BARN SWALLOW, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

   We can ID these birds as Barn Swallows as follows:

• Blue-black above and orange below.
• Dark rufous throat and forehead. 
• Long tail.

   These Barn Swallows are probably migrating from South or Central America to the north.

GREEN HERON, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, NAPLES BOTANICAL GARDEN, NAPLES, FL

   We can ID this bird as  Brewer's Blackbird as follows:

• Glossy combination of black and midnight blue.
• Yellow eye.
• Thick bill.
• Common locally in parks and open grounds, where it forages for seeds and insects.   This is the habitat it was sighted in at the Naples Botanical Garden. The similar Rusty Blackbird would generally be found near swamps and marshes.

WHITE IBISES IN FLIGHT, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

   The adult White Ibis in flight is very distinctive: all white with black wingtips and orange bill and legs.

AMERICAN WIGEONS, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

   In the first photo the male American Wigeon is on the background right (it has the green on the head) and the wigeon in the foreground is the female.  The American Wigeon in the other two photos is the male.

LESSER YELLOWLEGS, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

   We can ID this sandpiper as a Lesser Yellowlegs (rather than a Greater Yellowlegs) by its bill being about the same length as its head and its flank being mostly white with some dark bars.  The Greater Yellowlegs has a much longer bill and has extensive barring on its flanks.

BLACK-NECKED STILTS, EAGLE LAKES COMMUNITY PARK, NAPLES, FL

   This is the first time this winter that we saw Black-necked Stilts at Eagle Lakes.  They breed at the park.