Crescent Lake, FL: 2-25-18

Limpkin

The Limplin’s bill is uniquely adapted to foraging on apple snails. The closed bill has a gap just before the tip that makes the bill act like a pair of tweezers.

The tip itself is often curved slightly to the right so it can be slipped into the right-handed chamber of the snail.

Wood Stork

North America’s only stork

Eastern Grey Squirrel

Spadderdock

Great Egret

Lores are transitioning from typical yellow into the lime green of breeding plumage

 Great Egret in breeding plumage (on Bird Island) with fancy aigrettes and green lores.

Male Anhinga

White Ibis

Black Skimmers on North Shore Beach: 2-26-18

Black Skimmers

Along with Dunlins, two gull species, Black-bellied Plover, and a Forster’s Tern

Often several birds will take off, circle the area and come right back to where they were.

Scratch that itch even in flight

Lots of bathing going on

One of two species of birds with the upper bill shorter than the lower bill.

 Interestingly, at hatching the two mandibles are equal in length so they act like tweezers allowing the youngsters to more easily pick up food regurgitated on the sand by a parent.  However, by fledging at about 4 weeks of age, the lower mandible is already nearly 1 cm longer than the upper.

A Black Skimmer wannabe - One Sandwich Tern

Interesting Signs

Anhingas at Sawgrass Lake Park: 2-26-18

Different fishing techniques between the Anhinga 

and the Double-crested Cormorant

The cormorant has a hooked bill and “grasps” its prey, turns it head first so the spines are pressed against the fish’s body and then swallows its prey.

In contrast, the Anhinga’s bill is sharp and pointed and with their long, flexible neck, a fish is speared.  The Anhinga then throws its head back flipping the fish into the air.  He catches it and maneuvers it so the fins are pressed against the fish’s body.

then Gulp and it’s gone!

Although the anhinga has a functional oil gland (like most birds) on its rump that produces the substance used to waterproof feathers, the anhinga’s feathers are three times more “wettable” than the feathers of other aquatic birds.  This allows them to swim underwater easily but requires them to dry the feathers between dives or after they finish diving for the day.

After finishing its fish n chips (minus the chips), it’s time for preening those all important feathers

Now it’s time for the male to display to the female who is several feet below him on a lower branch.

She (on the left) must have been impressed as she flew up to join him.

Duel sky-pointing

Many gyrations

“Swooning"

This courting display went on for quite a while before they flew off to perhaps continue the more intimate details in private.

North Shore Beach: 2-26-18

 Handsome Male Boat-tailed Grackle

Love the sheen on their feathers 

Mourning Dove

Lonely looking Red Mangrove

This is how our mangrove forest started 33 years ago.

Incoming!

Great Blue Heron

Florida’s largest heron

Not much escapes Lindsay’s gaze

Landing Royal Tern among Laughing Gulls and Black Skimmers

Lots of birds roost here overnight - safety in numbers