tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4474811920919020474.post-80288455000079412272008-04-06T06:24:00.000-07:002008-04-06T09:14:56.158-07:00<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jSRUE-GcI/AAAAAAAAAXM/b-spQkaQCAg/s1600-h/peli+fly+with+fish.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jSRUE-GcI/AAAAAAAAAXM/b-spQkaQCAg/s400/peli+fly+with+fish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186126165806291394" border="0" /></a>Pelican with fish<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">After a long bout of bronchitis it was wonderful to escape the English winter and experience some Florida sunshine and exotic wildlife. Ironically, it was so cold for the first two days that we had to buy fleeces and wear our windproof jackets! After that the weather settled and we enjoyed exploring Nature Trails, strolling along shorelines, listening to the sounds of the ocean and, on our last night, watching the launch of the space shuttle challenger.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jSMkE-GbI/AAAAAAAAAXE/hSE1K862YRg/s1600-h/white+heron+%26+fish.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jSMkE-GbI/AAAAAAAAAXE/hSE1K862YRg/s400/white+heron+%26+fish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186126084201912754" border="0" /></a>A great white heron with lunch<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">It's amazing to watch, first the stalking and then the successful lunge. This heron took its time over swallowing the fish, carefully positioning it before letting it slide down its throat.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jSFUE-GaI/AAAAAAAAAW8/Iw1DnhpZKrg/s1600-h/night+heron.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jSFUE-GaI/AAAAAAAAAW8/Iw1DnhpZKrg/s400/night+heron.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186125959647861154" border="0" /></a>A yellow crowned night heron<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">During our holiday we visited The Ding Darling wildlife sanctuary on beautiful Sanibel Island.<br />Sadly, there seems far less birdlife here than there was five years ago. The same was true of The Everglades. We gather it's partly because of the habitat damage done by hurricanes Wilma and Katrina, but also because of the lack of fresh water. With so many people moving to Florida each week that can only get worse I should imagine.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jR-0E-GZI/AAAAAAAAAW0/QpVkPhu09kg/s1600-h/red+hawk.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jR-0E-GZI/AAAAAAAAAW0/QpVkPhu09kg/s400/red+hawk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186125847978711442" border="0" /></a>A red -shouldered hawk hunting<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We had the pleasure of watching this magnificent hawk hunt for insects, lizards and snakes right in front of us for half an hour. It would fly from a nearby tree and land in the grass near our feet before heading back to a tree. It didn't seem the least bothered by our presence.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jR30E-GYI/AAAAAAAAAWs/OPNheQyoOk8/s1600-h/osprey+sky.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jR30E-GYI/AAAAAAAAAWs/OPNheQyoOk8/s400/osprey+sky.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186125727719627138" border="0" /></a>An osprey heading back to its nest<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We came across an osprey nest in the autumn and hoped to be able to photograph its young on the nest but we were just two days too late. However, there was another nest nearby, though far less easy to photograph, so we had to content ourselves with watching the birds in flight.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRx0E-GXI/AAAAAAAAAWk/ocquSeHyYO0/s1600-h/cormy+with+fish.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRx0E-GXI/AAAAAAAAAWk/ocquSeHyYO0/s400/cormy+with+fish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186125624640412018" border="0" /></a>A cormorant with an impressive catch<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">It was a rather grey day when we spotted this cormorant so the colours lack vibrance but its performance with this fish made up for that. It took ages to 'prepare' the fish prior to swallowing it but we gather it has to do this because of the spines on the fish.<br /><br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRsUE-GWI/AAAAAAAAAWc/ZT14rqX2B4Y/s1600-h/egret+itch.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRsUE-GWI/AAAAAAAAAWc/ZT14rqX2B4Y/s400/egret+itch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186125530151131490" border="0" /></a>A great egret dealing with an itch<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">These egrets look so lovely with their breeding plumage. This one was fishing only a few feet away from some large alligators. I was told that one of the alligators had managed to take a great blue heron the day before but the egret seemed indifferent unless a gator got really close.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRlkE-GVI/AAAAAAAAAWU/plIgZgU0Olg/s1600-h/anhinga+wings.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRlkE-GVI/AAAAAAAAAWU/plIgZgU0Olg/s400/anhinga+wings.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186125414187014482" border="0" /></a>An anhinga in breeding plumage<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />When we visited The Everglades in 2003 we saw so many of these fabulous 'snake' birds but there were considerably fewer this year and, apparently, none nesting along The Anhinga Trail a couple of years ago. They are given the nick name 'snake bird' because their long necks look like snakes underwater.