tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34081780196956288762024-02-21T01:22:19.177-05:00Central Florida Nature OutingsRobert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-9117960817718879902014-01-23T22:30:00.001-05:002014-01-23T22:30:17.971-05:00Week 423 Jan 2014 <br />
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What do you think of when you see this image? (Click to enlarge)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdaQWGAS3UUJN3yHEtsqfUcf4a1y2BWzvc0WeaKtFwC1CXM-gJzNTWMKvS4NGqTvyqQCHbmxBHMCDwGRGsLymThzxQXn95suHrdRm3pQISJh58LiiMRS88UaDnJQVxc6byq_CwDAohc0x/s1600/093_edited-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdaQWGAS3UUJN3yHEtsqfUcf4a1y2BWzvc0WeaKtFwC1CXM-gJzNTWMKvS4NGqTvyqQCHbmxBHMCDwGRGsLymThzxQXn95suHrdRm3pQISJh58LiiMRS88UaDnJQVxc6byq_CwDAohc0x/s1600/093_edited-3.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
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Snoopy!!! Me too. It's a dead ringer for Snoopy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_iYTP-gIUgcSeV21yl-rdQMauQkQRzWCLelAxxjOtQ5iA06Z9Q3OL6jBeDk5RPWbjwGxeHVnS9mHYL7_UsO1_bMlfLn4G7-TwF3zdTahmAtkP5mtMHylhoeq2G1AMncdchoL5npdE4yl/s1600/089_edited-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_iYTP-gIUgcSeV21yl-rdQMauQkQRzWCLelAxxjOtQ5iA06Z9Q3OL6jBeDk5RPWbjwGxeHVnS9mHYL7_UsO1_bMlfLn4G7-TwF3zdTahmAtkP5mtMHylhoeq2G1AMncdchoL5npdE4yl/s1600/089_edited-3.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here, Snoopy is sticking his nose up in the air. Lucy taught him this display of acting "eletist".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdo8D2QWbaOwc2y1cqrzfiiNMgEtt8eegGzD1H-n8MjnTc9NE7uFahdMbL606CPAa_Eyj66g3AMHhPLISgZge5Ta8VbNSNe6xDNaC-nsNOmPWB1ImadMUaWKlAtOSmWReBLJ4W1hZsARCh/s1600/Snoopy_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdo8D2QWbaOwc2y1cqrzfiiNMgEtt8eegGzD1H-n8MjnTc9NE7uFahdMbL606CPAa_Eyj66g3AMHhPLISgZge5Ta8VbNSNe6xDNaC-nsNOmPWB1ImadMUaWKlAtOSmWReBLJ4W1hZsARCh/s1600/Snoopy_3.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Still trying to figure this out?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFusL-660csZeaCM9lNmtOkuKn1QQ7g7JXBn7HCgyZDKkimgiFj5K7kdNRWhajRus9B4ZvJ-R9zHuFY7fgFBRG5Z2egiq2o2ZWfDhC6yCqK-KOGlk0RZVlcx5k0Gfdcia46GaioBBNjGas/s1600/Snoopy_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFusL-660csZeaCM9lNmtOkuKn1QQ7g7JXBn7HCgyZDKkimgiFj5K7kdNRWhajRus9B4ZvJ-R9zHuFY7fgFBRG5Z2egiq2o2ZWfDhC6yCqK-KOGlk0RZVlcx5k0Gfdcia46GaioBBNjGas/s1600/Snoopy_4.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
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With a head this cute, who needs a body?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNspiE6i5BsSOdPwhBALad1UjRuIkhgsBYZFr8T0x0557qXvf47Bugw0yfUXdJ2Hhy5EtKJMwMjg0ZdlXJlhvQZky68PfAAjckszulRydL1dx0vqcwuhDrt-FvfOlZwx0aEPGOuIqJXKSv/s1600/male+and+female+Bufflehead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNspiE6i5BsSOdPwhBALad1UjRuIkhgsBYZFr8T0x0557qXvf47Bugw0yfUXdJ2Hhy5EtKJMwMjg0ZdlXJlhvQZky68PfAAjckszulRydL1dx0vqcwuhDrt-FvfOlZwx0aEPGOuIqJXKSv/s1600/male+and+female+Bufflehead.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
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It was the male Bufflehead doing all those contortions. Here, male and female together in Titusville, FL near Merritt Island NWR.Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-1935124317018362072013-12-23T12:15:00.001-05:002013-12-23T12:33:53.733-05:00Week 5120 Dec 2013<br />
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Now this was funny.<br />
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Our team on the Zellwood-Mount Dora Christmas Bird Count noticed some commotion in the canal to our left inside the Lake Apopka area. It turns out there were two River Otters that proceeded to swim away behind us.<br />
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Then, about 50 meters later, the two--one larger, one smaller--got out of the water, ran up the bank then ran across the road we were on, ran down the bank to the canal on the opposite side which was on our original right.<br />
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The larger one, however was not done. He must have said something like, "Look, son, stay here and just watch me. I'll show you how we entertain these humans."<br />
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Then, the larger otter ran up the bank onto an impoundment road and .....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjty8urteDcJKABpONDVn82BEoe7XjugttlHA_YZQiz_0nIe2x4qGGoxUv2FFy2PSREFScEkz0x7lFtPAIdmv6fPlIHgB4ln1XlXzuAZyHwrmWE1_7meChXST0V-YLmmsBSa9x_2YSGHKBc/s1600/River+Otter+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjty8urteDcJKABpONDVn82BEoe7XjugttlHA_YZQiz_0nIe2x4qGGoxUv2FFy2PSREFScEkz0x7lFtPAIdmv6fPlIHgB4ln1XlXzuAZyHwrmWE1_7meChXST0V-YLmmsBSa9x_2YSGHKBc/s640/River+Otter+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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..... and proceeded to act like it was in an Olympic trial for the 100 meter dash. Without stopping, this otter .....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3knpNwnPBuW2VrE_9DKlVEF6ahukbVOIi5ZqdAU_h4TvJI5EoOMIZ64mziXyAN8VOQezCgjRq5r9Ny9Hu0zPlKFMlcTmQnta7a1jGpIcIwATmcRvuDAWEpDqXgjR2AduYWYcJMGjyZXa/s1600/River+Otter+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3knpNwnPBuW2VrE_9DKlVEF6ahukbVOIi5ZqdAU_h4TvJI5EoOMIZ64mziXyAN8VOQezCgjRq5r9Ny9Hu0zPlKFMlcTmQnta7a1jGpIcIwATmcRvuDAWEpDqXgjR2AduYWYcJMGjyZXa/s640/River+Otter+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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..... ran what had to be 100 meters from 50 meters away to 50 meters in front of us, then without pause, ran down from the dike road into the canal on our right.<br />
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For those of you familiar with Lake Apopka, at its closest point, the otter was only the distance away of the width of the canal then up the bank so it was quite close. <br />
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Why it did this, who knows, but all of us who saw it would like to think it simply wanted to show off and provide some entertainment for the humans.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEircjmnzb3IjQoxv3Us_OiZrCKpY60A_xdsVi55xW-sp9zvVhpGcNek8be6DX1TSnuaCnty6Si09nv3-kTxRfUs9ZlO0e3EL8BvZg8gOLoJWyBKEilkuUJl3uzujuZLXq61n39j95UuDjcB/s1600/Vermilion+Flycatcher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEircjmnzb3IjQoxv3Us_OiZrCKpY60A_xdsVi55xW-sp9zvVhpGcNek8be6DX1TSnuaCnty6Si09nv3-kTxRfUs9ZlO0e3EL8BvZg8gOLoJWyBKEilkuUJl3uzujuZLXq61n39j95UuDjcB/s640/Vermilion+Flycatcher.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A female Vermilion Flycatcher was seen also, but try as we did, we couldn't find the Ash-throated Flycatcher, although five of them were seen in an area nearby but not in our zone.Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-23287060521503761102013-11-28T21:48:00.001-05:002013-12-23T12:23:39.952-05:00Week 4828 Nov 2013, Lust Road near Lake Apopka<br />
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This good looking bird isn't so solitary and isn't so secretive, two words often used to describe this species by the authors of bird guides. Looking on eBird to see what other birders are reporting, a number of them have seen 10 or more this season at a given spot--that is not too solitary or secretive, is it. Maybe they just like to party while in Florida and do the ghost act up north in breeding areas.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD9uFYZPJf7LVTW5fvCtCsVdIUyL0EDJ5oatyZpftUuZRS10U4fTw2YavdLnXuLe1afvQh_7pVZEU7c3fN6caE7M6FUrn8cvfOPZRvNlxwR4PKEZ_TQzqYKTjxGs46ya14t87H8EEEH4I/s1600/Grasshopper+Sparrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD9uFYZPJf7LVTW5fvCtCsVdIUyL0EDJ5oatyZpftUuZRS10U4fTw2YavdLnXuLe1afvQh_7pVZEU7c3fN6caE7M6FUrn8cvfOPZRvNlxwR4PKEZ_TQzqYKTjxGs46ya14t87H8EEEH4I/s640/Grasshopper+Sparrow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My telephoto lens could not get all the Grasshopper Sparrows in one image but in addition to these three, there were six others (two directly above these three) nearby along with five Vesper Sparrows.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGQMLYiEyQBvRgNcXQozCXm_w_Lmg-hTE2OKkpzr_2wq-RyT6z76O-7ZcqSkBMEeGoLFHk7WGOy5Qlm83kZF9coE9skNAhPRv1KX8yOlKyidSkRjPtGKL4THqvQ051gNRkPgBioCtqTz1/s1600/Grasshopper+Sparrow_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGQMLYiEyQBvRgNcXQozCXm_w_Lmg-hTE2OKkpzr_2wq-RyT6z76O-7ZcqSkBMEeGoLFHk7WGOy5Qlm83kZF9coE9skNAhPRv1KX8yOlKyidSkRjPtGKL4THqvQ051gNRkPgBioCtqTz1/s640/Grasshopper+Sparrow_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Close-up of Grasshopper Sparrow</div>
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Eastern X Krider's Red-tailed Hawk </h2>
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Talk about a look-a-like, if you have the book Hawks in Flight, 2nd edition, (Dunne, Sibley and Clayton) and look at the photo at the bottom of page 36, that adult Fuertes's Red-tailed Hawk looks exactly like the image below taken today on Lust Road near Lake Apopka:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZg-ucn72TYQBLwtNzGm-r86WyWvwezMDsx2agMRQq2jig2-ehcddDFJgyXJ8nyJp-zbsUREU5hymIomaGwQ1duz3eaLSWhreiuMUp9hl4Txa0WBFVvouENBBNjUB0yv_jJJvdv303xUJ/s1600/Eastern+X+Krider%27s_2+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZg-ucn72TYQBLwtNzGm-r86WyWvwezMDsx2agMRQq2jig2-ehcddDFJgyXJ8nyJp-zbsUREU5hymIomaGwQ1duz3eaLSWhreiuMUp9hl4Txa0WBFVvouENBBNjUB0yv_jJJvdv303xUJ/s640/Eastern+X+Krider%27s_2+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There is no belly band and no dark markings that normally appear on the underwings; the patagium marks and the comma are weaker than typical for an Eastern. Two more photos are below.</div>
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But ......... as it turns out, it is not a Fuertes's Red-tailed Hawk, despite the look-a-like, but according to two prominent experts, it is an Eastern X Krider's Red-tailed Hawk. The Red-tailed Hawk has 12 subspecies; some experts accept 16 subspecies. When you combine the not so uncommon leucism that appears in Red-tails along with subspecies that also vary, you get a grab bag of possibilities with some Red-tails. </div>
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Just recently, a Red-tailed Hawk with Krider's features has appeared both at Lake Apopka (Bob Sander's group; not sure if it is this same hawk) and in Brevard County, reported by Mitchell Harris. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDatiAMGQ2c-6iQOWoJFRzDLDMBiHL9olz70UejrkvAL7uAVH_utFMux-DInoP3Aqqi05CF9VDtHKmE1Wz2iWpd6fOcwqExAD0au4zwKYcIc5orlOdGSHSyZcFni_HfnO0VA_R4f5JHRSz/s1600/Eastern+X+Krider%27s_3+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDatiAMGQ2c-6iQOWoJFRzDLDMBiHL9olz70UejrkvAL7uAVH_utFMux-DInoP3Aqqi05CF9VDtHKmE1Wz2iWpd6fOcwqExAD0au4zwKYcIc5orlOdGSHSyZcFni_HfnO0VA_R4f5JHRSz/s640/Eastern+X+Krider%27s_3+(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here is another look, and below, a topside view.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOv8anO_od_iW6l3CwGM7PX3CTRgjIDFv8Dh1Kneu3DbLZhmquykpPkcOjUS4ZullpnZ6vmUPAJbIQntKgbbqeDdLeEVyvLAQfEXGzkKNegya997zOhDMIFpF9phy8VmmxjMAUP6A-FLns/s1600/Eastern+X+Krider%27s_1+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOv8anO_od_iW6l3CwGM7PX3CTRgjIDFv8Dh1Kneu3DbLZhmquykpPkcOjUS4ZullpnZ6vmUPAJbIQntKgbbqeDdLeEVyvLAQfEXGzkKNegya997zOhDMIFpF9phy8VmmxjMAUP6A-FLns/s640/Eastern+X+Krider%27s_1+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Shadows hide some of the tail detail and the head, but there is some white areas in the head (better seen in the top two images), and the tail here is white at the base and pinkish at the distal end. Red-tailed Hawks vary so much and have so many subspecies that could migrate into our area that it always pays to look closely when you see this species--you just might find an atypical Red-tail.<br />
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Compare the above images to the typical Eastern Red-tailed Hawk below: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg62fZpR7g0CqQSPWZPFZMBQF3O0rttnFwg8cPHfQoDqea3PChd1G5HiGPwHewQFMqUp8M03TOzXlyMBG8YNVP_Oc8Z1uBCRTih_DfMTygdl_R7ENEI9wjetBolFUHtY2TQSOg8Nn-VtIK/s1600/Red-tailed+Hawk+20130822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg62fZpR7g0CqQSPWZPFZMBQF3O0rttnFwg8cPHfQoDqea3PChd1G5HiGPwHewQFMqUp8M03TOzXlyMBG8YNVP_Oc8Z1uBCRTih_DfMTygdl_R7ENEI9wjetBolFUHtY2TQSOg8Nn-VtIK/s640/Red-tailed+Hawk+20130822.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is the typical looking Eastern Red-tailed Hawk, a juvenile. Compare the markings here to the hawk images above. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbExh51Z2JYxHlPV_ynIx1Ii7VfPhmqXRaIUUwPKWxiStDzQUPobIt8yRaim6PA9R8IPAcPcglZPwLKmFQhqVGIczQgkNlf85bxX9ODtfGq9r7aK_cmL7jhnYA4V67yKinhMgv3v5zufou/s1600/Palm+Warbler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbExh51Z2JYxHlPV_ynIx1Ii7VfPhmqXRaIUUwPKWxiStDzQUPobIt8yRaim6PA9R8IPAcPcglZPwLKmFQhqVGIczQgkNlf85bxX9ODtfGq9r7aK_cmL7jhnYA4V67yKinhMgv3v5zufou/s640/Palm+Warbler.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My first Eastern Palm Warbler of the season also appeared on Lust Road.</div>
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Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-48411431462375839362013-10-23T23:33:00.003-04:002013-10-27T04:18:04.547-04:00Week 4323 Oct 2013<br />
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Good birding tomorrow?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSfpD7dzw70sIbBRzQaFvHTxewcr1BSrX_C5V2OFr8Qpm3iTPzP9oMddrk-pBoh0EyPP0L7JcUyfess1QbQWkdpEZfuMqMO0sQmf7M5weUjg22Ta1eTZkQKmnaBtlHaQiRC2AgILlJTTv/s1600/Jax+1100pm23Oct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSfpD7dzw70sIbBRzQaFvHTxewcr1BSrX_C5V2OFr8Qpm3iTPzP9oMddrk-pBoh0EyPP0L7JcUyfess1QbQWkdpEZfuMqMO0sQmf7M5weUjg22Ta1eTZkQKmnaBtlHaQiRC2AgILlJTTv/s640/Jax+1100pm23Oct.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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WIND SPEED</div>
