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03/17/12
An “Old MacDonald” morning on our birding patch
Filed under: General, Birding & Outdoors, Florida & SE US, Birding "Patches"
Posted by: Ken @ 4:49 am

It was just another ho-hum Old MacDonald morning out on the wetlands, with only common birds species that would not thrill some of our “Robo-Birder” friends. At least we got home before the rains came.  

Walking the same birding patch every morning is not boring.  It is a bit like singing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” There is a certain joy in its familiarity, its cadence, the repetition. With each verse, you know what comes next– usually.

This morning, before sunrise, Mary Lou and I step a few doors from our South Florida home, exit the subdivision gate, and after ducking through a gap in the fence we set foot on on the coarse gravel of the road leading into the wetlands, It will soon become a busy thoroughfare. As usual, there is a pattern to our bird sightings.

As expected, a White-winged Dove is singing “Who cooks for you?” to its mate on a back yard fence along the way. It’s too dark for photography, but I crank the ISO up to 1600 and pull off a shot anyway.

White-winged Doves 20120316

Another predictable bird, a juvenile White Ibis walks on a roof, but this morning its graceful movement along the ridge tiles imparts delicate beauty.

White Ibis on roof 20120316

We stop on the road and cast an anxious look back at the storm clouds gathering over the ocean. This is not a morning to venture deep into the wetlands.

Road at dawn HDR 20120316

The reliable abandoned telephone pole hosts two of its reliable tenants, an Osprey and an American Kestrel.

Osprey and kestrel 20120315

The same old Eastern Towhee is singing in the roadside bushes.

Eastern Towhee 4-20120229

When we reach Harbour Lake, the sun is rising behind us.

Sunrise HDR 20120316

The first rays are reaching the tops of thick clouds that are forming over the Everglades to the west. We will soon be surrounded by storms.

Harbour Lake at dawn HDR 20120316

The weather may be closing in, but sunlight reaches the surface of the lake. The usual Great Egret poses nicely in the usual spot.

Great Egret 3-20120228

Near it is just another plain old brown Mottled Duck. “With a quack-quack here and a quack-quack there…”

Mottled Duck 20120228

An American Coot, usually seen swimming and diving, now shows off its long, lobed toes.

American Coot 20120315

“Here a Myrtle, there a Palm, everywhere a yellow-butt…” Ready to depart, this representative of the Western race of Palm Warblers, so drab all winter, is changing into brighter breeding colors.

Palm Warbler 3-20120224

A Prairie Warbler breaks the monotony.

Prairie Warbler 2-20120315

“With a chip-chip here and a chip-chip there, everywhere a chip-chip…” Look! what is THAT? A Pied -billed Grebe with a snake?

Pied-billed Grebe with siren 20120310

No, not a snake. This grebe is struggling with a creature that on closer examination exhibits a vertically flattened tail and  external appendages or gills– a type of salamander, probably a Southern Dwarf Siren (Pseudobranchus axanthus), or possibly an Amphiuma species (another eel-like aquatic salamander). “Sirens are generally eel-like in form, with two tiny, but otherwise fully developed, forelimbs. They range from 25–95 cm (9.8–37 in) in length.[1] They are neotenic [they retain juvenile physical characteristics well into maturity– Ken] , although the larval gills are small and functionless at first, and only adults have fully developed gills. Because of this, it is most likely sirens have evolved from a terrestrial ancestor that still had an aquatic larval stage. Like amphiumas, they are able to cross land on rainy nights” (Ref: Wikipedia).

At first the grebe holds the siren near its middle, and it wiggles violently. The grebe dives and stays under for several seconds, then comes up with the siren grasped near its head. The siren is still contorting as the grebe attempts to swallow it. The grebe disappears under the water with its prey and surfaces somewhere out of sight, so I do not know the outcome of the struggle.

