Monday, July 28, 2008

On a Wing and a Prayer

On our weekend trip down to St. Mark's, we parked by the lighthouse and sat in the truck enjoying the coastal scenery and a breeze that kept out most of the bugs. A little warbler came into the palm in front of the truck. They are usually so hyper that I can't focus my eyes on them, let alone a camera. I think this one is a female Hooded Warbler.

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On the way back, there were four Roseate Spoonbills resting in one of the brackish ponds. They were not close to the road and the light was all wrong but I had to try, since I am such a spoonbill fan. You can see the beak on the one on the left that shows the shape that gave it its name. Like flamingos and certain other pink birds, they brighten their feather colors by eating shrimp and crayfish. Flamingos are not native to Florida, but spoonbills are.

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St. Mark's really is an amazing place. This last shot made me think of heaven on earth, sort of a heaven and earth sandwich. 100_3670

I pray that gas prices will never make visiting wild places such as this unattainable.

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