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At 1100pm, this Jacksonville radar is an example of what the Melbourne radar also is showing--the yellows and orange/reddish are birds in the air. The wind speed is 5mph in Jax from the WNW so the colors are showing objects moving with a southerly component at 15-30 mph. That ain't dust and smoke, folks (that moves at the same speed as the wind)--that means powered flight.<br />
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OBJECTS IN AIR</div>
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This is a reflectivity image showing birds in the air--the light, medium and dark blue. The green is moisture and the browns are likely smog and dust.<br />
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NATIONAL REFLECTIVITY at 1100pm 23 Oct 2013</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Taken together, and the fact there are cold fronts moving through north of us, means we could have some good birding Thursday and Friday, and there is a chance of some western vagrants arriving.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mariel and Angel Abreu and their Badbirdz Reloaded website (link below) are much more experienced reading the radar, as are some of the listserv birders, but by the looks of things, we could have some interesting birding in the next few days.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<a href="https://badbirdz2.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Badbirdz Reloaded</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">UPDATE ... On Thursday, October 24, 2013 1:21 PM, Bob Richter wrote:</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br clear="none" /> <br clear="none" />(excerpt) "Over the past hour approximately 10,000 Turkey Vultures have passed over my location several miles southwest of downtown Jacksonville." This was posted on the Florida-L listserv.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I responded to this post:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"At 300pm on Lust Road near LANSRA, I saw a kettle of 140 Turkey Vultures with a few Anhingas mixed in.<br clear="none" /> <br clear="none" />As soon as the birds at the top of the kettle started peeling off for the next thermal, I glanced back and there was an equally large kettle to the north. I then started scanning the skies and saw at least two other kettles further north, each spaced about 1/4 mile apart.<br clear="none" /> <br clear="none" />I had to leave but wish I could have stayed to see how extensive these kettles stretched out. It wasn't anywhere near the number Bob saw but still impressive. Based on Bob's number, I'll be looking tomorrow in hopes of seeing this huge movement."</span><span style="background-color: white;"></span>Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-75095410729507089322013-10-13T22:35:00.000-04:002013-10-13T22:35:06.768-04:00Week 41 Florida Keys Hawkwatch7 Oct 2013 to 12 Oct 2013<br />
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The first part of my annual trek to the Florida Keys Hawkwatch was very exciting, as is usual for this fabulous venue. I'll be going back in a short time for round two.<br />
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On 8 October, we had a fallout occur after some weather moved through. Between 200 to 300pm, the weather system also brought a very large number of songbirds. 114 Peregrine Falcons were counted after 200pm and in the sky with them were thousands of songbirds.<br />
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I witnessed numerous songbirds being attacked in the air, including a Peregrine Falcon that stooped on a songbird, did a complete loop head on in relation to me, then stooped a gain after completing the loop.<br />
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When the day's counting was over, Rafael, Colleen and I did a short walk around the site, and in a small plot of land no bigger than the average suburban homesite, we had 16 warbler species, a flycatcher, a Baltimore Oriole, two grosbeak species, vireos, et al.<br />
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One of the many birds we saw after the fallout, a Baltimore Oriole.<br />
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Hey, where's my chestnut? This Chestnut-sided Warbler is a hatch year female, lacking the chestnut stripe on its side that males and adults have. This is one of the 16 warbler species we saw in a small area, most of them in one tree.<br />
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Green Iguana in the green.<br />
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No easy feeding for this guy. He just loved hovering while eating.<br />
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Spectacular air show put on by a Short-tailed Hawk</h3>
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For three days during this week at the Florida Keys Hawkwatch, a Short-tailed Hawk put on an incredible display of kiting, parachuting and stooping. We were fortunate to have one remain close and it rewarded us with an air show for the ages.</div>
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In this image, it is soaring. When kiting, this raptor is near motionless in the sky. We watched it kite then we thrilled to see it "parachute" -- descending in a slow fall.</div>
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Here, the hawk is parachuting, legs hanging down with talons ready to go to work, and falling slowly toward its prey. In an instant, it will then fold its wings back like a Peregrine Falcon and stoop on its prey. </div>
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Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-22914435506940903442013-10-13T20:51:00.000-04:002013-10-13T21:10:20.179-04:00Week 405 October, 2013 Lake Apopka<br />
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Off in the distance, I give myself the "what the heck" ... what is it? Then, for a second, I thought I was looking at a cobra. <br />
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It turned out to be a Florida Cottonmouth. From a distance, its wide head, and because it had its head raised into the air, gave the impression of a cobra. I have gotten close to rattlesnakes to take images. This is a species you don't mess with.<br />
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2 October, 2013 Wekiwa Springs State Park<br />
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A Gray Catbird deserves a special treat now and then, just like people do ...<br />
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I sometimes put some berries on top my vanilla ice cream. This Catbird decided to put a dab of vanilla ice cream on top its berry. <br />
<br />Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-14469332812639541112013-09-25T20:45:00.002-04:002013-12-23T12:51:44.999-05:00Week 3925 Sep 2013, Wekiwa Springs State Park<br />
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Birds are supposed to fly!!!<br />
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Tell that to this Short-tailed Hawk that hung motionless in the air. This hawk went into a "kiting" position with wings in a soaring profile, tail slightly down and head down looking for its prey. It stayed in this position for 60-75 seconds, then stooped ... diving on its prey at a very fast speed straight down.<br />
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This image and the image below were taken after its kiting and stoop. It is too bad the sky was so gray and bright because these two images could have looked really good with a normal sky.<br />
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This is a rare species in the USA, somewhere around 200 breeding pairs. Except for an outlier in AZ, this species only breeds in the USA in Florida.Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-25606706367982797122013-09-21T14:30:00.002-04:002013-09-21T14:30:39.273-04:00Week 3819 Sep 2013, Wekiwa Springs State Park<br />
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This tortoise looks big, but looks fool you with photos ...<br />
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This is a hatchling Gopher Tortoise. It is about the size of a 50 cent piece and was right on the road leading to Sand Lake. I moved it off the road and I hope it survives to adulthood.<br />
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Migration continues on ...<br />
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This Brown Thrasher is a year round resident in Central Florida but I saw many more than normal this week as migrants from up north move south into this area for the winter.<br />
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16 Sep 2023, Little Big Econ State Forest<br />
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Finally, no clutter ... no, not talking about the teenager's bedroom. <br />
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After years of trying to get an American Redstart in a relatively clear frame without leaf and twig clutter, I finally got my chance. Mary and Eli Schaperow and I were at the Little Big Econ State Forest when this male appeared. <br />
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Ovenbirds were right on the trail and as we entered a clearing, we saw a flycatcher doing its flycatching thing of grabbing an insect in mid-air and returning to its same spot.<br />
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It was an Eastern Wood-Pewee. We also had the rare dark morph Short-tailed Hawk do a fly-over.<br />
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Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-63186137848280148312013-09-12T16:49:00.002-04:002013-09-12T17:12:35.516-04:00Week 3712 Sep 2013, Wekiwa Springs State Park<br />
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Here I am, sitting on a lawn chair at Wekiwa Springs SP, gazing up into the heavens looking for high altitude migrating raptors flying thousands of feet high. A shadow zips by me followed by a woooosh and I am then staring at the rear end of what I thought was a Merlin flying no more than 15 feet above the ground--it went right over me. <br />
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As it neared a dead snag by the equestrian area, it spread its wings as it rose up to land and the wings were so long I said to myself, "Cool, another Peregrine". I walked over to the equestrian area and got this photo:<br />
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I was surprised--it actually was a Merlin. See that dragonfly buzzing overhead? That's what this Merlin did to me.<br />
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A short time later, while looking at some Black Vultures, a dark morph Short-tailed Hawk entered the scene.<br />
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Look at the leading edge of the wings of this Short-tailed Hawk above. See how smooth they are? In the next picture below, the Short-tailed Hawk starts kiting and the alula extends out from the wing ...<br />
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You could not even see where the alula was in the first photo. Like slats on an aircraft, the alula assists in providing lift when the raptor slows down to kite and when it lands.<br />
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This has been a great time for raptor watching here recently--a Peregrine Falcon migrating at high altitude, Bald Eagles, Red-shouldered Hawks plentiful, Red-tailed Hawks, a Cooper's Hawk the previous week, a migrating Merlin trying to take my head off, and a Short-tailed Hawk kiting right overhead.<br />
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There is nothing special about this location that draws raptors here. It simply has some big open sky where you can see good distances. No matter where you live, find some "big sky", some shade to keep you cooler, pack some cold drinks and snacks and go hawk watching during the next few weeks. <br />
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Better yet, go to a real hawk watch site where raptors funnel through in concentrated numbers. The closest site for many of you would be in the Keys--the season is Sept 15 to Nov 15. I'll likely go to Hawk Mountain, PA for a while (the grandaddy of American hawk watch sites) then head down to the Keys at our Florida Keys Hawkwatch at Curry Hammock State Park.<br />
<br />Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-85837496633964445522013-09-11T00:48:00.000-04:002013-09-11T15:17:28.295-04:00In-flight Field Marks of the Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk10 Sep 2013, Lake Norris Conservation Area<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In-flight Field Marks of the Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk</span></div>
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The two images below are of the same juvenile Red-tailed Hawk that I observed 10 Sep 2013 at the Lake Norris Conservation Area, Lake County, FL. The terminology you hear and see is usually not mentioned in the typical field guides because field guides are designed to be brief. This overview will mention some of the most common terms used when describing a Red-tailed Hawk; some terms apply to all birds.</div>
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Underside view:</div>
