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:
A Tricolored Heron hurries along the shoreline:
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:
Nearby, a Great Egret cast a nice reflection:
I liked the way the light played upon the foliage and water at Corkscrew Swamp, a nice background for this Double-crested Cormorant:
One of the numerous White-eyed Vireos along the boardwalk:
At Sanibel, views of the Gulf of Mexico from our condo's screened porch:
Long-legged waders stole the show. Next to the fishing pier, Snowy Egrets seemed so expressive as they foraged along the beach:
A Reddish Egret's beauty was enhanced in the low light:
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:
Blue-winged Teal:
Marsh Rabbit:
Little Blue Heron:
An iPhone panorama of the Coral Creek estuary from the trail:
A Reddish Egret dances on a mudflat:
Two Reddish Egrets interacting:
Osprey chick in a nest along the road:
Brown Anole displaying:
At Lighthouse Point, two lovey Eurasian Collard-Doves:
Sanibel Lighthouse:
Sanibel beach exactly at sunrise:
A Willet was cooperative as the light increased:
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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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I reviewed nearly 600 processed photos taken three years ago during April, 2015, a month which found us engaged in family fun and travel.
Since Easter came early in the month as it does in the present year, our planned events will be a sort of replay of the same places and habitats as the land bird migration season gets underway and peaks. In fact, we plan to be on Sanibel Island after Easter when this blog posts.
In the archives I looked for favorite memes of sky and reflections, birds and other critters to reflect the season as well as scenes which speak for themselves.
A Blogiversary! This marks my 800th Rosyfinch Ramblings blog post since it peeked out of its shell in September, 2006.
Photo of the month-- The lighthouse at night on Sanibel Point, Florida, April 7, 2015:
There was lots of activity during April. Our daughter's family came to visit us for the Easter holidays. We vacationed on Sanibel Island and finished the month at our second home in NE Illinois. On April 2, an Easter White-winged Dove posed in wonderful light (not to mention that this symbol of peace is perched on a Castor Oil Bean tree which is the source of Ricin, the deadly poison):
Looking south at sunrise, also on April 2, over our local Wounded Wetlands:
We experienced a lunar eclipse on April 4, the day before Easter Sunday. It had attained just about three quarters of umbra when the rising sun spoiled the show.
Then we were off to Sanibel, where we occupied a nice large suite overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Our daughter, Son-in-Law and their two girls enjoy fishing, which is fine with us as it gives us time to go birding. We watched breathtaking sunsets from the fishing pier:
Our granddaughters caught a few, and did better than their Dad, who spent a lot of time on Company business (I remember the feeling-- like a busy executive, a family doctor in private practice really had no "free" time):
On the pier, the birds came to us, among them this Snowy Egret:
Brown Pelicans hoped to catch any throw-backs, although feeding them is prohibited:
An Osprey nest near the pier contained a hungry chick:
Pileated Woodpeckers were commonly present in the woodlands surrounding the lighthouse:
I could not ignore the beautiful Blanket Flowers along the way:
At nearby Ding Darling National Wildlife Preserve, Reddish Egrets foraged energetically:
A Northern Cardinal appeared on the boardwalk:
We spent the last half of the month at our second home in Illinois. The first couple of days were so cold that we did not venture out. We visited a local park to see a Great Horned Owl with three owlets (two are visible):
We don't get to see many American Robins in south Florida, so this was a treat:
In the surrounding corn fields, a grand old barn which I hope is still standing...
...but another was torn down only a few months later:
With half a month left, I can only highlight a few of the Illinois birds--
Virginia Rail:
Red-winged Blackbird:
White-breasted Nuthatch:
A pair of Bald Eagles at a nest near our condo:
Overhead, a Red-tailed Hawk:
A male Bobolink in breeding finery:
Eastern Meadowlark on budding oak tree:
A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher on its tiny nest:
Arriving Yellow Warblers:
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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
________________________________________________
Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
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