Waterbirds on Candid Camera

Sometimes we find what we're looking for where we least expect it.

A great egret stalks prey on a windowsill. 

A great blue heron drinks from a swimming pool near Boca Ciega Bay.

Seabirds on a Florida Beach

Bird-watching brings peace. The mind's chatter stops. Wild birds teach me something too deep to articulate. 

Snowy egret fishes in waters shaded from the noonday sun.

Fort DeSoto Park, encompassing five barrier islands on the west coast of Florida south of St. Petersburg, is a bird sanctuary. The green-blue shallows with schools of fish and white sand beaches lined with mangroves and palm hammocks invite birds. 

After consultation with the bird book, I'm inclined to identify this as a little blue heron.

Sanderlings never seem to stop skittering from the waves.

With a surge of delight I notice a large bird perching on a nest of sticks atop a tall cement chimney next to the old fort. A closer approach confirms it is an osprey.

Ospreys' nest

Another adult osprey approaches the nest, and the parent lifts its wing. The ospreys seemed unconcerned about the photographer far below. 

When I walk around to the other side of the chimney, I see three osprey chicks perched close to the edge. In the photo below, two of the youngsters hide their heads.

Osprey chicks

The white ibis' long beak allows it to dig deep in the sand.

I got out the bird book for this one, too. I believe it is a willet.

Plants Attract Insects - Thank God

View from a St. Petersburg balcony.
Wouldn't a few potted plants be nice?

Balconies should be mini-gardens. I thought this was obvious. When I stepped out on the balcony at my parents' new condo in Florida, after admiring the view, I said, "It would be nice to have some plants out here." I already was envisioning an enjoyable trip to the nursery. What interesting subtropical plants would I find? Perhaps a saw palmetto would be nice. And some flowering Florida natives.

So I was unprepared when my Dad said, "Plants are discouraged here." 

What?! Why would anyone discourage having plants?

"Plants attract insects."

This remark stunned me to silence. 

I thought, "So? Why is that bad?"

At home, I see myself as a steward of a woodland garden that is friendly to insects and wildlife. (With an exclusion policy for deer.) Insects are a vital part of the food chain and eaten in large numbers by birds. And birds thrive in our garden. Last summer I counted 27 species that are regular visitors to the garden.

But how do I begin to explain my deep belief in living in harmony with all living creatures? Underlying my Dad's comment is the dominant view in our culture - insects are dirty and repulsive and to be excluded from our properties. So much so that we as a culture have been willing to poison our soil and water to eradicate insects that we find to be a nuisance. At least my Dad's prevention program is more peaceable - just exclude plants.

Oh, but when will we learn to love the web of life of which we all depend? 

A Whole Lot of Peeping Going On

Baby cardinals, the day before fledging

Yesterday it happened. The first clue was incessant peeping at mid-morning. I moved slowly to the window and saw a brown-feathered baby cardinal standing on the rim of the nest looking right at me. He flexed his wings, took a little hop, and landed on a branch just inches from the nest. I was amazed at witnessing this – and a little worried. Had I scared the cardinal into fledging too soon?

Baby cardinal gets ready to leave the nest.

Two babies remained in the nest, one quite active and one more sedate. I was fascinated by what happened next. Mama cardinal flew into the camellia, hopped up to the branch where the bold Baby Cardinal 1 sat and fed him. She stuck her beak into his open mouth several times, ignoring the loud peeping of the other babies, then flew off. I saw this scene repeat itself several times. Mama clearly was favoring the first cardinal out of the nest.

Baby cardinal 2 practices using his wings. 

Baby Cardinal 2 responded with more activity. He opened his wings. He hopped. Soon he was standing on the rim of the nest. Still, mama cardinal ignored him. Suddenly, he, too took the leap. He flapped his wings and behold! He landed on a higher branch, about two feet from the nest. It took mama cardinal about two more feedings to take notice of him. I cheered internally when mama returned and fed Baby Cardinal 2 first.

Baby Cardinal 2 ventures out of the nest.

Meanwhile, Baby Cardinal 3 had gone for well over an hour without food. I was concerned, but what could I do? I had to leave the house for a couple of hours. When I returned, I checked the nest. Baby Cardinal 3 was now out, awkwardly clutching a branch above the nest.  It stayed there for quite some time. Mama cardinal was nowhere in sight. Neither were the two other fledglings. 

Baby cardinal 3. Notice the lack of tail feathers.

I left the window, reluctantly, to get some things done. The weather had been unsettled all day, hot and humid, with occasional brief showers. A thunderstorm moved in and torrents of rain pounded the earth. I dashed to the window to look into the tree and see how Baby Cardinal 3 would respond to the rain. He was gone.

I haven’t seen the fledglings since. Several times, I walked through the garden looking for them. I could hear peeping everywhere. I tracked the peeping to some large red tip photinias in the neighbor’s yard, but couldn’t see the babies. Later, my husband saw what he thought was Baby Cardinal 1, making short flights between a maple and two camellias, with mama observing.

A Beautiful Iris

A purple iris lifts its petals in praise of spring and creation.

Japanese roof iris (Iris tectorum), a must for the shade garden

Can You Identify This Rhody?

Can you identify this rhododendron?  It's blooming a week or two early.

The rhododendron has grown to the roof line. When we moved to our house seven years ago,  it was two feet tall. It didn't bloom for several years, and I thought it was in too much shade.

When it bloomed three years ago, I was stunned, not only by the gorgeous color, but by the size of the blooms. They're nearly the size of my head (ok, I have a small head).

But I need your help. I haven't been able to determine what variety of rhododendron it is. Do you know?

Cardinal Nestlings, Two Days Older

The cardinal nestlings have changed noticeably in two days. I wasn't able to photograph them yesterday because it was chilly and rainy. Every time I looked, Mama Cardinal was on the nest, presumably keeping the babies warm. Today, the babies are darker and don't look quite so naked (see earlier photo). Still, they have a ways to go before they look like cardinals!

Baby cardinals nestle, with two on the bottom and a third in between and on top. 

Babies huddle quietly in between short bouts of peeping with mouths open wide.