Thursday, May 31, 2018

Cabin Fever

Upon returning to Florida this past week we were greeted by Alberto, a sub-tropical storm, which produced several days of heavy rain and wind. Unable to venture out into the local wetlands, my only photo opportunities have been in my back yard. Although I miss our morning walks, I do enjoy the quiet respite.

Egyptian Geese under overcast sky:

Egyptian Geese 01-20180528

Egyptian Geese 02-20180528

Egyptian Goose 03-20180528

Egyptian Goose 04-20180528

A Tricolored Heron hurries along the shoreline:

Tricolored Heron 20180521

Our Illinois family visited us the first week of April, and we spent several nights at Sanibel Island on the southern Gulf coast. We have been so busy with travel that I just got around to reviewing the photos from that trip. Instead of the usual DSLR, I carried my new compact Olympic MSC ED-M Mk2 mirrorless camera. Having not mastered all its settings, my results were uneven, particularly in low light, so do not blame it on the camera.

We stopped at Audubon Society's Corkscrew Swamp on the way. Near the boardwalk, a Roseate Spoonbill posed nicely as it preened:

Roseate Spoonbill 012-20180402

Roseate Spoonbill 004-20180402

Roseate Spoonbill 015-20180402

Roseate Spoonbill 017-20180402

Nearby, a Great Egret cast a nice reflection:

Great Egret 01-20180402

I liked the way the light played upon the foliage and water at Corkscrew Swamp, a nice background for this Double-crested Cormorant:

Anhinga 01-20180402

One of the numerous White-eyed Vireos along the boardwalk:

White-eyed Vireo 02-20180402

At Sanibel, views of the Gulf of Mexico from our condo's screened porch:

View from Gulfstream Condo 01-20180403

Sanibel Inn condo view 03-20180404

Long-legged waders stole the show. Next to the fishing pier, Snowy Egrets seemed so expressive as they foraged along the beach:

Snowy Egrets CROP1  01-20180403

Snowy Egrets CROP2  01-20180403

Snowy Egret 04-20180403

Snowy Egret 02-20180403

A Reddish Egret's beauty was enhanced in the low light:

Reddish Egret portrait 02-20180403

Reddish Egret 01-20180403

We drove several times along the wildlife loop at Ding Darling National Wildlife Preserve. At a small pond in the Bailey's Woods area, a  Black-necked Stilt scratched an itch:

Black-necked Stilt 06-20180403

Black-necked Stilt 05-20180403

Blue-winged Teal:

Blue-winged Teal 02-20180404

Marsh Rabbit:

Marsh Rabbit 01-20180404

Little Blue Heron:

Little Blue Heron HDR 01-20180404

An iPhone panorama of the Coral Creek estuary from the trail:

Ding Darling PANO 2-20180404

A Reddish Egret dances on a mudflat:

Reddish Egret 003-20180404

Two Reddish Egrets interacting:

Reddish Egrets 005-20180404

Osprey chick in a nest along the road:

Osprey chick 02-20180404

Brown Anole displaying:

Brown Anole display 20180404

At Lighthouse Point, two lovey Eurasian Collard-Doves:

Eurasian Collared-Doves 01-2018

Sanibel Lighthouse:

Sanible Lighthouse 20180403

Sanibel beach exactly at sunrise:

Sanibel Island sunrise 01-20180407

Sanderling at sunrise 20180405

Shorebirds at sunrise 20180405

A Willet was cooperative as the light increased:

Willet 02-20180405

Willet 01-20180405




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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

 Linking to Fences Around the World by Gosia

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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display

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Thursday, May 24, 2018

Birds posting

This week has been hectic as we were totally immersed in the tasks related to the sale of our Illinois condo, so Mary Lou and I have missed seeing nearly all the transient spring migrating birds. 

We never reached our daily goal of 10,000 steps, although we got lots of exercise climbing up and down the three stories of our town-home, carrying furniture and household items. A good friend with husky relatives did the heavy lifting. Tonight (Tuesday), after attending our granddaughter's graduation from 8th grade we must catch a limo ride to the airport at 3:00 AM.

We visited Nelson Lake only a couple of times. This is the east entry path:

Nelson Lake Silo 20180425

Earlier in the month we were able to drive through a nearby disturbed vacant area several times. We arranged our route so that whatever our destination, we could make one tour around the block. The area of grassland is platted, utilities and roads are in place and lots for future homes are marked out with signs and wooden poles. Using the auto as a blind, I captured a few decent shots.

Savannah Sparrow:

Savannah Sparrow 02-20180515

Savannah Sparrow 03-20180515

Eastern Kingbird:

Eastern Kingbird 20180516

Grasshopper Sparrow:

Grasshopper Sparrow 04-20180516

Grasshopper Sparrow 02-20180515

American Robin singing:

American Robin 02-20180515

A female House Sparrow joined a male who was perched on a post:

House Sparrows 01-20180516

House Sparrows 04-20180516

The couple posed for a portrait:

House Sparrows 03-20180516

This was the first time we found Bobolinks at this location:

Bobolink 08-20180515

Bobolink 091-20180515
 

Horned Lark:

Horned Lark 20180425

A nice find was a Lark Sparrow. They have returned to this area after nesting here last spring for the first breeding record in Kane County. We are at the extreme northeastern limit of their breeding range:

Lark Sparrow 01-20180507

A pair of Lark Sparrows foraged together. Another birder found a third:

Lark Sparrows pair gathering rootlets04-20180507

Lark Sparrows are large, have long tails with white markings and their face pattern is distinctive:

Lark Sparrow 03-20180516

A Killdeer had three newly hatched chicks:

Killdeer with 1 chick 03-20180507

Killdeer 2 chicks 02-20180507

Killdeer hatchling 20180506

Canada Geese dabbled in a roadside puddle:

Canada Geese 20180515

Canada Goose 2-20180515

A Bald Eagle flew overhead:


Bald Eagle 01-20180507

ADDENDUM: With all that is going on I forgot it was already Thursday and the blog posted automatically. I wanted to add a sky and cloud shot from the airplane as we were in final descent about 15 miles west of the Fort Lauderdale Airport and 6 miles north of our home. I was surprised to see that my neighborhood was visible just before we entered the heavier clouds. Click to enlarge and see annotations:


Our house from the air ANNOTATED 03-20180523

= = =  = = =  = = = =  = = = = =

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

________________________________________________