Common Goldeneye

Birding forums were blasting the fact that an uncommon bird was being seen up in Seminole County but I was still in St, Pete. Hopefully it would stick around a bit for me to take a look. I have seen Common Goldeneyes before but maybe I could get a better photo than than the few I got years ago.

Fortunately, the bird did stick around. Unfortunately, the day was really foggy. Just my luck. When I first got out to the pond the bird was quickly found but way out in the middle of the water.



I checked the other ponds in the area but didn't see too much. I almost headed home but changed my mind and went back to the first pond. This time the Goldeneye was close to shore feeding with the other ducks like Lesser Scaup.



I got a few more shots but was cursing the fog.



Still, they were better shots and that was my main reason to go out so I can't complain too much. As soon as I got home the fog clear. Of course.

Almost back home and the full Sun gave me a good view of a pair of Red-tailed Hawks that were wondering if they could get the last remains of a squirrel without getting hit by a car themselves.



One more quick lake check and then I am done.

Lust Road

I had to head over to Apopka to check on banding a Cooper's Hawk before it was going to be released after rehab. I didn't take any photos there but then I decided to stop over at Lust Road to see if I could find a rare bird being reported over there. A Western Tanager. A few birders were already there and reported seeing the bird a few minutes before. Just missed it.

Since I have now struck out on 3 Life birds of late, I wandered up and down the road looking for anything else to photograph. We could hear sparrows all around but most birds were staying low. Finally, a juvenile White-crowned Sparrow popped up onto the fence.



One of the other birders screamed out that there was an Ash-throated Flycatcher 100 yards from me. By the time I got there it had flown of. Now 4 Life Bird misses. All I got was a Northern Mockingbird on that walk back.



Back down by the gate I could see a Bald Eagle resting on one of the telephone poles.



The one good surprise was a pretty early male Prairie Warbler that flew in for a few seconds and then departed. A nice splash of yellow against a cold morning blue sky.



We hoped the Tanager would return but it was not to be. Other birds flew by and eventually Red-tailed Hawks took to the sky. The first in view was a darker morph adult.



It was soon joined by another individual.



This one is a very light morph variety. They decided to ride the increasing thermals instead of gracing us with closer views.



Time to head home. Over at Lake Weldona, a Great Blue Heron was wading in to search for prey.



Then a surprise at Lake Cherokee. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a large bird. By the time I rounded the corner I could see that it was a Brown Pelican but it decided to fly off before I could get a good shot. We don't get a lot of Brown Pelicans in the neighborhood but they occasionally can be found in Orlando lakes in the Winter.



Last stop before the house is almost always the cemetery. Bald Eagles were nowhere in sight but I did find the Coyote again.



Turned out to be an interesting Saturday spin but I really would have liked to get those other Lifers on my Lust Road stop. Maybe next time.

Friday Cruising

The Hooded Mergansers that were out at the retention pond have been rather absent from the roadside and I haven't stopped by to get a closer look for a while. Today, I swung through the church parking lot to see if anything was in the smaller pond by the parking lot. To my surprise, there was a large flock of them in this tiny pond. First time I have seen them in there.



The Hooded Mergansers were swimming from side to side and it was fun to see them dive in groups...



...and then rise to make the next pass. I didn't want to spook them too much so I kept my distance and moved along to the other lakes.



Over at Lake Lancaster, there were several warblers (Palms) and I was going to give up on anything else until I heard a knocking in an oak. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was really focused on a certain spot in the branches and I was glad it really didn't mind me getting out of the van to get a closer shot.



I made my loop through the cemetery on the way home and saw another photographer parked and trying to get some sort of shot. I pulled ahead and looked left to see and hear a Bald Eagle zooming in toward the nest tree.



It actually seemed to be more interested in getting to its usual spot not far away but someone else was in the way. A Red-tailed Hawk was defiantly staying put in the eagle's daily perch.



I have seen the Red-tail pair more often around the Bald Eagle nest. Wonder if they are trying to move in or get at any young that might already be there. Time will tell.

Mixed Bag in Orlando

Had to take a trek down to the south of Orlando for a bit and stopped by a familiar pond along the way. did not see the American Coot that used to hang out there but I did see another bird I had forgotten about since they have not been in downtown Orlando for a while. A Pied-billed Grebe drifted out to the center of the pond as I slowed for a shot.



I spotted a couple birds I wanted to get shots of but as I made the turn to get a better look I noticed a shadow and looked up to see a Red-tailed Hawk circling nearby.



I positioned my van along the creek and soon came into view of a Tricolored Heron and White Ibis sifting through the edges of the weeds.



Soon, the object of my attention was visible and I stepped out to get a bunch of photos. I like this one the best. Roseate Spoonbills are not common in the Orlando area but for some reason a few of them love this spot near a very urban spot near a sprawling tourist complex. I will take those opportunities to be with them every chance I can.



On the way out I made sure to slow past a crowd I saw on the way in. Black Vultures were busy with the corpse of a hit Raccoon. Not pretty but yet another sighting.



A good tally of bird species in a short stop and a welcome change from the warbler searches I do near home every day.

