Back Walking Mead Garden

With migration picking up I had to head back out to Mead Botanical Garden at least for a little while. Once I stepped out of the car I noticed a bird very high in the trees and tried to track it. It suddenly took oft the south but landed on an exposed branch. It wasn't until then that I realized it was a Scarlet Tanager! Not very common this time of year.



As I reached the bend in the creek I was greeted by a large Great Blue Heron trying to nap.



Over at the pond I searched for warblers but all I could see was a Red-eyed Vireo. At least it was a passible photo for once. They fly so quickly behind leaves while feeding.



High above us, another Great Blue Heron peered out across the landscape.



I searched for the Acadian Flycatcher I saw on my last visit but instead there was only a Common Yellowthroat at the cypress trees.



Nothing else in this side of the park held my interest so I started back toward the car. When I reached the cement bridge a Wood Stork and I surprised one another. I took a photo. It sulked away into the trees.



Down along the creek, a bale of Turtles rested on a log.



I heard some loud chips up in a palm tree and after a bit of circling found a Yellow-throated Warbler racing from frond to frond in search of a meal.



A small feeding flock rushed to the nearby trees and snapped away at insects. You can hardly miss the Blue-gray Gnatcatchers as they flit about.



Tufted Titmice are usually heard first and then are rather brave about feeding close to people walking by.



A Downy Woodpecker was not grabbing bugs but caching nuts for the Winter.



I was exiting the property when I heard a lot of birds mobbing...something. Moving back inside the fence I found one of our Barred Owls just hanging around under the shade.



Numerous Yellow Warblers were yelling at the owl but hard to get in the best light.



I headed home but swung through the cemetery just for a check. Look who I found. Our Bald Eagles are returning to the nest.



A fun walk but not too many interesting things. Started and ended on high notes so I guess I can't complain.

2015 New Year's Day Hike, Part 1

Happy New Year! Sometimes I like to find a new place to hike on the first day of the year. Today I hiked part or the Lake Apopka Loop Trail. I wanted to try and see some new birds that were being reported which I figured would take me a few miles. I didn't count on the 13 miles I actually ended up walking.



The morning was totally overcast the entire trip. The best shot of one of the many Eastern Phoebes was pretty gloomy.



Not long after the first turn I noticed a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher flitting about the shrubs.



A lot of other birders were down the road searching for the same birds that I was but none were showing right now. Over in the marsh a few Glossy Ibis searched for breakfast.



A couple mile down the trail I reached the Orange County line.



A Killdeer called and flew back and forth across the road and finally posed for me by the picnic shelter.



Around the next turn, a Great Egret watched me carefully.



I thought I would be able to see Lake Apopka by now but the trail just kept turning back and forth. I came to a large canal and thought I would just keep going until I did reach the lake shore.



Down in the canal, a large Alligator was deciding to come up the bank. Big boy!



Just when I though the lake was in reach, the trail switched back again. Dang. At least I had a few Savannah Sparrows to keep me company.



There were many signs of mammals around but I wasn't finding them. Just scat up and down the roadway.



There were signs along the trail every now and then. I didn't notice until I took the photo that they were milage signs. They marked the distance from the other end of the trail near Magnolia Park but I was not going that far. Just to the lake. I hope.



A couple Bald Eagles passed overhead as I stubbornly walked down the trail despite by now aching feet.



At last! The edge of Lake Apopka. No real number of birds around. Definitely not on the water. I did finally hear a flock of Fulvous Whistling Ducks but they kept back in the marsh so I couldn't get a photo. It was one of the birds I was after, however.



I continued to a more open spot on the lake and could see the Pumphouse in the distance. This was as far as I would go before turning back. Going to be a long haul.



One thing you, hopefully, learn as a birder is to keep an eye on the ground. Anthills are all over and the last thing you want is to be so interested in a bird that you stand on one by mistake. It is a quick lesson.



Back near the trail switchback a pair of Anhinga chased one another.



The broke through the clouds for a couple of minutes and gave me a good view of one of the many Little Blue Herons I saw today.



At the canal, the big Alligator had reached to bank and I noticed it brought along a friend. I wanted a better shot but I figured I would not have enough energy for escape if I got too close.



In another canal I found another Alligator with a better profile.



Finally! A mammal!! This Raccoon was busy checking the vegetation for a morsel until it noticed me about to take its picture.



Nearing the Picnic shelter a spotted a Red-shouldered Hawk having a meal. I could not tell what it was eating.



When I reached the shelter I noticed a mass up ahead next to the road. A little closer and I could tell it was another mammal. A Bobcat. Resting. Until I got a few feet closer.



A juvenile Little Blue Heron kept an eye on me as I trudged past.



