Sandhill Crane

Hello,

I am sharing the Sandhill Crane, a common bird seen in Florida. I have seen the Sandhill Cranes in a few places in Maryland also. I guess you never know where they might show up. These are Sandhill Cranes photos from our Florida neighborhood and at the Circle B Reserve.

The Sandhill Crane is a species of crane seen in North America. The adults are grey and have red foreheads and long dark pointed bills..

They live together in pairs or family groups. The Florida Sandhill Cranes are seen year round and do not migrate. 

My youtube video of the Sandhill Cranes walking in the neighborhood. You can turn the sound down and ignore hubby and I talking.. The bird sounds you hear are the Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher.



These cranes were one of my favorite Florida birds, they seemed almost tame to walk right by. I hope you enjoyed my photos and video.


Thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

My list of memes for today, I hope to see you there. Thanks to both of the host below.

Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes
Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday

Saturday's Critters #173

Saturday's Critters #173

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

I have not been many places since being home, one reason is the weather has not been cooperating. But luckily, I have tons of photos from my visits to the Circle B Reserve in Lakeland Florida. I do not think I will ever get around to showing all of them. I am trying to pick out my favorite birds and critters. 

Another favorite the Belted Kingfisher. 

 A couple of Sandhill Cranes on the trail.

A pretty Tricolored Heron.

Common Moorhen and reflection.

A soft shelled turtle, look at that nose.

My favorite, the Green Heron

Baby gators

I am pretty sure this is the Eastern Phoebe.

Bald Eagle and nest.

As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!

To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.

Saturday's Critters #172

Saturday's Critters #172

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

I am sharing our sightings from a visit to the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park near Gainesville, Fl. This park was fantastic, where can you go where you see alligators, wild horses, bison or buffalo, thousands of Sandhill Cranes and more wild birds all in one place.

I have to admit the numerous gators around were a little scary, I was glad they were on the opposite side of the water.

They are able to come up on the trail and there were warnings to keep your distance from the wild animals in this park. Can you see the gators laying on the ground across the pond? There is nothing stopping the gators from walking up on our side of the trail. This is a park and not a zoo, the animals are wild and free to roam. The La Chau trail is 2.5 miles starts out with a boardwalk and then goes out to a lookout tower.

There had to be a thousand or more Sandhill Cranes and possibly one Whooping Crane seen on the day we went to this park.

I have to work on my flight shots. Besides the Sandhill Cranes on the grounds we saw hundreds of them in the sky.

Buffalo or are they called bison roam this park.

A pretty sighting of a Cattle Egret.

A few Killdeer were seen off the trail.

I made a collage of the birds sighted at this park:
Top row: Anhinga male and female, Mockingbird and a Great Blue Heron
Second row: Little Blue Heron, Great Blue Heron, Blue-winged teals, Wilson's Snipe.
Third row: Yellowlegs, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron.
Bottom row: various shorebirds, Sandhill Cranes, Shoveler, various Teals and ducks.

The wild horses roam free along with the buffalo.

The wild horses and some Sandhill Cranes.

A very distant look at the Sandhill Cranes and one brighter white Crane that may possibly be the Whooping Crane. It was seen at this park on the day we went.

As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!

To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.

Lake Kissimmee State Park

Hello,

Hubby and I have been visiting many of Florida's State Parks.  On this day we went on a day trip to Lake Kissimmee State Park near Lake Wales, Florida. This park opened in 1977 with over 5,ooo acres and borders Lake Kissimmee, Lake Rosalie and Lake Tiger.


We were greeted at the parking by a couple of Sandhill Cranes.

We hiked on a loop trail and a spur to Lake Kissimmee.

Some of the birds we saw and a spider on a web. I think the pretty yellow bird is the Prairie Warbler, Gray Catbird, Eastern Phoebe and a Northern Harrier.

It was a pretty sky with puffy white clouds here and there. Great day for a walk!

I love the moss covered trees, the sunlight and shadows.

I am sure I will be back sharing another great Florida park. For now I hope you enjoyed this walk.

"A thankful heart is a happy heart."

My list of thankful things:
I am thankful for all the Florida State Parks.
I am thankful for warm sunny days.
I am thankful for time, especially the time you spent here with me.




I hope you enjoyed my post and photos. Thank you for your visit and comments on my post. Enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!

Thanks to Michelle for the meme Thankful Thursday

I am also linking up to Skywatch Friday, I hope to see you there.
Thank you to Sylvia, Yogi and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.

Saturday's Critters #167

Saturday's Critters #167

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

These are all sights from one of our Circle B Reserve visits. On the path from the parking a snake and armadillo.

A slider turtle and can you find the gator?

A Red-shouldered Hawk.

Great Blue Heron on nest.

Sandhill Cranes moving along the burr marigolds.

Pretty Green Heron, a common sight at the Circle B Reserve.

As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!

To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.

Lakeland, Florida

Hello,

"You will never have this day again, so make it count." unknown

Wow, can you believe it is almost the end of 2016. I wish everyone a very Happy, Healthy New Year. I want to thank everyone who has visited my blog and commented over the past year. I hope to see you all in 2017.

These are images from our neighborhood, a sunrise on Nov 7th, the neighborhood Sandhill Cranes and Red Shouldered Hawk

It was a beautiful sunrise on our way to the gym.

I believe this is a Red-Shouldered Hawk, we have a nesting couple that terrorize the neighborhood birds.

The Sandhill Cranes near my sunrise viewing spot.

The Sandhill Cranes walk all around the houses and in the streets. This is their neighborhood too.

For Michelle's Thankful Thursday, here is my list of thankful things.  Simple things that we may all take for granted.

Fresh air to breath
Clean drinking water
Sunshine that brightens my day
A good book
Friendly neighbors

I hope you enjoyed my post and photos. Thank you for your visit and comments on my post. Enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!

Thanks to Michelle for the meme Thankful Thursday
I am also linking up to Skywatch Friday, I hope to see you there.
Thank you to Sylvia, Yogi and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.

Lakeland Florida

Hello,


You all know me by now, I have more birds and images from my part time neighborhood. Mostly birds, fence and sky shots to share from Florida. These are all from our walks around the neighborhood.

There are 4-5 Sandhill Cranes that are residents, this crane family must live here year round.

My sky shot with a few White Ibis in flight.

A view of the lake and boat pier.

A Tricolored Heron on the boat dock.

A neighborhood sunset



I hope you enjoyed my pic's. Thank you for your visit and comments on my post. Enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!


Here is a list of linky parties for part of the week, I hope to see you there.


Thanks to Theresa @ The Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting Good Fences.
Thank you to Sylvia, Yogi and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.