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A key field mark of the juvenile Red-tailed Hawk is how much darker the secondary flight feathers are compared to the primary flight feathers. In clockwise rotation, p10 is the most forward primary feather, then you see where I noted where p6 is; p1 is next to s1. <br />
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Look closely at the entire s1 feather (and the rest of the secondary feathers) and you see the dark coloration compared to the primary feathers; compare closely p1 to s1 to see how the primaries and secondaries differ. This is why there is a "window" or "panel" shown in the image below. The ten primary feathers lack this dark coloration thus creating the wing panel or translucent window. p10 though p6 may show dark tips but the base is still light.</div>
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The counting order is simply different with the secondaries. Think of it as a rocket lifting off. p10, p9, p8, ...p1, then s1, s2, s3 etc. as you get closer to the body of the bird There is no zero.</div>
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In the image below, from the topside, you will see how this "translucent window" or "wing panel" appears.</div>
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The "terminal band" on the tail is 2 to 3 times wider than the rest of the thin dark bands on the juvenile. Some authors may describe this as the "subterminal band", meaning the second to the last band (counting toward the tip of the tail). The tip of the tail is white. In some raptors or other birds, if this white edging is wide enough, it will be referred to as the terminal band and then this wider band in this image, in that case, may be referred to as the subterminal band. No need to get confused here because in nearly all cases, they are simply referring to a wider band at the tip (or near the tip) of the tail. The adult usually lacks the tail bands but often retains a line or thin dark subterminal band. Tail banding is usually not seen in the field, even if clear in close-up photos.</div>
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The "patagial mark" is the dark bar on the patagium, as illustrated above. Sibley's Field Guide refers to "the dark mark on leading edge of underwing". This is the #1 field mark in nearly all subspecies of the Red-tailed Hawk. If you see a patagial mark in Florida, you can rule out any other raptor with a high degree of confidence. This mark is unique to the Red-tailed Hawk. If it is not, then it is an anomaly. <br />
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The streaking in the belly, the "belly band", is another key mark for the Eastern subspecies (certain subspecies it will be missing) but some other raptors can show some streaking here. Usually, it is so prominent and contrasts with the clean white chest so much that it is the #2 key field mark for Eastern Red-tails. The belly band is easier to see than the dark area on the patagium at a distance.<br />
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The white chest contrasts with the belly band in Eastern Red-tails. Other Florida buteos usually show some streaking or spots on the chest.</div>
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Unlike the patagial mark, the "comma" is not unique to the Red-tailed Hawk.</div>
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Top-side view:</div>
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This is the same hawk as above but further away. The "bulge" is often prominent in the Red-tailed Hawk, illustrated here by the third red line from the top. This is a key mark. Other Florida buteos don't show a prominent bulge. If you note the first image from the underside, you really don't see this bulge well. The hawk in this topside view is more into a soar with the "hand" or outer primaries pushed forward and that exaggerated the "bulge", something you will often see or hear when birders describe a Red-tailed Hawk.</div>
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Look how obvious the wing panel is, illustrated by the area between the top two red lines. The Red-shouldered Hawk has a crescent shaped wing panel that is much smaller. The juvenile Red-tailed Hawk has a large square shaped wing panel that, as you saw from the above image, is created by all ten primary feathers being lighter colored than the secondaries.<br />
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If you go to my Aug 21, 2013 blog post, I show a side-by-side view of an adult and juvenile Red-tailed Hawk and you can see where the adult lacks the wing panel.</div>
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Other topside marks: The tail is not red because it is a juvenile. The white area in the rump has thrown birders off, thinking they saw anything from a Golden Eagle to a Snail Kite to a Cooper's Hawk, to a Northern Harrier, et al. This image shows the tips of the first four primaries turned up but that is not a diagnostic mark. The Short-tailed Hawk more commonly shows upturned wing tips.<br />
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As a final note, new birders need to remember what a field guide is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The key word is “field”—these guides are
brief and small, designed to carry into the field so you do not get detailed
descriptions and explanations of terms used.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That is what a desk reference is for or an online reference such as
Birds of North America Online.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hopefully, new birders picked up some tips here to not only help ID a Red-tailed
Hawk but to know what some of this terminology means.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-79271482465279219802013-09-08T19:20:00.002-04:002013-09-11T09:40:40.278-04:00Week 36<div style="text-align: left;">
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8 Sep 2013, Rock Springs Run State Reserve, Lake County</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My, what a big tail you have!</span></div>
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Juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Coyote Ugly? Only in movie titles. Coyote nice-looking here.</span></div>
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Everybody says the coyotes are everywhere and numerous but I don't see them that often. This one was close by today at mid-day in Rock Springs Run State Reserve.</div>
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2 Sep 2013, Black Bear Wilderness Area, Seminole County</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Look Mom, I have two bonus stripes."</span></div>
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Of the three five-lined skinks, the juvenile of the Broad-headed Skink can have seven lines like this one. With a rainbow of colors, the juvenile is pretty attractive also. The adult loses the rainbow.</div>
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2 Sep 2013, Wilson's Landing, Seminole County</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The prettiest eyes in the animal kingdom.</span></div>
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If this Royal River Cruiser does not have the prettiest eyes, what does? </div>
Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-69791191612438586582013-08-26T20:04:00.000-04:002013-09-25T23:16:02.633-04:00Week 3531 Aug 2013, Orlando Wetlands Park <br />
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It was a very good day for our monthly butterfly and dragonfly survey and for the next year we will be doing the survey at Orlando Wetlands, and that is a treat in itself.<br />
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This Dorantes Skipper, <em>Urbanus dorantus</em>, is listed as a vagrant in this area, more common in southern Florida.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYeztfgWYAMwHsLvANy308Nr7yvYmCD5c5t6iDHflE4iS_927e-MrMcJ8AV-YKqRtUvVE_KvymWjUbEZBMiTDMJmSGjo_gkLN0okEzk42IFOMJ1JzMNTm1KfN7qKKy6jPnIlYwdEdiP15/s1600/Long-tailed+Skipper+20130831_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYeztfgWYAMwHsLvANy308Nr7yvYmCD5c5t6iDHflE4iS_927e-MrMcJ8AV-YKqRtUvVE_KvymWjUbEZBMiTDMJmSGjo_gkLN0okEzk42IFOMJ1JzMNTm1KfN7qKKy6jPnIlYwdEdiP15/s640/Long-tailed+Skipper+20130831_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is an attractive species, the Long-tailed Skipper, with its gorgeous green and blue on the topside of the body. The blue area is mostly in the shadows in this image but you can see the blue better in the next image ...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPu06ZuR-4fPOmu1C-LNqe1xoPZeWF3h8qIwTrP7F_9YdMMdlFW7nCD7h_kYp_DnJen5-6e71FgJynk_xQ2BVhpkLU9_4CMgOOJgcs9VH2q6qp9saHTBJCynxG4pw689e2mnmDpczzIbiF/s1600/Long-tailed+Skipper+20130831-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPu06ZuR-4fPOmu1C-LNqe1xoPZeWF3h8qIwTrP7F_9YdMMdlFW7nCD7h_kYp_DnJen5-6e71FgJynk_xQ2BVhpkLU9_4CMgOOJgcs9VH2q6qp9saHTBJCynxG4pw689e2mnmDpczzIbiF/s640/Long-tailed+Skipper+20130831-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Also, notice how the lighting affects the color and pattern of the wings in these two photos, one shows it, one mostly hides it.<br />
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The butterflies are beautiful, however, they are also the prey of ...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7h3ewNuYsVOMSB4q39p1FzaM3_9t6MKluS6RXE3uvU_T7WkEu1z_IOViv8nkpu8NnkHxdSNRU-s1CtT1GYMp1aX9k3Y-D8WNTdeFvE_0YMDDCJxnJmxfIKymOhS5dolelyBob_BEdmts/s1600/Unknown+20130831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7h3ewNuYsVOMSB4q39p1FzaM3_9t6MKluS6RXE3uvU_T7WkEu1z_IOViv8nkpu8NnkHxdSNRU-s1CtT1GYMp1aX9k3Y-D8WNTdeFvE_0YMDDCJxnJmxfIKymOhS5dolelyBob_BEdmts/s640/Unknown+20130831.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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... prey of spiders (the butterfly might be a Zarucco Duskywing).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURu-BDSUsRNyo0P-RM_ieVkKblHurU_DnR-ZGNQQgMiutMn2swC2YlgoOBCG5IzJhNc1xRQIpLpLr98EMpYxfJTuW1Kat4UH4p7zlhlAAQEsQftMcnr3wVkIzOlWbzcohqBaQx6qDO1dk/s1600/Predator+Prey+Cloudless+20130831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURu-BDSUsRNyo0P-RM_ieVkKblHurU_DnR-ZGNQQgMiutMn2swC2YlgoOBCG5IzJhNc1xRQIpLpLr98EMpYxfJTuW1Kat4UH4p7zlhlAAQEsQftMcnr3wVkIzOlWbzcohqBaQx6qDO1dk/s640/Predator+Prey+Cloudless+20130831.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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... prey of Mantids. Look closely. The Mantid is eating right in the middle of the abdomen of the butterfly. They camouflage themselves well. What we think are small twigs can be Mantids.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3S5salUaHeUyZNBvNDmwMcPK5NYF7cGaoSQ9v-P6PMUz-a1HmWrfyQo47IZ4FcxLclS8b0vhzQgkE7hPReZ__RyfNlCLkabrDzk4Vwh2CFGUydjvqSDpTavnvxN-Y5tj0Lc2RLHGD9o93/s1600/Eastern+Pondhawk+Prey+20130831_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3S5salUaHeUyZNBvNDmwMcPK5NYF7cGaoSQ9v-P6PMUz-a1HmWrfyQo47IZ4FcxLclS8b0vhzQgkE7hPReZ__RyfNlCLkabrDzk4Vwh2CFGUydjvqSDpTavnvxN-Y5tj0Lc2RLHGD9o93/s640/Eastern+Pondhawk+Prey+20130831_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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... prey of dragonflies like this male Eastern Pondhawk.</div>
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If these butterflies are not being eaten now ...</div>
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... they soon will be; if this Cloudless Sulfur doesn't vacate the premises quickly, that big spider will soon make this butterfly victim #4.<br />
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30 Aug 2013, Merritt Island NWR<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRlb8ai3w0OAieQsEAqK2AkDpx82EdYg1aTZJvUIM0gDPSDghyphenhyphenjeexjmQ1lGwFEoYsC9SgQEpNlpJSVsm4PJ5CcdXWSyDGvW93Wqk5cd5N6W-GRc-ZsJhr_fUq4zg2w-6I0H91TW8HJf0/s1600/Loggerhead+Shrike+20130830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRlb8ai3w0OAieQsEAqK2AkDpx82EdYg1aTZJvUIM0gDPSDghyphenhyphenjeexjmQ1lGwFEoYsC9SgQEpNlpJSVsm4PJ5CcdXWSyDGvW93Wqk5cd5N6W-GRc-ZsJhr_fUq4zg2w-6I0H91TW8HJf0/s640/Loggerhead+Shrike+20130830.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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At Merritt Island NWR, on East Gator and Peacocks Pocket, the narrow trail road and its vegetation is all there is with water all around, so birds like this Loggerhead Shrike will perch in the trail shrubs there and sometimes your car is practically right next to them. I took this photo out my car window.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhEWrLK1ihZGVX9n_HphcjqGJid08_zJU2tmpR_75GWrySgNfjbTGzsCU_n3yYGAtWQR-msUS2qY2_cQ0eWMU-T4n_leScubbpboLHq8K9DqWcxAhPcHYtGc1mhH7TQb2CAR-NkhBoGjP/s1600/Wilson's+Phalarope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhEWrLK1ihZGVX9n_HphcjqGJid08_zJU2tmpR_75GWrySgNfjbTGzsCU_n3yYGAtWQR-msUS2qY2_cQ0eWMU-T4n_leScubbpboLHq8K9DqWcxAhPcHYtGc1mhH7TQb2CAR-NkhBoGjP/s640/Wilson's+Phalarope.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This Wilson's Phalarope (center) is probably thinking, "Why am I the center of attention?" It has four Yellowlegs sp. checking out the "different one" while the Dowitcher sp. (far right) could care less.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2AsDreRWLBpkDBPG0J64fs-ZAbAxoYmYBAiAXTKQZ6bveYzx8GVXW1UWBLsiirjNqCc0h5JMHwttdAeqO4SyPr3IrgEDY0b8VwFouDmlVid9GvhW9QEI1CPgIHTXMwAJxtYngDuSDvzy/s1600/Seaside+Dragonlet+20130830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2AsDreRWLBpkDBPG0J64fs-ZAbAxoYmYBAiAXTKQZ6bveYzx8GVXW1UWBLsiirjNqCc0h5JMHwttdAeqO4SyPr3IrgEDY0b8VwFouDmlVid9GvhW9QEI1CPgIHTXMwAJxtYngDuSDvzy/s640/Seaside+Dragonlet+20130830.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Look at that beautiful pruinose blue thorax on this male Seaside Dragonlet -- click the image to enlarge it. Not all these males get this pruinosity. Normally, they are all glossy black, but some of them get this pruinose overlay.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1w4wX4Ks26p6tk9eo0M6oNBB2D12iOPDJXY5QeIViM4KNxaFZg6qg5Vo7bBh6jRn3A1gq4HoQKqwPvVHneJ7sT9bpK61A82YRobfRCfWedQsTJSykeF1Gyn87JVzhqyb65oUtaNKoSeKy/s1600/Marl+Pennant+20130830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1w4wX4Ks26p6tk9eo0M6oNBB2D12iOPDJXY5QeIViM4KNxaFZg6qg5Vo7bBh6jRn3A1gq4HoQKqwPvVHneJ7sT9bpK61A82YRobfRCfWedQsTJSykeF1Gyn87JVzhqyb65oUtaNKoSeKy/s640/Marl+Pennant+20130830.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is a very common species near the coast, the Marl Pennant. I was so pleased that I had a clear background and got my best image yet of this species.<br />
