Bronzed Cowbird at Newton Park
January 31, 2024 - A pair of juvenile Purple Gallinules started to laugh at me from the reeds.... Read more
Purple Gallinule
 | A lot of people get excited when they see me in the marshes because I’m so colorful. I’m a year-round resident in Florida. I love to climb in the reeds, where my big feet help me climb without falling. Most Likely Found: In the marsh When: Year-Round Where I've photographed: Circle B Bar Reserve, Lake Apopka, Lake Parker Park, Orlando Wetlands, Viera Wetlands Read more: Purple Gallinule at Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ebird: Purple Gallinule eBird range |
I have written 54 posts including a photo of a Purple Gallinule
Searching for Migrants at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
May 7, 2023 - I come across a Purple Gallinule who is very close to the road.... Read more
More Boardwalk Fun at Orlando Wetlands
March 14, 2023 - When I finally left the boardwalk, I didn't get very far before finding this Purple Gallinule.... Read more
Stalking a Kitty at Circle B
November 30, 2021 - The Purple Gallinules were back out on the alligator flag plants, but not as close as on my previous visit.... Read more
Eagles and a Walk around Circle B Bar Reserve
November 21, 2021 - A family of Purple Gallinules was active on the Alligator Flag plants.... Read more
Why Did the Purple Gallinule Cross the Trail?
September 12, 2021 - A late July bike ride at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive posed a very interesting and profound question...why did the Purple Gallinule cross the trail?... Read more
Continuing Quest for Least Bittern Flight Shots at LAWD
August 23, 2021 - I've watched several Purple Gallinule families grow up this summer, and I was pleased to find another one on this visit.... Read more
Mid-June Visit to Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 19, 2021 - I checked on my Purple Gallinule families.... Read more
More Babies on the South Shore of Lake Apopka
August 13, 2021 - This juvenile Purple Gallinule perched on the top of an alligator flag leave and watched me curiously.... Read more
Another Early June Lake Apopka Morning
August 9, 2021 - I re-located the little black Purple Gallinule babies.... Read more
Early June Visit to Circle B Bar Reserve
July 27, 2021 - Purple Gallinules were everywhere that morning.... As we hit Wading Bird Way, we found a clump of Alligator Flags with a Purple Gallinule gymnast.... A few minutes later, I spotted a Purple Gallinule pair standing very close.... Read more
Another Early June Bike Ride at Lake Apopka
July 25, 2021 - Purple Gallinules were everywhere.... Read more
Early June Bike Ride at Lake Apopka
July 13, 2021 - Purple Gallinules were everywhere!... ...and I found some cute little black baby Purple Gallinules in the lily pads.... Read more
Summer Life at the Edge of Lake Apopka
July 9, 2021 - Remember the Purple Gallinule families from a few weeks ago?... Read more
More from the South Shore of Lake Apopka
July 7, 2021 - The Alligator Flags were full of Purple Gallinules.... Remember the Purple Gallinule families from a few posts ago?... Read more
Summer Families at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 3, 2021 - Next I came across a family of Purple Gallinules.... Read more
Purple Gallinule Families
June 23, 2021 - For this post, we'll focus on the Purple Gallinule families that I found.... Adult Purple Gallinules are so colorful.... In the early morning light, I found a group of juvenile Purple Gallinules in an Alligator Flag plant.... Read more
A Bittern-ly Foggy Morning at Lake Apopka
May 13, 2021 - A Purple Gallinule surprised me when he popped up on a lilypad near my window.... Read more
Purple Pole Vaulters!
