacific wander. Nice to have them along for the trip.

Other birds began to fly by. I was glad to get a pretty good shot of Rhinoceros Auklets skimming the waves. I got a shot in the near dark 5 years ago at Ocean Shores but without help I couldn't have ID'd it. This shot leaves no doubt.

Although an on-board guide told us that we shouldn't get our hopes up to see a Tufted Puffin on the trip, those of us watching carefully saw many. The first were spotted while eating breakfast and then we had more today.

Cute even when in flight in low light.

I saw a Common Murre earlier on the trip, I couldn't get a shot. Fortunately another showed up bobbing in the waves and was spooked into flight as the ship approached.

Back off the water and across the waves.

Thanks to the keen eyes of Bill, a new Lifer made the list. A Fork-tailed Storm Petrel flying right by the Murre!

Apparently fairly common around these parts, this small bird would have definitely escaped my detection. Thanks for the extra help, Bill! Happy travels. Nice hanging out with you two.

We enter the calmer waters heading back to port overnight but not before seeing a nice lighthouse along the way.

A fabulous first cruising experience. However, there are still two more days in Washington for a family reunion and more opportunities to find birds before we head home. Next up: Port Orchard and Bainbridge Island!

Ketchikan

2011-08-02T11:53:00.006-04:00

Ketchikan is a slightly larger town than our earlier stops and more obviously tourist-y. However, we were headed straight out to a stop around the coast to visit the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary.

The port is always busy with locals coming back to dock as other boats take tourists our on excursions while others head out by sea plane. The planes seemed to be taking off and landing continuously.

During our bus trip to the sanctuary we had Bald Eagles overhead from port to destination. The rainforest was beautiful and full of interesting plants. Once inside the canopy, the birds began to appear along the trail. I heard the guide behind us pointing out a sapsucker to her group so I tried for a shot. The bird flew toward our group and I could easily tell it was actually a Hairy Woodpecker.

When I caught up to our group they were bunched up at a turn and staring at the trees. Seemed they were watching a Bald Eagle right near the trail.

The eagle was cool and all but several of us started to wonder more about the shapes just below it. Turned out to be a mother Black Bear and two cubs resting in the branches! I could only get a clear view of one of the cubs.

We soon exited the forest out onto a boardwalk along the creek. It moves out across a beautiful marsh and I soon started hearing a slightly familiar song. Sure enough, up on a branch was a very loud Song Sparrow.

Swallows cruised the grasses and Bald Eagles were flying every where, including this 3rd year bird.

It was soon followed by a nice adult, all of them heading toward the bear tree.

Another part of the sanctuary experience, for some, is a series of zip lines that are strung all through the forest. The eagles seem to take the zipper in stride.

We exit the boardwalk and up to the reindeer pen where guests can feed the animals. Right after that we head into a rehab area and get looks at an injured eagle.

Nearby, a handler presented an injured Great-horned Owl for everyone to learn about.

Finally, we were passed through a shed where a carver was working on a totem pole and told of his experience about his art and then back to wait for the bus. We asked to be let off before the ship so we could explore Creek Street for a bit. We bought some gifts and on the way in we had a very brief visit from a Pine Siskin along the creek.

A fairly short walk back to the ship allowed some more photo ops, including a pose in front of "Thundering Wings" situated between the roadway and the water.

We got back to the ship and officially left Alaskan soil. I hope someday we can return to see more of this fantastic state. Maybe farther into the interior or the other islands. The weather turned out to be excellent for most of our trip. For now, we have a day of travel back to Vancouver.

Sea Lions at South Marble Island

2011-08-01T11:55:00.004-04:00

I had almost forgotten that we were suppose to have one more viewing opportunity on the way out of Glacier Bay. We were to pass by the South Marble Islands where Sea Lions congregate in large numbers. We made it around to the port side just in time to see them.

The next island held just as many mammals and a ton of birds, some seemed to be on nests along the rock face.

Here is a cropped version of the above photo for more Sea Lion goodness.

One of the furthest islands was completely full.

Finally, here is a shot showing a large male surrounded by his harem. The Sea Lions were feeding all around the islands and it was a joy to see such a concentration of life on these tiny rocks in the waterway.

On to Ketchikan.

Glacier Bay Gulls

2011-07-31T08:51:00.007-04:00

My biggest regret about the Glacier Bay shots was that I forgot to set my ISO back from the end of the Skagway trip since I was shooting in very dark conditions. This left me with a lot of noisy images. Fortunately it didn't matter too much for the glaciers but played havoc with my bird shots.

Oh, well. At least I got some ID shots to keep. Like more Black-legged Kittiwakes than I even remember taking shots of. To start off, a Kittiwake heads toward the Margerie Glacier area.

Yet another glides by. Such a cute little gull.

Finally, a shot of their namesake black legs! The other ID is that their wing tips seem to be dipped in ink.

They kept swinging by, I kept shooting.

I like this one showing the red at the base of the bill.

Didn't even notice this one until recently but one of the resting birds could be a Winter plumaged bird.

There were also a few Glaucous-winged Gulls hovering around. Glaucous meaning "bluish-grey or green". They are very common on the Pacific Coast.

Is this a Glaucous-winged? Not sure yet. I do not know all of my gulls and especially all of their 'cycles'. It takes years for gulls to reach full breeding plumage and the differences are very different. I will have to do more research.

Case in point. I have NO idea what species this bird actually is. Update to follow. Hopefully.

Before the ship left Margerie Glacier there was a couple of Glaucous-winged Gulls playing around with one another.

Tomorrow we arrive at Ketchikan and I should be more familiar with the land birds there.

Glacier Bay-Margerie Glacier, Pt. 2

2011-07-30T11:50:00.004-04:00

Part 2!

I love this ice cave opening at the edge of the glacier. So nice and ominous.

For scale, the cave can be seen along with another sight-seeing boat off to starboard.

As I was taking that shot, we heard huge crack and spun around to see a large chunk falling into the water.

One of the interesting things to watch was when the claving would take place and then watch the Kittiwakes zoom in to search for any morsels broken loose or stirred up after the ice hits the water.

More car-sized ice slides off of the terminus and causes a splash.

A larger fall from higher up was much more dramatic!

We knew that more ice would fall and remembered that our room was now facing the glacier so we hurried up to the balcony to check out that view. Here, Carolyn uses the Flip to record some calving.

