Roseate Spoonbill!

 

Well just like this Roseate Spoonbill I have been a little elusive lately 😉 This Roseate Spoonbill bill was quite a surprise and difficult to get a clear picture because it was on the other side of the intracoastal. I’ve only seen one in our neighborhood in 9 years because usually I see them more north of here in the salt marshes so this was quite the treat! They are mainly in warmer climates on the very southern coasts of North America and Mexico as well as many parts of South America. So again it’s definitely a special sighting to see them in the wild here in the more northern part of Florida. 

Like the flamingo they have their pink color based on what they eat which is mostly crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates that contain pigments called carotenoids. Quite an interesting science lesson there huh? 😁 Their beaks are spoon shaped, thus the name, that they use moving side to side in the water to catch their food. However, as I learned interestingly enough they are not born with that spoon shaped bill! The hatchlings bill will start to flatten at 9 days old then be completely full size by 39 days. I loved seeing this bird for its unique color and rarity so keep your eyes peeled! Maybe you too will see a glimpse of pink flying in the sky and be able to add it to your own list 🤗 

Breathe In, Breathe Out, Go Birding…

 

     To the left is the Great Florida Birding Trail sign that you have probably seen driving along certain highways that indicates official viewing sites of native birds, butterflies and other wildlife. I chose this particular sign because the bird on it is a Swallow-Tailed Kite. I’ve seen this bird luckily many times (however not when my camera was with me 🥴) but most significantly last week it soared outside the window of my oral surgeon as I nervously awaited an unfortunate tooth extraction, thus where the idea came in my head to write this post.

    I was sitting in the chair trying to distract myself with music or anything outside the window but nothing was doing the trick. After a little prayer, I see the beautiful black and white with obvious split tail soaring back and forth and I immediately felt calmer. I was able to breathe in, breathe out, and in this case…go chair birding 😉 A few days after, I was on Facebook and saw that a store in town, Wild Birds Unlimited, had posted an article from the Washington Post about how birding can relieve stress and other health benefits. Here is the link in case anyone was curious https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/interactive/2023/birds-song-nature-mental-health-benefits/

     It is also interesting after researching the Swallow-Tailed Kite more that I learned some Native Americans also saw these birds as messengers between our world and the world above. I have always found great comfort, relaxation, and joy birding or just bird watching, as I’ve mentioned in a previous post the difference between the two terms, and I think that’s why I love writing this blog to share with others 🤗 

C is for Cedar Waxwing

 Ok yes I know sort of cheating because the Cedar Waxwing is a part of the waxwing, technical name Bombycillidae, family. However, I chose to use it because this bird was a new addition this year to my life list! I was hiking with my dad in Welaka State Forest on the St Johns Landing trail and noticed a bird that was a little different. I saw the feathers on its head and first thought maybe it was a cardinal yet it was bigger and longer than a cardinal. I took a few photos of it to better identify later since it was hiding in the shade. Much to my delight when I got home I figured it out! It has a tan to yellowish coloring on most of its body with a striking black stripe across the top of its beak and eye. It’s wings are grey, black, white, with a red spot, and the end of the tail feathers are yellow tipped. Really quite a beautiful bird so sleek looking like an oil painting which makes sense from this interesting factoid I found while looking this bird up is the genus name Bombycilla , that I mentioned earlier comes from the Ancient Greek bombux “silk” and Modern Latin villa “tail”…. So there you go 😉 They are here in Florida during the winter which explains why I saw it in February which is lucky because that’s when our weather starts getting warmer. The Cedar Waxwing likes to eat cedar cones, fruit, holly berries, and insects. I hope to see another in the winter and hopefully get a clearer photo 🤗 

Bird Nerd Terms

 

     After watching one of my favorite movies “The Big Year” that is based on a book written by Mark Obmascik, I was reminded of a term that has been quite controversial among bird nerds. 

     People often hear the terms ‘birders’ or ‘birding’ and ‘birdwatchers’ or ‘birdwatching’. I know the differences may not be crucial to most but to bird nerds it is an important distinction. There are other similar hobbies like fishing that carry a lot of term differences that mean a lot to the people that participate in it. 

     Bird watchers or bird watching is simply the act of looking at birds. Maybe you are out and notice some birds and just like to watch their flight, quirky behaviors, courtships, or just how they look in general.

     Birders or birding is the actual purposeful act of looking for certain birds. Sometimes to increase a personal life list, or others try to get as many species as they can for instance in a Big Year competition. In competitions like those, like the movie and book mentioned above, you need to look for specific species of birds. 

     So in the above picture is me at around 4 years old. This was just the start of my bird nerdery 🤗🤓 so in the picture I was a bird watcher just happily watching to see whatever bird I could at any given moment. At present I am 40 years old and this year I’ve been sort of a hybrid between the two terms as I enjoy watching birds but also have been doing a unofficial big year just in curiosity to see how many different types I happen to see rather than just checking them off a general list. It’s been a fun life long adventure and I encourage everyone to be a bird watcher or birder to enjoy all our feathered friends whether by happenstance or on purpose 🤗 

     

B is for Brown-Headed Nuthatch

 

This curious and serious looking little fellow flew right over my head and clung to the bark of the pine trees with his friend to observe and “chat”. Sometimes I wonder if birds have human-watching books in their nests to make notes and identify us like we do them 😂  

The Brown-headed nuthatch was a new ‘life list’ bird for me this year in February! They are found year round in most of Florida except the southeastern section. However, in all my years I hadn’t seen one that I was able to identify at least until these two in Cary State Forest that is located quite inland in Bryceville, FL. More reason to get out there with a camera, sketchbook, or good memory lol because you never know when you’ll be able to find a new bird!

