Yesterday was a great day on the water; I love being out on the boat when it's not too hot, the humidity is low and there's a nice breeze ... perfect!

This morning my volunteer group gave a presentation to some elderly folks at an assisted living facility and then we had lunch at a neat restaurant on the St. Johns River ("Swamp House Riverfront Grill") ... great food and the scenery was so pretty! I took my camera along and got a photo of the river area, an Egret that was wandering around the property and (a not so great shot) of two Hawks that flew to a pine tree:



Just as we were walking to the parking lot one of the ladies spotted this mailbox ... we all laughed so hard! I don't know whose idea that was but they sure have a sense of humor!

Lin

mailbox

Nice egret shots Lin.

Thanks ladies ... I thought that mailbox was hilarious!

We did yard work this afternoon (hubby did the string trimming, edging and blowing) and I mowed the lawn. Then I sat out back watching the birds for awhile and of course got a few photo's.

This little Cardinal was perched on a power line singing his heart out and an American Crow was perched atop the power pole where the Mockingbirds were screeching and dive bombing him. We have lots of Mockingbirds nesting now and the Crows are known to get the eggs so the Mockers are really being territorial right now.


The Grackles and Doves were on the ground finding seeds that had been scattered from the feeders:


And, a Great Egret was looking for dinner along the waters edge:

This afternoon I viewed a Bald Eagle fly-by ... and the regular backyard birds like the Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, Grackle, Mockingbird and Mourning Dove:

All RIGHT Lin! Great shot of old baldy there!

Thanks Ann ... I get so flustered when I see one and realize it's an Eagle and they are almost out of frame by the time I snap the photo!

plantladylin said:Yesterday was a great day on the water; I love being out on the boat when it's not too hot, the humidity is low and there's a nice breeze ... perfect!

This morning my volunteer group gave a presentation to some elderly folks at an assisted living facility and then we had lunch at a neat restaurant on the St. Johns River ("Swamp House Riverfront Grill") ... great food and the scenery was so pretty! I took my camera along and got a photo of the river area, an Egret that was wandering around the property and (a not so great shot) of two Hawks that flew to a pine tree:



Just as we were walking to the parking lot one of the ladies spotted this mailbox ... we all laughed so hard! I don't know whose idea that was but they sure have a sense of humor!

Great pics Lin! Those are Herons, not Egrets.

plantladylin said:Yesterday was a great day on the water; I love being out on the boat when it's not too hot, the humidity is low and there's a nice breeze ... perfect!

This morning my volunteer group gave a presentation to some elderly folks at an assisted living facility and then we had lunch at a neat restaurant on the St. Johns River ("Swamp House Riverfront Grill") ... great food and the scenery was so pretty! I took my camera along and got a photo of the river area, an Egret that was wandering around the property and (a not so great shot) of two Hawks that flew to a pine tree:



Just as we were walking to the parking lot one of the ladies spotted this mailbox ... we all laughed so hard! I don't know whose idea that was but they sure have a sense of humor!

"The Great Egret (Ardea alba), also known as Great White Egret, Common Egret, Large Egret or Great White Heron,[2][3][4] is a large, widely-distributed egret." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G...

I've only known it to be a Heron. Sorry about that.

The mailbox pic is funny!

flaflwrgrl said:All RIGHT Lin! Great shot of old baldy there!

Didn't know the Bald Eagle was referred to as "old baldy".

Lin

All your pics are excellent!

Thanks Marilyn ... yep, Heron's and Egrets and Bitterns are in the same family (Ardeidae). We have lots of them here in Florida. The Great Blue Heron which is Bluish-Gray in color is easily identifiable. With the White ones I had trouble remembering which was which for a long time. The Great Egret (tall @ 39" is all white with black legs and feet and a bright yellow bill). The Snowy Egret (smaller @ 24" is all white with black legs but has bright yellow feet and a yellow bill). We also have another white one, the Cattle Egret (the smallest at @ 20") which is all white in color in the non breeding season and white with buff colors in the breeding season with yellowish legs and a short yellow bill.

There are many more Herons/Egrets found here in Florida ... very pretty birds; Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron and Yellow-crowned Night Heron and the Reddish Egret.

The Mountain Ash trees are in full bloom. They make lots of fruit which the backyard birds eat up during the winter.


Here is the pot saucer bird waterer again. Still very popular! Wish I could get a shot of a bird using it.

Pretty blooming trees, Rita! In a dry climate like my area, the water containers attract a lot of birds.

Love those pretty Mountain Ash trees! The flowers remind me of the Photinia shrubs that grow down here.
Re: the saucer of water ... I also like to have something low on the ground for the Doves (and the Wren's seem to like them too). The regular birdbaths attract the larger birds while the small ones seem to prefer the lower watering holes.

Blue Jay in the above mentioned (Photinia x fraseri) shrubs and close up of the flowers:

Wow, Lin those flowers on that tree really do look like my flowers. And I have two really nice birdbaths. Will have to get pictures. But this plant saucer is the most poplular.

Rita, you should upload those gorgeous bloom photo's of the Ash to the database!: American Mountain Ash (Sorbus americana)

Isn't it interesting how two entirely different plants can have very similar flowers? I guess that's why when trying to identify a plant it's good to have pic's of the bark, growth habit, fruit, blooms etc. for comparison.

I know, I should. I am just so behind putting pictures into the database.

Azaleas all in a row have a hidden pond popular for drinking birds.


Front yard section with slotbox nestbox being stuffed full of twigs by the House Wren.