On the way up to the room we missed a big calving but we were rewarded with the biggest event of our stop before heading away.

I have a bunch of sequence shots of these calvings but they will have to wait for the planned family DVD.

The stop did not disappoint at all. The sounds of that cracking ice will be with me forever. Eerie and beautiful. Could sit there forever.

Next up: Birds! Promise.

Glacier Bay-Margerie Glacier, Pt. 1

2011-07-29T12:23:00.006-04:00

I ended up with more photos than I thought I would so I will break it into two posts.

The ship drifted up Tarr Inlet and into position in front of Margerie Glacier and the Sun was coming out nicely to provide excellent views.

I was staring off to the right as the ship was pointed directly at the ice when the guy next to me shouted out that he couldn't believe he just saw the glacier calving. Dang. So fast, I missed it! I knew there would be more opportunities to come.

I learned a new word. Sérac. It refers to blocks of ice formed by intersecting crevasses on a glacier. They are named after "a Swiss French ricotta-like whey cheese". Who knew?

Some seracs towered over us of from the top of the glacier. This is another mile-long terminus and we were really close here.

As the air continued to warm there was an echoing 'crack' and bits of ice would begin to fall from the face of ice...

...to plunge into the water below.

But these were just the beginning as the ice groaned and cracked. Sometimes the sound seemed to be coming from deep within the structure and we were constantly scanning the glacier to see if we were missing some new calving. Only the hum of the engines and the murmur of the crowd interacted with the stress-induced creaking.

Suddenly, a new section of ice broke free and cameras clicked away.

More shots to follow. Tomorrow. The bigger chunks happened once our side of the ship was swung around. Not complaining.

Glacier Bay-Johns Hopkins Glacier

2011-07-28T12:22:00.005-04:00

A short distance from Lamplugh, the ship slips around the corner to the mammoth view of John Hopkins Glacier.

The ship could only approach to within 5 miles from the glacier due to breeding Harbor Seals in the area this time of year. Still the view is impressive. At 1-mile wide and 250 feet tall, the long lens captures the bright blue ice at the center of the terminus.

Since we were so far out I still took time to watch the walls around us. I was struck by the beauty of the ancient granite cliffs. The big lens could not get all of them in the shot so I just got artsy.

The family seems to be enjoying the brisk air and gorgeous views. John Hopkins is in the right-hand background.

One more look before steaming off to the next location.

Next up: The Big Show that is Margerie Glacier.

Into Glacier Bay-Lamplugh Glacier

2011-07-27T11:38:00.013-04:00

Off to the big event. Glacier Bay. Time to try and see some massive chunks of ice falling into the water!

I took a little walk early in the day to get a feel for the weather. Fog was closing in and hopes were dropping as to if we would be able to have a good viewing day for the glaciers. The fog horn even began to sound right after this shot.

Far off in the distance were a couple of swimming specks. After watching them for as long as I could, I can only determine that they were Sea Otters.

We entered some of the more narrow portions of the journey and from the room I spotted some specks on the cliffs. Mountain Goats!

Pointing the way to the glaciers was a lone Black-legged Kittiwake.

Making our way down to the 4th deck, we discovered we were a little late. To our left was a giant slab of ice that is Lamplugh Glacier. Discovered it is pronounced LAMP-LOW.

I found it odd, though, that most folks were more impressed with a tiny subject at the base of the glacier. Just a Bald Eagle, after all. Then I had to remember that a lot of people might not get a chance to see our National Bird as much as I do. Second only to Alaska, Florida has one of the largest concentrations of Bald Eagles in the country.

This 8-mile long glacier reaches John Hopkins Inlet at this point but it not as 'active' as other glaciers in the park. Still, pretty to look at.

Massive hunks of ice seem ready to topple over but we saw no ice falls.

The mix of ice and dirt make for some very interesting patterns along the glacial face, or terminus, where a glacier reaches its end point.

I liked this little cave at the base of the terminus. I could imagine an adventure or taking a small boat inside to see if there was a larger cave inside. Don't think that would be a wise trip, though.

From the Crow's Nest, Carolyn took this shot before she headed down to join us on the deck. This shot gives a better sense of scale than I can get with my big lens. The terminus is 3/4 of a mile wide and nearly 160 feet tall. That is the height of a 16 story building!

I know I mentioned in an earlier post that this was not a landscape blog, but these are glaciers, man! I do get some birds in there most of the time. Next up: John Hopkins Glacier.

Skagway

2011-07-26T08:34:00.008-04:00

Day 4 takes us into port at Skagway, a town 5 blocks wide and 22 long, which was the next step in the long, dangerous trip toward the Yukon where gold-hungry would-be rich would unload their supplies before heading up into the mountains.

We arrived under cloudy skies and a light rain, but that would later clear up before we disembarked for our excursions. The cliffside of the harbor is covered with company logos and messages from previous cruise lines.

Even in this far-flung place, we cannot escape The Mouse!

I could see Arctic Terns by the airport but there was another tern right outside the boat that appeared smaller. More like a Least Tern. But they don't come this far North, do they?

But, after seeing this photo, I guess I have to stick with a small Arctic Tern. No other tern has that distinctive all-red bill. The bird was busy picking small crabs from the rocks instead of diving for fish.

Looking to the left of the tern you can see Skagway and the trains that would take us on trips into White Pass.

A wide angle shot of the Zuiderdam. I high-lighted our room up on the 6th promenade which provided us with great scenery look-outs all trip long. A HUGE thanks to the generosity of my in-laws for a fabulous trip!!!

We had a little time for browsing in town before our excursion. In the little park next to the trains were Stellar's Jay, Ravens, Violet-green Swallows and this accommodating Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon sub-species). This was with the short lens! Let me get right up close.

We hopped aboard the train and headed toward White Pass. Snaking down into the valley was a huge waterfall. The shear walls and evergreens were gorgeous.

The steep climb quickly takes us up the pass. This view shows some trestles where we will be shortly.

As we near the Canadian border the view changes to a more bleak landscape but just as beautiful as the greenery below.

The train stops in Fraser, British Columbia. We have to wait for Customs Officials to menace us for a few minutes but I am staring at the birds flying near the lake. We are suppose to jump right onto the bus back to Skagway but I have to try and ID them. A flock of Pine Siskin are there but something else flies closer. Turns out to be just a Chipping Sparrow.

