Around the Lake Before Our First Christmas

We have a kinda weird set-up for the Christmas Holidays. With other family scattered around the Central Florida are we have to split up visits. We also like to have 'official' Christmas morning at home and then need tome for both sets of Grandparents. That leads to 3 location (and days) of present opening. This year some of our relatives were spending Christmas Day elsewhere so we had to move our first day to Saturday. Before we headed over to the in-law's house I had a little time to do my daily lake checks. There were not any new species around but I did like some close shots like this one of one of the Blue-winged Teal.



Some might call them drab (especially when compared to the males) but I find those feathers plenty pretty enough.



Over on the shore, I found a Ring-necked Duck drake relaxing. I don't usually see this species just resting on land but I am glad I did today. Turned out nicely.



Usually, the Ring-necked Ducks are out in the water in flocks up to several hundreds. Half the time they are sleeping.



Some of the other ducks out with the flock are some Lesser Scaup. Only a few out there this year so far.



I was behind the cypress trees when I heard a familiar sound. Familiar but not at this location. Though Bald Eagles nest mere blocks away, they don't usually come by Lake Davis.



This Bald Eagle circled several times before heading over toward Lake Cherokee.



Perhaps the eagle was sizing up the copious number of American Coots. They are all over the lake this season.



Just when I thought our other 'special' ducks were gone, I finally found the Gadwalls but they were not together today but I got one shot of one swimming out toard the center of the lake.



Later in the day, after eating and opening gifts, I checked out another lake in Winter Park. There were only a few Pied-billed Grebes way out across the water but I did have a visit at sunset from a Wood Stork gilded in gold before the day ends.



One Christmas down, 2 to go...