A Few Recent Bird/Wildlife Shots from the S. Fla Wetlands

For any considering an excursion down here for some birding and wildlife shooting, I haven't posted any recent wildlife stuff in a while, as it's not a general topic too many are interested in. But thought those that are might like a glimpse of some of the stuff we've been seeing down here the past few weeks...so here's an appetizer of stuff taken since Christmas - a bit of wetlands tapas:

Roseate spoonbill:


Red-shouldered hawk:


Great blue heron in flight, low over the water:


Wood stork flying past:


Alligator opening its mouth to exhaust excess heat:


Brown water snake all coiled up on a palm frond fan:


Pied-billed grebe:


Female anhinga with a nice sized fish:


Green iguana wearing his orange mating colors, saying hello:


Osprey, fresh out of the water with a fish catch, shaking itself off while flying:


Common yellowthroat down by the water:


The hard to find and hard to catch in the open, sora:


A Florida cooter, taking a load off his feet to rest high and dry:


The lovely male least bittern, another bird that birders from abroad really hope to see down here:


Tricolor heron, making the plunge for a fish:

 

This is really a great time of year down here - not only the wintering and migrating birds, but the cooler weather, and now the nesting is really starting in earnest.
This past Saturday, 1/9/21, I had a couple of hours at the end of the day to pop into my local wetlands spots. Starting around 3:20pm and wrapping up at 5:15pm, just under two hours just taking a 2 1/2 mile slow walk and shooting what I came across...this will give an idea of the density and diversity:

Really close up of a double-crested cormorant standing about 10 feet from me, and staring down at the water looking for fish:


Pied-billed grebe cruising along:


Red-shouldered hawk flying over me and circling:


Tricolor heron flying past me, low and close:


The gorgeous American bittern, enjoying some late afternoon sun:


A little blue heron cruising past:


Eastern phoebe perched on a branch:


Tricolor heron flying overhead as sunset light kicked in:


Roseate spoonbill flying past catching that warm sunset glow:


A great egret passing high overhead, catching the final sunlight of the day: