Month: April 2023

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Dally Blog

April 2023

    • Descriptions
      of Bir      ds

 

Saturday April 29, 2023
Sun only appeared  hit or miss. Warm though, mid 70’s. Found my momma duck and 9 ducklings and momma with 5 ducklings, I think momma with 2 made it north of the pipeline where I cannot go.

Two Oyster Catchers were at the oyster bar this morning, neither were tagged,
Sandpiper
Osprey watching me!
Blue Jay
Snowy Egret.
Yellow Crowned Night Heron
Momma Mallard and her five ducklings!
The ducklings each in turn take a sip of water (second from left), they tip their head up to swallow.
Great Blue Heron on a seawall.
Juvenile Ibis
Adult Ibis in mating garb: the wattle (A wattle is a fleshy caruncle hanging from various parts of the head or neck) is only present during mting season.
One of the nine ducklings (was 10). Look at the tiny wings! No feathers yet to fly.
Mom and nine duckling, they are getting so big, but no flight feathers yet.
Cute kite against the clouds that moved in and it sprikled.

Wednesday April 24, 2023
Beautiful day, saw rays, dolphins, Marian, and lots of birds. I was surprised when I heard a voice. Being deaf in my left ear [and Marian turned out to be to my left] I did not know where the voice came from. But I circled, and there was Marian on a bridge I was about to go under! She had gone around the neighborhood and found one of the bridges I go under, and came out just before I would have gone under! What a neat surprise!

Willet
Oysters feed by filtering algae from the water, ultimately removing nutrients from the water, which, in excess, can degrade the aquatic environment. A single adult oyster can filter more than 50 gallons of water a day, on the left is where an oyster squirts the water up!
The tips of the wings of the ray, this was about 4 feet across.
Mom and one of the six ducklings (no more plus one, I do not know what happened to him)
Yellow Crowned Night Heron. I saw a Night Heron eat a duckling one time, they need to stay far apart!
Nanday Parakeets. Recognized by its black head (and formerly called Black-hooded Parakeet), this species was originally found in the central interior of South America, from southern Brazil to northern Argentina. It has been popular in the cage bird trade, and Nanday Parakeets escaped from captivity have established large feral populations around Los Angeles, in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, and along Florida's southeastern coast. Smaller numbers are seen elsewhere, including other parts of Florida and near Phoenix, Arizona.
This is the first time I have seen them land, they usually are flying in noisy flocks.
They stopped to cuddle?
Snowy in front of the two kayaks I gave to Bob and Di.
Ibis on the wing.
Ibis on one foot, the other is tucked up.
Ibis behind my house, his bill is black from the mud here.
Blue Jay
As I approached the pipeline crossing Bear Creek, I saw these two about two day old ducklings trying to get over the pipe! Mom apperantly was on the other side! The first time I have seen a totally yellow duckling out here!
There is mom on the other side!
Mom realized that they could not get across and came back.
They are so fuzzy and so tiny you could put both in a tea cup at one time!
So cute!!
Tiny bundle of feathers!
Egret on thr pipe the little ones were trying to cross, the little ones need to give a wide berth to this guy or they will be breakfast.
Going for a fish.
A strike!
Great Blue Heron, he flew in and stopped because three Crows were hitting him.
He is protesting the Crows, but they left after a minute.
Male Mallard Duck., the males leave the rearing of the ducklings to the female.
Brood of ten is now nine but they are growing up fast! No wings yet, but they are almost as large as mom.
Little Green Heron
Osprey watching for that fish!

I asked ChatGPT.com ( an AI chat BOT) to write a paragraph to describe my mornings taking photos. This is what it wrote:

“A morning spent kayaking and photographing birds is a truly magical experience. As you paddle through the calm waters, the cool breeze on your face, you are surrounded by nature’s beauty. The gentle sounds of water lapping against your kayak and the melodious chirping of the birds create a peaceful and serene atmosphere. As you spot various birds, you reach for your camera to capture their exquisite beauty, frozen in time forever. The soft sunlight shining through the trees and casting a warm glow on the water creates the perfect lighting for capturing stunning photographs. The tranquility of the experience fills you with a sense of calm and rejuvenation, leaving you feeling refreshed and energized. It is a wonderful way to start your day and connect with the natural world around you.”