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29 Aug 2013, Black Bear Wilderness Area<br />
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OK any of you bug experts out there. What the heck is this thing?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6Py5xBtbfDGG91lZrCeJOc9vcrQ1NZvp9HTwoaHgX-tvN37RF2fhwplULiCy2ENsUn1DGxBUX4q0-hfilfyEhymzp9wFi3RngCYNIYqLE1f4hrYxKhxY6Hft-FiPWREmW1M5YYQ8dSPA/s1600/Mystery+Insect+20130829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6Py5xBtbfDGG91lZrCeJOc9vcrQ1NZvp9HTwoaHgX-tvN37RF2fhwplULiCy2ENsUn1DGxBUX4q0-hfilfyEhymzp9wFi3RngCYNIYqLE1f4hrYxKhxY6Hft-FiPWREmW1M5YYQ8dSPA/s640/Mystery+Insect+20130829.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Update ..... it is a Red-footed Cannibalfly</b></div>
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Usually, we try to ID a species. In this case, I don't know what genus, what family, I don't even know what order this thing belongs to. Grasshoppers have hind legs with a base near posterior of the thorax; this thing has its legs coming out way up front at the anterior end. The wings are not as long as the abdomen. Grasshoppers with wings usually have wings longer than their abdomen. It seems to lack antennae but that may be a single antenna protruding from its face. It flew from this twig to a nearby plant.<br />
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Update ... some experts informed me this is a "Robbery Fly". The order is Diptera. The superfamily is Asiloidae. The family is Asilidae. Common name is "Red-footed Cannibalfly". Thank you !!!<br />
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Camera shy birds ... have you ever tried to take the picture of somebody and they go running for cover. Birds do it too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiww4k9NtL_Z13o7SfoULEOnmnhGVL94PLoGLBwrWwfe3zYcokF06rJdzSuK8peISotSW0b7XIj0i6Nk0CKBuIrKoJ7Z85LiS2kLbuZknUhFoDIhSPEDgNPo7wlZdKhzXbh3NavqTyDMTUB/s1600/Hooded+Warbler+20130829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiww4k9NtL_Z13o7SfoULEOnmnhGVL94PLoGLBwrWwfe3zYcokF06rJdzSuK8peISotSW0b7XIj0i6Nk0CKBuIrKoJ7Z85LiS2kLbuZknUhFoDIhSPEDgNPo7wlZdKhzXbh3NavqTyDMTUB/s640/Hooded+Warbler+20130829.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Camera shy male Hooded Warbler</div>
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Camera Shy American Redstart (at least seven today)</div>
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Camera Shy Tufted Titmouse</div>
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I saw four black pigs being chased by what I thought was a Florida Black Bear. It was actually momma pig and the size of this brute was amazing. The baby pigs looked like adult pigs and momma looked like an SUV. A Florida Black Bear would go running for cover if it saw this tank of a pig.</div>
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There was one Empidonax species again today but unlike yesterday when the Eastern Wood-Pewee vocalized, no such luck today. I also saw what had to be a Cartharus thrush--it looked more brown tinged than rufous. I did not even report it on my eBird report because I have no photo of it and species from that genus are not seen in central Florida in August. It would be nice if we all could get photos of everything we see but that just will not happen.<br />
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I returned today to this location in hopes of again finding and photographing that male Prothonotary Warbler in stunning breeding blues. I saw this species here in June of last year so I do think they breed here. No luck today, but I did see one other Prothonotary Warbler (maybe two but the second one is a UFO). Seven American Redstarts and three Black-and-white Warblers added to the migrants for today.</div>
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28 Aug 2013, Black Bear Wilderness Area<br />
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A male Prothonotary Warbler with the bluest of blue wings was my highlight today at Black Bear Wilderness Area in Seminole County. What a stunning warbler it was. I may just cancel my plans for tomorrow and return here to see if he is still there and try to get a photo worthy of this male's beauty.<br />
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An Eastern Wood-Pewee was the migrant of the day and American Redstarts were seen throughout the trail but not one male--all juveniles and females. A Yellow-throated Vireo vocalized. Dragonflies were patrolling the streams on both sides of the trail before it meets the Saint Johns River and Tawny Emperor, blues, swallowtails and a good group of butterflies were present.<br />
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The various habitats here are perfect for both the Barred Owl and this Red-shouldered Hawk. Besides the Cypress Swamp, this location has Hydric Hammock, Floodplain Marsh, Floodplain Swamp and Mixed Hardwood Swamp. I have seen bobcats and Florida Black Bear here; it is always a fun place to go to and seems active with wildlife most of the time. In very close proximity to this location are Rock Springs Run State Park, Wilson's Landing, Seminole State Forest, Lower Wekiva Preserve State Park and the Markham Tract section of Wekiwa Springs State Park (an isolated section northeast of the main park).<br />
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I usually see Barred Owls on most trips to this location and today was no exception. I imagine there are a lot of territorial fights among these two species, unless they made an agreement with each other to keep an eye out for the Great Horned Owls.<br />
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This raccoon and I ran into each other four times along the trail where it runs parallel with the Saint Johns River. It would scamper off then reappear again further down the trail.<br />
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26 Aug 2013, Wekiwa Springs State Park<br />
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As I neared Wekiwa Springs State Park, I saw a buteo "soaring" in a way that practically had the hawk sky-writing its name with its characteristic flight style. It is a stretch to call it soaring when it was stalling, kiting, stooping and once I pulled off the road and got my binoculars up, I confirmed it was a dark morph Short-tailed Hawk above the Seminole County section of the park.<br />
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In the main section of the park (Orange County), I saw either the same Short-tailed Hawk or another one along with three Red-shouldered Hawks and a Red-tailed Hawk. Three Osprey were soaring at great heights--no fish up there, for sure, but the Osprey must like to just soar and enjoy their flights. An Eastern Kingbird landed in a tree adjacent to the Sand Lake Parking Lot.<br />
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Predator and Prey ...<br />
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Here is the prey:<br />
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There seemed to be a lot of these Azalea Caterpillars (Datana major) crawling around, so ...<br />
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here comes the predator, the Fiery Caterpillar Hunter!!!<br />
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Calosoma scrutator</div>
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Gardeners should like this beetle because they like to dine on the Azalea Caterpillars.</div>
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I also saw a Pygmy Rattlesnake but I don't want to post an image because I am unsure if it was injured or not. It looked fine but a long time passed by without it moving.<br />
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Update ... The Pygmy Rattlesnake died, a victim of a car or bicycle likely, according to a park staffer who found it after I did.</div>
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Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-26524021314835350512013-08-21T20:07:00.002-04:002013-09-11T09:43:24.434-04:00Week 3423 Aug 2013, Lake Apopka<br />
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Before the rains came at Lake Apopka, there were only nine Swallow-tailed Kites in the vicinity. As the skies lose these incredibly beautiful raptors for the season, my eyes remain looking skyward to start searching for early migrant Broad-winged Hawks and falcons, and prepare for the super exciting trip for the annual Florida Keys Hawkwatch.<br />
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Just what exactly is this butterfly doing?<br />
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This torn and tattered Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly was walking around tapping its abdomen on the road. Through my binoculars, I could swear it was dropping eggs, but on the road? Here is a photo of "something"; it sure does not have the appearance of an egg, and if it was expelling excess water as waste, then why was it doing it over an extended period of time? Enlarge the photo and you can see that it is a clear ball and looks like water.<br />
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The odd thing was a Spicebush Swallowtail and a skipper was very close by doing the same thing.<br />
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UPDATE: Monica directed me to an article about "mud-puddling"; the butterflies can't get certain minerals from nectar. Puddles usually have salt and other needed minerals for reproduction. The butterfly sucks in the moisture with its proboscis and excretes the waste.<br />
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Meret Wilson reported seeing an incredible number of swallows late yesterday northeast of here on the coast. Today at Lake Apopka, there were large numbers of swallows at very high altitudes. I just read where Diane Reed is seeing big numbers of swallows also northeast of here, mostly Barn Swallows.<br />
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Many thousands of Common Green Darner dragonflies swarmed around the CR 448A access to Lake Apopka. If the Swallow-tailed Kites had stayed just a couple days longer, they could have really gotten fat and happy. Or, was it the dragonflies having a huge party now that the kites are gone?<br />
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22 Aug 2013, Lake Apopka<br />
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Before continuing on to the raptor watch site, I stopped at Jones Ave Stormwater Park. There are a lot of waders there and I also wanted to check on the Black-bellied Whistling-Duck family. Predators have reduced the chicks to seven. If you scroll down to August 3, I have a photo of this family showing 12 ducklings. Five have been lost to predators in the last few weeks.<br />
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Adjacent to the Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, I saw this Palamedes Swallowtail on the ground. It is not easy trying to get members of the Swallowtail group to pose; they always seem to be in flight, but once in a while they take a breather.<br />
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After arriving at the hawkwatch site, A Red-tailed Hawk soon appeared. It can't be the same one from the other day because this one has near perfect feathers and is not molting. Compare the neat and orderly feathers here to the feathers on the other Red-tailed Hawk four images below taken yesterday.<br />
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“I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” -- Wayne Gretzky</h3>
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A Swallow-tailed Kite that is a hockey fan !!! This Swallow-tailed Kite has a dragonfly locked on to its radar, but like Wayne Gretzky, it looks by its eyes and head that it is homing in to where the dragonfly is going to be, not where it is now.<br />
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I was watching the thousands of Common Green Darners dart around today and when you see 90 degree turns and all the other gyrations they do, it is remarkable that the Swallow-tailed Kite, with its body mass and momentum, can catch these very light and nimble dragonflies in mid-air. The dragonfly has perhaps the best eyesight in the animal kingdom and that makes it all the more remarkable. If there is a weakness, they do not see behind them as well and I'm sure that is taken into account by the kites. This is just one of the millions of things about nature that makes it more awesome the more you study it.<br />
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Kite numbers continue to dwindle as we see the last of these raptors migrating south, but a good show was still put on by a group of those still lingering in this area.<br />
