OSPREY, BUNCHE BEACH PRESERVE, FT. MYERS BEACH, FL

BREEDING LITTLE BLUE HERON, BUNCHE BEACH PRESERVE/SAN CARLOS BAY, FT. MYERS BEACH, FL

   Thsi Little Blue Heron is in the process of getting breeding plumage: head and neck are purplish and it starting to get plumes from the head.

MALE BLACK SCOTER, BUNCHE BEACH PRESERVE/SAN CARLOS BAY, FORT MYERS BEACH, FL

   This duck is easily identifiable as a male Black Scoter from the bright yellow knob on its bill.  It is probably a 1st winter duck molting into an adult Black Scoter.  The body of the adult becomes all black.

   The Black Scoter is a new species to our Life List, which now stands at 278.

WILSON'S SNIPES, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

   We can ID these sandpipers as Wilson's Snipes by the following:

• Plump, long billed birds with overall dark brown color.
• Bold cream colored stripes on back.
• Striped head.
• Heavily barred flanks.

MALE PAINTED BUNTING AT FEEDER, CORKSCREW SWAMP SANCTUARY, NAPLES, FL

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, CORKSCREW SWAMP SANCTUARY, NAPLES, FL

   The first two photos were taken a Corkscree Swamp Sanctuary.  The third photo, which shows a tree where the sapsucker has been active, was taken at Everglades National Park.

DOWNY WOODPECKER, CORKSCREW SWAMP SANCTUARY, NAPLES, FL