Parade of the ibises

It was a week of medical appointments and as much backyard bird watching as possible. As is usual during the first two weeks of November, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker returned to our West Indies Mahogany tree. 

What I cannot understand is that each year it is a new immature sapsucker. A few years I have documented their molt into adult plumage, gradually adding red feathers on head and throat. I expected that each young bird from the previous year would return as an adult. 

Over the years the sapsuckers have peppered our tree with sap wells. They clean up old ones and drill new holes. This bird has a hint of yellow on its undersides:

Our Mahogany seems none the worse for all the damage done to its bark. Look closely to see its emerging fruit (actually nut-like drupes which contain large seeds relished by squirrels and jays):

Over twenty adult White Ibises marched together along the shore:

One stopped to preen:

They filed past the "For Sale" sign in our back yard. We just had open house and attracted over 30 family groups, nearly 100 visitors. (We received seven offers to buy, selected one and now have less than a month to move out to Connecticut):

A Little Blue Heron foraged in a shallow spot:

This species has a habit of sitting very still with the tip of its bill nearly touching the water. It seems to be  near-sighted:

A Tricolored Heron exhibits its impatient and erratic feeding methods, almost running across in front of me:

It flew diagonally across the lake:

I ventured out for my first visit to nearby Chapel Trail Nature Preserve in over 6 weeks. The Gray-headed Swamphens were quite vocal:

A Great Egret stalked in the sedges, probably looking for insects and reptiles:

Light was poor and a Common Gallinule was far away:

MaryLou spotted a raptor on a distant treetop. This is how it looked through the binoculars. By its shape it was a small falcon:

I increased exposure compensation and was able to see enough detail on the cropped image to identify it as a Merlin:

In the parking lot, a Loggerhead Shrike perched on a fence:

There were pink clouds over our lake early in the evening on November 16: 

A bit later the nearly full Beaver Moon emerged from the clouds:

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Linking to:

Garden Affair

Fences Around the World

Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

Camera Critters

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Natasha Musing

Our World Tuesday

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World

Timeless Thursday

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Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
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Purple feathers and green goggles

At nearby Chapel Trail Nature Preserve in Pembroke Pines, two purple relatives exist side by side. One is a newcomer, appearing first in the wild after escaping from a local private bird collection in 1996. The Gray-headed Swamphen (Porphyrio Poliocephalus) is related to the gallinules, coots and rails (Rallidae family). Native to the Middle East through India and southern Asia into northern Thailand, the species has adapted to Florida's wetland habitats and has spread widely in the State. 

At first considered to be a threat to native birds, in 2006 it was subjected to an eradication campaign in which over 3,000 were gunned down by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. This futile attempt to exterminate the species did not stop their expanding population.

The colorful Swamphen uses its prehensile toes to dig up the roots and emerging shoots of water plants such as this Spike-rush:

Gray-headed Swamphen in flight:

Gray-headed Swamphens were first considered to be a subspecies of the Purple Swamphen before being reclassified as a separate species. Large and muscular, they are often said to look like a "Purple Gallinule on steroids." . 

A Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) was foraging for one of its favorite foods, the buds and seeds of Spatterdock (AKA Cow Lily or Yellow Pond Lily). Its long toes allow it to "walk on water" over the bed of lily pads:

Also at Chapel Trail, another Rallidae family member, American Coot...

...and Common Gallinule:

A male Anhinga was roosting on an island out in the wet praitie:

During breeding season the bare skin around the eyes of the male turns bright green. Lady Anhingas must find this irresistible:

On the adjacent pasture, a Cattle Egret is chummy with a Longhorn calf:

The boardwalk at Chapel Trail preserve:

Sunrise at our corner on February 23:

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Linking to:

Fences Around the World

Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

Camera Critters

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Natasha Musing

Our World Tuesday

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World

Timeless Thursday

________________________________________________

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

A very pale Magnolia Warbler

The Magnolia Warbler is a colorful little bird which breeds in the far northern reaches of North America. In south Florida we see it when on its way to its winter range, which includes the Caribbean islands, far southern Mexico and Central America. A few commonly spend the winter with us. 

Although this warbler nests far north of any Magnolia tree, it was named for the location in which it was first "discovered." American ornithologist Alexander Wilson found this species in magnolias near Fort Adams, Mississippi  The adults are brightly patterned in yellow, black, blue-gray and white. 

I photographed this northbound male in bold breeding colors at Nelson Lake preserve in northeastern Illinois on May 10, 2011:



Exactly eight years later, on May 10, 2019 I found this adult male in almost the same spot:



Also in Illinois, I obtained an underside view of another male back in May, 2014. Note the distinctive and unique undertail pattern with two terminal black spots:



This is a fall female (Illinois, September, 2017):



Most of the fall Magnolia Warblers we see here in Florida are first year birds. Their colors are subdued. These were present at Chapel Trail Preserve near our home during December, 2019--





In early January, while leading a nature walk at Chapel Trail I spotted an unusual Magnolia Warbler. It was a very bright yellow female, probably a first year immature bird. Its legs and bill were very pale. Its back was bright yellow without the normal dark streaking, and its head, wings and tail were light tan rather than dark gray. The spots under its tail were brown rather than black. Likewise, its eyes seemed not to be pitch black, but rather were brownish. During the following week I obtained a series of photos to document its plumage:







Although I was willing to describe this bird as having "dilute" plumage or possibly as being "leucistic," experts had a more specific name for its faded appearance. They classified it as exhibiting Type 4 oculo-cutaneous albinism. It lacks a specific black melanin pigment, but does produce other lighter melanin. A "pure" albino (Type 1A) would have no melanin and its plumage would be all white with pink eyes. Such a bird would probably not survive in the wild. This Magnolia Warbler may be relatively easy for a predator to locate and capture. (I enjoyed the thrill of discovery, but this may be more than you ever wanted to know!*) 

Other warblers present at Chapel Trail were a Black-and-White Warbler...





...an Orange-crowned Warbler:



...and many Yellow-rumped Warblers:



The boardwalk at Chapel Trail Nature Preserve:



Common Gallinule reflection:

*REF: Melanins are the ubiquitous pigments distributed in nature. They are one of the main pigments responsible for colors in living cells. Birds are among the most diverse animals regarding melanin-based coloration, especially in the plumage, although they also pigment bare parts of the integument. This review is devoted to the main characteristics of bird melanins... (LINK to EVEN MORE THAN YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW)


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Linking to :

Camera Critters

Saturday's Critters

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

BirdD'Pot

Our World Tuesday

Wild Bird Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

All Seasons

Fences Around the World
______________________________________________

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