2020 Bird List... will I finish? :lol:

[Lyss]

By now y'all know I start these with the intentions of adding to them throughout the year, but tend to fail miserably! So will I make it to the end with more than 19 birds?! Only I and my camera will know, and of course time. Though with Africa coming up this year I should be ashamed of myself if I don't at least hit 100. Plus I have to layover in Europe so I have some opportunities right?

 

Here's to a new year. Unfortunately I have no birds yet. I'll get some simple ones hopefully today, and then I'll be in Miami Saturday for Pegasus, so hopefully I can snap some birds during morning workouts before the craziness scares them away.

[Galana]

Welcome. They say the Road to Hell is paved with good intentions so do check direction from time to time.

One benefit of a low score is that it is easy to beat next time so let that be your guide.

Good luck.

[Lyss]

Lol, I'll keep that in mind this year.

[elefromoz]

@Lyss, Africa, Europe and the US......no excuses this year, although I do know what you mean. Good luck anyway

[michael-ibk]

Welcome back, and at least be easier for you than most of us to better your score. 

[Lyss]

Here we go! These are my first birds of the 2020 season. These were all taken down in Miami, FL at Gulfstream Park where I was enjoying the Pegasus World Cup on Saturday.

 

They're pretty common birds, but I'll at least get them out of the way.

 

Photos Taken: 01/28/20

 

1) Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto

 

2) White Ibis - Eudocimus albus (I don't know what the black birds are I couldn't get a clear shot of them)

 

3) Ring-billed Gulls (adult and 1st year immature) - Larus delawarensis

 

A short beginning, but some nice birds I don't normally get to add. I should be making my way to one of my favorite places in February for water birds since I try to go for my birthday. Many of the migrants leave by March. Hopefully, I can add a few more this month. I'm really gonna try to get my neighborhood birds done as well.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

I have one more bird to add for now. It's been really dreary and getting dark early making it hard to bird after I get off work. Hopefully it is nice and sunny this weekend as I would like to get out and go on a nice hike before I have to get to work.

 

Anyway,

 

This is the first bird photo I ever took in 2020. I just kept forgetting to get it off of my phone because I forgot a memory card, and my camera will not function with out one. I apologize if it is real grainy, but at least they were easy to capture without zoom features.

 

Photo Taken: 01/15/20

 

 

4)Fish Crow - Corvus ossifragus - Near Max Brewer Bridge in Titusville, FL

These are separate from the American Crow, but can intermingle since we get both.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

My goals for this BY2020.

1. Make it past the half century mark
2.  Knock out my neighborhood birds
3. Add new birds that I haven't seen before
   • This should be easy given I'll be actually going OUT of my own country this year.

[Lyss]

Since I last posted I spent a really nice Saturday morning out birding inside the Merritt Island Wildlife Reserve, and visited my best spot for some of the wintering birds here on the Space Coast, Blackpoint Wildlife Drive. I had some really great sightings despite the fact that it was rainy, freezing and it was misting in a way that had I lived any further north it probably would have turned into snow. Fair warning some of the photos will look fuzzy, that is just how hard the mist was coming down.

 

Each post will have more than one photo if I have more than one.

 

Photos Taken: 2/1/20

 

5) American Coot - Fulica americana

Photos taken at Blackpoint Wildlife Drive in the Merritt Island Wildlife Reserve

 

American Coots are found throughout the year here in Florida, but I see them more often during the winter months. I have a feeling they congregate with migratory flocks.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

Photo Taken: 2/1/20

 

6) Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus

Photo taken along the causeway into the reserve.

