In the past few days, Margi and I have noticed paddlings of several dozen ducks exploring the nooks and crannies around our docks. (Yes, a flock of swimming ducks is called a paddling 😄). Since I'm still a novice at birding, I had no idea what species these birds were. Margi spotted them again yesterday from our …
Vignettes from the Sarasota Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Yesterday, I participated in the 70th Annual Sarasota Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC). This was a lot of fun, and the time went by quickly. If you're a birder at heart, you should give this event a try next year. The time commitment isn't very burdensome. Birds tend to be active twice during the day: …
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Vultures and Pelicans and Eagles, Oh My!
My wife and I just completed our third year as full-time residents of Siesta Key. Being a "beach boy" at heart, I've enjoyed every minute of this exciting adventure. Despite our relatively short time here, it's hard not to notice the seasonality of some of nature's habits and traditions. Case in point: Each Fall, it's …
Equal Time for Our Featherless Friends
Today's dispatch is a change of pace for me. It has been suggested recently that (ahem!) I post too many pictures of birds. What about all the other fauna on Siesta Key? Sadly, our neighborhood bobcat Siesta Bob continues to elude my camera lens. I can, however, provide a brief report on a few other …
A Walk on the Wild Side
I have lots of cool pics from yesterday's tropical adventure...Hope you enjoy the journey! . Usually, I take my nature photos on the grounds of our own condominium complex on Little Sarasota Bay. Yesterday, I decided to expand my horizons. I brazenly (and unapologetically) trespassed on a nearby property, which is located on the Gulf …
An Indignant Anhinga Storms off the Set
I'm still relatively new to bird photography, so I will readily admit to making my share of sophomore mistakes. Chalk this one up to being a little too greedy. I generally try to get as close as possible to my subject without being intrusive, in order to get the best shot with the greatest detail. …
A Daily Visitor: The “Little Blue”
Things have gotten pretty quiet around here, birdwise. Our resident ospreys, red-bellied woodpeckers, and night herons have pretty much abandoned their nests for the season. Their fledglings have taken wing for parts unknown. There are, however, a number of other bird species that visit our property almost daily, but who don't maintain a nest here. …
Another Guy Behaving Badly
The Woodpecker Chronicles (S1, E3) When last we left our fine-feathered friends, Junior was just starting to become visible at the nest entrance. This post is a substantial update, including photos of the young buck poking his head out of the nest cavity, plus a video of his rather unfortunate dinner manners. . Introducing the …
An Unexpected Encore
The Woodpecker Chronicles (S1, E2) A Second Brood for Our Red-Bellied Woodpeckers Dedicated readers may remember my previous post back in May, which highlighted the modest exploits of a red-bellied woodpecker chick in a nearby Australian pine. Within a few days, however, this fellow had completely disappeared from the area. I can only presume that …
It’s Not Easy Being a Fledgling
The Night Heron Chronicles (S2, E5) This post is a follow-up to my recent communiqué documenting the progress of the fledgling pair in our East Nest. It is breezier than my usual offerings: short on narrative, long on photos. I hope you find it as entertaining to read as it was to photograph. . When we …