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21 Aug 2013, Lake Apopka<br />
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It looks like the Swallow-tailed Kite migration is winding down. Big numbers and large kettles of the previous days were not seen the last two days, but that did not stop close encounters with these elegant raptors today. It was nice to have Sherry and Tom at the watch site with me.<br />
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What we lacked in big numbers we made up for in some very close encounters. It looked like they wanted to show off to us. Some kites came so close that a focus could not be achieved with some passes they made.<br />
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Just before normal peak time Noon until 200, (recent peak at 130PM), the rains came, but it was a good day for some close up viewing.<br />
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This Red-tailed Hawk is molting and feathers are missing or growing in around the s4 secondaries.<br />
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A young Red-tailed Hawk (on the left) was soaring around with an adult. If you enlarge the image, you can clearly see the large square wing patch on the juvenile with the tail color being the same pale gray as most of the underwing. The adult's ragged look is due to feather molt. The Red-shouldered Hawk's translucent crescent near their wing tips is smaller and more intense and in the shape of a true crescent. The juvenile Red-tailed Hawk's wing patch is larger, square and not as translucent as the Red-shouldered's, but still clearly seen.<br />
<br />Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-6778057082087934222013-08-15T23:14:00.001-04:002013-09-11T09:43:48.827-04:00Week 3315 Aug 2013, Lake Apopka<br />
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It was the "Day of Young Raptors" at Lake Apopka. Soaring along with two adult Bald Eagles were two sub-adult Bald Eagles. Numerous juvenile Swallow-tailed Kites were once again filling the skies over the Lake Apopka area.<br />
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A juvenile Cooper's Hawk got into a tussle with a Swallow-tailed Kite and once again, it was the kite that was the aggressor. Juvenile Red-shouldered Hawks and juvenile Red-tailed Hawks joined the show.<br />
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This is a second young Cooper's Hawk that appeared a few hours later. It has more of a square tail, like a Sharp-shinned Hawk, but its head projection, wing profile and its full, stiff wing beats all point to a "Coop". That yellow eye will turn orange then red as it ages.</div>
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The second you look at this raptor you know it is a Red-shouldered Hawk with those blazing crescent windows near the wing tips. The streaking on the chest is a mark of a juvenile.</div>
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Another youngster, this time a Red-tailed Hawk. So, where is the red tail? The young ones don't have a red tail.</div>
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A young Swallow-tailed Kite admires the food ... but what is it? Butterfly without the wings? Grasshopper without the big legs? Dragonfly? These kites really love dragonflies, but dragonflies don't have antennae and this bug does. What is your guess? Enlarge the image and you can see the antennae.</div>
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Looks like the same abdomen but this one has wings.</div>
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The weird thing here is this is the same kite as the image above, yet the photos were taken 3 1/2 hours apart. The tail feather splayed and markings on the leading edge of the wing ID this kite as the same kite. There were about 60 Swallow-tailed Kites in this area, and the ones that get close will drift away out of sight eventually. Maybe this one just liked me and wanted to come back and show off.</div>
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Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-10439207956972716352013-08-07T20:55:00.000-04:002013-09-11T09:44:52.116-04:00Week 3211 Aug 2013, Lake Apopka<br />
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It was a fabulous day at Lake Apopka with Swallow-tailed Kites foraging in preparation for their migration south.<br />
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This Swallow-tailed Kite snatched a dragonfly, a common sight watching these raptors forage.<br />
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Ooops ... looks like a kite ran a traffic signal and broadsided another kite.<br />
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10 Aug 2013, Lake Apopka<br />
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We did our dragonfly survey today and it was a lively day. Butterflies were more active than usual and the dragonfly count was much better than in the spring.<br />
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After this male Eastern Pondhawk finishes munching on whatever he has, that little bugger immediately below watching the action might just well be the easy answer to, "what's for dessert"?<br />
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8 Aug 2013, Lake Apopka<br />
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At the start of the year, I never dreamed a snake would be the most exciting event in my nature outings for 2013, but that all changed on this day. As I rounded a corner, I almost ran over a snake. As it turned out, it was not just any 'ol snake.<br />
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It was the most gorgeous, silver and gray with a charcoal top, very long, rare Florida Pine Snake. The colors in the anterior portion looked like an Oakland Raider uniform with the silver and black.<br />
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This species spends much of its time underground in burrows and is not seen often at all. The state of Florida wants sightings to be reported because the Fish and Wildlife Commission does not have good data on this species. They don't see it much either. The question is how rare is it? Is it really rare or just not seen due to its underground living?<br />
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6 Aug 2013, Merritt Island NWR<br />
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Every time I see a Loggerhead Shrike on Biolab Road in the Merritt Island NWR, I think back to the family of Loggerheads that I did a "mini photo-documentary" on last year. I see another shrike, I know this could be a family member or a generation from that family.<br />
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You can see these images by going to my Flickr site, linked at the right, and going to "Sets" then "Photo Contest Winner". Clicking an image allows you to see the text and story behind the images.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/robert-stalnaker/sets/72157630107731658/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/robert-stalnaker/sets/72157630107731658/</a><br />
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Or, click this link above. But, make sure you save me in your favorites so it is easy to come back to my blog :) It was so fun watching the antics of this family and all their interactions that this spot and this species will always make me smile.<br />
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This shrike sat just a few feet from me near that spot. You think it remembered me?<br />
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I remember struggling to ID so many different white and off-white butterflies, including this one, until I read where the blue bulbs on the end of the antennae are distinctive. This is a Great Southern White on Blackpoint Wildlife Drive.<br />
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How cool is a butterfly with hair on its wingtips? At least, that's what I thought until I realized minutes later that is part of the foliage. This is a Mangrove Buckeye and the guide books say they don't belong here in central Florida ("extreme south Florida" it says) but they are here.<br />
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There were thousands of dragonflies on Blackpoint Wildlife Drive. No wonder the Swallow-tailed Kites like to migrate in mid-August since this is a favorite food of theirs. This is a female Marl Pennant.<br />
<br />Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-65499836531032745592013-08-04T23:42:00.001-04:002013-09-11T09:45:35.475-04:00Week 314 Aug 2013, Lake Lotus<br />
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Today was the first day of the new season at bird banding with the Wekiva Basin Banding group run by Andrew Boyle. When we are not banding birds, what are we doing? ...<br />
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... looking for other beautiful creatures. We saw an awesome caterpillar and some trees were active with a Black-and-white Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Yellow-throated Warbler, along with the usual forest birds.<br />
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This is a Blue-ringed Dancer damselfly whose habitat is small streams and rivers where there is plenty of herbaceous vegetation. That describes our bird banding area perfectly as the Little Wekiva River runs the length of our banding area and it is thick with vegetation. In the pre-destruction days of Florida a couple hundred years ago, the Little Wekiva River was a substantial river. Now, it is a small stream that empties into its big brother, the Wekiva River.<br />
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Fall migration is just getting started. Introduce the awe and wonderment of migration to your child or grandchild. There are many ways to do that. Stop by our banding station during the next couple months (pre-arrange that with us). The east coast will have falcons migrating starting in late September. The Florida Keys Hawkwatch is one of the best places in the world to witness the awe of migration. Last year, we set two world records for number of Peregrine Falcons passing our watch. If interested in learning more, contact me.<br />
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3 Aug 2013, Lake Apopka <br />
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This Viceroy is one of the easier butterflies to photograph. Some species are next to impossible to capture an image of as the dart around and never seem to stop and rest.<br />
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Is that a "proud parent" smirk on this adult Black-bellied Whistling-Duck? It is interesting how the chicks have the striped face and other plumage that is nothing like their plumage as an adult. <br />
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1 Aug 2013, Katie's Landing<br />
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The Sandhill Crane is a bird of pastures, meadows, grasslands, parks--usually. A pair this day chose a stroll walking along side the banks of the Wekiva River, struttin' and huffin' and puffin' and fluffin' its feathers to look cool knowing its photo was being taken.<br />
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Katie's Landing is a launch area for kayaks and canoes, part of the Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park. I come here to see what river birds there are among the waders and ducks in season. Bald Eagles and Osprey fish the river and it is a good place for Swallow-tailed Kites. <br />
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<br />Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-72208379320829742332013-07-28T22:44:00.000-04:002013-09-11T09:46:36.703-04:00Week 3027 July 2013, Jones Ave Stormwater Park, Lake Apopka North Shore Restoration Area<br />
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I struck out looking for the Fork-tailed Flycatcher but my consolation prize ...<br />
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... my second grasshopper of the week I can't ID. Note to Bob ........ really try to get a dorsal view image along with the lateral view; it might make ID a lot easier, don't you think? 7/31 ... after looking at my new field guide, I am calling this an Orangewinged Grasshopper and hope to get it positively ID'd by Bugguide.net.<br />
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Right below where the Fork-tailed Flycatcher was seen by others recently, this teeny thing appeared. I assumed it was a moth but after looking at the images, I see an orange club on the antenna, a mark of a butterfly. Like the Coffee-loving Pyrausta Moth you see posted above, the wingspan here is also about the diameter of a dime. I'll get the ID from some friends who know these well. UPDATE: Randy Snyder ID'd this as a Southern Skipperling. <br />
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26 July 2013, Lake Apopka Bike Trail <br />
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Another first? This teeny tiny moth was fluttering near a dragonfly I was studying on the Lake Apopka Bike Trail. When I searched the field guides and checked Orange County's checklist it did not show this species in Orange County.<br />
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<i>Pyrausta tyralis. </i>It's common name is the Coffee-loving Pyrausta Moth. I submitted the sighting to Butterflies and Moths of North America and I am hoping they confirm it as the first record for Orange County for their records. The wingspan is probably no more than the diameter of a dime. UPDATE 7/30. It was confirmed as the 67th moth species for Orange County, FL.<br />
