FLOCK OF MARBLED GODWITS & WILLETS, CYPRESS POINT PARK, TAMPA, FL

   The second portion of last Sunday's Tampa Audobon Society's field trip was to Cypress Point Park in Tampa.  While we were looking for birds a mixed flock of four Marbled Godwits and four Willets landed on the beach.  The first photo is of one of the Marbled Godwits, while the second photo is of one of the Willets.  The third photo is of the entire mixed flock, plus a couple of other birds on the beach.

EASTERN BLUEBIRD, USF AREA PONDS, TAMPA, FL

   These male Eastern Bluebirds were on the wire outside of Adventure Island Pond.  Yot can see the rufous below and the blue above.

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, USF AREA PONDS, TAMPA, FL

   These photos were taken at the pond on N. 50th St. off of E. Fowler Ave.  This is the Florids subspecies of the Red-shouldered Hawk.  The population of adults in southern Florida is much paler and grayer than the northern birds.

BLUE-WINGED TEAL, USF AREA PONDS, TAMPA, FL

   These male Blue-winged Teals were in the pond at N. 12th St.  You can see the prominent white crescent on the faces and the white hip patch on these ducks.

NORTHERN SHOVELERS, USF AREA PONDS, TAMPA, FL

   This past Sunday we joined a field trip by the Tampa Audobon Society of various ponds near the campus of the University of South Florida in Tampa.  The first photo of the two male Northern Shovelers was taken at Adventure Island Pond on E. Serena Dr.  The second photo of the single male Northern Shoveler was taken at a pond on N. 12th St. off of E. Fowler Ave.  In both photos you can make out the very broad bill of this bird.

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, MADEIRA BEACH, FL

   We can identify this gull as a Greater Black-backed Gull by the following:

• The black back
• The white head
• The dusky iris surrounded by the red orbital ring
• The pink showing through on the legs

BLACK SKIMMER, MADEIRA BEACH, FL