A New Year at Orlando Wetlands
January 22, 2024 - All morning the Black-bellied Whistling-ducks were taunting me.... Read more
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
 | You’ll find me in year-round marshy areas. I have a fun whistling call that you won’t be able to miss. If you like to take pictures, try capturing the brilliance of my glossy feathers when I fly! Most Likely Found: In the marsh When: Year-Round Where I've photographed: Circle B Bar Reserve, Lake Apopka, Orlando Wetlands, Viera Wetlands Read more: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck at Cornell Lab of Ornithology |
I have written 62 posts including a photo of a Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Birds in Flight at Lake Apopka
July 15, 2021 - You often hear the Black-bellied Whistling-duck before you see them.... Read more
Summer Life at the Edge of Lake Apopka
July 9, 2021 - When I heard the calls of Black-bellied Whistling-ducks, I quickly focused on the pair of whistlers that were flying past the lakeshore.... Read more
Flight Shots around Lake Apopka
September 6, 2020 - You never know when a pair of Black-bellied Whistling-ducks will fly by!... Read more
Least Bitterns and Growing Babies at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 30, 2019 - Black-bellied Whistling-ducks The Barn Swallows were active near their nesting site.... Read more
Fall Walk at Orlando Wetlands Park
October 29, 2017 - ...A fall walk at Orlando Wetlands Park gave me a chance to photograph our returning winter birds Read more
Musical Trees with the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
June 4, 2017 - ...Black-bellied Whistling Duck nesting territory disputes are very animated when more than 2 birds lay claim to a dead palm tree! Read more
Sunrise Walk at Orlando Wetlands Park
June 2, 2017 - ...A summer sunrise at Orlando Wetlands with the birds...Pileated Woodpecker, baby Purple Gallinules, some Least Bitterns, and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks! Read more
Tiny Dancers and Other Birds at Orlando Wetlands
September 18, 2016 - ...An early September walk at Orlando Wetlands Park yielded photos of Snowy Egrets, Belted Kingfisher, and other wading birds Read more
Sunrise at Orlando Wetlands Park
September 11, 2016 - The park was full of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, whose cheerful calls echoed throughout the wetlands.... Read more
Early May at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
May 14, 2016 - Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks Common Gallinules are regulars in the waters alongside the berm roads.... Read more
A Breath of Fresh Air
September 12, 2015 - ...A quiet nature walk at sunrise at Orlando Wetlands Park. Barn Swallows posed for me and the Belted Kingfishers are back in Florida! Read more
Long Walk at the Circle B Bar Reserve
January 29, 2015 - ...My dad and I walked a ton at the Circle B Bar Reserve on Sunday. Great shots of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers! Read more
Last Orlando Wetlands Park Visit of the Year
November 12, 2014 - ...The birds were great at Orlando Wetlands Park. Eagles and whistling ducks and a Peregrine Falcon, oh my! Read more
Cool Fall Day at Orlando Wetlands Park
October 8, 2014 - Thanks to Georgia for pointing out the Black-Bellied Whistling-Duck family!... Read more
Spring Morning at Orlando Wetlands Park
April 8, 2014 - ...On the morning that Deb and I saw Rich’s awesome turtle, we also saw a bunch of fun birds. Springtime is the best time of year for Central Florida nature photography. Some of our winter visitors are still hanging around, the migrants start to move through, and the local birds get all spiffy-looking for courtship […] Read more
Finally! Nice Weather for a Walk at Circle B
January 12, 2014 - This was my best: Black-bellied Whistling-duck Flyby There were at least six Hooded Mergansers in the pond closest to the parking lot as I left (one male, five females).... Read more
Black-Bellied Whistling-Ducklings at Viera Wetlands
September 17, 2013 - Two weeks ago I went out in search of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducklings at Viera Wetlands.... But on this visit, I quickly found several families of the Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, and their cuteness made me very happy to sit out in the hot sun and photograph them!... Read more
Cloudy Morning at Viera Wetlands
August 5, 2012 - ...I debated whether to go out to photograph this morning. The forecast was just plain gross – 70% cloudcover, 50% chance of rain by 11:00, and over 90% humidity. Yep, that’s Florida in the summer! But I woke up early and decided that it’s been weeks since I’ve been able to get out, so I […] Read more
The Two Turtles – Circle B Bar Reserve
March 4, 2012 - ...To continue the “Lord of the Rings” titles, this post is about “The Two Turtles” (and some birds, hehe). Rich was a very happy camper when I got home from the Circle B Bar Reserve with several pictures of turtles. He said I had to post at least one – after all, this site is […] Read more
Mirror, Mirror, in the Lake…Who’s the Most Handsome Drake?