September 2, 2020 - I love watching the Purple Gallinules at this time of year.... Read more
2019: Photographic Year in Review
December 31, 2019 - From the tall Black-necked Stilts to the camera-evading warblers, the fast-flying Barn Swallows and the big-footed baby Purple Gallinules, it was a year full of avian opportunity.... Around Lake Apopka: House Wren, Black-and-white Warbler, Blue-winged Teals mating, Black-necked Stilt, Sunset, Pied-billed Grebe with Chicks, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Least Bittern, Fulvous…... Read more
Colorful Birds on the South Shore of Lake Apopka
November 30, 2019 - A number of Purple Gallinules greeted me from the reeds on the edge of the lake.... Read more
Least Bitterns and Growing Babies at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 30, 2019 - Purple Gallinules are also active along the drive these days.... This visit was the first time I'd seen Purple Gallinule babies this year.... Read more
Gray January Morning at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
January 12, 2019 - So as I approached the Crazy U, one of my first birds was this Purple Gallinule.... The Swamphen basically looks like a larger version of the Purple Gallinule.... Read more
July 4 Weekend at Lake Apopka
July 20, 2017 - My first birds of the morning were Purple Gallinules.... Read more
Purple Gallinules at Lake Parker Park
July 10, 2017 - We've seen incredible photos of Purple Gallinules and Snail Kites taken there.... We certainly saw plenty of Purple Gallinules!... After the sun came up, the light was just beautiful on the Purple Gallinules.... Read more
Baby Purple Gallinules at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 6, 2017 - On my previous visit to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, I found a small family of Purple Gallinules with tiny babies.... (She didn't care.) Baby Purple Gallinules don't look all that different than their Common Gallinule "alien" cousins.... A biker went by and scared the Purple Gallinules off, so I…... Read more
Addicted to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
June 20, 2017 - My Purple Gallinule from my previous visit was back out - and he had a friend!... I wonder what a Purple Gallinule would say to a male Painted Bunting?... Read more
Sunrise Walk at Orlando Wetlands Park
June 2, 2017 - Orlando Wetlands is good for finding Purple Gallinules and this morning was no exception.... Not too far away was a baby Purple Gallinule.... Read more
A Quick Stop at Lake Parker Park
March 10, 2017 - It had been a while since I was there, and I'd heard it was good for Purple Gallinules and Snail Kites.... We found a couple of Purple Gallinules.... Read more
Tiny Dancers and Other Birds at Orlando Wetlands
September 18, 2016 - Orlando Wetlands is one place where I can reliably find Purple Gallinules, and this day was no exception.... Read more
A Breath of Fresh Air
September 12, 2015 - It's pretty easy to find Purple Gallinules at Orlando Wetlands, and at this time of year, you can find juvenile birds who are starting to get their adult plumage.... Read more
Annual Search for My Pole-Vaulters
October 16, 2014 - But one thing that Circle B is really good for at this time of year is Purple Gallinules.... This Common Gallinule was jealous of all the attention that the Purple Gallinules were getting.... Read more
Cool Fall Day at Orlando Wetlands Park
October 8, 2014 - Purple Gallinules are fairly easy to find at Orlando Wetlands Park.... Read more
Better Hurry, Alligator Flags at Circle B are Fading!
October 21, 2013 - On this particular visit my goal was to photograph the Purple Gallinules on their favorite Alligator Flag plants, the biggest clump of which stands on the "afternoon side" of the Heron Hideout trail.... The above picture is a juvenile Purple Gallinule, molting quickly into his colorful adult plumage.... The Purple…... Read more
Winter Birds Returning to the Circle B Bar Reserve
October 14, 2013 - As the sun came up, the golden glow illuminated the Purple Gallinules climbing on the alligator flag reeds.... Read more
Strike a Pose
September 29, 2012 - My best photographic opportunity was with this Purple Gallinule, who hopped up onto one of the Alligator Flag reeds right in front of me.... Read more
Summer Sunrise at Circle B
July 22, 2012 - I took a walk out to where the Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks nested last year. I was hoping to find some yellow-and-black cuties, which we haven't been able to find (yet) at Viera Wetlands this year. But I didn't find any at CBBR either. :( I did find this juvenile Purple…... Read more
I Love This Time of Year at Circle B!
