Orlando Wetlands Park, 9/26/2011

Dragonfly

For the third time in four days, I went to Orlando Wetlands Park to bird with friends [gallery], not that I'm complaining.  This was a very good day for me.  I saw my first Yellow Warbler in Florida, and the best highlight for me, I saw and photographed an American Bittern.  We were walking back to the car, and it flew up right in front of me.  I was looking up in the trees, and I didn't even see it until it flew away.  I was able to get one sharp picture as he flew, and it's not very good, but it's my first ever photo of one, so I'm content, for now.

American Bittern

Another highlight for me was watching one Belted Kingfisher, who caught a fish that seemed way too big for her.  She had the fish in her beak and slapped it down on the branch he was sitting on over and over again.  She did this for at least 10 minutes until she finally swallowed it.

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher (she missed)

Here are some photos from my day.

Purple Gallinule

Roseatte Spoonbills

Blue-Winged Teal

Tricolored Heron

Northern Waterthrush

This is the list of species we observed:

NonBirds
American Alligator
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly
Black Swallowtail Butterfly
Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly
Viceroy Butterfly
Various Dragonflies

Birds
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck X
Blue-winged Teal X
Northern Shoveler X
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Anhinga X
American Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron X
Great Egret X
Snowy Egret X
Little Blue Heron X
Tricolored Heron X
Cattle Egret 1
Green Heron X
White Ibis X
Glossy Ibis X
Roseate Spoonbill 4
Black Vulture X
Turkey Vulture X
Osprey 1
Bald Eagle 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 4
Purple Gallinule 3
Common Gallinule X
Limpkin 1
Sandhill Crane 1
Least Sandpiper 2
Mourning Dove X
Belted Kingfisher 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1
American Crow X
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling X
Northern Waterthrush 1
Common Yellowthroat X
Yellow Warbler 1
Northern Cardinal X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
Boat-tailed Grackle X