The Weekend

As always the weekend just seems to fly by! I started the weekend out with an early morning trip the very foggy Click Ponds. I love being out in the fog as it adds a sense of mystery to the air....

Red-shouldered Hawk

When I arrived at the ponds, I noticed this Red-shouldered Hawk perched on a low post near the road. This young hawk is in the process of developing its adult plumage.

Common Yellowthroat

Since the visibly was so low over the ponds, I walked along the path between the two ponds and looked for birds in the reeds.  

Marsh Wren

 This Marsh Wren was easy to find thanks to its loud call.

Swamp Sparrow

There were lots of Savannah Sparrows around as well as a few of these, which I think are Swamp Sparrows.

Swamp Sparrow

This Sora made a quick dash across the fallen reeds.

Sora

 I heard there were some Buffleheads, including a beautiful male, spotted at the ponds earlier in the week and I was hoping to see them, but I had to leave before the fog lifted.

A few of the many webs:)

Next up was the local Christmas parade. The dog was a little humiliated by his festive neck piece, but he quickly forgot about it when he spotted the SPCA float coming down the road. My son was flabbergasted by all the loot being thrown his way.

Word on the street was the real Santa was in town...

Soft shelled Turtle

On Sunday we took a quick drive through the wetlands.

The stars from the latest Hollywood production, Three Turtles and a Grackle, were there.

Great Blue Heron

And finally, it was time to pick out a tree. Yep, this is the time of year the Great Blue Herons pick out the perfect palm tree to begin their nesting season! Tis' the season!!

More Black....

Well, more black skies that is, if you live in this part of Florida. The Sunshine State has definitely not been living up to its name! There has been a tropical storm lingering in the gulf, which is now finally making its way across northern Florida. We have resorted to doing some of our usual activities in the rain....running in the rain, bird watching in the rain, hiking in the rain....We usually start out when there is a brief break in the weather, fooled by the almost decent looking skies. Yesterday, however, seeing black at the Click Ponds turned out to be a good thing! 

Black Tern

We came across 2 Black Terns!!! I have never seen them at the ponds, so I was super excited to get a chance to watch them racing about (in the rain). They didn't come very close, so I only ended up with these poor photos, taken from the car...

Black Tern

About ten minutes later, it was not longer raining and the sun was fighting with the clouds as it attempted to break through.

Common Gallinule family

I also saw this Common Gallinule, which is quite common here, with its brood of seven chicks! The typical familes I've seen here and at the wetlands usually only have 2-3 chicks. Sorry Gallinule, but these are probably the least cute chicks I've seen...

Green Heron

There continues to be a healthy population of active Green Herons feeding on frogs, fish, and even dragonflies.

Green Heron

Queen

There are also very large numbers of dragonflies and butterflies.

Florida Soft Shell Turtle

The wetlands have been closed to cars for the past few weeks so we have been walking, but we usually don't make it too far before the rain returns.

The weather has not been too kind to the migrating seabirds passing by this area. There have been numerous news stories this week about the unusually high numbers of migrating Greater Shearwaters (close to a hundred) that are showing up on the beaches in very poor condition. Even with treatment at the local wildlife hospital, most have not survived. Hopefully the weather will be improving soon!