Crops & Clips: Flashback to December, 2015

We will celebrate December by looking three years back, through the 713 photos I processed in December, 2015. I hope to find images which depict favorite memes: critters of all kinds, especially birds, fences, beautiful skies and reflections, and scenes which speak for themselves.

My favorite photo effect of the month was the sinuous neck of a Tricolored Heron in our back yard:



Mary Lou and I led the monthly wetlands walk along the boardwalk on the grounds of the Regional Library in neighboring Pembroke Pines:



We started out the month following up on the report of an unusual species at Markham Park about 10 miles north of our south Florida home. It was a Western Spindalis, a tanager native to the Caribbean islands. We failed to find it on our first visit, but I got a "lifer" Spot-breasted Oriole. Four of them put on a good show:





A Wood Stork flew over the park:



We returned to Markham Park on December 10 and were rewarded with great views of the Western Spindalis:





Few American Kestrels breed in far south Florida, so it was good to see these small falcons arrive for the winter:



Another visiting raptor was the Northern Harrier. This is a "Gray Ghost" male:



A Turkey Vulture looked down at us from the broken top of a dead palm:



It was difficult to ignore a Northern Cardinal as it posed so nicely in good light:



A male Pileated Woodpecker suddenly swooped down past me:





An Ovenbird peered out from the branches which formed a natural "vignette:"



The local Bald Eagles were preparing for a family. This is the male, "Pride:"



The female, "Jewel" sat deeply for a few days, rearranged the nest a bit, and laid her first egg before Christmas:



Turning to other critters, a Green Metallic Bee hovered long enough for me to obtain a clear image:



A Dorantes Longtail visited a blooming Bidens alba. The seeds of this common "weed" are troublesome Shepherd's Nettles, but it provides more nectar than any other native plant. Only the cultivated citrus trees are more productive:



A Soldier butterfly also favored the Bidens:



A Garden Spider tended her web:



A Marsh Rabbit chewed on the grass:




The Christmas Moon set on the morning of December 26, with the Pine Bank reflecting on the still water:

 

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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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