Then back on the bus. The steep decent back to town is rather uneventful. A cool bridge, the railway across the gorge, another trip through customs. Then we near town and the driver spots it. A Vampire Bear! Well, really just a Black Bear eating Dandelions, but cool. Black Bear live all around us in Florida but this is the first sighting I have ever had.

After stopping for a little faux mining town and seeing a fun show, we pan for a few flakes of gold and head back to the ship. Not a lot of wildlife but good enough. Landscapes galore. This is not a landscape blog, though. Tomorrow should prove eventful. Glacier Bay!

Whale Watching in Auke Bay

2011-07-25T08:53:00.003-04:00

Once we arrived at the docks of Auke Bay, we boarded our boat run by Allen Marine Tours. The crew was great and knowledgeable and there were salmon samples to try and snacks and drinks for purchase. I opted for the obvious and tried an Alaskan beer, Summer Ale variety, along the way. Tasty.

It wasn't long before we had our first sighting. A mother and calf surfacing just ahead.

We hung close to the pair for a while and everyone yelled with excitement once the mother's fluke cleared the water. What most folks didn't know was that this happens when they dive, meaning they will be out of sight for quite a while as they feed.

Unexpectedly, as the pair fed, what appeared to be a large male surfaced behind the boat and gave up some nice views before dropping beneath the waves.

Venturing farther in search of more whales, a small pod surfaced near the shoreline. Seems like another calf was in this group. Note the smaller fluke in between the two larger humps.

Flying past the ship was the one shot I have of another Lifer. A Mew Gull.

This pod was very active at the surface. We are told that it is not swallow here. The drop-off goes over 100 feet just off shore!

Soon, up with the fluke and they were gone.

The captain got a radio call that another pod was located farther up the bay to he increased speed and we spent about 15-20 minutes making our way toward the action. Finally, I could spot the spouts from the pod and pointed. I gotta a "Good job!" for helping out.

The boat edged closer to the pod and then everyone was surprised when the whales surfaced en masse in an excellent display of bubble net feeding! A great description of this behavior can be read here.

Not too much later, they did it again! You never know exactly where they will come up so I could only manage a brief shot. This one is more cropped to show the gaping mouth of a feeding adult.

The boat followed the pod for a while longer. They continued to surface and spout as the sun began to drop lower in the sky.

Knowing that the tour was about to end, we continue to watch and admire these giants of the ocean. Just as we were turning about to head to the docks the pod rose again! Too bad we couldn't stay any longer. It is an amazing sight.

A very exciting day! Now, back to the ship and on to Skagway.

Marbled Murrelet in Auke Bay

2011-07-24T08:39:00.005-04:00

Heading out on our whale watching tour at Auke Bay I spotted a small bird on the calm surface. Another Lifer: Marbled Murrelet.

There were some on the trip up the coast but this one was close enough for a good confirming look.

Very cute little things. Nice to watch them come up with fish captured on short dives.

Wow. An actual short post! Catch your breath, though. Next one could be a long one. Next up: Humpbacked Whales!!

Mendenhall Glacier

2011-07-22T10:04:00.005-04:00

Wasn't sure what to expect as we headed toward Mendenhall Glacier. We saw a lot of pretty flowers along the way. Suddenly, when the glacier came into view over the trees I figured the sight would be interesting. The first sight out of the bus didn't disappoint. As you can imagine, we don't get many glaciers just outside of our town in Orlando.

However amazing it was, I was quickly distracted by feathered critters zooming by all over. After I got some family shots in front of the glacier, I headed over to the bus shelter where I noticed a couple birds flying towards over and over. Sure enough, Barn Swallows had nests right there over the heads of the crowds.

We headed up the path to the visitor's center. There were many interesting flowers along the way. I had to research them when we got home. There was Northern Yarrow...

...Lupine...

...and something called Goat's Beard. All of these flowers were plentiful all over the Alaska countryside.

We made a brief tour of the visitor's center and then headed down toward the glacial lake to get a better view of the waterfall. The trail led all the way out but we were short on time so a photo is all we could manage.

Down by the water's edge my wife tipped me off to a chipping sound in the grasses. I couldn't leave until I discovered what was in there. Turned out to be a pair of Lincoln's Sparrows, a Life Bird! They were too fast for a photo so I had to settle for a shot of another Lifer, an Arctic Tern.

On the paved path back from the lake we marveled at some other native flowers growing on the granite boulders. You can't miss the bright Fireweed.

We almost missed the other plant down in the shadows. It is called Prickly Saxifrage.

Thinking it was some sort of moss, I later discovered by looking closer at the photo that the plant is actually made up of stiff, sharp-looking leaves. Kind of like an aloe. The flowers are really pretty with their little red-orange spots on white petals.

We had to head back to the bus but I made a detour down onto the small boardwalk by the bus lanes. A father and his kids were looking at something in the trees but I couldn't see what it was. A little farther down the walk I saw another person starting at a tree. There in the gloom I could just make it out. A Porcupine!

Next adventure? Going on a whale watching trip just up the road at Auke Bay.

Arrival in Juneau

2011-07-21T09:56:00.000-04:00

We arrived at Juneau and tied up to the dock. Still had some time before we could head off to our excursions so I stared out over the balcony as we waited. A dark shape moved in over the port and I tried my best to snap some shots of this bird as it nearly blended in to the dark trees.

My conclusion is that it was a Golden Eagle. Just wish it would have come closer. These shots are heavily cropped.

Sticking by my decision. I have scoured the internet and every book I own on birds. And there are many...

The bird eventually settled on a tree and I lost sight of it. Nice adrenaline rush, regardless. Now off to new sights!

Tracy Arm Birds

2011-07-20T08:42:00.002-04:00

Yes, birds! I did take some time to actually look for birds as we ventured through the Tracy Arm fjord.

One of my main target birds for this trip was the Black-legged Kittiwake. I stepped out on the 4th deck to get a better view of our surroundings and a couple were just passing by the boat. Moments later, they were gone. So, not a fantastic shot but nice enough to get started.

As we moved along we came to a spot where a waterfall was entering the water. Hundreds of birds were flying toward this spot and few passed in front of us. Half of the flocks seemed to be Surf Scoters, pronounced ScOH-ter. Long O.

These sea ducks are fairly common on the Pacific but usually farther out.

The distinctive orange bill and white head patches are easily seen up close.

