2017 Winter Week 3

Another week has gone by, and it's late on Sunday night, and I suddenly remembered that I never prepared a blog for Anna and Rylee!  Better get to work.  There were actually only 3 days this week that I took any pictures - it's been that kind of a week.  We've had a lot of cold and rainy weather.   

 If you remember, girls, this is an Anhinga, a diving bird, who has to dry his wings before he can fly, because he is too heavy with all the water in his feathers.  Here, he is standing on some funny looking knobs of wood called Cyprus knees.  They grow around the roots of the Cyprus trees, which always have their "feet" in the water.  

One of my favourites , the Snowy Egret.

#1. Can you guess why this is called a Red-shouldered Hawk?  That was too easy!  

 

 This is a White Ibis.  #2 Why do you think he is not white?  

This is a Little Blue Heron.  #3 Why is he not blue?  

This fellow was pretty close to the path that we were on!  

 

 We always think of swans as being white, but this beautiful bird is a Black Swan.....  

  

 .....and he was guarding his mate, who was sitting on a nest full of eggs.  #4  How many eggs do you count in the nest?    

This is what we usually think of when we think of a swan.  This fellow was on a mission!  He was chasing the big Black Swan, and the big Black Swan was allowing himself to be chased!  

 This is something that I have never seen before.  It is called....you guessed it, a Black-necked Swan.  #5  Google Black-necked Swan and find out where in the world you might expect to find one.  Then, if you have time, look for that place in the atlas.      

These pretty ducks are called Ring-necked Ducks.  I have no idea why!  #6  What do YOU think would be a better name for them?   

This is just a fun picture of an Anhinga.  It's a good picture of his very straight beak, on which he spears the fish that he catches.    

We went in search of the Sandhill Cranes that we like to watch every winter, and found them with two eggs in a nest.  This parent was fluffing up the nest to make it softer....  

.....and down she goes onto the eggs.....    

.......and she's settled in for a nice long nap.  In about 28 days we will expect to see some babies.  

 This is a Limpkin, and someone told us that she was trying to sit on the Sandhill Crane's nest, and was chased loudly away!  There is a nest in a tree nearby that is probably her nest, but I think there are no eggs in it yet.  

Earlier, I told you that Cyprus trees like to have their "feet" (roots) in water.  This is a Cyprus Swamp that has a boardwalk through it, and we sometimes ride our bikes in this area.   Well that's it for this week.  Until next time........

2017 Winter Week 2

Another week has gone by, and what a wonderful week it has been!  The sun has shone and the temperatures have soared, and we haven't seen rain or cold weather since we got here......until now, that is.  It is pouring rain as I begin this blog, but it is MUCH needed rain!  The ponds and lakes are all very low, and the flowers and grass that do not get watered are dying.  It is also supposed to drop back down to normal, cooler temps.  I guess the first week and a half were a bonus, for which I am very grateful.  So here, Anna and Rylee, are some pictures for you and a few questions for you as well.  Have fun!    

It was fun for us to go to a nearby city, called Lakeland, to visit with some of our Cobourg friends.  They have a lovely home in Florida, where they spend the winters.  

We see quite a lot of these little critters, and they usually scoot away as soon as they see us, but this fellow was very willing to pose for me.  I think he also had his eye on the bug in front of him. 

While in Lakeland, we went for a walk in a park, and I was very pleased to see this  Little Green Heron.  I have rarely seen them in the wild.  

I don't know the name of this flower, but thought it was very pretty.  

I think this little fellow is called a Palm Warbler.  Very tiny!  

 As we were out biking, I saw this Red -Shouldered Hawk (I think) land on a low post nearby, so I started to walk toward him.  I kept shooting pictures and walking toward him until I was only a few feet away from him.  By then, I was getting a wee bit nervous that he might fly at me, but he didn't.  He just finally flew away.
    

  Don't you just love turtles all lined up on a log?  I do!  Anna and Rylee, question #1.  How do you think this came about?  What will happen if another turtle comes along?    

  Question #2.  These people are kayaking in a creek in Florida.  What 2 things do you think they would need to be aware of and avoid?    

 


 This is always a yummy treat at the end of a very long bike ride!  Honest, the "kiddy cone" in his left hand is mine.    

 


 Do you remember the Hooded Mergansers?  

Question #3.
Which of these do you think is the male merganser?  

 Another bike ride in a different part of Celebration, the Disney town near us. " Such a pretty little park to bike through."   Oh oh, I said that wrong!  Question #4.  How should I have said that?    

 Do you remember the Ugly/beautiful Wood Stork girls?  He is hunting for food.  Question #5.  Why do you think he is shuffling one of his feet around in the mud?    

 This Boat-tailed Grackle is treating himself to a bath.  Water was flying in all directions!    

 Believe it or not, this little bird is called the Little Blue Heron!  Does he look blue to you?  He is white when he is hatched, and stays white for awhile, then he gets sort of mottled-looking, then he turns dark blue.  You can tell by his legs and his beak that is is a Little Blue.

  The Anhinga is a diving bird, and so has no oil on his feathers.  His feathers get soaked with water, and then he can't float very well, so he has to dry them.  Question #6.  Why is it best for him to have no oil in his feathers?  

This turtle appears to have a damaged shell.  Question #7.  How do you think it might have got damaged?  

 Question # 8.
Google "Florida Turtles" and see if you can identify this one.    

 


  Just another pretty flower!  

 I think most everyone can guess why I always have to have my picture taken with this Lego structure!  

 This big alligator has probably had a big meal, and now must lie in the sun for a few days (weeks?) to let it digest.  We saw him in a place called the Circle B Bar Reserve, which used to be a ranch, but is now a conservation area.    

Live Oak trees with Spanish Moss hanging from them say "South" to me - even more than palm trees.  I love how they look!    

This Mama Heron was lucky to catch a big catfish for her lunch......    

.......and she brought it straight to her nest.  I couldn't see any babies - it might be a bit too early yet.  

 And Papa Heron appeared to be watching over the whole procedure!  

 We were pleased to see these tiny baby gators right beside the path, but then remembered that the Mama gator takes care of her babies for a couple of years, so we got out of there pretty quickly!  

This was a very unexpected find at the Reserve!  It is called a Purple Gallinule, and is quite rare.  I don't think I have ever seen one before.    

This is a COMMON Gallinule, and we see lots of them.    

Girls, do you remember this big bird called the Limpkin?  There were lots of them at the Reserve.  

This Anhinga was drying his wings as I walked by him.  I was quite close, and if you look at his throat, you can see that he was making noises at me.   

Do you remember the White Ibis, commonly known as the Florida Chicken?  Well this is a lesser know cousin called the Glossy Ibis, and there were plenty of them at this place!   

Remember the Little Blue Heron, which was white in a previous picture?  Well this is what a mature one looks like.    

And one of my favorites!  This one is a Snowy Egret, which is quite tiny, and here is displaying his breeding feathers.   

My favorite picture of this blog is this cute little Armadillo.  We saw several of them at the Reserve, just going about their business, snuffling around in the soft dirt, searching for bugs.

Until next time.........