Sunday Birding

After our naps today we visited the Birding Center.

Right at the front in the pond was a green heron.

I heard the long-billed curlew fly in and land quite far away. We didn't see one here in November and it's the first one we've seen on this trip.

Out on the bay a few redheads are still hanging around.

Double-crested cormorant.

This was the only wigeon we saw and it was snoozing.

The yellow-crowned night heron was well hidden among the reeds.

The light was finally right for me to get a good shot of the Northern Pintail. All the markings on the feathers are easily seen. Behind it is a common moorhen (aka common gallinule, waterhen, and swamp chicken).

We see this (not so) roseate spoonbill in this location a lot. We've never seen it with others of its ilk.

I took this shot to show 7 species that are in this spot (alligator pond).

1. White ibis
2. Roseate spoonblill
3. Northern pintail
4. Mottled duck
5. Great blue heron
6. Yellow-crowned night heron (zoom in!)
7. Alligator

Nearby was another green heron.

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Crabs are a favourite food of several of the larger birds. Their legs are blue.

A very handsome red-winged blackbird.

Kildeer.

My camera battery ran out at this point. We also saw what we think were long-billed dowitchers. Also present were black-necked stilts, green- and blue-winged teal, and greater yellowlegs. I also caught a quick glimpse of a sora - one of the 'regulars' on my checklist that I hadn't seen yet.

Now when we go birding, we are watching for species we haven't seen yet this year. As the migration progresses we will see more and more species. We will have to tear ourselves away when we leave in mid-April because the warblers will be arriving in droves. The migration continues well into May but, of course, we will be well settled back at home and welcoming spring and the good weather.