January 7, 2012 - ...Wednesday was a frigid morning at the Circle B Bar Reserve. The forecast had predicted a low of 29 at 7am, but my car’s thermometer was more optimistic, measuring 34. There was very little wind, and I was quite comfortable all bundled up in my old college coat. I made my way out to the […] Read more
A Great Morning to be Outside at the Circle B Bar Reserve
November 12, 2011 - ...It was cool and a little breezy this morning, and it felt so good to get up early and go see some “golden light!” The Beast and I made our first trip to Circle B in several weeks. Some ducks have settled in, but not as many as I seem to remember from last year. […] Read more
Early Migrants at the Circle B Bar Reserve
September 12, 2011 - ...You know that the hot summer is coming to a close at the Circle B Bar Reserve when you start seeing the first Pied-Billed Grebes on the Wading Bird Way trail. Although grebes are year-round residents in Polk, I don’t seem to see them until the very end of summer. The same goes for the […] Read more
A Morning of Firsts at the Click Ponds
July 30, 2011 - ...I saw several birds for the first time this morning at the Click Ponds: two Wilson’s Phalaropes, Black Terns, Stilt Sandpipers, and a Semipalmated Sandpiper. It was a fun morning to be out! I arrived at the Click Ponds (across from Viera Wetlands) just after sunrise. The Click Ponds have all but dried up and now […] Read more
Cute Babies at Viera Wetlands
July 9, 2011 - ...I went to Viera Wetlands on Saturday morning. After all the rain on Friday, I wasn’t optimistic about the light level (I actually didn’t decide to make the drive until Saturday morning at 5am!) There was virtually no sun till the very end of the morning, but the babies were cute and I was relatively pleased with […] Read more
The Importance of Camera Angle
July 6, 2011 - ...While shooting at the Viera Wetlands this weekend, I enjoyed watching some Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks landing on palm tree stumps. There was potential for beautiful background bokeh with the green trees in the distant background. At first I stood to photograph, which gave me this kind of picture: Then I realized that the background wasn’t […] Read more
Expect the Unexpected at Viera Wetlands
July 4, 2011 - ...Dyeyo and I went to Viera Wetlands this morning with hopes of finding some of the babies reported on Birdbrains, and maybe the Fulvous Whistling Duck that was photographed there yesterday. It’s summer, though, and I wasn’t optimistic that we’d find much, especially since we don’t get to Viera often and so are not as familiar with the area. […] Read more
Baby Birds Take Flight at Circle B Bar Reserve
July 3, 2011 - ...It was a slow start to the morning at the Circle B Bar Reserve. I pulled up to the main gate at 6:30, hoping to catch the sunrise. But the gate was closed! All I could think was “I drove an hour to get here and it’s closed!?!?” As Dyeyo and I chatted about where […] Read more
Mothers and Babies at the Circle B Bar Reserve
May 8, 2011 - ...Happy Mother’s Day! Dyeyo and I spent a few hours at the Circle B Bar Reserve this morning before going to spend some time with my mom. It seemed appropriate that we saw a bunch of baby birds with their moms today. :) We hiked the Alligator Alley loop this morning, starting just after sunrise. […] Read more
In Search of Babies at Circle B Bar Reserve
April 10, 2011 - ...Dyeyo and I went to the Circle B Bar Reserve this morning on a quest to find baby birds. The adorable Sandhill Crane colt that met us on the Heron Hideout trail was just the first. We figured that the Barred Owlet had already fledged, so we headed out to Wading Bird Way in search […] Read more
Frogs and Snakes for Breakfast at the Circle B Bar Reserve
March 4, 2011 - ...I spent my off-Friday morning at the Circle B Bar Reserve. I arrived at 6:30, about 20 minutes before sunrise. I hiked down to Lake Hancock and was on the dock for the sunrise. It was pretty cloudy this morning, so the sun was a little late peeking out from behind the clouds. It was […] Read more
February Photo Walk at Circle B Bar Reserve
February 26, 2011 - ...This morning my dad and I led another Photo Walk at the Circle B Bar Reserve. Circle B asked us to lead people around the preserve, showing them the best trails and places to find birds. Today we had about ten or so people meet us at 8:00 (remember, photographers have to be up early […] Read more
Hoodies at the Circle B Bar Reserve!