Most of the other flocks were primarily White-winged Scoters. Easy to tell the difference when they are in flight!

Completing the species list in the feeding flock were Pigeon Gullimots. Hard to determine at a long distance but we finally had a few fly close enough to the bow for a nice shot against the blue water.

Rounding out the bird list, there was a flock of Northwestern Crows ignoring the waterfall and heading to feed on the small beach nearby.

OK. One more shot. I am not the best with gulls. Especially early-cycle gulls. Gulls take up to 4 years to achieve adult plumage. If anyone knows what these gulls that were sitting on ice on the way out are, please fling a guess my way!

Time to head to Juneau!

Tracy Arm Waterfalls

2011-07-19T08:36:00.000-04:00

So, forgive me one more post without birds. Here is a collection of waterfalls we passed in and out of the fjord. This post will take a lot of scroll time, only due to most of the shots being verticals. Let's begin!

Waterfalls are plentiful as the glacier ice melts far above.

The shear cliffs provide plenty of chances for spectacular falls.

Sometimes their source is obscured by the thick trees, only to come into view just before they enter the waterway.

Other times they cascade in huge rushes.

This group enjoyed the view from the hot tub. The rest of us decided to keep our clothes on.

Interesting to see how many twists and turns the water would take.

Every now and then it spread out in a veil pattern.

Almost makes me want to try a water slide!

Simply beautiful. A great flowing touch to the huge mountaintop glaciers kissing the clouds.

Tracy Arm Icebergs

2011-07-18T09:10:00.000-04:00

The next leg of our trip takes us to Tracy Arm to check out some glaciers and hope to find some new birds. Forgive me if this post is nearly devoid of the winged ones.

We arrive at Tracy Arm early in the morning. On the way I spotted a Humpbacked Whale in the distance and then something else floating nearby. A small iceberg! We must be almost there. We make our way up Stephen's Passage with the 4th level deck now open for viewing the landscape.

More and more began to appear as we rounded the turn into the fjord. Here are my favorite shots of icebergs during our journey in and out of the area. Right at the entrance was a large, gorgeous blue block of ice.

OK. Here are some birds. Numerous gulls rest on an iceberg near the mouth of the fjord.

Up on the cliffs rest the edges of the glaciers that drop the icebergs into the water.

I loved this view as we reached the farthest reach of our visit here.

We were all waiting to see this nice coloration of the bergs. Dig the nearly square block resting on top.

I could have stared at these chunks of ice all day.

But we had a port to get to, so back to the Crow's Nest to watch our return to Stephen's Passage.

Not done with Tracy Arm just yet. There were waterfalls galore and I have a lot of shots for the next post.

Northern Fulmar

2011-07-17T09:50:00.000-04:00

Well, this was fairly interesting. Seems I got one of the birds I was hoping to find without even realizing it. I thought is was just another gull.

Nope. I finally got some shots of a cruising Northern Fulmar!

Cool looking bird. Can't believe I missed the much stockier build compared to the many Glaucous-winged Gulls flying by.

These pelagic birds only come ashore to breed. Related to Shearwaters.

Now I can focus on other species to be found. Maybe an Albatross. That would be nice but much harder to find.

Heading toward the next stretch of land. Tomorrow we go to Tracy Arm and then on to Juneau!

Out to Open Water

2011-07-15T08:50:00.002-04:00

Leaving the earlier straits just out of Vancouver we awake the next morning to open waters and the promise of new discoveries. Here is a map of the start of our day and the ports we are headed towards.

Birds scatter across the surface of the water as the ship plows ahead. Most of the early sighting were Rhinoceros auklets.

Traveling alone or in small groups they would bolt up from the surface. It was a chore to get use to holding this rented monster of a lens and getting acquainted with its functions so the early shots were not the best. However, shooting photos of tiny, skittering birds from 6 stories up is not all that easy!

Larger birds appeared as we headed farther into open water. A few Short-tailed Shearwater but most were Sooty Shearwater.

Still looking for a good view but almost all were taking off directly away from this floating building. Light was getting better, at least.

Finally, a bird that strikes a pose!

Not only birds skipping across the water. A few mammals were out there skimming the surface. So fast that they looked like small eruptions. A pod of Dall Porpoise approached the vessel and this was as far as they came out of the water.

As we strolled the observation deck at the tail-end of the ship, someone gave out a yell. Our first Humpbacked Whale sighting! The animal surfaced a few times, rolled over and dove beneath the waves.

As we began to reach the open water earlier, I spotted one more bird far off in the distance. Once home, I processed the photos and could make out that this was a Red-throated Loon. I got a slightly better photo of one in Winter plumage 5 years ago but it is still nice to add a new bird for this trip.

All this excitement. Time to head up to the Crow's Nest and enjoy the Drink of the Day. Don't even remember the name of this one. They were all themes and several would end up this shade of blue representing the upcoming Glaciers.

This post is long enough for now. Time to sort more photos.

OK. Time to start the Parade.

2011-07-13T10:20:00.004-04:00

Finally through the 2,261 shots while searching for any bird shots. To get things started off we will begin with the first interesting bird from the start of the cruise.

We boarded the Zuiderdam early in the morning and took off toward Alaska. We headed past the Lion's Gate bridge on the way out. Weather was perfect. Hope it holds for our connections up in Alaska. Forecast was undecided as always around these parts.

It did concern me that I spotted a couple using high-powered weapons underneath the bridge as we passed by. At least they were focused on the hillside away from the ship!

I spotted a Pelagic Cormorant down below. Considering this was taken from the observation deck, many stories above the water's surface, this is a good enough shot of a Pelagic Cormorant.

Another ship was not far behind as we headed toward the Pacific.

Now on to our great adventure toward Alaska and so many interesting sights to explore!

A full day of plying the Inside Passage lies ahead as we make our way toward Juneau. By the time we wake in the morning we should be seeing some new sights. Hopefully some new birds for my Life List, as well.

Miss Me? I'm Back.

2011-07-05T01:42:00.002-04:00

Back, but tired. Just got in from the airport just after 1 AM. We just spent a while on a ship heading through Southeast Alaska and then hung out with some family near Seattle. Good news. I got some more Life birds!

However, it will be a while longer before I post them. It will have to be in small enough doses. I haven't done an official count but I have taken around...oh...2,200 photos on this trip. You can imagine that I need some processing time, time to verify IDs of some birds I don't really know, picking out the best, etc.