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRekE-GUI/AAAAAAAAAWM/rkQ5vfD79iY/s1600-h/osprey+hover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRekE-GUI/AAAAAAAAAWM/rkQ5vfD79iY/s400/osprey+hover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186125293927930178" border="0" /></a>An osprey hoping to spot a fish<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRTkE-GTI/AAAAAAAAAWE/DWEK9bW48GM/s1600-h/gaping+gator.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRTkE-GTI/AAAAAAAAAWE/DWEK9bW48GM/s400/gaping+gator.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186125104949369138" border="0" /></a>An alligator having a yawn<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I watched this gator for at least half an hour and at one point when it yawned I could see right down its throat.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRLkE-GSI/AAAAAAAAAV8/n1Z8Ncgr6dQ/s1600-h/heron+itch.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRLkE-GSI/AAAAAAAAAV8/n1Z8Ncgr6dQ/s400/heron+itch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186124967510415650" border="0" /></a>A great blue heron having a cautious scratch<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The heron never took its eyes off a gator that was gradually moving closer and closer to where the bird was perched. When it got too near the heron squawked and flew to a higher branch.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRFkE-GRI/AAAAAAAAAV0/RGGKjRNCr6w/s1600-h/anhinga+yawn.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jRFkE-GRI/AAAAAAAAAV0/RGGKjRNCr6w/s400/anhinga+yawn.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186124864431200530" border="0" /></a>A yawning anhinga<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jQ_EE-GQI/AAAAAAAAAVs/pb9mXQl4oOA/s1600-h/fly+pelican.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jQ_EE-GQI/AAAAAAAAAVs/pb9mXQl4oOA/s400/fly+pelican.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186124752762050818" border="0" /></a>A brown pelican in flight<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jQ4EE-GPI/AAAAAAAAAVk/wNuFY1o70CE/s1600-h/egret+with+fish.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jQ4EE-GPI/AAAAAAAAAVk/wNuFY1o70CE/s400/egret+with+fish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186124632502966514" border="0" /></a>A great egret with its catch<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I spotted the egret on a beach below as I was walking along a pier. I saw that it was about to 'strike' and was fascinated to watch how it dealt with its catch. Sometimes it would drop it by the water's edge but then pick it up again and re-position it. It took nearly five minutes before finally swallowing the fish.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jQpkE-GOI/AAAAAAAAAVc/tDA-7NGhZAk/s1600-h/smow+garden.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jQpkE-GOI/AAAAAAAAAVc/tDA-7NGhZAk/s400/smow+garden.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186124383394863330" border="0" /></a>The island garden after a snow fall in april<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We've been having some very odd weather in the last couple of weeks, one day warm and the next few chilly. Today we had snow which looked lovely but didn't last.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jQgkE-GNI/AAAAAAAAAVU/01XcbQvuL7w/s1600-h/snowy+goldeneye.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jQgkE-GNI/AAAAAAAAAVU/01XcbQvuL7w/s400/snowy+goldeneye.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186124228776040658" border="0" /></a>Our resident mallard heading back to her nest<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Every year 'Goldeneye" nests on our top deck and she now gives us a hard time if we don't get her nest box out in time. This year we asked a friend to build some proper nesting boxes but she wasn't prepared to wait for them to arrive so we had to dig out her old plastic box. We didn't have any straw or hay to put in it so she kept stomping up to the French windows and looking in at us with a resentful expression. In the end, I went to the local stables and cadged some old straw but she wasn't keen on the smell of manure. Nor did she like the shredded paper that Dave tried out on her! I gave in and made a special trip to the shops to get her some meadow hay. As soon as I'd removed the old straw and replaced it with the new she went straight in and starting shaping her nest. The ducklings are due to hatch on or around April 20th we hope, though we have reason to think that she or her mate might be infertile.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jQWkE-GMI/AAAAAAAAAVM/yalunbhA4MY/s1600-h/eve+sky+from+bridge.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jQWkE-GMI/AAAAAAAAAVM/yalunbhA4MY/s400/eve+sky+from+bridge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186124056977348802" border="0" /></a>A view from the island bridge in late March<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jQN0E-GLI/AAAAAAAAAVE/gwF34Yv5c3s/s1600-h/tuftie+in+sun.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jQN0E-GLI/AAAAAAAAAVE/gwF34Yv5c3s/s400/tuftie+in+sun.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186123906653493426" border="0" /></a>A male tufted duck in the early morning sunshine<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jP9UE-GKI/AAAAAAAAAU8/_PObOLoszEU/s1600-h/pair+of+mandies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_uB2_Jw3_7Js/R_jP9UE-GKI/AAAAAAAAAU8/_PObOLoszEU/s400/pair+of+mandies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186123623185651874" border="0" /></a>Mandarin ducks heading for my feeding station<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We don't know where these two are nesting but they fly in regularly for breakfast, lunch and supper. Several other male mandarin ducks also turn up and try to impress the female with their magnificent displays, to no avail!<br /></div></div>Suellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450003374874660155noreply@blogger.com