January 29, 2011 - ...Dyeyo and I were at the Circle B Bar Reserve at dawn this morning. It was a bit chilly at first, but it felt so great to be outside! The fog obscured the sunrise a bit, which turned out to be good, since I got this picture as a result: We hiked the Heron Hideout […] Read more
Lions and Bitterns and Rails, Oh My! Circle B Bar Reserve Never Disappoints
January 23, 2011 - ...A group of photographers met at the Circle B Bar Reserve for sunrise this morning. We had a blast. Circle B really is a photographer’s playground at this time of year! Dyeyo and I parked at the parking lot at the Circle B entrance, then took the Windmill Whisper trail out to Wading Bird Way. […] Read more
The Bird Paparazzi Grows at Circle B Bar Reserve
January 22, 2011 - ...There were TONS of people at the Circle B Bar Reserve this morning! Despite the chilly and breezy weather, over a hundred birders were out to enjoy the morning. Dyeyo and I decided to hike along Alligator Alley to look for Orange-Crowned Warblers and Blue-Headed Vireos. We hoped for a nice sunrise over the lake, […] Read more
Another Great Sunrise at the Circle B Bar Reserve
January 9, 2011 - ...Dyeyo and I tried something a little different this morning. We arrived at the Circle B Bar Reserve about fifteen minutes before sunrise, and we parked in the lot right at the entrance to the reserve. Then we hiked out to Wading Bird Way on the Windmill Whisper trail. We got to the crossroads right […] Read more
Circle B Bar Reserve: the Photographer’s Playground!
January 8, 2011 - ...My dad and I had a great time this morning doing a “photo hike” at the Circle B Bar Reserve. We’d like to say thanks to the dozen or so brave people who came out early at 8:00 and braved the winds to see the birds. We enjoyed the time, and we hope that everybody […] Read more
Bitterns Saying Hello at Circle B Bar Reserve
January 7, 2011 - ...I headed to the Circle B Bar Reserve on my off-Friday determined to remember to check the eagle’s nest next to the Nature Center. I always seem to forget to walk over and check it on my way out! As I arrived at the nest, I saw one Bald Eagle sitting on it. Another eagle […] Read more
Skies Full of American White Pelicans at the Circle B Bar Reserve
December 23, 2010 - ...The skies of the Circle B Bar Reserve were covered in American White Pelicans this morning. We arrived at sunrise and stayed till about 11:30. During that whole time, wave after wave of pelicans flew in. They must be powered by Energizer…they just keep coming, and coming, and coming! This morning we walked up Heron […] Read more
Beautiful Morning at the Circle B Bar Reserve
December 22, 2010 - ...It was a gorgeous morning at the Circle B Bar Reserve. We arrived at 7:00, just before sunrise, and the birds put on an amazing wake-up show. The hundreds of Wood Storks and Sand Hill Cranes that roost in the marsh overnight all woke up and flew away, nicely illuminated by the rising sun. They […] Read more
What’s Going On Up There?
