Orlando Wetlands Park, 5/21/2012

Least Bttern

This morning I went to Orlando Wetlands Park again and had a pretty good morning.  The biggest highlight was seeing 10 Least Bitterns in the park--that's easily a record for me.  I think my previous record was 6. Some of them were obviously paired, which was also fun to see.

Least  Bittern

Several Barn Swallows were out, and they are extremely difficult to photograph.  But about four of them decided to perch and pose for us.

Barn Swallow

Several Snowy Egrets were out fishing, and I suppose we could have watched them do so all day.  I love watching them fly low over the water and pick up fish of the surface mid-flight.

Snowy Egret

Snowy Egret

A Crested Caracara was perched where I'd never seen one before.  I normally see them on the Birding Loop, but this one was northwest of it.

Crested Caracara

I think that Little Blue Herons are most interesting when they are in the process of getting their adult plumage.  There are several in the park that look like this.

Little Blue Heron

I also had fun with takeoffs and landings. I photographed a  Red-shouldered Hawk and a Pileated Woodpecker take off, and I photographed a Wood Stork landing. 

Red-shouldered Hawk

Wood Stork

Pileated Woodpecker

Here's a list of species I found this morning at Orlando Wetlands park.

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 25
Wood Duck 2
Mottled Duck 4
Wild Turkey 1
Wood Stork 2
Anhinga 5
Least Bittern 10
Great Blue Heron (Blue form) 7
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 12
Little Blue Heron 3
Tricolored Heron 9
Cattle Egret 25
Green Heron 10
White Ibis 10
Glossy Ibis 3
Black Vulture X
Turkey Vulture X
Osprey 2
Bald Eagle 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 5
Crested Caracara 1
Purple Gallinule 3
Common Gallinule 15
American Coot 20
Limpkin 2
Sandhill Crane 1
Killdeer 3
Black-necked Stilt 2
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
White-eyed Vireo 1
Fish Crow X
Barn Swallow 5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling 1
Northern Parula 3
Northern Cardinal 3
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
Boat-tailed Grackle X