The ChatBot nailed it!

April 22, 2023
Fantastic day, 70° to start, 74° at end. I saw one dolphin (others said that there were two) and one manatee…no photos.

Willet.
Oyster Catcher
Yellow Crowned Night Heron
Mother and ducklings.
Ducklings
Mother and six plus one.
Juvenile Boat Tailed Grackle
Osprey with breakfast, a quarter ile away, I was watching him hover!
He went by behind me, so I had to turn around, missed a bunch during that time!!
Huge fish for breakfast!!
Flowers at home.

April 21, 2023
More beautiful weather. No dolphin nor manatee today. I did not spot the Mother with one duckling, but the Mother with six plus one was there as was the Mother with ten (now it appears to be nine). No Anhinga’s nor Cormorants today.

I have two stalks of bananas coming. Each with more than 100 bananas!
I saw seven Yellow Crowned Night Herons today!
Osprey
Willet taking a bath.
Third Yellow Crowned Night Heron
Great Blue Heron. He had tried to get to the island but a Crow chased him off. Then he waited until the Crow was leaving and flew down below and behind him so the Crow would not see him and made it to the island!
Second Osprey, his feathers are more brown and not so dark.
Forth Yellow Crowned Night Heron.
Dusky Flycatcher
Ibis, still has dark tip to his beak, left over from mating colors.
Number five Yellow Crowned, he has feathers askew.
Number six Yellow Crowned.
Mother and ten ducklings.
I think that there are only nine now.
Next, the Mother with six plus one.
The "plus one" little black duckling.
Mom
Pink tongue!
Yellow Crowned Night Heron searching for breakfast.
He got a crab!
Down the hatch!
Flagship Towing

April 20, 2023
Another nice day, little wind going out, a nice breeze pushed me home. People were standing on the seawall watching manatees they said, I did not see them.

Osprey
Dusky Flycatcher
Little Green Heron, I saw many today
Ibis
Black Crowned Night Heron
When he wants to see something, he can stretch out his neck.
Yellow Crowned Night Heron
Mother and nine older ducklings.
Mom and six plus one ducklings.
Some of the six.
Little black duckling.
Mom
Dad?
Great Blue Heron
Allegiant INSOMNIAC
Ibis

April 19,2023
Another great day kayaking, I saw Oyster Catchers on the oyster bar, manta rays(or skates), three dolphins, as well as many birds. 
Update on Ducklings:
1. Mom with 10 now has 9, but they are growing fast.
2. Mom with 6 that took in one – all are doing well.
3. Mom with 3, now is down to one.
4. A new set appeared today, they appear to be much older, mom with 9 mostly grown ducks.
Eileen and I are taking a trip to England, Bob told me that he and Di are going too (three months apart, but similar itinerary)!

Great Blue Heron. He was wading way out. Twice now I have seen the Great Blues trying to land on the mangrove island but Crows drive them off!
Great Blue in the air.
One Oyster Catcher was on the oyster bar when a second one flew in to join him.
Spotted Sandpiper
Found on the oyster bar.
Snowy, note the yellow feet. On oysters attached to a seawall by Allan's/
This Snowy was on the rock used to hold the sides of the creek.
Ten Ibis in flight formation.
Looking like two dolphins beside each other, this was a ray.
Obviously not my photo, but how the rays move through the water.
Blue Jay
Grackle
These two Grackles figured out how to get food, they stood on each side which stabilized it!
Little Green Heron.
Mocking Bird
Dolphin (there were three).
Mom with six plus one.
One of the six.
Mother #4 - the new group I just saw, nine older ducklings who have reddish feathers on their sides.
Mother #3 with her remaining duckling.
Crow investigating Great Blue Heron nest.

April 16, 2023
Now that my site is up and functioning I can upload photos from yesterday and today. Marian was able to come today and see all the ducklings! At one time the 10 ducklings were in the lead with two mothers behind. They came right up to me, under my bow and continued on like I was not there! I could not focus that close when they went under but got good photos anyway. We talked to Ann, her husband and two grandkids, as well as other friends along the way.