A good sign. Back into Lake County which meant I was only a couple of miles from the car. Not going to Clay Island today. I did that hike a few years ago on New Year's Day.



I was still hoping to add a couple more interesting birds for the day. But those will keep until the next post. Man, my feet hurt...

Another Trip to Mead While I Can

I had another chance to run out to Mead Botanical Gardens today for a brief stroll. I was wondering if there would be more opportunities to get some shots of the Myrtle Warblers again but also to find out what else was around. On the way in I found a Great Blue Heron as I did last week and a couple of House Finches flying through as the Sun rose. Still nothing super exciting.

On the remaining part of the boardwalk that the public can access I found a small change of color in the park. Some of the marsh is populated with Maple trees. This small specimen was showing its red leaves in the old lake bed.



Last week I circled the old boardwalk from the North end. Today I thought I would try from the South. I could see some warblers moving about but the first bird that came close to me was a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.



The flowering plants are still putting on a show and the Honey bees are visiting the Duck Potato flowers throughout the area, loaded with pollen on their legs.



Approaching the snags, a Red-bellied Woodpecker flew in to inspect a crevice for an early breakfast.



I finally found the Myrtle Warbler flock just beyond most of the Wax Myrtles and they were sticking to the shadows for most of the time. Eventually, one bird perched in the light for 20 seconds and then quickly followed the other members of the flock back into hiding.



I love Climbing Purple Astor. In some spots it grows to over 6 feet tall but here it stays close to the surface and was blooming with gusto. Many insects were feeding on the nectar like this White Peacock butterfly.



Close by, another Honey bee takes its turn on a flower.



I was almost off of this stretch of the old boards and was wondering why I hadn't spotted a Swamp Sparrow in the past couple of weeks. They are usually reliable on this last bend. Then, one jumped up in front of me and I got a poor shot before it zoomed back into hiding in the vegetation.



I began to head back toward the car and cut around the Education Center. Just as got to the back of the original amphitheatre a pair of women were passing by and I heard one say, "Oh, look. A snake!". It took me a few seconds before I saw the Black Racer tucked down in the leaves beneath the Azaleas.



Crossing the wooden bridge by the pond can sometimes lead to an interesting discovery. Today, a White Ibis was feeding in the water just below the rails which made for an interesting shot in close-up. Who can resist those cool blue eyes?



I turned to my right on the bridge and spotted a female Anhinga up on the old snag, a leftover from the 2004 hurricanes.



Then a couple of interesting things occurred as I was on the last walk out of Mead. When I got to the cement bridge that divides the ponds from the creek, I spotted some ripples in the water. Large ripples. Undulating ripples. From past experience I knew it had to be Otters.

Otters can be found throughout Orlando if you are paying attention. They use all of the creeks, culverts and drainage systems to travel from lake to lake. They could be along a river or creek shore just as well while moving through to the next large body of water. My first shot of an otter was just ahead along the creek that I got many years ago. I could tell they were heading in that direction so I jogged up ahead of them to be in place for some photos.

A couple of minutes later and I could see the ripples moving toward me and I froze with my camera in position. Soon, they emerged from this deep section of water and scanned for danger.



One of the family of four took the lead and went to the shore opposite side and did its own scan of the surroundings.



Since I wasn't moving, except to click off a couple shots, they relaxed a bit and began to hunt in the bend of the creek and every now and then breach the surface chomping on some tasty treat.



They still wanted to head up the creek but they were sure something was different. Even though I was barely breathing they could sense something was watching.



Another otter dove down and grabbed a larger bite of something and crunched loudly in front of me.



Eventually they braved the shallow spot just in front of me and went southward toward the next lake. It was am awesome 10 minutes in the company of these remarkable mammals.



Since I had come in through the woody edge to the creek I decide to go back out that way. Maybe I could reach the otters again before the went under the fence just below the lake. I took a slight turn to the right and was about to jump over some roots when something caught my eye just ahead of me.



Once my eyes focused on where I was going to jump to it became clear this was not the way to go. A large bank of grey was wedged in the roots in front of me. Spend enough time in the woods and you should know what this is. A massive Yellow Jacket hive! The biggest above ground one I have seen in person. A couple more misplaced steps and I would have been in a world of hurt.



I was once swarmed at our bird banding site and also while doing nest box checks in the woods around Zellwood but both of those Yellow Jacket nest were fairly small and only had one small ground entrance. This thing was loaded with entrances and buzzing hornets.

Since I am the only lunatic to venture into that part of the grounds I figured I didn't have to alert the media. Not long ago a father and son had their dog stir up a nest and the humans ended up in the hospital for a week from all the stings that they received. Fortunately I saw them first. I just want to look for birds in peace.