Local Happenings

The local Scrub Jay sanctuary is one of our favorite places to visit. We try to incorporate an early morning hike as often as possible...

As you travel the trails of Helen and Alan Cruikshank Sanctuary, the songs of various birds  travel with you every step of the way. Mockingbirds, Scrub Jays, and Eastern Towhees are tops on the playlist.

This is a popular community tree where numerous species congregate. The Mocker decided it was a little much when the Grackle joined its morning meeting with the Red-bellied WP and Scrub Jay.

This Gopher Tortoise was one of the several non feathered species we encountered.

I came across a branch loaded with these downward facing blossoms.

This was one of the raptors we saw...and I'm pretty certain it was a Sharp-shinned Hawk; it seemed too small to be a Cooper's Hawk. Hopefully it will stay away from my favorite youngsters! We also saw a Great Horned Owl and an Osprey.

Speaking of youngsters...the young Jays were getting along better this week. The last time I saw these two they were knocking each other around over an acorn one had found.

This time the Jay offered its mostly hollowed out acorn to the other young Jay.

I've read a lot about Florida Scrub Jays and their unique, cooperative breeding habits.

Since the young/juvenile Jays are fed and protected by not only their parents but other young, non-breeding Jays, they are considered to be "cooperative breeders". I've seen these two young Jays regularly each visit and I'm pretty certain they are very close in age, so I thought it was interesting that they were feeding one another.

We also visited River Lakes Conservation Area this week. Its a slow time for birds in the area....we did see (and hear) lots of Meadowlarks, including this scrawny juvenile that was foraging on the trail. We also saw adult adult Killdeer with a tiny chick, several Sandhill Cranes, a few waders along the canal, and 2 Swallow-tailed Kites circling the area.

My son now likes to search for bugs, with caterpillars being his favorite. He spotted this tiny ladybug making its way up and down a branch.

I was looking at the different species of dragonflies that were occupying the upper limbs.

These Nuttall's Thistles are blooming all along the trail!

MIT & the Click Ponds 12/13/12

Just a few shots from Moccasin Island Tract and the Click Ponds....

A curious Loggerhead Shrike

A loud Eastern Meadowlark...."Can you hear me now?" 

A hungry Wood Stork eating a decaying dead fish...

This was the Stork's reply when I asked how the fish tasted...

Finally, I saw my first Bufflehead at the Click Ponds:)

Please Obey All Signs

We took a trip out to Moccasin Island today, and it was just one of those days. You know, the kind of day when you feel like someone is always watching you. As we began our ascent up the road we encountered this adult Caracara schooling her young on how to keep the traffic moving.(I assure you I didn't stop to take this photo)

Adult & Juvenile Crested Caracaras

The patrols were definitely out today. We encountered this Red-shouldered Hawk at the next sign along the road.

Red-shouldered Hawk

The hawk initially seemed very serious about enforcing the sign, even gesturing to it to be sure we saw it.

Red-shouldered Hawk

But, the hawk decided to abandoned its post about a minute later to retrieve something of interest.

Next, we came across some cattle that had gone AWOL. They stood in the road for a few minutes, staring at us down, forcing us to ignore the sign and stop. They eventually moved and we continued on.

White-tailed Deer

We came across this handsome young man as he wandered along the road. He took off in bounding leaps as  we drove along, but it wouldn't be the last we saw of him.

Common Ground Doves

These little Common Ground-Doves, along with a handful of others, found the middle of the road to be a wonderful place for a rest.

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallows were everywhere. Many of them were resting along this pretty wire, tired from their daily high paced activity.

Eastern Meadowlark

We arrived at the empty parking area, and decided on a walk up the southern trail. The area surrounding the parking field was full of Eastern Meadowlarks. We didn't end up walking to far as the mosquitoes were really hungry and my son decided stomping in a huge puddle was more fun than going for a walk.

We saw the young deer again as we were leaving. It was about a mile up the road from where we first saw it. Once again it decided not to stick around.

