Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Sarasota Area Birds


During the month of February, I was fortunate to spend several days on the west coast of Florida. Below are a variety of beautiful birds seen in and around the Sarasota area.


A striking Red-shouldered Hawk shows off its stunning plumage

A Brown Pelican floats in the briny Gulf of Mexico

A pair of Great Blue Herons occupy a nest in the mangroves ~ I stopped by the next day and saw three herons sitting in the nest

A pretty Roseate Spoonbill hunts for prey in a shallow pond at Celery Fields

Seeking sustenance ~ Black-bellied Plover

A handsome Osprey looks out over Sarasota Bay

Three Black-bellied Whistling Ducks enjoy a quiet morning at the pond

Two prehistoric-looking Wood Storks soar aloft at Oscar Scherer State Park

A stunning White Ibis relaxes while soaking in the late afternoon sun
Double delight ~ Red-shouldered Hawks

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42 comments:

  1. eileeninmdMarch 13, 2013 at 4:23 AM

    Great collection of birds, Julie! Love the Spoonbill, Osprey and the Whistling ducks are always a favorite of mine. They are all awesome photos. Have a great day!

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  2. Bas.March 13, 2013 at 5:30 AM

    Wat is dit mooi zoveel schoonheid in een paar dagen geweldig dit is genieten.

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  3. de schoonheid van de natuurMarch 13, 2013 at 5:33 AM

    wat een geweldige serie van die vogels en mooi van kleur.
    groetjes Herman.

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  4. Isidro OrtizMarch 13, 2013 at 7:49 AM

    Excelentes capturas.Saludos

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  5. TinieMarch 13, 2013 at 9:20 AM

    What a wonderful series Julie. Nice sharp pictures of birds. That is enjoying.


    Groetjes Tinie

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  6. Ingemar PetterssonMarch 13, 2013 at 9:34 AM

    Hi!
    Amazing bird serie i realy love the rosate spoon bill, i have never heard about it.
    Greetings from Sweden
    /Ingemar

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  7. TexWisGirlMarch 13, 2013 at 9:48 AM

    i saw a post from you in my reader and got excited! :) i LOVE every one of your shots! one more beautiful than the next! just gorgeous!

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  8. MoiCLouLouMarch 13, 2013 at 10:08 AM

    Beautiful shots Julie! They all are great; #7 & #8 are really special because of the numbers of birds in each picture, #7 the trio #8 the duo are fabulous!
    A great series for my eyes! :)
    Thanks,
    Louise

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  9. Marco LuijkenMarch 13, 2013 at 10:36 AM

    Hello Julie,
    This is real enjoyment!! What a beautiful shots!! They are all so great and it's fantastic to see how you phographed them so well.
    I can't say which is my favorite, because they are all very beautiful and special to see. Very well done Julie!!

    Many greetings,
    Marco

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  10. Ruth HiebertMarch 13, 2013 at 11:23 AM

    Beautiful pictures. I can only imagine the thrill of being at a place where so many different birds can be seen.

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  11. JRandSueMarch 13, 2013 at 12:04 PM

    What a stunning set Julie,love your Black Bellied Plover.
    Superb photography.
    John.

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  12. Kerri FarleyMarch 13, 2013 at 3:23 PM

    These are magnificent! I'm really going to have to get to Florida and see some of these gorgeous birds! That spoonbill just steals my heart!

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  13. Bob BushellMarch 13, 2013 at 5:33 PM

    A stunning collection of birds, my favourite is the White Ibis, superb.

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  14. Mariette VandenMunckhof-VedderMarch 13, 2013 at 7:53 PM

    Dearest Julie,
    What a treat for us, who were not near Sarasota with you. The way you share this with us is marvelous. THANK you so much!
    Hugs to you,
    Mariette

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  15. Laurence ButlerMarch 13, 2013 at 8:02 PM

    Ah, love the warm and colorful Florida flavor Julie! Most excellent photos too, as always.

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  16. KaHollyMarch 13, 2013 at 9:27 PM

    Oh, my, what gorgeous pictures. Each and every one! I'm headed that way the first week in April. Can't wait! Thanks for sharing!

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  17. DebbieMarch 13, 2013 at 10:00 PM

    These are all so gorgeous Julie, what special images you always share with us!

    Crisp, clear and colorful, what a treat!!

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  18. ShySongbirdMarch 14, 2013 at 9:07 AM

    Beautiful photos Julie and a lovely collection of birds. What a gorgeous bird the Roseate Spoonbill is!! Whistlers always make me smile, I don't know why but they do ;-)

    I also loved your previous post, such beautiful butterflies! The Common Buckeye is so striking, I wish we had them here.

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  19. AnonymousMarch 14, 2013 at 5:50 PM

    Beautiful pictures to brighten up a wintry day! I've yet to see black bellied whistling ducks.

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  20. BetsMarch 15, 2013 at 7:36 AM

    Hello Julie
    What a great serie, they are all beautiful.
    Greetings Bets

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  21. Annula FotografieMarch 15, 2013 at 9:48 AM

    What a great serie, they are all beautiful.
    Very well done Julie!!
    http://anniezon.blogspot.nl/

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  22. DanMarch 15, 2013 at 11:16 PM

    Awesome in every way!

