Shorebirds at the Rainfall Basin

Lesser Yellowlegs, and Killdeer were spotted at the then rapidly drying rainfall retention pond here in the development where I live on February 27, 2015.  This pond is now dry.  The pond fills with heavy rain and sometimes is around two feet deep.

I have spotted Yellowlegs there several times in past months.  The Lesser Yellowlegs and the Killdeer were likely eating insects as there are no fish in this temporary pond, and it is unlikely that there were any tadpoles or turtles there, either.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

A Lesser Yellowlegs Hunts

This single Lesser Yellowlegs was here at the larger of the rainfall retention basin in our development on Christmas day.  This particular pond goes from full to dry and back again fairly often.  The Lesser Yellowlegs was trying to find some insects or smaller aquatic animals for its meal and I imagine that insects were all that it found.

The pond only has a few frogs, tadpoles and insects once in awhile, so the hunting is not great for these wading birds.  I am surprised at how often I do see birds there on that basin, given how little food there is in the water.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Mottled Ducks in a Rain Basin

Mottled Ducks are native to Florida and I have been seeing more and more of these lovely dabbling ducks around my area.   A few days ago, we had some rain and a small rainfall retention basin next to our local public high school athletic fields flooded.  I was pleasantly surprised to see a small flock of the Florida Mottled Ducks happily paddling and resting on this tiny temporary pond.

The visit by these ducks happened at a great time as school was not in session due to the Thanksgiving holiday break.  This little basin also is completely fenced off with a six-foot chain link fence.  I happened to drive past the basin three days later and saw it was nearly completely dry.  I took these pictures on Friday, November 28, 2014 here in Marion County, Florida, very early on a cold 40 degree F. morning.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!