Most of my posts are about pleasant things -- with the occasional rant about things that perturb me!

Friday, January 29, 2010

WOLF MOON


Tonight's full moon, known as the wolf moon, is the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. It offers anyone with clear skies an opportunity to identify easy-to-see features on the moon. The name dates back to Native American culture and the notion that hungry wolves howled at the full moon on cold winter nights.
(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

CORKSCREW SWAMP

(Click on photos to enlarge.)
It was a beautiful day to visit Corkscrew Swamp.
It is hard to see, but this tree has a rare ghost orchid
in it. In June, July and August the ghost orchid
will bloom. You can see the roots in the middle
stalk of the tree, right above where
the three branches meet.
There were LOTS of woodpeckers at Corkscrew today.
A red-bellied woodpecker.
A downy woodpecker.
Red-shouldered hawks were plentiful also.
Apparently, it was mating season.
(Sorry for the hawk porn!)
I am not sure what this little bird is.
Great egret.
2 anhingas and an egret
An osprey.
Not sure what this is either.
This is a female painted bunting. She is not
in a cage; she is in a feeder she can get out of.
Someone told me this was a "cow bird". But, I
think they made that up.
An ibis
This was a nice sighting - a pine warbler.
Buzzards (or vultures).
An anhinga.
Black-crowned night heron.
Little blue heron.
Pine warbler.
There are pretty swamp flowers and berries all over Corkscrew.
South Florida's fall colors.