Tag: baby great egret

Around the yard in February

On By dinajohnstonIn bird photography1 Comment

In early February my neighbor told me he kept seeing a dove fly into the palm tree in between our driveways, near our garage. I got my camera out and saw that she had a baby. We get a lot of doves in the backyard. They like to sit on the bird bath when it gets dark. I wasn’t expecting to see them nesting high up in the palm tree.

A few days later I realized there were 2 babies. They were growing fast.

Days later a bad storm came through and I went out after the storm right before dark to make sure the babies hadn’t gotten blown out of the nest.  They were pretty big at this point. This was the last time I saw them in the nest. At some point over the next few days they flew the coup.

Then I noticed 2 juvenile doves in my backyard under the bird bath. They stuck close together and they didn’t have their full black spots on them and their beaks were still small so I’m thinking these were the 2 babies.

A week later I was out doing some yardwork and noticed a dove picking up sticks and bringing them up to another palm tree in front of our house.

This couple was building a nest. I don’t know if it’s the same couple that had the babies near the garage.

Northern parulas were regular visitors to the backyard in February.

Some bigger birds lurking around the yard included a great egret and little blue heron.

The tiny mini-squirrel (who I think is a juvenile) was taking a nap on the unused bird box.

This Mom was watching me from the tree. She looks like she had recently been nursing so I’m thinking this is mini-squirrel’s Mom.

The bunny has become a regular visitor.

My neighbor’s hibiscus bush was blooming.

Saturday's Critters

 

Baby bird season

On By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

I headed up to the bird rookery in north Tampa in early April. I knew it was a little too early for a lot of babies but it was a nice afternoon out and this is an afternoon shoot spot since the sun comes up across the lake in the morning.  Great egrets were in all stages of nesting. Some had eggs, some had small babies and some looked like they were still flirting and working on nests.

There were at least 2 nests up front with baby wood storks. They look so pretty when they are babies with that orange beak and blue around their eyes. Woods storks are listed as a threatened species since their numbers are still small and are vulnerable to changing water levels. We are fortunate that they are a common bird in the Tampa bay area. I see them at many of the parks I visit as well as in the ponds in my neighborhood.

Birds were busy flying in and out of the rookery, bringing food to the babies and adding sticks to the nest. I was able to catch a great egret and a tricolored heron going by.

A tricolored heron was picking up sticks from the water and bringing them back to a hidden nest.

A rare thing to see in the Tampa bay area. It looks like some glossy ibis have been nesting here in the last few years. The nest is on the back side of the island so I haven’t seen any babies yet. For a long time I only saw them at Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland but I’ve seen a few here lately.

The last of the baby egrets

On By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

One of the last nests with young ones. Driving Mom crazy begging for food.

One last trip to the bird rookery in north Tampa in June and there were still a lot of babies. Most of the great egrets babies were almost fully grown but there were still a few smaller ones getting fed by the parents. They look so clean and white against the green bushes, almost like marshmallows with legs. It’s amazing none of the eyes get poked out when the parents are trying to feed them.

 

In these last two shots, you can see fish parts coming down the parent’s beak and into the baby’s beak. Yummy regurgitated fish for lunch!

My annual trip to Gatorland to see the babies.

On By dinajohnstonIn bird photography1 Comment

These are all great egret babies at various ages. I took a road trip over to Orlando for my annual visit to see the birds nesting in the bird rookery at Gatorland. The big lake at the park has a boardwalk full of nesting wild birds in the bushes. I got there early in the morning and the babies were all screaming for food. It was very loud. The older babies were flapping their wings and testing them out. I took tons of pictures so there will be more posts on this trip.