Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Vultures and Frigates: 12-17-16 Bird Survey



Turkey Vultures




Part of Mother Nature's clean-up crew





Male Magnificent Frigate
Males sport a vivid red pouch along their throats which they can inflate when trying to attract females.



Juveniles with white head and breast
 Frigate birds are great gliders and can stay aloft for weeks at a time, often gliding for 30 or 40 miles without a single wing flap.


Almost all of the females have left on their southern migration; we saw only juveniles and males.




Frigate birds are unique among aquatic birds.  Their feathers are not waterproof, so they can't land and rest on the waves.




This male has picked up a fish that had been hooked by a fisherman.  



The tail of the fish is protruding from the bird's bill and the monofilament line is trailing off.
Hopefully the bird will be able to cough up the fish before the hook gets imbedded in it's throat which would probably be a death sentence as the bird wouldn't be able to swallow.













Pups at 3 weeks old: 12-24-16 (2)



Eyes are open and they're starting to poop















The pups love Travis




















Monday, December 26, 2016

Ospreys on Bird Survey, Pinellas NWR: 12-17-16




Ospreys are superb fishers and indeed eat little else, with fish making up some 99% of their diet.  Ospreys can become completely submerged during a dive (head and talons entering the water) into the water and are still able to fly away with their prey.


There are some clear markers as far as gender is concerned, although as one might expect, some plumage variations do exist.  It's easier to identify the gender of the members of breeding pairs and is more difficult with individuals.
Males (above) are slimmer bodies than females and their under plumage is usually entirely white/grayish.



Females have a band of dark brownish streaks the throat and around the neck and upper chest.



Owls and Ospreys are the only raptors with a reversible outer toe, which allows them to hold on to their prey with two toes in front and two behind.





The birds aerodynamically position a fish headfirst in their talons before returning to a feeding perch or the nest.


It's not uncommon to see an Osprey dragging its talons along the surface of the water.




They do this to clean their talons




and to cool themselves by getting water on their breast feathers.



White Ibises walking under the Red Mangrove drop roots and among the mangrove prop roots and don't seem bothered at all by the trash along the shoreline.




Such handsome birds they are!




Friday, December 23, 2016

Great Egret on the hunt for lizards



Great Egret



Surveying the area





Attention is drawn toward the bushes





Acquiring target




Moving in behind Florida's state wildflower, Tic seed




Success!!  We thanked him for taking a Cuban, aka Brown, Anole which is a non-native exotic species that should not be here.




And he moves on to hunt elsewhere
















Thursday, December 22, 2016

Puppy pics at 2 weeks of age: 12-17-16





Contortionist?





Chowline 







Nap time on a full stomach








Michael, caretaker par excellence (he's on the right?)






One of my godson's two beautiful daughters, Lauren Bond.









And her sister, Avery










The matriarch, Splash