Possibly a Yellow-throated Warbler

I think this is a Yellow-throated Warbler but that is just a guess on my part.  I saw this tiny white yellow and black bird in my next-door neighbor’s front yard yesterday.  The bird was flitting around in a large Live Oak with a few Carolina Wrens, and Tufted Titmice.  The birds seemed to be moving from tree to tree all down the street here.  These are visiting birds.  Yesterday I saw more kinds of birds here on my street than I had seen in the last month.

I think that some birds are moving to their Winter areas and are passing through.  If this bird is a Yellow-throated Warbler, it eats spiders and small insects.  I wish I could have taken more pictures of the bird but it quickly flew into the crown of the tree and off to a different area.  I took these pictures from my driveway on August 25, 2013.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

A Look at Some Woodpeckers

Red-headed Woodpeckers and a Pileated Woodpecker were the focus of my picture-taking efforts on several days in the last couple of months.  I took the photographs of the Red-headed Woodpeckers at a small pasture area where there are lots of dead standing Pine Trees.  That pasture is very close to the entrance to the development where I live.  These tall dead trees provide the woodpeckers a place to live and also sometimes have many insects that the birds eat.

The Young Pileated Woodpecker was spotted in my own front yard.  That was the only time I have seen a Pileated Woodpecker here in Florida in the few months I have made my hone here in Marion County, Florida.   I had also seen a Downy Woodpecker here in my front yard once, and that was back in March.  Sorry to say, I missed getting a picture of that particular bird here.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  I hope you’ll enjoy these pictures.   I really love spotting and photographing  my favorite birds, the Woodpeckers!

An Eastern Towhee

This Eastern Towhee was perched in a low native shrub just off the roadway.  It was partially obscured by tall grass.  This bird was likely trying to find some tasty seeds to eat.  The Towhee was seen in the same area near where I spotted the colony of Red-headed Woodpeckers.

Eastern Towhees are black, brown, orange, and white.  The females have more brown than black.  These birds have either dark yellow or orange eyes.   The Eastern Towhees largely eat fruit, nuts and seeds but will also eat insects once in a while.  I took these pictures on June 2, 2013 along a roadway just outside of the development here where I now live.  The day was cloudy and I took the photographs late in the afternoon.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Blue Skies and Blue Jays

There are two types of Blue Jays found here in Florida.  One is the Eastern Blue Jay and the other is the Scrub Jay.  So far, I have only seen the Eastern Blue Jays here where I live.

A new pair of Blue Jays has recently been seen flitting about in the leaves of the Oaks, and grabbing the tiny caterpillars around the acorns and leaves.   The Jays also often will walk around on the ground searching for food.  Eastern Blue Jays eat insects, berries and fruits and seeds.

I recently took pictures of an Eastern Blue Jay in a small forested area on the ranch adjoining this housing development (and owned by the developer here).  I took those pictures from the roadway area on May 17, 2013.   The rest of the pictures were taken from my front yard here at the house on May 25, 2013.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Another Almost Wordless Wednesday

Mockingbird

Tufted Titmouse

Northern Cardinal Male

Grey Squirrel and Common Crow

I took these pictures in my community in the last two weeks.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Red-Eared Sliding Turtle

Cattle Egrets with Brahman Steer

Gorgeous Eastern Bluebirds

Happily I saw several beautiful Eastern Bluebirds flitting around several nearby homes in my back yard area.  I live in a neighborhood of row houses so the back yard areas are fairly open.  One neighbor has a bird feeder and a nice wooden patio fence where the Bluebirds like to perch.  In a touching scene, a Father Bluebird was tenderly feeding an older juvenile a tasty morsel of caterpillar.  I also saw one of the Bluebirds perched low in the large Sycamore Tree in my own back yard.  The trees are just now filling out with their new leaves.

Male Bluebirds are the more brightly colored of the genders.  The juveniles tend to be more on the brownish-side until they are nearly fully grown.  The Bluebirds are wonderful insect catchers!  These royal blue, orange and buff-colored birds are interesting to watch, useful, and rather happy birds.  I am over-joyed to see them here!  I took these pictures on March 30, 2013 in my back yard.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Cheery Eastern Bluebirds

The Eastern Bluebirds are so beautiful they just cheer up any cold Winter day!  That is my opinion, anyway.  The males are a vivid electric royal blue with a burnt-orange and ivory-buff chest.  They are keen hunters of insects.  They have been here in a small flock of about twelve or so.  They hang out in the Oaks and also like to sit in the sun, perched on the wooden rail fences.

I also often see the bluebirds in the grass in my backyard.  I am always happy to see these handsome birds!  I took these pictures on various days in the past couple of weeks in my yard and from my dining room windows.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture. Enjoy!