On the Wing #44: Sunshine State

A lovely time was had in Florida by myself and my friends, but this being a birding blog, I'm going to post the pictures I'm most excited about and I hope you enjoy them too.

Poking it's head out of the bush, this Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) peers around the neighborhood. It didn't seem particularly bothered by my presence, but it did keep an eye on me.

The hybrids keep showing up. Mallard x American Black Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos x rubripes) are fairly uncommon in the Northeast, but it feels like the Mottled Ducks (A. fulvigula) down here have the same problem. It would be interesting to get the stats on the threat to the breeding population from errant Mallard breeding fiascoes.

It always seems to be males that are present. Very rarely, if ever have I seen female hybrids. The characteristics of the male Mallard and female Mottled are well noticeable here.

A lonely decoy keeps watch over the chaos taking place within the Mottled Duck genome. It only wanted to attract its own kind, but now it was surrounded by the depraved whims of Mallards and Mottled Ducks. Hybrids abound and such mixes might produce some undesirable results.

Keeping watch from wire and post, the Loggerhead Shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus) seemed to be less numerous than the last time I visited in 2010 and 2012. These birds are also called "butcher birds" due to their habit of storing lizards, insects, and small birds on sharp spines of trees or barbed wire to keep for harder times. Despite this food storage technique, they've declined quite drastically over the last few decades and have completely vanished from the Northeast as a result.

The kings of the canals, Little Blue Herons (Egretta caerulea) seemed to be everywhere. Along with a Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor), Great Egrets (Ardea alba), and Wood Storks (Mycteria americana), these waterbirds comb the canals and ditches of Florida for edible morsels ranging from fish to frogs and then some.

High in the sky, Turkey (Cathartes aura) and Black Vultures (Corygyps atratus) wheel about in the skies above Fort Myers. Commoner that garden flies, they seem to fill the skies where ever one looks on any warm day.

Hiding in vegetation is always a good strategy to avoid being disturbed, but these male Anhingas (Anhinga anhinga) seemed to relish the attention given to them as they sat in the sun. The striking black of the males it made ever more noticeable by the white plumes on the neck and back. I guess you have to look pretty if you're the feathered equivalent of a living sponge.

A juvenile Wood Stork wades in the oasis near the Oasis Visitors Center in Big Cypress National Preserve. Fairly plentiful around the southwest of Florida, I either saw them wading at the edge of pools or soaring in the skies above the baking ground below.

A surprise indeed. A Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) was an unexpected bonus to my visit to the Big Cypress National Preserve. Generally found along the coast in winter, I suppose this young bird (1st winter immature judging from the brownish smudging on the shoulder) wandered inland to explore.

An expert at hiding in small, tight places, this Green Heron (Butorides virescens) was pointed out to me by my girlfriend, who also spotted another heron species while at Big Cypress as well. She's going to be better at finding things than me pretty soon.

I've always thought Palm Warblers (Setophaga palmarum) should be called wagtails based on their twitchy tails while walking on the ground. I've caught this one mid-twitch, causing a blur as you can see. They are another prime example of poorly named species as their name is only accurate when they are on their winter range and even then they spend more time on the ground than in the trees they're named for.

Another Anhinga drying off after a swim. Along with cormorants and frigatebirds, they lack waterproofing in their feathers which allows them to be expert divers and swimmers (However in this case, frigatebirds are the exception. They just steal food from other birds while on the wing). They will however get a chill if they don't dry out completely and this is why you see them standing on branches or piers with their wings open. Just another fun fact from Florida.

A Great Egret is successful at catching a small sunfish. Rarely, if ever, have I seen one miss. The second picture was taken after the strike and as the bird was pulling up. Needed those wings for a counterbalance it seems.

A pair of true love birds. These Black Vultures eyed me carefully as I approached before eventually scuttling off. I think I've found a new favorite bird behind storm-petrels and Long-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis).

My girlfriend found this American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) lurking in the shade along one of the side roads used for birding and wildlife watching in the Big Cypress Preserve. The lack of black striping on the neck suggest it's an immature bird (at least according to Sibley, patron saint of better bird identification as of the year 2000).

A Little Blue Heron looks on at the civilization it deals with everyday. This was one of the best trips I've ever taken because I was able to see old college friends, locate four new bird species, and spend some time with my wonderful girlfriend as well. It's such a lovely state and of course, rich in bird life. I cannot think of a better place to visit. I won't be sure when I'll be back, but I do know that when I return, it will be for those beautiful birds that make me smile, gasp, and squeal with joy every time I see them. Have a lovely week and as always, happy birding ^_^.

P.S. The first rounds of the Babe Ruth of Ornithology will conclude this week with the match up of Louis Aggasiz Fuertes vs. Margaret Morse Nice. After the concluding result, the requirements for the next round will be posted as well. Thank you for staying tuned and thank you for reading. See you soon.