Mixed Flock of Warblers at Oakland Nature Preserve
March 1, 2021 - A mixed flock at Oakland Nature Preserve yielded Pine Warblers, Eastern Bluebirds, a Blue-eyed Vireo, and a Downy Woodpecker
A nature photographer’s images and stories of birds, butterflies, and other creatures from her backyard near Orlando, FL
March 1, 2021 - A mixed flock at Oakland Nature Preserve yielded Pine Warblers, Eastern Bluebirds, a Blue-eyed Vireo, and a Downy Woodpecker
February 26, 2021 - Metamorphosis: Monarch caterpillars transform into chrysalides and then into fully-grown butterflies! Videos and images of the transformation
February 13, 2021 - Birding at Lust Road: Quick glimpses of Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, and an otter swimming down the canal!
February 3, 2021 - A morning of backyard birding yielded a nectar-hungry Orange-crowned Warbler, my favorite Painted Buntings, and first-of-spring Purple Martin
January 11, 2021 - A morning of backyard birding and photography yielded an Orange-crowned Warbler, a beautiful pair of cardinals, and my Painted Buntings
January 3, 2021 - Photos from my backyard birdcam. Surprise visitors included Eastern Bluebirds, a Prairie Warbler, and "Bow Tie" the Yellow-throated Warbler!
December 28, 2020 - Backyard photography of Monarch butterfly caterpillars transforming into chrysalides and then into butterflies
November 13, 2020 - My lifer Yellow-headed Blackbird showed up quite unexpectedly in my backyard after Tropical Storm Eta passed through the state.
October 15, 2020 - It’s reassuring to know that in the midst of a crazy year, the birds are right on schedule. Our first of fall Painted Bunting showed up in the backyard on October 14. :)
August 27, 2020 - A few hours of backyard birding in mid-August yielded baby cardinals, doves, and a lifer Rock Dove for our feline ornithologists!
May 30, 2020 - The clouds cleared and gave us a great view of the SpaceX launch this afternoon. It's so great to see Americans flying from the Space Coast once more!
May 10, 2020 - Spring 2020 backyard birding during coronavirus - a special guest post by our resident feline ornithologist, Whiskey!
February 24, 2020 - Backyard photos of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird nectaring at a penta flower
February 15, 2020 - An afternoon of backyard bird photography with my parents - Painted Bunting, Baltimore Oriole, and Ruby-throated Hummingbird
January 22, 2020 - A delightful afternoon with Shirley, who shared her rare Bullock's Oriole stakeout in exchange for sightings in her bird-friendly backyard
January 19, 2020 - Fred Bassett did hummingbird banding at my parents' house. He banded a first-year male and a second-year male Ruby-throated Hummingbird
January 18, 2020 - Quiet afternoon of backyard photography with Painted Buntings, "Blondie" the Palm Warbler, and House Finches who eat goldfinch food
December 27, 2019 - I photographed my lifer Western Tanager in my parents' backyard on Christmas Day. I guess I'm not on the Naughty List after all!
December 24, 2019 - A rare Western Tanager has been showing up perodically in my parents' backyard. What a great early Christmas present for a family of birders!
October 7, 2019 - I looked out my window this morning and saw a male Painted Bunting at my feeder. It’s definitely feeling like fall!
June 3, 2019 - Shoving furniture aside to photograph a cardinal nest is a perfectly normal activity for this nature photographer! ;-)
May 23, 2019 - One morning in late April, I spent a couple of hours in the backyard with my camera, hoping to see our first-of-spring baby Cardinal and maybe a few migrants. It was a cool morning and pleasant to hear the calls of “my” birds as they woke up. We’ve been seeing the occasional Eastern Bluebird, although […]
May 16, 2019 - Last springtime backyard photography with my Painted Buntings. Is it October yet? I can't wait for them to return
April 11, 2019 - Springtime backyard bird photography including Painted Buntings, Gray Catbirds, American Goldfinches, Northern Cardinals, and cute bunnies :)
April 3, 2019 - Backyard bird photography - Painted Buntings, Brown Thrashers, and first-time visiting White-crowned Sparrows
January 24, 2019 - A morning of backyard bird photography yielded a surprise - my lifer Pine Siskin joined the American Goldfinches at my feeder
January 21, 2019 - Photos from the January 2019 total lunar eclipse taken from our freezing-cold backyard in Central Florida
May 5, 2018 - Our newest neighbor is a Nanday Parakeet who makes very loud visits to our bird feeders
February 7, 2018 - Painted Bunting photography in my backyard - fun with flight shots! Plus a visiting Gray Catbird
February 3, 2018 - An afternoon in the backyard bird blind yielded Painted Buntings, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, and my dad's favorite - a Northern Cardinal
January 24, 2018 - Peaceful morning of backyard birding photography with my winter guests - the Painted Buntings!
January 3, 2018 - The Hooded Mergansers are back in town and I photographed them on a cloudy December afternoon
October 22, 2017 - Our fall birds are returning to the backyard. Gray Catbirds, Palm Warblers, and Painted Buntings are here to stay. The American Redstarts are just passing through!
October 11, 2017 - Meet the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds who have made our backyard their home since the passage of Hurricane Irma.
October 8, 2017 - Our winter backyard celebrities are coming back! First of fall Painted Bunting seen today :)
August 17, 2017 - Summer backyard birding is fun with a visiting Ruby-throated Hummingbird and growing baby Northern Cardinals and House Finches
July 4, 2017 - It’s our country’s birthday! To celebrate, Goldy (our resident feline ornithologist) is issuing a challenge to our blog readers. She wants you to get out and find as many red, white, and blue bird-birds as you can! Some suggestions: Red: Northern Cardinal, Summer Tanager White: White Ibis, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, juvenile Little Blue Heron, […]
June 30, 2017 - Backyard birding update along with a beautiful rainbow photo
May 30, 2017 - Just a quick post this morning…I’m still going through photos from a very productive long weekend! On Friday I went over to my parents’ house. We heard the call of a Great-crested Flycatcher from a neighbor’s tree, so I grabbed my camera and went to investigate. He was sitting out in the open, perched nicely […]
May 24, 2017 - My Northern Cardinals wish a very special person a very happy birthday today!
May 11, 2017 - Rich cracked me up so hard and I just have to share the joke. Recently I finished editing this image and I took the laptop to him, asking “Can you tell?” His response was priceless. “I don’t know if there was a branch, and I don’t know if there was a bird!” Such are the […]
May 7, 2017 - A cold front blew in migrant birds to Fort De Soto yesterday - lots of Bay-breasted Warblers, Indigo Buntings, tanagers, grosbeaks, and more!
May 5, 2017 - I started to notice something funny in my backyard...all the birds like to pose on finials!
April 30, 2017 - Fun photos of visitors at our backyard bird feeders - Painted Buntings galore :)
April 24, 2017 - Mourning doves are the backyard birding clownarounds - they always make me laugh with their antics!
April 20, 2017 - Backyard birding is best in early April - Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, warblers, Painted Buntings, a juvenile dove (already!), and a hilarious Brown Thrasher photobomb!
April 16, 2017 - Happy Easter! Our backyard rabbits celebrated by doing the bunny hop (literally!)