I’m not able to tell the age or sex of these birds because the males, females, and juveniles all look the same. They eat insect and seeds which is ideal as they hop like a lumberjack up and down the big pine trees. Might explain the concerned look on the upper left photo lol…don’t worry Mr. Brown-headed nuthatch I won’t steal your bugs I brought my own hiking snacks 🤣

A is for Anhinga!

 

A is also a great place to start after being steered by migratory and weather patterns of life if you will. But I’m back and boy oh boy has it been a great time for birding this last year! So let’s get our tail feathers in gear for lots of birding fun! Here he is the proud, majestic, slightly anxious at times about the little terms and swallows that fly like little fighter pilots above his head…the male Anhinga drying his wings and admiring the general splendor of my backyard canal in northeast Florida. Anhingas are very similar to the Cormorant but the main identifiable difference is the beak.  The beak on the Cormorant has a hook on the end of the beak but as you can see in the pictures I've provided the Anhinga's beak is straight and thin. The Anhinga is also a bit larger body than the Cormorant.  The males have a black head that matches their bodies. Females have a much lighter or brown neck and head. Their necks are called "snake-like" because when they are going after fish in the water their bodies are not always visible but just their head and neck moving along in the water. This can sometimes be a little scary until you realize it’s just the quirky, peaceful, and sometimes almost charming Anhinga. 

Mr. Eastern Bluebird On My Shoulder...

 

Or more accurately on my roof top :) Regardless I saw this beautiful Eastern Bluebird today right before sunset. The lighting does not do him justice but he is absolutely gorgeous! I first noticed his song...I could only see his body shape but not his colors but if you have ever heard an Eastern Bluebird their song is quite beautiful and unique.  Definitely gives you a zip-a-dee-do-dah vibe 😉  A few facts about the Eastern Bluebird they are a year-round bird in most of Florida except the southeastern quadrant. The Eastern Bluebird I saw today, that is posted above, is a male. As with most birds the males coloring is quite a bit brighter and more vibrant than females. They have a similar rust color on their chest like their cousin the American Robin but the blue on their back, wings, and heads are what make them stand out. They eat insects and fruit and mommy and daddy bird share feeding duties of their fledglings. I hope to see more of this charming bird and will be soon posting much more often since these past winter seasons have brought quite a lot of new birds that has made this bird nerd quite excited 🤓 

Lost in Migration?

 Don't worry but this bird had temporarily become a vagrant (birding term used for birds that get lost while migrating and show up in areas way out of their normal seasonal locations) but have now returned to my normal range. Vagrant birds can be a delight to birders but sometimes is not so great for the bird itself. The new location might be an inhospitable environment or a location that the bird is not able to adapt. Luckily some vagrant birds do find their way back and get back into their migrational groove. So the good news is... this bird is back and whistling a happy tune that will soon come in the form of new information and photos of birds I see in my surrounding area  :) So make sure to get out those binoculars and be on the lookout :) 

A slight migration...:)

1. ....not sure why a '1.' Is showing but anywho I'm so sorry I know I haven't posted in a few months....got some more hours at work and now I moved....only a slight migration north but moving is always time consuming. I'm excited because my new place has its very own nature trail which should make for incredible birding opportunities!!!! Even before moving I've seen many new birds I want to post about and am excited to hopefully be able to photograph more birds! :) Very exciting times so please I hope you can be patient and stay tuned :) Happy Birding :)

Birding and Health

It seems like there is a new diet fad or way to exercise coming out on the news every week.  As well as all the sales pitches about joining a gym this year!  However gym memberships and diet foods that offer a quick fix can get quite expensive.

Another option is exercising the natural way and changing your lifestyle like getting outside and walking, running, playing a sport, etc.  However you never see birding in that suggestion list....Yes, yes I can almost hear the non-birding readers laughing.  The assumption seems to be that only the older generation or anti-social science geeks (not that there is anything wrong with either of those groups) are birders, but the truth is birding has started to grow in popularity among younger generations and can sometimes be quite a social event!  There are many birding tours that are around nowadays and most of them are free!  Some require signing up beforehand but all that takes is one phone call and you suddenly have weekend plans!

Birding is also a low impact activity because most of the time you are walking slowly and quietly to see these beautiful creatures.  It also stimulates the mind because if you really get into birding you will start to learn and remember the different species, what their migrating habits are, the differences between males and females, their mating and nesting rituals.  Furthermore, for all that are concerned about eco-friendly activities birding is perfect because it is completely natural and you leave the environment just as it was when you came in.....the only things you might take are some pictures :)

Lastly, with the growing concern of childhood obesity birding is great for the younger generation.  With more and more technology coming out it seems that children go outside and play or even are concerned about the outside world less and less.  This is extremely sad but there are activities that are not just regular exercise but activities and hobbies like birding that not only can help your weight challenges but engage your mind.  This is true for adults and children.  Geeze even for the people that are competitive and like sports....The Big Year contests to find the most species in a year can get quite competitive.  So go on and get out there!  Happy Birding :)