New dad gets bent out of shape

Don't  give me that "I didn't know we had kids" look.

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Reserve hasn't had much in the way of a good bird population lately.  But we're stubborn so we keep going back hoping that things will change.  Basically, the area is still way short of the different birds we could find a couple of years ago.  But, the Sandhill Cranes do keep coming back. 
     The cranes are quite noisy so you know they are around, but they tend to blend in with the weeds/brush quite well.  Still, sometimes you get lucky.  This pair and their two chicks were safely nesting a good distance from the trail.  The light was good and when mom stood up with one chick on her back and it looked like pop was getting all 'goofy' for his cute babies we started hitting the shutter button. 

Lake Woodruff nature shots

Colorful, but beware of the thorns

Waiting for the bees to buzz by

Fancy waterfall at DeLeon Springs state park

On the trail - - 2012

Lydia, on the trail; me following as usual. Glacier NP.

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Checking the photos from past years.

Wetlands Olympics

Blue Heron dart competition

Old Coots debatinbg th merits of curling

ORLANDO WETLANDS, CHRISTMAS, FL

Life in the Wetlands

Wetlands landscape with Roseate Spoonbills

Snowy Egret showing off breeding plumage to his pals

This green slimy stuff sticks to everything , even my beak

I;m a male Ibis and my fine red legs are meant to attract the ladies.

Iris?  Is that you?

I'm hiding so the tender little fishies  won's see m

ORLANDO WETLANDS,  CHRISTMAS, FL

Old favorite

Sunset in the Keys

Air time

                                         High jumping - - Black bellied whistling-duck style

The little guys

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - These pint-sized birds needed to wear identification tags.  We're not real "birders" who know just what nearly everything is. Checking out our Audubon bird book didn't really help as too many birds look similar.  I figure the top bird with the yellow belly is in the Warbler family.  Not too sure about the speckled bird with the intense stare.   Orland Wetlands Park 

The Ibis family

No way are we from the same family!

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - The suave Glossy Ibis and his slightly drab plain ole White Ibis.  Orland Wetland Park.

Start wearing purple

The Purple Gallinule has 'big feet.'

Strolling among the lily pads.

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - "Start wearing purple" is a song by the group Gogol Bordelo.  It probably has nothing to do with the Purple Gallinule.  We spotted this brightly colored avian on our trip to Orlando Wetland Park.  Besides the fancy coloring, the PG has very long toes which support it during long walks atop lily pads.  This is the first one we've spotted in years  which was close enough to get good detail.

Orlando Wetlands Park - the big picture

A squadron of Black Skimmers

A pair of Black-bellied Whistling-ducks goes at it; others rest.

 

Sandhill Cranes don't normally hang out soaking their feet.

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - We found a new favorite place today...Orlando Wetlands Park.  It has a similar layout to Viera Wetlands with berms enclosing the areas, but OWP much bigger. Also you drive around Viera; at OWP you walk.
     Today,  there was quite a cast of feathered characters.  The Black-bellied Whistling-ducks in the center photo are a case in point.  (Click on the photo to see a bigger version and the fight going on.)  While there were abundant flocks of many types they all managed to stay just far enough away so that you had to work for most photos.  Hence, the wide, scenic shots above.