Hot Weather Bird Watching

 

Sandhill Crane

Birds cool off by opening their beaks or bills to breathe cooler air into their system.  So on a hot day or evening if you see a bird panting, they are just trying to keep cool.  They also will often try to sit or perch in a shady spot or wade in a stream, pond or lake.  I took these photos last night at dusk here in The Villages, Florida. Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

Great Blue Heron

Snowy Egret

Mottled Ducks, White Ibis, Trio-colored Heron

 

Sandhill Crane

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

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Birds Here and There

Probably a Red-shouldered Hawk

A Snowy Egret, a couple of Great Blue Herons, and surprisingly, a hawk (probably a Red Shouldered Hawk but hard to tell) were all spotted here in The Villages, Florida, last evening at about 5:30.

I spotted the egret at Lake Paradise, the Great Blue Herons at Lake Paradise and Lake Mira-mar, and the hawk at a lamp-post on Morse Blvd. near Rio Grande.  Always fun to spot the hawks as they are not as frequently seen as are all the big wading and water birds here.  I also spotted several Wood Storks which I will feature in a coming post.  Always something to see here!  So much fun!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Great Blue Heron

Snowy Egret

Great Blue Heron

Wood Storks

This small flock of Wood Storks were spotted at Paradise Lake in The Villages, Florida on Friday, May 12, 2017.  The wonderfully serene but unusual-looking wading birds were here to enjoy the pickings of the remaining aquatic snails, worms, small minnows, tadpoles, frogs and such in the shallow water.   The lake is extremely diminished from its normal water level.

Happily, we did have a big rain on Saturday here but it did not do too much to raise the lake’s level.  The Wood Storks were only on the lake that one day.  I hope we see them again soon!  They are one of my favorites!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Wood Stork Wednesday

This migratory flock of Wood Storks was seen on Nov. 17, 2016 at the small lake right behind Freedom Pointe assisted living facilities on El Camino in The Villages, FL.  The placid storks were among a throng of egrets, herons, ducks, geese and cormorants at the two side by side little lakes.

The Wood Storks are a threatened species that has been known to fly as far as fifty miles from its nest in search of foods like:  aquatic worms, snails, small fish, small turtles, frogs and fish or frog eggs.

The Wood Storks are so calm and enjoyable to watch.  They seem to be curious about people but are unfazed when people are in their vicinity.  They are not “Tame” but are wild exotic birds.  It is very important that people to not feed Wood Storks as it will cause them to become dependent on people’s hand-outs and then the birds will not hunt naturally as much (and the handouts may prove unhealthy for their system).  Another thing is that it is against Florida law to feed exotic birds.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Wishing everyone a very happy Thanksgiving!

Egyptian Goose on the Loose!

This is an Egyptian Goose that I spotted about a week ago, at a small park lake in Lake County, Florida.  These waterfowl are not true geese, but are an old hybrid mixture of Shelduck and Goose.  This species originally came from the Saharan regions in Africa.

There a number of Egyptian Geese out in the wild in Central Florida.   All Egyptian Geese here are  escapees from zoos or private farms, or are birds intentionally let loose for whatever reason (or descend from such).  Please click on the thumbnail image to see a slightly larger version of each photo of this beautiful bird.  Enjoy!