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Reddish egret — white morph (Egretta rufescens) By Jan Baumgartner Two color morphs are found in reddish egrets — the common dark morph with its steel gray and rust plumage, and the rare all-white morph. The birds don’t notice plumage color during breeding season as chicks of both color morphs may be found within a […]
Great egret (Ardea alba) The great egret, a year-round Siesta Key resident, is an elegant heron adorned in magnificent white plumage.While approaching the size of the great blue heron, the egret is slimmer with a more-slender bill and a much longer neck that often kinks into a familiar “S” shape.Did you know the great egret […]
By Jan Baumgartner Ruddy turnstone (Limosa fedoa) A member of the sandpiper family, the turnstone is the calico cat of shorebirds with patchy black, white and orange breeding plumage.As the name suggests, the turnstone diligently turns over pebbles, shells, and seaweed in search of small, hidden insects and crustaceans. With such an exhaustive foraging routine, […]
Black skimmer (Rynchops niger) By Jan Baumgartner This medium-sized, black and white shorebird with a bowl haircut flocks to Siesta Key’s public beaches with all the sunseekers.The skimmer is also called a scissor-bill because its orange and black bill, with an extreme underbite, resembles a pair of scissors. As the bird glides on wing mere […]
Roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) By Jan Baumgartner Thanks to its bright pink plumage, the spoonbill might be mistaken for a short, odd-looking flamingo from a distance. However, that’s where the similarity ends. The spoonbill is a full-time resident of south Florida’s coastal areas, like Siesta Key, and prefers wetland marshes with tree cover.Shallow waters — […]
(Eudocimus albus) By Jan Baumgartner The ibis is one of the many long-legged, long-billed wading birds often congregating around Siesta Key’s estuaries, mangroves, and wetlands.This adult specimen’s normally orangey-pink legs and bill have ignited into a fiery red with some black-out accents during breeding season. As a general rule, vibrant colorations help the birds catch […]
Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) By Jan Baumgartner At 2 months of age, these gregarious heron chicks gain height and weight each day thanks to a buffet of protein-rich foods including fish, crustaceans, amphibians, and reptiles served up by their parents.Between seven and nine weeks of age, young herons build the necessary strength and balance […]
Great egret (Ardea alba) By Jan Baumgartner The great egret is an elegant heron adorned in white, magnificent plumage and is nearly the size of the great blue heron.Inhabiting six of the seven continents, this long-legged and long-necked marvel is at home near most bodies of water, salt or fresh. The great egret serves as […]
Local aquarium is visual extravaganza for lovers of cool creatures By Jane Bartnett Gulf Gate is full of places to discover. For those of us who are drawn to the sea and the creatures that live there and near it, a whole world of wonder awaits at the Seascape Aquarium & Pet Center.Behind the doors […]
Marbled godwit (Limosa fedoa) By Jan Baumgartner The long, pink and black bill of this shore bird arrives at any destination almost 5 inches before of the rest of its body!Jokes aside, the godwit’s slightly-upturned saber-like bill is the key to its survival in two very different environments. Floridians know the godwit as a proverbial […]