Mead Garden Walkthrough

It had been a long time since I had a chance to drop in at Mead Botanical Gardens so it was time for a stroll. It was not too bird since we are deep into July but the first bird to greet me was a juvenile Northern Mockingbird.



Over in the newly installed rocky area behind the new amphitheater a turtle basked in the morning sunshine.



How long has it been since I have been here? Long enough for them to build a giant pond and build a restored section to the boardwalk. And no one who knows me and is alway here tells me this?!?



The section from the Butterfly Garden all the way to the marshy area has been redone. The new section is wide enough for wheelchairs to comfortably pass through but is narrows to the old section pretty quickly.



Since I was not seeing many birds I decided I would head back to the car. By the time I made it to the main pond I spotted a Swallow-tailed Kite having a snack high above me.



Finally, I spotted one of the resident Barred Owls up in the palm trees before I exited the gardens.



Hoping that that newly built boardwalk section is a hint of things to come. I miss the old boardwalk very much.

Lake Apopka Swallows

Saving the best for last from my Lake Apopka North Shore Drive trip we revisit the Barn Swallows. When I first started noticing them they were flying over the canal to my right. I was trying to figure if I should get out and try some flight shots but that would have meant shooting into the Sun and hoping for any shots captured in frame. Swallows are so darned fast!

I edged the car forward toward the turn and glanced out to the left. Swallows began to settle on the branches just to my left. In the good light.



One after another, the Barn Swallows settled for a few minutes and twittered away.



Among the adults, a few juveniles dropped by for a few seconds.



A short time later, I drove down the road. Flocks of Barn Swallows where on the wires and there is a small bridge where the birds are nesting and they were feeding and flying under the bridge to feed young.



I made another round of the drive since I had missed one of the legs along the lake but I kept thinking about the Barn Swallows all along the trip. When I got back to the corner there were not birds in the trees but settling down on the railing of a maintenance structure.



This younger bird stayed on the rial longer than others and I snapped away.



A few adult Barn Swallow would stop for a few seconds before heading back into the air in search of insects.



The variety of orange on these birds was remarkable, especially on the older birds.



The juvenile bird would occasionally make little calls, apparently begging to be fed.



I was about to drive away when I noticed another bird flying in next to the juvenile.



While I was taking photos my first thought was that this was a leucistic (a partial loss of pigmentation in an animal resulting in white, pale, or patchy coloration of the skin, hair, feathers, scales or cuticle, but not the eyes) Barn Swallow.



I even mentioned this to some friends I rolled up on later. Then I started thinking about thing I had noticed like a slight size and shape difference. The two interacted for a while before they both flew off. When I got home I processed photos and had major 2nd thoughts and sent the photos into the world of birding forums.



Once I culled all of the responses it seems like the overall conclusion is this is probably a Barn Swallow and Tree Swallow hybrid. There have been Tree Swallows in the area that stayed later than they typically do and it is breeding season. We will never know conclusively but that seems to be the most likely answer.



Definitely not a pure Barn, by any means, but a pretty little bird.



Glad I decided to make that second pass. It was well worth it with just this discovery alone. The entirety of the visit was just as special and I can't wait for a chance to get back out there.

Lake Apopka Ospreys

Ospreys. A very wide-spread bird across the planet and a bird I remember even as a child living in Key West before I knew what birdwatching was. How many species did I walk right past way back then? But Ospreys are everywhere and especially in the early morning skies at Lake Apopka. They began searching for fish right after sunrise and were flying past me as I made my way into the North Shore Drive.



My favorite part of the drive is that is runs primarily West so the rising Sun is behind you making for excellent lighting. The Ospreys were bringing in breakfast to almost any perch available but they really love telephone poles with their flat tops and height.



In between meals they still sit there and watch these silly humans drive through their territory.



Most things can't reach them at their dining table. Except maybe that wasp!



Sometimes you can even spot the rare Double-tailed Osprey.



You don't often see one sitting but this one appears to be using its meal for a cushion.



Most of the fish is pretty clean. Sometimes things can get a bit more...messy.



Out at the edge of the lake there seemed to be an inlet that was teaming with circling birds, most were Ospreys but they were too far off for an interesting shot. By the time I made my second run of the morning it seemed all of the birds were sated and I couldn't find many. However, one was waiting for me at the end of the drive as I made it toward home.



I like Ospreys. Ospreys are cool.

Lake Apopka North Shore Drive, Pt. 2

Time for pass Number 2! Back at the first jog, I stopped to get another family shot to the Black-necked Stilts still feeding in the marsh.



My second American Alligator of the day was a tiny guy. Maybe 2-years-old.



Nearby, I had a nice surprise by spotting an American Coot in the canal. This species typically is found only in Winter in these parts though I have had one stay in Orlando through one Summer a few years ago.



I hurried down the first stretch realizing I hadn't taken a good shot of the Pump House the first time around.