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How many faces can you see in this spider? Besides the scary looking ones at the bottom, check out the orange face that looks like a kitten face or maybe an owl cartoon drawing. I thought this was a Golden Silk Orbweaver but it is missing those black bristle tuffs on its legs. I'm sure there is an explanation and I'll find it.<br />
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I saw a lot of American Bird Grasshoppers and two species I could not ID, this being one of them. I hope my handy dandy field guide for grasshoppers that will arrive next week will bail me out. 7/31 ... after looking at my just arrived field guide, I am going to say this is a Clippedwing Grasshopper. I am submitting it to Bugguide.net and I will see what they ID it as.<br />
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Our state butterfly, the Zebra.<br />
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Always one of my favorites, the White Peacock. The fuzzy white hair in the center is cool.<br />
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When you take your kids for a walk, try to get them to describe the colors and patterns they see on butterflies, grasshoppers and birds. Get them a field guide and you may be surprised that they might look forward to going out on the trails. Kids love a challenge. Inexpensive point-and-shoot cameras now have amazing quality. Turn your kids on to nature.<br />
<br />Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-3375328555381527252013-07-19T17:10:00.003-04:002013-09-11T09:47:35.886-04:00Week 2919 Jul 2013, Lake Apopka North Shore Restoration Area<br />
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Early fall migration is in full swing ...<br />
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... at least for Prairie Warblers. The section I entered was the north side public entry off CR 448A. This Prairie Warbler had about 8-10 friends, and I saw four more about 2 miles from this spot and two more in another section. Mid to late July is supposedly when they start showing up and sure enough, they have arrived in force.<br />
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One of the Prairie Warblers is a contortionist!!!<br />
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At the same spot of the large group of warblers, a male Blue Grosbeak appeared. About a mile away, there were two first summer Blue Grosbeaks that I wish I could have had a longer view of. Everywhere I biked on the trail, I could hear Northern Bobwhite. A Great Horned Owl rose up from the canal to my right and I had two sightings of a Cooper's Hawk and a Red-tailed Hawk. Swallow-tailed Kites were present but not in the big numbers that we should start seeing soon as migration is just days away for them. I really came out to see if the Fork-tailed Flycatcher ventured into this area so I didn't look really close for migrants. Based on what I did see, I think I need to get out here next week and spend some "quality time" birding.<br />
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15 Jul 2013, Wekiwa Springs State Park<br />
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The Sandhill section of Wekiwa Springs State Park is one of my favorite places to go. This section of the park is one of the few remaining fragments of what used to be about 70 million acres of this type of natural community in the Southeast.<br />
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There is currently a lot of this Chapman Goldenrod (Solidago odora chapmanii) and the insects seem to like it. This wasp is a Double-banded Scoliid (Scolia bicincta). The wings are a nice blue/purple color but at this angle the color did not pop out in the image.</div>
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A skipper butterfly, I assume a Long-tailed Skipper, was near the wasp. A bee was next to the skipper; I really need to get a macro lens for these little guys.<br />
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A short distance down the trail, a Brown Thrasher didn't seem to mind me wanting to walk by. I have not been seeing this species as much as usual so it was nice to see this one here. The Red-headed Woodpecker appeared and is likely one of the pair I published images of earlier this year in the blog.<br />
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The previous day, at the start of this trail, there were recently fledged species all seeming to want to be in the same tree: Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Parula, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Eastern Bluebird. It looked like a daycare center for recently fledged birds. It was nice to see Marcus Sharpe on the trail. <br />
<br />Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-39513097296197725382013-06-28T19:58:00.003-04:002013-09-11T09:47:59.875-04:00Week 2628 Jun 2013, Lake Apopka bike trail<br />
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As soon as the bike trail from Magnolia Park turns into the Lake Apopka North Shore Restoration Area, there is a rookery where I saw Anhinga chicks in nest and young Little Blue Herons. <br />
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Once again, I saw Northern Bobwhite on the bike trail. This area next to the lake has canals, marshes and other wet areas and is not your typical Bobwhite habitat but they seem to be here regularly.<br />
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It soon became clear it was going to be a dragonfly and butterfly day as they were numerous along the entire bikeway. This Pearl Crescent greeted me soon after entering the bike trail.</div>
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The topside wings of this White Peacock species is attractive but with some species, it helps to get an image of the underside also for ID purposes. In some cases, you don't have a choice if they happen to be folding their wings up at the time.</div>
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At first, this butterfly was upside down and only showing its underwings and I could not tell what it was. Once it repositioned itself, I saw those discal bars and recognized it as a Tawny Emperor. </div>
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There were numerous Zebra Longwings along the trail and I observed Viceroy, Gulf Fritillary and others.</div>
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After a slow start to the year in this location for dragonflies, they were out in force today along the bikeway, including this Two-striped Forceptail male. Blue Dashers, Eastern Pondhawk and Four-spotted Pennants were abundant, along with Wandering Gliders, Carolina Saddlebags et al.</div>
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Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-43286899669971330482013-06-19T23:59:00.001-04:002013-09-11T09:48:22.912-04:00Week 2519 Jun 2013 Central Winds Park<br />
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Soon after arriving at Central Winds Park, it was clear it was going to be a dragonfly day. A majestic sub-adult Bald Eagle flew overhead, but it was around the pond where the action was with dragonflies.<br />
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This male and female Eastern Amberwing are just starting to come out of their "copulation wheel". "Doing it" in-flight--pretty cool, wouldn't you say? Close by, a female Roseate Skimmer was dropping eggs in the water.<br />
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After copulating, the male is taking a breather. This species is tiny at slightly under one inch in length on average.<br />
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Also taking a rest was this male Four-spotted Pennant, until ...<br />
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until he got buzzed by this male Roseate Skimmer who wanted this perch, and eventually got it. They loved chasing each other over the pond.<br />
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The Four-spotted Pennant reclaimed the perch taken over by the Roseate Skimmer who decided to just take a rest a bit lower on the twig. Soon, it was joined by a second male Roseate Skimmer.<br />
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This male Common Green Darner was at Orlando Wetlands Park on this past Saturday. Karen Hamblett, Pam Meharg and I biked the Wetlands and after a rain, I headed home but the ladies stuck around and were rewarded with a sighting of a Snail Kite. Since I did not do a "Week 24" blog entry and today's blog was all about dragonflies, I wanted to put this guy in.Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-55509811680737862202013-05-27T21:43:00.001-04:002013-09-11T09:49:30.126-04:00Week 2230 May 2013, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge<br />
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Four-spotted Pennant immature female</div>
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It is great to see the dragonflies become more numerous. The numbers were down two months ago for our Lake Apopka survey. Saturday, we do another survey and we should have much bigger numbers to report. These two dragonflies were two of many on East and West Gator Creek at Merritt Island NWR.<br />
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Marl Pennant female</div>
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I originally ID'd this incorrectly as a Common Baskettail female but Paul Hueber IDs it as a Marl Pennant.</div>
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On Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, it was a very slow day for birds. Out on the mudflats to the left, I finally found one lonely bird laying down and it looked dark. I thought maybe a breeding plumage Black-bellied Plover. Get the bins up and there is a bird I have never seen in these mudflats in all the years I have been going here ...<br />
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... a Common Nighthawk. It is supposedly common in the spring inside the refuge but this was a first for me.<br />
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I was hoping for an Antillean Nighthawk, but then again, I hope to win the lottery each drawing also. With very little action on Peacocks Pocket, Gator Creek and Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, it was time to take a look at Biolab Road. <br />
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Finally .... there were huge numbers of Semipalmated Sandpipers. Also, there were Rudy Turnstones in breeding plumage, quite a few Semipalmated Plovers, young glossy Ibis and your common refuge residents. At Canaveral National Seashore, even though the wind was blowing in strong from the east, there were no pelagic birds to be seen.<br />
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27 May 2013, Hernando and Pasco County<br />
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Last year, there was an area on the Pasco/Hernando County border where Mississippi Kites were being seen. This is considered rare in this part of Florida, although many believe the Mississippi Kite--a north Florida raptor--is expanding its range southward. <br />
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After reading reports about Mississippi Kites being seen in this same spot over the weekend, and the report also saying larger numbers of Swallow-tailed Kites than normal were there, I headed out there this morning. It was nice to see 11 cars of other birders who had the same thing on their mind.<br />
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Before the first Mississippi Kite showed up, Swallow-tailed Kites started gathering. 10, 20, then quickly it grew to 40 or so. Within 90 minutes, there were 100 Swallow-tailed Kites foraging in the pasture.<br />
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Is this any way to greet a guest? With 100 Swallow-tailed Kites in the air, this Swallow-tailed Kite picked out the Mississippi Kite entering the party and started diving on it and just kept harassing it until they both went out of sight. Note that the larger Swallow-tailed Kite is molting its feathers and looked pretty ragged. There was no loss of confidence by this Swallow-tailed Kite due to its molting. It was flying like a fighter pilot ace, even though many feathers are only partially grown in.<br />
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The Mississippi Kite looked faster in its dives and seemed to be more agile than the Swallow-tailed Kite. However, in the "fight" between these two, the Swallow-tailed Kite had its way and was on the offensive the entire time and the smaller kite was never able to get out of its defensive mode.<br />
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What a great sight to see--a Burrowing Owl. Not just one, a pair in Pasco County. But wait .... not just two but four with pair in Hernando County about 2 miles away. <br />
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What are you doing here? The guide book says this Carolina Saddlebags (female) likes ponds, marshes, lakes. There was no water in sight here but dry pasture everywhere. Oh well, I guess this girl said, "if the Mississippi Kite can be out of range, so too can I."<br />
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Update ... Paul Hueber IDs this as a Red Saddlebags. Thank you, Paul. Odonata Central show this species in Orange County but does not show it on the list for Pasco County where the image was taken. I have submitted this to Odonata Central and I am hoping that once they vet it, they come back and say it is a Red Saddlebags; that would be a Pasco County first.Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-82801059498974670922013-05-24T16:06:00.000-04:002013-09-11T09:50:15.830-04:00Week 2124 May 2013, Mullet Lake Park<br />
