Pond Wildlife

 

Hooded Mergansers

Wood Stork

Anhinga

 

Big exotic birds and and a tiny Palm Warbler songbird, all were spotted here in The Villages, FL, at several ponds and smaller lakes this past week.  It is always such fun to take the camera and go see what animals and birds can be found on any given day.  I saw these at Paradise Lake, The Freedom Pointe Lake, and the Walmart ponds on CR466 at Buffalo Ridge.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

 

Pied-billed Grebe

Palm Warbler

 

 

Common Moorhens

Egyptian Goose

Great Egret

A Suburban Pond

Palm Warbler

Little Blue Heron

Anhinga

 

These two small ponds are on CR-466 in The Villages next to and near the Walmart’s parking lot.  I took these pictures on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019.  That ‘Gator looks to be about 9’ long by the way.  I took the photographs from the opposite shore of this pond! I have taken pictures at this location several times in the last few years.

In addition to the Alligator, there were two Little Blue Herons, a Try-colored Heron, a Great Egret, a Pied-billed Grebe, and two Anhingas.  Pretty amazing to see all that wildlife so close to commercial enterprises and parking lots!

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

Pied-billed Grebe

Little Blue Heron

Great Egret

 

Tri-colored Heron

Anhinga

Alligator

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Songbirds in the Yard

Palm Warbler

Finally, I am starting to see our migratory songbirds here!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of these photos I took on Monday, Nov. 12, 2018.  Enjoy!

Tufted Titmouse

Tufted Titmouse

Female Northern Cardinal

 

Carolina Wren

Female Northern Cardinal

Tufted Titmouse

A Few Songbirds

Sparrow

A feisty Eastern Blue Jay, A Palm Warbler, an Eastern Bluebird, and a House Sparrow were all spotted here in my neighborhood and community last week.  I took these pictures early in the morning when it is probably the best time to see many birds out feeding.

There was a large flock of the warblers mixed-in with the sparrows visiting my street.  Both types of birds eat on the ground browsing for seeds in the lawns.  The Blue Jay was spotted at the Freedom Pointe lakeshore parking lot up in a big Live Oak.  The bluebird is seen from time to time on a neighbors roof.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Palm Warbler

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Blue Jay

Little Sweeties

Palm Warbler

Palm Warblers, Eastern Bluebirds, and a lone Tufted Titmouse were spotted in the past week here in my neighborhood.  One of the Palm Warblers was seen below ornamental grass at  Paradise Park in The Villages, FL.  The other birds were in my own yards.  It is great to see all the newly arriving songbirds who have migrated here for the Winter!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of that photo.  Enjoy!

Eastern Bluebird male

Palm Warbler

Tufted Titmouse

Yard Birds

Palm Warbler

A hen Northern Cardinal, a Palm Warbler, and a small flock of White Ibises were all visitors to my yards this past week.  I took the pictures of the cardinal and warbler from inside my home through the window.  The Ibises had taken advantage of the rainy weather to seek out grubs and worms in the lawn.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Hen Northern Cardinal

Palm Warbler on the Live Oak

White Ibises

Cedar Waxwings, Cardinals, Carolina Wren, and a Northern Mockingbird

That gigantic flock of Cedar Waxwings returned a few days ago to the large Juniper Tree here on my street.  This time the flock returned to ripe or over ripe berries festooning the branches of the tree.  Because these berries do ferment when overly ripe, the birds can sometimes get intoxicated from ingesting them!  Lots of really big loop de loops in the skies.  I believe the birds came out OK though and did not get harmed by this.

I also noticed a family of Northern Cardinals across the way on the roof of a home here.  I also noticed a Carolina Wren and probably what was a Palm Warbler near the Northern Cardinal.

Some of the homes are seasonal and this one has not had proper maintenance as evidenced by the saplings growing in the rain gutter.  It is not uncommon in Florida to see this when the gutters get clogged with leaves and wind or birds drop seeds on the roof.  The birds were hunting for insects and also seeds on the roof.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

 

Songbirds & Hawks Don’t Mix

Yellow-rumped Warbler

I think having two, and perhaps three, hawks  now patrolling the trees here on my street, has a lot to do with my not having seen many songbirds here lately.  I saw these two hawks (Likely Red-shouldered Hawks) yesterday in two adjacent trees across the street from my home.

I did see a few Palm Warblers, a Yellow-rumped Warbler, and a cute Tufted Titmouse around the yard here on Wednesday,  Feb. 19, 2015.

I also am including a picture of a male Red-winged Blackbird that I spotted at a small marsh up across the road from the horse ranch pond where I often go to do bird watching.  I saw that Blackbird on Feb. 18, 2015.  I do not see Blackbirds here in my yard.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Tufted Titmouse

Male Red-winged Blackbird

Palm Warbler

Wordless Wednesday

Mourning Dove

Carolina Wren

Pine Warbler

 

Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger photograph.  Enjoy!

Male Eastern Bluebird

Palm Warbler

Female Eastern Bluebird

 

 

Critters Around the Neighborhood

Here are several different birds and a Grey Squirrel for good measure.  I took these pictures during Christmas week here in my neighborhood.  I note that our resident Crows did not do such a great job of keeping the street a “Hawk-free zone”.   I have been recovering from a cold so I did not get much bird watching in during the last few days.  I do hope to be outside in my neighborhood for bird watching and taking pictures in coming days.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!