We made a loop around the Click Ponds on our way out. Things were very low key there. We did see nearly a dozen young Green Herons.

And one juvenile Night Heron.

This gator decided it was time for his morning exercise, a few laps around the pond!

Birding the Local Patches

We made it out to several of our local birding patches this past week. We started the week with a visit to the Moccasin Island Tract area. The drive out to the tract often times offers opportunities to view numerous species in action. Today, however, we only observed numerous Cattle Egrets as they mingled with the cattle. Eastern Meadowlarks were the highlight of our stroll along the trail. The Meadowlarks perch on fence posts that runs along the trail, singing to one another.

Eastern Meadowlark 

Our next stop was at the "Click" Ponds, which are location at the entrance to the tract. The ponds continue to be occupied by several varieties of herons and egrets. The Little Blue Herons continue to molt into their permanent blue plumage.

molting Little Blue Heron

The Green Heron and a Snowy Egret took turns chasing one another from this desired perch.  It was a rather unpleasant exchange between these two birds and the Snowy Egret seemed to have the upper hand.

Green Heron

Green Heron

It's always a good idea to scan the bushes, because you never know who my be lurking, like this Red-shouldered Hawk!

Red-shouldered Hawk

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was our next stop. We arrived late morning and it was not a very active time for the birds. The highlights of our trip were seeing this Eastern Kingbird....

Eastern Kingbird

and this foraging pair of Black-necked Stilts.

Black-necked Stilts

St. Sebastian Preserve State Park was also on this week's agenda. I blogged about my birding adventure at the park on my monthly post at Birding is Fun!. Have a great weekend!

Around Town

Amid our different schedule this week,  we were happy to be able fit in a Wednesday evening trip to the wetlands, a Thursday morning walk at the Moccasin Island Tract, and a dreary Saturday morning visit to the Click Ponds.

Least Tern
Viera Wetlands

The Least Terns and I seem to be frequenting the same areas lately. I saw them at both the wetlands and Click Ponds this week and I am still seeing them regularly along the Indian River.

The wetlands have quieted down quite a bit since the departure of the winter birds. The usual Herons, Egrets, Limpkins, Moorhens, Coots, Anhingas, Cormorants, Blue-winged Teals, Pied-billed Grebes, White & Glossy Ibises, and Ospreys were all visible. Red-winged Blackbirds, Savannah Sparrows, a Loggerhead Shrike, and Northern Mockingbirds were a few of the other birds we saw.

Red-shouldered Hawk
Moccasin Island Tract

I saw this Red-shouldered Hawk hanging out on a fence post, pulling something apart, on the drive out to Moccasin Island.

Red-shouldered Hawk
Moccasin Island Tract

Turned out to be an insect with large green wings.

Eastern Meadowlark
Moccasin Island Tract

I think you can guess what we heard on our Moccasin Island walk...

Boat-tailed Grackle
Click Ponds

The Click Ponds seemed overrun with Boat-tailed Grackles and dragonflies. We walked a section of the ponds where we observed a variety of activity in the wooded area that surrounds the ponds. It started with the plump Mockingbird with a bill deformity (I seem to be encountering quite a few of these lately).

Northern Mockingbird
Click Ponds

We saw a pair of Cardinals, a few Yellow-rumped Warblers, several Mourning Doves, and one Common-ground Dove. We also saw a Gray Catbird, who decided to flash us a view its rufous-colored undertail coverts.

Gray Catbird
Click Ponds

We then spotted a large, in-flight raptor headed our way. It turned out to be a Bald Eagle, and it landed on a utility pole in the far distance, but still within view.

Bald Eagle
Click Ponds

Just as I thinking it was exciting to see the Eagle, a pair of juvenile/immature Bald Eagles flew overhead! I have never seen 2 young eagles flying together before. I guess Mom (or Dad) was trailing them to be sure they were staying out of trouble.

Sandhill Cranes 

Sandhill Cranes

I saw this new family of Sandhill Cranes on a quiet street by my house. I took these photos from the car.