Birds of the Suncoast

This blog post features many stunning birds seen on a recent visit to Longboat Key, Florida.

A beautiful juvenile Roseate Spoonbill searches for food amid a patch of water hyacinth

Perched on a dead limb, a regal Osprey scans Sarasota Bay

The dusky midnight blue plumage of an adult Little Blue Heron

Seeking prey in the pond ~ Juvenile Little Blue Heron

A prehistoric-looking Wood Stork soars aloft

A long-necked Anhinga dries its feathers in the sun

A handsome Red-shouldered Hawk scans the area for food

Fishing in the shallows ~ Great Egret

A striking Great Blue Heron snares an unfortunate fish

A juvenile White Ibis settles into the mangroves

Preening amongst the lush green leaves ~ Brown Pelican

A female Belted Kingfisher rests on a bare branch

Swooning over a Spoonbill

I am so very happy to finally be putting out a blog post! This summer blogging has taken a back seat to more pressing matters. Building our new home in Indiana has been a priority over the last few months. Bruce and his crew have been working diligently on the construction and the house is really starting to take shape. Though most of our time has been spent in the country working on the house, we have yet to acquire internet service. I have greatly missed reading all of your beautiful blogs, writing comments and putting out posts of my own. Most importantly and sadly, my wonderful Dad passed away at the beginning of August. It has been a difficult time for me and my family, but we have taken great comfort in all the kindness, support and generosity from family and friends.

I recently spent a few days in Longboat Key, Florida. Though the trip was not for pleasure, I managed to find a couple of minutes here and there to venture out with my camera. The highlight of my outings was finally being able to view a Roseate Spoonbill from a close distance. Over the past few years I have been enamoured by this elusive blushed pink bird. Until recently I was only able to catch a passing glimpse of a spoonbill. Oh what a joy it was to observe this cool bird with the odd shaped bill. This post features photographs of lovely feathered friends seen on my recent visit to Longboat Key and a few from past trips.

A splendid sight ~ Roseate Spoonbill

 

 

One of many Northern Mockingbirds seen on Longboat Key

 

 

The stunning plumage of a Tricolored Heron

 

 

A striking Great Egret seeks prey in the shallows

 

 

Soaking up the morning sun ~ Turkey Vulture

 

 

A statuesque Great Blue Heron has hunting success

 

 

Two pretty Willets spend a late afternoon at the beach

 

 

Looking out over Sarasota Bay ~ Snowy Egret

A beautiful White Ibis forages for food in the pond

 

 

A common sight on Longboat Key ~ Osprey

 

 

Drying feathers amongst the mangrove leaves ~ Anhinga

 

 

One last look at the Roseate Spoonbill

 

 

Birds of Paradise

The winter season has been slow to start here in Chicago. Up until two days ago, our weather has been very spring-like. Currently, as I gaze out the window, I see six inches of pristine snow blanketing our lawn, bushes and trees. The air is crisp at 20 degrees. Winds are brisk. Winter has finally arrived.

During January and February, the coldest months of the year, I spend less time outdoors photographing birds because of the frigid temperatures and frequent snowy days. I really do miss meandering though nature preserves, strolling around ponds and scaling small sand dunes. With this post, I thought I would warm up a bit and revisit our recent vacation destination, the gulf coast of Florida. Truly a tropical paradise! Below I feature many of the lovely birds seen on our two week trip.

The magnificent wings of an Osprey ~ It appears as if this female was eyeing me as if I were prey!

