Florida - First Posting

Just less than a week ago, I returned from a week in Florida - a welcome respite from the harsh winter "enjoyed" by the Northeast. It has taken a while to process the photos.

There were several days with good birding, and good bird photography opportunities. This post will get things started. It seems appropriate to start with Florida's state bird, the Northern Mockingbird. These birds were singing their joyful mocking songs everywhere we went ...

Northern Mockingbird

First - Wakodahatchee & Green Cay, in the Boynton Beach-West Palm Beach area. Both are the final stage of water treatment facilities. Wetlands with extended boardwalks provide pond and marsh habitat for wetland birds and some of the best viewing opportunities to be found anywhere. Much more will follow from these sites. For now, three residents: Great Egret, Glossy Ibis, Pied-billed Grebe.

Great Egret

Glossy Ibis (non-breeding plumage)

Pied-billed Grebe

From Everglades Nat'l Park, two year-round residents (although maybe these particular individuals will be moving northward for breeding), Black-necked Stilt and Eastern Meadowlark ...

Black-necked Stilt

Eastern Meadowlark

From the Keys, and everyplace else along the coast, Brown Pelican ...

Brown Pelican (adult non -breeding)

And from Dry Tortugas Nat'l Park, a year-round resident - Royal Tern - and a winter resident - Ruddy Turnstone.

Royal Tern (non-breeding)

Ruddy Turnstone (non-breeding)

The "up-close and personal" wetland birds (and some non-wetland birds) will follow in subsequent posts.

It was a week of warm weather and Good Birding!