Busy Great Blues

The Viera Wetlands is the place to be right now if you enjoy watching Great Blues carrying out mating rituals! There are nests atop palms scattered throughout the wetlands. The most popular area has a cluster of 8 palms with four of them currently under construction with nests.

The Great Blues come and go frequently. They take off to near by berms to search for just the right stick for their partner. Mates can be eagerly waiting for the arrival of a "gift", usually a stick or twig.

Some pairs were repeating the gift giving over and over...

Some pairs seemed to be just adjusting to the awkwardness of sharing such close quarters with another heron. 

And for this pair, the bonding seemed to be off to a rough start.

A nosy neighbor checks in on the squabbling pair.

Some pairs already appear to be incubating eggs. With the incubation period being 25-30 days, maybe we will see some offspring soon!

Happy New Year!!!

And 2014 is here already! Over this past month, I was very happy to take a few trips to the wetlands and spend some time away from the hectic daily pace.

As I walked along a section closed to vehicles, I came across this River Otter frolicking in the dirt. With a giant grin, I quickly sat down to watch one of my favorite, playful wetland dwellers in action.

Some dirt + some sun= one happy otter!!!

One day as I was pulling into the Click Ponds, I caught a glimpse of this beautiful Bald Eagle flying straight towards me! And then I realized that my camera was still zipped up securely in the camera bag....I did manage to get it out in time for one quick, somewhat blurry shot as the eagle passed.

 After a low pass of the ponds waters, sending the pond occupants scattering in mutliple directions, the eagle landed nearby on a utility pole. I soon thought to my self if the eagle is looking up, perhaps I should be too.

Sure enough, the eagle's mate was circling and soon the pair departed together.

And, yes it's that time of the year again...

While I do miss having different seasons in Florida, it is fun to still come across butterflies in December. Following this rapidly fluttering little blue, I assumed it was a Ceraunus Blue, as most little blues I come across are. I was excited to discover it was actually a similiar species, the Cassius Blue. Both species are teeny, tiny (wingspan 15-25 mm) with violet blue (inner) wing coloring.

I was able to capture a few photos (my first of this species) and the tiny butterrfly disappeared. As I was attempting to relocate it, I came across the more common Ceraunus Blue.

New Years is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the feeling of a new beginning, writing resolutions and goals for the new year...I wish you the very best in the 2014...

My your coming year

be filled with

magic and dreams

and good madness.

I hope you read some fine books

and kiss someone

who you think is wonderful

And don't forget to make some art

write or draw

or build or sing 

or live only as you can.

And I hope, somewhere in the next year,

you surprise yourself.

~Neil Gaiman

Viera Wetlands 4/27/13

I made an early morning trip to the Viera Wetlands and adjacent "Click" Ponds this morning. This Loggerhead Shrike was perched on a sign along the narrow road leading into the wetlands. I thought it would take flight as I made my way through the entrance but instead it just glared at me. Maybe it was trying to figure out how to hang me on the fence as it does its other prey.

There are still a handful of active Great Blue Herons at the wetlands. This heron was spending its Saturday morning doing what many of us do, making home repairs. This heron had two young chicks that appeared to be less than 2 weeks old. Mom made multiple trips to some nearby shrubs to gather additional material for the nest.

Across the gravel drive was an active Anhinga nest. This mass of woven sticks was sitting delicately on the side of a palm tree, overhanging the water. The tops of these same palms had earlier in the season been occupied by nesting Great Blues.

I saw four mostly white, fluffy chicks in the nest. Three of them were very active, but I didn't see any movement from the fourth chick. Young Anhinga typically stay in the nest for up to 3 weeks.

In addition to the GBHs and the Anhinga, I also saw a few Green Herons gathering nesting materials. There is also a massive Cattle Egret nesting area at the wetlands. The air space in that area is quite congested with Egrets coming and going as they gather materials. Grackles can also be add to the nesting list. The crows were causing a disruption among the Grackles this morning. I guess I wasn't the only one who wanted eggs for breakfast...

 Black-necked Stilts are still hanging around the ponds and wetlands. I just love to see these long-legged beauties!

Hope you have a great week!

Viera Wetlands & "Click" Ponds 1/18/13

Friday afternoon I enjoyed a quiet 2 hour drive around the Click Ponds & Viera Wetlands as my nap-rebelling toddler slept soundly in his car seat (a very rare occurrence). I didn't even care that it starting raining when I arrived. 

Lots of birds enjoy hanging out deep in the reeds, but I don't usually see Cardinals in there. He didn't quite blend in as most of the other species do.

The trees surrounds the ponds were packed with birds. Masses of American Robins were flying every direction. There were numerous Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers.

Most of us don't equate Forster's Terns with terror, however, that apparently is not the case for this Coot.

Great Blue Heron mating season is in full swing at the wetlands. I stopped to watch this pair for a few minutes. As I sat there, this male flew down and landed a few feet from my car.

The female looked a little impatient as she waited for the male to return with a stick. Maybe their construction has fallen behind schedule.

The male was relieved that the female approved of his choosen stick.

This refreshing drive resulted in smiles for all!

A Buffle Bath

I went out to the wetlands yesterday, hoping to see the lone male Bufflehead that has been around the past few days. I spotted him in middle of the southern end of cell 2. We observed him for a little over half an hour. The Bufflehead mostly went about his business, foraging alone, but occasionally tagged along with a nearby group of Hooded Mergansers.

Bufflehead

Watching the Bufflehead preen was amusing. He rolled on to his side and swam in circles as he cleaned his feathers.

Bufflehead & Hooded Merganser

Bufflehead

The Great Blue Herons are hard at work these days. The females are perched upon their chosen Palm Trees.

Great Blue Heron

The males are gathering materials to construct their nests.

This Limpkin was searching for apple snails.

Limpkin

This scene made me smile. Coots are very common and numerous this time of the year at the wetlands. This was the first time though, that I saw a Coot eating off the back of a turtle! The turtle didn't seem to mind the free cleaning.

Eastern Phoebes are also common this time of year.

Eastern Phoebe

Ruddy Duck

Red-tailed Hawk

I saw this young Red-tailed Hawk on a light post near the wetlands.