Venice Rookery

I had a bad day with my big lens.  It seems to have an issue with focusing to infinity and there abouts in auto mode.  I didn't even realize it until the next day and will have to use it manually the rest of my trip, and then it goes in for repair.
Venice was it's usual active self and I was pleased to see so many varieties and quantities of bird there.  There were a lot of anhinga and heron and egret, but there were also some cowbird, osprey, the ever present vultures, and a whole flock of school children.  Good that they learn early.

So here are some images from my morning at Venice.  I think we'll be visiting back there in a week or so.  Maybe then I can post some photos of the young ones we saw on the nests.

Burrowing Owls of Punta Gorda

I was told, by a friend who lives in the neighborhood, that the owls had moved on.  Another friend confirmed that they hadn't seen the owls in quite sometime.  I was perplexed and expected to find some information about what happened to them but, nothing.  I've been here, in the neighborhood, for about two weeks and have visited the nest/burrow at least half dozen times and seen nothing.

However, last evening, just before sunset, I drove by and to my surprise and elation, there were several owls poking out of the burrow.  I'm not schooled enough to know if these are male and female or adult or juvenile, but I suspect they are adult male and female.  I visited again this morning and the same two were evident.  I did not take any photos this morning, however, as the light was really bad.  I'm settling for what I got last night and thankful.

Hope you enjoy these.

 

Gotta love the eyes.

Passing Through Ding Darling

Last time I went through Ding Darling, I spent a lot of time there and was privileged to view a wide variety of birds.  I felt especially privileged to see and photograph a large contingent of Roseate Spoonbills, who seemed to be just waiting for us to arrive and in no hurry to leave.  Not so lucky this trip.  However, I was lucky enough to witness several other species which I had not seen before, and was especially happy to capture this osprey keeping watch while his mate fed their young.

 

I also saw some cormerant, anhinga, white and brown pelican, gopher turtle, great blue heron, small blue heron, hooded merganzer, red breasted merganzer, egret, ibis, red bellied woodpeckers, tourists, and the ever present noseeum's (nasty critters).

 

Reports going in were not looking good, and the place was a bit slow, as are most of the bird breeding habitats right now.  At least, the ones I've been to.  I'm guessing water level has something to do with it.  Water is kind of low right now, even though it is raining as I speak.  I'll bet this guy is happy about that.

In spite of all that, it was a rewarding short drive through the habitat and glad we made the trip.

I'll probably be back here before I leave south Florida.