Baby Swans, Lake Morton - April 23, 2017

The Lake Morton swans are having their babies, and they are so cute!  I stopped here early in the morning to get some good light on the "cygnets".

Lettuce Lake - April 17, 2017

Got to stop at Lettuce Lake today for about an hour.  I saw a few good migrants.  Pictured below clockwise from the top middle: Northern Parula, White-eyed Vireo, Tufted Titmouse, Red-eyed Vireo, Muscovy Duck, Red-headed Woodpecker, Wood Ducks, Worm-eating Warbler, Carolina Wren, Blue-headed Vireo,

Fort DeSoto - April 16, 2017

Even more migrants today, including the rare Kentucky Warbler, which I have only seen one other time, in 2014.  The only photogenic one today though was this Blackpoll Warbler.

Key Vista and Anclote River - April 14, 2017

After work, I got to visit Key Vista in Pasco.  It had some interesting finds, like a loon close to shore, a merlin, great horned owl, whimbrel, and a waterthrush.  There was also a mourning dove family with babies being fed on the ground.  My best photo at Key Vista was of this osprey that flew by with a fish.

Osprey

Great Horned Owl

Willet

Common Loon

Common Loon

White Ibis

 Sunset at Anclote River

Migration Continues at Fort DeSoto - April 14, 2017

Migration is getting more interesting this week with a good variety of migrants.  57 species for the park, reported on Ebird, which is pretty good considering I still went to work for a half-day today!  Still, no terrific photos so far this month during migration, and no even decent photos from today, but I did make a collage of what I saw, which I think still shows all the variety.

Migration Begins at Fort DeSoto - April 8, 2017

Off to a slow start this year in comparison to this week previous years. 
However, always something to see, and a few nice surprises today with the wood thrush and swainson's thrush.  Ended the day with 62 species, reported on Ebird.

Wood Thrush

Nanday Parrot

Nandays

Great Horned Owl

Fort DeSoto - March 31, 2017

Aside from the gannets, there were plenty of other birds at the park today.  One of my favorites was seeing the baby owls in a nest in the usual annual spot.

The mama owl was not far off either, keeping a close watch on the nest.

There were also many shorebirds on the jetty at North Beach, including many royal terns and black skimmers...

Marbled Godwit

Willets and Marbled Godwits

Gannets at Fort DeSoto - March 31, 2017

A stormy day today, but it brought the Northern Gannets close to shore!  I have never gotten up-close photos of them before today.