Florida2
We returned to Southern Florida in April 2014 and spent almost three weeks driving to several reserves including visiting, again, The Dry Tortugas.We didn't see as many birds as we did in 2012 but we still had a great time.More in the "News" section. I've included some of the better photos that I took in this gallery.
Sandhill Crane
Sandhill Crane
Our flight to the Dry Tortugas
Leaving Key West for the Dry Tortugas
Approaching Fort Jefferson on the Dry Tortugas.
Flying the flag
The ferry from Key West arriving a couple of hours after we arrived
Arriving at last
The entrance
The interior of Fort Jefferson.
Antillean Nighthawk
Antillean Nighthawk
Prairie Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Brown Pelican
Brown Pelican
Brown Pelican
Female Magnificent Frigatebird
Merlin
Bridge on to Sanibel Island and the Ding Darling reserve. Quite an impressive bridge to cross.
Snowy Egret with its meal.
Snowy Egret preparing the lizard for its meal.
At this time the steely eyed Egret has detached the lizard from its bill and is preparing to swallow it.
The final act as the Egret starts to crush and swallow the lizard.
Great Blue Heron with a seemingly impossible task ahead of it.
The Heron has turned the fish round to face me as it prepares for what seems impossible.
Heron now changes its grip on the fish.
Getting ready for a large meal.
And down it goes! The Heron swallowed the fish whole.
Osprey
Young Ospreys waiting (noisily) to be fed.
Osprey carrying its catch
Osprey in flight.
Osprey with its catch.
Osprey
Salt water crocodile
Water Moccasin (Cottonmouth) snake.
A pair (parent and offspring or male and female?) of Water Snakes.Non-venomous.
A pair of Water Snakes.
Water Snake on the move.
A Raccoon showing interest in something in the water.
Soft shelled turtle preparing a place to lay its eggs.
Found where they were hiding!
A Cricket (or is it a grasshopper?)
Least Bittern
Least Bittern
Least Bittern
Least Bittern
Northern (or Baltimore) Oriole (Maryland's state bird).
Scarlet Tanager in the mulberry bush.
Summer Tanager with mulberries.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak enjoying a mulberry.
Orchard Oriole
Female Orchard Oriole
Black-throated Green Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Cedar Waxwings
Blue Grosbeak
Great Crested Flycatcher
Female Northern Cardinal
Northern Mockingbird
Female Boat-tailed Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
Blue Jay
Florida Scrub-Jay
Swallow-tailed Kite.
Barred Owl
Barred Owl
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Black Vultures
Laughing Gull
Roseate Spoonbill with Snowy Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron hunting small fish
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Cattle Egret
Anhinga shaking off water
American White Pelicans
American White Pelicans preening.
Reddish Egret
Great Blue Heron