Pretty Northern Mockingbirds are a common sight on Longboat Key

The freshly fluffed plumage of a Wood Stork

A lithe Greater Yellowlegs seeks nourishment in the shallows

We delighted in watching this juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron stalk crabs on the beach

A stunning Snowy Egret looks out over the deep blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico

Two feisty Great Egrets engage in a territorial dispute

A dainty Black-bellied Plover escapes the frothy waves of the Gulf

Little Blue Herons are often seen hunting in Sarasota Bay

A Yellow-crowned Night Heron wades the bay waters in search of prey

Crouched and ready for take off ~ Great Blue Heron



Beautiful Birds of Myakka

On a brisk, gusty November afternoon, Bruce and I kissed two mopey-eyed dogs goodbye (sniff, sniff), hopped in a taxi, made our way through airport security, glided along on several moving walkways and boarded a plane to the west coast of Florida. Thanksgiving with my family down in Longboat Key is always a joy. Our days are spent with loved ones, savoring delicious home cooked meals, basking in the warm, soothing rays of the sun and strolling on white, powdery beaches. Viewing the gorgeous wildlife of the Gulf Coast is a special treat for us as well.

This year, we decided to visit Myakka River State Park, only 40 minutes away. Myakka River State Park is one of the oldest and largest state parks in Florida. The Myakka River flows through 58 square miles of diverse terrain. A most wonderful day was spent viewing an abundance of wildlife (especially birds!) and beautiful scenic landscapes. We observed at least 34 species of birds, eight American Alligators (two mating) and one furtive Florida Water Snake. I was thrilled to add two life birds to my list, as we spotted a few well camouflaged Wilson's Snipes and four elegant Black-necked Stilts.

This post features several of the stunning birds seen at the park ... and one BIG alligator.

A resplendent Tricolored Heron exhibits interesting fishing behavior

This lovely Sandhill Crane pair was one of several we observed at the park

A slender Greater Yellowlegs darts for prey in the shallows

An elegant Great Egret walks amid a lush bed of water hyacinth

I gasped when I saw this Great Blue Heron land in close proximity to the basking alligator. The scaly large-mouthed reptile showed no interest and a minute or two later slowly slid into the water.

The Wood Stork's diet consists of crayfish, crabs, fish, frogs and large insects. I find the prehistoric look of the Wood Storks bald head to be so very interesting.

Many solitary Glossy Ibis were seen feeding throughout the park. I recently read that these birds will without hesitation, indulge in eating water snakes.

The stunning blue plumage of a Little Blue Heron

We were thrilled to spot over 40 Roseate Spoonbills at the park. Most were congregated at a remote area of Upper Myakka Lake. This is not the greatest photograph, but I was elated to catch sight of the blushing bird in flight.

A beautiful White Ibis exhibits a mucky beak from probing in the mud for food

A Great Blue Heron and Wood Stork cross paths while seeking sustenance

Soon after the above photograph was taken, this American Alligator lumbered into the water and swam after another alligator, perhaps 300 feet away. The rapid chase continued for a few minutes until they both slowed down, swam side by side and proceeded to mate.

~ The average male American Alligator is 10-15 feet long and weighs 500-600 pounds ~

Gulf Coast Beauty

The Blizzard of 2011 hit us pretty hard here in Chicago. We were pelted with 20+ inches of snow over a 20 hour period. 55 mph wind gusts howled and whirled throughout the duration of the monster storm. We even experienced thundersnow! The bitter cold arrived overnight with a low temperature of -6 degrees. After all of this, I am certainly dreaming of the tropical paradise of Florida.

This is my final entry in a series of posts featuring the lovely birds of the west coast of Florida.

A regal Great Blue Heron flies over Sarasota Bay

Pretty profile ~ Snowy Egret

An Osprey and its impressive nest

A dollop of moist sand rests upon the beak of a tiny Sanderling

The close up view of an elegant Great Egret

A graceful Great-blue Heron wades in the pond shallows

A most splendid sight ~ Great-blue Heron

 

The Willet is a common bird seen along the powdery white sands of the gulf coast

 Sharing a peaceful moment at the pier ~ Great Egret and Snowy Egret

The colorful profile of a stunning Great-blue Heron

A freshly fluffed Snowy Egret

Happiness is vacationing along the gulf coast of Florida!