WILLET IN FLIGHT & ON BEACH, BUNCHE BEACH PRESERVE/SAN CARLOS BAY, FT. MYERS BEACH, FL

   In the first photo you can see the distinctive wing pattern of the willet in flight: a bold white wing stripe on each black wing.  Also you can see the white rump with a gray tail.  In the second photo of the willet on the beach you can ID it by its drab gray above and white below, its gray bill with black ends and its gray legs.

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, BUNCHE BEACH PRESERVE, FT. MYERS BEACH, FL

PIPING PLOVERS, BUNCHE BEACH PRESERVE/SAN CARLOS BAY, FT. MYERS BEACH, FL

   We can ID these plovers as Piping Plovers as follows:

• Small bird with short stubby black bill having slight orange at the base.
• Thin, gray and incomplete neck ring.
• Yellow/orange legs.

REDDISH EGRET WITH FISH, BUNCHE BEACH PRESERVE/SAN CARLOS BAY, FT. MYERS BEACH, FL

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.