Little Blue Heron
Hooded Mergansers, herons, a Pied-billed Grebe, Florida Mottled Ducks, and a Lesser Scaup Ducks were spotted on Nov. 12, 2019 at a neighborhood park pond here in The Villages, FL. Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture. Enjoy!
Florida Mottled Ducks
Drake Hooded Merganser
Hooded Merganser Ducks, Hen Lesser Scaup Duck and Pied-billed Grebe
Tri-Colored Heron and Little Blue Heron
Pied-billed Grebe
Please click on the thumbnail image to see a slightly larger version of these photographs of the Black-Bellied Whistling Duck, taken on July 20, 2019 in The Villages, FL at Lake Mira-mar. As ever, I hope you enjoy these pictures!
Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture. Enjoy!
Migratory and native ducks alike are seen here in The Villages, Florida during the Winter months. Lesser Scaups, Hooded Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Mallards, and even farm ducks like the Muscovy Ducks and Tufted Ducks are here. Occasionally seen also are the Green-winged Teal, Redhead, Bufflehead, and Widgeons. I have yet to get a good photo of those breeds.
We have a lot of small lakes and golf ponds in our lovely community where the ducks happily forage for their meals. The Diving Ducks are a lot more wary of people. The Mallards, Mottled Ducks, Muscovy and Tufted Ducks are happy on the shoreline as well as in the water. The other breeds are mostly on or in the water day and night. The diving ducks are mostly meat-eaters and the dabblers are pretty happy with seeds, plants, insects, worms, tadpoles, and tiny fish.
It is quite fun to see the big variety of ducks here in the Winter season! Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo. Enjoy!
Ring-necked Ducks
Migratory ducks, a lone songbird, and some wading birds are among the birds and waterfowl and full Lunar Eclipse, I have spotted in recent weeks here in The Villages, FL.
I tend to visit the smaller ponds and lakes here which are pretty easy to get to in our golf cart. Many have multi-modal (golf carts, bicycles and pedestrians) path access. I really appreciate being able to observe the wildlife without disturbing the birds.
We have wading birds, song birds, migratory ducks, Canada and Egyptian geese, and the usual Cotton-tailed Rabbits and squirrels, occasional Coyotes, Bobcats, and Foxes and the very rare Black Bear here. Most of the birds, ducks, waders, geese, and squirrels are pretty easy to spot. Usually there is something of interest to observe and photograph when the weather cooperates (I’ve added in the photo I took of the Moon just because). Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo. Enjoy!
Great Blue Heron
Ring-billed Gull
The Recent Lunar Eclipse
Northern Shovelers and a Ringed-bill Gull
A Palm Warbler
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
Lesser Scaup Ducks
Hooded Mergansers, Northern Shovelers, Mallards, and Lesser Scaup Ducks are all here in The Villages, Florida right now. I was out and about bird watching at a few local small lakes and golf course ponds and saw many small flocks of these migratory Winter visitors.
Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo. Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and an outstanding New Year in 2019!
Northern Shoveler Ducks
Mallard Ducks
Northern Shoveler Drake (male)
Hen Mallard Duck
Hooded Merganser Ducks
Lesser Scaup (left) and a pair of Hooded Mergansers
