Palm County, FL ~ Heron's in Breeding colors

Green Heron

Love seeing the gorgeous colors of the breeding birds. 

Green Heron

Great Blue Heron

Tricolored Heron bringing nesting materials

Tricolored Heron 

Tricolored Heron 

Merritt Island NWR ~ Wildlife Drive

Tricolored Heron with Roseate Spoonbills

White Ibis

Always eagerly anticipated is a drive along the impoundments at Merritt Island.  Today, was no exception but I was dismayed to find that it is much drier than 2016. Almost all of the left-hand side has dried leaving hardened earth behind with only a few pools of water.  How sad for the wildlife who depend on the water and the life it provides like weeds and fish.  I was excited to find 3 Roseate Spoonbills feeding in the afternoon sun along with other birds.  In all though I feel the overall number of birds is down over 2016.

Glossy Ibis

Roseate Spoonbill

Roseate Spoonbill

Roseate Spoonbill

Merritt Island NWR, FL

Thistle

Twin-spotted Skipper ~ Life Butterfly

Marbled Goodwits

White Pelicans

Tricolored Heron

Roseate Spoonbill feeding

Thistle

FL ~ Driving along FL's roadways

Cattle Egret

Great Blue Heron with snake

Tricolored Heron

White Ibis

Christmas, FL ~ Orlando Wetlands

American Alligator

Limpkin

Purple Gallinule & Tricolored Heron

Best looks of a Sora I have had ever!

Black-bellied Whistling Duck surrounded by young American Alligators

Western Palm Warbler

Orlando, FL ~ Gatorland

Cattle Egret Breeding Plumage

Our last stop on our trip was Gatorland. This is a wild alligator breeding marsh with a bird sanctuary that is the largest and most easily accessible wild wading bird rookery in east Central Florida.  I had heard many great things about the rookery at Gatorland where egrets, herons, anhingas, wood storks and cormorants have nests.  The birds display in the spring, build nests, lay eggs and bring up their babies in the rookery.  The great part about this is that Gatorland has built a boardwalk across from the nesting areas which allows you to look into the nests and take pictures,  It was an awesome place where we saw baby birds of many ages.  I would love to come in March when the birds are displaying and building nests.

Double-crested Cormorant on nest

Great Egret chicks

Tricolored Heron  in breeding plumage

Tricolored Heron chick

Wood Stork and chicks

Anhinga feeding chick

Orlando Wetlands Park, FL

Anhinga

Our ADA seminar was over at noon which meant that we were now on vacation.  Doing research before coming to FL, I found that the Orlando Wetlands ranked high in the list of places that birders should visit.  When we arrived I happened to see someone to ask questions about the wetlands. Brad, a volunteer had just finished doing some bird counts for the state.  He said he had no plans the rest of the day and would be happy to give us a private tram tour. He didn't need to make the offer twice.  Orlando Wetlands is a man-made wetland designed to treat reclaimed water. It has over 20 miles of trails that you can walk and see a great variety of wildlife.  It sure seemed like Brad showed us most of them.  After the tram tour we walked back along on the paths to get some closer looks at the birds.  Highlights included lots of American Alligators, Anhinga, 2 Purple Gallinule, Whistling Ducks, Common Gallinule, egrets, and so much more including life bird ~ Mottled Duck.  It is an amazing place and worth a second visit.

Purple Gallinule

Tricolored Heron

American Alligator

Naples, FL ~ Wildlife along Rt 846

White Peacock Butterfly

After spending about 4 hrs at Corkscrew Swamp we decided to drive down to Janes Scenic Drive - Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, FL. Our drive took us along Rt 846 and Rt 29.  We were excited to see more butterflies and birds along the way.  bernie spotted the Wood Storks coming in for a landing in the Pine Trees.  I spotted the Tricolored Heron and group of Sandhill Cranes.  We also saw good numbers of Anhinga and Red-tailed Hawks.

Wood Stork

Sandhill Cranes

Tricolored Heron