All of the above are missing a wing. They are permanent residents at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park.
A wild vulture stopped by for a handout.
Lots of other Florida wildlife there as well.
The flamingos were taking a bath or napping.
A few things from Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park in late December.
Incoming! or Outgoing! A parent probably heading out to get food for the nest.
My first baby great blue herons of the year. These twins were already getting big. The nest was straight up in a tree so these were taken across the pond and cropped up.
Looks like this couple were just getting started. They have a while before they have babies to feed. There were two nests in this tree. It’s going to be a busy baby season here.
The wild great blue herons were already having babies over the alligator exhibit at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park.
At 8:30 am, the river just outside of the park was getting full with people swimming with the manatees. There are sections of the river that are off-limits so the manatees can get away from the tourists if they want to be left alone. They are curious and friendly and usually don’t shy away from people as long as they don’t get overcrowded.
All of those spots in the water are manatees huddled together for warmth. This is one of the warmest parts of the springs so they spend the winter here.
A few of them coming up for air.
There are lots of resident alligators at the wildlife park. They are fenced in so they can’t eat the tourists.
The river otters are very curious. They will come up to the rail and sniff you and then slid into the water and do tricks, rolling over and popping up in the middle of the pond as if to say “Watch me do this one!”
A few of the beautiful flamingos at the park.
The Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park has so many different critters. The wild manatees come into the springs to stay warm but the park also has many permanent residents, many of them injured. If wild manatees are sick and get stranded somewhere else, they can end up here at the manatee hospital to recoup in the warm water.
All of the pelicans at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park were getting frisky. The pelicans are in an open pond and are free to go but they all have permanent injuries so they live here. There was lots of action going on the morning I was there in mid-January. The weather has been so warm this winter that the birds are starting families early.
I noticed the tiny pink head just to the right of the bottom of the pelican’s beak. This baby was only a day old. She kept him down low all morning.
This couple had a baby that was a couple of days old. These babies will grow up here but will be able to fly off once they are ready to leave the nest.
Most of the pelicans look like this, missing a wing. Most likely from getting tangled up in fishing line.
Taking a bath in the pond.
It’s fun to watch the pelicans go about their lives on the island at Homosassa Springs Park. Even though they can’t fly away, their babies will grow up and be able to do so .
Lots of robins in the trees.
White pelicans were floating around.
Wood duck on a log. He didn’t have a tag on so I’m thinking he’s a wild one that is just hanging out here for the food.
Spoonbill shaking off.
It’s rare to be this close to an osprey. Especially when they are taking a bath. This one was in the big aviary.
This wood stork was missing part of its wing.
Both eagles are missing a wing.
A rare white morph great blue heron was in the main pond. I didn’t see a tag on him. He’s got a beautiful face.
I made my annual winter trip up to Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park in mid-January. It was one of the first cold morning we have had. There was lots of bird activity at the park from injured birds that live there to the wild ones that fly in to visit. I took a ton of pictures so more on those to come.
You could hear this sandhill crane calling from all over the park. He was yelling all morning. Maybe he was calling for his mate.
An injured whooping crane. One of these days I’m going to head to central Florida to look for the wild whooping cranes that winter there.
This very young spoonbill was not afraid of the tourist. He was right over the boardwalk.
Flamingos having a disagreement.
Are they a couple? The caracara on the left is missing a wing and two of his right toes.
Barred owls make the cutest faces.
This fulvous whistling duck had a bad right leg. He was limping around.
My first American wigeon.
Wood ducks were hanging around all over the park.
There’s a huge variety of birds at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park. Birds that you would see in the wild from all over Florida. Most of these birds are injured in some way and have found a home here. We went up there to see the manatees that hang out in the river that runs through the park but there are so many great birds there as well. I might have to get back up there later in the springs to check out the sandhill crane, swan and duck babies.
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