Wordless Thursday: Tri-Colored and Little Blue Herons

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

Tri-colored Heron

Tri-colored Heron

Adult Little Blue Heron

Sweet Songbirds

Eastern Blue Jay

I enjoy seeing all types of both songbirds and the exotic big birds here in Florid!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

Crow

Eastern Bluebird

Red-winged Blackbird (male)

 

Pileated Woodpecker

Boat-tailed Grackle (male)

Cedar Waxwings

The Three Most Commonly Spotted Herons Here

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Herons, Little Blue Herons and Tri-colored Herons are all seen here in The Villages, FL.  These wading birds all eat fish, frogs, smaller aquatic animals and some insects.  Of the three types of herons mentioned here, the Great Blue is the most commonly spotted here in The Villages, and the Tri-colored Heron is the least commonly seen.

I want to wish everyone who celebrates, a very Happy Easter!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

Tri-colored Heron and Great Egret

Little Blue Heron

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

 

 

Great Blue Heron

Tri-colored Heron

Great Blue Heron

Sandhill Cranes in Florida

Sandhill Cranes are resident and migratory birds here in The Villages, FL.  It is not uncommon to see these large birds around the edges of golf courses, especially those near marshes.  Sandhill Cranes often eat grass, seeds, insects, worms, snails and prefer the cut apron areas of fairways.  Occasionally the cranes can be seen on people’s front or backyard lawns!  We do not fence most lots here.  By the way, the photo of the cranes in flight was actually taken at Paynes Prairie overlook on Highway 441 near Gainesville, FL.

These are various photographs I have taken here in the past months of the Sandhill Cranes.  Please click on the thumbnail images to see the slightly larger version of the picture.

 

Juvenile and Adult Little Blue Herons

Here are several Little Blue Herons I have photographed here in Central Florida with most being here in The Villages.  The juveniles are the white phase of their coloring and they turn a purple blue as an adult. The Little Blue Herons are wading birds and they eat fish, frogs, small turtles, aquatic snails, and larger aquatic insects.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

 

White Pelicans Flocking Up

I spotted this large gathering of American White Pelicans at the Freedom Pointe Lake here in The Villages, Florida. There also were a few cormorants mixed-in with the pelicans.  The pelicans will soon be making their way back up North.

Like many others, I am now staying at home as much as possible these days.  I am sharing mostly older photos that have not appeared here before.  I hope all of you readers and I, can stay as healthy as possible!   Please click not the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

A Cormorant with a Catch

These two Double-crested Cormorants were diving in a local pond for fish.  One was successful and the other was out of luck.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

Male Red-winged Blackbirds

Male Red-winged Blackbirds are very attractive songbirds!   They are black in color with a bright yellow and orange-red patch on the shoulder area of each wing.  The hens are a brown color without the colorful patch of yellow and red.

Red-winged blackbirds are mainly seen around bodies of fresh water.  They seem to thrive around marshes and enjoy eating the seeds of aquatic plants as well as many insects.  The males have a buzzy loud song that is memorable.  I always enjoy spotting these rather pretty songbirds!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

 

 

Wood Storks (Up Close)

Wood Storks have been spotted here in The Villages at Glenwood Country Club pond, at Freedom Pointe Lake, and at Lake Mira-mar.  The two I saw at Lake Mira-mar were quite curious and came up close to me when I shot the photo from the golf cart (hence the close-ups).  I think tourists are still feeding the White Ibis and Wood Storks at Lake Mira-mar which is at Spanish Springs which is why the storks have lost fear of people and beg.  Sad.  Yes there is a sign telling people not to feed the birds but some still do so.  I do not.

The other lakes I mention, had Wood Storks that decidedly were not going to be near people at all.  Very wild and good.  Wood Storks stop by in the late Winter and again in about July.  Occasionally the Wood Storks are here at other times but not as many individual birds.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

 

Cedar Waxwings Swarm a Holly Oak

 

Cedar Waxwings are a lovely songbird that love to eat berries.  Our neighbors have three Holly Oak trees that are full of bright red and tasty for birds, berries.  A few days ago, I noticed a large flock of birds circling around the neighborhood alighting on tall trees and then moving on to another area of trees.

Since I believed that these birds were Cedar Waxwings from their appearance and behavior, I watched from a distance while the birds swarmed the Holly Oaks taking berries with abandon!  Quite the sight.  I had to stay pretty far away because whenever the birds spotted me, off they would fly.

I think my neighborhood is on the normal migration route for these birds on their trip back up North.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!