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There were a good many dragonflies at this location. This is a female Needham's Skimmer.<br />
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22-23 May 2013, Wekiwa Springs State Park<br />
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So why is this young deer sticking its tongue out at me? I think it is cute. I sent good vibes as I really love deer. I really wish it could tell me why.<br />
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After seeing so many yellow female and red male Summer Tanagers at Wekiwa Springs State Park, when I came upon this orange bird I instantly thought Baltimore Oriole. Then, I saw it following a male Summer Tanager and realized it was a recently fledged youngster, once I got my binoculars on it. You can even see the swollen gape near its beak, if you enlarge the image. Some red and yellow splotching also gives the appearance of orange, especially when it was in flight.<br />
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Momma Summer Tanager wanted to know why I was so keenly interested in her youngster.<br />
<br />Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-73323108612683104052013-05-13T20:23:00.001-04:002013-09-11T09:57:17.696-04:00Week 2017 May 2013, Rock Springs Run State Reserve<br />
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It was an exciting morning as Greg and I met to see if we could verify again an Indigo Bunting and a Blue Grosbeak. For Breeding Bird Atlas purposes, if we could do this 7 days apart with the bird in the same spot, that would indicate probable breeding, and for this part of Florida, it is rare for either of these species to breed in this general area.<br />
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Not only did this male appear again in the same spot, but this time a female was with him. Our fortunes swelled as we also saw the male Indigo Bunting at the same location he was in last week. A Yellow-billed Cuckoo flew across the path in front of us.<br />
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We had two excellent guides in front of us showing us the great spots so we tipped these Sandhill Cranes well.<br />
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At Wilson's Landing Park next to the Wekiva River, ...<br />
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A Swallow-tailed Kite looked like it grabbed a nestling out of a tree. It made one stop and grab attempt then reset and made a second attempt and came out clutching its meal. Some people eat and run, this kite species eats and flies.<br />
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If a popularity contest were run here in Florida, I know a lot of votes would go to the Swallow-tailed Kite. <br />
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16 May 2013, Wiregrass Prairie Preserve<br />
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I arrived early at this fabulous preserve and was surrounded by the singing of Bachman's Sparrows. The low-angled sun and the chorus of Bachman's songs made for one heck of a great morning. This is the most dense concentration of Bachman's Sparrows I have seen, and with their really cool songs and variations, "heard" is more appropriate.<br />
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The Bachman's Sparrow may be secretive and like to forage on the ground, but when it comes springtime, they often belt out the vocals from an exposed perch.<br />
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As I walked the trail, I had been thinking how cool it would be to see an Indigo Snake, thinking the Bachman's Sparrow and the Indigo Snake like a similar habitat. Later, I saw a snake but not on the ground but in the air ...<br />
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A Great Horned Owl grabbed a very long breakfast.<br />
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I'm not certain what the snake species is but with a tapered tail like that, it likely will be narrowed down to just a couple species. Perhaps it is an Eastern Hognose Snake. Update --had a good number of people say it is definitely a Southern Black Racer.<br />
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An in-flight Common Nighthawk, Northern Bobwhite and a family of Eastern Bluebirds with recently fledged juveniles rounded out the morning.<br />
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15 May 2013, Wekiwa Springs State Park<br />
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After dinner, I went across the street to Wekiwa Springs State Park for a late afternoon stroll. I had no idea it would turn into a good nature outing. <br />
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As soon as I got out of my car, a male and female Summer Tanager greeted me and seemed to want to check me out. About 200 yards down the trail, what did I run into? ...<br />
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... a second pair of Summer Tanagers. She preferred to be on top.<br />
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While this male was singing and she was calling, a Red-headed Woodpecker appeared. <br />
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After checking out the roof, ...<br />
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and the balcony, ...<br />
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the woodpecker started working its way down, and over, then proceeded to do some construction work. Its mate was nearby.<br />
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With the tanagers to my left and the woodpeckers to my right, an American Kestrel flew in and landed about 30 yards away. I could hear Northern Bobwhite calling from this same spot and also watched as two Great Crested Flycatchers hawked some insects. Eastern Bluebirds were here also along with the abundant Pine Warblers. Not a bad spot at all to pull up a chair and watch the sun set. A Long-tailed Skipper kept darting around me while all this was going on.<br />
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As I left this great spot, a White-tailed Deer ahead of me looked like it was checking traffic before crossing the trail.<br />
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13 May 2013, Buck Lake Conservation Area<br />
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Mary and Eli Schaperow and I visited the west section of Buck Lake Conservation Area. What a great day to bike and bird as the weather was cool and clouds kept the heat down. The trails can be biked without too much trouble, even for a hybrid bike with thin tires like mine. <br />
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If you go here, be aware of typical Water Management District signs--they have trails marked "Road 1", "Road 3", etc. yet on the map from the website, the trails are named red, white, yellow, etc. Download the map from the web and take it with you. <br />
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This time of May is historically a heavy time for American Redstarts migrating in this area and we saw 14. I'm certain there were quite a few more as songbirds that darted from one side of the trail to the other in and out of vegetation were left unidentified.<br />
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Pine Warblers were very curious (and numerous), getting up close to us on the trail.<br />
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I heard an Eastern Towhee singing vocals that I have not heard previously, although Eli said he had. <br />
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Dragonflies are starting to become more numerous after a slow April. Saw Eastern Pondhawks, Carolina Saddlebags, Slaty Skimmers and ...<br />
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Adult Male Halloween Pennant</div>
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The April showers we had brought May wildflowers.</div>
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Not sure what this flower is. Once I master butterfly ID, time to move on to learning wildflowers, sedges and grasses. I'll leave it to Mary to tell us what this is . . .</div>
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and what this is ... update May 14, Andrew Boyle ID'd the flower above as a rhexia species. There are a number of variations and same goes for their common names; one of them is Meadow Beauty.<br />
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and what this is. (Andrew later said it was a milkweed. After going through a new guide book, it looks like a Few-flowered Milkweed).<br />
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A cool looking mushroom was spotted by Eli ...<br />
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We will have to go back out here and check out the east section that has some scrub and see what species it has.Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-70212305697748184242013-04-22T22:44:00.002-04:002013-09-11T09:52:06.404-04:00Week 1728 Apr 2013, Lake Apopka Bike Trail<br />
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Stray, orphan, curious? This cute Bobcat kitten ...<br />
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was crying nonstop and when we moved further along on the trail closer to the sound, walks right up to us. No parent was around. So what is the call? Did the parent get eaten by an alligator or killed somehow? Why would the kitten come to our feet unless it was starving and no parent around? Hard call to make. We informed the park staff, they marked the location and I gave them the tel number of Lindy at Back to Nature who said they will rehab it if it is rescued. There is a slim chance that the parent is way out of range hunting so even though the behavior of the kitten seems desperate, you don't want to rescue a kitten that has a parent. You just don't know for sure so this is a really hard call to make.<br />
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We heard two Yellow-billed Cuckoos for sure and a third one a mile away but we don't know if it could have been one of these two. Twenty Cedar Waxwings and three Northern Bobwhite were some other highlights. White Pelicans are still lingering. Saw five Marsh Rabbits. The best dragonfly spotted today was a Painted Skimmer. Members in party were Karen Hamblett, Pam Meharg and Paulette Fiske.<br />
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26 Apr 2013, Lake Apopka Bike Trail<br />
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Janet Leavens and I had a good day on the Lake Apopka Bike Trail. Eli Schaperow later joined us. Both male and female Orchard Orioles along with fifteen Bobolink were the highlights. Some late migrants still lingering were the Belted Kingfisher, House Wren and Marsh Wrens. Other nice sightings were two Least Bittern, Black-crowned Night-heron in-flight (2 juv, 3 adult), Blackpoll Warblers and a Northern Waterthrush--61 species over a 3 mile walk.<br />
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25 Apr 2013, Lake Apopka Bike Trail<br />
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This Softshell Turtle is either injured or it is laying eggs but in either case it is covered with ants. I called FWC and they could not help me, saying it might be dying. I'll keep trying to find someone to see if it needs moved, it is OK just laying eggs or it is dying. Click the image to enlarge it. Not sure if those ants are fire ants. (update April 26 ... the turtle was gone so likely it was fine, just laying eggs).<br />
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Two male Orchard Orioles as well as ... <br />
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five Bobolinks were on the bike trail today.<br />
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24 Apr 2013, Wekiwa Springs State Park, Markham Tract<br />
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What is black and white and all over, as in all over one tree?<br />
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In close proximity to each other in one tree, there were two Carolina Chickadees (looked like they were copulating at one point), four Blackpoll Warblers and one Black-and-white Warbler. A total of seven Blackpoll Warblers were in this general area, and there were at least four Carolina Chickadees and two Black-and-white Warblers. Later, two Blue-gray Gnatcatchers flew in to break up the black and white show.<br />
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This angle from the underside shows the male Blackpoll Warbler's lateral throat stripe, pink legs and underside well.<br />
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This young Red-shouldered Hawk has a lot of learning to do ...<br />
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It tried to land on a young Longleaf Pine but had trouble getting a footing. It finally figured out how to land but then took off to grab some very small prey on the ground. It proceeded to make three more quick attacks on the ground but grabbing prey that was very small, maybe bugs it gulped them so fast. It looked like it was using up far more energy flying and attacking than what it was getting from its hunting--bigger prey will be on the menu soon if it hopes to survive. The rufous shoulder seems more intense than most young of this species and the white crescent on the wing tips shows well.<br />
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23 Apr 2013, Mead Gardens<br />