In North America we only get two vulture species. This is the smaller of the two. As you can see the weather was really quite something and it seems to have tricked my camera into focusing on it rather than the vultures.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

Photo Taken: 2/1/20

 

7) Boat-tailed Grackle - Quiscalus major (female)

 

I really enjoy these birds. We get two variants apparently in Florida there are the Gulf Coast/Florida populations and an Atlantic population. Body structure, tail and eyes are different depending on where you are. These birds only occur in the Southeast, and are larger than the Common Grackle. They are distinctive by their iridescence. Boat-tailed are usually a Greenish-blue and the females are bronze.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

Photo  Taken: 2/1/20

 

8) Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias (Male)

Taken at Sand Pointe Park, near the Coast Guard station.

 

The most common of the herons seen in Florida, with two distinct forms found only in Florida, the Great White Heron and Wurdemann's Heron (found down in the Keys). They remind me of the Grey Herons that are seen over in Europe and Africa.

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

9) Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polygottos

Photos taken outside my office Jan 30th

[Lyss]

Photo  Taken: 2/1/20

 

10) Osprey - Pandion haliaetus

Ospreys are abundant in my area after they declined due to the unavailable trees needed for nesting sites. Once the issue was identified. Poles with flat bottoms began being erected for breeding and has helped the population increase. They are some of the more commonly seen raptors in our area.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

My first repeat! Repeats will be identified as R plus a number. I wanted to include birds I had already counted as sometimes the photos are better and sometimes birds are different depending on where they live.

 

Photo  Taken: 2/1/20

 

R1) Ring-billed Gulls - Larus delawarensis

Okay with gulls in North America, especially our large black back gulls, are very similar in look. Unfortunately, it was a bit dark so it was difficult seeing the eyes, but these are the most common we get in Florida.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

Photo  Taken: 2/1/20

 

11) Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres

Lovely birds that turn a nice copper brown during breeding season. There is a stowaway among the turnstones, but he will be counted later.

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

Photos Taken: 2/1/20

 

12) Black Skimmer - Rynchops niger

Photos taken at Max Brewer Bridge Rd.

These birds are found only along the coast. The first year I lived here I went to a photography group at a local water treatment plant, and saw my first Skimmer. I had been hoping ever since to get another chance to see them. Guess I just needed some luck and a dreary day. Plus, someone had left a partial loaf of bread from fishing and it was attracting the crowds.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

Photo Taken: 2/1/20

 

13) Wood Stork - Mycteria america

Taken at Sand Pointe Park

The only naturally occuring stork in North America, and Florida has some of the larger colonies of breeding adults around the St. John's River. They're supposedly here all year long, but I see them more often during winter.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

Photo Taken: 2/1/20

 

14) American Robin - Turdus migratorius

Robins only occur in winter, and they come by the hundreds. Once they leave it is time to get ready for warmer weather.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

Photos Taken: 2/1/20

 

15) Anhinga - Anhinga anhinga

Photos taken at Blackpoint Wildlife Drive. Above photo: Male

(Female)

Anhingas look like cormorants but are distinctly bigger in size with a dagger like bill. They are common in the Southeastern marshes and swamps.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

Photos Taken: 2/1/20

 

16) Juvenile Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Pictures taken Blackpoint Wildlife Dr.

Since we do not get golden eagles in Florida, and if we do I have not yet heard of any sightings in our area, I knew immediately that this large raptor was none other than our own national bird. He was attempting to hunt, but as you can see in the second photo conditions were less than ideal.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

Photo Taken: 2/1/20

 

17) Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon

Blackpoint Wildlife Dr.

 

Belted Kingfishers are the only one of it's family native north of Mexico. Which is sad because I adore kingfishers. I can't wait to see the many African species when I go.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

Photos Taken: 2/1/20

 

18) Blue-winged Teals - Spatula discors

 

Some of my favorite ducks that we get.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

Photo Taken: 2/1/20

 

19) Common Gallinule - Gallinula galeata

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss

[Lyss]

Photos Taken: 2/1/20

 

20) Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas

Blackpoint Wildlife Dr

A new bird for me! It took me some time to get this little bird identified since there are quite a lot of little brown birds with yellow chests/tails in Florida. I feel confident that this is what it is, but I am always happy to take opinions.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Lyss