Birding Panama - Day 1: Canopy Lodge

     Located about 2 hours outside of Panama City in the vicinity of El Valle del Anton lies Canapy Lodge. The Lodge is a mecca for birders from all around the world and offers wonderful accommodations amidst some of the most lush habitat in Central America.  The Lodge is located on the slopes of a caldera of an extinct volcano and is surrounded by the Cerro Gaital National Monument.  The cloud forest provides habitat for a remarkable variety of tropical avian wildlife.

Safron finch

     As we flew into Panama City on the evening prior to the beginning of our adventure, we were all anticipating a great week of birding.  Eight members of our local birding club, the Mearns Bird Club of Orange Country, NY, had planned a special tour of the preserve and surrounding environs, and our expectations were only heightened by the reputation of this world renown birding locale.

Blue-gray tanager

      Upon rising early the next morning, we joined our guide John Coons in scanning the surroundings of the urban setting of the Comfort Inn in Panama City.  If birdwatching the grounds of the hotel was any indication of what was ahead of us, we were certainly in for a special experience.  Among the birds we first spotted were the beautiful Safron finch, Ruddy ground dove, Social flycatcher, Blue-gray tanager, and a Magnificent frigatebird flying high overhead.

 

Magnificent frigatebird

     Before making the trip up into the caldera, we made a stop at one of the many parks found in the area.  Metro Parc is an oasis within the borders of Panama City where one can find a nice assemblage of tropical avian species.  Within a few minutes on the trail, we encountered our first beauty, the Whooping motmot.  The motmot family is a small group of birds which perch on a low limb and seek out insects which are often scared up by swishing their long spatulate tails from side to side.

Whooping motmot

    Among the many new species we encountered was a reclusive Common Potoo.  The grey and brown speckled pattern of its plumage and the way it perches among the branches make this bird difficult to find to say the least.  Even as I photographed the bird, I really wasn't sure I was getting it in the frame of my camera until I was able to examine the downloaded image more closely on the computer screen.  One of the common names of this bird is the "Pour-me-one", an intriguing name but one for which I have not a clue as to origin.  Note in the photo how the bird perches in an upright position so as to mimic the surrounding branches of the tree.  The one feature which gives up the potoo's position is its orange eye which is visible in the photo.

Common potoo

   We were soon on our way up the mountain passes to our home for the next 6 days, Canopy Lodge.  Upon arrival, we were shown to our quarters, spacious stone floored living areas with large comfortable beds and beautiful balconies overlooking the dense foliage of the cloud forest.  The dining area is all open air and overlooks a number of rustic feeders which the staff continually fills with the birds favorite fare....fruits.  It was one continual parade of colorful birds of this tropical paradise, and we were quickly learning the names of those which were the most common and likely to visit.  One of the wonders of Panama's bird life is the number of species of hummingbirds.  We quickly learned to spot the Snowy-bellied and Rufous-tailed hummers! There are 59 species of hummingbirds in Panama and we were only scratching the surface of the great number of these birds found throughout this magical country.  With many of the hummers favorite floral feasts found on the grounds of the lodge, it was not hard to spot these tiny wonders as they flitted from flower to flower in search of the nectar hidden down within the blossoms.  More on the many sightings at the Lodge on our first day in the next installment of Naturally Digital...coming soon!

Rufous-tailed hummingbird

Snowy-bellied hummingbird

St. John's River with Halifax River Audubon

     Had a great day on the St. John's River with Blue Heron Ecotours captained by Josh.  The trip was sponsored by the Halifax River Audubon Club and organised by our good friend Celine.  The three hour trip featured a wide variety of birds, mammals, and reptiles all set in one of the most idyllic areas of Central Florida.  With so many eyes and a wealth of knowledge of the area between the Captain and the club members, we knew we were in for a wonderful day.

     It's the time of year for birds to be pairing up and getting on with the business of replenishing the population with new chicks and we saw numerous signs of such activity as we motored up the river.  Osprey nests were commonly found high in the trees as these raptors began setting up "house".  Cruising by this handsome bird, we were treated to a close-up encounter as he left his perch and flew overhead.  One of the most prominent features of these birds is their glowing yellow eye, and this bird was in perfect light to display this feature as he cruised on by.

