The early riser gets the bird

I just love this time of the year, the sky is clearer and the air is cooler - there are more birds and the trail is still quiet.

My visit to the Bailey Tract and the Sanibel Garden Preserve this morning provided nice surprises.

Doesn't this Mockingbird look lovely as he is being kissed by the morning light?

I guess I could say the same about this Eastern Phoebe, his song was a nice bonus too.

Several White Ibis adopted this bare tree, the Osprey decided it was just too crowded and left.

I liked how the clouds/humidity started to move in the area - it sure created interesting hues in the vista.

A young Bald Eagle perched on the tower - which provided me the answer as to why all of a sudden all the birds left.

When the dust settled a few unknowing Eurasian Collared Doves came to roost nearby.

On my way back I stumbled upon a House Wren right out in the open, he had the better viewing side.

A regal Merlin digesting his dragonfly.

You know the ducks are underway when you see a nice crowd of Blue-winged Teal.....I'm ready.

 

Labor Day!

When September rolls around, it signifies to me that fall is near which means cooler weather and MORE birds! Let them all come down.

I headed to the Bailey Tract this morning for a leisurely stroll and was rewarded with the presence of my feathered friends.....take a look....

What a nice surprise to have 4 Roseate Spoonbills fly over my head and land right in front of me.

The Tricolored Heron had first dibs in the pond and was happily feeding.

Several Little Blues were present too - juveniles, immature and adults.

Mother and daughter perhaps - the Roseate on the right is a much younger bird with its pale pink feathers.

It made me smile to watch this Snowy Egret while it was stirring the mud with his yellow feet - trying to lure some little fishes his way.....

he looked intensely focused while doing so.

A Mocking bird with a deformed bill - in my short 2 years of birding, I've seen this on 3 occasions now.

A Mourning Dove leisurely taking in the view until a Red-shouldered Hawk was heard....

then his posture changed and he became a lot more alert.

Then he relaxed again, seemingly smiling with relief.

A juvenile Little Blue Heron

The Bailey's local Osprey - chilling.

A juvenile Common Gallinule getting ready to test the waters....

ahhh.....this wasn't so bad after all.

A Eurasian Collared Dove - chilling too.

The Little Blue Heron waved me on as I left his surroundings. What a great way to start Labor Day!

 

My E-Bird List for today  http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19633206

Around the big Lake

We took a trip across the state and added a small detour on the way to our destination. I was amazed how many Kestrels we say on the power lines - they were as numerous as the Kingfishers.....that to me was interesting because in my area I can see one or two per day, not the 100x that we saw on Friday.

The Crested Caracara made several appearances too - I love to see them fly and to get a glimpse of them in the fields.

We found out after a while that he was feasting on a rabbit.

The Wood Stork - beautiful in its own way.

A Black Crowned Night Heron was hanging around a small zoo - I almost didn't recognized it because of the grey-er plummage.

A Sanderling in its winter plummage.

Blowing Rocks Preserve - a stretch of beach along the East Coast that reminded me of California. It is said that if the tides are high and the wind is blowing from the east that the water can spray up to 50ft into the air.

More Sanderlings.

A Golden Orb Spider - beautiful, big and colorful. I have to admit that I am not especially attracted to spiders.

A sweet, sweet sighting this morning at Peck Park in Hobe Sound - 2 fall juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers

An Eurasian-collared Dove, he kept us company as we ate lunch in between driving spurts on the way home.