Turkeys at dusk



Painted Buntings







Yesterday there were three males! A nice thanksgiving gift.



I was playing around with the camera the other day and took some shots of the marine fish.









Happy Thanksgiving!

Some shots from an early morning walk in central Florida





There was also a turkey in the mist. Its strange to see a turkey up a tree.



The day before, I was stuck inside working, and it was like this.



Watchful racer



Evening



After that, I headed to Canada for some meetings. Got my first look at Lake Huron, in the distance at least.



Lots of snow



Cold Beer





Home in S. FLorida, the fall colors are showing, such as they are. A tree full of cormorants.



And herons.



Spotted this barred owl right at dusk



This fellow kept me company this afternoon.

Just noticed that one of my past postings disappeared. Reposting fall shots from Colorado.



Boulder Flatirons in the background





Roxborough State Park, earlier this month

Visited Butterfly World recently for the first time in many years. It was an enjoyable visit but I was disappointed in the lack of hummingbirds. There used to be several different hummingbird species throughout the aviaries, but it seems to be mostly finch species now.

Bathtime











One of only five hummingbirds seen.





Honeycreepers











Green violet-ear.

I attended a workshop and meeting in Cape May, New Jersey last week. Was pretty busy but I managed to get out in the evening for some "birding." I brought zero gear with me except the little sony point and shoot. But I continue to be impressed with it... it is hard to justify lugging around the DSLR these days, especially when flying.

Cape May Lighthouse Park



It was nice to see hummingbirds again. They should be making their way down to Florida soon.















My first muskrat



I was so happy to see painted turtles in the wild. There was a pair foraging near a small bridge over the marsh.



Upon closer inspection, I realized what they were eating. A massive snapping turtle carcass. Turtle cannibalism.



Sunset brought beautiful color









I was in Oklahoma City the week before. Not much opportunity for birding so had to be content with playing around with the night mode on the phone camera. I was pleased with the results.







That's all for now!

This summer has been very hectic but I still try to take some outdoor sanity breaks when I can!

The resident family of red-bellied woodpeckers has been bringing chicks to the feeder







Riverbend has been pretty quiet. The early fall warblers are just starting to arrive so the birding should pick up soon.





Obligatory limpkin



Vulture tree

Our resident cardinals have started bringing their brood to the feeder.







I think they were waiting for the other family to move on first! Still see and hear the hawks occasionally but I think they are dispersing.



In other news, I was recently up north again for work. I was able to enjoy the effects of Tropical Storm Andrea in Florida as well as in the Northeast. Made for some interesting driving!

Great views of Pittsburgh



On top of the world!

I was back in Canada last week for a meeting. This time I decided to fly up to Buffalo, NY and then drive across at Niagara falls, since I had never seen them before. It was a gorgeous day and I was able to make a quick stop at the falls to enjoy the views.











There were some nice gardens along the river too.







Lots of robins gathering worms for their chicks



The next day, the weather turned gray. Perfect camouflage for wind turbines.



Back home in Florida, the red-shouldered hawks that nest nearby are bringing their chicks to our yard. We love seeing them and hearing their fussing. But for some reason there are fewer songbirds at the birdfeeder these days!

Rainy shot yesterday morning



These shots are from last week, they have grown so much since then!

Last week I spent a few days recharging in Sedona, AZ.

The Airport Loop hike provides great views of the Red Rocks.















Sonoran Spotted Whiptail. A new species for me. Interestingly, all of them are female, and they reproduce asexually via parthenogenesis.





More new lizards, the side blotched lizard and the earless lizard.







Cactus flowers in bloom





Funnel-web spider



Gambel's quail, a bird I have been wanting to see for a long time!





Raven flyover



Hiking on the West Fork trail in Oak Creek, I was amazed to see so much green. The cool shade of the canyon was a welcome refuge from the blazing sun.















It was an awesome trip. I think my next visit to Sedona will be in the spring or fall, as I have done in the past. Thought Florida summers were hot, but Arizona takes it to a whole new level!

Walking by the river, I heard the distinctive screeeeech of a baby barred owl. Just off the trail, at eye level, I finally spotted this little guy. It is amazing how well they blend in.







Baby gators





Yellow-billed cuckoo with a lubber grasshopper



Thistles in bloom



I was in Daytona a few weeks ago and checked out the beaches of Palm Coast to the north. It very different to our southern beaches. The air was hazy with windblown sand. I liked that these beaches were more natural, as opposed to the crowded Daytona Beach where vehicles actually drive on the beach itself.