I think I can learn to like birding in Florida. While enjoying a glass of wine in “The Legends” where our friends live (and are hosting us for a week), I left my liquid libations behind as the light and birds were calling. Fifteen minutes late I returned to my glass of Chardonnay!

I did not need to wear long underwear while taking any of these photographs.  Sorry Lady (my favorite Snowy Owl this winter), my eyes are looking at some other birds.

Great Egret

American White Ibis

Or even northern Minnesota! This morning I drove over to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary a bit southeast of Fort Myers. The sanctuary has a three mile boardwalk that winds through various habitat including a mangrove swamp. Wow … the habitat is amazing, and I have never walked within a Mangrove Swamp. I did not miss the frozen northern Minnesota bog!

The highlight of the morning for me was a lifer, the Painted Bunting. Better yet, by arriving close to opening at the Audubon sanctuary (7 am), I had a very private experience to begin with on the boardwalk. When I left just a bit before noon, the large parking lot was almost full. Moral to the story … bird early everywhere, but particularly in populous Florida.

Painted Bunting (male and female)

Little Blue Heron

Peekaboo Cardinal

Rory the Raccoon

Barred Owl

Anhinga