This Week in Florida Birding

Lots of good rare birds are being spotted all over the state, including, according two e-Bird, a few by famed Big Year Birder, Greg Miller.  Me, I'm not so lucky to be spotting rare birds, as my work here in the Tampa Bay area keeps me busy most of the day.  However,  I have been to a few good, local hotspots, including a couple of trips to Fort De Soto, where there are always good birds.  I've seen the long staying Franklin's Gull, and just today a host of migrants from the south, making their annual trip north, including my first Florida Louisiana Waterthrush, and this very sad looking Laughing Gull, below, who doesn't look in the mood, at all, to have a good laugh.

Spring Training Birding, Week 3

A day off down the coast helped build my species list for both the year and Florida.  It's still too early for migrants, but the waterfowl is plentiful.  I saw a Sora, American and Least Bittern all in the same day, in three different locations, and got great photos of an Eastern Meadowlark.  

Loggerhead Shrike:

Least Bittern: 

 Limpkin:

 Eastern Meadowlark:

 Non-birdy Wildlife:

 

 Sora:

 Neotropic Cormorant:

 American Bittern:

Black and White Warbler:

Great Blue Heron:

Spring Birding Photo Update

I've been fitting in a little birding in the evenings this past couple of weeks of Spring Training, and have added a few more birds to the year list.  I finally have a day off tomorrow, so hope to spend the whole day birding south of Tampa Bay. 

Meanwhile, here are some photos:

Baby Bald Eagle at Honeymoon Island:
 

Adult Great Horned Owl at Honeymoon Island:
 

Baby Great Horned Owls at Fort De Soto State Park:
 

Molting Common Loon at Fort De Soto State Park:

 

Northern Parula:

 

Reddish Egret:

 

"Really, I am too an Oystercatcher!"