Some Avian Villagers

Drake Hooded Merganser Duck

Tai-Colored Herons, Wood Storks, Hooded Merganser Ducks, Sandhill Cranes, White Ibis, Double-Crested Cormorants, Anhingas, and many more large exotic birds are seen here in The Villages, Florida on and in our many ponds and small lakes.  It also is not unusual to see a Great Egret strolling through the shrubbery on street parkways.

There are always many varieties of large and small birds around this community and its many neighborhoods to observe!  It is such a pleasant hobby to go out bird watching!  I am sure many of the readers here will agree!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo!  Enjoy!

Wood Stork

Double-Crested Cormorants

White Ibis

 

 

Sandhill Crane

Tri-Colored Heron

Anhinga Drying its Wings

Advertisements

Misc. Birds in The Villages, FL

Mallard Ducks

Bald Eagles nesting in the high tension electric towers; Double-crested Cormorants perched on pilings in a pond; A Little Blue Heron on the hunt in a drainage ditch; a cute little Pied-billed Grebe; Ring-Necked and Lesser Scaup Ducks on a local golf pond; and a small flock of Mallard Ducks on the banks of Lake Paradise were all spotted last week in The Villages, Florida!

We have an amazing variety of birds here now.  We get many migratory birds down from the Midwest and other regions of North America.  Such fun to get out to our many ponds and small lakes to see what species has come to visit on any particular day!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Bald Eagle near it’s nest

Little Blue Heron

Ring-Necked and Lesser Scaup Ducks

 

Cormorants

Pied-billed Grebe

Bald Eagle on it’s Nest

More Pelicans Have Arrived!

 

White Pelicans have been spotted in more places here in The Villages, Florida.  I spotted about twenty White Pelicans at the Freedom Pointe Lake on El Camino Real, where the flocks often come in Winter months (I call it Pelican Pointe and Cormorant Corner).  I also have seen a few at the Nancy Lopez Legacy Golf Course driving range pond.

The White Pelicans have flown from the Midwestern states and are hungry.  White Pelicans primarily dine on fish and frogs with occasional small tender turtles.  Often the other water birds such as Double-crested Cormorants or even Anhingas will help with the fishing by encircling the school of fish to be gulped by the pelicans with enough for all.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of that photo.  Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday: Winter Waterbirds

Great Egret in breeding plumage

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

White Pelicans

Canada Geese

Great Blue Heron in breeding plumage

 

Double-crested Cormorant

Tri-colored Heron with Seagull

Northern Shoveler Ducks

What Did I See at the Nancy Lopez Legacy Golf Course in The Villages, FL Today?

A flock of Double-crested Cormorants; several Wood Storks; a flock of Canada Geese; several Egyptian Geese; a lot of Mottled Ducks; a few Great Egrets; a few Snowy Egrets; a few Mallard Ducks; and a small pod of White Pelicans.  I also spotted a Southern Bald Eagle up on a nearby electrical tower.   Today’s post is part one of two showcasing all these birds.  I will show part 2 on Friday.

Our migratory Winter visitors, the true “Snow birds” are coming in droves daily here.  I spotted all these birds on the driving range pond of the beautiful Nancy Lopez Legacy Golf Course here in The Villages, FL today.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Cormorants, Egrets, Goose, Turtles and Herons!

Double-crested Cormorants and a Seagull

Water birds, wading birds and turtles were all spotted at Freedom Pointe and Paradise Lakes in The Villages, Florida this past weekend.  I am happy that the weather was nice enough to permit a bird watching jaunt both on Friday at dusk and on Saturday afternoon.

The Double-crested Cormorant flock will be flying North in coming days.  I was surprised that this flock did not follow the White Pelicans that left for their migration on Friday morning.  The Great Egret, Snowy Egret, the Cooter Turtles, Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, and what is probably a Try-colored Heron, are all resident birds here in The Villages, Florida.  These birds are mostly meat eaters while the geese love seeds and grasses.  I love getting out and about at the many small ponds and lakes and preserves here!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Double-crested Cormorant in the Live Oak Tree Roost

Tri-colored Heron

Great Blue Heron and Double-crested Cormorants

 

Double-crested Cormorant, Cooter Turtle and a Canada Goose

Great and Snowy Egrets

Cooter Turtle

White Pelicans Bedding Down

A flock of White Pelicans was spotted tonight at sunset at Freedom Pointe Lake in The Villages, Florida.  This group of birds is about half of the number seen in this area a few weeks ago.  Many of these migratory birds have already left for the Spring and Summer.

This spot on the lake is the favorite place for the White Pelicans and their friends, the Double-crested Cormorants to spend the evening to sleep (the cormorants head to the nearby Oak Trees to roost).  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!