Bird Weekly – Photo Challenge – More than one Bird Species in a Photo

(6/4/21)

The feature image is a Great Egret indulging in his late lunch from a human’s bait bucket. The Ibis came over to investigate. In case you are wondering, this is the same egret that is in the Bird Weekly Logo. I watched this bird eat at least 3 bait fish.

Royal Terns

Royal Terns looking up with and a Willet in the background on the beach at Ft. Desoto Park in Tierra Verde, Florida.

This chorus of Royal Terns and a single Least Tern was being conducted by Mr. Willet in the background. You can see further back, the audience. This is pre-covid of course.

Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, Willet & Oystercatcher

A Sanderling and Ruddy Turnstone eat together on the beach at Ft. Desoto Park in Tierra Verde, Florida.

Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones are often seen together and get along quite well. These two were helping each other find small crustaceans along the beach line of Tampa Bay.

A Sanderling poses for this picture with Willets eating in the background on the beach at Ft. Desoto Park in Tierra Verde, Florida.

Another Sanderling stoically poses for this photo with at least 30 Willets gouging themselves.

American Oystercatcher feeding in the surf with a Willet walking by on the beach at Ft. Desoto Park in Tierra Verde, Florida.

This American Oystercatcher didn’t seem to notice Mr. Willet passing him by as the small waves were coming in from the Gulf of Mexico at Ft. Desoto Park in Tierra Verde, Florida.

Roseate Spoonbills

Pink and white Roseate Spoonbills getting tucked in next to 5 Blue-winged Teals at Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge in Titusville, Florida.

Roseate Spoonbills are tucking themselves in with the Blue-winged Teals late in the day at Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. They provided a great reflection along the mangroves in this pond.

Pink and white Roseate Spoonbills getting rid of a Tricolored Heron that was trying to steal their food at St. Marks Wildlife Refuge in St. Marks, Florida.

These Roseate Spoonbills were telling this Tricolored Heron to git. Tricolored Herons are notorious for following behind other waders and stealing their food as they work hard to dig for their meals. If you notice the one in the middle is making sure he leaves the group. These birds were spotted at St. Marks Wildlife Refuge near Tallahassee, Florida.

Black Skimmers

About 40 Black Skimmers flying in to land on the sand during low tide at Huguenot Park in Jacksonville, Florida with a gull in the mix and a Brown Pelican in the background.

Black Skimmers were flying in to settle down on the sand during low tide at Huguenot Park in Jacksonville, Florida. If you look closely, there is a gull on the ground and a Brown Pelican in the background.

Snowy Egret & Tricolored Heron

Snowy Egret and Tricolored Heron feeding. This pond was blue and the stage of the sun provided beautiful reflections of the birds on the water.

Another Tricolored Heron trying to encroach on this Snowy Egret’s personal space at Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. They both found plenty to eat, however.

Great Blue Heron & friends

Several wading birds in this frame. Great Blue Heron, White Ibis, Snowy Egret, Roseate Spoonbills and Woodstork.

This Great Blue Heron had many friends on this day at Lettuce Lake Park in Tampa, Florida. Friends include, Snowy Egret, White Ibises, Roseate Spoonbills and further back out of the photo are Woodstorks and Great Egrets. There was plenty of food here.

Great Blue Heron and Woodstork looking for food at Lettuce Lake Park in Tampa, Florida.

Another Great Blue Heron in the same location hanging out with a Woodstork.

Domestics

Domestic Muscovy Duck, domestic Mallard and domestic white goose swim around the pond at a cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida.

A Domestic Muscovy Duck, Mallard and White Goose live in the waters at the cemetery. There were Canada Geese in the pond as well a little further down.

Teals

Blue-winged Teals and two uncommon Cinnamon Teals (a male and female) were seen at Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge at the beginning of 2021.

Most of these dabblers are Blue-winged Teal with the exception of the two Cinnamon Teals. Can you guess which one’s they are? There is a male and and a female.

Red-bellied Woodpecker & Associates

Red-bellied Woodpecker eating a peanut, two Mourning Doves sitting in the feeders and a House Finch eating sunflower seeds.

This Red-bellied Woodpecker was hoarding on peanuts while the Mourning Doves sat in the feeders protecting that stash. The House Finch (on the left) could care less about what the others were doing. He was filling up on sunflower seeds.

