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

Juvenile & Adult Little Blue Herons

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Adult Little Blue Heron

 

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

The juvenile Little Blue Heron is all white until nearly an adult.  Once and adult, the bird has purple-blue feathers, a grey-blue bill, and yellow-green legs and feet.  These are called herons but are actually members of the egret family of wading birds.

Juvenile Little Blue Herons closely resemble the Snowy Egret, but the difference is in the color of the bill and a lack of yellow just above the bill.  Snowy Egrets have a black bill.  Snowy Egrets also have mustard yellow-colored feet.  I took these photos here in The Villages, FL.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

 

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Snowy Egret

Adult Little Blue Heron

 

 

Older Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Snowy Egret

Adult Little Blue Heron

 

Wordless Wednesday: Great Egrets

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

 

A Little Blue Heron Hunting

 

This Little Blue Heron was spotted hunting in a very shallow rainfall water retention basin that was almost empty.  This pond is in the Souliere Villas neighborhood in The Villages, FL.

We only occasionally see Little Blue Herons here.  They are a wonderful member of the egret family and start out as white juveniles.  They closely resemble Snowy Egrets but do not have bright mustard-yellow feet and do have a bluish bill when in their white plumage.  They eat fish, frogs, small tender turtles, baby alligators, aquatic snails and larger aquatic insects.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.

 

A Small Flock of Ibis

Both adult Glossy Ibis and juvenile White Ibis were spotted with a few small Plover shore birds at a small rainfall retention pond in the Souliere Villas in The Villages, FL in Marion County.  There are two of these ponds adjacent to each other and both have been nearly empty now for a few weeks.  The marshy low water is attracting Little Blue Herons, Plovers, Glossy and White Ibis, Great Egrets, and a few Kildeer and Yellowlegs.  Great fun to get out in the golf cart and see these wonderful birds from the street!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday: Snowy Egrets

These Snowy Egrets were photographed here in The Villages, FL in recent weeks.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.

(With Great Egrets)

A Flock of White Ibis Roams the Neighborhood

White Ibis are sometimes seen as a small flock roaming around the neighborhoods here in The Villages, FL.  They are harmless and eat worms, grubs and insects in the lawns and exposed flower bed soil.  They fly off if disturbed by friendly dogs or even people walking by.  I enjoy their brief visits here.  Please click on the thumbnail image.  Enjoy!