While west Florida had 5-6 inches of snow just a few days ago, it appears that Florida's Winter is just about over. We woke up to 35 degrees this morning...Pensacola awoke to 30 degrees. They nearly got up to 60 degrees, we got up to 64 degrees. Look at the blue skies over our home area!
The White Ibis were just eating it up!
That brown bird is a young White Ibis...the brown feathers will drop off, and will be replaced with white feathers...probably by summer.
The Great White Egret, or Great White Heron, is also a frequent visitor to the Library Pond. There were 5 or 6 when Indy and I arrived, but all but one flew away immediately. An Osprey flew through too...I have seen them quickly fly into the water, and take a fish out and fly away. Very common thing in Florida...and now and then, you will see a fish out in the middle of the street, parking lot, lawns as every now and then they have a premature dropping of their fish. That is when the Seagulls and Black Birds fight over the remains.
So, what got me to dig out the camera, charge up the batteries, and write another blog just days from my last blog???
Well...maybe it is this guy...could it be? Is it?? I have not seen one in our area for a couple of years now...
YES it is...an American Bald Eagle! And if there is one...
There is probably a nest...and this time of year, if there is a nest...
There is probably one in the nest. Both male and female bald eagles stay in the nest to incubate and care for their eggs and young. But the female usually spends more time at the nest than the male. My guess is, since the one out of the nest was not hunting, there are probably eggs in the nest...but it is probably time to hatch here real soon.
As I have been taking Indy on her
potty/exercise drives, I have seen many people, some with those HUGE
LONG CAMERAS, taking pictures of the nest below. I never saw any birds,
but I knew there was something there. And by the size of the nest, I figured it was an Eagle.
This Osprey Nest is a familiar sight in our area. The female is very likely to be the one that stays in the nest while the male is out "fishing". Sound familiar??? At least they don't need the newest and best fishing boat to "do their thing"!
She came out, spread her wings a few times, and sat perched looking around. In this picture above she was staring right at me, her back is to the gulf (Gulf of America!!!!), causing the feathers on her head to stand up just a bit. Again, did you all notice that blue sky we had today???
Here is a better picture of the boat that run aground during Hurricane Helene.
This is what our week is going to look like. Pretty soon we will be complaining about the heat and humidity again.
Cool bird photos!
ReplyDeleteThank you Karen. You all enjoying the "Q", or have you left already??
DeleteHi Dave, enjoy your blog and don't think I have commented before. I live in the So Cal mountains and in nearby Big Bear we have Bald Eagles, Jackie and Shadow. They have been a couple for many years and within the last few days Jackie laid her second egg.
ReplyDeleteIf you go on YouTube to Big Bear Eagle Nest Live - Cam 1, there is a 24 hour camera on the nest and you can see all the activity that goes on. Right now (9:30 California time) it appears Jackie is holding down the fort. It is extremely windy in the mountains tonight and rain/snow will be arriving in the early morning hours. The nest will be covered by snow in the morning if the weather guys are correct. Enjoy.
Yes, I have seen that one, and there are a few up in Alaska that I have watched too. Thanks
DeleteI watch Jackie and Shadow all the time!!! Amazing to see those guys and so glad they are laying eggs. Dave, you'll have to get out your long lens!! It's definitely been a cold year, and I'm ready for some warm. We have the sunshine, but so far it's still cold.
ReplyDeleteLong Lens??? You got me confused with that crazy woman from Atwater! lol No, we only have Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ70 and FZ60. The FZ70 has 60x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom, which does it for me.
DeleteJust in time too! We start heading down that way on Monday and are looking forward to some warmer weather. Eagles and ospreys are incredible birds. What I thought of as I looked at your pictures is how adaptable nature is and if we were to all disappear tomorrow the birds could care less.
ReplyDeleteI think part of that Adaptation is that they knew (instincts) that Northern Florida was going to be too cold this year, and flew a bit further south.
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