Yellow-crowned Night Herons

Night Herons are particularly intriguing to me as they always seem to be so elusive.  I finally had an opportunity to view a Yellow-crowned Night Heron this past week on my visit to Fort De Soto State Park. I actually saw three adult Yellow-crowned Night Herons hiding in different areas among the mangroves as well as one feeding at low tide. 

Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Fort De Soto State Park

 I also saw one juvenile feeding on small crabs at low tide at East Beach. Yellow-crowned juveniles look quite similar to Black-crowned juveniles. Yellow-crowned Night Heron juveniles can be distinguished from juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons best by noting their thicker, darker bill (compared to the Black-crowned's greenish yellow lower mandible), longer legs, and slimmer bodies, as well as, by their lighter edging on their outer wings and smaller spots on their head and neck.  Since I don't have experience viewing either of these juvenile night herons, my first thought that this was a Yellow-crowned was because there were several Yellow-crowned adults in the area.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Fort De Soto State Park

After Fort DeSoto, we took a trip to Sanibel Island to visit J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge where I saw another juvenile Yellow-crowned night Heron as well as one adult. Since I haven't had the fortune to see these herons at my usual birding spots, I was really excited to have the chance to view them.

Juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge

The Fish That Got Away

I saw this Great Blue Heron score a big fish at Fort De Soto where we spent some time camping this holiday week. Soon after the catch however, the fish got away. The heron tried diligently to recapture it, but was unsuccessful.

Great Blue Heron
Fort De Soto

White Christmas

Grand Teton National Park

Well, here in Florida that is quite rare, but last Christmas we went to Wyoming and had a VERY white Christmas. I really the enjoyed the change, but I'm looking forward to this year's white Christmas at a white, sandy beach!

Grand Teton National Park

Here is some of the wildlife we enjoyed observing on our trip last year. These photos were all taken at the National Elk Refuge in Jackson, Wyoming.

Merry Christmas and 

to you and to all!

Love is in the Air

The Great Blue Herons are nesting at the Viera Wetlands. I stopped by for a quick visit at sunset this evening.

Great Blue Herons
Viera Wetlands

Acorn Hunting

Came across these Florida Scrub-Jays last week. 

Digging around for acorns.

They are very amusing to watch.

The Wood Stork

Wood Stork

Wood Storks are interesting, unique looking creatures. Easily identified by their bald heads, long legs, and prominent bills, Wood Storks are found year round here in Florida. The Wood Stork has been on the Endangered Species list since 1984 and is the only Stork that breeds in the US. South and Central Florida are the most prominent Wood Stork breeding areas in Florida.

Wood Stork
Sebastian Inlet State Park

The Wood Stork's large bill plays an important role in its feeding technique. The stork sticks its partially open bill in shallow water, snapping it shut when its sensitive bill detects a fish in close proximity. Wood Storks primarily feeds on fish, but their diet can include frogs, insects, small snakes, and lizards. Wood Storks typically  forage in areas with high concentrations of fish because of their feeding style. Wood Storks are big eaters, especially during breeding season where they typically consume over 400 lbs of fish per season.

For some great information on Wood Storks, check out these references:
http://www.fpl.com/environment/endangered/pdf/woodstork.pdf
http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=B06O

Birding at the Inlet

Sebastian Inlet State Park is great place to experience some of Florida's finest birds. I was definitely not disappointed on this week's camping trip the inlet. The park is located along A1A south of Melbourne Beach, Florida, nestled between the Indian River and the shore of the Atlantic. The Inlet is most well-known for its premier surfing and fishing, but offers an extensive variety of activities. 

Juvenile Brown Pelican
Sebastian Inlet State Park

Pelicans, a very common Florida bird, are quite plentiful here.They frequently can be found trying to make friends with the fishermen. The inlet is definitely the place to be for a front row seat of viewing pelicans in action.

Juvenile Brown Pelican
Sebastian Inlet State Park

Brown Pelican
Sebastian Inlet State Park

Heron and Egrets of all sizes, shapes, and colors are also quite plentiful for viewing here.

Great Egret
Sebastian Inlet State Park

Reddish Egret
Sebastian Inlet State Park

Great Blue Heron
Sebastian Inlet State Park

Snowy Egret
Sebastian Inlet State Park

Wood Stork
Sebastian Inlet State Park

Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Caspian Terns, and Black Skimmers were noted on this visit. The park has a protected nesting area for shore birds where numerous birds are offered a place safe from human traffic during their spring time nesting season.

Ring-billed Gull
Sebastian Inlet State Park

Ring-billed Gull
Sebastian Inlet State Park

Black Skimmers
Sebastian Inlet State Park

Shore birds sighted on this visit included Ruddy Turnstones, Willets, and Sanderlings.The only ducks observed were several Red-breasted Mergansers. Northern Mockingbirds, Black Crows, Grackle, and Mourning Doves were also seen populating the area.

Red-breasted Merganser
Sebastian Inlet State Park

Red-breasted Merganser
Sebastian Inlet State Park

Sanderling
Sebastian Inlet State Park