Anhinga on flooded Lake Mira-mar
I took these pictures on Sunday evening at twilight here in The Villages, FL. The pictures were taken at Lake Mira-mar and at near Boone Park on Lake Paradise. Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture. Enjoy!
White Ibis on Lake Mira-mar at Veteran’s Park area
Mottled Ducks at Boone Park, Flooded Kim Street
Great Egret on Lake Paradise from near Boone Park
Try-colored Heron at Boone Park Flooded Lake Paradise on Street
We just got our Internet back on so I am able to post here. We had evacuated from our home here for the duration of the storm and returned to absolutely no damage to our house (Hooray!). We were fortunate. Our community did fine and there is not a lot of damage here unlike the South of Florida and Jacksonville to the Northeast.
We had minor flooding in a couple parts of our neighborhoods along some of the little lakes and ponds but I don’t think many (if any) houses got lake water inside. The Paradise Park archery range is flooded and I may not be doing any archery practice for more than a few days. It can wait.
I am grateful beyond measure for all the wonderful electric line workers who have come from all over to help Florida get power back on! Also grateful to those disaster workers who are helping in hard hit areas here in the state!
Last night and this morning I went out safely and took some pictures of birds and the little lakes. Here are a few of those photographs. Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture. Enjoy!
Great Egrets on Flooded Lake Mira-mar
Flooded Lake Mira-mar
White Ibis at Lake Mira-mar
Tri-colored Heron at Flooded Boone Park on Lake Paradise
Flooding at Boone Park on Lake Paradise
White Ibis at Flooded Lake Mira-mar
A Squadron of Mottled Ducks sails on the Freedom Pointe Lake
Egrets, Egyptian Geese, Canada Geese, Herons and Mottled Ducks were all spotted here in The Villages, FL on the lake at Freedom Pointe and on the street parkway on Buena Vista Blvd. last week. I so enjoy getting out an about to spot and watch the birds here. We often see these exotic birds! It is amazing.
I have been working on hurricane preparations as we expect to see some type of tropical storm force or hurricane force winds here on Sunday and Monday. We don’t have a firm track for the hurricane so I cannot say how bad it should be but I think we will be better off here inland as we are 60 miles from both coastlines. Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture. Please understand if I don’t post on Monday – perhaps we will have power but likely not. Thanks.
A Great Egret Hunts in the Shrubbery on Buena Vista Blvd.
White Ibis, Egyptian Goose, Canada Goose and Great Blue Heron
A Great Egret Roosts at Freedom Pointe
White Pelicans on Lake Paradise this past Spring
The Wood Storks, Great Egrets, White Ibis, Cattle Egrets, White Pelicans, and Snowy Egrets are all large white-colored wading birds/water birds . I did not add in the various white geese, swans, or ducks because I seldom see these birds here in The Villages, FL.
By the way, I saw three very placid Wood Storks on the parking lot next to Lake Mira-mar last night at dinner time. Unusual to see more than two at a time but yes, that area is a hot spot for big bird hand-outs (not good for people to feed these exotic birds). We continue to have intermittent rain showers and thunderstorms here so I have not been out to bird watch with the camera in a few days. Hope to be out and about soon! I will post what new pictures I do take in coming days. Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture. Enjoy!
White Ibis at the Shoreline of Freedom Pointe Lake
Great Egret at Paradise Lake
Cattle Egret at Freedom Pointe Pond Meadow
Snowy Egret at El Lago Santiago
Wood Stork in Flight at Lake Paradise
Great Egrets and Sandhill Crane on Lake Paradise this last Spring
Ornamental Waterfalls at Paradise Lake in The Villages, FL
The wildlife such as White Ibis, Great Blue Herons, Mottled Ducks, all are enjoying a much fuller Lake Paradise in The Villages, FL this week. I am thrilled that the little park lake is now full of water and the ornamental waterfalls are turned back on. Lots of beautiful local scenery.
This park lake has seen a huge variety of birds visit. The White Ibis, Great Blue Heron, Canada Geese, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Mottled Ducks, Mallard Ducks and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks are resident birds. We also get visits by White Pelicans, Bald Eagles, Osprey, Bufflehead Ducks, Coots, Hooded Mergansers, Egyptian Geese, Try-colored Herons, Sandhill Cranes, Wood Storks, Muscovy Ducks; Lesser Scaups, Yellowlegs, Kildeer, Anhingas, Double-belted Kingfishers, and occasionally a few other types of wild ducks such as Teal, Wood Ducks, White Pekin Ducks, and others. It is a really nifty spot to bird watch but the birds do come and go so one never knows how many varieties of birds one will see. Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.
White Ibis
Great Egret and Tri-color Heron
White Ibis
Muscovy Duck at Paradise Lake, The Villages, FL
Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture. Enjoy!
Florida Mottled Duck, Lake Paradise, The Villages FL
Florida Mottled Ducks on Lake Paradise, The Villages, FL
Bald Eagles, Osprey, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Wood Storks, Anhingas, Little Blue Herons, Trio-colored Herons, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Double-crested Cormorants, Sandhill Cranes, Mottled Ducks, Muscovy Ducks, Mallard Ducks and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks all have been spotted at the lovely pond at the El Santiago Golf Course in The Villages, Fl this year.
I often can spot several larger birds here and am usually rewarded with good sightings. There is easy access to the pond from Enrique Drive or the recreation center’s parking lot. By the way, the Bald Eagles sometimes perch on the electric line towers both on the golf course and just down the street. Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture. Enjoy!
