Thursday, March 30, 2017

Merritt Island NWR & Cape Canaveral Seashore

Hello,

Wow, just one more day and March will be over. I am looking forward to April, the springs birds and visiting my old favorite Maryland birding spots. Since returning home, I have not been out much due mostly to the weather. I miss the Florida weather, sunny and warm. So I hope you do not mind seeing more Florida photos.

A pretty Roseate Spoonbill seen at Merritt Island NWR


Another Roseate Spooonbill, maybe a young one. The coloring was more whitish then the pretty pink.



Also at Merritt Island NWR, a group of Coots is called covers or a raft.


A flock of Red Knots at Cape Canaveral Seashore.


Terns on the beach at Cape Canaveral Seashore.


A pretty sky and reflection


Be kind, be thoughtful, be genuine, but most of all be thankful! 

My thankful list for today:

I am thankful for my health. It is not perfect but it could be worse.
I am thankful for today.
I am thankful for warm weather.


 Thank you for your visit and comments on my post. Enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!

Thanks to Michelle for the meme Thankful Thursday

I am also linking up to Skywatch Friday, I hope to see you there.


Thank you to Sylvia, Yogi and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.

Monday, March 27, 2017

Common Hill Myna

Hello,

I am sharing another Florida bird  and a new lifer for me. It is the Common Hill Myna or Mynah bird and was seen at the Circle B Bar Reserve. This was an easy bird to spot in a tree right near the parking lot. As far as I know this bird was only there for a few days or so.


The Common Hill Myna is a native species in Asia, they were first sighted in Florida back in 1950.


These non-native birds compete with native species for the nesting cavities. They can eat lizards, fruits, berries and seeds.



Finding lifers on the East Coast is becoming difficult unless they are rare birds and sightings. LOL, I think I may have to move to the west coast and find new birds.  I may have 4  new lifers from the last 5 months in Florida.


Thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

My list of memes for today, I hope to see you there. Thanks to both of the host below.

Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes
Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Saturday's Critters #171

Saturday's Critters #171

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

I accidentally deleted the first group of links this morning. Sorry, I did not remember all bloggers that have already linked. 

I am sharing some birds and critters from the Circle B Reserve. Here is a pretty shot of the Great Blue Heron.


A juvenile Little Blue Heron


The White Peacock Butterfly.


Gator's face is covered with duck weed.



A Green Heron is one of the common herons at the Circle B, sometimes we saw as many as 4-5 Green Herons during our walk.




A family of raccoons walking down the trail.


My favorite Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.


A turtle line up.



As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!


To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-BirdinThanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Viera Wetlands

Hello,

Prayers for London and the victims of the terror act.

These are images from our time in Florida, I hope you enjoy. It was a great 5 months living in Florida, I have enjoyed this experience of living in a new place and the state of Florida.

We learned to avoid traffic on the highways in Florida it is best to leave early in the morning. On this day we were heading to the Viera Wetlands in Melbourne Florida. We were early enough to see the sunrise at the nearby Satellite Beach.




Pelican flyby.




Below are the some of the birds we saw at the Viera Wetlands, the White Ibis with his colorful bill and legs.


A Great Egret and a Roseate Spoonbill.


Great Blue Herons on nest.




White Pelicans were one of my favorite sights.





Start each day with a thankful heart

I am thankful for my time and experiences while living in Florida.
I am thankful my dreams that turned into reality.

Be thankful for unknown blessings already on their way. 


 Thank you for your visit and comments on my post. Enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!

Thanks to Michelle for the meme Thankful Thursday

I am also linking up to Skywatch Friday, I hope to see you there.


Thank you to Sylvia, Yogi and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Painted Bunting

Hello,

I am happy, I finally was able to have a Comcast Cable rep help me with my internet service.  I am sharing one of my favorite Florida birds, the Painted Bunting. My brother visited us during his to trip to see the Daytona 500, he spent 5 days with us. So I had to take him to my favorite birding spot at the Circle B Bar Reserve. I was happy we all were able to watch this pretty Painted Bunting on the ground eating seed.




The Painted Bunting is one of the most beautiful birds I have ever seen. The male has the pretty colors of blue, red and green. The female is a yellowish-green in color.


The Painted Bunting can be found in thicket, dense shrubbery and bushes. They are shy birds but can be found at feeders.


I have many more Florida photos to share so I will still be blogging about Florida. I hope you enjoy!

Thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

My list of memes for today, I hope to see you there. Thanks to both of the host below.

Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes
Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Saturday's Critters #170

Saturday's Critters #170

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

We will be packing up for our trip home to Maryland, so I will be visiting your post and commenting ASAP. Depending on our internet service of course. For now, I have more Florida photos to share from one of our Circle B Reserve, I hope you enjoy.

I will miss visiting the Circle B Bar Reserve, if you are ever in Lakeland Florida I highly recommend a visit.  An early morning look at a Wood Stork in a tree top.


A pretty look at an Anhinga.


A view of the Circle B reserve, a gator swimming along and a tree full of birds.


Bald Eagle perched on top a dead tree, near the nest.



I think this Great Blue Heron has a lot to say.


A Tricolored Heron and reflection.




 Two Red-shouldered hawks.


My video of the Sandhill Cranes flying around the Circle B Reserve.





As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!


To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-BirdinThanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Lakeland Florida

Hello,

These are some images from our Lakeland neighborhood, the lake, view of the moon, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Juvenile Moorhen and an immature Little Blue Heron. I have enjoyed the past winter in Lakeland Florida, I hope you enjoy my photos.

This is a sunrise scene of our local lake, Lakeland Florida.






The neighborhood Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.


I believe this is a juvenile Common Moorhern but then I also think it could be a juvenile Purple Gallinule?



A juvenile Little Blue Heron.




I am thankful for being able to live my life around the things that I love, mostly nature related.
I am also thankful and blessed to be retired and doing what I am doing. It includes living part time in Florida for the winter.

 Thank you for your visit and comments on my post. Enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!

Thanks to Michelle for the meme Thankful Thursday

I am also linking up to Skywatch Friday, I hope to see you there.
Thank you to Sylvia, Yogi and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.

Monday, March 13, 2017

Wilson's Snipe

Hello,

My wild bird post and photos are on the Wilson's Snipe. Hubby and I have been able to find the Wilson's Snipe often during our visits to the Circle B Bar Reserve.



The Wilson's Snipe is a short stocky shorebird. It has also been known as the Common Snipe.



They have a long dark straight bill. They breed in marshes and bogs. They forage in mud eating insects, worms and plant material.




My youtube video of three Wilson's Snipes seen from the trail.





I hope you enjoyed the Wilson's Snipe and my photos. Thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

My list of memes for today, I hope to see you there. Thanks to both of the host below.

Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes
Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday

Saturday, March 11, 2017

Saturday's Critters #169

Saturday's Critters #169

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

These are some images from our visit to the TECO (Tampa Electric Co) Manatee Viewing center and the nearby Apollo Beach.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron, it looks like it is surrounded by sudsy water. Not sure what the foamy white stuff is, not snow. Whatever it is, it comes out of the TECO plant. 



Tricolored Heron


Teco Manantee Viewing Center




The cold weather or water temps drop in Florida, the manatee arrive at the Teco Plant.


Closeup of the nose and face of the Manatee


What a cutie!

Manatees



Snowy Egret


As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!


To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-BirdinThanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.

Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone a great day and a ha ppy new week! "One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day." "T...