Burrowing Owl

Not a Burrowing Owl. A Loggerhead Shrike.

Wordless Wednesday

Still here

For those of you who wonder what has happened to me, the answer is heat. Lots of heat. Good heat. Heat with sun and sand and surf. And I like it!!! So, quite frankly, I simply don't have the time to blog. (OK, maybe I do, but I don't feel like taking my computer to the beach with me.)

First up, we're in Fort Myers, Florida. We're in an RV resort full of people over the age of 65. We're probably the youngest here, except for those who have children and grandchildren visiting them. 'Nough said. You can probably figure the rest of the story out on your own.

So far, Fort Myers is pretty nice. Except for the above mentioned people over the age of 65. The place is full of them. Fort Myers Beach is full of the younger crowd. Most of the hotels and resorts there are on the beach. And the beach is pretty nice. White sand. It feels very silky between your toes. And Bonita Springs (where all the rich people sell their houses) has a dog beach. Eugene and Meika love it! Especially Meika. She must have been a Southern California surfer girl in a previous life.

I've been doing a bit of birding while here. One day last week, Bill and I went to Sanibel Island and while he paddled around in his kayak, I went to the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. I got 3 new birds while I was there: Yellow-Crowned Night Heron, a Reddish Egret, and ta-da! a Roseate Spoonbill. Yippee!

Yesterday we spent a couple of hours at Manatee Park, which, by the way, had no manatees that day. Or alligators either. Bill paddled around in his kayak and I sat under a tree reading and watching all the birds come to me. I found a Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, a Black and White Warbler (!), a Northern Parula (!), and an Eastern Kingbird (!). I now have 82 birds on my Florida list and 342 on my life list!! You'd almost think I was a birder or something.

I have a few pictures on my camera that I need to download, so as soon as I get that done, I'll post them.

We're off to the Tampa area on the 26th of this month, then to Panama City. From there we leave Florida and head to Texas where my good friend Bron is going to take me birding with her. I can't wait!!! More new birds!!

May your next bird be a lifer!