The sky is pink but the birding is slow

Moving into August in south Florida, the dog days of summer have taken hold. If only to get exercise, Mary Lou and I set out into the local wetlands most mornings before sunrise.

In the past few days, dust from Africa has blown in over the Atlantic Ocean and is producing beautiful pink sunrises. Only two days ago I witnessed an extraordinary phenomenon.  Over the lake in our neighborhood birding patch I saw the most vivid "mirrored" or "false" sunrise. This was at 6:50 AM, about 9 minutes after sunrise. There were thunderheads over the Atlantic to the east and the cloud tops were breaking up the rays of the sun into parallel lines, which converged on the opposite (WSW) horizon



The rays of the sun are reflected off the dust, and the still surface of the lake produced stunning reflections. I could not fit the image into a single frame, so this is the view looking more to the left (SW):



Here, looking the opposite way (ENE) is the thunderstorm that is blocking the rising sun but creating the magnificent rays:

 

Here is the sky a bit later the next morning:

 

Last week, this was the view to the west across the lake, as the sunlight was just reaching the near shore. The clouds had already started reflecting some of the pink color:



The lake level had fallen low, exposing mud flats. You may remember the "Enchanted Island" where a Red-winged Blackbird posed so nicely this spring:



Now it sits high and dry, but has not lost its charm:



The mud flats looked so inviting, and we anticipated the arrival of shorebirds heading south. On July 29th a single Spotted Sandpiper appeared:





Two days earlier the first Belted Kingfisher of the "fall" season arrived, but it did not pose for any pictures. The week before, two active and inquisitive Blue-gray Gnatcatchers surprised me as they foraged in a tree next to the gravel road.  Although some are believed to nest down this far south, these were the first to be reported in our county since last spring. 





A few resident herons showed up on the lake in the wetlands. Among them a Green Heron, just arriving:



It crept furtively around the rocks:



The Little Blue Heron is another deliberative hunter. In typical fashion, it moved slowly along, often with its bill almost touching the water:



A Snowy Egret cast a delightful reflection. In foraging, it stirred the water with its foot, creating big bubbles:



The egret almost seemed to be proud of its reflection:



A male Northern Flicker (note his black mustache!) called from atop the spire of a Royal Palm:



A pair of Common Ground-Doves walked along in front of me on the gravel road:



Many birds were in various stages of post-breeding molt, such as this female Northern Cardinal:



This cardinal may be a young male, but its bright red bill and tan body feathers suggest it may be an adult female, molting even more visibly:



This young Boat-tailed Grackle looks shabby indeed, as it begins to acquire its adult coat:



A Snowy Egret flew by just after sunrise, offering me the opportunity for two quick clicks:





Especially when the birding is slow, I take note of the butterflies. Among them, this perfect specimen of a Gulf Fritillary:



This is a Phaeon Crescent, distinguished from the common Pearl Crescent by the cream-colored median band on its forewing:



I got a nice close look at a Needham's Skimmer:



In our back yard, the avocados and the delicious fruit of the annone (Custard Apples) are ready:



I had to dig through my older photos to find a fence for Tex's meme. This one was in front of the Fairmont Chalet, our hotel at Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada:




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Linking to Misty's  CAMERA CRITTERS,

Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,

Linking to GOOD FENCES by Tex (Theresa). 

Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy

Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James

Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart

Linking to I Heart Macro by Laura

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

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