March 25, 2014

TODAY WAS AWESOME! I certainly needed a day like today. I thought there was a Thoreau quote about returning to nature when modern life gets to be too much, but I guess I'm mistaken because Google isn't revealing any such quote.

Back to the point, I got a late start because of the rain but I spent the entire day in and around Everglades National Park. I started while it was still drizzly at the northeast section of the park, Chekika, which is kinda closed, most unfortunately. Still, I saw some cool stuff on the outskirts and contemplated trespassing to get to the boardwalk inside, but some creeper pulled up to me multiple times to let me know that "Jesus loves me" so I decided to move on.

I hearby dub the Green Heron the most photogenic Heron.

American Alligator

Double-crested Cormorant and Belted Kingfisher

Red-shouldered Hawk with some kind of snake that hopefully my herpetology friends can ID

Same hawk being chased off its meal by another Red-shouldered Hawk. I'm guessing they're mates because they sat next to each other for a while. You can see everyone got a little wet in the rain. Also, I have to figure out my camera's low-light settings.

I moved on to the southern section of Everglades National Park and hit most of the stops all the way down to Flamingo.

Taken at Pa-hay-okee Observation tower. He won't be able to walk there in a couple months' time. The rainy season's fast approaching.

Red-bellied Woodpecker.

The most exciting moments of the day happened at Mahogany Hammock. This is also where I first bumped in to Dan, another bird photographer who was working his way south at about the same pace as me.

New super awesome species for the blog!!! A Barred Owl!!!

She hunted! My genius herpetologist buddy says it's a Southeastern Five-lined Skink

What's she looking at? Also, note the brown eyes. Most species of owls have yellow eyes.

IT'S A BABY!

This moment makes me think that nature loves me almost as much as I love nature. I was so lucky to witness this.

From here, I went to Paurotis Pond and saw more breeding evidence!

It was a constant parade of Wood Storks with nesting material

 

And further south, I saw a couple new species for the blog and a little more breeding evidence. Cheers to a great day (not at all hindered by the fact that these two confirmed breeding records have already been entered in the Atlas by some other Atlaser)!

Ruddy Duck

American Avocet on the left and Black-necked Stilt on the right

The Flamingo osprey you've seen before. Still don't appear to be breeding...

A new osprey nest I noticed somewhere on the main park road. And of course, the stupid GPS on my camera didn't log the location for this photo or any of the others I took of this nest. Oh well. Still a perfect day.