We Have Chicks!

It was a gloomy lake check today with not a lot of Wintering birds to be seen. Not many in all of mile 8 mile loop. Time to head by the cemetery before getting back home. I had yet to see much activity at the Bald Eagle nest but I only get a brief window to peek in at them these days. I didn't have a lot of expectation. It should just be another quick drive through. But...

We have chicks!



Mom was busy tearing off chunks of breakfast and handing it off to the new arrivals.



I could only see one chick at first and it soon seemed to turn my way. Hi!



Then the second chick could be seen trying to stand right next to the first baby



"Enough play time! Eat your fish."



Nice to have new eaglets in the neighborhood after last year's bust. Now just have to sit back and watch them grow. It won't be long before they are flying off on their own.

Barber Park Gulls and Sparrows

I headed over to Barber Park which is on the outer edge of my birding loop from home. There was rain earlier but I have never seen the soccer area filled with water before. Surrounding that water were many, many gulls resting on the grass.



When you find a whole bunch of gulls around it is important to scan through them in case any rare species might show up. The most common gull in Central Florida is the Ring-billed Gull and most of the birds here where of that variety. They ranged in age from adult...



...to juvenile. Some would pick around in the grasses and water but the majority of the birds were just trying to catch a nap.



Standing alone near the edge of the ponding water was a Laughing Gull. They are found in large numbers on the coast so at least I got one stray in the flock.



I was trying to get back in the car while the wind continued to howl around but I heard a small sound off to my right. Out of the cloudy skies, a small flock of Savannah Sparrow landed in a tree and then dropped to the ground.



Savannah Sparrows are not uncommon in brushy areas around the state in Winter but I have never seen them in my urban area before. They picked around at the ground for a couple of minutes right in the parking lot.



One of the birds took a look to the sky and, suddenly, they all took wing and headed out toward the lake.



This park can hold some interesting things from time to time. I definitely wasn't expecting this particular grouping of birds. Tired of the wind, I headed home. Not much else was enjoying this weather, either.

Green-winged Teal

Early in the season I found a few female Green-winged Teal in the lake but haven't noticed them lately. This I discovered from a Facebook friend that a male was now out there. I swung by and, sure enough, there he was. I tried for a couple of shots before a jogger flushed it and other teal to the other side of the lake.



For some reason I always thing that Blue-winged Teal and Green-winged Teal are the same size. Looking at this shot you can tell that Green-wings are much smaller.



The male headed up to shore to join a female. I am starting to see that I have damaged my lens somewhat, Any shots taken at the full 300 mm distance are definitely not in sharp focus any longer. Sigh.



Time for a little drink of water.



Here is a good example why Green-winged Teal are named that. The green really flashes when she turns to the light just right.



One last shot of the male as he picks through the leaf litter.



Despite my slightly crippled optics I finally got some pretty good shots of a male Green-winged Teal. All of my previous opportunities were shrouded in rain and clouds. I will have to check back in with this pair soon!

Checking for Chicks

I stopped by the nest site on the way home today. Hoping to see if there are any Bald Eagle chicks this year. I couldn't tell by just the drive by but Mom was at the nest while Dad was in the opposite tree.



I will have to keep checking. One thing I do notice is that something is wrong with my camera after accidentally dragging it off of the banding table this morning. Always something...

Mead Botanical Gardens

It was my first trip back to Mead Botanical Garden for the New Year and I was soon surrounded by the largest feeding flock of American Robins of the Winter. Problem was, they were all flying out of holly trees at waist level and quickly going into thickets across the path. I could not get a single bird out in the open for a photo. I could tell by the bird sounds all around me that they would be here for a while so I headed toward the Education Center for now.

Perched over the creek was a Red-shouldered Hawk scanning the trees for a meal.



As I approached the Cypress stand I noticed another Red-shouldered Hawk flying up into a tree. By the time I got in a good position for photos I could just make out that it was snacking on a frog.



There was not too much action around the boardwalk so I headed back to the 'island'. American Robins were still there and I finally got one bird out in the light but still behind branches.



On the back side of a Brazilian Pepper shrub I could finally make out a few Cedar Waxwings darting in for berries. When a shadow passed over all the birds froze to stay hidden. It was the only way I could focus on this bird.



Soon, they resumed feeding and then would fly back to an adjacent tree. There have not been that many Cedar Waxwings around this season.



Also in the pepper tree was a female Northern Cardinal looking out over the pond.



I headed back to the car. Along the way, a Great Egret was prowling along the path and paid zero attention to me as I got a bunch of shots as I walked beside it.



Finally got a nice feeding flock of Robins. Perhaps there will be a couple more before they all head back North.

New Year's Hike

I have used New Year's Day a hiking day for the past several years. Usually I choose a place I haven't been to before but today I decided to go back to Clay Island since there was a report of a pair of Groove-billed Ani hanging out by an observation tower. Not sure which direction to head (there was only one tower I knew of from years ago) I headed West. I only found a flock of Tree Swallows in the air after walking the first 15 minutes.



There were zero birds in the water. Not even a Common Gallinule. Just one American Alligator tucked back in the reeds.



I eventually came upon an observation tower. A Red-shouldered Hawk was calling across the canal. A few Palm Warblers were scattered just past the tower. Nothing else was in view.



I got to the top of the tower and was soon at eye level with a single Turkey Vulture drifting by. The rest of the area was clear and still. I was getting bored. I also just realized that I should have gone to the next turn than the one I took. Now I couldn't get to the original tower which was across the canal. Sigh.



I follow the path in the only direction I could travel and eventually got to the observation tower where others had reported the Anis. They were a no-show for me. Really bored. I decided to head home. Up on the wires on the way back was a lone American Kestrel.



I climbed back into the car feeling defeated. These first of the year hikes are usually teaming with birds. I rounded the curve and had a Sandhill Crane feeding in a yard.



90 minutes of hiking. 4 bird photos. At least I know where some birds are. Back in my neighborhood. Happy New Year.