Friday, January 31, 2014

From the South

It's the time for my annual migration (lol, eyeroll)  down to Florida to see the parents and the birds hanging around.  The first few days have been rainy, rainy, rainy.  Finally, today I got up and decided to brave the cloudy drizzly skies and head out to my favorite spot, Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve.

By the time I got there, the rain had gone away although it threatened most of my walk.  I spent two hours walking along the boardwalk and tallied up 30 species seen.  Not too shabby.  The best of the birds was a drake Wood Duck that decided to take a quick flight in a circle from its hiding spot.  I also spotted two Yellow-throated Warblers mixed in with groups of other warblers and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers.  One of the 'other warblers' was a Black-and-White Warbler that was only a few feet away.  Such an awesome place to walk and bird.  

Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera even though I had some great looks at birds (afraid of the rain).  So I'll post a couple of cloudy day feeder pictures.  Oh and a few shots from the Bald Eagle nest that you can view live webcam coverage of.

Common Ground Dove

Female Red-bellied Woodpecker: "What'chu lookin at?"

Common Grackle: common for sure but their colors are not!

Painted Buntings: female to the left, male on right

Bald Eagle: sans fish, bad parent!

Bald Eagle: a little extra nesting material in transit