    I too take delight in viewing your wonderful images. Thank you!

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  23. Mia McPhersonMarch 16, 2013 at 8:28 AM

    These are all lovely Julie!

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  24. Debbie Miller @HooootOwlMarch 17, 2013 at 10:22 AM

    So many unique sightings, all are beautiful Julie. Love the opened mouthed pelican and the way the blue heron neck is twisted and ruffled. Boy someday I hope see whistling duck and spoonbill .. so many lovely unique views!

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  25. RubyMarch 17, 2013 at 11:18 AM

    Your pictures are extremely beautiful Julie. You have captured them at the right moment. I love the serene duck rides and the pelican beak.Wow!! Marvellous! Thanks for sharing them dear.

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  26. RohrerbotMarch 17, 2013 at 5:13 PM

    Oh...one of these days I'll make it over to Florida:) So many beautiful birds. Love Ospreys:) Your lighting is always perfect on the shots. Here the sun is brutal and washes everything out:)Hope we get to meet one day.

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  27. CabinGirlMarch 18, 2013 at 10:23 AM

    Such lovely photos, Julie! As I type, we are being blanketed by about 7" of new snow, so these sunny bird photos are most welcome!

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  28. JulianaMarch 19, 2013 at 8:21 AM

    wonderful!
    great works!

    xoxo, Juliana | PJ’ Happies :) | PJ’ Ecoproject

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  29. Joke van de KliftMarch 19, 2013 at 10:31 AM

    Hi Jullie,

    Wat een prachtige serie foto's heb je gemaakt. Ik vindt ze één voor één schitterend.
    Vogels, wat zijn het mooie dieren met hun kleurrijke verenpak.
    Prachtig weergegeven.

    Lovely greeting, Joke

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  30. Rosemary AubutMarch 20, 2013 at 5:45 PM

    Amazing photos! We are so lucky to have these gorgeous birds in Florida!

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  31. ZielonaMilaMarch 21, 2013 at 5:29 AM

    Beautiful photographs, beautiful birds. I am greeting

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  32. GuyMarch 21, 2013 at 8:49 AM

    Hi Julie

    Wonderful photos I really enjoyed the wood storks.

    All the best.
    Guy

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  33. Bob BushellMarch 26, 2013 at 5:23 PM

    Wow, they are wonderful, stunning photography Julie.

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  34. AnonymousMarch 27, 2013 at 7:46 AM

    Great series!
    Makes me even more looking forward to our trip to Florida in May :-)

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  35. forgetmenotMarch 28, 2013 at 8:39 PM

    Florida is a pretty nice place to be in February. Once again, your photos are spectacular. Such an interesting and diverse array of birds. And, your photos are excellent--always of such high quality. Thanks for stopping by my blog frequently. I've been busy with other things and have not posted nearly as much as Idid in the past. With the arrival of Spring, there will be many more opportunities to get some good photos. Happy Easter. Mickie :)

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  36. Larry OstbyMarch 30, 2013 at 7:06 PM

    Oh my! Your images are spectacular Julie. No such thing as a favorite, they are all beautiful. It's such a pleasure to see your work. Thanks.

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  37. John's IslandApril 5, 2013 at 9:26 AM

    Hi Julie, Greetings to you from Seattle. I can’t believe this post has been up since mid March and I’m just now taking a look. And looking over the comments here, I could almost copy what Mickie (forgetmenot) said just up above. I think she nailed it on the quality of your photos. Your pictures are always thoughtfully composed and executed with precision. Of all the blogs I have found so far, I would have to say that the professional quality of your birding photos puts it at the very top. Again, like Mickie, I have had several other projects taking up my time lately and haven’t posted much on John’s Island. Our weather is starting to get back to that time of year when I feel like I need to be out capturing a photo somewhere. I think I might feel that way all year in Florida! : - ) As always, thank you for sharing your wonderful photography. Best regards to you and your family, AND thank you for all your kind comments on my blog! John

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  38. Weekend CowgirlApril 5, 2013 at 10:26 AM

    These are fabulous photos! What a fun trip. Love the Pelican floating. That mouth!!!!!

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  39. LizApril 6, 2013 at 5:26 AM

    Beautiful photos! Love being able to see such great photos of birds that we don't have here in Maine.

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  40. Rosemary AubutApril 7, 2013 at 6:16 AM

    So glad you made it over to the west coast! These are gorgeous! Love them all especially the Roseate Spoonbill!

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  41. Manuel LuisApril 8, 2013 at 4:57 PM

    Apanhadas em flagrante, o impressionante exotismo, um olhar puro com uma sensibilidade inigualável.Sinto-me bem aqui na tua quinta.
    Aceita um beijo de carinho

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  42. JannMay 9, 2013 at 2:36 PM

    Beautiful shots! I live in Florida and am always jealous of your gorgeous shots while visiting here!

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