Birds of the Gulf Coast

This past November, my husband and I spent the Thanksgiving holiday with family down in Longboat Key, Florida. Below are several of the lovely birds seen while visiting a few birding hotspots in the area.

A beautiful Roseate Spoonbill flaps its impressive pink wings

Foraging at the shoreline ~ American Oystercatchers

Seeking food in the calm Sarasota Bay waters ~ Great Egret

Stepping gingerly amid the reeds ~ Little Blue Heron

An Anhinga soaks in the sunshine

A Yellow-crowned Night-Heron delights in its crunchy crab catch

A female Osprey seeks a perch to feast on her large fish entree

Exploring the lush vegetation ~ Limpkins

A lone White Pelican soars aloft

Wading in the shallows ~ Tricolored Heron

A Great Blue Heron shows off its handsome profile

Searching for insects in the palm fronds ~ Yellow-throated Warbler

A Northern Harrier swoops through Celery Fields

Below I have listed some of my favorite birding destinations on the West Coast of Florida

~ Celery Fields - https://www.scgov.net/parks/Pages/CeleryFields.aspx

~ Fort De Soto Park - http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_ft_desoto.htm

~ Myakka River State Park - http://www.floridastateparks.org/myakkariver/

~ Oscar Scherer State Park - http://www.floridastateparks.org/oscarscherer/

~ Quick Point Nature Preserve - http://www.longboatkey.org/pView.aspx?id=18976&catid=469

Posted by Julie Gidwitz 

Nature's Splendor Blog ~ http://naturessplendor-julie.blogspot.com/