BREEDING LESSER SCAUPS, ORLANDO WETLANDS PARK, ORLANDO, FL

   The two ducks in the first photo are breeding male Lesser Scaups.  The duck on left in the second photo is a breeding male Lesser Scaup and the duck on the right is a breeding female.  We can ID this scaup as a Lesser Scaup, rather than a Greater Scaup by the shape of its head: the peak of the crown is at the rear.  Also, we are more likely to find Lesser Scaups in fresh, shallow water habitats, such as Orlando Wetlands Park.

GREAT BLUE HERON, ORLANDO WETLANDS PARK, ORLANDO, FL

VIEWS AT ORLANDO WETLANDS PARK, ORLANDO, FL

LITTLE BLUE HERON, ORLANDO WETLANDS PARK, ORLANDO, FL

ROOST OF ROSEATE SPOONBILLS, ORLANDO WETLANDS PARK, ORLANDO, FL

BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS, ORLANDO WETLANDS PARK, ORLANDO, FL

TURKEY VULTURE IN FLIGHT, ORLANDO WETLANDS PARK ORLANDO, FL

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, CELERY FIELDS, SARASOTA, FL

LAUGHING GULLS AND RING-BILLED GULL, ACKERMAN PARK, SARASOTA, FL

   The two gulls on the left are Laughing Gulls and the one on the right is a Ring-billed Gull.

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT WITH FISH, ACKERMAN PARK, SARASOTA, FL

NONBREEDING MALE LAPLAND LONGSPUR, VISITOR'S CENTER PARKING LOT, BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE, OCHOPEE, FL

   The Lapland Longspur (also known as the Lapland Bunting) is very rare in southern Florida.  We saw on ebird's daily rare bird email for Collier County that yesterday a Lapland Longspur was sighted in the parking lot of the visitor's center of the Big Cypress National Preserve.  We went there today (12/20/2016) and after about 1/2 hour of looking we sighted the Lapland Longspur.

   We can ID this bird as a nonbreeding male Lapland Longspur by its size (estimated 6-7"); time of year (nonbreeding plumage occurs of male occurs Aug.-March); short, thick, pointed bill; streaked sides (see fourth photo); rufous greater coverts; white outer tail feathers; and facial pattern (cheeks edged in black).

   The Lapland Longspur is a new species to our Photographic Life List, which now stands at 510.

WHITE PEACOCK BUTTERFLY, VISITOR'S CENTER PARKING LOT, BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE, OCHOPEE, FL

GULF FRATILLARY BUTTERFLY, VISITOR'S CENTER PARKING LOT, BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE, OCHOPEE, FL

TRICOLORED HERON, NAPLES BOTANICAL GARDEN, NAPLES, FL

LITTLE BLUE HERON EATING A BUG, NAPLES BOTANICAL GARDEN, NAPLES, FL

SNOWY EGRET, NAPLES BOTANICAL GARDEN, NAPLES, FL

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, NAPLES BOTANICAL GARDEN, NAPLES, FL

GREEN HERON, SUGDEN PARK, NAPLES

1ST WINTER LAUGHING GULL, SUGDEN PARK, NAPLES, FL

NONBREEDING LAUGHING GULL, DING DARLING NWR, SANIBEL, FL

NONBREEDING SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, DING DARLING NWR, SANIBEL, FL

LEOPARD FROG, DING DARLING NWR, SANIBEL, FL

COLONY OF WILLETS, DING DARLING NWR, SANIBEL, FL

   Interspersed with this colony of willets are a few other species.