Learning to identify birds!

 It's not easy to identify the birds we see! There are so many things to take into consideration when you see a bird that is not readily recognized. We see a lot of birds here in Florida and take a lot of photos.

I think it's great fun to come home and get the photos on the computer and start zooming in on them to see if we can figure out what we've seen. There are definitely some 'fly bys' that we are never sure of.

The Sibley Guide to Birds is the best book in my opinion.

We have a lot of books specifically for Florida but so many of the birds we see are migratory and not year round regulars.

So here are a few that we identified this week on a trip to Halpata Tastanaki Preserve, hiking from the Pruitt Trailhead.

I think this is the most beautiful bobwhite I've ever seen. The plumage was so colorful. 

Florida Bobwhite

And here's the ID page in Sibley's....

Another beautiful bird perched in a tree!

A close up of the Florida bobwhite....

Sometimes birds are quite a distance away or high in a tree.

Common Ground Dove

The ID page in Sibley's....

And this one was a little trickier. We have seen the Blue Grosbeak in this area all summer but this one wasn't blue! 

Blue Grosbeak (1st Winter)

The page in Sibleys....

It's always fun to get out in nature and learn more about the birds you see. 

Do you enjoy ID books too and learning something new?

And other books you would recommend?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE !  

bob WHITE, bob WHITE

 

As most of you know I was 'born and raised' in Arkansas and then lived many years in Texas. So I grew up knowing what a bobwhite was but it still thrills me to hear and see them along the Florida Trails.

I was walking very quietly on a trail at Halpata Tastanaki Preserve (from the Pruitt trailhead).

It is a road that is used by forest rangers and park personnel but it has a locked gate. You enter the trail through a small opening next to the gate. So it's an easy walk and you can see up ahead. 

And so begins my bobwhite story.

I looked up ahead and a beautiful female was walking across in front of me.

She took her time and kept her eyes on me at all times.

I was surprised that she didn't fly away.

But she took her time while I stood still and took photos.

When she got across, she hid in the tall grass and watched me.

So I walked on by. After a few steps, I stopped to look back.

And that's when baby boy bobwhite came across headed for mama! (a male has white above the eyes and on the side of the face)

But then he saw me and froze.

And then he started walking towards me! 

Mama bobwhite started crying...CHIRP CHIRP...over and over again.

And then she finally got concerned enough to intervene! She flew over him into the grass where they had started from and he flew off after her. WHEW! I guess he had never seen a hiker in a pink hat before! But I think he'll remember me from now on!

What a tale I had to tell when I got home. I saw lots of other neat sightings, a Checkered butterfly and beautiful wildflowers.

Have you seen a bobwhite or heard the bob WHITE call? 

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.  

  Mosaic Monday HERE and I like Thursdays HERE !  

A Good year for Hiking!

 It was such a difficult year for us all...

all over the world!

But we were fortunate to have good hiking trails to hike and unusually good weather this year. I feel blessed to have the good health to get outside and enjoy nature.

I wanted to choose a bird or critter from each month to highlight but I didn't realize how hard that would be. We see so many amazing sights here in Florida. 

Join me for hiking through the months of 2020!

January - River Otter at Blue Run Park

February - Bobcat at Blue Run Park

March - Eastern Coral Snake, Florida Trails

April - Fox Squirrel, Florida Trails West

May - Blue Grosbeak at Pruitt Trailhead (Halpata Tastanaki Preserve)

June - Bobolink flock, Halpata Tastanaki Preserve

July - Gopher Tortoise, Halpata Tastanaki Preserve

August - Bobwhite Pruitt trailhead, Florida Trails

September - American Redstart, Blue Run Park

October - Barred Owl, Florida Trails West

November - Barred Owl, Florida Trails West

December - Great Horned Owl, Halpata Tastanaki Preserve

How privileged we were to see so many owls this year! We even saw one early in the year too. 

We've ended the year with 157 hikes. 

Now let's keep going!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’. 

The Loggerhead Shrike and friends!

Finally we got a good look at a Loggerhead Shrike. 

We know they are out there but we don't see them up close very often.

These were taken on Hike #100 from the Pruitt Trailhead. We hiked a short distance on the HTP trail and then went over to the Florida Trails in hopes of seeing the Passion Flower again.

We thought we might see the Passion fruit but it was still flowering!

There was a beautiful Red-shouldered Hawk perched in a tree.

And we weren't sure what we were seeing here until we got home and determined it was a Juvenile Blue Grosbeak! How exciting!

More fun in the parking lot...this Bobwhite walked out from under the tree! 

I want to include a butterfly of course! How about this pretty Skipper?

And what do you think this is? Any ideas?

It reminded us of the bag worms that we've seen on evergreen bushes in years past. 

It's still hot but it has improved just a little and we are enjoying getting out more often. It's a job keeping some of these trails mowed but we sure appreciate it!!!

Have you seen anything unusual this week? 

Enjoy your weekend!

There are some AMAZING critter photos at this website, Wildlife Photography Awards HERE !

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.