My last trip to the Northwest 5 years ago yielded months of blog posts. Now I have more firepower so I will have to edit myself. Promise it will be fun. Hopefully, I can start posting in a couple days. Still loose ends to tie up, things to unpack, kids to catch up with (they had a week around Yellowstone and I will have their shots to process, too!), and a cat to apologize to. So far he seems happy to see us.

First, sleep...but Alaska was cool. Not literally, we actually had great weather and a few days into the mid-70s!

More Birds at Lake Davis

2011-06-21T21:06:00.000-04:00

Back to look for that Bittern. Just catching up on these photos since we has so many things to do before an adventure in a while.

So, I did see the Bittern as it flew in right past me but, again, it flew to the far side of the reeds. Sigh. Oh, well. Baby ducks still amuse. The Mallard family actually swam right to me as I got to the shoreline.

The juvenile male Wood Ducks also decided to visit me. They are looking so handsome.

"Hey, what is with the big eye staring at us?"

To my left a Common Moorhen drifted in for a break in feeding.

It was fun to watch as it preened and splashed around in the water.

Time for a big splash!

Over where the Bittern has been hiding, a family of Boat-tailed Grackles chatter and sometimes the juvenile fly out for a look around.

I might get back down for another look before we deal with our other plans. However, don't expect a new post until the first of the month. Then, get ready for a major set of fun shots if all goes as planned!

Lake Davis Tour

2011-06-11T21:09:00.003-04:00

It has been a rough two weeks since I had to send my binoculars in for repairs. I was really itchy for the first few days but managed to survive. Just picked them up this morning so I decided to see what I could find at the lake. It was fairly interesting.

Noticed some Moorhens down by the shore. One adult and 2 chicks but this female Anhinga got a bit noisy and made approaching the Moorhens move into the reeds.

That's OK. I knew that there were more babies around the way so I moved along. I found the Wood Duck family right where they were yesterday when I planned this visit. Mama herded the young ones toward the lake while keeping a watch out for predators.

Out on the lake there was an older juvenile male swimming around.

I spotted something walking around in the reeds. A Least Bittern! The first I have ever seen at Lake Davis. Unfortunately, I could not get a shot as it quickly hid on the far side toward the lake. Dang.

Suddenly, a flock of Fish Crows began vocalizing just down the way. They were flying around wildly and then I saw one fly out towards me with what appeared to be an egg in its beak! More crows were flocking around where that crow came from so I moved over there to see if they were raiding some bird's nest. Once at the party, I saw a couple of crows actually digging in the soil. Seems they had found a turtle nest and were digging them out for a snack.

Interesting. Wish I could have caught one of them removing an egg but they were not so brave when I was closer to the action. I noticed movement behind me near the road. It was a Mallard family! Really cute ducklings and Mama.

They took little notice of me and I soon found out why. They were all chasing midges they were resting in the grass. The little ones were snapping away like mad, all the while getting closer to me. They were moving so fast I could barely keep them in focus.

At one point they were almost on my feet.

Here is a cropped shot highlighting the midge which was about to become lunch.

I still had the Bittern stuck in my head so I headed back down to try for a shot. I did see it again but it moved away once more. Just around the reeds was a pair of resting young Wood Ducks at the shore.

I also liked this one showing a bit more wing color.

The first family was emerging back from the water and began to preen. This time they didn't care if I was there or not. Mama often shook out her feathers between cleanings.

It was really cute to watch the ducklings run underneath Mama whenever she would move to a new spot.

Nearby, a Tri-colored Heron fed in the swallow waters.

Time to head home. One the way back to the van I had a Rock Pigeon drop down and show off its amazing plumage.

I will have to stop back soon to see if I can get a shot of that Bittern.

Goodbye to Palm Cemetery

2011-06-02T20:50:00.002-04:00

Goodbye, Palm Cemetery. It has been fun.

While at school these past 9 months I have been spending most of my lunch breaks just down the road at Palm Cemetery which is situated between the public golf course in Winter Park. It was fun to track migrating birds as they worked the oaks and grounds of the place.

Almost every time I visited I parked in the same spot, only seeing the occasional grounds keeper or visitor. Cemeteries are great for bird watching as it is almost always free of the living humans circling around the perimeter.

Goodbye, Baptist church! Always looming across the 5th fairway, it was a good focal point for larger birds drifting toward Lake Maitland.

The Spanish Moss hanging from the trees hides all kinds of food for the birds and they traveled in rather large flocks moving through on some days.

Turning back from the fairway you are greeted with a rather attractive view heading back to the van.

Though I don't know most of the names listed on the headstones, there are a few notables such as former Senators, famous local artists, and some of the names you find on local streets.

So, I end my tenure watching the cemetery nearly everyday since last September. I will just have to trust the angels to take over.

Maybe, someday, I will make it back. All depends on where I land in this wonderful economy. I will probably make a post featuring birds I have found engraved in the headstones over the months. We shall see.

One Last Tour of the Feeders

2011-05-31T21:06:00.004-04:00

Here we go. Getting to the end of all of the sorting through the tons of feeder cam photos. Let's begin!

Every now and then both dove species get along. Then they start whacking each other with their wings.

Quick shots of the Northern Cardinals. Poppa...

...and Momma.

Red-winged Blackbirds are still the rage. Where are those babies? They usually are brought over, too. Hmmmm...

Always fun to see the Red-bellied Woodpeckers stopping by.

Lastly, I leave you with a nice photo of our banded Carolina Wren with one of the kids. Nice.

Going to cut back on the feeders for a while. Plenty of things to do and the squirrels are getting too fat. The birds will find enough food in the garden and yard. Time to find some other birds.

Babies and More

2011-05-29T21:03:00.004-04:00

Ah, there they are! The babies are showing up! I knew the Cardinals were close. Finally got a great shot of one of them.

Momma was quick to show up as usual.

Then our young Blue Jay made a visit, too.

The White-winged Doves are still taking the stage.

Of course, the Mourning Doves still make the most appearances.

Noisy Red-winged Blackbird males still rule the side feeders but the sometimes they wander over to the trays.

Put up with me for at least one more post on the BirdCam. Weather is getting hotter. Where is the rain?

"Ready for My Close-up..."

