Not so Soon About the White Pelicans?

White Pelicans apparently have decided to stick around here in The Villages in limited numbers.  I noticed about eight of the big white beauties a few days ago on the pond called “Golf View Lake” near Paradise Park, and probably the same group, at Lake Paradise the next day.  I had also spotted a small number of the pelicans on a different pond at the Nancy Lopez Legacy Golf Course (not the driving range pond).

So, I may have been premature about declaring that the pelicans had migrated North.  We will see if these few stay here in The Villages over the Winter as some did last season.  Who knows?  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bird Watching at Dusk

Whistling Ducks, a Glossy Ibis, and Mallard Ducks

Newly hatched Canada goslings, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Mallard Ducks, a Glossy Ibis, an Anhinga, and a tree full of Great Blue Herons were all spotted here in The Villages during the past two evenings at twilight.

Please click on the thumbnail image to see the very slightly larger version of the picture.  Wishing everyone who celebrates, a happy Passover, and a most happy Easter!

Great Egret and Anhinga

Great Egret Roosting

Newly Hatched Canada Goslings

 

Snowy Egret

Great Blue Heron Rookery

Great Blue Heron Rookery

Wild Wednesday: Bald Eagles Nesting

 

Southern Bald Eagles have established several active nests here in The Villages, Florida.  Most of the eagles in The Villages, nest on tall electric power line towers.

One family of Southern Bald Eagles with two older eaglets, has a nest in the middle of the Nancy Lopez Legacy golf course right in the center on the golf cart multi-modal trail.  Soon the older eaglets at Nancy Lopez Golf will be fledging.  Will be interesting to see that happen.  Those eaglets have grown a lot in the last couple of weeks since I was last there to visit.

The other nest that I tend to visit is near Morse Blvd. and San Marino (San Pedro has a good view) but several blocks to the East.  That nest has eggs that have not yet hatched.  The eagles have plenty of food sources here with many open fields, ponds, marshes, and lakes.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of that particular photo.  Enjoy!

 

 

Nearly Wordless Wednesday: Wistlers & Wood Storks

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

I took these photographs this morning at three ponds here in The Villages, FL.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!  P.S. The White Pelicans are here now in big numbers!

Wood Stork

Surprise Visitors!

Two Roseate Spoonbills visited the shore of Lake Paradise in The Villages, Florida, this afternoon!  I took these pictures at dusk and from across the lake so I had to crop the shot to allow you to better see the bird.  These are quite rare here in Lake County, FL!

This is the first time I have seen spoonbills in The Villages!   We actually had a crowd of wading birds at Lake Paradise today.  There were many Great Egrets, Double-crested Cormorants, Snowy Egrets, the Roseate Spoonbills, seven Wood Storks, many White Ibis, and even a Great Blue Heron.  Wow!  Very unusual.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday: Wood Stork

Please click on the thumbnail image to see the very slightly larger version of the photo.  I took the picture with my cell phone.  The big bird was at Paradise Park in The Villages, FL, on 9/17/18.

Sharon Rose Wiechens Nature Preserve at Dusk

An Anhinga drying its wings

Two smallish Alligators, two Anhinga birds, a beautiful blue Dragonfly, a Common Moorhen, and a lone Great Egret were the reptiles, birds, and insect I spotted at the Sharon Rose Wiechens Nature Preserve here in The Villages, FL, last evening around 6:30pm.

One of the Alligators was perhaps six feet long which was the one seen swimming in deeper water in the lake.  The other Alligator was probably around four to five feet in size and was sitting right under the edge of the raised boardwalk (people were very safe from the ‘Gator).

I always enjoy visiting this preserve and no two visits are alike.  Always different critters and yes, many more aquatic plants in the lake near the shore now, as compared to even a year ago!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

Common Moorhen

Larger Alligator

Great Egret in the Distance

 

Smaller Alligator

Close-up of the smaller Alligator’s head

Dragonfly

Wordless Wednesday

Great Blue Heron

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

Freshwater “Cooter” Turtle

Tri-colored Heron

Great Egret – Preening

A Great Egret and Great Blue Heron Meet

 

This Great Egret was perched several posts away from the Great Blue Heron on a small golf course and residential pond in The Villages, FL, near Orange Blossom Gardens, when the egret decided to sneak ever closer to the heron.  After reaching the next post to the heron, the egret decided enough was enough and off it flew.

The whole sequence of events here was pretty amusing as the heron had basically no reaction to the ever closer presence of the egret.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

An Osprey (Sea Hawk or Sea Eagle)

I photographed this Osprey at Lake Paradise in The Villages, FL, from the lovely little Schwartz Park. I took the photographs on Tuesday, May 22, 2018 late in the afternoon.  The bird of prey was trying unsuccessfully to catch a tasty fish for its meal.  The lake is very high right now since we have had a lot of rain recently.  I have been seeing many Canada Geese, the resident Great Blue Heron, a few ducks, a few egrets and Anhingas but this is the first Osprey here in several weeks that I have photographed.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!