Birding Downtown Orlando
Orange County, FL
Wednesday 1 March 2023
80 °F
Today, while my dad was in rehearsal, I birded the main reservoirs of downtown(ish) Orlando. My first stop was the ironically-named Lake Lucerne where I laid eyes on this GREAT EGRET:
It caught a fish!
And gulped it down!
And nice looks at a COMMON GALLINULE:
TRICOLORED HERON:
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT:
LESSER SCAUP:
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER:
Nice looks at a few BOAT-TAILED GRACKLES:
GREAT BLUE HERON:
With a Great Egret:
More looks at a Gallinule:
PALM WARBLER was nice on my way to the next lake:
As was EASTERN PHOEBE:
BLACK VULTURE:
Gecko — would love if someone could fill me in on the species of this invasive herp:
And another, maybe an Anole this time?
ANHINGA doing what it does best — snake-birding!
PIED-BILLED GREBE:
RING-NECKED DUCK:
Old Melanistic Slider?
Funny Anhinga perched on a Canada Goose decoy surrounded by real Ring-necked Ducks:
FISH CROWS abounded:
And I saw the feral-type MUSCOVY DUCKS at the next lake, an invasive denizen of Florida wetlands:
And back to the native birds with a SNOWY EGRET, my FOY:
As were these BLUE-WINGED TEAL for me:
Anhinga drying its wings:
Florida Softshell Turtle, caught one of these badboys when I was eight!
AMERICAN COOT:
I soon made it to the Orlando Urban Wetland Park where my bird-of-the-day came in the form of these LIMPKIN, a species I’ve only seen a handful of times previously:
Guess the bird:
Yep, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK!
WOOD DUCKS:
Nice sustained look at this Fish Crow:
And this LITTLE BLUE HERON:
WHITE IBIS with a MOURNING DOVE:
And another nice Floridian specialty, the WOOD STORK!
White Ibis:
Goodnight! Looking for Bachman’s Sparrow and Gray-headed Swamphen tomorrow - stay tuned!
Happy birding,
Henry
World Life List: 1146 Species
Enjoy your time in Florida, Henry! Such great birds. Thanks for sharing.
by Susie