Harns Marsh

We always enjoy visiting Harns Marsh in Lehigh Acres. While Warren and Bill power-walked the 5 miles around, Beth and I took our time (and lots of pictures!) meandering around the upper ponds - meeting the boys about a mile from where we parked. There was lots to see and Beth added several birds to her life list.

This Roseate Spoonbill was just magnificent! The yellow head and dark pink wing indicates it is a mature (breeding) adult. They, like the Wood Storks in my last post, have beautiful bodies and rather ugly bald heads.

And talking about ugly heads - look at these Black Vultures.

There were THOUSANDS of Tree Swallows flying around. I've never seen so many - and they are almost impossible for me to photograph as they are never still. I was thrilled when some landed so at least I had a fighting chance to get a picture...

...or two

...or a hundred.

We saw this Osprey as we were leaving. Check out his fish!

This is a Greater Yellowlegs. When Beth and I saw it, we didn't know whether it was a Greater or Lesser Yellowlegs, but she consulted her Stokes Field Guide to Birds and properly identified it for her blog - giving credit to her reference. After posting her entry, she was thrilled to get a comment from birding authorities, Don and Lillian Stokes, the authors of the field guide!

Just a couple of neighbors hanging around discussing politics.

I think I see this photogenic Tricolored Heron every time I visit Harns Marsh.

This was one of Beth's sightings - an American Bittern. I saw one on my last trip, but this one was closer.


What a beautiful place!

Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge

On a recent trip to Sanabel's wildlife jewel, Beth, Bill and I had the rare opportunity to photograph some endangered Wood Storks up close and personal. They were at the shoreline just feet away from the road.

Son John, who is here for the holidays, says this looks like a drag queen of the animal kingdom.

Look at the way their legs bend to sit. These majestic birds are beautiful in flight, but up close they sure do have ugly heads!

Three Wood Storks posing for the people who stopped to take pictures.

We also saw other large shore birds: a Snowy Egret,

a Great Egret,

and a Yellow-crowned Night Heron standing just off the road. He never moved while we took lots of pictures.


The Double-crested Cormorants are very common and I usually don't bother taking too many pictures, but I thought this one was especially cute.

Spiders, snakes, lizards, frogs, butterflies, armadillos and, of course, birds!

I'm so far behind in my blogging that I hardly know where to start. We were without Internet while in Fort Myers and I will never let that happen again! I can't believe how much I depend on something that didn't exist for most of my life!

The following pictures are from trips to Corkscrew Swamp and Babcock Webb.

I have no idea what kind of spider this is - but he's big!

Naturalists stage themselves along the boardwalk at Corkscrew so they can point out something special hiding in the trees or nestled in the weeds - especially if it is dangerous like this Water Moccasin.

You really have to look closely to see the lizard in this picture. Look how long his tail is!

The swamp lily is a native plant and we often see them growing in the swamps.

This is a tiny tree frog - only about one inch across - that was sitting quietly on a leaf. I turned the picture so he could be seen better.

A Great Egret trying to stay warm in the unusually chilly southwest Florida weather.

There were lots of pretty butterflies in the butterfly garden at Corkscrew.

These two were fun to watch as they played in the sun.

Another lizard...

This Great Blue Heron was far away but I liked the way he was framed by the trees.

Finally a hawk other than a red-shouldered! This is a Northern Harrier. We spotted it at Babcock Webb and it was a life bird for sister Beth. I took this picture through the window of Warren's van.

All the way at the far end of the Babcock Webb drive (open only during hunting season) we saw this beautiful Bald Eagle in the distance.

This was a nice surprise! We actually saw three Nine Banded Armadillos along the side of the drive.

More Trip Pics!

I have no clue what this biker is towing - but I couldn't resist taking a picture as he rode by us in Cape Coral. I assume these are his art works and he was returning home after displaying them for sale at a local venue. Are they fish? birds? I may never know!

The weather in Ft. Myers was cool so the Manatees were gathered at Manatee Park in the warm waters by the power plant. Sister Beth had been to Manatee Park before but never when the Manatees were there, so Bill drove us over.

Beth had her new camera and took lots of pictures, but you will have to check her blog to see them.

Afterwards, we drove over to Cape Coral to try and see the Burrowing Owls. We didn't see any owls out in the chilly air mid-day, but I did see this Mocking Bird.


And we saw the Monk Parakeets at their usual spot by the ball fields.

On an early morning visit to Lover's Key to walk and pick up sea shells, the Osprey were out in force. They are building their nests getting ready to settle down and raise a family. Look closely and you will see this guy has a fish in his left talon.

Beth and Warren have two cats, George and Chaney and they shared the beach house becoming Florida cats very quickly. This is Chaney. He usually hides when anyone he doesn't know is around, but for some reason he decided I was okay and even let me pet him - but only for a few minutes.

Where has December Gone?

Bill and I spent a fabulous couple of weeks at our condo in tropical (not so much) Ft. Myers. Sister Beth and her "dh" were staying on the beach so we spent lots of time together shelling, birding, visiting with friends and the local quilt shops. Since we did not have Internet at the condo, I was not able until now to post pictures. Check out my sister's blog at http://quilterb-bethsblog.blogspot.com/ for a sneak peak of what's to come here at Parker's Barkers.

Out first outing late in the day was to Six Mile Cypress Slough where we walked the boardwalk through the swamp visiting and taking pictures. Anhingas are common at the swamp, but I always like to see them posing for the camera with their wings spread out to dry in the afternoon sun.

We don't have Cardinals in Colorado, so they are a treat to our eyes.

I love the colors in the background behind this beautiful Red-shouldered Hawk.

This Great Blue Heron was really displaying his colors in the sunlight.

Two of them were flying back and forth over one of the ponds.

No, this White Ibis hasn't injured his leg - they often stand on one leg, resting the other. This time of year his bill and legs are pink but in the Spring, when thoughts of love dance through his head, his bill and legs will turn bright red.

Boy did I have a hard time getting this Yellow-throated Warbler to stand still long enough for a decent picture. I also took pictures of a Blue-grey Gnatcatcher and a Common Yellowthroat, but those pictures were not good enough to post. Maybe next time.

Another busy, busy bird - a Black-and-white Warbler.

And busy, busy describes the rest of our vacation with trips to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Lover's Key, Port Charlotte, Ding Darling, Babcock-Webb, Harns Marsh, Cape Coral and Manatee Park. Ocala friends Bob and Peggy joined us for a weekend of fabric shopping and I have lots of pictures that I will post later.