     I was surprised by the number of Limpkin we encountered along the river's edge.  Normally rather reclusive, we had great sightings of a number of the birds seeking out and feeding upon the favorite item of their diet, Apple snails.  The St. John's is an ideal habitat for Limpkins which can be found throughout the tropics, but are only found in Florida and southern Georgia in the continental US.   Surprisingly, they were very quiet today and we never did hear their call which Kaufman refers to as that of a "wailing banshee"!

Limpkin

     Among the mammals seen today were a marsh rabbit and thankfully several manatees.  The water has finally warmed up and we found the gentle giants feeding on the vegetation along the water's edge.  Unfortunately, the most exposed manatee did not care to look in our direction as he was busy grazing and could care less about the tour boat out on the river.  Another of his kind did swim up behind the vessel and poked his snout up for a quick breath.  Even then, if you look closely you'll notice that he had his eyes closed!  No interest in us what-so-ever!

     Reptiles in the form of turtles were also omni-present as we glided along the river.  The sunny skies were a welcome sight for many of the yellow-bellied sliders and an occasional Florida Redbelly which had hauled out of the cooler water onto a convenient log to bask in the light of the sun.  Many would dive awkwardly back into the water as the pontoon boat approached, but this Redbelly was not phased and gave us nice looks at close range.... a case of who's looking at whom?

Florida Redbelly

Swallow-tailed kite

     Probably the most rewarding sighting of the day was a true sign of spring in Florida - the return of the Swallow-tailed kite. Our first sighting was of a single bird soaring high above with its gliding motion and barely a wing-beat.  It's color pattern, graceful shape, and effortless flight make this bird one of the the most mesmerising of all birds to watch and study.  Normally, I've found that these birds appear overhead, offer a brief and memorable flight above, and then disappear over the trees. Today, however, the kite (or kites) continued to swoop down close the the water's surface and along the riverbanks.  Repeatedly it swept back and forth, soaring at high speed as if with little effort.  What a joy it was to watch for an extended period of time as it would occasionally bank into the direct light of the sun with a flash of its bright underside.  Suddenly, it would all but disappear as it turned its darker back to us and blended into the foliage.  Indeed, the term "worth the price of admission" was never more aptly applied than it was today.  A fitting end to a fantastic three hour trip on one of the most beautiful and bountiful bodies of water in the entire continent ..... the St. John's River.

     

Birds amassing along Shiloh Marsh Road

Egret feeding area

     At this time of year, we often come across larger than normal concentrations of migratory birds at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.  While Great egrets and Snowy egrets are fairly abundant throughout the winter months at this site, during middle to late March and early April, we find larger than normal aggregations of the birds concentrating in small pools and impoundments.  I often refer to these birds as "staging", but admittedly, I am probably using the term too broadly.  Most ornithologists refer to Staging areas  as those where thousands or even tens of thousands of birds gather in areas of great food resources for birds migrating thousands of miles.  An alternate term "stop-overs" may be more appropriate for the groups of birds Sharon and I are seeing at this time of year.  One example of such a phenomenon was seen several days ago as we drove along the Shiloh Marsh Drive area of Merritt Island.  In the same pools where we were seeing several egrets among other waders and shorebirds in the past months, we saw dozens gathered together feeding in the shallow bodies of water.

Long-billed dowitchers

     While this is truly not an overabundance of birds, it is more than are normally seen together. Over the years we have seen this type of mass gathering of many species at this time of year.  In addition to these egrets, we found greater than normal numbers of species such as Long-billed dowitchers and Lesser yellowlegs.  White pelicans were not in overwhelming numbers today, but we have seen such impressive gatherings at this time of year in the past.  There are hundreds to perhaps thousands of white pelicans found in Merritt Island NWR during the winter months, so whether this is a "stop-over" of birds migrating from points south or simply an assembling of birds getting ready to begin their journey north I couldn't say.  Whichever it is, it is very impressive as seen in this shot I took several years ago.

