Saturday, October 31, 2020

The Bald Eagle flies over the Florida Trails!


 Calling all friends of the Florida Trails!


We sighted a Bald Eagle flying overhead!


We were taking a morning hike and we had stopped on the hill that I call The Bluebird of Happiness Hill to take photos of this pretty little Downy Woodpecker when hubby looked high in the sky and spotted an Eagle!


But the funny part was we had just talked to a bicyclist friend and he told us he had spotted Eagles this past week (not here though). So we said we would be on the lookout for them! He rode away and about 10 minutes later, we saw this Eagle overhead! 


It appears to be a young adult, maybe in it's 4th year. It had a solid white head, dark body but a little band of black on the end of the tail feathers. When it is a full adult the tail feathers will be all white.


Another day we hiked Halpata Tastanaki Preserve and saw this interesting flock of birds fly over.


We are starting to see more migratory birds we were wondering what birds were in this flock.


There were White Ibis with the curved bill....


some Juveniles with splotched colors!


but there were also several Little Blue Herons flying along!


We love Little Blues and rarely see more than one at a time. They are not usually in a flock. See the differences in these beaks? 


They even stopped to take a break in some trees near by.


But they had trouble getting 'perched'!


And isn't this Great White Egret funny?

We are starting to see a change in the weather and more birds! YAY! 


Have you had a chance to get outside and see what the skies hold near you?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’. 


50 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

Wow, awesome shots of the Bald Eagle. I love to see the Herons, Ibis and the Egrets in flight. Great shot of the Woodpecker. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your day and weekend!

Anonymous said...

Love all the water fowl! So lucky to see the eagle!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

It is remarkable how Bald Eagle populations across the continent have rebounded in the past twenty years or so. It is quite common here and breeds every year. A good news story in the midst of so much gloom on the environmental front.

Arlene G said...

One day I hope to see a bald eagle flying overhead. They nest in Guntersville AL but I have never seen one up our way. Todd and Amelia saw one recently. So I live in hope.

MadSnapper said...

that last egret on the tree perch looks like a ballet dancer. who knew? ha ha great find on the eagle..

Lea said...

Great photos!
We are watching for Eagles here, too. They start nesting in Shiloh National Park (Tennessee) in January, but the park rangers have told us that they start repairing the old nest a couple of months ahead. We went to the park Thursday, but did not see any Eagles. However, ate lunch at a really good catfish restaurant, and enjoyed seeing several tugboats with their barges navigating the Tennessee River.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Martha said...

Amazing shots of the eagle, they are all fantastic captures. Happy Halloween!

Linda said...

Awesome bald eagle photos, we don't see them where we live, but love to watch them and photograph them when we go to BC to visit family. Hope you and family are keeping well.

Vee said...

All birds are beautiful in flight, but ohhh that eagle...glorious!

Sandi Magle said...

Fabulous photos. We have three downys that hit our bird feeders and suet hangers...everyday. They are so pretty, and have a tiny flash of red. Amazing photos, and there are Bald Eagles on the south side of Chicago in the Calumet area. We've talked about driving down to see them, but it's a long city drive from here! Hugs, love all these wildlife photos!

Red Rose Alley said...

The Downy Woodpecker is so precious. And that White Egret! You got him with its wings spread out - that's a wonderful photo. What a special experience it is to see the Bald Eagle.

So many interesting things in nature.

~Sheri

Debbie said...

WoW!!! what an awesome walk, you saw so many large birds. i enjoyed seeing the close-up, including all of the amazing details. our egrets try to hang/perch way up high, but those branches often don't support them!!

stealing the show here are those regal bald eagles, your captures of them are stunning!! i have been out at night this week, to see all of the wonderful Halloween decorations, no daytime trips to the lake or the beach. i could go today but i would miss my trick-or-treaters, and i am not willing to miss them!!! the hubs is working tomorrow!!

have an awesome weekend!!

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Wow! Great photos. It must be thrilling to see a bald eagle like that.

italiafinlandia said...

Nice series of beautiful birds.
Have a nice weekend!

Tom said...

...the eagle is beautiful, it's something that I rarely see.

RedPat said...

Wow, what a thrilling walk you had! I would have been over the moon to see all of that activity!

Phil Slade said...

You were busy there Diane. I wonder if your arms were aching with taking all those overhead pictures? It must be wonderful to know there are Bald Eagles close by and that every walk outdoors might see one or two, maybe more fly over. It's a long time since I saw a Bald Eagle, any eagle in fact as we don't have many eagles here in England.

Jenn Jilks said...

I don't mind the tourists going home, but migration is always sad for me! I miss our birds.

Sandy said...

Great pictures. I am sitting outside on my deck reading the blogs and I just saw a bird I have never seen here. I have seen it in books, but don't know what it is called. I am headed to go look him up and hoping he comes back. Such fun! I walk down the street in the neighborhood with my head up. I know people wonder what I am doing:)

Yvonne said...

Never growing up near places with long legged birds, I have always thought it odd to see them up at the top of trees standing tall. Very nice photos.

Connie said...

The Balded Eagle is a sight to behold, with all his strength and grace, so majestic. On the other hand; the large birds perching in the top of trees on those tiny branches seems very comical . . . they must have amazing balancing skills.
Thank you for the Florida trail hike. It is always fun walking with you, wish I was there to do it in person :)
Have a lovely weekend,
Connie :)

Pamela M. Steiner said...

