Almost every morning I'm out for a long walk. And most mornings, I see some interesting critter. So, I'll try - no promises - to get some photos and post a note when I do. It won't be every day, but I'll try to do it regularly for a while. Here's today's report:
Just off the beach at Ramsgate at about 7:00 AM there was a single dolphin making its way westward. I don't see them there many mornings, more in the afternoon. Pretty soon, there was a silvery fish about 10" long jumping out of the water, trying to escape. After a while, more fish and probably 3 or 4 more dolphins. The dolphins worked the school of fish for about 5 minutes. I'd guess at that point they had either eaten most of them or broken up the school, because after that I didn't see either again. Sorry, no photos. They were too far out for the simple zoom on my pocket camera.
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Beach Fanatic
Robin taking a bird bath.
ladydebubba the robin is cool but I really like the pink flamingo in the back ground!!! Native to TN????
Beach Fanatic
OK, I don't think it's an American Black Duck. The photos of them online show a head and neck slightly lighter than the body. These are darker.I am too.
I'll keep trying.
There sure are alot of pics of ducks on GoogleOHOH I think I might have found it... a COOT
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Beach Fanatic
That is a pretty bird.
Beach Fanatic
That is a pretty bird.Arent they?
I lived at a lake in Destin years ago and every winter HUNDREDS of them stayed in the lake all winter and I loved just watching them.They will dive completely under then pop up a few feet away.Edited
SoWal Expert
ladydebubba the robin is cool but I really like the pink flamingo in the back ground!!! Native to TN????
Beach FanaticAuthor
I am too.
OHOH I think I might have found it... a COOT
That's pretty close. I don't remember the red spot above the bill, though. If they will cooperate, I'll try to look again tomorrow AM.
Beach FanaticAuthor
ladydebubba the robin is cool but I really like the pink flamingo in the back ground!!! Native to TN????
SAVE your pink flamingos, everybody. They are now extinct. I saw a news item several months ago that the company that made them was going out of business.
And as a matter of fact, I think they are native to TN. There was a pair in my front yard in Memphis for several years.
Beach Lover
For the last two mornings, there have been about a hundred ducks in Eastern Lake. My "Audubon Field Guide to Florida" is about to go in the trash, 'cause this is yet another bird it doesn't identify.
treefrog; The best book I have found for bird identification is Peterson's field guide to birds. He did paintings of the birds which are easier to identify than pictures.
treefrog; The best book I have found for bird identification is Peterson's field guide to birds. He did paintings of the birds which are easier to identify than pictures.
Beach Fanatic
That's pretty close. I don't remember the red spot above the bill, though. If they will cooperate, I'll try to look again tomorrow AM.On the ones I always saw in Destin, the red spot was not as pronounced as in that pic. I also think that different varieties of it dont even have the red spot.
Beach FanaticAuthor
On the ones I always saw in Destin, the red spot was not as pronounced as in that pic. I also think that different varieties of it dont even have the red spot.
Yup. Confirmed today. We have coots.
Not old coots, the snowbirds aren't here yet. Just coots.
Beach FanaticAuthor
OK, here we go...
Sunday, I saw an eagle soaring over the beach near Watersound. But I didn't get a photo, nor was it close enough to identify.
This morning, it was seen again by some folks vacationing just east of Eastern Lake. They say it's a bald eagle, for sure. It surprised the toot out of them, as they were expecting to see shorebirds.
Sunday, I saw an eagle soaring over the beach near Watersound. But I didn't get a photo, nor was it close enough to identify.
This morning, it was seen again by some folks vacationing just east of Eastern Lake. They say it's a bald eagle, for sure. It surprised the toot out of them, as they were expecting to see shorebirds.
Edited
Beach Fanatic
OK, here we go...I saw a pair of them above 98 between 285 & 395 a few days ago. They came low enough for me to definitely identify them as bald eagles. I have heard that there is 2 or 3 nests along the intercoastal but no one will reveal the exact location for obvious reasons. I also had a golden eagle drop a snake on my car about 4 years ago on Bay Dr. Freaked me out at first but then I forgot about the snake watching the eagle in the tree trying to figure out how to get its meal back.
