Barber Park While Waiting

Our oldest had a practice session near Barber Park and instead of driving back and forth too much I decided to search any close water ways. However, there is not much in the way of lakes to cruise in this area. I did spot some Shrikes up along the road so I tried to get some shots there but they flew off before I could get in position. I had to settle for a Western Palm Warbler in bad light.



I circled the small pond in the park looking for birds. A Gray Squirrel was playing hide and seek. I won.



In the pond, a Slider kept a careful lookout for trouble.



The only birds besides the resident Mallards was a flock of Ring-billed Gulls.



I searched the entire group hoping there might be a different gull in there. Nope. All Ring-bills.



Time to go. Better than nothing, I guess.

Strolling Through the Park(s)

I was on a mission to look for some Red-breasted Nuthatches. Not that they are really here in the center of the state but they are all over on the coasts this year. I just wanted to see if maybe, just maybe, I could find some pine trees and the birds.

Guess what? No luck.

The only really dense stand of pines that I could recall nearby was down by the high school at Wadeview Park. It was a nice day for a walk but no Nuthatches. I had to settle for a pretty Northern Mockingbird that was chasing off Common Grackles in the shade.



Squirrels are a dime a dozen but how could I pass up a shot like this?



The following day I stopped by Mead Garden after our banding day to see what was what. Really not a lot of activity anywhere in the park. It was near noon so I wasn't totally surprised. A Downy Woodpecker was feeding in the trees but I didn't feel like taking a photo. However, the bird kept getting closer and closer and wouldn't leave. Oh, alright...



Myrtle Warblers are returning in big numbers now. Many of them were along the river feeding in the branches.



Nice to have a big yellow patch on this bird to reveal it as an adult male. Seems all I ever see are females until Spring.



Not a lot of time to actually bird this week. Maybe I can find a new duck on my drives home.

Let the BirdCam Parade Begin

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.

Back at the Tray Feeder...

Some close-ups.

Daddy Cardinal stops by.



Then one of our Titmice.



A Mourning Dove extra close-up! Nice shine.



Of course, the squirrels have to barge in.



We shall see how long I can stand to edit out 200 squirrel shots before moving on.

BirdCam Back by the Tray Feeder

Goldfinches are few and far between so I decided to move the cam back to the tray feeder. After sorting through the 300 images I did find a few OK ones.

Of course, there are always Mourning Doves around.



Plus the Northern Cardinals. Both males...



...and the females.



The Carolina Wrens bred in the yard this year and are starting to hit the feeders after exploring all of the nooks and crannies around the deck.



As usual, most of the discarded photos are of jumping squirrels. Lots of blurred images while they bound in and out of the tray. However, now and then they stop long enough to get a pretty photo shot.



We shall see how long I can stand editing out all of the bad shots. For now, though, I will keep watching this view.

I Have Been Defeated...Again

We remember one of the main reasons for this new feeder, right? The last image shows it didn't work all the way as planned.

The cam did get a good shot of the young male Cardinal, though. He is almost into his adult colors.



His sister is still around. Still still has quite a while to go with that bill!



Hello! A new visitor. Not as good as I would like. Facing the camera would be nice, but even this rear view lets me know a Titmouse is checking out the feeder.



As for that foiled plan...

Birdcam Catchup for July

I have been vexed by the squirrels jumping on the cam lately. Ever since they knocked it over when I had it by the Hummer feeder they broke the horizontal axis of my tripod. Can't lock it down so now it pivots back and forth at the slightest touch. You will see an example down the page.

So, I have gathered some images from the past month that warrant some notice that will sum up July here at the house. Long post of images, true, but need to get ready for the new migration season and will be posting things from the Wekiva blog for a while. Just want to catch up here, too.

BTW, check that link to see how we are getting ready for the new season.

So! We had a nice visit from a Red-bellied Woodpecker. They rarely hit the feeders but when they do it always is interesting.



The White-winged Doves are still around. Think they are here to say. Interesting sight last night: a Eurasian Collared-Dove was spotted a mile away last night. Closest I have seen them here. Definitely moving their range south.



The Red-winged Blackbirds still stop by for now. Here, a female loads up with food before heading back to the wetlands.



The young Jays seems to be asking, "Is that how you eat that stuff?"



A day later, I think I have the best capture of a male Red-winged Blackbird. I really like this shot.



Move ahead to a week later and we get a nice shot of a Blue Jay grabbing a peanut early in the morning.



Then a good shot of a juvenile Cardinal feeding next to a Mourning Dove. Like documenting the babies in the yard.



Speaking of Cardinals, the following week found some good shots of the family including Pop feeding on his own, probably gathering food for the young ones.



Joining him was the young girl feeding on her own.



Later in the day she took some time to stretch out her new feathers before heading back out into the yard.



Later, a House Finch decided to dine with a Mourning Dove...



Then a White-winged Dove posed nicely...



As did a female Red-winged Blackbird.



Then my current nemesis. The squirrels have decided that using the cam as a launching pad has become too easy for them. I have watched them do this routine. They perch on the deck, jump to the cam, and then onto the tray feeder. Often it turns the whole thing back towards the deck. Caught ya in action!



I have to go and reposition the cam and then hope for more shots before they do it again. Luckily, I still get some nice shots like this Blackbird filling up on seeds.



Sometimes a White-winged Dove eating in an interesting position.



Sometimes a Mourning Dove in the welcomed afternoon rain.



A new month is upon us. New birds are on the move. Can't wait for the next round of cam shots.

Busy, Busy Day

Could be that this day was just like any other. Perhaps I just ended up with more good shots from the cam than usual. Or maybe I couldn't decide which images I liked better than others and figured I would just share a lot.

Which ever. Just enjoy the birdcam-y goodness!

We start with another example of how fast the Jays come down to start feeding and another shot of yours truly barely making it to the back of the yard before they do.



Then they grab their favorite peanut from the mix and head up to the oaks to crack them open.



The young bunch will often just grab a nut that has already been liberated.



Sunflower seeds also are a Jay favorite. I have seen them gobble down several at a time, take them up to a branch then spit them up, one by one, to shell.



Not even sure what this is. Probably a raisin.



Jays used to grate on me when I was a child. Always so loud and screechy. However, they are now one of my favorite birds. Love that blue, so deep in the adults.



In low light the cam often makes some interesting captures. Since it is shooting more slowly, a fast moving bird often looks blurred or even rather ghost-like. But it sure does appear that this Blue Jay is freaked out by a headless dove!



However, with proper sunlight shining through we see that head is still there. Whew! Also, it shows us that the juvenile dove is still with us.



Nice shift to the White-winged Doves. Kind of a crazy shot but I love how it shows of that white edging and the comparisons between the two species.



I was wondering what that clanging was out back. Seems the doves have been fencing as witnessed by their crossed bills. En garde!



After the sword fighting has died down, Momma Cardinal swoops down for a snack.



There are always squirrel shots to wade through and every now and then I just get a smile from one or two. Like this one...



...and this one.



Getting long, I know, so I will close out this day with the Red-winged Blackbird family. I don't get a lot of good shots of the adult males. They either eat so fast or with their tails toward the camera. Even though it is not a great shot it does show the male pretty well, his bill covered with food.



The females always seem to be much neater when they eat.



The young male seems to be taking after Pop, sloppy bill and all.



Interesting day but the species counts are evening out. Can't wait until migration gets moving.