OSPREY FLYING WITH FISH TO ITS NEST, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

MALE NORTHERN CARDINAL, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

PIPING PLOVER, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

   We can ID this plover as a Piping Plover as follows:

• Small and stocky with short and thick bill.
• Dull gray-brown above and white below.
• Orange legs.
• Dark eye isolated on pale face.
• The nonbreeding Piping Plover has an all black bill.  This bill is starting at the base to turn the orange of the breeding plover.

NONBREEDING DUNLIN, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

   We can ID this sandpiper as a nonbreeding Dunlin as follows:

• Long, black slightly drooping bill.
• Dark grey legs.
• Grey-brown above and white underneath.

NONBREEDING RED KNOT, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

   We can ID these two sandpipers as Red Knots as follows:

• Apperance: heavy bodied, stout appearance, small head and short neck.
• Dark barring on flanks.
• Pale gray upperside and head and white belly.
• Black bill.
• White eyebrow.

   The Red Knot is a new species to our Life List, which now stands at 273.

NONBREEDING WILLET IN WATER & IN FLIGHT, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

      We can ID this bird as a Willet as follows:

• Long, thick grey bill on large shorebird.
• Short white eyebrow.
• Grey legs
• Bird in flight shows striking black and white on wing.

BALD EAGLE IN FLIGHT, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

DOWITCHER, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

   It's very difficult to differentiate the Long-billed Dowager from the Short-billed Dowager.  It is most likely a Short-billed Dowager, as they prefer mud flats on the coast, while Long-billed Dowagers prefer fresh water, but we can't be sure.

REDDISH EGRET, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

   This Reddish Egret was it dance as part of foraging for fish.

NONBREEDING SANDERLING, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

   We can ID this sandpiper as a nonbreeding Sanderling as follows:

• Pale gray above with dark spot on shoulder.
• Clean white below.
• Black legs and black tubular bill.

TRICOLORED HERON, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

   We can ID this plover as Semipalmated Plover as follows:

• Bill is black with some orange at the base.  If you look closely you can just make out the orange at the base.
• Legs are orange.
• Dark brown with white underside.  This is the darkest of the small plovers.
• Small, plump bird.

BREEDING WILSON'S PLOVER, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

   We can ID this plover as a breeding male Wilson's Plover by the following:

• Very large black bill.
• Dull pinkish legs.
• Complete black neck-ring (the female has a brown neck-ring).

SNOWY EGRETS, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

   We thought this first photo of the two Snowy Egrets both looking backwards at the same time was really interesting.

BELTED KINGFISHER, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

NONBREEDING RUDDY TURNSTONE, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

BROWN PELICANS ON BEACH, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

TRICOLORED HERON, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

OSPREY IN NEST, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

KILDEER, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

BREEDING EUROPEAN STARLING, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

OSPREY EATING A FISH, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

   This Osprey is probably eating just the head of the fish.  It will feed the rest to its chicks.

OSPREY & CHICK, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

   You can see the Osprey chick in the nest underneath the adult Osprey.

PAIR OF BLUE-WINGED TEALS, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

   The male Blue-winged Teal on the right is in breeding plumage.   It has the white crescent on the face.  The female on the left has the dark eye-line and white eye-arcs.

GLOSSY IBIS & LITTLE BLUE HERON, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

   The Glossy Ibis on the left is molting from nonbreeding to breeding plumage.  Most of the body has turned dark brown with the wings glossy blue-green.  The Little Blue Heron is on the right.

AMERICAN WIGEONS, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

   The first photo shows a male American Wigeon in breeding plumage.  In the second photo the male in breeding plumage is on the right and the female is on the left.

CASPIAN TERN IN FLIGHT, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

KILDEER, KIRBY STORTER ROADSIDE PARK, BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE, COLLIER COUNTY, FL

PURPLE MARTINS, THEIR HOUSES AND IN FLIGHT, VISITOR CENTER AREA, BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE, COLLIER COUNTY, FL