Wilson's snipe and Lesser yellowlegs

     Among other birds seen today along Shiloh Marsh Road we found several snipe feeding along with the large numbers of Lesser yellowlegs.  A bit of territorial sparring occurred as each bird felt that this little patch of rich feeding ground was his or her own and didn't want to share.  At this time of year in Shiloh Marsh, it does appear that there are plenty of fish, worms, and crustaceans to go around!  It will surely be a joy to keep watch over this wonderful area of Florida as the season of migration further unfolds.

Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area

      A great route to bird along in Central Florida is Route 50 between I-95 and the town of Christmas.  A short distance from the interstate, the water treatment plant of Titusville offers some fine birding at the site known as Blue Heron Preserve.  Continuing westward, you will pass the entrance to Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area off Taylor Road.  Further along, a right turn at the giant Christmas tree (really!) will bring you down to Orlando Wetlands.  I've already submitted several blogs about the Blue Heron Preserve and Orlando Wetlands, so this entry will feature the birding at Tosohatchee.

Northern parula

     When you first enter the preserve, there is a kiosk where you sign in and pay a nominal fee of $3.00 per car to use the area.  It is well worth hanging out at the kiosk for a while as invariably, there are birds of interest to be had right at this point.  My wife, Sharon, admonishes me to never use the term "always" when referring to the possibility of finding a certain species at an area.  That being said, if you are here in early to mid-March, you "always" be treated to sightings of the Northern parula.  This migrant is easy to spot by its song along which is an ascending trill followed by a sudden drop-off at the end.  Watch carefully, and you may well see this colorful warbler flitting among the Spanish moss where it feeds and builds its nest.  These that we are seeing in early March are the first "wave" which are coming into the state to set up their territories and to nest.  Later in the month and into April, a second wave of parulas will move through the state and these birds head north to the Canadian border and points beyond where they will nest and spend the summer months.

Blue-gray gnatcatcher

     While we birded this spot, we also heard and eventually sighted the bird which one of my birding buddies claims ranks a full 10 on the "Cuteness Scale".  A diminutive little member of the "Old World Warblers", the Blue-Gray gnatcatcher flits from branch to branch seeking out small insects that it finds on the outer branches of deciduous trees as well as some conifers.  Most of the time, it simply looks under the leaves of these plants, but will on occasion fly out to intercept an unfortunate fly or gnat on the wing.  In spite of its somewhat subdued color scheme, it does remain as one of the more handsome little birds you can observe.

Bachman's sparrow (archival image)

     As we drove down the dirt road (perfectly passable with a two-wheel drive vehicle), we pulled over to see if we could hear one of the specialties of this area, Bachman's sparrow. This elusive bird was heard, but not to be seen today as it preferred to stay low in the palmettos and stay out of our line of sight.  Having seen this bird and recorded images of it in the past, I will include one of my archival photos here so that you can see what we were looking for.  It's song is a distinctive "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty...." and once heard is hard to forget.  So this bird goes under the "heard only" column for today's list.

Limpkin

     As we continued down the road, we take a right onto Powerline Road (see map above).  This road parallels a canal and wetlands for several miles before ending at the St. John's River.  The park actually includes about 19 miles of the St. John's which in itself is a very productive birding venue.  Along the Powerline Road, we were able to view and photograph a good number of egrets, herons and several well camouflaged American Bitterns. Red-shouldered hawks were working the grassy wetlands habitat as well.    One of our most rewarding findings, however, was a bird that is found throughout Florida, but is in fact quite reclusive and can be a hard target bird to add to the list on any given day.  The bird I'm speaking of is the Limpkin which is most often found foraging along shallow water looking for Apple snails, its favorite delicacy.  As Apple snails have become more and more scarce, the limpkins have adapted by readily feeding on other snails as well as insects, crustaceans, worms, frogs, and lizards.