Pied-billed Grebe with siren 4-20120310

Speaking of snakes, a couple of days ago at this same spot I saw this Ring-necked Snake, about 11-12 inches in length.  (The first time I saw one in Florida I thought I had discovered a new species unknown to science– certainly not something I had seen back home in New Jersey or New Mexico.) I blocked its escape and then captured it by hand.

Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus) 20120303

As soon as I held the snake it stopped trying to escape and coiled, belly-up, exposing its bright yellow and orange undersides. It remained motionless as if playing dead, but when I turned it over, it immediately resumed the belly-up position.

Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus)  playing dead 20120303 20120303

It hid its head among the coils.

Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus) 2-20120303

I watched from a distance as the snake slowly uncoiled and slithered away.

Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus) 3-20120303

16 Responses to “An “Old MacDonald” morning on our birding patch”

  1. Laurence Butler Says:
    March 19th, 2012 at 8:13 am Great shots Ken! I love your warbler and Towhee close-ups. That nifty snake was a cool curveball too. I know the feeling of birding a familiar patch. It’s reliable, good for photography, and always maintains some excitement for what’s around the corner.
  2. Boom & Gary Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 1:39 pm Excellent scen shots, and beautiful wildlife. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
  3. Mary Howell Cromer Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 1:48 pm Oh My the Grebe with the snake, I do hope that the Grebe did OK and survived that catch! Another Oh My with this snake at the bottom, it is a beauty, yet it is well….a snake;)The bottom sky scape is amazing, what glorious colours in the sky as well as on the land. I really foud the Kestrel and the Ospry interesting wire utility friends. Great series~
  4. fjällripan Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 1:56 pm Terrific photos all of them!! So great to see the osprey and the kestrel at tje same place.
  5. HansHB Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 2:50 pm So many nice photos of excotic birds! Perfect post! Happy WBW!
  6. Mick Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 3:17 pm When much of the world is showing such violent and drastic change its good to find beautiful things still in their right places. The sky photos are especially beautiful.
  7. eileen Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 3:26 pm Hi Ken, I love the Prairie Warbler and the Ibis walking on the roof is funny! The reflection on the lake is beautiful. Great shots.
  8. Larry Jordan Says:
    March 20th, 2012 at 5:55 pm Gorgeous photos as always Ken but something special today. That’s right, your ordinary, everyday birds that many folks would give their eye teeth to see. The Palm Warbler lit up my day! And watching a Pied-billed Grebe trying to swallow that creature was very cool. But how could you leave me up in the air about the outcome? BTW, loved the snake shots too!
  9. heyBJK Says:
    March 21st, 2012 at 2:48 am Love the Ibis and Towhee shots, Ken! The snake photos are cool, too. It’s neat to see it playing dead. Beautiful colors.
  10. Tatjana Parkacheva Says:
    March 21st, 2012 at 10:45 am Beautiful photos. Regards and best wishes
  11. joo Says:
    March 21st, 2012 at 12:50 pm I’m impressed! Your photos are simply awesome!
  12. Pat Says:
    March 21st, 2012 at 1:52 pm Beautiful, beautiful wildlife shots! The colors in the threatening sky are amazing.
  13. Kathiesbirds Says:
    March 21st, 2012 at 5:13 pm Well, let’s just say that I would have loved to go on this walk with you! What beauty surrounds you. How it must fill your heart to start your day like this! I love the snake. Did you ever identify it? Beautiful pictures all. I love the contrast of the osprey and the kestrel. Hey, that sounds like a story or a poem.
  14. Kathiesbirds Says:
    March 21st, 2012 at 5:14 pm P.s. I saw a pied-billed grebe in Central Park this weekend!
  15. ramblingwoods Says:
    March 23rd, 2012 at 3:34 pm all of my birding is done in my yard due to health limitations and I enjoy it as I get to really observe the regulars around the pond and woods and once in a while something different..I enjoyed this post…Michelle
  16. Ken Says:
    March 27th, 2012 at 7:16 pm Thanks, all! I really appreciate your kind comments!

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