First Saturday's photos.Juvenile Yellow Crowned Night Heron trying to sleep.
Pelican flying by.
Oyster Catcher on the oyster bar.
Great Blue Heron taking off.
Crow chasing Great Blue Heron, we see smaller birds chasing larger birds all the time. When the crow broke it off he went east and the Great Blue went south. There was no nest around for the crow to be protecting.
Black Capped Chickadee? Not found here often!
Cardinal
Grackle
Juvenile Boat Tailed Grackle
Great Blue Heron
Fisherman in a kayak with his several poles, lunch bucket, cast net and comfortable chair.
Someone was blowing bubbles!
A Hobie sailboat in the fog.
Mom and 10 duchlings running to get the food tossed out onto the lawn.
Mom and 10 returning after breakfast.
This is one of the older 10 ducklings, how they have grown!!
Momma and one of the two youngest ducklings.
The other littlest duckling, he is the adventurous one!
Momma and three of the seven. The black one is quite different, but he is part of the gang now.
All six and the one dark one following mom around to find breakfast. The more adventurist one is in the back, ready to dart off any time!

Photos from 4-15-2023

Willet
Marrian tracking all the birds in the area, everything from Mocking birds to Woodpeckers.
Osprey looking for breakfast.
Great Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron
Little Blue tossing a snack into his gullet.
Little Green flew in for his portrait.His feet lock right onto the wire.
Portrait of a Little Green Heron
Juvenile Yellow Crowned Night Heron in the mangroves.
I almost ran into this Great Blue after I saw him just about 8 feet from me as I was going past. He did not move through it all!
Momma and her two remaining ducklings, she had three a week ago, but only two remain. They are the baby's of all the ducklings on our route.
Momma and her six plus one brood. I bet the little black one is very glad mom took him in finally!! He was persistent!
Cute little guys!
The runt who loves to dash away and go on adventures.
Accepted at last.
Osprey

April 15, 2023
Nice weather, but foggy. I saw one manatee and several dolphins, but no pictures.
Mother Mallard Duck #1 still has 10 ducklings,
#2 still has seven, a neighbor said she initially rejected the black one, but he persisted and now she has accepted him,
mother #3 had three duckling but now has two.
The ISP was down all day until tonight at almost 11 PM, and so it is too late to upload photos, I will upload them tomorrow, it may rain tomorrow, so that would be a good thing to do.

April 13, 2023
Beautiful weather, breezy but nice. 
Three momma Mallards today!
#1 – 10 ducklings about two weeks old
#2 – 6 ducklings prior, now 7 ?!?, a little black one has joined, now a week old.
#3 – 3 tiny ducklings about 2 days old.

Mom and 10 ducklings headed for the water.
Growing up!
I do not know what they were looking at!
The ducklings with mother #1 are growing fast!
Down to the water they go.
Three other ducks on the periphery.
Poppa duck.
#2 momma with the new #7 duckling, he is all black!
Momma #2 with her now seven ducklings then came down to the water.
Momma #3 with her three tiny ducklings!
Next door to Allan, the Starlings are building nests in the lifts for the boats. The European Starling looks like he is black, but up close he is multicolored.
Snowy Egret
Osprey
Little Green
Ibis
Little Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron

April 10, 2023
More tee-shirt weather, sunny and beautiful, but windy first thing, wind 6mph with gusts to 20mph! It was hard going north the first half of the trip, but I just coasted on the way back!! All 10 duclings were with mom, but I did not see the six, they may have gone north of where I can go.

Male Mallard duck.
An Osprey landed on the oyster bar at dawn, and the waves were high, so the photo is not sharp. He only stayed a second and was off.
A solitary Oyster Catcher was on the oyster bar with two Willets.
Willet on the oyster bar.
Willet with breakfast!
Merganser
Yellow Crowned Night Heron
Juvenile Night Heron, his crown has not developed, but I suspect he is Yellow Crowned.
Great Blue Heron, he was on a low branch right over my head as I rounded the corner, but he did not move.
Anhinga way up in the mangroves.
Blue Jay

Saturday, April 8, 2023 
A beautiful day, started out with some clouds, but they went away. More tee shirt weather! We have another set of momma Mallards, the 10 ducklings with one, and now 6 ducklings with another mother!