Sunday, I saw an eagle soaring over the beach near Watersound. But I didn't get a photo, nor was it close enough to identify.
This morning, it was seen again by some folks vacationing just east of Eastern Lake. They say it's a bald eagle, for sure. It surprised the toot out of them, as they were expecting to see shorebirds.
Not old coots, the snowbirds aren't here yet. Just cootsMight want to retract this... from the looks of Seaside today
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Beach FanaticAuthor
The best book I have found for bird identification is Peterson's field guide to birds. He did paintings of the birds which are easier to identify than pictures.
I saw a Sibley's guide today. It looked comprehensive.
Beach Lover
I saw the bald eagle over the beach at redfish lake 3 days ago! It was quite a surprise! It circled low and I got a real good view of it. Just another cool day!
Beach Fanatic
rattlesnake under the garbage can bin next to the street yesterday late. Not small either.
Beach Fanatic
I saw the bald eagle over the beach at redfish lake 3 days ago! It was quite a surprise! It circled low and I got a real good view of it. Just another cool day!How amazing! Such magestic creatures.
Beach Fanatic
Please Jodi, you didn't...
SoWal Insider
ladydebubba the robin is cool but I really like the pink flamingo in the back ground!!! Native to TN????
Franny, the pink flamingo is native to TN now!
We bought it at Shady Oaks Antiques when we were down there in August. We also have a native to TN hippo also. I do wish I could have gotten a picture a few weeks ago of the owl that was in the tree above me by our side porch. I did not even know he was in that tree until I saw him fly out across our backyard. And of course I didn't have my camera outside with me.
Edited
Beach Fanatic
Please Jodi, you didn't...What? crap my pants? scream like a girl? run?
yep...all of the above (kill it? no.)Beach Fanatic
What? crap my pants? scream like a girl? run?You're my new BFF!
Beach FanaticAuthor
OK, I know this isn't as much fun as the arguing over the presidential race, but this is the Politics, Environment, and Social Issues section.
I finally got a photo of the Bald Eagle.
It was near the Watersound West boardwalk at Little Deer Lake yesterday. What a great place, I'm not looking forward to it getting built out/locked up/full of people/run off all the critters.
Wish I had a tighter zoom, but we were just carrying a little pocket camera. There were two other birds chasing it, but it pretty much ignored them.
I finally got a photo of the Bald Eagle.
It was near the Watersound West boardwalk at Little Deer Lake yesterday. What a great place, I'm not looking forward to it getting built out/locked up/full of people/run off all the critters.
Wish I had a tighter zoom, but we were just carrying a little pocket camera. There were two other birds chasing it, but it pretty much ignored them.
Edited
SoWal Expert
Very cool.
SoWal Insider
It's so thrilling to see Bald Eagles isn't it? We saw one just sitting on a lake iced over (N.Y) for an extended period and were just in awe of how majestic, and huge they are. These birds are very adaptable. There are many of them, along with hawks, living in New York City believe it or not surviving on rats and pigeons.
SoWal Expert
It's so thrilling to see Bald Eagles isn't it? We saw one just sitting on a lake iced over (N.Y) for an extended period and were just in awe of how majestic, and huge they are. These birds are very adaptable. There are many of them, along with hawks, living in New York City believe it or not surviving on rats and pigeons.
It is thrilling! I've only seen one in the wild-down in the Hill Country around Austin. I have pics somewhere. I love birds of prey. I've almost wrecked several times going to and from work watching hawks diving for prey.
SoWal Insider
It is thrilling! I've only seen one in the wild-down in the Hill Country around Austin. I have pics somewhere. I love birds of prey. I've almost wrecked several times going to and from work watching hawks diving for prey.
Me too, but you already knew that.
Speaking of hawks, I've seen so many this year, and so have others and so we are thinking that perhaps they know something we don't, like it would be a mild winter or an early spring this year?
Next weekend, MANgo and I are going on an Eagle watch cruise. They migrate from Canada to CT and can be seen January-March.
http://hartford.about.com/cs/daytrips/a/aaeaglewatch.htm
Will take pics.
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