Monday, March 09, 2009

Ochclockonee Bay Birding, Florida

Howdee all,
After walking around Ochlochonee River State Park and sweating from the heat.
We headed to the coast.
We went to a spot we had been to before, the end of the road on route 372.
It was much cooler and we hit it at the start of low tide. Lots of birdies heading to the sand spits.

Oh Just look at them all.

We started our ID.
Check out the size difference of these Herring gulls compared to Laughing Gull in the foreground, Little Forster's Terns and Bonaparte's Gulls ..the ones with the dark ear spots.
Oh looky who do we have with all these Willets..

A Marbled Godwit
This was birdie preening time...All the birdies were splashing in the water and fluffy and picking at their feathers. Some were napping.

And who do we have here amongst these Forster Terns. A nice flock of Black Skimmers.

This one was sipping and fluffing.
a sip
a fluff
I am beautiful now!
We also saw Black-bellied Plover, Semi-palmated Plover, Least Sandpiper, Sanderlings,Dunlins,
Short-billed Dowitchers, Lesser Yellowlegs.


And now its time to rest.
Goodnight Laughing Gull..I love your white eye slashes.


Goodbye Panhandle of Florida..
Its been fun!

24 comments:

  1. "...sweating from the heat."
    I'm still shivering from the cold!

    Great day you had.

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  2. I want to bury my feet in that white sand in your first photos! Loved your Tern photos especially - they are always doing something interesting! And I like those Willets legs - they're almost comical!

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  3. Those birds are very feathery.

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  4. Andy,
    Yeah its warm here 80 plus now. I will bring some warmth up north with me...packed some in my trunk.

    Shellmo,
    wish i knew about the sand earlier..would have packed you some of that.
    yeah those willet legs are goofy.

    Adele...sista...well i just dont know what to say,

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  5. Here are some more words for a blog that deserved more words.

    I like all the pictures of the birds. I don't think I could spit sand that far or that straight. I liked the bird with the orange mouth and legs. He looked a bit perverse in with all the other birds with no orange mouth or legs. I liked that for some reason. Probably because the orange was bright and stood out.

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  6. Plover!!! That is the name I was trying to come up with just the other night.

    Anyway, enjoyed all of these photos.!

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  7. It looks so pretty there and what wonderful birds you are seeing too! That's a really sweet picture of the Laughing Gull.

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  8. I love the skimmers and those laughing gulls are cool. I wish I could see some.

    Thanks for taking me to the beach. I needed a walk in the warm tropical sun.

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  9. WOW! Black Skimmer and Marbled Godwit, excellent photos!

    Sweating? What's that? ;) Brrrrrrrrr!!!!

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  10. Adele..LOL ..thanks sista...I like it when you are a bit more wordy

    Sandy..thanks for stopping by I always enjoy your blog and artistry

    April..that part of Florida is beautiful...yeah I just recently started getting into gulls and appreciating them

    Natural Moments..
    will take you along anytime..you know I love your photos and insight!

    Maine Birder..
    Yeah I guess sweating is foreign to you now...wait a few months..tee hee
    Thanks for all your twitter advice..and also high praise for your amazing blog ..layout and all

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  11. Oh I need to do some that heat thing right now...we are getting ready for our morning walk and it is a lovely 26 degrees!
    Love the laughing gull and his beautiful eye slashes..
    beautiful pics and envious of all that sun and warmth and all those birds ;-)

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  12. Tina...Yikes cold....
    sending warm thoughts!

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  13. Looking forward to walking the pan handle beaches when we stop in Pensecola Beach on our way home. After living in the desert all winter, can't wait to get my feet wet.........

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  14. Great shots and IDs on these guys!

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  15. Love the skimmers! They are sooo cool. Thanks for sharing that sequence.

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  16. Arizona Girl
    If you want a list of my fav panhandle beaches let me know. Enjoy!
    maybe we will see you in NC.

    Kerri,
    Thanks It was fun digascoping these birdies.

    Janet Creamer.
    gotta love that skimmer bill!

    thanks everyone for stopping by

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  17. Oh Dawn, those are such great pictures! I loved enjoying Florida with you this winter--it was nice to get away from Minnesota for a little while!

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  18. RuthieJ
    Thanks..I am happy to take you along anytime...and thanks for letting me enjoy your part of the world..

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  19. Oh my goodness they are so cool looking..

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  20. You did good! I have trouble ID'ing waterbirds.

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  21. Zen Birdfeeder
    We are always learning..this year my husband decided to concentrate on shorebirds..He has the patience to sit for long periods of time and study the birds...he teaches me what he learns..

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  22. All that bird behavior! Aren't they fun?!

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  23. i think that birds have to be one of the cutest animals.. from chicken legs to these beauties... i love their little legs.. how they curl them up under themselves... their beaks.. feathers.. the whole shabang... they are just adorable... you got a bunch of great shots....

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  24. Sheela,or Kaylee...not sure which name you use..but i saw both on your comment..
    thanks so much for the comment..always appreciated.
    and thanks for reading.

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