We see Wood Ducks quite often at Blue Run Park in Dunnellon.
One day we saw a few in the swamp, in the Rainbow River and then again in a pond area.
And usually they are in pairs swimming around.
So it was neat to see them up on a stump preening, too.
Both of them enjoying a little time out of the water!
Another pretty scene on this particular hike was the Great White Egret.
The plumage on this bird was just gorgeous!
A close up of the feathers!
There's always something to see when you hike along this trail.
We have to keep our eyes on the trees, on the water....oh and on the trail in front of us!
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41 comments:
Hello,
Beautiful captures of the wood ducks. I love the lovely Great Egret too. The gator crossing the trail is neat, we saw them often crossing the trails when we were in Florida. It made me wonder what was hiding in the grasses next to the trails. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a happy weekend! PS, thank you for the visit and comment on my blog.
...these are FABULOUS, the alligator I can do without!
Those wood ducks are so beautiful and the egret almost looks like a peacock from the back! Yep, good idea to keep your eyes on everything out there. Excellent photos Diane. Have a great weekend. :)
Lovely pictures of the Wood Ducks. This is a rather nice duck and one that we don't have in the UK. We don't have alligators either! But I would like to see them in the wild, if not on the path ahead.
Ok, so an alligator crossing the trail would be quite a shock to me. That egret must take pride in its long feathers. At one time they were shot so those feathers could adorn a woman's hat. Finally the wood duck must be the prettiest duck there is.
I rarely see wood ducks and they are so beautiful. So thank you for sharing these with us. It looks like a wonderful walk! the egret is a stunner!
Some nice pictures around that swamp though seeing in front an alligator must put you on edge a bit
Fantastic photos of our 'feathered friends' ~ love that the ducks are in pairs ~ Happy Mother's Day to you ~ Xo
Living moment by moment,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Ooooo, the alligator would be a startling thing to see on a path. The wood ducks are so pretty and the colour scheme of the male reminds me of drawings on paint-by-number sets.
You got some great shots of those birds!
Great photos! I'm not a fan of alligators but you caught a beauty in your photo. Glad he was just crossing the path and not looking for a bite to eat. Happy weekend to you!
Super images of the Great White Egret.
That sweet duck on the stump looks like a wood carving. Absolutely beautiful! And oh my, your alligator friend.... he looks like maybe he'd like to take a walk with you. :-) ~Andrea xoxo
that gator was gettin it. wow. i first saw a wood duck in 2006, I was out with my birder friend and she pointed it out and I said why would any one name that gorgeous painted duck, wood duck...
The pics of the Wood Ducks are wonderful! They are such attractive birds.
OH my, you really got some great pictures! I have a difficult time getting good Wood Duck pictures. They fly as soon as I step out the door, even if they are way across the pond from me. They are very "flighty!" Pun intended. Wow, the Great White Egret (or is that a snowy one? I don't know the difference) is gorgeous! I have not seen one here with that kind of plumage. And yes, wow, watch out for those gators crossing the road in front of you! Thank goodness he was a "baby". LOL. Thank you for sharing your wonderful pictures. Hope you have a blessed and Happy Mother's Day.
Beautiful birds--and an alligator en-route! Fun to see on a hike, even if it was a surprise! Keep your eyes peeled, just in case! Happy Mother's Day, Diane. Love you, Aunt Helen
ooooh diane, those wood ducks are gorgeous, posing nicely for you, i can image how thrilled you were!! i think the egret may have "breeding plumage", what do you think. whatever, it surely is a beauty!!
have a great weekend and happy mothers day!!
Tus fotografías están preciosas. Que miedo del caimán de encontrarlo en el camino. Besos.
Great photos!! Well, great photos always, but these are lovely and that gator is icing on the cake!! Glad he wasn't looking at you! Thanks for taking us along! xo
Those wood ducks are amazing. They look fake decoys. I've never seen one in person!
The egret looks so elegant...obviously going out for the evening.
You have such beautiful creatures where you live, Diane. The egret is just so elegant in his/her white plumes.
We see snakes on the trails, but never alligators (so far, anyway). My favorite today?---the wood ducks!! They aren't here much. As always, an excellent post & much appreciated that you shared it with us this week!
The first picture of the Wood Ducks is such a classic. Imagine what a skilled wildlife artist could do with that. I would be first in line to buy the picture!
Alligator! Oh my!
Our wood ducks are so shy. I can't get close for a shot. I love yours.
Beautiful photos! Happy Mothers' Day. Hugs, Edna B.
Even though I grew up in New Orleans, that alligator gave me the chills. My heart is still thumping and it didn't even happen to me! Keep your eyes peeled!!!
wood ducks are really beautiful. Love that first shot where the male stands on top :)
Beautiful is aldo the Great white egret with it´s feathers. :)
Nice shots.
The wood ducks and the egret are beautiful. Now that alligator would have jump like a basketball player.
You sure got some amazing shots of the ducks and egret!! what beautiful scenery, as well! The alligator would have made me turn around and run the other way.! five feet long is big enough to scare me!! I guess you are right...you have to keep your eyes watching for anything unusual out there.
Enjoy your week ahead! xo
Your bird photos are always amazing, Diane. The wood ducks look like they are posing just for you. See how famous you are? Beautiful egret! Have a great week, my friend.
Hello. Wood ducks are gorgeous. Beautiful egret.
Have a nice day.
Amazing photos of beautiful animals. Looks like the weather was really nice, too. Don't you just love Springtime?
Wonderful shots of the wood ducks and that egret is beautiful.
I think I would be a little bit scared if a gator crossed the road in front of me
These are fantastic pictures of the Wood Duck. They have a lot of color on their face. And the Great White Egret is great, indeed. She's so graceful and pretty. I've never seen a close up of their white feathers showing like that. The alligator must have caught you by surprise crossing the trail right in front of you, Yikes! You are a brave one, my friend. : )
~Sheri
Not too sure about the alligator!
All the best Jan
Love them -- miss them. Actually we have wood ducks here in Oregon but never where I can get a picture.
"ONLY FIVE FEET LONG!" That is a monster! I would be terrified to see one in the wild since I have never seen one except behind a tall wall at a zoo.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
(Mumbles under breath "only five feet long" as she walks away shaking her head.)
That pretty Egret looks like a bride going to get married.
Gorgeous!
I'm amazed at the charming neighbours surrounding you, darling Diana, they're truly fascinating and so elegant!
Enjoy the remainder of your week with gladness
Xx Daniela at ~ My little old world ~ (Dany)
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