Birds at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park

Posted on February 13, 2021 by dinajohnston

It’s not often you can get this up close with an eagle. This one was missing part of his wing and was spending his time at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park. I caught him taking a bath.

Pelicans were hanging out in their big open space. Some were starting to nest.

Other birds were just hanging out and preening when I was there in mid-November.

I caught these two wild night herons fighting over nesting space over the roof of an exhibit.

You can also get close to the spoonbills. And since the flamingos were right behind you, you wouldn’t have to look at them and think they were flamingos.

Birds at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park

Posted on February 26, 2019 by dinajohnston

Nested season had already started for the great blue herons at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park. Some were just starting to work on nests, some were still showing off for their mate and some were already sitting on eggs.

Resident pelicans.

The permanently injured resident white morph great blue heron was showing his breeding colors in his beak. The colors were really pretty against his white neck.

A caracara yelling at something. It’s rare to see a caracara in the Tampa bay area so this is a new bird for a lot of people They can usually be found more inland in central Florida. unfortunately this bird is here because he was injured out in the wild and lost a wing.

An eagle with a missing wing.

A wild phoebe flew right in front of me and posed so I had to take his picture.

Linking to My Corner of the World.

A rare bird – white morph great blue heron

Posted on October 1, 2012 by dinajohnston

Right away I heard a honking noise and saw this bird flying away from the pelicans. It seemed the pelicans were trying to get his fish. I realized I had found the rare white morph great blue heron that Jim had found a couple of days earlier. That honking noise was unmistakably a great blue heron sound.

He flew over to one of the boat ramps and tried to eat his fish in peace.

Before swallowing, he flew back into the water right in front of me. He seemed to be saying “Here it is, get a good shot lady.”

He finally swallowed and stood around for a while.

A few minutes later he flew up to the railing and posed. White morphs are pretty rare. They have mostly been sighted in south Florida near the Everglades. This is the first I’ve heard of one being in this area. Ron at Pinellasbirds.com had confirmed it as a great blue heron. Right before I left several other photographers had stopped by to see it.