Brown-headed nuthatch

     As we came back up the Powerline Road, we veered off onto Fish Hole Road which takes us down into a mature pine forest.  In the past, we have found this to be a very productive area during migration.  So, while it is a bit early in the season, we hoped to find early migrants frequenting the area.  We were not disappointed.  One of the birds which is not migratory and is found in the area is the Brown-headed nuthatch.  We listen for the squeaky sound of their call and soon find one dipping down into a small puddle for a quick drink.  We soon find a number of others feeding in the pines in a upside down orientation so common to nuthatches.

Hermit thrush

     Along with the nuthatch, we locate a Hermit thrush which is also skulking along the pine litter near that same puddle.  I often think of this thrush as being a northern bird, but during the winter season they are found throughout the southern half of the U.S.  They will soon be headed north as they are one of the last birds to migrate south and one of the first birds to head back north in the spring.  Always a pleasure to see this handsome bird and a fine way to wrap up a successful day of birding at Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area.



   

Moccasin Tract

Moccasin Tract Jubilee

       Earlier in this year's postings, I talked about the great birding found at Viera Wetlands.  Adjacent to the Grisham Preserve at the wetlands is another area that can be productive called the "River Lakes Conservation Area-Mocassin Tract".  The first part of this ride is actually an extension of Wickham Road which leads from I-95 to the Viera Wetlands.  Just before entering the wetlands, however, Wickham becomes a dirt road and turns to the right.  Following this extension down through the Duda Sod Farm property is often very birdy with sparrows, hawks, waders and flycatchers possible.  As we began our trip down this 3.3 mile tract, we came upon what we refer to as the "Niagara of Florida".  A drainage canal running parallel to Wickham flows over a 2 to 3 foot man-made spillway, lofty heights for this part of Florida!  The "falls" churns up the crustaceans, other arthropods, small fish and whatever other food-stuffs can be found in a drainage canal, and it is a veritable buffet for shore birds and waders.  Noted Florida naturalist Archie Carr referred to such areas as "Jubilees" and the birds were certainly celebrating the glut of food provided here this morning.

     In the photo at the top of this entry you will find this morning's attendees at the Jubilee.  They include Great Blue heron, Great egret, Snowy egret, Double-crested cormorant, Wood stork, Little blue heron, White ibis, Glossy ibis, and a pair of Mottled ducks.  Not too far off in the distance was a Limpkin whom we assumed would soon join the party.


     As we continued down the dirt road, things quieted down considerably.  We did find a non-avian creature enjoying the mid-day sun.  Anytime you have fresh water bodies in Florida, you have to be aware of alligators.  As we get into April and the breeding season for these reptiles, they will become more mobile and more aggressive.  During the early winter months, however, they are a bit more sedate as long as you don't trespass too far into their territory.  This fellow was quite content to lay along the bank and enjoy the warmth of the day.

     We were getting into the heat of the mid-day and we have had record high temperatures for February here along the Atlantic coast.  Birds were becoming fewer and farther between, but we still had a few really nice photo ops ahead of us.  An osprey had just finished his meal which he secured from the canal and was preening and enjoying the warmth of the sun.  One of the most striking parts of the osprey's anatomy are his yellow eyes.  I generally aim for the eye of a subject when getting in focus, and the eye of an osprey is an easy target.  This subject was even so kind as to turn his head back to where the sun would catch the radiant glow even more.

     As we came out of the Duda farms, we made a quick left down the road to what are referred to as the Click Ponds.  These are retention ponds which are part of the wetlands complex across the street.  It is usually a hit-or-miss proposition when visiting these ponds as they can be very active or very quiet depending upon the depth of the water.  The last time we were here several weeks ago, there were almost no signs of bird life.  When they drain the ponds down to their lowest levels, waders and shorebirds show up in large numbers.  Today was a "fair to middling" day with no ducks to speak of but some nice herons, egrets and cormorants to view and photograph.

Spotted sandpiper

     The best in show today, however, was a handsome little Spotted sandpiper which was perched on a small snag in the water adjacent to the dike.  While not exactly rare, they are uncommon in these parts and to find one so willing to be seen and photographed is a real treat.  Of course, this bird was not yet in breeding plumage as their time for such activity is still some time away.  Unlike most sandpipers which breed in the far northern parts of North America, this bird is found throughout most of the northern half of the country during the summer months.  It's journey north, therefore will be quite abbreviated compared to other sandpipers, heading up only perhaps as far as North Carolina or Virginia.

