This continues my monthly retrospective on past experiences, memories from three years ago. I will continue to search the archives for photos which represent a few selected themes: Living CRITTERS of all kinds, beautiful SKIES and REFLECTIONS, as well as MACRO images and GOOD FENCES. I have met this challenge for the past 15 months in a row, so let's see how far I must travel into the month of April, 2013 to achieve my goal!
I started the month out right, while observing the local Bald Eagle nest, as a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks landed atop a light standard along the road (April 1, 2013):
The next morning the female eagle provided a nice fly-by photo opportunity:
A not-very-handsome "critter" was reluctant to get out of our path on April 8. This Opossum had not quite finished eating a rat which had been killed by the mowers, as its tail still protruded from its mouth:
The juvenile Bald Eagle was still returning to the nest to be fed:
A Marsh Lily provided a nice macro study:
On April 14 we visited a ranch in Hendry County to the north, where Barred Owls had a nest, ...
...a Swllow-tailed Kite flew overhead...
...and a wild sow shepherded her piglets:
At the ranch we also saw a Crested Caracara,...
...Wild Turkeys,...
...Burrowing Owls,...
...and Roseate Spoonbills:
So far, we have seen a plethora of "critters," but I could not pass by this Gray Squirrel in our front yard:
Thanks to the breezes which produce ripples on our Florida lakes, we are halfway through the month without a single nice reflection. Now we return to Illinois, to find a restless sky over the entrance to Nelson lake Forest Preserve, ...
...and on April 29 find a fledgling Great Horned Owl in a local park...
...as well as a weak excuse for the reflection of a dabbling pair of Mallards:
Still no fences, unless Theresa allows me to count this poor imitation of one in a construction zone, with a Tree Swallow beautifying its post:
If you squint while looking as the flood water recedes in Jones Meadow Park, you may see another fence in the distance:
On April 28, another macro-- a White Trout Lily:
On the last day of the month, a Northern Waterthrush cast its true reflection in a brook, but can you see either? (click to enlarge)
Our visit to two of the famous birding locations in West Palm Beach County started at Green Cay Wetlands. It was a beautiful clear morning, without a cloud in sight. This is the boardwalk that leads out into the wetlands from the Nature Center.
The birding action started even before we set foot on the boardwalk, with an abundance of Painted Buntings at the feeders along the path to the Nature Center:
A young Anhinga preened, oblivious to human presence. In the wetlands near our home there are so few people that this species is particulary wary:
Along the boardwalk , this pair of Blue-winged Teal was one of many:
A Green Heron hunted so close by that I had to back up to fit it in the viewfinder:
Pied-billed Grebes dived and swam under the boardwalk:
An American Bittern stood stark still for a long time, emitting soft calls of alarm. Another photographer pointed out that it was reacting to the danger posed by a Northern Harrier that was sitting, hidden deep in the grass only a few feet away:
The light caught the subtle rusty feathers on a Cattle Egret's head:
A blue-eyed Double Crested Cormaorant posed:
A Red-winged Blackbird sang and displayed on the boardwalk railing:
On a snag, a White Ibis provided a nice photo-op:
In the trees on the islands between the boardwalks, we saw warblers, including a Palm Warbler...
...Pine Warblers...
...Yellow-rumped Warblers...
...and an Orange-crowned Warbler:
We moved on to Wadokahatchee Wetlands, where there were the nests of many herons, Anhingas, cormorants and storks.
There may have been as many as 12 pairs of Wood Storks, which have practically abandoned their historic breeding grounds to the south:
The storks competed with Anhingas for space in a single tree:
There were many nesting Great Blue Herons:
A Great Egret arranged a stick in its nest (an Anhinga chick is in the foreground):
The male Great Egret in this nest exhibits the green face and the nearly black upper mandible that appear at the height of breeding condition:
A Snowy Egret:
One of many Purple Gallinules:
There were numerous Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, which became abundant here only a couple of years ago:
Perhaps the most spectacular bird at Wadokahatchee was this Roseate Spoonbill. I loved its pink reflection:
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
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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
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