The Rookery in St. Augustine

It's been almost a year since I first visited the St. Augustine Alligator Farm…I hadn't intended to go back, due to the entry fee plus having to see all those penned gators, but a friend invited me to go with her and a few of her friends, with lunch afterwards, and I couldn't resist. We all went to see the activity at the rookery, not the gators….

I considered it extremely lucky to witness these two roseate spoonbills performing the "mutual pair display" as Stokes Field Guide to Birds puts it. They rub bills and present sticks to one another. These two are under three years old (imm.)

…This is an adult roseate spoonbill…you can see the difference in its coloring.

…Another adult roseate spoonbill, taking a dip and fishing…very brave, considering the base of the rookery is 90% pond and crawling with gators.

There were only a few hatchlings in nests, all of them great egrets…the chicks sure look prehistoric, don't they?!

This great egret was busy displaying…

A snowy egret enjoying "alone" time…as much as possible in a small area covered in nesting shore birds…the call of the snowy egret sounds like Daffy Duck trying to blow bubbles!

Another pensive snowy egret, this one with the red breeding facial skin.

Last year, I only saw one cattle egret and couldn't get a decent photo. This year, there was a small handful of cattle egrets in one tree, but still hard to get a decent shot.

There were a few tri-colored herons…I can't help but wonder if some or most of these birds nest in the same spot each year...

The wood storks all nest in one large tree in the rookery…the tree is covered in birds, but I managed to single out this one stork. Last year, I didn't get any decent shots of them.

Beachcomber's Basics

Due to changes in my life, I've decided to change my Blog as well…I've changed the title (not the URL), and am tweaking its direction. About a month ago, I began making an effort to get to the beach at least once a week, for both the physical and mental health that being at and walking on the beach gives me. Esp. now that it's spring and the weather's alot nicer…

I recently attended a "Beachcomber's Basics" class, and was greatly inspired to embrace my beach-y side. My doc had recently asked me, after informing me I need to lose 30 lb., what exercise I like to do best. Well, I like walking. I thought about her question for days, realized that what I really like best is walking…on the beach. So, I've been getting to the beach 1-2 times a week. I go early in the AM, to beat the heat and the "crowds", although the beach I go to is nearly deserted.  :)

I made one such run for the beach this AM…..

…And found 5-6 black-bellied plovers dotting the shore…

This was a first; I'd never seen more than one lone plover before…

They must be gathering before heading N. for the summer…

This plover's plumage is changing from winter to breeding colors…

I did see only one lone laughing gull…

My first photo this year of one with it's breeding plumage...

While at the Beachcomber's Basics class, a really handy guide book

was suggested, "Florida's Living Beaches: A Guide for the Curious

Beachcomber", which I dashed home and bought online…it's

definitely very handy to have! It IDs everything found on FL's coastlines, from 

shells to plants and shore birds. I've come across a handful of

different types of crabs lately (besides the common ghost crab)…

today I found my first speckled crab. Sorry to say, he's deceased.

Backyard Blue

It's definitely spring here in NE Florida, with temperatures in the 80's but not too humid, yet. It's the time of year I love sitting on the back screened porch and reading or watching the different birds eating at the feeders, flitting around in the trees, or zipping by on their way to somewhere else. A couple weeks ago, hubby put up a birdhouse for me in the best spot available to attract an Eastern bluebird couple. Well, today while enjoying the bird action and reading a good book, two bluebirds showed up. One was making a fuss, so I hope it wasn't sniping about not wanting to move in!

This bluebird was outside, in a nearby tree, and on the fence...

…Or the rooftop…

(Shots are blurry due to being taken through the porch screen)

…While the other one went indoors to check things out…

There's lots of action at the feeders, too, including goldfinches…

at first they were all the dull, wintery pale grey-yellow, but now

I'm seeing a few bright yellow males. The chipping sparrows have been
back, too. We're also seeing the usual:

No. cardinals, tufted titmice, blue jays, red-bellied woodpeckers,

and Carolina wrens…plus an occasional downy woodpecker,

a scarce palm warbler, some pine warblers, and I did see a brown

thrasher recently, but none since. No buntings at all like last year.  :(