Snow Much Fun!!!

A rare Florida visitor, indeed!

A Snowy Owl has taken up residence at a state park near Jacksonville, Florida for a little over a week. This is reported to be only the 3rd ever confirmed Snowy Owl sighting in Florida.

I made the trip to see the Snowy Owl at Little Talbot Island State Park on Friday morning. The owl was hunkered down on a dune, a good distance away from the viewing crowd. 

It was a chilly (by Florida standards) morning with strong winds blowing 20+ mph. The owl remained still most of the time that I was there, occasionally preening or stretching.

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

So Thankful

A good life

is when you

assume nothing,

do more, need less,

smile often, dream big, 

laugh alot, and realize 

how blessed you are.

The mini birder and I wish you a "good life" and very Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Recent Happenings

The Click Ponds have been the place to be lately. Birds of all shapes and sizes are congregating in large numbers. Sandpipers, Dowitchers, Avocets, Blue-winged Teals, Shovelers, an assortment of herons and egrets, Cranes, Wood Storks, a plethora of Spoonbills, Forster's Terns, White Pelicans....and the list goes on.

The cranes were a little edgy.

This adult Caracara was being summonsed by its offspring.

Dinnertime for an Ibis!

My first sighting of a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in Florida. It made a brief two day stopover near the ponds for two days. Unfortunately I didn't manage to capture any decent photos of it.

Lots of foraging Forster's; I forgot how fun it can be to try and photograph these erratic fliers.

This Sandhill Crane was having a bit of an identity crisis!

A few more Spoonbills joined the crowd just before sunset!

Good to the Last Bite!

Big appetites seemed to be the theme at the wetlands this week. I came across an array of insects eating insects; interesting stuff!

Eastern Pondhawk with Rambur's Forktail

This Eastern Pondhawk was consuming a female orange-form Rambur's Forktail.

Eastern Pondhawk

Eastern Pondhawk

The next  Eastern Pondhawk I came across had an even larger appetite. The pondhawk was eating a female Needham's Skimmer.

Eastern Pondhawk with Needham's Skimmer

This Blue Dasher settled for a much smaller meal.

Blue Dasher
Pachydiplax longipennis

Blue Dasher
Pachydiplax longipennis

This Rambur's Forktail was taking down a small skipper.

Rambur's Forktail

Rambur's Forktail

A little bit of a messy meal this skipper was!

Rambur's Forktail

Four-spotted Pennant

The visit ended with a stop off at this pelican party.

Many other species arrived shortly after I did.

Good times!

Weekend at the Wetlands

I was able to spend a little bit of time enjoying the wetlands and ponds over the past few days.

I didn't notice the very faint double rainbow until I uploaded my photos.

Yellow Warbler

I saw several species of warblers taking cover under the thick underbrush in the northeast corner of the Click Ponds. I saw this bright Yellow Warbler, a beautiful male Redstart, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, lots of Palm Warblers and a Black-throated Blue Warbler.

Palm Warbler

Tricolored Heron

juvenile Little Blue Heron

I was surprised to see half a dozen White Pelicans visiting already. They were foraging alongside a few Wood Storks.

Wood Storks & White Pelicans

There are still quite a few species of dragonflies at the ponds. This pair of Common Green Darners was mating. 

Common Green Darners
Anax junius

Eastern Pondhawk
Erythemis simplicicollis

Halloween Pennant
Celithemis eponina

Happy weekend:)