The Little Nuthatch — roseate spoonbill

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. It's a tourist attraction for alligators, with a large bird rookery where the wild birds naturally nest. I have wanted to visit for years and finally made it! My first time out there and definitely not my last. I was particularly excited to see Roseate Spoonbill's and Wood Stork's nesting as I had yet to get a good look at their nesting sites elsewhere. There are a number of other birds nesting there as well, especially Tri-colored Heron's and Snowy Egret's. .

Here are some photos from Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge's Black Point Drive (birding drive). It's a bit quiet at this time of year, but still things to see. Always a lot of Green Heron's nesting out there, here are some youngins' out and about with cute fuzz on their heads... Lots of Roseate Spoonbill's... Gorgeous Black-necked Stilt's which are also nest out there... Love that pose! And last but not least, there are bugs everywhere. It's a little stressful trying to keep them out of your car when on the drive. But I enjoy seeing them on the plants......

I took a brief ride down Black Point Drive at Merritt Island NWR recently and said hello to some of my Winter (or all year!) favorites. Hooded Mergansers:       Wood Stork:       The elegant American Avocets:       Roseate Spoonbill:       Juvenile Little Blue Heron:  

I had been anxious to get out to the Orlando Wetlands since it reopened on February 1st (as it closes during the Winter), and I finally made it out there a couple weeks ago. It is always exciting to see what birds have arrived while it's closed. My first stop was to the cypress in the back to see the Vermilion Flycatcher, an adorable little red bird. It didn't come close, so it was a tiny speck on a distant tree...   The sun was going down as I walked back towards the front. Most the action was in the...

I spent an afternoon at Merritt Island NWR a few weeks ago. I was really trying to go to the beach but sadly learned they close the beach off at 4:30 instead of sunset now. Closing a beach in the afternoon during Summer in Florida seems crazy to me, but okay. I went birdwatching instead! I love this time of year because you can see all ages of Black-necked Stilts and Green Herons- from fledgelings to birds still on the nest with eggs. While the nests are hard to photograph and better viewed with binoculars, here are a few photos...