     Leaving the Click Pond area, we did decide to make a quick loop around the impoundments of the Viera Wetlands.  I mentioned in my last posting that spring was in the air, and many of the birds have started to pair up and in many cases are already on the nest.  The Great blue heron always gets a jump on things, however, and her offspring are already getting close to fledging!

     One more sign of spring as we come to the conclusion of today's posting is the White ibis.  In an effort to attract his mate, the male ibis will turn up the heat and become more colourful than ever.  Although his plumage is still bright white, his eyes and legs become the center of attraction and they become a deep brilliant red.  Sadly, in Florida, the white ibis is declining probably to loss of habitat.  Elsewhere, the ibis seems to be holding its own, but we certainly hope that the continued development of property down here in the Sunshine State slows down a bit and allows the ibis to reestablish itself to its former numbers.

   Tech Tip of the Day:  Just a quick tip about photographing birds to which I alluded earlier.  When photographing these subjects, it always a good idea to concentrate on focussing on the eye.  Other parts of the bird may or may not be in perfect focus, but our attention is drawn to the eye.  Also, on a day of brilliant sunshine and clear blue skies like this, set the ISO to a low number like 100 or 200.  Using "Auto" may work, but often, the camera will default to a higher ISO giving you more "noise" or graininess that is preferred.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Dunlin

     One of the best known meccas for Florida birding (or birding across the country for that matter) is Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.  Comprised of 140,000 acres of diverse habitat, the refuge was originally created as a buffer land around Cape Canaveral Space Center.  During its early years, NASA used this area as its primary launch site for all of the early space program launches - Apollo, Gemini, the Space Shuttle etc.  The area was a vast wetlands and was infested with mosquitos.  To help mitigate the problem and make conditions more bearable for its many employees, the government developed a series of impoundments with controlled flooding to help control the biting pests.  As a byproduct, the newly created temporary pools served as an inviting habitat for resident and migratory birds.  Ducks, shorebirds, waders, migratory songbirds, and more all find refuge at Merritt Island during the winter months and even into the sweltering summers of coastal Florida.

Bald eagle parent

     We visited MINWR this past Sunday and found that there were many "signs of spring" as many of the birds have begun pairing up, building nests, and rearing their young.  Although it's still February, the temperatures here in Florida are now hovering in the 80 degree area and with hurricane season long past, the time is right for procreation of the species.  Our first stop as we drove into the refuge was a spot where we have seen a Bald eagle's nest with activity is the past and now, more recently.   We were not disappointed.  Last month, we spotted a pair of our national symbols perching on and near the nest.  So happy to see that this nest survived the ravages of Hurricane Irma this past season!  Today, we were thrilled to see that the fruits of their labours have arrived.  On the nest, we found one parent carefully guarding her two new eaglets.  Dad was off hunting but soon arrived with a nice sized fish for the hungry brood.  Mom hopped off the nest and perched next to the nest as Dad tore bits and pieces from the fresh catch and fed his hungry offspring.  While visible through the scope, it was difficult to get a clear image of the feeding frenzy through the branches, but the perched adult was more than willing to pose for her portrait.

Great horned owl

     Further down the entrance road into the refuge, we found another proud parent tending to her young.  A Great-horned owl was perched upon an old osprey nest along with two very young owlets. Owls are not known as great nest builders.  They prefer to move into vacated nest of other birds like eagles and ospreys.  The ospreys are not the greatest nest architects in the avian world and their nests often look more like a pile of sticks and other refuse found around the nest site.  I once saw a rubber doll incorporated into the nest of a more "stylish" osprey!  Regardless of how attractive the nest is, the owls are more than willing to move in "as is" and will make good use of the otherwise abandoned site.  While the owls are small, mom and dad must remain nearby to prevent larger predators from seizing the young ones as a fresh meal, so you never see a nest with young ones without a parent either on the nest or nearby.  We'll continue to monitor this nest as well as the eagles in the hopes that the youngsters will survive and thrive right up to fledging time.

