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Thursday, April 2, 2020

Crops & Clips: Flashback to April, 2017

A new month begins, prodding me to get out of my COVID-19 pandemic-induced funk and start looking through my photos from three years ago. I will try to find images which depict favorite memes: critters of all kinds, flowers, fences, reflections and skyscapes as well as photos which speak for themselves. We remained in Florida the entire month, but did spend a week on the west (Gulf) coast with our visiting Illinois family. 

The month of April started off with a handsome male Northern Cardinal on a Pond Cypress which is just sprouting new leaves...

Northern Cardinal in Pond Cypress 5-20170401

...a male Black-and-White Warbler...

Black-and White Warbler 02-20170401

...a male Prairie Warbler...

Prairie Warbler 01-20170401

...and a male Gulf Fritillary. The "male" theme was accidental as they represented the first four creatures I photographed on April 1, 2017. In the case of the butterfly, only the males possess a series of pheromone-secreting androconia, visible as transverse (ladder-like) striations on six veins on each of its fore-wings. (You may need to enlarge this image to see them):

Gulf Fritillary 20170401

Great Crested Flycatcher:

Great Crested Flycatcher 06-20170403

Northern Mockingbird:

Northern Mockingbird 03-20170403

Green Heron:

Green Heron 3-20170405

In the rookery, a pair of Green Herons shared a tender moment with their first egg, on April 9:

Green Herons tender moment position 6 2-20170409

Our daughter and family visited from Illinois. Our granddaughters went out with MaryLou to view the Bald Eagle nest:

Eagle watchers 3-20170414

We spent Easter vacation on Sanibel Island on Florida's Gulf Coast, where we watched an Osprey eat a fish:

Osprey 3-20170418

At Ding Darling National Wildlife Preserve, a Reddish Egret hunted, energetically dashing to and fro:

Reddish Egret 05-20170418

Reddish Egret 03-20170418

Reddish Egret 04-20170418

On the beach, a Willet displayed its distinctive wing markings:

Willet 3-20170418

A Ruddy Turnstone probed in the sand:

Ruddy Turnstone 02-20170418

A Royal Tern flew along the water's edge:

Royal Tern 02-20170418

Dunes at Bowman's Beach on Sanibel island:

Dunes at Bowman's Beach 02-20170418

A Tiki Hut on the boardwalk at Bowman's Beach:

Bowman's Beach chickee on boardwalk 08-20170418

Marsh Rabbit at Bowman's Beach:

Marsh Rabbit 3-20170418

Back home, at the local nest, the two eaglets were climbing on the branches and would soon fly freely:

Bald Eagle two eaglets 20170425

Common NIghthawks had returned to breed:

Common Nighthawk in flight 20170427

Carolina Wrens had been present all year, but were singing much more vigorously in early Spring:

Carolina Wren 03-20170427

A notably tortuous neck on this Tricolored heron:

Tricolored Heron 3-20170422

Solitary Sandpiper and reflection:

Solitary Sandpiper 03-20170421

A Bunting eating the "Shepherd's Nettles" seeds of Bidens alba on April 21. It is probably an immature Painted Bunting, as its back has a greenish cast, but... 

Bunting in Bidens alba 02-20170421

... it appeared to have some blue feathers on its breast, suggesting it may be an immature Indigo Bunting. (This was probably an aberration due to the color temperature of the processed image). Both species usually migrate north before the end of April:

Bunting in Bidens alba 03-20170421

A Mottled Duck and Black-necked Stilt:

Mottled Duck and Black-necked Stilt 03-20170421

Sunrise as seen from our back patio...

Sunrise over the cove 20170422

...and our front yard:

Sunrise at mi casa 20170422
= = =  = = =  = = = =  = = = = =

Linking to:

Fences Around the World

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

Camera Critters

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Our World Tuesday

Wild Bird Wednesday
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Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display

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31 comments:

  1. Lovely photos and or course, I like that Cardinal. I have a pair of Cardinals that come to my feeders. The male will arrive and chirp to his female to come and eat. Very sweet.

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  2. Cardinals have a special place in our hearts. Our youngest son was disabled and loved to sit in the shade of a Live Oak in our Dallas back yard. Cardinals seemed attracted to the spot and often came very close by, delighting him with their bright color. He passed but the cardinals kept coming, as if looking for him in his wheelchair.

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  3. Hello Mr. Schneider!
    Your photos, besides being magnificent, are a source of information and knowledge.
    You live in a paradise of fauna and flora.
    Your house and your garden are beautiful, but what I most appreciate and what is charming is Santo Francisco talking to animals.
    I leave here my admiration and my thanks for everything you shared with us today.
    God bless you.

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  4. Beautiful skies from both front and back yards. That tiki hut looks like a fun place to relax and spend some time!

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  5. Digital photography has allowed us to save and share better times. - Margy

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  6. Hello, Ken!
    You always have amazing photos and wonderful bird sightings. The Herons are always my favorites, I love the waders. beautiful Warblers and a lovely butterfly! Pretty sky captures! Great post, as always! Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, stay safe! Enjoy your day, wishing you a happy weekend. PS, thank you for the commend and visit.

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  7. I would love to see a Marsh Rabbit! I've enjoyed all of your bird photos and it's fun to learn more ID tips. We are seeing lots of butterflies right now. Most of our trails are closed now but I know I have photos to go through from past excursions! Take care!

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  8. Wonderful, as always. I do so love the stately pose of the gr. crested flycatcher.
    Thanks so much for this. We birders at I'd Rather B Birdin appreciate your blog post & photos!

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  9. The Northern Cardinal is such a distinctive bird - love seeing them either in the feather or on the screen.

    Hope you are well - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  10. All these photos are incredibly beautiful!! I especially like the one of the cardinal! Wow! Have a wonderful week!

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  11. Another splendid series of captures Kenneth. I would so love to see the Cardinal. Thanks for sharing again. Keep safe.

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  12. Beautiful post, and so lively of different kinds of birds. No wonder - it's spring! Great you both can share your interests with your grand kids! Am happy you are not confined to your house, or?
    Ken, I checked and am missing your link from All Seasons this week. Please, whenever convenient, can you add it before Friday? Many thanks!Jesh

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  13. Wonderful photos! That heron looks quite a character.

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  14. Wow what wonderful photos from so fantastic Birds. The red one is amazing.
    Greetings from Germany
    Kirsi

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  15. Beautiful photos, as always!
    Thank you for sharing at https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2020-04-05/sidewalk-notes-bring-smiles-to-hospital-staff-during-virus

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  16. That beautiful sky looks so colorful, and all these beautiful birds were beautifully photographed Kenneth! It makes me so happy that your granddaughters are also interested in bird-watching. We don;t have much bird varieties here aside from brown finches and sparrows but whenever I see them they make my heart so happy :)

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  17. That kind of rabbit sure has short ears. Cardinals are such beautiful birds. We don't have them where we are. - Margy

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  18. Thanks so much for your thumbnail pic for All Seasons, Ken! I understand, when grand kids are there, they take all the attention, and our plans and time go out of the window:) Really gravitate toward the herons (in general) but the tri-colored one here is stunning!

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  19. gorgeous photos as always - you made me smile this morning and I thank you

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  20. It's always fantastic to visit your blog with stunning photos! We don't have a lot of variety of birds around the house.

    I'm delighted to read your post at My Corner of the World' this week! Thanks for linking up!

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  21. Your blog is a real treasure. I fully intend to read and admire it all before I am through. I read with interest your comments on "Seeking Social Isolatioin but not alone." So, the old virus can't kill us too fast...

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