A Visit to Sunnyhill Restoration Area

View of the some of the fields near the parking area and educational building

Sunnyhill Farm Restoration Area near Weirsdale, FL, (19411 SE Hwy 42), is a spot I occasionally visit to just take in the beautiful river-side prairie swampland scenery.  This former working, now park,  is huge at over 2,000 acres!  Nearly all of the park is kept wild and is inhabited by river animals, prairie swamp animals and a variety of wading birds, ducks, and songbirds.

While we were there, we saw a pair of Sandhill Cranes along the road but there was not a good spot to stop to take the picture of them so we just went along our way (of course when we left the park, the cranes were long gone from the entrance road-way area).  My hubby and I spent about an hour walking along river and canal trails and enjoyed ourselves quite a lot yesterday afternoon.  The overcast and windy weather was not conducive for bird watching but we managed to spot a few different birds.  We saw a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks, a Great Blue Heron, a lone Eastern Bluebird and an Eastern Pewee bird.   We hope to go back again soon!  It is a lovely spot!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

A Red-shouldered Hawk

A Great Blue Heron

An Eastern Pewee Bird

 

 

The Ocklawaha River

A Red-shouldered Hawk

A male Eastern Bluebird

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A Mixed Bird Monday

A resting Sandhill Crane

I spotted these birds last Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017 at Lake Paradise, as well as on a golf course near Morse and CR 466, here in The Villages, FL.  Such fun to get out and watch the various types of birds we have around now.  The weather recently has been very windy rainy and cooler.  Hopefully I will find time to get out and take a bunch of new photographs to share here soon.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

Canada Geese on Lake Paradise

A Double Crested Cormorant on Lake Paradise at Boone Park

Likely a Red-shouldered Hawk at Lake Paradise

A Serene Park

 

Sholom Park in Ocala is such a very beautiful place!  It is very serene.  That is the purpose of this gorgeous park which is designed for strolling and reflection.  It is not a sports or picnic type of place.  It is open to the public and is mainly used by the folks from the adjacent On Top of The World development along with those from the Del Webb development.  It is open during the day and is free of charge.

While my hubby and I were at the park on Monday, I spotted a male Northern Cardinal bird and a Red-shouldered Hawk.  No sign of any owls or Great Blue Herons at all.  No sign of the former Great Blue Heron rookery.  I think over the past couple of years, stormy weather has taken its toll on the great trees where these wading birds and owls had previously nested.   Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the image.  Enjoy!

I am dedicating this blog post in memory of my late friend Donna who passed away on Easter in California.  She will greatly be missed.

 

Songbirds, Ducks, Geese and Cranes

Red-shouldered Hawk

Here are some of the scenic views I have photographed around my community here in Marion County, Florida in the last couple of weeks.  I hope you enjoy them. By the way, on a side note – I went by Tuscawilla Park in Ocala, FL, on Saturday but saw few of the water birds I had seen back in February.  I think there were probably a tenth of the birds there this past weekend than had been there during the Winter months.   Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger view of that photograph.

Male Northern Cardinal

American Redstart

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Sandhill Crane Family at the Horse Farm Pond Pasture

Canada Geese

Common Crows

Hawk Calls

This Red-shouldered Hawk was perched in a small rather open tree across the street from my home on Wednesday, July 30, 2014.    The wonderful bird of prey was ignoring me and was busily calling to another hawk in the area.  I faintly heard the response since that other hawk was a long way away.

I think the hawk I photographed was not hungry either.  I was closer to the bird than I usually have been (far enough away to keep from disturbing the bird) and the bird did not pause or get flighty or leave.  I am glad to have gotten these close-up views to share with you here.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

A Bird of Prey With It’s Prey

This Red Shouldered Hawk was spotted along the shore of one of the larger rainfall retention ponds here.  This pond is next to a health club that is undergoing construction.  It had rained earlier in the day so there was a lot of water in this basin.  This is the same basin where I have spotted egrets and ducks so I was not totally surprised to see this hawk there.

This hawk had a meal that it was dining on.  I only rarely spot hawks eating.  There was a lot going on around this area so the bird did not stay there on the lawn very long.  I took these pictures on Saturday, March 30, 2014.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.

Just Hanging Around!

This Red-shouldered Hawk is now a resident of my immediate neighborhood.  It appears that this bold bird won the latest tiff with the Common Crows!  I have now seen this bird here across the street every day for the past week.  It is hanging around waiting for small rodents, frogs, lizards, or (oh my) songbirds to have for a meal.  That is nature.  I took these pictures on Friday, March 21, 2014.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!