A friend reported that a pair of Yellow-Crowned night herons is building a nest over the pool in the Woodlawn area in the same place pairs have nested for years. I grabbed my camera and headed over to look up. Woodlawn neighbor Eddie showed me two other nests in nearby slash pine trees. That makes 3 pairs nesting!
On my walk home, I spotted a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a migratory bird protected by state and federal wildlife law. I've been watching for this bird in this place because the palm has the bird's characteristic horizontal holes from feeding. Those holes usually cause no harm.
While walking up to my front door, I looked up and saw a Fish Crow with nesting material. After reading Jennifer Ackerman's book, Genius of Birds, I know this is one of the smartest of all birds (probably recognizes my face). (What's a Fish Crow? Look here. How did I know? The Fish Crow's call is distinct from the American Crow's caw. Listen here to hear what I mean.)
A Limpkin lit on the tree out our back window and called loudly. How loud? Like this. It was my first sighting of this crane-like bird in Wildewood, though neighbors report seeing them. A thrilling birding day.