Mother #1 with her 10 ducklings about a week old across from Bob and Di.
Mother #2 up by The Villas at Date Palm. I saw her standing with her wings lowered and wondered if she was hurt. Then:
...six ducklings came cascading out from mother!
They all came down the rocks toward the water, but then....
Momma went up on the lawn and called for hir ducklings to come, five did immediately, the sixth lingered a while.
Mom stopped and waited for number six duckling.
Number six duckling finally emerged from the rocks and ran to mom. He is tiny and appeard to be about two days old.
Egret on the wing.
Snowy fishing.
Snowy saw a school of little fish and pounced.
Snowy got one!
Then back to his fishing position.
Great Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron.
Merganser
Fish Crow
Anhinga dreying his feathers.

Thursday, April 7, 2023
Still 10 ducklings, another fantastic day! Saw three dolphins, no photos of note. 

Mom Mallard and her flock.
Mom is so comfortable with me being close she stands on one foot and naps.
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue with a snack of fish.
Great Blue Heron in full regalia.
Gray Catbird
Use yur imagination, two dolphins cruising by.
My camera cannot focus on anything closer than 10 feet, this dolphin was only five feet when he came by!
Little Green Heron
Little Green Heron
Yellow Crowned Night Heron
Little Blue Heron.
Snowy Egret
Osprey
Fiddler crab.
Anhinga on the wing.

Wednesday, April 6, 2023
The 10 ducklings were cute still!
Below are mom and all 10 ducklings pecking on the growth on the floating dock.

Next is a video of a Great Blue Heron preening:

A Cormorant on a piling drying his feathers.

A little Blue Heron below:

Snowy
Willet
Willet being chased away by a Cormorant!
Black Crowned Night Heron

Monday April 3, 2023
Another beautiful day, and yes, all 10 ducklings are fine. Mom sits up on a floating dock and the ducklings on the rocks. Today all 10 ducklings hopped off of the rocks and came to greet me. Mom hopped down and gave a tiny vocal signal and all of the ducklings reversed course and paddled over to her. Tomorrow I will try to remember my  phone so I can make a video of it, it is so very cute!!

Mom on the dock.
Three of the ten ducklings on the rocks.
Mom redirecting traffic away from me.
Cormorant caught a fish too big for himself!
The fish got away. It was too big anyway.
Little Green Heron
Male Mallard Duck
Junior Ibis identified by his partial brown feathers.
Adult Ibis with the remains of his wattle.
Adult Little Blue, the juveniles are white.
Apollo comes to greet me.
Yellow Crowned Night Heron
Great Blue Heron
Lost his eye in a fight with a larger dog when he was a puppy. Cute little dog.
Fisherman in his kayak.
Pelican flying overhead.
The red mangrove is one of the most prolific coastal trees in the world, thanks in part to a unique ability to give live birth!
Red mangrove seeds.
Fiddler crab on his perch waving his claw. Fiddler crabs (Genus Uca), are sexually dimorphic – the males have one large and one small front claw while the females have two small claws. The males use their small claw for feeding and the large one to attract females for mating, threaten other males and as a weapon when fighting. As a flag the claw needs to be as large and light as possible so that it is easy to manoeuvre. As a weapon it needs to be heavy, with a thick cuticle, short pincers (dactyl and polex), and large muscle to close them.
Female Monarch butterfly laying her eggs.
Victoria Zisi as Ariana in the play Crimson Sails.
Stan Gurvitz as Rubia (and his twin!)
Olga Kruse (Director)
Tammy Lukas (Queen)
John in background as the Prince at an early age and as a Pirate, Carmilina Alford as Darta, and Shaheen Mamawala as Magda.
Richard Walters, (Nicholas), and Richard Budin, author of the play Crimson Sails and others including Orange Belt Railroad which we did a while ago.
Ron Goldstein (King) in my cape!
Christian McCormick (Prince)

 

Saturday, April 1, 2023
Beautiful weather, baby ducks are fine.

Littlest duckling came over to greet me
All ten ok today.
Junior Great Blue Heron
Adult Great Blue Heron
Juvenile Little Blue Heron
Blue Jay
Little GREEN Heron
Ibis
Male Ibis in breeding garb, wattle prevelent.
Handsome dude.
Cormorant