Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘birds’

Feb 28

67 Comments

Purple Gems

[Many thanks to fellow bloggers for alerting me to a glitch here, which broke readers’ feeds; If you’re interested in viewing a few posts that didn’t make it to your Reader, visit Recent Posts below, from “The Show” forward, or simply click Unfollow & Follow, and they’ll appear. Or scroll! Thanks to WP for the fix.]

Purple Gallinules are one of the shyer creatures of our wetlands, and to spy one is always fun. It’s ironic that they’re so timid, given their bold coloring. But it’s always a joy to watch these purple, blue, and green gems — especially since they’re my favorite colors, wrapped up into one bright little bird.

Purple Gallinule, Green Cay Wetlands, FL

I am spectacular, yes

Purple Gallinule, Green Cay Wetlands, FL

Perhaps you need to see me at a different angle, to fully comprehend my beauty

These lovely creatures live in the freshwater marshes of the southeastern United States, as well as in Central America and the Caribbean. There’s no mistaking this medium-sized rail, with its purple-blue plumage, green back, pale blue forehead, white undertail (of which I’ve caught more than one glimpse), bright red and yellow bill, and long yellow legs. The juveniles sport blander, brown colorations. The  gallinules’ long legs make them *seemingly* awkward fliers, so short bursts of activity are their mode of transportation — or swimming like a duck if they’re not navigating the marsh with those dangling legs. They nest in well-hidden floating constructs in the wetlands, laying 5-10 eggs.

Purple Gallinule, Green Cay Wetlands, FL

Dinner-time in the duckweed at dusk

Purple Gallinule, Green Cay Wetlands, FL

Heinie-feather shot in the duckweed

The Purple Gallinule is omnivorous, eating the seeds, leaves, fruits, and grains of both aquatic and terrestrial plants; they also enjoy insects, frogs, snails, spiders, earthworms, fish, and even the eggs and young of other birds. When I see them in our wetlands, they’re often alone, nestled in the vegetation and cackling away — or being chased by other birds, most often by their sister species the Common Moorhen.

Purple Gallinule, Green Cay Wetlands, FL

Munching on blossoms in the wetlands

Fun Fact:

Despite the appearance of an awkward flier, Purple Gallinules have flown far from their home tropical marshes. They’ve turned up in the northern U.S., Canada, and even Europe and South Africa!

Part of:

Feb 26

60 Comments

Dusky Beauties, or: Please Don’t Talk Smack About Our Coots

Each species is a masterpiece, a creation assembled with extreme care and genius. —Edward O. Wilson

I’m easily distracted by critters — no matter how common they may be. It could be an Eastern Harvest Mouse that grabs my attention for a half-hour. On a recent stroll around our wetlands, I was entranced by the coloring of our very common American Coot, as a mating pair stood in the shallow waters at dusk. Their dark grey / black feathers, white bill, and red eyes against the darkening waters of the approaching night sky was lovely. It wasn’t a Great egret in full breeding plumage, no…. But just as striking.

American Coot, Florida Wetlands

A seemingly perturbed, but lovely, Coot

There weren’t many other human visitors, but I managed to attract a doozy. Off-season, I’m alone in the wetlands; during the season, I’m accompanied by a bevy of snowbirds. A female leaned over to see what I was engaged with — it had to be an exceptional find, after all — and *snorted* before replying to her equally charming companion: UGH! UG-AH-LY! And BORING. WHAT’S THE POINT?!? I was ready to say the same about her outfit, but she stomped off to insult some other hapless bird in the nature preserve before I could reply.

American Coots may be common in certain areas — in Florida, for instance, they’re year-round residents — but ugly? Boring? Unnecessary? Honestly. Do I go to your home state and randomly insult the poor animals? No. And not to be trite, but ALL creatures deserve our respect. Just because they’re common doesn’t mean that they’re 1) not beautiful and 2) not imperative to the ecosystem.

American Coot, Florida Wetlands

Listen to Stuart Smiley, Mr. Coot — you’re just lovely

As such, here are a few tidbits about these petite and lovely obsidian creatures, courtesy of Cornell, to dispense with those boring and unnecessary commentaries:

  • Coots have a profound ecological impact in the wetlands: One estimate from Back Bay, VA, suggests that the local coot population ate 216 tons (in dry weight) of vegetation per winter.
  • They’re long-living: The oldest known American Coot lived to be at least 22 years, 4 months old!
  • Looks like a duck, swims like a duck, but….: Coots don’t have webbed feet. Each one of the coot’s toes has broad lobes of skin that help it kick through the water; these broad lobes fold back each time the bird lifts its foot, so it doesn’t impede walking on dry land, though it helps to support the bird in the mucky wetlands.
  • Coots help science! Because coots are so common and widespread, scientists will monitor them as a way of tracking problems in the environment at large.