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Re-visited the same location this morning, as did some migrants. Or, was it a new batch of migrants replacing the old?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPa3Z4kyX7pWjtiCBSizEOevQ-z5j0fU9DTCrJa4UW47OD-SK5Ygn3iAX-qiL-oM4erxI74aTOLciDF1dLT4AkwpQwQRKCPIS15cQf4xdLx95Zaz2IHKhYw98u9UrcDoDfl64aRuphLDIS/s1600/Cape+May+Warbler+male+2013+04+23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPa3Z4kyX7pWjtiCBSizEOevQ-z5j0fU9DTCrJa4UW47OD-SK5Ygn3iAX-qiL-oM4erxI74aTOLciDF1dLT4AkwpQwQRKCPIS15cQf4xdLx95Zaz2IHKhYw98u9UrcDoDfl64aRuphLDIS/s640/Cape+May+Warbler+male+2013+04+23.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Like yesterday, both male and female Cape May Warblers were present, as were the ...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiji30yQb-aAmmUTCAUcvEkL-mAmHopRREZ175jLw4WFSiSlStQUQVRT7Ff3rq0Quz3mIVGPE0pudgSEQIPRbW0uTxBpWWjZYiNKKLRPN3ZoNp1HUwJmYaOTbLdoeQedx_IMnwQyj9UO_n9/s1600/Black-and+white+Warbler+2013+04+23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiji30yQb-aAmmUTCAUcvEkL-mAmHopRREZ175jLw4WFSiSlStQUQVRT7Ff3rq0Quz3mIVGPE0pudgSEQIPRbW0uTxBpWWjZYiNKKLRPN3ZoNp1HUwJmYaOTbLdoeQedx_IMnwQyj9UO_n9/s640/Black-and+white+Warbler+2013+04+23.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Black-and white Warblers. While watching two Black-and-white Warblers, a Blackpoll Warbler landed just above one of them. I saw two brilliant male Indigo Buntings as well as females. After seeing a good number of male Common Yellowthroats, a female finally showed and American Redstarts were plentiful. The female Northern Flicker was hanging around the same territory but there was no sign of a male. A thrush of the genus Catharus was seen but too briefly to make an ID. More Ovenbirds were in the gardens today than yesterday. I saw a female yesterday, and today I saw the male ...</div>
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American Goldfinch. They must have had a lover's spat since they were widely separated from each other.</div>
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22 Apr 2013, Mead Gardens<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMN1zPf6RnXZvIg7N21ZQlM5rBDGMUSWE4GRRWpwj7i48XD3JwoCKaAZpeZ7Ig5rBh7jOKc678bOlyVwItkMLjCL0qzQgng_IkJozUnIg4cjmUOrPjSLnUYkpkKRDwfCurVCAElwrZQxP/s1600/Ovenbird+2013+04+22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMN1zPf6RnXZvIg7N21ZQlM5rBDGMUSWE4GRRWpwj7i48XD3JwoCKaAZpeZ7Ig5rBh7jOKc678bOlyVwItkMLjCL0qzQgng_IkJozUnIg4cjmUOrPjSLnUYkpkKRDwfCurVCAElwrZQxP/s640/Ovenbird+2013+04+22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anytime you can see an Ovenbird up off the ground and its clutter makes for a lucky day.<br />
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American Redstarts, both male and female, were in the swamp and Boardwalk area. Near this Ovenbird, a Black-and-white Warbler was foraging, and near that warbler was a female Northern Flicker. Ellen and Marcus reported Blackpoll Warblers from the other side of the gardens near the azaleas but I failed to find them.<br />
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The migrant of the day ...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRce69VBjZRpNu9_xn0tojY3DPkzZvbBfyI_86sYX55oFm6zxmIBcVY0NU_V_cF8At0BWb5LKD0nRr7pQri5Kar_D4oeYBXgUx74zUs3heCRGRUvYCi-A5dLO-XDxArl9d4KZNSvW4-Rlv/s1600/Black-throated+Blue+Warbler+2013+04+22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRce69VBjZRpNu9_xn0tojY3DPkzZvbBfyI_86sYX55oFm6zxmIBcVY0NU_V_cF8At0BWb5LKD0nRr7pQri5Kar_D4oeYBXgUx74zUs3heCRGRUvYCi-A5dLO-XDxArl9d4KZNSvW4-Rlv/s640/Black-throated+Blue+Warbler+2013+04+22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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... was the Black-throated Blue Warbler with multiple sightings near the boardwalk. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56QzixJAIB4BSaZVsrJ97L7L5HbpR2_7gTSq97iYx1OMmjOKUdv6ALYmX6IaKVNcjcQLJ5Yj_DKdVhtUSXhYYYVm7D4yuddCouUxL6xbdywBGjkbqD0tWlbeG_BX2i6iHLKeV5od2yjQo/s1600/Cape+May+Warbler+male+2013+04+22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56QzixJAIB4BSaZVsrJ97L7L5HbpR2_7gTSq97iYx1OMmjOKUdv6ALYmX6IaKVNcjcQLJ5Yj_DKdVhtUSXhYYYVm7D4yuddCouUxL6xbdywBGjkbqD0tWlbeG_BX2i6iHLKeV5od2yjQo/s640/Cape+May+Warbler+male+2013+04+22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I counted at least three male Cape May Warblers. Marcus got the better photo of one of these guys but still it was my best to date for this species.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VmQenxcKq_Oe_DroIetfwSz2G13Ok3RiKnahuynF_W22bK4rxjrNTkJik3ntzThT7V0q3tpNTcm_v_S51p_cMyV0kayUvFgPvl-8hiabd-CCyQ3M00iG-xpR9UU7b_8PklfH2dY3hTk3/s1600/Cape+May+Warbler+female_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VmQenxcKq_Oe_DroIetfwSz2G13Ok3RiKnahuynF_W22bK4rxjrNTkJik3ntzThT7V0q3tpNTcm_v_S51p_cMyV0kayUvFgPvl-8hiabd-CCyQ3M00iG-xpR9UU7b_8PklfH2dY3hTk3/s640/Cape+May+Warbler+female_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The female Cape May Warblers were close by the males feeding in the same flock.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHHGIfPyzlQBxlXV95YcWX2Obbev-S0bJqBLVGCX4MyUYK1dsAL53SXPWavwbXyw4DxdK1-LdqzbeNc6LJksdKCXp1ajJ4BRFEbFz4nVGwz3Nns3OHWu33lVI8X4XXWM4mT3KXFfjALYB/s1600/Prairie+Warbler+2013+04+22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHHGIfPyzlQBxlXV95YcWX2Obbev-S0bJqBLVGCX4MyUYK1dsAL53SXPWavwbXyw4DxdK1-LdqzbeNc6LJksdKCXp1ajJ4BRFEbFz4nVGwz3Nns3OHWu33lVI8X4XXWM4mT3KXFfjALYB/s640/Prairie+Warbler+2013+04+22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I had to ignore this Prairie Warbler for a while because there was some good bird activity nearby. You know you are having a good day birding when you say to the bird, "give me a minute, I'll be back to you in just a bit".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwV-rx17wsjCoSCRuFvWMGbcvrxEFCOFhRIhhN_Wbx0JlYOU89yaLSxnLIyXIErS333x-WU2Ioyy_YNzGV8C9E7rl59yvSPHPyzVSXh4iugocm1FsZmXvk6JiQWCwb456CBmfcDm5PqLiC/s1600/Carolina+Wren+2013+04+22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwV-rx17wsjCoSCRuFvWMGbcvrxEFCOFhRIhhN_Wbx0JlYOU89yaLSxnLIyXIErS333x-WU2Ioyy_YNzGV8C9E7rl59yvSPHPyzVSXh4iugocm1FsZmXvk6JiQWCwb456CBmfcDm5PqLiC/s640/Carolina+Wren+2013+04+22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Carolina Wren never seems to smile much; this one looks angry about something; maybe the ant tickling him on his belly will get him to smile.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOLVfBKaYhZLuzLGYVkTLgbWpil-JClCssdbRytGujlRX2i_A3ubmk5f5bgTt6o6DH2E4PYnGHl-Z6hg-9kgRKpJTes8nk7y2XQda3eQgkofy8Gfv3nEG_e4E8CDmUvIHHY2EWYRgfeC0/s1600/Florida+Box+Turtle+2013+04+22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOLVfBKaYhZLuzLGYVkTLgbWpil-JClCssdbRytGujlRX2i_A3ubmk5f5bgTt6o6DH2E4PYnGHl-Z6hg-9kgRKpJTes8nk7y2XQda3eQgkofy8Gfv3nEG_e4E8CDmUvIHHY2EWYRgfeC0/s640/Florida+Box+Turtle+2013+04+22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A Florida Box Turtle made sure the reptiles were included in the photo spread.<br />
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Give a gift of a camera this graduation season. It may start a lifelong passion of nature for a loved one.Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3408178019695628876.post-79521489154085434662013-04-19T23:11:00.002-04:002013-09-11T09:53:49.285-04:00Week 1620 Apr 2013, Mead Gardens<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBpIm-HQ_6B38qFrRhzSCfcIwCu4NXVQ5DaK-FBtQwbtQ2SI0k1Y3mah_SdpKGvqo_FnY0NqqsgqECKt7ylre4odPL3eoFzt7e1I2QU8d1E3dlnRfPUofnvZY119LbOuHO_Y5pgLivmzd/s1600/Downy+Woodpecker+2013+04+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBpIm-HQ_6B38qFrRhzSCfcIwCu4NXVQ5DaK-FBtQwbtQ2SI0k1Y3mah_SdpKGvqo_FnY0NqqsgqECKt7ylre4odPL3eoFzt7e1I2QU8d1E3dlnRfPUofnvZY119LbOuHO_Y5pgLivmzd/s640/Downy+Woodpecker+2013+04+20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Size does NOT matter, at least to this Downy Woodpecker. Usually I see them pecking at a tree trunk or limb that has some thickness to it. This little twig that this male is pecking holes in has a thickness less than the length of its small bill.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEze4AtNrneOn7wFewMe3OYpobrjDMNABt3fOobpVKgPf4u_iEumTSu8jUMdIwAOmsfvshkn60Xrd74e0FybWgc_e7vzts3n0pzSA65X3AGNMdjBvBeBhf30Xz2RWZhgLe1Ifqu0A6NUt/s1600/Green+Treefrog+2013+04+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEze4AtNrneOn7wFewMe3OYpobrjDMNABt3fOobpVKgPf4u_iEumTSu8jUMdIwAOmsfvshkn60Xrd74e0FybWgc_e7vzts3n0pzSA65X3AGNMdjBvBeBhf30Xz2RWZhgLe1Ifqu0A6NUt/s640/Green+Treefrog+2013+04+20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A Green Tree Frog was here on this bamboo at 800 am. After leaving to get lunch, I came back to look for migrants and this frog was in the same place at 300 pm.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dAjwsVyTyMExLbCdLxfGEN8U5quG1rGumWhYlWtjcO6nsWWKO8EoR0vFllQIZR_umk0h1XkOqC1mQLIX-m8O95hY0L5GGFsok_FopaJkwBv2hG2K-yYevN2JRj_gufW3bi8pNjXiF1AA/s1600/Common+Yellowthroat+male+2013+04+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dAjwsVyTyMExLbCdLxfGEN8U5quG1rGumWhYlWtjcO6nsWWKO8EoR0vFllQIZR_umk0h1XkOqC1mQLIX-m8O95hY0L5GGFsok_FopaJkwBv2hG2K-yYevN2JRj_gufW3bi8pNjXiF1AA/s640/Common+Yellowthroat+male+2013+04+20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The most common warbler of the day in the gardens was the Common Yellowthroat. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfzcZVCXmOwWkKRthahBgK_aDNdMunP-Xwo766R5xJ6xJTJJzWMlWfFy9lah7bfc8DVfaQCOo479X0awHa1roGgTksI74VJcp7LkkX3iFDzfyHWoK3wNQuwoTPZy0keuiRBVSCyreJSxz/s1600/Barred+Owl+2013+04+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfzcZVCXmOwWkKRthahBgK_aDNdMunP-Xwo766R5xJ6xJTJJzWMlWfFy9lah7bfc8DVfaQCOo479X0awHa1roGgTksI74VJcp7LkkX3iFDzfyHWoK3wNQuwoTPZy0keuiRBVSCyreJSxz/s640/Barred+Owl+2013+04+20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I did not notice the left eye of this Barred Owl until I reviewed my images at home. Images taken a short time before this one did not show anything wrong with the eye. My assumption is it is the outer eyelid just looking weird. It is the length of the projection outward that looks really strange, almost as if something is sticking into the eye. Of the two adults and the two juveniles that have been seen here recently, Karen and I saw one (maybe two different) adults and one juvenile. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSzVXfSL2_VdlzYg1xnp3ntStVVjGrP6Vw6TMq6_hoQwcM9iaLFs5u7YagX3KJFMlSE0XU-yvajA2IDPOhtjLCWzG2pvAzJw137gh6NycA70V7zI_IbPWc5Ohcch_dZThiP5sPhiFA7mX/s1600/American+Redstart+female+2013+04+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSzVXfSL2_VdlzYg1xnp3ntStVVjGrP6Vw6TMq6_hoQwcM9iaLFs5u7YagX3KJFMlSE0XU-yvajA2IDPOhtjLCWzG2pvAzJw137gh6NycA70V7zI_IbPWc5Ohcch_dZThiP5sPhiFA7mX/s640/American+Redstart+female+2013+04+20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Besides this female American Redstart and a male, other warbler species seen were the Prairie Warbler, Northern Parula, the Common Yellowthroats I mentioned and Palm Warbler--a number of them are still hanging around. Karen and I also saw a male and female Indigo Bunting and a Northern Flicker. A Cooper's Hawk was on its nest.</div>
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Introduce a friend to the beauty of the natural world.<br />
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18 Apr 2013, Wekiwa Springs SP Sand Lake</div>
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I have noticed that a good percentage of images (like this one) of my Swallow-tailed Kites show them feeding on the fly. This raptor is a favorite of many nature lovers and I always enjoy the aerial show they put on. Click the image to see the prey. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEims1HeazpPidBXvj0gU8gVjviTH1vMpVzWxsJPiJOL8X1vcdan7LNzZkN-o4oCwhVhQ_JfJwcFiwPV3qKs0lr0tkU8COIgbUs2TbNm8agNwyzaQHYNMQiSmXYsu9T1sHf4smdzsETMxin7/s1600/Gopher+Tortise+2013+04+18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEims1HeazpPidBXvj0gU8gVjviTH1vMpVzWxsJPiJOL8X1vcdan7LNzZkN-o4oCwhVhQ_JfJwcFiwPV3qKs0lr0tkU8COIgbUs2TbNm8agNwyzaQHYNMQiSmXYsu9T1sHf4smdzsETMxin7/s640/Gopher+Tortise+2013+04+18.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Maybe the Gopher Tortoise will be one of the featured stars in the next Transformers movie. </div>
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17 Apr 2013, Wekiwa Springs SP Markham Tract<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihA2I-Vavik1sS4iM-g6PcnL7KyTlRvr83sjhIaBaSzh4SwAQG9jR8O8iVteKtbN9Hwfun-Q8bBFpUMMxdlqJKaIm7PY_FSbxZ7ndln_CMZ0aSU9gnhxRqU3Zns7skWguvjr6vAFf9wHdM/s1600/Eastern+Bluebird+male+2013+04+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihA2I-Vavik1sS4iM-g6PcnL7KyTlRvr83sjhIaBaSzh4SwAQG9jR8O8iVteKtbN9Hwfun-Q8bBFpUMMxdlqJKaIm7PY_FSbxZ7ndln_CMZ0aSU9gnhxRqU3Zns7skWguvjr6vAFf9wHdM/s640/Eastern+Bluebird+male+2013+04+17.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Her boyfriend ...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcU56qjDA63xykv6plKjsPrAfcZy2B3xOHuMkmAfl6zmdi02Z8PTjCy22o5GRxS4MmqOHPNwF2Rbfq0NEF_chzwEVoE8R2XgVWCo9xreb6whMGw9F43VN0iDZtGIl6q6COwRRWqij4LhA/s1600/Eastern+Bluebird+female+2013+04+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcU56qjDA63xykv6plKjsPrAfcZy2B3xOHuMkmAfl6zmdi02Z8PTjCy22o5GRxS4MmqOHPNwF2Rbfq0NEF_chzwEVoE8R2XgVWCo9xreb6whMGw9F43VN0iDZtGIl6q6COwRRWqij4LhA/s640/Eastern+Bluebird+female+2013+04+17.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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His girlfriend ...<br />
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Eli and I saw this loving couple in an unlikely spot. The location was in a hydric hammock. Eastern Bluebirds' habitat is open areas and edges next to open areas. Maybe they just wanted to come to this swamp to see how the other half lives.<br />
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Robert Stalnakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16457672067926744700noreply@blogger.com0