Posted on 12/19/2016 3:08:56 PM PST by Islander7
It was sunny and warm in Florida today. High was 86. Got a little camera and nature time today too. Hope you enjoy.
Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and an awesome New Year.
I believe 2017 is gonna a great start to the Trump revolution to restore America!
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Anhinga on a pier sunning his feathers.
Great egret in the swamp (Highlands Hammock State Park)
Red shouldered hawk looking for mice.
(Excerpt) Read more at freepublic.com ...
Cardinal
I love birds and photography. Ideally miss his pictures.
Also, does anyone know where SunkenCiv is?
Is he over at the not FR site with the never-Trumpers now?
I think that cardinals in the snow make some of the best bird pictures.
Female Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker (male) preening
Agree, the colors and contrast are amazing!
I didn’t know that there was one. What is the address? Out of curiosity I would like to check it out, especially today.
I feed the birds outside of my workplace, and the Mockingbird is the most jolly and forthcoming, with very wise eyes. They aren’t afraid of much. (I think Thomas Jefferson had a pet ‘Mocker’ of whom he was very fond.)
Today the shy, new Cardinal came around. They get more friendly as the seed and bug supply diminishes in Winter. They will hang around me for the next few months, and then mostly forget me when breeding time comes around.
The sparrows, however, are constant. They watch at the door, waiting for me to come out and throw crumbs for them; and follow me across the street when I go to lunch. Sometimes one will fly almost into my face, wanting to make his presence known and get my attention.
One of my co-workers gave me a joke Xmas gift today - the DVD of Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’ - because there’s always a flock following me around ;-)
Bird-watching has been one of the most enlightening and enjoyable hobbies that I’ve adopted during my lifetime. I highly recommend it!
Swampsniper memorial bump
gopbriefingroom, I think.
That is a female Scarlet Tanager — bright yellow to match a male that is vivid scarlett and black. Who would have thunk it right? Seeing the female first had me narrowed down to about four birds it could be and then I saw the male — bingo.
The male juvenile is a mix of yellow, dusky brown and some scarlet until the molt mature.
My wife has a couple of great shots of a Pilated Woodpecker from central Missouri. As big as a small dog that bugger is and a regular to the suet feeder as a commuter train. 7:00 11:30 4:00 day after day during the winter.
She’s beautiful!
I don’t know if I’ve noticed the actual time of day that the pileateds (both sexes) visit our feeders, but they are here every day in the winter, and truthfully, almost every day all year long, however, not quite as much in the late Summer.
We got a real surprise 2 years ago in the late Spring. We heard such a racket and we knew it was the Pileateds visiting. However, we were very surprised to see 4 of them! We figured Mom and maybe Dad were showing the new babies where the “food lady” lives. They were pretty loud practicing their calls.
I was close, I thought Summer Tanager. They nest here every summer but only saw them a few times this year. Not quite as deep red as Scarlet Tanager, female is almost identical, maybe a bit duller.
White Throated Sparrow on my feeder last year 
Eastern Bluebird on a nesting box I built for them. It's been occupied every year for 4 years now. They took it over 2 days after I installed in on the post. 
Another nesting box I built, originally for the Tufted Titmouse but this Prothonotary warbler has been using it 2 years. 
Scissor Tailed Flycatcher 
Male Summer Tanager 
OUTSTANDING! Thanks for posting. R.I.P. SWAMPSNIPER
love
Any other shots of the last bird? Ruby-crowned Kinglet won’t show two prominent wing bars like that. Could be a Pine Warbler.
Love that scissor tailed fly catcher. Used to see them in south Mississippi in 50s and 60s. They are extinct there now. Too sad!
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