Flying in from the far side of the pond.
It’s all about following the food.
Oops, need to be a bit closer.
Now he’s ahead of the pack.
And immediately started eating
A Hop, A Skip, and a Jump: Spoonbill
Tag Archives: Feeding
Butterfly Caterpillar
Online searches leads me to think these are Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillars. The color (brown not green) and behavior (daytime eating not daytime sleeping) doesn’t exactly match what I’ve read and I’d be happy to have any input.
The false “eyespots,” presumed to scare off predators are correct for the Spicebush Swallowtail.
The caterpillar’s real eyes are pinpoint size and somewhere near the mouth.
These caterpillars could be known as “eating machines” which is how I happened to notice them as previously robust plants are now sticks.
I don’t know if these patio pots have enough acceptable foliage to support the five caterpillars I saw to their next stage. I’ll look for them again tomorrow.
All Together Now
one, two,
three!
American White Pelicans
This quartet of American White Pelicans was paddling along and feeding in an old rice field impoundment.
These Pelicans are rather mesmerizing to watch, as they go back and forth, round and round.
Green Heron Hunting From Branch
You can’t help but be impressed by a Green Heron’s patience and flexibility.
Staring intently into the water, seconds ticking by in this postion.
Wham!
The exciting part is over in a flash, with just the water ripples as evidence.
And once again he had success!
Tricolored Heron Breakfast
It was another one of those mornings when the sun stubbornly stayed behind a bank of low clouds.
So the light wasn’t great but I was surrounded by wading birds. This Tricolored Heron was working on acquiring breakfast.
Stealthily and slowly he worked his way into the open water.
And was rewarded with a very small morsel.
Gulf Fritillary, Morning Glory
Some nearly gone by Morning Glories on the edge of a pond were attracting this Gulf Fritillary.
The supporting vegetation has provided some serious snacking, perhaps that caterpillar in the lower left was the beneficiary.
Willet On The Hunt, In The Wind
It was late afternoon and windy at the beach when I spotted a Willet hunting in a tidal pool.
Often these shore birds go back and forth in the same pool, probing around the edges for food.
This time the wind kept him moving further down the beach.
He was having success at finding some snacks.
Green Heron, On The Hunt
I’ve often spotted a Green Heron in this patch of reeds; a walking path winds along the edge of a pond providing an interesting, if dark, view of their hunting behavior.
These herons don’t have any problem snagging a snack from this duckweed covered water.
I’m pretty sure I don’t want to know what’s lurking around below the surface.
Here’s a wider view of this Green Heron’s hunting territory. Beyond these reeds the water opens up into a pond.
Black and Yellow Garden Spider, Over Time
I first saw this Black and Yellow Garden Spider on August 16th. I actually noticed the zig-zag stabilimentum first.
His web was hanging out over a pond, suspended between some shrubs and grass.
I passed the same spot about 45 minutes after the first image; it had clouded over changing the look of the water but the spider hadn’t moved.
On September 6th the spider in the same spot, and this time with a dragonfly for lunch.
The last time I visited this location, September 13, the spider was still there. His web was showing some signs of wear, and he had something wrapped up in a sack.