Feb 15

29 Comments

Night Flight of the Night Heron

To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work. —Mary Oliver

Always a welcoming sight in our wetlands, the Black-crowned Night Heron appears at dusk, ready for a night of marauding. I encountered this juvenile taking flight from deep within the wetland’s waters — I barely saw him, just his movement, since his camouflage was so perfect against the wetland’s vegetation in the setting sun. There’s so much that can be missed, if you’re not looking….

Black-crowned Night Heron (Juvenile) in Flight, Green Cay Wetlands

Perfect camouflage in the Florida Wetlands

Feb 13

68 Comments

The Show

The Great egrets of South Florida’s wetlands have been putting on the most wondrous displays in the rookeries. Appropriate timing for Valentine’s Day…. It’s hard not to think that I should be trying a wee bit more, after observing such grand shows of attracting mates.

Breeding Great Egret, Florida Wetlands

Breeding Great Egret, Florida Wetlands: Check me out.

The feathers of the Great egret are stunning, almost unreal; sadly, these beautiful birds were hunted mercilessly — nearly to the point of extinction, their numbers decimated by 95 percent — towards the end of the 19th century. Their breeding plumage was especially prized, and their treasured feathers were used in hats across the globe.

Breeding Great Egret, Florida Wetlands

Taking a breather in the rookery

With conservation measures enacted, their numbers grew throughout the 20th century. While wetland habitat loss is once again threatening their existence, these birds have a high adaptability to human habitation. Of course, the loss of wetland ecosystems remains another issue altogether.

Breeding Great Egret, Florida Wetlands

The setting sun has nothing on me….

During the breeding season, the Great egret displays long, elegant plumes on its back, which are used in courtship displays. Like a peacock, these feathery plumes spread out like a fan. (Outside the breeding season, these long feathers disappear.) During this time, the lore (the area between the bill and the eyes) may turn vibrant green. Nature’s colors are brilliant….

Breeding Great Egret, Florida Wetlands

Breeding plumage

The male Great egrets will choose a specific display area, which will later become the nesting site. Nests are usually over water, far off the ground — high in the rookeries, as in our area. He (HE!) builds the nest with long sticks and twigs before pairing up with a female, at which point they both work to complete the nest — although it’s usually the male who finishes it.

Breeding Great Egret, Florida Wetlands

Focus. Focus. Focus.

Breeding Great Egret, Florida Wetlands

Green lore appears during breeding season

Breeding Great Egret, Florida Wetlands

Shake it. Shake it like a Polaroid picture.

Breeding Great Egret, Florida Wetlands

Breeding Great Egret, Florida Wetlands

Glow

Breeding Great Egret, Florida Wetlands

The Fan

Breeding Great Egret, Florida Wetlands

And the final stage of the display, the reach….

Feb 4

71 Comments

Wetland Smarties

Usually our Green herons are very shy and difficult to spot, patient and motionless as they are in our wetlands — their  signature kuk or kyow calls are heard more often. [Click here to listen to their calls!] But when I do hear them, I search in the pond apple trees and cypress for their moppy crowns, in the hopes of catching their fascinating hunting process.

Green Heron, Florida Wetlands

Green heron close-up, pre-hunt

These guys have always been one of my favorites in our wetlands — perched high in the beautiful cypress trees during the approaching dusk. And the smarts on these little herons! Green herons will often drop bait onto the water’s surface — including live insects, berries, twigs, or feathers — to attract fish. The more curious the fish…the more likely they’ll end up as dinner at the quick thrust of the heron’s sharp bill. I’ve often seen them snap off twigs and leaves for bait, carrying it to secretive hunting areas.

Green Heron, Florida Wetlands

Focus! Focus!

Green Heron, Florida Wetlands

I will find you….

This hunting technique, and their use of tools, has earned the Green heron the well-deserved distinction as one of the world’s smartest birds.

Green Heron, Florida Wetlands

A moment of rest

Green Heron, Florida Wetlands

I am so lovely, yes?

Green Heron, Florida Wetlands

Preparing for the hunt

Part of:

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »