White Ibises

I spotted White Ibises at two parks this last week here in The Villages.  Actually, these wading birds are pretty commonly seen in neighborhoods and at local ponds and lakes.  The small flocks were at Paradise Park and Lake Mira-mar in the golf cart parking areas near the lakes.

Ibises at the Lake Mira-mar parking lot are known to be champion beggars!  They wait for treats from well-meaning tourists/grandkids who feed them bread and cereal as if they are park ducks (people should not feed exotic wild birds).  These are really good birds as they eat insects and are charming to watch.  By the way, the one in the photo that is partially brown is an older juvenile.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

White Ibises and Snowy Egret

Juvenile White Ibis

I saw this small flock of White Ibises at the lovely little Lake Mira-mar near the Spanish Springs Square in The Villages, Florida a few nights ago at dusk.  Note the juvenile is the one with the brown and white feathers.

This beautiful Snowy Egret was seen at Boone Park on Lake Paradise, and the Wood Stork also on Lake Paradise seen in the distance, from the Schwartz Park shoreline.  I also have been spotting a couple of Wood Storks off and on at Boone Park across the road into the far reaches of the lake.

I just love getting out and about and seeing all these big birds!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

White Ibis

Wood Stork

Snowy Egret

Roaming Ibises

This flock of White Ibis were roaming around my neighborhood the other day.  The flock flew in and then went yard to yard in a group, trying to find tasty grubs or worms in the front yard lawns.  It is amusing to watch these harmless fun big birds.  They move in a formation that resembles cattle.  I noted a juvenile among the flock.  The juvenile is the one that is brown and white.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo. Enjoy!

 

White Ibises

White Ibises are a common sight here in Central Florida.  I snapped these pictures yesterday along my street here in The Villages, FL, and also in Tuscawilla Park in Ocala, FL.

White Ibises eat earth worms, grubs, aquatic worms, aquatic snails such as Apple Snails, and several aquatic and land insects.  The Ibis flock likes to roost or rest, in trees.  It is quite the sight to see a whole flock take off at once flying around the park!  Something like out of a movie such as “The Birds” by Hitchcock.

I enjoy having Ibises around.  They are sweet useful big birds and are pretty harmless mellow additions to the neighborhood.  It does take a bit of getting used-to seeing the flock stroll around the yards (like a herd of cows actually!).  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Cute Living Yard Ornaments

This pair of White Ibis were hunting for a quick meal in my front yard this afternoon.  There was a break in the rain squalls so the big white birds came to browse for bugs.  I am glad!  The ibises are entertaining and pretty cool about my watching them and taking their picture (from an appropriate distance using my zoom lens).  In the parks, the ibis seem calm and tame but when patrolling neighborhood lawns, they can be skittish.  I was happy to see the birds be so nonchalant about my presence.

We are awaiting the coming Tropical Storm which we hope will not do much if anything as far as damage here in The Villages.  Up North in Ocala where I used to live will be a bit rougher but still not hurricane strength stormy.  I am going to post today, Thursday, instead of tomorrow due to uncertainty about the coming storm.  Probably everything will be fine!  I will let you know tomorrow or on my regular Monday post.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger picture.  Enjoy!

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UPDATE:  All is fine for us here in my neighborhood of The Villages, FL.  No damage on my street and just a bunch of Oak Tree sticks to rake up.  No flooding or high winds at all.  Thanks for your good wishes and prayers!   Wildlifewatcher

 

Ibises in My Yard

White Ibises are not that unusual here in The Villages, Florida, but the medium-sized wading birds are most often seen on the shore of a pond or lake.  Occasionally, the little flocks take wing and decide to strike out for different pastures and land in neighborhoods.  A few days ago, I looked out my window and behold, there they were!  It is exciting to see a small group of the ibises strolling along the lawns.  About the only thing that gets the birds excited is when a resident walks their dog or when cars roll down the street.  These birds seem pleasant and are excellent bug hunters.  A nice thing here.

The juveniles are the brownish-colored ones in my pictures; with a more brown to tan-colored bill.  The juvenile White Ibises get white feathers with black wing tip under feathers as they age and the bill of the juvenile turns red at the same time.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger picture.  Enjoy!

A Gloriously Bright Glossy Ibis in Breeding Plumage

This Glossy Ibis in its breeding finery was spotted a few days ago at the Santiago Golf Course pond in The Villages, Florida.  I took the pictures at about 7:00PM.  This is the first Glossy Ibis I have seen that was so brilliantly colored.  A show-off stunner of a bird!

These wading birds enjoy aquatic worms, aquatic plants, some insects, tiny fish, tadpoles, and the occasional seeds and grains.  They like freshwater marshes but the manicured lawn shoreline of a golf course will do just fine, of course!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger picture.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossy Ibis, Great Blue Heron

Glossy Ibis

This Glossy Ibis was spotted on Saturday, April 30 2016 at a small parkland pond in The Villages, Florida.  This pond is located on Morse Ave. above CR 466 and is along the golf cart multi-modal path.  This pond is near the beautiful Live Oaks Park and Lake Sumter.

Glossy Ibises are a little more common than the White Ibis in the USA but here in Central Florida, the White Ibis are more numerous.  This Glossy Ibis is the third Glossy Ibis I have seen in the last year.  Some can easily confuse the Glossy Ibis with juvenile White Ibises but the Glossy is a deep brown all over without any hint of white.  The juvenile White Ibises have a light brown color with a pinkish bill and begin to turn white fairly young.

By the way, in addition to the Sandhill Cranes, the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, egret, and Florida Mottled Ducklings I saw at this pond with the ibis, I also spotted a Great Blue Heron!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger picture.  Enjoy!

Glossy Ibis (at far right)

Great Blue Heron

Glossy Ibis

 

More Views of Lake Paradise Waterbirds

Juvenile White Ibis and Adult White Ibis

Tri-colored Heron

Juvenile White Ibis

 

White Ibis, Tri-color Heron and Mallard Ducks were spotted last week here at Lake Paradise in the lovely little Paradise Park in The Villages, Florida.  This small lake is home to a wide variety of geese, ducks, coots, cormorants, egrets, ibis, herons and turtles.  I really enjoy seeing the big birds in spots around the lake.

By the way, the Apple Snail is a favorite food of several of the wading birds here, especially so for the ibises.  It also is “Duck chasing season” where bachelor ducks vie for the hen of their dreams and chase each other, and the hen, all over the lake.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Drake Mallard Duck

Drake Mallard Duck

Drake Mallard Duck

 

 

 

 

 

White Ibises

 

Older Juvenile White Ibis

I frequently see several flocks of White Ibises here in my area.  They are often seen in the parks and sometimes in neighborhoods, browsing for grubs worms and insects on lush lawns.  They also wade in shallow water foraging for aquatic snails, small fish, and aquatic vegetation.

The White Ibises here tend to fly to various places from pretty much the same roosting area.  They like to roost in small trees in a marsh were alligators keep predators away.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!