Very busy birds! And in a lot of different places!
Seems like the nesting season is going full blast. I’ve been seeing them everywhere I go. Lake Apopka, Winter Park, Holly Hill, and Ormond Beach. Here are a few photos. The first two are from a Lake Apopka trip a few weeks ago :
Lake Apopka Nesting Tree (near the pump house). I could see four or five nests in this tree: Two Anhinga, a Cormorant and a Great Blue Heron. There’s also a Common Gallinule perched (or nesting?) in the lower left.
A close up of the Great Blue Heron nest in that tree. Some feathers sticking up from the bottom might be a small chick.This next photo is from the Winter Park Osprey nest. I’ve checked on it several times this year and although it seems active, I haven’t been able to spot any eggs or chicks yet.
Winter Park Ospreys: As of the afternoon of 4/19. I couldn’t see any sign of eggs or chicks in this nest. I’m going to try to go by again next week.My friend Robert Wilson offered to show me one of his local spots: Centennial Park in Holly Hill. We went by last Monday and there was a lot of activity there too.
This Centennial Park Osprey was gathering nesting material.
Another nesting tree (Centennial Park). This one has five active nests: One Anhinga and four Great Blue Heron. These chicks are getting quite mature, with some already fledging.
Here’s a close up of the Anhiga nest in the tree above. Dad is feeding his very hungry youngster.
This nest in a close by tree is still under construction. The male just passed his mate a new stick to add.And finally, Robert and I stopped by another spot up in Ormond Beach where he knew of a nesting Yellow-crowned Night Heron. It was hard to get a good photo, but it was exciting to see. These birds are a rare sight for me and to spot one in the nest was a treat!
A Yellow-crowned Night Heron playing peek-a-boo from its nest in Ormond Beach.You can click on any of these images to see higher resolution versions on Flickr.
It always amazes me what nature shows us if we go out and look. I wonder if you have some near by places like this where you could see some busy birds. We won’t know if you don’t go!
Thank you for reading my blog. Your visits, comments, and likes are always welcome and a big motivator for me. Stay positive, be kind, take care of yourselves and each other. And if you can, wander a bit out in nature – and make some photos while you’re there!
©2022, Ed Rosack. All rights reserved
This is really a wonderful chronicle of spring bird activity, Ed! Terrific photographs of busy birds.
I love this time of year!
Thank you Wally. I love this time of year too. Have a wonderful week!
Love your blogs and pictures. Thank you for your upbeat messages, too!
Thanks Dorothy. And thanks for all of your very nice comments.
Hi Ed…I was at the Winter Park Osprey Nest yesterday…One chick that looks about 2 weeks old. I was told that there were 2 chicks a week ago but no one knows what happen to it.
Thanks for the update, Jean. That must have been right before or after I was there. I’ll to try to go back in the next few days.
I spend brief times in Florida a couple times a year…out looking for birds/wildlife much of the time I’m there. Florida is such a fantastic bird paradise…and as a photog …I feel like a kid in a candy store! I thrill in every new and repeat sighting of birds that I don’t see in my home State of Michigan!! Yellow-Crowned Night Herons are a goal species I have yet to see. I appreciate learning through your posts of new-to-me places to check and explore…perhaps even SEE new species. Very nicely done blog! (I think about doing one…you inspire me!)
Thank you for your kind comment Ruth!
Florida is a great place for birds. Sorry, but I can’t give you much advice about the Yellow-Crowned Night Herons. That nest at the Ormond Beach Library might be the only time I’ve ever seen one near here. Maybe some research on eBird before your next trip down here would be helpful.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Ed