Common Gallinules in all age ranges are present right now along the Drive. This little newborn reminded me of a tiny dinosaur just up and walking through the reeds.



I only saw a few grackles during my visit today and only got a shot of a female Boat-tailed Grackle at one spot.



The last American Alligator sighting of the morning was a good one as this fella was basking in the rays of the rising Sun.



I was now back at the Barn Swallow curve and was taking shots of a juvenile calling for food when this bird flew in next to the youngster. My photos made quite a stir on the local forums and I will talk about it in a future posting.



You cannot imagine how hard it was to get a shot of any of the Cattle Egrets. They were all over but flushed any time you got close to them. At the swallow curve I had a small flock that let me get close enough for a couple of shots. They look great in breeding plumage.



A Common Ground Dove was walking along the roadway and I tried to get a shot of it on the ground but it kept flying ahead of me until finally cruising up to the wires.



Most of the Snowy Egrets were further out in the canals but every now and then I would find one close to the Drive.



Same with the Great Egrets.



White Ibis were mostly fly-overs but this one was sitting in the marsh fairly close.



It is fun to see so many local birds in breeding plumage, including the Glossy Ibis.



Usually you could only see their backs as they fed in the grasses so I took a shot to catch some iridescence on one of the birds.



The last bird of the morning was a solitary Osprey up in a snag before the road turns toward the highway. The last mile is pretty quite and more forested. It may be more interesting when the Winter birds come our way but for now...



This is a remarkable trail along Lake Apopka and I hope to visit it more in the future. However, I fear it will be a madhouse come Fall/Winter. Could be bumper to bumper. We shall see.

Lake Apopka North Shore Drive, Pt. 1

I have been waiting to get out to the new Lake Apopka North Shore Drive. Folks have been reporting fun birds but the drive is only open Friday-Sunday and my weekends have been a bit too crazy. Today I finally got my chance to head out.

I wanted to get there as soon as it opened and was greeted by a nice bright Moon before dawn in downtown Orlando on the way to the drive.



The beginning of the drive is at the end of Lust Road where many birders have gone for years but as far as you could go was the gate which is now open and has a new sign welcoming visitors.



Many carloads of birders were already on the Drive ahead of me. At the first little job was a very boisterous Black-necked Stilt family. Every time the chick would wander a bit too far, Mom would start calling loudly for all to stay away.



Eventually, the Black-necked Stilt chick would return to a parent's side to feed closer. I tried to get some shots of the parents attempting to shoo off a Glossy Ibis to no avail. The Ibis didn't seem to care too much about the fuss.



The best thing about the Lake Apopka North Shore Drive is that it heads due West for most of the time so the lighting is perfect in the early morning.



Dragonflies were all over at daybreak. Occasionally one would light atop a swaying grassy stalk.



Green Herons were flying across the drive all morning but never settled in for a photo. Tricolored Herons were a bit more cooperative.



Common Gallinules were also abundant but you don't often see one sitting up on an exposed branch!



Looking over the edge of the road I spotted an Anhinga making a catch and had to strain over the passenger seat to get a snap.



I was actually surprised I didn't see too many American Alligators out today. I have seen more hiking the North Shore in the past. Some BIG ones in some of the canals.



Great Blue Herons prowled the edges of the water but I didn't see any score a breakfast on my rounds.



Red-winged Blackbirds were beyond counting. They were all over with most males calling and defending territories.



Not a lot of vultures around this morning but I did have a nice close fly-by of an adult Turkey Vulture.



This early in the morning the Ospreys were feeding and feasting all up and down the Drive. I will devote another post exclusively about Ospreys soon.



Most of the vegetation is weedy shrubs, grasses, and Cattails but every now and then a splash of color would appear like the white Moon Glory blossoms.



Down by the Pump House turn a female Anhinga rested on a structure across the water.



I decided to take the righthand turn past the Pump House not knowing there was another stretch closer to the lake. I would take that portion of the drive next time around. This lane was fairly bird free and the only big bird I spotted first was a Limpkin. Too bad I could only get a shot through the wind shield.



On the opposite side, a wet male Anhinga tried to stay out of view.



At the end of this northerly drive I started to see Barn Swallows swooping over the canal at the bend. As I turned to head toward a flock sitting on wires ahead I noticed a Great Blue Heron sunning in the roadway. It is always fun to see this behavior.



Just past the heron, a pair of Roseate Spoonbills were crossing to reach the canal and fields to the North.



The Barn Swallows here were copious with only a few resting on the wires. Many more were feeding and returning to nests under a small bridge over the canal. I ended up with a lot of swallow photos (with a rather interesting discovery) that warrant them their own post in the future, as well.



The final bird shot on this pass was a female Red-winged Blackbird that was searching through the grasses for a snack.



I thought of just heading home then but, as mentioned earlier, I found that there was another spur of the Drive so I swung back around to take one more pass and hoped for some interesting shot. Glad I did. Stay tuned...