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.

Friends?

I don't think so. Emily called me out from the office to ID a raptor on the phone pole. In the cloudy light she wondered if it was a Swallow-tailed Kite. Turned out to be a Southern sub-species of a Red-shouldered Hawk. And it was being mobbed by the nesting Northern Mockingbirds.



The hawk put up with the assault for quite sometime as the Mockingbirds took turns swooping at its back and head. Finally, the hawk began to call.



A few seconds later, the hawk retreated to the woods across the stream and the Mockingbirds headed back to their nest and the morning was quiet again.

Clear Lake Park

I had to make a trip to the county electronics drop-off and once that was complete I remembered that there was a park I had spotted on Google Maps a few times and decided to swing in for a look. Clear Lake Park is behind a neighborhood and school and has a nice sidewalk and exercise stations for joggers.



I was unsuccessful at getting photos of the warblers moving from tree to tree so I headed back to the car were I was greeted by a Blue-headed Vireo right overhead.



Encouraged by this I headed down toward the edge of the lake. Next time I will wear something better than flip flops. All kinds of twigs and such once you are off the sidewalk. The lake is lined with oaks and Cyress trees. Just offshore, a large flock of American Coots and a Pied-billed Grebe floated by in the bright sunshine.



There is a short dock that juts out over the water and once I wandered toward it another Pied-billed Grebe drifted into view.



Anoles scurried all around the entrance on the dock but I was more interested in the Skink that paused before me.



Across the lake you can see the recently renovated Citrus Bowl.



I made my way around the sidewalk when I heard the sharp calls of Blue Jays raising an alarm. I changed direction and walked through the grasses and branches to try and locate what was bothering them. I didn't anything for a while but then a Red-shouldered Hawk came bursting out of the canopy and flew toward my car. I followed and managed one decent photo before he let out a series of calls and disappeared into the shadows again.



This looks like a good spot to find birds during Fall migration. I will be sure to visit here again then.

American White Pelican Frenzy

My Saturday jaunt around the lakes turned out to be much more eventful than I had ever dreamed. I am used to seeing a few white dots far out on the lake as the Mute Swans are typically around, but as I came up to Lake Cherokee I could see an entire flock of white dots at the far North end. I diverted from my planned route and got to the opposite side of the lake where I discovered a huge flock of American White Pelicans!



The Pelicans were in there tight formation moving toward the reeds to trap prey to feast upon.



Once that supply was exhausted they floated away from the shore for a bit. A woman from the neighborhood had also noticed the activity and came out with a point and shoot and asked me about what they were and we chatted for a while. Then I headed closer to the lake to get shots of other species that had gathered to join in.



Beside the inlet pipe, a Snowy Egret waited for leftovers.



Nearby, a Wood Stork stood stoically with a feather stuck to its bill.



The American White Pelican suddenly changed direction and headed back toward my spot. I count just over 100 in this shot but I never got a full field view with the zoom lens.



Wading into the reads, a Great Egret watched for a chance to snatch a meal.



The Pelicans went from calm to frenzied as they rounded up the next school of fish.



The Mute Swan pair are usually kind of the bullies around the lakes but they knew to back off from this mob.



A Double-crested Cormorant soon surfaced from under the rush having grabbed a bite for itself.



Seeing the commotion around the corner, another American White Pelican flew in to join in on the feeding.



I started to scan the skies and more Pelicans were still coming in from distant locations.



One after another flew in and I could still see spots up in the air coming in from far away. The biggest flock we had last year was 16 that moved all around the city. This was group approaching 200!



Appearing sated for the moment, I decided to head to my other planned destinations but I couldn't resist one more shot back toward Orlando proper.



I circled Lake Davis and found it a bit more calm but still full of interesting birds. The usually fiesty Swan Geese were chilling under the shade.



A wary female Wood Duck decided I was safe enough to swim past toward the geese.



Convinced I was OK, too, the male Wood Duck soon followed. On another local lake there is a pair with several ducklings. So glad we have breeding Wood Ducks in the neighborhood. One of those birds I wanted to see as a kid and never thought I could almost trip over them in Orlando.



Tree Swallows were out feeding and, as usual, they are a challenge to photograph as they move so fast and bank and turn in a millisecond.



This is the only other shot of 40 that came out OK.



While I was shooting the swallows a male Blue-winged Teal floated by to head over to the shade.



Near the center of the lake, a few Bonaparte's Gulls loafed on the surface. Very few of the more typical Ring-billed Gulls. Nice to have these hanging around for a while.



Moving away to the other lakes I had a nice soaring Red-shouldered Hawk over Lake Emerald.



Behind Lake Weldona in the neighborhood was a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk perched on the corner.



I headed home and rounded Lake Cherokee again and found the American White Pelican flock feeding again.



I was ready to get back but got one more shot of the hungry birds still gorging. A nice mix of adults but mostly juveniles. FYI, the adults are the ones with the rounded bump on their bills.



A productive morning. Let's see how long these birds stick around this year.

Lake Apopka North Shore Drive. Again.

I headed to the North Shore Drive today and got there at sunrise as is my wont. I have made 7 tries to find a reported Gray-headed Swamphen and come up empty overtime. Today it ran across the marsh right toward me! Finally.



The light was rather harsh but I didn't mind. I had my bird. It was carrying what looked like fleshy vegetation.



The Gray-headed Swamphen walked around for a bit and then stopped to eat whatever it was carrying and soon vanished into the reeds. Nemesis no more.



Just ahead, a sleepy Red-shouldered Hawk rested on a telephone pole.



It seems that overtime I get a Northern Harrier next to me they aways keep their backs to me. About time I got a side shot.



Egrets and Herons were feeding in all the swallow water as the Sun continued to climb.



Belted Kingfishers were a little more generous with poses today before flying off.



I stopped for a check on the ponds were the ducks have been lately. Didn't see any today but I did get to watch as the American Coots displayed and chased one another.



I got in the car and began to head down the road when I spotted a Pied-billed Grebe just outside the driver side window. Would have liked more light on my side, but...



An angry looking Great Egret searched for a meal in the canal.



Again with the full framed Great Blue Heron!? Hey, I can't help myself.



A lone Palm Warbler flitted around the small branches poking out of the water next to the car.



Not much on the backstretch today except for another Belted Kingfisher.



On the final turn an American Kestrel hunted and rested next to the sod fields.



A typical day at the Drive but now I have a little more weight off of my shoulders. Thanks, Swamphen!!