Babies on the way...

I am thoroughly enjoying watching the mini-rookery at Lake Seminole.  To date, there are four pairs of herons nesting in the giant pine tree while a pair of osprey have settled onto a nesting platform just next door.  Two of the heron couples already appear to be brooding eggs while the other two pairs are still working on the nests.  I spent some time just watching them this morning, snapping pics with Big Daddy on full zoom.  This was Hubs' pick for the day - he said that he likes the way it shows the enormous wing span of these birds.  Which made me think it would be nice to include a few details about our Great Blue Herons...

+  Height:  38.2 - 53.9 inches (97 - 137 cm)
+  Wingspan:  65.7 - 79.1 inches (167 - 201 cm)
+  Great Blue Herons can hunt day and night thanks to a high percentage of rod-type photoreceptors in their eyes that improve their night vision.
+  Despite their impressive size, Great Blue Herons weigh only 5 to 6 pounds thanks in part to their hollow bones—a feature all birds share.

So, pretty neat, huh?  Based on an incubation period of 27-29 days, I should see (and hear) baby herons before I leave FL in 2 months.  I'll keep you posted on progress...

I met up with two really delightful women (fellow birders/photographers) in Clearwater this afternoon.  We didn't see a lot of birds, but did enjoy lively conversation and a nice long walk with beautiful scenery.  

Tomorrow is supposed to rain... all day.  Which means that I'll be challenged for a blip... hm, may have to press Phoebe into service.

Thanks for stopping by.

Toodles,
Debbi