Beautiful Big White Birds!

Cattle Egret

Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Cattle Egrets, White Ibis and the grand Wood Storks are large white wading birds that have been here in The Villages in recent weeks.  The Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, and White Ibis are here all the time, but the Cattle Egrets are very occasional.  The Wood Storks come and go every few weeks it seems.  The other large white birds are the White Pelicans, which are here in the Winter and early Spring, the white phase of the Little Blue Heron, and the white Great Blue Herons.

The only ones of these listed that really are not truly wading birds, are the Cattle Egrets which prefer being in cattle or horse pastures along with the livestock.  All of these birds are great flyers and the Wood Storks have been known for flying quite a long ways to find food.  I believe many of the Ibis and egrets are now roosting on Lake Mira-mar near the Veteran’s Memorial Park end of the little lake (having probably moved from the now abandoned roosts on Morse Blvd. near Rio Grande).  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.

White Ibis

Wood Stork

Great Egret

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Big White Birds!

White Pelicans on Lake Paradise this past Spring

The Wood Storks, Great Egrets, White Ibis, Cattle Egrets, White Pelicans, and Snowy Egrets are all large white-colored wading birds/water birds .  I did not add in the various white geese, swans, or ducks because I seldom see these birds here in The Villages, FL.

By the way, I saw three very placid Wood Storks on the parking lot next to Lake Mira-mar last night at dinner time.  Unusual to see more than two at a time but yes, that area is a hot spot for big bird hand-outs (not good for people to feed these exotic birds).  We continue to have intermittent rain showers and thunderstorms here so I have not been out to bird watch with the camera in a few days.  Hope to be out and about soon!  I will post what new pictures I do take in coming days.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

White Ibis at the Shoreline of Freedom Pointe Lake

Great Egret at Paradise Lake

Cattle Egret at Freedom Pointe Pond Meadow

 

Snowy Egret at El Lago Santiago

Wood Stork in Flight at Lake Paradise

Great Egrets and Sandhill Crane on Lake Paradise this last Spring

White Ibises and Snowy Egret

Juvenile White Ibis

I saw this small flock of White Ibises at the lovely little Lake Mira-mar near the Spanish Springs Square in The Villages, Florida a few nights ago at dusk.  Note the juvenile is the one with the brown and white feathers.

This beautiful Snowy Egret was seen at Boone Park on Lake Paradise, and the Wood Stork also on Lake Paradise seen in the distance, from the Schwartz Park shoreline.  I also have been spotting a couple of Wood Storks off and on at Boone Park across the road into the far reaches of the lake.

I just love getting out and about and seeing all these big birds!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

White Ibis

Wood Stork

Snowy Egret

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Water Birds

Osprey on Enrique Dr. near Golf Course

I took all of these pictures here in The Villages, FL during the past two weeks. Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  By the way, the lakes here in The Villages are now full or nearly so!  Hooray!  Enjoy!

Sandhill Crane on CR 466 near Morse Blvd.

 

Anhinga at Freedom Pointe Lake

 

 

 

 

 

Black Bellied Whistling Ducks at Schwartz Park on Lake Paradise

White Ibis at Lake Mira-mar

Wood Stork at Lake Mira-mar

Wordless Friday: Flight

Seagulls

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

Glossy Ibis

Wood Stork

Osprey

 

Sandhill Cranes

Belted Kingfisher

White Pelican

 

 

 

Water Birds, Waders, and Waterfowl

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Water is all around us here in lovely Florida!  I live in a county with many ponds and lakes.  Our community has many man-made park lakes and ponds.  Here are some of the beautiful big birds that visit the shores of these community lakes here in The Villages, Florida.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of that photo.  Enjoy.

Note:  We will be having a hurricane (tropical cyclone or typhoon as it is called elsewhere) come by our state on Friday.  I live right in the center of the peninsula about 60 miles from the coastline.  If the weather is not terrible and we have power I will post as normal on Friday.  If not, well, there is a great reason.  I will let you know what happens around here (I do not expect it to be bad at all).

Wood Stork

Anhinga

Snowy Egret

A Wood Stork With Lots of Company

Great Blue Heron & Wood Stork

This Wood Stork was strolling around the shore of the Santiago golf course pond in The Villages, Florida, a few days ago with several other wading and shorebirds.  Amazingly, a Bald Eagle overlooked the scene.  I am thrilled to see the Wood Stork as it has been several months since I last spotted any Wood Storks here in The Villages.

The Wood Stork uses its large thick bill to scoop through the mud for bits of worms, snails, insects, aquatic plants and pretty much any small aquatic animals to eat.  I just love seeing these endangered species list big birds!  I think they are so serene and unique.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the photo.  Enjoy!

Wood Stork

Wood Stork & Glossy Ibis

Wood Stork