2011-05-27T20:51:00.002-04:00

The last couple of days have provided a lot of good close-up shots of some of the neighborhood birds. Case in point, this stunning Blue Jay who shows they eat more than the fruit like they were doing last week. Their main preference are tasty peanuts.

It seems it is taking a little longer for this White-winged Dove to decide on where to begin.

Cardinals are beginning to feed in earnest. I know those babies are out there, somewhere. Here is Poppa.

Momma is not far behind.

The Titmice are usually the first to start calling in the mornings lately. They mainly stay on the side feeders but they still occasionally head out back.

Finally, a White-winged Dove stops by again for a great photo opportunity.

Can't wait to see what is up next!

So Blurry Around Here

2011-05-25T23:17:00.001-04:00

Well, we are back to the backyard and the large tray feeder. Let's go through some shots from the week.

"Does this feeder make me look fat?"

Blue Jay time. Often, the squirrels leap off of the tray feeder and send it spinning. Blue Jays are waiting around and sometimes land at just the right moment.

More adults hanging out. Blue seems to be intensifying lately.

Plus, I have been wondering who was eating the fruit bits now that the Catbirds were gone.

Look! Finally, a juvenile bird has graced us with a photo pose. Compare the head feathers and color brightness with the adult above.

A little later a White-winged Dove watches a female Red-winged Blackbird feed.

A couple of days later we get a much better view of a female Red-winged Blackbird.

Ah, another blurry photo. Yet, it is a new bird for the month. A Red-bellied Woodpecker!

Next blurred photo of the week: Our banded Carolina Wren bobbing for bird seed.

Not long afterward, a juvenile Carolina Wren stops in for a look-see. Note the yellow gape still showing at the base of the beak and no white spots on the wings which distinguishes the younger birds from adults.

Finally, a really blurry photo! Had to include it, though, as I can't remember a BirdCam shot of a Brown Thrasher from the past. They live around here and breed around the yard but they do not visit the feeders too much. Proof after all of this time!

All local birds but still fun to see.

BirdCam Hopscotch

2011-05-23T15:13:00.000-04:00

Trying to catch a good enough image of one of the male Red-wings. The females keep showing up nicely but the males have been in and out so fast they are often blurry. So, I spent about a week moving the cam between 3 different feeders.

Back at the frog tray we still get mostly Mourning Doves.

Been seeing the Blackbirds over on the kitchen side a lot so back over there. I did get a bunch of more blurry shots but finally got a shot of a juvenile male near dark.

Then, just as I was ready to give up on the side yard, success!

Nothing much else over there but Mourning Doves and squirrels so I will go to the main tray feeder for a while. There, we got another shot of one of the female Blackbirds.

It is also nice to see that the Blue Jay numbers are increasing. Still no young ones.

Even better, the Tufted Titmice are returning!

Think I will keep the cam here for a while and see what flies in.

Let the BirdCam Parade Begin

2011-05-21T12:49:00.005-04:00

As promised in the last post, I slogged through thousands of BirdCam images to try and find something interesting. Going to spread them out for a while. These images begin in early April and go through recent days. A bunch of images. Another reason the spread them out for shorter posts.

So, lets go back into April. Still had some migrants around, including the Indigo Bunting and a few American Goldfinches.

A couple days later the secretive Gray Catbird even made an appearance.

I do really enjoy this Common Grackle pose even though there were several. This one just looks pretty nice.

Feeling like the Blue Jay family should be bringing in the young ones by now but nothing yet.

Most of the discarded photos are of Mourning Doves and Gray Squirrels but I have to keep a few.

Red-winged Blackbirds chicks must be hatching because the adults only start coming to our feeders when they have more mouthes to feed. This pretty female stopped by the frog feeder.

Northern Cardinals should also be nesting though I don't know exactly where this year.

Finally, White-winged Doves are back! Last year we saw a chick that confirmed breeding in the neighborhood for the first time. We wait and see if this year is a success, too.

Time to sort the BirdCam Images plus House Finch

2011-05-18T21:59:00.001-04:00

Kinda been dreading sorting through all of the BirdCam photos. They have been piling up over the last couple of months and most are unremarkable. Migration winding down, lack of rain, me finishing school... Sigh.

Before I do that, I will share a shot of our yellow variant House Finch which I actually got from the kitchen window with the DSLR, not from the BirdCam. Enjoy!

Oh, alright. I will sift through the images...

Checking the Egret Rookery

2011-05-11T21:43:00.003-04:00

Kids are growing fast. Wouldn't be surprised if some haven't already tested their wings. You can still tell the older chicks by their unkempt hair.

I still find it hard to believe that these large birds can build and maintain such small nests. Once the chicks get this big there is no room for Mom or Dad.

There are still some younger chicks around but very few. Only a couple calling constantly anymore. Most are busy preening their new feathers.

High overhead, Anhinga fly in and out of their treetop nests. Wonder when I will ever see any of those chicks? There are several adults drying in the sunlight.

Nearby, a pair of Wood Ducks rests on the cypress knees.

Wood Ducks are often very skittish. This pair allowed me too get a little closer but they were still nervous.

I was about to try for an even closer shot when something caught my eye to the left. An Anhinga chick! So they are leaving the nests. It just appeared out of an azalea bush and wandered straight toward the Wood Ducks. Timed that one right.

Farther down the bank, a newly emerged Anhinga adult climbs onto a cypress tree to start drying off.

Just over the water's edge, resting on a Button Bush tree, was a gorgeous Palamedes Swallowtail.

Finally, a foraging adult Great Egret still sports breeding plumage and glides slowly through the garden searching for lizards.

Not much time left to visit these young birds. They will be ready to move on and I will wrap up school soon and will not be so close for lunch breaks. Have to enjoy it while I can.

Finally. A Shorebird! Plus, Another Suprise.

2011-05-06T19:21:00.002-04:00

Every morning, after I drop of the oldest at school, I make my way to my own class by circling the neighborhood lakes to see if I can find anything interesting birds along the way. The lakes have been drying out as our lack of rainfall continues so there should be no reason to not being seeing shorebirds migrating North. Usually begin seeing them in late April. None this year.

But, wait! I little speck along the shore at Lake Lancaster!! Our first Spotted Sandpiper of the season. Sun was just reaching the treetops so the light was not great.

Still a welcome sight. I tried to get more shots but a family of Mallards, including 8 ducklings, swam directly to the piper's spot and moved it farther away.