Finches

Three House Finches and two Goldfinches get their fill of nutrition at our feeders during migration before their long journey north.

House Finches and Goldfinches getting as much food as possible for the next leg of their journey heading north for the summer. We are merely a pit stop in the migration pattern. They stayed for several months this year which was great to see.

Eastern Phoebe & Purple Finch

Eastern Phoebe posed up on a branch of our feeder system while an uncommon female Purple Finch is perched on a lower branch to the right.

Two birds that were first time visitors to our yard during the pandemic is the Eastern Phoebe which is a type of flycatcher and the Purple Finch. This is a female Purple Finch. We had 3 female and 3 male at one point. The Easter Phoebe is a common bird in Florida year round, but the Purple Finch is uncommon.

Carolina Wren & Mourning Dove

Carolina Wren drinking from our fountain with the Mourning Dove perched at the edge of the bowl waiting for a turn.

A Carolina Wren was getting a drink of water from the fountain while the Mourning Dove was waiting impatiently for a turn. This photo was taken in April 2020 at the beginning of shut down. The Wrens had a nest with three chicks. We put out live mealworms every evening and they entertained us every night for about a month.

Next time…Week #51 – Birds with stripes, spots or freckles. (6/11/21)

Bird Weekly Challenge Badge.

Lisa Coleman

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89 responses to “Bird Weekly – Photo Challenge – More than one Bird Species in a Photo”

  2. Clever me has done a draft. I know you want to know the species so that will have to wait, it’s bedtime 🙂 🙂

    • Thanks Deborah. I think I take them for granted. Well, except the Oystercatcher. We don’t always see them nor get photos like what we got that day. 🙂

      • Like I take Coots, Mallards, House Finch, and House Sparrow for granted. I know I shouldn’t I’d miss them terribly if I didn’t see them, but they are everywhere here in the west.

      • Yeah, we kinda take all of those for granted too. I just like seeing new species, but I do appreciate the birds we have which is quite a bit. 🙂

  7. so much for birds of a feather flocking together; it’s nice to see different birds co-existing peacefully… . well, except for the spoonbills 🙂

    • Thank you Beth. We so often crop to get a closer view of a specific bird that we miss the whole action sometimes. This was in contrast to that and was a nice change. 🙂

  16. This is a spectacular collection, Lisa! My favorite is the striking photo of the roseate spoonbills with their bright pink color against the bright blue water.

  20. I FINALLY found this post. Phew! I had to find it through a link on Cee’s post. It will be up tomorrow. You really live in the royal birding kingdom down there! I’m not big on hot, humid weather, but I envy you all those wonderful birds, especially the gorgeous shorebirds.

    I also just read a great book about birds. I recommend it to anyone who birds, casually or seriously. It’s called: “One Wild Bird at a Time: Portraits of Individual Lives” by Bernd Heinrich. The individual lives are the lives of birds. I also mention this in my post, but this is definitely a fun book for birders. it’s not a book about birding. it’s a book by a guy who loves birds. Who climbs trees to peek into hawk’s nests.

    • LOL! They are beautiful little birds. We have 2-3 broods per year in our yard. We have a lot of trees that provide a lot of cover from predators. 🙂

      • Yes and it is always awesome to just sit and see who comes by. We don’t put feed in the feeders during the summer because there is plenty of food around plus the kites are here for the season and we don’t offer up the birds for an easy food source. 🙂 Looking forward to the fall. Opposite of you. LOL!

      • Our weekend in Sydney is 16deg C (60F), with rain and a cold south wind. Blech! Today I saw a Noisy Miner hopping around the tree near my kitchen window, diligently hunting for insects, while the rain poured down. Poor bird! They must need a thorough grooming session to stay warm and dry in this weather.

      • I’m actually doing better, probably because the pollen level is way down. I get the middle of the summer off and don’t stop breathing until late August. i think I have you other message in my mail, so let me go look and see if it’s there 🙂

      • I’m glad to hear you are feeling better. Allergies and everything that goes with them are a nightmare. Something got kicked up today with a storm that came through and Frank is having some real congestion right now. He never had allergies until just over a year ago. I’ve had them all my life but am not affected like he is right now. No problems!
        Knock on wood! Weird! 🙂

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