White pelicans

     We continued our trip by riding down Biolab Road, a one-way dirt road which parallels the Indian River Lagoon.  More impoundments are found on the western side of the thoroughfare and provide great habitat for the overwintering guests.  One of the most attractive of these is the White pelican.  These giant birds (second only to the California Condor in size in North America) are easily found as their brilliant white plumage glistens across the vast expanses of wetlands.  We found a group flying in to a deeper pool to feed as we scanned the horizon.  As the winter wears on, the pelicans will begin to "stage" or gather together in preparation for their annual journey back home to northern North America.  At these times, we will find hundreds of the pelicans in great flocks feeding together "fueling up" for their long flight home to the northern plains.  Like so many human "snow birds", some will stay behind here in the sunshine state and spend their summers in Florida rather than heading back to the plains states.

Roseate spoonbill

     Another attractive bird found here in Florida that chooses to remain here year-round is the Roseate spoonbill.  If you can get passed the not-so-gorgeous face, the striking plumage of the bird is one of the most spectacular you'll find in the wetlands of Florida.  Nesting in the mangroves, they feed upon crustaceans which they stir up in the shallows by swinging their paddle shaped bill through the water.  This bird was seen flying over the reeds not too far from where we had just seen the White pelicans.

Blue-winged teal pair

     After our ride along the 5.5 mile Biolab Road, we headed over to the ever popular Black Point Drive, an 8 mile loop through another part of the reserve.  During the winter months, the drive is a magnet for waterfowl, waders, shorebirds, osprey, harriers and eagles.  As the year proceeds, the cast of characters will change - almost day to day!  There are still many ducks here, but many have already departed.  Today we found a lone pintail (here in large numbers earlier this winter), several Gadwall, a few Green-winged teal, some shovelers, and hundreds of Blue-winged teal.  The teal seem to be the last ducks to head north.  Although they will nest in the northern half of the country, they have already begun to pair up.  Of the hundreds of blue-wings we found, it was difficult to find any that were alone.  Virtually all were found in male-female couplets.  Another sign of spring!

     Finally, as we exit Black Point Drive, we hear the "Spring of the yearrrrr" song of the Eastern meadowlark.  This is another sign that spring is on the way here in the sunshine state. Although present throughout the state through the year, they are much more evident as spring arrives and the males begin to sing their songs to establish their breeding territory.  One of the wonderful things about spending winter here in Florida is that the season unfolds in so many different ways.  We look forward to the next couple of months as more and more species begin to move out of and through the state on their way north to their summer breeding territories.

Eastern meadowlark

Photography Tech tips:  Today, we found ourselves photographing many brilliant white species...Snowy egrets, Great egrets, the White pelicans, White ibises and more.  When photographing these birds under the brilliant sunshine, it is easy to record images which are "blown out" or overexposed.  The camera will calculate the exposure based upon the whole scene, not just the white bird.  To compensate for this, it is often necessary to lower the exposure of the image by at least .7 to 1.0 full stops.  Using the Exposure Compensation adjustments available on virtually all digital SLR cameras, set the compensation to -.7 to underexpose the bird and maintain the detail.  Exposure compensation features for each camera will be found in the users manuals and are generally straight forward as to how to make this adjustment.  For dark birds like vultures, blackbirds, grackles, etc. the procedure is similar except you will have to overexpose the image to pull out the detail of the birds dark plumage.  The compensation will therefore be +.7 or more.  Remember...... a minus (-) compensation when you are shooting white birds, and a plus (+) compensation when photographing black birds.

Lake Apopka

     The 20,009 acre Lake Apopka in the St. John's Water Management District of Central Florida is a model of reclamation projects aimed at reestablishing former heavily polluted farmlands to functioning wetlands.  The area is well on its way to recovery and is now a favorite site among Florida birders.  One of the major attractions is the 11 mile Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, part of the more than 20 miles of trails in the refuge.

     We joined friends from the Halifax River Audubon Society on a warm partly cloudy day for a drive around the 11 mile North Shore Loop.  As we arrived, we were greeted by one of the Florida specialties, a flyover by a small flock of Fulvous Whistling ducks.

