Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus)
As indicated on the front page, this trip was not particular good for birding in terms of the number of species seen. I still managed to find some of the species I wanted to see and photograph. These species included the Swallow-tailed Kite, the Mississippi Kite, the Black Skimmer, and the Roseate Spoonbill. Missed species I was on a look-out for were the Snail Kite, the White-tailed Kite, and numerous waterfowl. Here I show some images of birds I encountered.
The Swallow-tailed Kite, one of he Florida specialties I was on a lookout for, turned out to be quite common
In Everglades I saw this species hunt for fish, just like an Osprey or a Sea Eagle
From a distance, the Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis), Savannah National Wildlife Refuge
The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) was also very common
Here an Osprey with "Catch-of-the-day". Notice how it reduces aerodynamic drag by positioning the fish!
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus). A very common raptor in Florida
Red-shouldered Hawk
An immature Red-shouldered Hawk
Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway), Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park area
Crested Caracara - immature
Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia), Cape Coral, Florida
Burrowing Owl
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) at a roadkill (looks like a hare) in the morning
Black Vulture
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
Double-crested Cormorant
Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)
Anhinga, the snake bird
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) and Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
Touchdown!
Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) nesting colony
Wood Stork
Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis)
Sandhill Crane
Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja), J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge
Roseate Spoonbill
White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)
White Ibis with a Roseate Spoonbill
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
Glossy Ibis
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Great Blue Heron
Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens)
Reddish Egret fishing technique (same as the Black Heron in Africa)
Green Heron (Butorides virescens)
Green Heron
Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)
Tricolored Heron
Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) in breeding plumage
Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis), Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. It was really tiny!
Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron
Limpkin (Aramus guarauna)
Encountered several Limpkin on the trip. More common than I thought
Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula)
Red-breasted Merganser / Siland (Mergus serrator)
"Birders" (Homo birdicus)
American Coot (Fulica americana)
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)
Common Gallinule
Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus)
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
Laughing Gull
Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)
Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)
Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
Black Skimmer skimming
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Willet (Tringa semipalmata)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) with chick
Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus)
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
Loggerhead Shrike
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Must be a Northern Mockingbird, but unusual coloration
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)
Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
Common Nighthawk
Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) with fledging
Male Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Red-winged Blackbird - female
Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major)
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
Fish Crow
Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)