October 24, 2011 - I saw no less than TEN Purple Gallinules climbing the reeds and eating the seeds.... (Most people are excited to see one!) Most of the Purple Gallinules were adults, but a few juveniles were showing off their pale colors.... In a split second, every single Purple Gallinule had hopped off…... Read more
Expect the Unexpected at the Circle B Bar Reserve
September 17, 2011 - As I waited for the Limpkin chicks to come out, I heard a noise behind me, and turned around to find a family of Purple Gallinules. I had thought I'd heard a new family out there a few weeks ago. The chicks are starting to get their adult feathers. I…... Read more
Yellow-Billed Cuckoo on Marsh Rabbit Run!
August 5, 2011 - There's a family of Purple Gallinules on Wading Bird Way. The babies have grown a lot, and they are starting to molt into their adult colors. I only saw the one baby today. He posed in some bushes, playing "hide and seek" with us. Then he came running out across…... Read more
Cute Babies at Viera Wetlands
July 9, 2011 - After the bittern left and the whistling ducks swam away, I circled around in search of the Purple Gallinule family that I saw last week. I found the babies by listening – their little calls are unmistakable. I sat waiting for them to make their way out of the reeds. …... Read more
Expect the Unexpected at Viera Wetlands
July 4, 2011 - We also came across a family of Purple Gallinules with tiny babies. I don’t think I’ve ever seen gallinule babies this small. They can’t be but a day or two old. We had met a really nice lady on a golf cart, who is lucky enough to live five minutes…... Read more
Why Did the Purple Gallinule Cross the Trail at Circle B Bar Reserve?
June 26, 2011 - We saw quite a few Purple Gallinules along the trail. We found at least two groups of babies, one at the intersection of Wading Bird Way with the (still closed) Marsh Rabbit Run trail, and the other group a little farther south. The babies are black and look so different…... Read more
Bobolink-less Morning at Circle B Bar Reserve
May 14, 2011 - Limpkin Wars We came across Jeff and Lynn on the trail, and they showed us where they'd been seeing Purple Gallinules. As I was photographing one adult, he flew off. Normally I don't like flight shots with the bird going away from me, but there's something about this shot that…... Read more
The Newest Celebrity at the Circle B Bar Reserve
April 2, 2011 - Common Moorhen baby Rumors of some baby Sora led us to the southern side of Heron Hideout, where we did not find any Sora. But we did spot two Purple Gallinules on the western side of the trail, near the last culvert before Eagle Roost. There was a nest right…... Read more
Hoodies at the Circle B Bar Reserve!
January 29, 2011 - Eagle Roost nest A Purple Gallinule made an appearance on the Marsh Rabbit Run trail, just behind the star American Bittern who regularly has a crowd of admirers.... Purple Gallinule Turtle lovers beware (sorry, Rich and family...) - we saw a Limpkin eating a baby turtle on the far end…... Read more
The Whistler Flight School is pleased to announce the opening of Marsh Rabbit Run!!
September 27, 2010 - On our way back on Marsh Rabbit Run, we saw some juvenile Purple Gallinules crawling through the vegetation.... The juvenile pastel plumage is fun: Purple Gallinule There's a hint of fall in the air...and with fall comes more migration!!... Species list: Anhinga, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher (heard), Black-Bellied Whistling Duck,…... Read more
Another beautiful morning at the Circle B Bar Reserve
July 18, 2010 - I did see plenty of Apple Snail eggs, which is good news for the Limpkins who will be eating those snails this fall. I got some close-ups of the eggs: Apple snail eggs With Marsh Rabbit Run closed, we had to walk all the way up to the windmill and…... Read more
Baby Birds at the Circle B Bar Reserve
June 20, 2010 - The beautiful sunrise this morning was just the start of a happy Father's Day hike with Dyeyo at the Circle B Bar Reserve. We saw lots of baby birds! Sand Hill Cranes, Purple Gallinules, Common Moorhens, Grackles and Red-Winged Blackbirds, a Red-Bellied Woodpecker...... For several weeks we have suspected that…... Read more