Fulvous whistling ducks

Ash-throated flycatcher

     Over the same fields, we observed Northern harriers, Savannah sparrows, and Red-shouldered hawks.  Across these fields, we found another of our hoped-for target birds, the Ash-throated flycatcher.  Last year, at about this same time, we found an Ash-throated in the same tree and wonder if it could possibly be the same bird.  This species is generally found in the far western states of the country.  The bird's habitat is semi-arid deserts and in the fall, most vacate the much of the US other than southwestern Arizona and southern California.  Still, a few make their way to the east coast, and it is not unheard of to find this species here in the winter months.  Always a great bird for the Florida year-list.

Vermillion flycatcher

     A third target of our trip was yet another member of the Family Tyrannidae , the Vermillion flycatcher.      This handsome bird is again most often found out west from Arizona to southern Texas, but each year, we seem to find one or two individuals which have wandered east into Volusia and Orange counties of Florida.  Typical habitat for the Vermillions is stream side and along the edges of ponds.  Our Vermillion was a juvenile male with a bit more red plumage than is seen is this somewhat distant photo.  As we watched and photographed the flycatcher, one of our number noticed a juvenile Black-crowned night-heron behind us.

Juvenile Black-crowned night-heron

     Distinguishing between young Yellow-crowned and Black-crowned night-herons can be a daunting task until you learn some basic morphological differences.  As can be easily seen in the photo of our bird seen above, the Black-crowned species has a sharp pointed bill as opposed to the more blunted bill of the Yellow-crowned.  The leg colour is another give-away as the Black will have yellower legs.  Finally, carefully scrutinising the bill colour is an easy way to tell the two apart.  The Yellow-crowned tend to have all black bills, while the Black-crowned have bi-color black and yellow bills as is easily seen in this photo of our night-heron seen today.

Painted bunting

     Finally, among the many other beautiful species seen today, the Painted bunting is one that always is a joy to discover.  We often find this spectacularly rainbow plumaged species during the winter months at feeders across the state, but to see the bird out in the more wild and natural habitat of Lake Apopka Wildlife Management Area is a special treat.  This bunting was found foraging along the ground at the edges of low shrubs lining one of the trails....a wonderful conclusion to a wonderful day out on the trails of Lake Apopka.

   

Super Blue Blood Moon

Super moon - January 30. 2018

     It's been a pretty exciting couple of days astronomically over the past several days.  Not since the year 1866 has a "Super Blue Blood Moon" been visible here on earth.  So, what exactly is a Super Blue Blood Moon?  The event involves three different lunar events occurring concurrently.

     First, the moon must be in the full moon phase.  This is not a rarity as it occurs every month.  When the earth is precisely aligned between the sun and the moon, the sun illuminates the entire surface of the moon which is facing us at that time.  This is known as the "Full Moon".  What made this full moon special is that it was a "Super Moon".  Since the moon's orbit is not a perfect circle around the earth but is rather an ellipse, there are times when the moon is farthest away from the earth (called the Apogee - 405,410 km from earth) and times when it is closest (Perigee - 302,570 km). At those times when the moon is closest, it appears to be slightly larger and much brighter than normal. Hence the term "Super Moon".  We were treated to a Super Moon rising over the Atlantic on Tuesday night, January 30.  The light from the moon was so bright throughout the night that we were easily able to see the features of the beach during the the middle of the night.T

Super Blue Blood Moon

    The second element of the "trifecta" is the fact that this super moon was the second full moon to occur in the month of January.  This phenomenon is referred to as a "Blue Moon".  Usually, a full moon occurs once a month - 12 times a year.  Occasionally, however, a quirk in the calendar will lead to two full moons happening in the same month. The term 'blue" has nothing to do with the color of the moon. Rather it is thought to be called "blue" after an old English word meaning "betrayer".  Not sure where that came from, but nonetheless we had a Blue moon on Tuesday night making this a "Super Blue Moon".