Wonderful!!! You got to see an Eagle! And then all those other beautiful birds! Amazing to see them all at once like that. You were blessed to get such good pictures. Your new camera is really good...but so are you to snap at the right time! I keep watching for the geese to land in our pond and then I hope the ring necked ducks will be back this year too. The geese fly over more often now, but they must be landing in a larger lake nearby. I do hope they will come back here. We had such fun watching them last year. 'Tis the season for the birds to be heading south...and we are south! Thanks for sharing your beautiful bird sightings with us.

Terri D said...

Great photos! I am always in awe when I see an eagle. No, I have not ventured out but the weather is getting cooler now I may head out one of these days. Joe can't walk very far with his COPD breathing problems and it is more fun to get out with him. He sees his pulmonary doctor this next week. Fingers crossed that he can help him. We have Circle B Bar Reserve here with lots of wildlife and good trails. We have done the tram ride through but there is more to see if you are walking. Here is a link should you ever decide to take a day trip!! https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/circle-b-bar-reserve

Lorrie said...

I'm glad you got to see a Bald Eagle in flight. It sounds as though they are a bit scarce in Florida. We see them frequently here, in great numbers. Now the egrets and cranes are scarcer here and I always enjoy your photos of those graceful birds.

Bill said...

Beautiful captures of the birds in flight. Great photography!

Jean said...

I always get excited if I happen to spot a bald eagle. Fun to watch in flight. Our winter birds are starting to arrive (small songbirds) but I haven't been lucky enough to see a huge flock of any type of bird fly over my head like that. Enjoyed your photos. Happy Halloween!

happyone said...

Wow excellent shots of the birds. Can't decide which one I like best!!

Mae Travels said...

Beautiful birds. We saw a bald eagle today too!

Be well... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Debbie said...

What great captures, Diane! Beautiful day for such amazing photos. Great post.
Debbie xo

Cheree @ The Morning Latte said...

Fantastic!!

Anu said...

Hello. What an exciting post. You made a lot of great bird sightings. Wonderful photos. Thank you for sharing.
Take care.

Irma said...

Hi Diane,
What beautiful pictures these are, well done.
Photos 2 and 13 are my favorite.
Beautiful Sunday and stay healthy.
Greetings Irma

Bob Bushell said...

Fabulous images they are, and I love Downy Woodpecker, absolutely stunning. What about the White Ibis, beautiful.

Nancy Chan said...

Great photos of the eagles and the other birds in flight. I do see birds flying by but they are all too fast for me to snap pictures of them. I like the last picture of the great white egret balancing on the branch.

Rhodesia said...

Fabulous set of photos well done. The only bald eagle I am likely to see is one that is a rescue bird and used for falconry. Take care and stay safe t'other Diane

A Bit of the Blarney said...

It looks like you had, what my sister-in-law would call, a "bluebird day!" We all need those kinds of days! Have a wonderful week full of them!

Edna B said...

What wonderful photos! I love that you get to see so many of our beautiful birds in your area. I've never seen an eagle out in the wild close enough that I could photograph it. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

Yesteryear Embroideries said...

How pretty and interesting all of the different birds in your post are! Eagles are just so majestic! We have a flock of blue jays that have visited. We have never had them out here before. They are so loud and pretty!

Beside a babbling brook... said...

Gorgeous...

And skies contain the Full Harvest Moon, at night...

Happy November!
🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂

HWIT BLOGG said...

Wow! GREAT photos! The eagle is fantastic...stunning...
Love from a rainy Sweden & Titti

NatureFootstep said...

wow, that is wonderful. I would be happy for weeks for this sights. :) Love it!
And you got nice shots too to remember!

Ricki Treleaven said...

I'm enjoying your wildlife photography, Sweet Friend. The eagle photos are amazing. I saw a close-up photo of an eagle's head earlier today, and I was amazed at how yellow his beak and eyes were!

xo,
RJ

Lowcarb team member said...

What a fabulous post.
Amazing photographs.
A joy, thank you :)

Happy November Wishes.

All the best Jan

Jeannie said...

Seeing a bald eagle would make my day! I never think to look up when I am outside, always looking down. I leave it up to Scooter who barks then chases birds when they fly over the yard. He seems to think he has done something worth praise when they fly away. I do praise him.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry

Anni said...

Diane, what an amazing series of gray birds in flight! Wow.
I am really behind in my visiting today since "life got in the way". Thanks for linking in at I'd Rather B Birdin this week.

Ann said...

Fabulous sightings. Those birds look way to large to be perching in those trees. I wonder how the branches hold them.

Carla from The River said...

Fantastic photos. I love the second to last, it looks as if that bird is doing a balance beam competition for Gymnastics in the Olympics. :-)

God Bless the USA as that Eagle flies above. :-) Love, Carla

Teresa said...

Has tenido mucha suerte, me han encantado todas las aves. Besos.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

These are great birds and beautiful flight shots. Thanks for sharing Florida wonders with me ...I will just be there virtually this year with your photos!

Jeanie said...

What a fabulous shot(s) of the eagle. I tried so hard to capture ours but he was too fast and too high for me. These are GREAT. And oh, this ibis!