Kraft Azalea Egrets and Palm's Hawks

I totally missed the breeding season at Kraft Azalea Park last year. Nearly missed it again this year but, fortunately, Mead Garden was overrun by British cars for a show. It was too nice a day to just head back home. As usual, once you turn the corner to the park the noise is unavoidable. Great Egrets have nests everywhere and the chicks are very hungry.



In another tree, an adult in breeding plumage rests before the next feeding round.



The Great Egret in most nests are getting very large and they seem to dictate the feeding once the parents return by grabbing onto them almost immediately.



For some reason I find this stressed out look on this parent a bit humorous.



On and on at all the nests.



On the way home I stopped by Palm Cemetery which I used to go by all the time when I was in Tech school. Not a lot of birds but I did find a Blue-headed Vireo way up above.



Calling and circling the gold course, Red-tailed Hawks were rising up on the thermals.



Besides adult Red-tailed Hawks there was another bird I had to ask about since it looked like a Short-tailed Hawk but had a belly band like a Red-tailed. Friends confirmed it is a molting juvenile Red-tailed.



A nice end to a beautiful drive.

In Between Cub Scout Nature Walks...

I was volunteered to give Nature Walks for groups of Cub Scouts and their parents through parts of Mead Garden all day today. Despite having my camera slung over my shoulder for over 8 hours, I barely took any shots. I was too busy pointing things out to take many photos.

However, I did have a few minutes during lunch and a few minutes once the walks were over and actually got more things on the card than I thought I did. In fact, I almost forgot that my fellow Mead birder friends pointed out a bird to me as I was making my way back for the next group. The first Eastern Wood Pewee of the season. Not the best shot but it counts!



During my lunch break I found my sandwich in the cooler beset by ants. Sigh. Off to circle the lake. More walking instead of relaxing but I can't resist the urge to find something while I am out. At the amphitheater I saw a bird dart into the Virgina Creeper berries. Turned out to be a female Summer Tanager. From below...



It didn't take long, though, for a bunch of Red-eyed Vireos to fly in and chased the Tanager away. Then they stood watch for a bit.



Down by the lake, a few Ibis, Titmice and herons rested along the shoreline and in the shrubs. I liked this pose of a Tricolored Heron up on the old dead tree over the water.



I headed around the shore and was surprised by a movement at my feet. It was a frog. More surprising was that it did not hop directly into the water as most frogs do. I had to do a little research and discovered this is a Florida Leopard Frog. Neat. I love the way the skin looks painted.



This little fella even let me get up close and personal for a more interesting view. It never even tried to move any further.



On the far side of the lake (OK, so it is really a large pond...) a number of Red-eared Sliders were sunning on the logs. Most jumped back into the water as kids ran by but the largest paused to look me over.



On the way back to get some more checklists for the next group of Cubs I saw the only raptor we would see all day. A Red-tailed Hawk circled high above and then off into the distance. Didn't even hear a Red-shouldered Hawk today. Weird.



I was being distracted most of the day by some birds that were enjoying the Beauty Berry shrubs on the first part of the Nature Walk. Just inside the shade where the shrubs were growing, warblers and thrushes scattered every time we walked through. It was driving me crazy because I knew I could get some shots if it weren't for all the humans in tow.

So, at the end of the day I packed up and made a quiet walk back to the spot. The light had changed so it was all shade but who can complain when you can hangout with Black-throated Blue Warblers enjoying an afternoon snack?



My feet were killing me by the end of the day but a bunch of warbler shots certainly give me enough lift to make it back home.

Quick Trip Home

Took the extra loop home tonight. Mainly, I wanted to see if the Pied-billed Grebe was still over by the church. Yep. Even heard it calling again yesterday.



Then I swung through the cemetery just in case anything was stirring. Not to much, but I was surprised to see a hawk up in the pine tree that the Bald Eagles perch in when they are here to breed in the Fall/Winter. A Red-tailed Hawk, in fact. Red-shouldered Hawks are much more common around this area.



Pretty quiet, otherwise. We shall see what pops up next.

Woodpeckers and the Hunting Hawk

A good flock of birds was foraging in Palm Cemetery today. Mostly Palm Warblers and Chipping Sparrows but there were also a lot of noisy Red-bellied Woodpeckers trolling through the branches. They would stop at certain spots and flick their tongues into crevices searching for bugs.



Many folks are confused by the name Red-bellied Woodpecker since they rarely see them from underneath. They generally hug the trunks of trees as they search around. Here is a blurry shot showing the seldom seen red belly.



I followed a small shape darting between shrubs and was greeted by a chirping Carolina Wren. It was difficult to get a shot through the foliage but I did get at least an identifiable snap.



As I was trying to get a shot of the Chipping sparrows I saw a quick moving shape coming out of the shadows as the birds all bolted. It was a Red-tailed Hawk flying at waist level and it passed within 4 feet of me. Once it landed, I crept up to take a few shots.



Then, it did something I had never seen before. It walked up along the branch and hopped up to the crook of the oak where a squirrels nest was in plain view. It then started stomping on the nest!



This went on for a few minutes as it tried to see if anyone was home.



An amazing behavior to witness. The hawk soon flew to another tree to preen before heading off in search of food.