As frigid arctic air moves into the Midwest, I thought I would post some bird photographs taken during my March visit to Longboat Key, Florida. Thoughts of warmer climes, lush foliage and stunning birds certainly ease cabin fever on a day where wind chill readings of -30 degrees are expected here in Chicago. Brrr!
A handsome Barred Owl roosts quietly in the forest canopy
A hungry owlet calls out for its parents
A stunning Great Blue Heron shows off its impressive wingspan
Two Limpkins explore Celery Fields
A Great Egret in breeding plumage finery
Two curious Great Egret youngsters move about the nest
A striking figure amid the Spanish moss ~ White-eyed Vireo
Pretty in Pink ~ Roseate Spoonbill
A juvenile Little Blue Heron scratches an itch
The midnight blue feathers of an adult Little Blue Heron
Foraging amidst the Sarasota Bay mangroves ~ Yellow-crowned Night Heron
A colorful Green Heron perches above swamp waters
Searching for food ~ Glossy Ibis
Soaring above Celery Fields ~ Northern Harrier
Exhibiting courtship behavior ~ Double-crested Cormorants
A red-eyed Black-crowned Night Heron peeks out from behind the mangrove leaves
An American Alligator basks in the warm morning sun