     But wait, there's more!  Not only did we have a Super Blue moon, but early on Wednesday morning, we had a partial lunar eclipse.  As I mentioned before, the full moon occurs when the sun the earth and the moon are all in alignment.  As the sun hits the earth, a shadow is cast behind the earth.  Normally, the moon orbit takes it above or below this relatively narrow shadow, but on occasion, the moon passes right through the shadow and turns "blood red".  In our case here in Florida, only part of the shadow hit the moon causing a partial eclipse.  Nonetheless, the moon took on that ethereal reddish glow.  Whalah! a Super Blue Blood Moon!

     But Wait!  There's more!  Add to this the psychological phenomenon known as the "moon illusion".  The brain for a number of as of yet unresolved reasons, makes the moon appear larger as it approaches the horizon.  If you photograph the moon high in the sky and again as it sets, you will find that the images are exactly the same size.  And yet, we look at the setting moon and think, "My God, that is so much larger than it was earlier!"  Well, in spite of the fact that it is merely an illusion, it certainly made the setting Super Blue Blood Moon all the more spectacular.  I've taken a bit of "poetic photographer's license" here as my 500mm telephoto lens enlarges and compresses images making the setting moon look even larger.  Yet, this is the way most people will perceive and remember the event,  so just observe and enjoy! If you missed it, the next Super Blood moon will occur on January 21, 2019, but if you want a Super Blue Blood Moon be patient.  The next won't occur until January 31, 2037!

Shiloh Marsh

     We took a quick ride down Shiloh Marsh Road as we made our way to the Space Coast Birding Festival in Titusville.  We had eBird reports of a Black rail being heard at the barricade of the access road and wanted to see if we could find the bird.  A Black rail would be a "lifer" for me, and as these diminutive skulkers are extremely difficult to see I had made an executive decision that hearing this bird would constitute a "life bird".

Shiloh Marsh, Merritt Island NWR

     The road through the marsh is unfortunately shortened as the condition of the dike further along the access is degraded and closed to traffic.  The ride out can be productive, however, and is always worth the effort and time to scout it out.

Pied-billed grebe

     The marsh is part of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge but is an area not visited nearly as much as the better known Black Point Drive or the Visitor's Center.   As you first enter the drive, a canal runs parallel to the dirt road and provides interesting habitat for waders, waterfowl, and rails.  The area is a haven for Pied-billed grebes, Snowy egrets, Green herons, and American coots.  As is true throughout most of the state of Florida, Yellow-rumped warblers and Palm warblers are seen on a regular basis.

     As you continue along the road, the water to the right opens up larger ponds upon which more water fowl, Little blue heron, Great Blue herons, Roseatte Spoonbills, and Tricolor herons are common.  One of the best photogenic birds found on the ponds today was a lone White pelican.  Generally, these birds are found in large groups.  They are very large birds....far too large to feed in the plunge-diving fashion of their Brown cousins.  These birds swim along sweeping their large bill back and forth reminding us of an old Ogden Nash limerick that goes something like this.......





"A wonderful bird is the pelican

His bill can hold more than his belly can

He can hold in his beak

Enough food for a week

But I'm damned if I know how the helican"
 
     When we came to the end of the road at the barricade,  we searched for the elusive target bird, the Black rail.  Sorry to say that every chase does not end as hoped.  I hiked out the dike in the vicinity where the bird had last been heard and came up empty.  The habitat was promising but the wind was howling and we were at the peak of the day -two factors that do not foretell of success in looking for this bird.  There was still plenty to see and photograph, however.  A pair of Greater yellowlegs were in reasonably close and could be identified as "greater" by the slightly upturned thicker bill and slightly more barring on the sides.Another excellent view was of the Little blue heron.  

Greater yellowlegs

     Last year, it seemed that every other little blue we encountered was in the juvenile white plumage.  This year, we are finding many more in the adult total blue hued feathers.  Tricolored herons were also present and added to our total count for the day.  While we were a bit disappointed in the failure to find the targeted Black rail, we will be happy with the excellent views we had of these other southern birds.  Just another reason to come back to Shiloh Marsh in the near future!

Little blue heron