GOING BACK IN TIME….
(Scroll down for our two day trip to Wisconsin and Illinois to catch the European Goldfinch and Kelp Gull!)
9/19/25 Loxahatchee NWR, FL: A rare Variegated Flycatcher was found by Carl Edwards – Thanks a bunch for his help in refinding the bird! – and a few pics were captured!
9/15/25 Egan’s Creek, Amelia Island, FL: Early morning found a White-eyed Vireo , Yellow Warbler (f), Black-and-white Warbler (f), Common Yellowthroat (f), Northern Cardinal (m), Northern Parula (f or imm.), Prarie Warbler (f) , and a Blue Gray Gnatcatcher family passing through.
9/15/25 Spoonbill Pond, Big Talbot SP, FL: Reddish Egret study – it’s so much fun to watch them dodge, spin and dance! Also: Caspian Tern , Snowy Egret/Great Egret group, Roseate Spoonbill group, and we saw 4 distant Marbled Godwit individuals.
9/12/25 Amelia Island SP and Huguenot Memorial Park, JAX, FL: Two studies! About 10 Osprey were trying to catch fish in the choppy waves and gave us some looks. A Non-breeding Red Knot duo wasn’t frightened of the camera though we had to walk with them with the waves up to our knees to get the light right.
9/12/25 Amelia Island SP and Huguenot Memorial Park, JAX, FL: Herring Gull (juvs), Black Skimmer , Brown Pelican group, Caspian Tern , Great Blue Heron , Royal Tern still feeding its young , Laughing Gull , Sanderling , young Sandwich Tern with parent, and Willet .
9/3/25 Sweetwater Preserve, Gainesville, FL: We spent a beautiful morning here. The colors of the Purple Gallinule are hard to beat! Thus a study. Also: Sandhill Crane , Sora , Black-bellied Whistling Duck duo , juvenile Little Blue Heron , and a cute Mourning Dove .
9/3/25 Sweetwater Preserve, Gainesville, FL: We spent a beautiful morning here. The light was awesome: Limpkin , Great Blue Heron , Green Heron , Anhinga , Common Gallinule , Common Grackle , Fish Crow , and Tricolored Heron .
9/2/25 Honeymoon Island SP, FL: After missing the elania being seen near Ft. Meyers, we headed home via Honeymoon Island SP where we caught shorebirds along the causeway: Least Sandpiper , Marbled Godwit , Ruddy Turnstone , Short-billed Dowitcher , Willet , and Black-bellied Plover .
8/31/25 Amelia Island SP, FL: We were keeping an eye out for Black Terns lately since migration is “ahappening”. We found a Black Tern flock at the beach and were able to study various plumages. Also: Sandwich Tern.
8/24/25 Fort Clinch SP, FL: A Ruddy Turnstone study and a Brown Pelican at sunrise (which by the way, was very cool).
8/24/25 Big Talbot SP and Huguenot Mem. Park, FL: Great Blue Heron , Great Egret , and Wilson’s Plover . (We just took a look-see, however, the rain/darkness didn’t offer great photography.)
7/25 to 7/26/2025 We had been wanting to see the European Goldfinch population that seems to be thriving in Illinois. The fact that a Kelp Gull was being see regularly in Milwaukee, WI, encouraged us to finally go up north for both birds. We were successful, though the Kelp Gull was being seen on the roof of a highly guarded import business and we had to take images through the fence. We still had fun!
7/26/2025 Middlefork Savannah Preserve, IL: A European Goldfinch flock (with a number of juveniles) was feeding in the fields. So pretty!
7/25/2025 Milwaukee, WI: Kelp Gull (on right, beside an American Herring Gull)
7/25 and 7/26/2025 A few more images from WI and IL: American Goldfinch with nest material, Black-capped Chickadee , Common Grackle (m), Indigo Bunting (M), Hairy Woodpecker , Red-bellied Woodpecker , and Red-breasted Nuthatch .
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