I had another chance to get to Orlando Wetlands Park to see the baby spoonbills and Sandhill cranes among other things. I was really happy with some of my birds in flight shots especially. The poem below was shared by someone on one of my Sandhill Crane pictures.

The Sandhill Crane

by Mary Austin

Whenever the days are cool and clear
The sandhill crane goes walking
Across the field by the flashing weir
Slowly, solemnly stalking.
The little frogs in the tules hear
And jump for their lives when he comes near,
The minnows scuttle away in fear,
When the sandhill crane goes walking.

The field folk know if he comes that way,
Slowly, solemnly stalking,
There is danger and death in the least delay
When the sandhill crane goes walking.
The chipmunks stop in the midst of their play,
The gophers hide in their holes away
And hush, oh, hush! the field mice say,
When the sandhill crane goes walking.

I always try to arrive in time to be in position for sunrise if the park allows it. It paid off here and I caught this Great Blue Heron taking off just as the sun was rising.

Couldn’t resist one more sunrise photo.

Of course the Roseate Spoonbill babies are the star of the show. Cute little tspoons!

Another photo of the 3 tspoons.

The Roseate Spoonbill parents are pretty cool themselves.

Black Vulture portrait.

Dinosaur incoming! If their faces don’t lead you believe they were related to dinosaurs I don’t know what you’re looking at.

Somebody wanted a stick?

Little Palm Warbler likes to hang out on the boardwalk.

Great Blue Heron in flight.

Female Mallard duck in flight.

American Coot with reflection.

My favorite flight shot, a Tree Swallow about to gobble down an insect. It is hard to explain how fast and erratic these guys fly. I got a few in a series before this one.

Common Yellowthroat AKA the Yellow Bandit.

Caspian Tern in flight.

The funky chicken. The Sandhill Crane colts are 2 weeks older and are taller and lankier.

Female Boat-tailed Grackle in flight. The nictating membrane is closed on the eye which is why it looks whitish.

Juvenile White Ibis in flight

Parent Sandhill Crane accidently frightens Colt – My favorite still from the still from the above video.

Female Purple Gallinule.

Red-winged Blackbird – Male calling.

Purple Gallinule Male.

American Bittern preying on tadpole.

Ducks in a row. Blue-winged teal male (left) and 2 females feeding by a method known as dabbling.

Roseate Spoonbill with stick.

Little Alligator sunning.

Male Boat-tailed Grackle in flight.

Glossy Ibis in flight. Definitely one of the prettiest birds in Florida.

Boat-tailed Grackle calling.

Prairie Iris

These little lily pads are called American Frogbit. I just liked the pattern.