OSPREYS FEEDING THEIR YOUNG, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

WILSON'S PLOVER, TIGERTAIL BEACH, MARCO ISLAND, FL

   We can ID these plovers as Wilson's Plovers by their black, thick, relatively long (for a plover) bill.  This bill is unique amog the plovers and thus is a great field mark for Wilson's Plovers.

   In the first photo the plover on the right is in nonbreeding plumage, while the plover on the left is in breeding plumage.  In breeding plumage the neck ring becomes black.  In the second photo the plover is in nonbreeding plumage, while in the third and fourth photos the plover is in breeding plumage.

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.