A Barn Swallow flew by overhead as I retreated from the lake. Running low on time I headed back to the van and packed the camera. As soon as I snapped the top closed I heard something calling nearby. Up on the wires were several birds. They looked like they might be more swallows. Out with the camera, again.

Turns out they were Purple Martins. However, I have never seen babies out of the Martin house before so it was still an interesting discovery.

What might we find tomorrow after our passed front?

Late Lesser Scaup

2011-05-04T20:18:00.001-04:00

Heading out to the store this afternoon I was quiet surprised to see a lingering Winter Duck out on Lake Davis. A Lesser Scaup!

Most all of the migrating ducks have been gone for weeks.

This is the latest date for me on record. Nice to find something unexpected as the weather quickly heats up.

Great-crested Flycatcher at Palm Cemetery

2011-04-28T18:38:00.001-04:00

Another lunch break, another visit to Palm Cemetery. Not much flying around except a very active Great-crested Flycatcher.

I'll take it.

Chimney Swifts Coming Home To Roost

2011-04-25T23:16:00.001-04:00

Tonight was a very enjoyable evening as we attended the oldest's Jazz Band concert outside at the school. Everyone played excellently for two sets.

Almost immediately after we sat down, Chimney Swifts began circling above us under cloudy skies. Sometimes really low over our heads. I remembered seeing swifts leaving the old chimney in the mornings years ago so they must still be using it.

Night was quickly falling a the band took 5. I headed over toward the chimney to see if they were ready to go into it yet. The number of birds had grown to at least 100 birds and they circled closer to the structure. Think getting a shot of a swift in the daytime is difficult? Try it near dark!

Sometimes it would be 1 bird and other times it was 2-3 but they all began swooping into the chimney little by little.

I have never had a good view of Chimney Swifts heading to the roost. It was awesome to see it so close and from start to finish, all the while hearing the loud chipping go from so loud and slowing fading into silence.

Earth Day at Lake Lotus

2011-04-17T21:37:00.002-04:00

We didn't catch a lot of birds but at least we caught them when the crowds were there.

Always a fun day to be outside celebrating Earth Day at Lake Lotus. You can view the blog post with a lot of photos on my other site at that link.

Enjoy!

Searching for a Chat

2011-04-16T18:37:00.004-04:00

After we set net poles at Lake Lotus for Earth Day tomorrow I decided to swing by Mead Garden to see if anything was happening there. Lotus sure was quiet. As soon as I arrived I noticed the entire Orange Audubon crew was there staring at something. I spoke to them and they had found a hummingbird nest up in the oaks. I was more interested in the other bit of news.

Seems a Yellow-breasted Chat was down the stream. Off I go. Chats have been a nemesis bird for years. I was told it was singing like crazy. Can't miss the song. When I got to the spot I was met with resounding silence. All I could find was a few Chimney Swifts.

10 minutes hanging out and nothing. Finally some movement! Nope. Catbird.

Eventually did spot something. Friends of mine. They said it was there somewhere and just decided to stop singing. Great. I waited an hour. Eventually, I got the bird. For all of 2 seconds. But it counts.

Headed to the cemetery to check on the young eagles and they were out and about, flying freely and waiting for lunch.

Busy day. Tomorrow will be even busier. If we can catch some birds.

Kraft Great Egret Rookery

2011-04-13T16:24:00.002-04:00

I had been worrying about the Great Egret rookery at Kraft Azalea Park after our big storms recently but when I went to check on it the roads were closed due to construction. I finally made my way through by now opened side streets. Babies galore!

Previous visits were a bit frustrating since the branches of the oaks were blocking most good shots of the birds. I was greeted by the sounds of many Great Egret chicks sounding off and right near the parking lot I got my first view of a Great Egret. After watching for about 30 seconds I noticed some movement under the adult in front of me.

A step stool may have helped me get a better view (which I may try tomorrow) but I was glad to get a view of my first chick sighting! In the tree to the right of that nest was another nest with two chicks. One was climbing on the edge of the nest and I had to maneuver around to get a clear shot.

Another nest provided another good view.

In a nest with two chicks I found them panting under the Florida sun and then nipping at each other's bills.

Unfortunately, I did find some carnage. There were several pilfered egg shells under some nest sites and one chick that apparently fell out and died.

Life in the big jungle.

I will definitely head back for more photo ops as the chicks fledge. I can't help but wonder how the neighbors like the cacophony of all of these chicks calling non-stop.

Baby Brown Thrasher

2011-04-11T20:39:00.003-04:00

Yeah, slacking. Not really. Most birding is confined to my banding project. You can see the results for the last few weeks here. Then, just when I was beginning to think I wouldn't have anything new for the regular blog for a while...

We have a high pressure system sitting on top of us here in Florida. Which means we are now 10 degrees above normal on temperatures. Today was forecast at 92. Still, I have nothing better to do at lunch than to check the cemetery nearby and see if anything is moving. Didn't look, or sound promising.

As I drove to my usual spot where I park I noticed a Brown Thrasher taking off to my right. They live here so it was nice to verify it but I thought nothing more of it.

I stepped out of the car and looked and listened. Not much calling or moving. I walked a bit farther and noticed a pair of birds under a small shrub. One was definitely a Brown Thrasher but the other seemed like a thrush. It suddenly dawned on me that this was a baby Brown Thrasher. Soon confirmed when the adult turned and started feeding the youngster.

I tried to creep around the other side of the headstones for better light but the young bird spotted me and headed back into the shade. Soon, an adult spotted me, too, and flew over to check me out and to make sure I was not a threat.

First baby Thrasher for me but I band older ones at Lake Lotus all the time. Four yesterday, in fact!

Definitely baby time in the area.

Great-Crested Flycatcher

2011-04-02T14:06:00.002-04:00

At least 2 weeks have passed since I was surprised by the return of the familiar Great-Crested Flycatcher 'weep!' from down the street. Since then it has been very vocal from dawn until mid-afternoon. Problem is, it is hard to get a look at since the trees are getting leafy again.

I was trying to get a shot of the Indigo Bunting this morning but heard the flycatcher getting closer. So I waited. Though in shadow, I got my first Great-Crested Flycatcher shot of the year.

Now the mate should return and hopefully they will raise another brood here as they have over the past couple of years.

