Friday, January 16, 2015

Birds of the Gulf Coast


This past November, my husband and I spent the Thanksgiving holiday with family down in Longboat Key, Florida. Below are several of the lovely birds seen while visiting a few birding hotspots in the area.


A beautiful Roseate Spoonbill flaps its impressive pink wings


Foraging at the shoreline ~ American Oystercatchers


Seeking food in the calm Sarasota Bay waters ~ Great Egret


Stepping gingerly amid the reeds ~ Little Blue Heron


An Anhinga soaks in the sunshine


A Yellow-crowned Night-Heron delights in its crunchy crab catch


A female Osprey seeks a perch to feast on her large fish entree


Exploring the lush vegetation ~ Limpkins


A lone White Pelican soars aloft


Wading in the shallows ~ Tricolored Heron


A Great Blue Heron shows off its handsome profile


Searching for insects in the palm fronds ~ Yellow-throated Warbler


A Northern Harrier swoops through Celery Fields



Below I have listed some of my favorite birding destinations on the West Coast of Florida



~ Myakka River State Park - http://www.floridastateparks.org/myakkariver/

~ Oscar Scherer State Park - http://www.floridastateparks.org/oscarscherer/



Posted by Julie Gidwitz 
Nature's Splendor Blog ~ http://naturessplendor-julie.blogspot.com/ 

5 comments:

  1. What a great series of shore birds, enjoyed a lot.

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  2. Great variety - wonderful photos and beautiful weather!

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  3. Superb series of images! Sure wish I lived near there -- oh, wait -- I do!!

    Really enjoyed your post, Julie!

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  4. Julie, what wonderful pictures and what fun birds to see! I still have never seen a limpkin in spite of several tripos to Florida!

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  5. Wonderful post! Oystercatchers--one of my favorite birds!

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