I've been waiting on the weather window to open so I could take a winter road trip and finally it did! Last weekend we had ice this weekend I hit the road...Still not as sunny as I'd like it to be but hopefully it will change..so where in the world am I you ask? One guess...here I am parked under the cabbage palms the state tree of the State I'm in..
Im only just barely in the state of FL, I'm camped currently at Little Talbot Island SP. east of Jacksonville, FL. Thanks to my sister for keeping my big dogs and looking out for Mom so I can have some free time to do some winter birding..
I saw a lot of birds today...yesterday was a lot of driving and getting settled for camping for the day and a walk on the beach...so today I concentrated on finding some birds...I wish I had better photos..and the clouds didnt help.
American Kestrel a bit far away...
Willet also far away playing in the surf..
Went to get my passport stamped at Kingsley Plantation and there was a tree full of Cedar Wax wings...
A river runs right in front of the plantation house I saw this man and his best friend out for a boat ride...
they made the slave quarters out of what they call Tabby...its oyster shells, sand, and water...
this one is sort of eroded, here is how it probably looked in the days when it was in use...
after visiting this spot the sun was still hiding so I went to the boardwalk on Big Talbot Island and it was full of stuff to see...
Casey waiting for me...
Hooded Mergansers and Shovelers
Pied Billed Grebes
blue winged teal
tri-colored Heron
Gr. Egret
Redwinged Blackbird Females
Im going with Lesser Scaup it didnt appear that big to me, a new lifer and the female was there too...
later on in the day I head to Ft George just south of my campground and saw flocks of mixed gulls, terns, and skimmers.
black skimmers
little blue heron immature,
wood stork
And lots of these guys around some already on nests..
Osprey
My campsite at Little Talbot is right on the marsh pretty good spot too..and the fastest Wifi
I've ever had in my entire life!! At home Im happy to get 2 bars of a 4G signal here Im getting 4 bars!!
I only scratched the surface of all I saw yesterday and today...I hope to have more to share as the week progresses and I continue South!
More coming...
PEACE
Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.
So many good birds! I think you're right on the scaup, very nice. Your seaside sparrows look like female Red-winged Blackbirds to me, but I could be wrong. The oyster shell walls are super cool!
ReplyDeletewhy do I always have trouble with these BBirds? LOL I think you're right!
DeleteHow great that you were able to leave that ice behind. And, wow, are you seeing the birds! Have a great time in sunny ;-) Florida.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS...and it is quite warm here!!
DeleteA great place to be and lots of bird sightings. I looked at images for scaups and it looks like a female to me, but whether it a greater or lesser scaup I dont know. Ducks are notorious for interbreeding and sometimes I've been watching them and couldnt decide what it was, only to be told by an experienced birder that it was a hybred.
ReplyDeleteHi Dave I finally got a good look from the back on the Lesser Scaup the head tapers At the top but its hard to see from all sides, the back look is evident to me tho...so Lesser it is.
DeleteWelcome to the Sunshine State -- I have my fingers crossed for the weather to stay beautiful for you. AMazing bird sightings. Aren't those skimmers something? Beautiful job of IDing the shore birds too, I'm so bad at that. You don't even live here and you know more than I do.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed for the weather for us to as we are leaving either tomorrow or Wednesday for a few days, going to the Everglades somewhere (the travel planner is working on it...he plans, I record).... anyway if you see a brown Roadtrek somewhere come say hi. We'll be back in Fort Myers probably Sunday, if you are coming this way, send me an email!!!!
I have internet tonight just saw your comment...Im in Ft Meyers Tonight and tomorrow planning to go see the Gulf of Mexico at Sanibel Island then on to Big Cyprus and the Everglades, I will be looking for you guys!!
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