Venice, Florida 2/2013
Great Egret with breeding plummage called "airgrettes"
Both male and female incubate the eggs. The heron turns the eggs with its bill once about every two hours to keep the eggs evenly warm.
Great Egret with breeding plummage
Male and Female blue herons look very much alike - the only difference is that males are generally larger and have longer bills than females - another clue, she's talking and he's not
getting all in an uproar
gators at Myakka River State Park
Bob & Myah
Bob & Melanie
Great Egret
Great Egret
Amanda
Amanda, Debby
canopy structure
the big gulp - the little birds are always around to get the pelican's leftovers - sometimes they even poke their beaks inside the pelicans mouth to try to get a nibble
no - this is not me, but she looked like she was enjoying herself
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron - these birds are just so majestic, especially with their breeding colors
Great Egret with breeding plummage - their legs turn a pale greenish-gray and the area above their beak turns greenish - anhinga on right
during breeding season, the Great Blue Heron’s bill and lower legs change from yellow to orange and the area around the bill turns a bright blue
Great Egret with a neck ache, surely
fussing at each other
"Go get me some more sticks!"
Bob & Melanie at Myakka River State Park
little blue heron
Little Blue Heron
Great Egret landing
Myakka State Park
watching the spoonbill
Amanda staying connected
Anna & Amanda on the pier at Sharky's
brown pelican
brown pelican
another form of exercise
Great Blue Heron
brown pelican
Great Egret and anhinga
Great Egret with breeding plummage
nesting birds at the Rookery in Venice, Florida
"we'll do it MY way, do you understand?!"
hibiscus
little blue heron soooo close to the alligator!
anhinga
Great Blue Heron
roseate spoonbill (someone there said it was uncommon to see them)
wild turkeys ran across the road on our way out of Myakka Park
sunset at Sharky's pier
brown pelican
book club meeting, maybe?
Great Blue Heron
snorkeling
the adult blue heron has long and showy plumes on its head, breast, and back while it is in the breeding season - hatchlings are in in nest
Great Egret with breeding plummage
Great Blue Heron bringing something for the nest
our rental bikes
baby alligators - there were 5
Great Blue Heron
anhinga
osprey
watching the spoonbill
Canopy Walkway
Bob, Melanie, Jan
this was fun to watch - the little girl seemed fearless even when they were bobbing around
not many children while we were there, but this boy was good at entertaining himself
sweet and relaxed
woke up with bed hair
diving