April 8, 2012 - Last Set of Workshop Photos

Here are a few more photos from the workshop I attended near Kissimmee, Florida. We found this Eastern Meadowlark singing in a grassy field at Three Lakes WMA. True to their name, they are seen over the whole Eastern half of the United States but also inhabit the desert southwest as far as Arizona. Western Meadowlarks are very similar in appearance but have a different song.

MeadowlarkEasternsingingThreeLakesWMAKissimmee20120127

The rest of these birds are like Rodney Dangerfield; they get no respect at all! This is an American Coot, a very plain looking, chicken-sized bird. It’s actually related to the rails but swims like a duck. Look at the size of those feet, often described as being “lobed.” No wonder they can swim so well.

CootAmericanLakeTohoKissimmee20120129

Coots are relatively heavy so they need to run along the water, flapping like crazy, to get airborne. I caught this one just before it took off. Huge flocks of Coots are often seen during migration. Both Coot photos were taken at Lake Toho in Kissimmee.

CootAmericanflightLakeTohoKissimmee20120129

This Muscovy Duck, which is a little larger than a Mallard, is a member of the feral population found in Florida. In fact, I took this photo in the parking lot of the Kissimmee motel where I was staying. Truly wild Muscovy Ducks are found in Mexico and can sometimes be seen in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Compared to the one in this photo, the wild ducks are all black, and have a smaller patch of red, warty skin on their face.

DuckMuscovyKissimmee20120127

This bird, which used to be called a Common Moorhen, just had its name changed to Common Gallinule. It’s related to the American Coot but is not as bold and aggressive. Those huge, un-lobed feet spread its weight over a large area so it can walk on top of water lily leaves. This species is very adaptable and is found in the marshes of five different continents.

MoorhenCommonLakeTohoKissimmee20120128

To complete my set of “no respect” birds, I’ve chosen a close-up of a Black Vulture. Even though many people look down on them, vultures perform a valuable service by cleaning up dead animals. Their feather-less heads look kind of strange but are easier to clean after poking around in a carcass. This photo was taken at Three Rivers WMA.

VultureBlackThreeLakesWMAKissimmee20120127

Eastern Fox Squirrels are found in most areas east of the Rockies. They are about twice as big as Gray Squirrels. Typically, they are brownish gray on the back, rusty colored on the belly, and have a large bushy tail. This one shows a variation on that pattern found on Fox Squirrels in the southeastern states. It is lighter overall in color and has a black face. The acorn in its mouth, however, is typical of all squirrels.

SquirrelFoxKissimmee20120127