A Roseate Spoonbill was looking out over a marsh from his perch in this gnarly tree.
As we passed he started a series of stretches.
All in preparation for liftoff, straight up and not quite was I was expecting.
One With The Tree
Tag Archives: Birds in Flight
Roseate Spoonbills, Another Opportunity
A few miles from where I hoped the Roseate Spoonbills, Would Come on Down I spotted another group with a few Great Egrets gathered in an old rice field impoundment. They took off before I got to a gap in the reeds where I could get an image.
They circled the area, staying low.
A few of the Spoonbills went right over my head before settling in another connected impoundment.
Roseate Spoonbills, Come on Down!
I was on a dike between two ponds, one of which was a perfect spot for these passing Roseate Spoonbills to land, at least to my eye.
They had other ideas about cutting their flight short but gave me a nice fly-by show.
Maybe they already had breakfast.
Then they disappeared into the distance.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area
August 6, 2020
Turkey Vulture Flying Over
A Turkey Vulture swooped right over me with his distinctive “wing fingers” fully extended. I love to see these vultures in flight, they are exceptionally graceful and agile in the air.
Juvenile Little Blue Heron
Some of this year’s juvenile Little Blue Herons are still hanging around the swamp, now on their own. The parents have moved on, no longer providing meals.
I was not expecting him to fly and he almost flew out of my frame. I liked the fall-ish background so kept the image even without much leading space in front of the bird.
He didn’t go very far and when I rounded a corner on the trail he was in front of me again.
Graceful Exit, Not
- I was peaking through some pond side vegetation trying to get a clear view of this Great Egret standing on an old wharf pilon.
Foot up, I thought he might fly.
First a minor adjustment… who saw that?
Lift off.
Green Heron Zipping By
A Green Heron flew up out of the reeds ahead of me along the dike.
Juvenile Little Blue Heron Flight School
The last few groups of this year’s juvenile Little Blue Heron are learning to fly.
It was a dull day and the adult Little Blue doesn’t show up that well, but it was fun to watch.
The little fellow wasn’t that interested. Maybe he knows this is the end of “food delivery by mama”.
After unsuccessfully trying to lure the youngster upward, finally the adult tried pushing.
Junior flew out onto a nearby branch. Now what do I do?
A juvenile from another nest shows how it is done.
Swallow-tailed Kite
We’ve been seeing a few Swallow-tailed Kites around, including one flying over our house last week, so I wasn’t surprised to spot a group of 10 or 15 circling over one of the marshes this morning.
These raptors feed by snatching insects, often dragonflies, out of the air or off their perch on a tree or reed.
Their flight skills are just amazing and they make full use of their tail and wings to swoop and dive.
A mix of Swallow-tailed Kites, Mississippi Kites, and few terns were working this area.
Yellow-crowned Night-heron Flying By
A Yellow-crowned Night-heron cruising around the pond, for no particular reason that I could see.
He made a few loops then disappeared into the trees.
