Marilynne's Wetlands and Other Stuff 2015

[Marilynne]

Thanks Chris.

 

[Marilynne]

West side of Lake Okeechobee.

Jacksonville District – Herbert Hoover Dike

Closest thing to a waterfall in my neck of the woods - draining

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Work being done on the Herbert Hoover Dike.

Watching

 

[Marilynne]

A little further southward - we believe it was a controlled burn in one of the sugar cane fields.

What I saw - four shots handheld

Two shots handheld

Doctored

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[Marilynne]

Now on the south portion of the lake.

Laughing Gull
Another first time bird for me.

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[Marilynne]

 

[Marilynne]

 

[Marilynne]

Ring-billed Gull

 

[nikonpup]

Now on the south portion of the lake.

I'm going with Bonaparte's Gull. Other choice was Black-headed Gull, but Sibley doesn't show them in FL. Another first time bird for me. Please let me know if I'm incorrect.

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try "laughing gull" right range and color per my bird book. franklin gull has the same white around the eye but the location is not right.

 

[Marilynne]

Laughing gull's whole head is black, so I ruled that one out Ron.

 

[Marilynne]

End of trip around lake.

Assorted gulls

From start to finish 200 miles in an open Jeep. Wind blown and tired.

 

[nikonpup]

For the last week Chris mentioned we should drive around Lake Okeechobee and look for a Sandhill Crane. We usually spotted them in the median on Beeline Hwy and never found a place to pull over to get a shot. We were disappointed when we passed the area where we saw them in the past, but were real surprised when we pulled in the parking lot at our favorite catfish place.

I give you my first Sandhill Crane in the wild (I have shot them at the zoo)

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nice closeup of the head. they are migrating thru our area now, most of the shots I and friends have gotten where BIF, Flordia birds must be more friendly. I have to give you another star.

 

[Marilynne]

Thanks for my gold star Ron.

 

[nikonpup]

your gull has white spots on the tail, the same as a laughing gull.

 

[Marilynne]

The extra blue hue is from a tarp/awning.

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[Kevin H]

Now on the south portion of the lake.

I'm going with Bonaparte's Gull. Other choice was Black-headed Gull, but Sibley doesn't show them in FL. Another first time bird for me. Please let me know if I'm incorrect.

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Laughing Gull see in you first pic head is all Black it just the way they hold their heads sometimes looks wrong also red bill

 

[Marilynne]

Thanks Kevin and Ron. I'm going back to basics - it's a gull!!!

 

[Marilynne]

It spotted me

 

[Marilynne]

Sprucing up the nest

 

[Marilynne]

Honey, look what I brought you

 

[Marilynne]