Birding Florida, USA 4—WARBLERS, RED-MASKED PARAKEETS, GULLS, TERNS, GALLINULE, WOODPECKERS & MORE!

Описание: Birding Florida, USA 4 is the fourth of our five video series of videos from our trips to Florida in 2012, 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2025. From the Panhandle to the Dry Tortugas, we've seen many beautiful and unusual birds and loads of other "critters" in The Sunshine State!

The "TITLE" Bird is the Royal Tern. We like to think it's calling out and saying, "Hey, come look at this video from Florida!" Photographed at St. Andrews State Park in February 2022. See Royal Terns and other feathered friends at (14:59).

"COVER" Bird is the Purple Gallinule (06:34). When the light is just right, as it was for this photograph, you'll see beyond subtle differences in coloration and witness contrast and a lovely iridescence. This beautiful bird was captured in mid-stride. Its legs and feet a cheery sunshine yellow. How appropriate for The Sunshine State. Photographed at Wakodahatchee Wetlands near Boynton Beach, April 2017.

BONUS BIRD is the Oven Bird (01:08). Hours before our departure from Quito, Ecuador back to the United States in late October 2021, we found out that one of our key connecting flights was cancelled. We could get out of Ecuador, but not home to Washington State. Dozens of other flights had been cancelled too. The airport was crazy. We considered ourselves fortunate when airline representatives routed us through Miami. Unfortunately, our flights home from Miami wouldn't leave until the next morning. This was an unplanned "BONUS TRIP" to Florida and is also a record for the shortest time spent there. We birded the hotel grounds and were rewarded with finding this Oven Bird rooting around in the leaf litter. Yay!


TOP 5 MOST PHOTOGENIC in order of appearance:
—PIED-BILLED GREBE (03:42) Photographed at the Wakodahatchee Wetlands, April 2017. While not a colorful bird, its gradations in gray, brown and black are distinctive. The large black eye "pops" and this bird almost seems to radiate serenity.
—PURPLE GALLINULE (06.34) I know, I know. We already spotlighted this bird. But it deserves being featured in our most photogenic Top 5 too.
—RED-MASKED PARAKEET (09:58) Gregarious and social— these parakeets were found near Hollywood Beach in April 2017. This one seems to be posing for us. Pretty Bird!
—REDDISH EGRET (13:10) was fishing off Black Point Wildlife drive in Merritt Island. A study in subtlety, not flashy, but still a knockout with touches of blue on its legs matching its eye rings.You can almost feel the texture of its feathers. February 2025
—RUDDY TURNSTONE (18:06) St. Andrews State Park, February 2022. Perfectly posed and composed, it seems to be saying, "See what I found." I wonder if it's going to share the leaf?

WARBLERS— Palm Warbler on a Palm (02:59) St Mark's NWR, 2022. PIne Warbler on a pinecone (05:18). Photographed at Falling Waters State Park, 2022. Prairie Warbler (05:58) didn't get the memo and posed in a tree. Photographed in the Keys 2012.

RAPTORS:
Red-shouldered Hawk (10:50) Conservation Park, Panama City Beach, 2022.
Red-tailed Hawk (11:54) Ebro, 2022.

Other Notables: Red-headed Woodpeckers (00:12), Pileated Woodpeckers (03:59), & Pileated Woodpeckers (06:58). See also the Painted Bunting (01:55) Merritt Island, 2012, Ruby-throated Hummingbird (17:15) Merritt Island, 2012, more terns, gulls, and waterfowl.

NJB (NOT JUST BIRDS):
Postman Butterfly (05:42)
Raccoon (06:49)
American Alligator:(09:25), (16:40), (16:48), (19:51). The Alligator at (09:34) looks like it's dozing, but I wouldn't bet my life or yours on that.
Red-eared Slider (10:41)

LIGHTHOUSE
Pensacola Lighthouse (11:45)

LAST BUT NOT LEAST BIRDS are the Sanderlings beginning at (18:51). Photographed at St. Helens State Park, 2022, Panama City Beach, 2022 and Vilano Beach, 2025.

SO MANY LOCATIONS VISITED! Including:
—Apalachicola National Forest
—Boca Raton: Spanish River Park—
—Boynton Beach area: Green Cay Nature Center, Wakadohatchee Wetlands
—Chipley area: Falling Waters State Park
—Everglades: Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area, Anhinga Trail, Shark Valley, Road to Flamingo
—Florida Keys: Dry Tortugas National Park
—Ft. Lauderdale: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
—Loxahatchee
—Miami Marriott close to Miami International Airport. While wandering the grounds.
—St. Augustine area: Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, Vilano Beach, Anastasia State Park
—St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
—Merritt Island area: Black Point Wildlife Drive , Viera Wetlands
—Panama City Beach Area: Conservation Park; St. Andrews State Park, Camp Helen State Park, Parker
—Ponte Vedra: Bird Island Park
—Sanibel Island
—St. Augustine area: Anastasia State Park, Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, St. Augustine Zoological Park, Vilano Beach
—St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
—Wakulla Springs



Equipment used: Canon 60D with a Canon EF70-300 mm lens; Canon 70D with a Canon EF100-400mm lens; Canon 90 D with a Canon EF100-400 mm lens and Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max.