It is that in-between season in south Florida, after many winter visitors have departed and the mass arrival of northbound migrants is just starting. The weather has been that way as well, with summer-like days interrupted by chilly cold fronts. Warm lake water and cool morning air produce fog which softens the horizon and challenges my limited photography skills.
Looking west over the lake in the Wounded Wetlands, the morning sun tries to pierce the fog:
In the dark rookery, a female Yellow-crowned Night-Heron incubates her clutch in a flimsy nest...
...while her mate stands guard nearby:
A second pair is still constructing their nest:
Unexpectedly, a crow-sized male Pileated Woodpecker flies in to forage on the ground beneath a Live Oak tree next to the rookery:
Back at the lake, the fog has not yet dissipated, so my photo of a Common Gallinule (which I hope will soon revert to its more appropriate name of Moorhen) is soft but pleasing:
The limited sunshine only provides a hint of the rich iridescence of the plumage of this male Boat-tailed Grackle:
The fog burns away and the air remains still. A Double-crested Cormorant, capturing the warm rays, reflects nicely on the smooth surface:
A flock of migrating Blue-winged Teal circles overhead:
They settle briefly on the lake:
A single Least Sandpiper, distinguished by its warm brown back and yellow legs, prefers to forage along the margins of the lake:
I catch a close shot of a male Black-and-White Warbler, a species which winters here but whose numbers swell as migrants arrive:
Typically, it probes the bark of the trunk and larger branches:
Prairie Warblers are permanent residents, but they are migratory and it is likely that our winter birds hail from further north. One briefly perches out in the open:
Least terns have arrived on schedule, a sure sign that spring is here:
We do not see a flush of wildflowers in the spring. One subtle sign is the flower of the Pondapple:
This flower is tiny but quite beautiful. I am not sure of its identity, but it probably is that of a Common Myrtle:
A bee-like Hoverfly species photobombs my session with the flower:
These are truly "parting shots," as we are migrating to our second home in NE Illinois for a short spell. The upper Midwest has suffered over two weeks of cold and snowy weather but we do expect a more pleasant break after we arrive.
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Linking to Misty's CAMERA CRITTERS,
Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,
Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy
Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James
Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni
Linking to Our World Tuesday by Lady Fi
Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart
Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue
Linking to ALL SEASONS by Jesh
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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
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Sunlight touches the fog rising over the Wet Prairie:
I grew up calling it a Marsh Hawk, and the same species is known as Hen Harrier in Europe and Asia. This slender large diurnal raptor has long, narrow wings, a long tail, and a conspicuous white rump patch. It has an owl-like facial disc, and is commonly seen flying low over open land.
Like a Turkey Vulture, it glides with wings tilted upward in a dihedral, an adaptation for slow and low flight. For both species, this configuration allows the wings to stall alternatively as they lose lift, causing the bird to wobble or "teeter" rather than suddenly plunge down to the ground.
Adult female:
A harrier photobombed my session with a Bobcat family:
Another appeared unexpectedly at the edge of an Illiniois cornfield, as I watched a Coyote walk away:
Note the yellow eyes and bulging crop of this adult female:
Few of my photos are in good focus, as the bird's movements are difficult to track and predict:
In my collection of Northern Harrier images, nearly all are of the larger brown females or, more commonly, immature birds with cinnamon-colored underparts. The younger birds have dark eyes, while those of adults become bright yellow. This immature has spotted (or heard) prey in the high grass:
I got a poor image of this female Northern Harrier, through our daughter's kitchen window in Illinois. Her cinnamon undersides, which may be an artifact due to the warm morning light, suggest she is immature but her eyes are quite bright yellow as in an adult:
She flew up to display her distinctive white rump:
This is a young Male Northern Harrier. It looks quite brown:
As they age, males mature into a beautiful plumage of white, gray and black. I had only very poor and distant photos of male harriers until, in January 2018, this one flew overhead in the local wetlands and afforded me one shot as it sped away:
I was thrilled as this adult male, perhaps the same one, approached my position in the Wet Prairie on March 23, 2018. It veered erratically and I thought the "Gray Ghost" would turn away:
Males are a bit less common than females, but seem greatly outnumbered during the winter because of the similarity between adult females and the abundant immature birds of both sexes. Far north, on their breeding gounds, the males may collect a "harem" of several females.
Perched on road sign at Brigantine preserve in New Jersey:
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Linking to Misty's CAMERA CRITTERS,
Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,
Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy
Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James
Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni
Linking to Our World Tuesday by Lady Fi
Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart
Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue
Linking to ALL SEASONS by Jesh
________________________________________________
Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
________________________________________________