Couple Local Birds

2011-03-26T22:49:00.002-04:00

Quick spin around the neighborhood. Over at the cemetery there were no great views of the eagles but I paused to grab a snap of a European Starling. Hard to get them on the ground. Usually up in the trees or on wires.

I have been expecting some sort of shore bird activity as the lakes are all showing edges worthy of their attention. Finally, I found a Lesser Yellowlegs at Lake Lancaster just down the road.

Hopefully a sign of things to come. Rains are projected to return after 3 weeks of drought. Birds should be moving up soon.

Bald Eagle Chicks are Out of the Nest

2011-03-25T21:25:00.000-04:00

Both of them. Yay!

The larger one was out on a branch a few days ago and I was worried about the other one. Still had yet to get a great view of it. Now they are getting so big.

The smaller bird has developed a great Dracula impression...

The larger of the two was busy preening.

So, excellent progress from the nest site!

Feeder Birds

2011-03-23T18:26:00.000-04:00

Man, these birds have been too quiet. I know they are out there by the food going missing and fleeting glimpses of, say, the Catbird but these others should be easy to spot on a daily basis. Guess school is interrupting my mornings. That is where the BirdCam comes in!

With the returning White-winged Doves here it is interesting to see them on the smallest feeder in the area. They used to stay on the larger tray feeder exclusively.

Despite laying low, vocally, it appears that the Indigo Bunting that showed up months ago is still here.

It shows up almost daily on the cam. Stay around a while longer, please.

Another species that seems way too quiet is the American Goldfinch. Nary a peep. But if you look hard enough...?

The following day both of them joined together to feed.

Has to be more out there not chiming in. Time to hit the lakes and surroundings.

White-winged Dove Returns

2011-03-20T22:52:00.001-04:00

It has been quite a while but the White-winged Doves are beginning to return. I spotted one the other day but now the BirdCam got a shot.

Can almost feel the migrants gearing up for the flights back North...

Mourning Doves

2011-03-18T16:56:00.000-04:00

Couple of interesting shots from the BirdCam. Was particularly surprised by the shot of a young Mourning Dove out there today. Younger birds are easily told from older ones by the scalloped edges on their feathers.

Compare to an adult whose feathers are all smoothed brown.

Still have to sift through 200 hundred dove shots to get these two but the revelation of the new chick was a major plus!

Kraft Azalea Anhinga

2011-03-17T17:05:00.000-04:00

Back out at the Kraft Azalea Park the Egrets are still prepping for chicks. Headed down to the dock and found a pair of Wood Ducks resting on the rails. Was able to sneak close enough to get some shots without spooking them too much.

As I headed back around the lake shore toward the van I glanced right and noticed an Anhinga sunning on a Cypress tree.

Doesn't appear to be too old as the breeding colors are not too pronounced as the other males in the area.

A good close up of a great bird. I find it amusing to hear visitors wonder if they are some Disney construct.

Waiting on the Great Egret Chicks to arrive. Warm weather is back and Spring is sprung.

BirdCam This Week

2011-03-15T19:27:00.003-04:00

Birds have been quiet outside when I have been home so it was nice to have a couple nice shots from the BirdCam this week.

I could not tell if the Goldfinches were still around but we find that a few are still hitting other feeders if not the sock feeders.

The biggest surprise was the new shot of the Indigo Bunting finally getting into final plumage coloring. This bird has been around for months but has been very quiet lately.

Nice to know it is still in the back for now. I will be staring out of the kitchen side as this is when it usually showed there in the past years.

Spring is right around the corner!

Kraft Azalea Park, Again.

2011-03-14T16:39:00.003-04:00

A new Monday and another trip to Kraft Azalea. Still a lot of breeding birds and still not a great place to get good light at 11 AM. I tried. I liked this weird light on this Great Egret.

Nearby, another bird displays up in the branches.

Almost constantly, other birds bring in twigs to build up their nests. Nearly angelic.

Wood Ducks are always present but rarely accommodating. Best I could do as this pair rushed out of the weeds.

Saving the best for last, I did have some interesting light on this bird displaying before I left.

Kind of repetitive, but I probably will be back not too long from now. Heard an owl calling but could not located it.

Quick Tour

2011-03-12T23:10:00.000-05:00

Doing my usual Canvasback check just to keep a running tab of how long she stays. Plus, I take a few minutes to run through a couple of areas along the way.

First up, probably my favorite female Mallard on Lake Davis. She is almost tan and has raised some broods here over the years. Easy to spot among the other local Mallards. Love the reflections.

Sitting out farther from shore was the remaining Canvasback, also easily spotted when she sits on the surface.

Though the Great-blue Herons are not uncommon, sometimes they don't like being stared at. This one was more concerned about searching for food. Keeping up with the reflection theme for a bit.

Took a swing through the cemetery after a report from Marcus that the Coyote is still there. Really? Yep.

Looking a little skinnier than when it was first found.

Canvasback Duck Persists

2011-03-08T23:02:00.004-05:00

Well, I guess this is pretty nice. Some birds stop, feed, and bolt in a day. This one is finding a comfy spot for at least a few days.

The female Canvasback is still on Lake Davis and bobbing around quite nicely.

She hangs near the Ring-necked Ducks on the southeast shore of the lake. Sometimes you need to sit for a few minutes to see her as she drives so much and can really hold her breath!

How much longer will she grace us with her presence?

Canvasback Duck

2011-03-07T16:18:00.003-05:00

Finally!

I have been speculating that there should be an appearance of a Canvasback Duck on Lake Davis for a couple years. We first had some just to the North a few years ago so why should they avoid this spot where I have been finding Redheads and even White Pelicans this season?

Just got a request for information if there really was a Canvasback on Lake Davis as was reported to a web post since I live just a few blocks away. Been awaiting this moment for so long, it seems.

I picked the boys up from school and headed home, telling them to keep an open eye on the ducks. Shortly, I spotted her.

Yes!

As we had to head home to get homework started I was happy with a pretty good ID shot in a couple of minutes. I will head back later for more shots if she sticks around. Ducks are gearing up for their trip back North soon.

Launch of the X37B

2011-03-05T19:06:00.001-05:00

The Air Force launched is secret mission of the X37B today. Having just watched Discovery liftoff just last week the difference in 'awesome' was quite apparent. However, I was pleased to be able to make out the actual shape of the Atlas V and its payload even from so far away.

Here is a sequence showing the launch.

Still, nice to see a launch at any time.