December 17, 2010 - ...There were plenty of birds in the skies this afternoon at the Circle B Bar Reserve! I got there around 3:30 and hiked Heron Hideout, Marsh Rabbit Run, and Wading Bird Way. The American White Pelicans are back and roosting on the water at Wading Bird Way! Yay! When I first arrived, the skies above […] Read more
Cranes and Pelicans and a Circle B Sunset
December 11, 2010 - ...Dyeyo and I went for a quick walk at the Circle B Bar Reserve this afternoon. I’ve been wanting to photograph one of our spectacular golden sunsets that we’ve been having lately, but tonight’s wasn’t like that. It was pretty, though. I waited for the sun to start going behind a cloud, then took this […] Read more
Skies Filled with Birds at the Circle B Bar Reserve
November 28, 2010 - ...I found the birds! Last Monday I was disappointed to visit the Circle B Bar Reserve and find practically no birds in the skies. Today was quite the opposite! The morning was cool and bright — a nice change from yesterday’s cloudy gloom! I walked out on Heron Hideout and immediately saw my first flock […] Read more
Where are all the birds at the Circle B Bar Reserve?
November 22, 2010 - ...Relatively speaking, there were very few birds at the Circle B Bar Reserve this morning. Usually we are greeted by flocks of White Ibis and Wood Storks flying over Heron Hideout. We see Osprey and various wading birds flying overhead. Lately a bunch of Roseate Spoonbills have been filling the marshes with pink. Today there […] Read more
Seeing is Believing: There Really are Otters at the Circle B Bar Reserve!
November 14, 2010 - ...I’ve been going to the Circle B Bar Reserve at least once a week since June, and plenty of times before that, and I’ve never seen a River Otter. Dyeyo’s seen them plenty of times. Well, I finally got to see one today! There were otters running up and down Marsh Rabbit Run all morning. […] Read more
Windy Morning at the Circle B Bar Reserve
November 7, 2010 - ...Hundreds of White Ibis took to the air this morning over the Circle B Bar Reserve. The cold and the wind kept most of the birds under cover, but the White Ibises seemed to know how to navigate despite the gusts. On Heron Hideout, the marsh on the left is completely dry, and it seems […] Read more
Happy Hallo-wren at the Circle B Bar Reserve
November 1, 2010 - ...Apparently the “Water, Wings, and Wild Things” event yesterday spooked a lot of the birds at the Circle B Bar Reserve…but the wrens stuck around and celebrated Halloween with us! The marshes were fairly quiet this morning, but there were plenty of little bids for patient photographers… We started off walking to the far end […] Read more
Lots of Birds at the Circle B Bar Reserve
October 24, 2010 - ...There were Eastern Phoebes everywhere at the Circle B Bar Reserve this morning. Plus a whole lot of other birds… After Al and several other people saw a Cuckoo during this past week, we headed out to see if we could find it too. Al also reports that the river otters are back along the […] Read more
The Coots have Returned to the Circle B Bar Reserve
October 17, 2010 - ...Things are certainly picking up at the Circle B Bar Reserve. Besides seeing the first American Coots of the season, this morning we saw a juvenile Bald Eagle doing some nice close fly-bys, three Roseate Spoonbills, and plenty of Gray Catbirds and Eastern Phoebes. Last night when we left at sunset, we said good night […] Read more
Our First Afternoon Visit to the Circle B Bar Reserve
October 16, 2010 - ...Dyeyo and I made an unusual late-afternoon trip to the Circle B Bar Reserve today, hoping to get some fun sunset shots. It was strange to be there in the afternoon instead of the early morning. The differences in lighting almost made it feel like a totally new place. When we first got out to […] Read more