PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEB HIRT: Sandhill Cranes

Friday, November 30, 2018

Birding On a Shoestring: Brevard County Florida, Days 2 and 3

Gray Catbird among serviceberry

Sandhill Crane (Florida Subspecies)

Boat-tailed Grackle

Loggerhead Shrike

Great Blue Heron
with Armored Catfish

Sandhill Crane

Snail Kite

Boat-tailed Grackle

Cape May Warbler

Red-shouldered Hawk
Florida Subspecies

House Wren

Juvenile Alligators

Limpkin

White Ibis

American Bittern

11-18 and 11-19-18

One photo from 11-18 was taken at Turkey Creek in Palm Bay. This bird, the Gray Catbird, was in the shadows and a very dense area with creeping vines. It was feeding upon the fruit seen in the photo. Also seen were the Pine and Prairie Warblers, but photo potential was non-existent due to their extreme height and bad trajectory on a boardwalk.

The Sandhill Crane was in Brevard County while enroute to Joe Overstreet Rd. and Landing. There was a pair of them in a front yard near the street, not far from a dog.

The first Boat-tailed Grackle and Loggerhead Shrike were on private property which were pastures and on the Florida Birding Trail, also enroute to Joe Overstreet Rd..

The next five shots were taken on Joe Overstreet Road which is off Lake Kissimmee, terminating at a public boat launch. The head shot of a Great Blue Heron with the armored catfish, or plecostomus is an aquarium invasive species, of which Florida has many dumped in their waters. Two Sandhill Cranes flew overhead, and one of them was photographed. Also seen and shot was the Snail Kite or everglades kite. This bird was once losing population due to drainage of wetlands and disruption of water levels. This in turn affected the native apple snail negatively. Surprisingly, the invasive apple snail, another aquarium invasive, is actually responsible for causing their numbers to rise and stabilize. I don't believe it is known how the South American apple snail is affecting native biota.

Next is the Boat-tailed Grackle in more suitable habitat, which is in a marshy area. Also located in this area was the rare Cape May Warbler, which is usually found at the southern tip of Florida, not as far north as this location. Also in attendance on this date was the Western Palm Warbler, Wilson's Snipe, a couple of Limpkins, and the Common Gallinule, as well as a few other birds.

Later enroute to Three Lakes around Jackson boat ramp, we discovered the Florida subspecies of the Red-shouldered Hawk, which is generally smaller than other subspecies of red-shoulder. Also noted was a House Wren. At the boat ramp, close shots of the Limpkin, White Ibis, and American Bittern were taken. Other birds present were the Common Gallinule, White-faced Ibis, Wood Stork, and several other species.

Juvenile alligators were also located later after leaving Jackson boat ramp. The small gator in the foreground was from this years hatch and the one in the rear is believed to be from last year's crop.

More photos are coming.

For more on the Florida adventure, see:

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/11/florida-birding-adventure-in-brevard.html

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/12/florida-birding-adventure-in-brevard.html