Claudia, sometimes the hummers really DO look very long necked. I think it's just certain poses they are in. I have noticed the same with mine.

Melanie, I think those "messed up ducks" are a) beautiful and b) some kind of hybrid

There's a diving duck called a Scaup that has a ring around the eye like that. I just grabbed my laminated bird card that's sitting here on my desk to see which ones had that. The male Scaups have white on the bodies, but the females are all dark.

Also the Teals - which the pretty blue/green flash on the wings of your birds might indicate - some of them have a white ring around the eye too.

Claudia, great shots of the hummers! I've noticed the "long neck" look on the ones around here at times too and I do think it's them stretching to get to the nectar or maybe just the angle. Don't you just love the babies! I've noticed a couple of juvenile Red-bellied WP's lately and they are so cute to watch. They aren't visiting the feeders yet but will cling to the side of a palm tree or perch at the top of the cypress tree and holler for mom or dad to feed them! Oh how I love those pretty Goldfinch photo's!

Melanie, Your White Ibis photos are really nice and I like the Mallards too, they are such pretty ducks. The Muscovy on the other hand are rather unusual looking and yes, they are a huge nuisance and make big messes on peoples property ... not too many fond of that duck I'm afraid. Oh, I think the "hybrid" are actually juvenile Muscovy's: http://www.zonianlady.com/musc... The one in the water may be female and the one standing appears to be a juvenile male ... you can see the raised bumpy area beginning near his bill.

Not too many birds being spotted around here lately ... I think they are staying out of the heat or more than likely hanging out at someone else's house where there's more free food available. The only thing I've been putting out the past month is suet cakes which does attract the Jays and Woodpeckers. I've seen a few Carolina Wrens but haven't managed to get pictures of them yet. I took these through the kitchen window yesterday. Blue Jay and a juvenile Red-bellied WP:

I was just thinking, one of the gals at MOSI raised some Muscovy ducklings last year. I bet she would know how they look as they grow. Thanks for the input, everyone!

This is Dad's picture because I was still asleep, but my parents said there were 8 turkeys in our neighbor's yard this morning. I've seen turkeys while hiking, but never in the neighborhood before. I wonder what made them come here?



I wonder if Dad knows his date setting is wrong. Better go help him with that. My dad and technology don't mix.

Maybe all the rain you've had has flooded out their normal stomping grounds. They probably had enough dry areas to last them up until now but that has doubtless been "grazed" to capacity so they are going into areas they don't normally go.

Ann, they've been here all day. We were just eating dinner and Mom wouldn't stop looking out the window and narrating their movements. I would have taken pictures, but it's been raining all afternoon. Dad says he has seen turkeys in the neighborhood, but I don't think they show up that often. I've only ever seen them when I go hiking in the preserve where I'm pretty sure they know they're safe.

And then again, maybe someone in the neighborhood has begun feeding them.....

Well, we are pretty suburban and I do see a lot of the larger birds in the area. We have a wetland preserve to the east of us and another smaller preserve just a couple of miles south. The folks in New Tampa have been trying for years to build a road through the wetlands preserve so they can get to the interstate but Lutz residents get all riled up, point out the wetlands, and blame people in New Tampa for moving there in the first place. We actually looked at homes in New Tampa but there were too many deed restrictions. I mean, if Dad can't park the truck and the trailer outside, why would he want to live there?

I forgot to mention one of the hawks was down on the ground while we were eating dinner. I think it may be one of this year's juveniles because it seemed a little small. I don't know if this matters, but the breast was also very white and not as speckled with brown spots as I'm used to seeing.

Mom saw one of the turkeys go up into the trees so she thinks they're roosting here tonight. I just did a walk-around because I saw another Cuban Frog (little one, didn't get him) but I didn't see any of the turkeys. They did have enough sense to back away from the road when Mom was watching them. Unlike the other day when I was driving home and wondered why we were slowing down and then I saw the four Sandhill Cranes crossing the street. It's a good thing those birds are so tall you can see them from a distance. I'm constantly amazed I don't see more get hit by cars.

My first week back to work and we (the teacher and I) do one-on-one visits with each of the children for the first 3 days. One visit was at a student's home and when the teacher and I were leaving, I noticed something sitting on top of the street sign. As we came closer to the street and stop sign, I looked out the window in surprise to see a Hawk sitting there looking down at me! Even the teacher was amazed. (She doesn't really know anything about birds.) I have no idea why it was sitting right there at the intersection just a few feet up from the ground. It sure made me laugh though to be staring it right in the eyes from my lower advantage point.

Turkey time! They were wandering around this morning so I took some pictures with my camera. I counted six of them this morning.

Nice shots Melanie! So I guess they did roost there for the night like your mom said.

Cool, a whole family of Gobblers!!!

I got some more photos of the Summer Tanagers. I am pretty sure this one is a juvie male - you can see the color coming on him. I blew the photos up so much the detail is not so great but I wanted y'all to see the colors coming in on him to see if you agree.






I was REALLY excited to see this Yellow Throated Warbler. A first for my life list. According to Cornell these are here year round but we're slightly on the border of that so I guess we can have migrants as well as full time residents. He's on the roof of the carport which overlooks that birdbath. The birds line up on the roof there while waiting a turn at the bath tub.

Ann, I agree, that little cutie at the birdbath definitely appears to be a juvenile Summer Tanager! I've never seen one and would I'd love to see those beauties around here! My Florida bird book shows their range from the panhandle, across to the east coast and all the way down into the center part of the state but not along the east coast here. It also says they arrive in Florida in early March and remain until early November. For comparison, here are some photos of the juveniles at different stages: http://www.bing.com/images/sea...

I occasionally see the Yellow-throated Warblers here in winter but rarely this time of year.

Great shots!

Lovelies there, Ann. I think I've seen the Yellow-throated Warbler here at least once as well. In fact I'm pretty sure I posted a picture of him a couple of years ago. But since then I've taken thousands of pictures so I'll need to go on a search to find him.

Just got home from a weekend away, so will dig out the tripod and get set up for pictures tomorrow. The light should be good for pictures if we have clouds and rain all day as predicted.

Thanks Lin & Elaine! That link was great Lin.

Turkeys were out again this morning. Gobble, gobble.

Congratulations Ann!!!!

Thanks Claudia!

Melanie, it looks like the Gobblers have decided to take up permanent residence in your neighborhood.