Loop Road

09 December 2014.  The Loop Road is a 27-mile unpaved scenic drive at the Big Cypress National Preserve.  It is also a birder's paradise.

Finally, a decent photo of a Belted Kingfisher!

Snowy Egret

Green Heron

White Ibis

Little Blue Heron

Pied-billed Grebe

Immature Black-crowned Night Heron

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Great Egret

Grumpy-looking Great Blue Heron

Anhinga

Cypress Forest

Anhingas

December 2014.  Anhinga Trail.  Everglades National Park.  Homestead, Florida.

The trail is aptly named so as you can spot a lot of Anhingas in the area.

Since Anhingas don't have oil glands, they have to perch and open their wings to dry them in the sun.

Female Anhinga.  One can tell her apart from the male by the tawny-brown neck (and breast).

We sat on one of the benches in the boardwalk to enjoy the peace and quiet when two males started fighting.

After a minute of thrashing and pecking, they finally broke up the fight and went their separate ways.

But this individual was apparently still pumped up.

John Chesnut Sr. Park

November 2014.  John Chesnut Sr. Park in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Red-shouldered Hawk

Pete thought he saw a snake.  It turned out to be an Anhinga which, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, is also known as the Snake-Bird "for its habit of swimming with just its long head and neck sticking out of the water."

Tufted "Black-crested" Titmouse

Moorhen

American Alligator

Yellow-bellied Sliders

Eastern Lubber Grasshopper

Snail eggs?

Could I pass for a Bald Cypress "knee?"