Hot - late July days, Red Tide

This Yellow Crowned Night Heron (adult, not breeding) is a regular early morning squawker. Photograph taken 7.26.21, edge of Pineneedle/Woodlawn pond. 

It's hot. 100 degrees forecast today. The air feels heavier because we haven't had rain in a handful of days. Where are the birds you wonder? Like us probably, hiding wherever there's shade.

A few things.

Faith reported an Anhinga nest overhanging the big pond. I found the nest last week, but no Anhinga in it. I checked again a few hours ago, no again.

I saw this female nearby. Is that your nest, I wonder? 

While scanning the pond, I peek at a raccoon that peeks at me and recall reading the kid's classic titled Rascal by Sterling North, 1963 to young children. It's a memoir about North as a young boy living in Wisconsin and how he finds and cares for an abandoned baby raccoon. Super touching.

A young Spoonbill notices a duck dabbling. Another dries its wings.

Not Wildewood, but a short drive away: Sanibel Island. 

If you haven't been, then let neighbor Barb Reis' photographs entice you. These photos were taken several years ago. Spoonbill Roseates:

And get this, Barb sent a local news article from a place in Michigan she visits. They had a Spoonbill Roseate sighting in Saline, MI. "First time ever." Birders were ecstatic! 

Blue Heron and chick - Sanibel.

I've reported that the Yellow Crowned Night Heron prefers crab, especially Fiddler Crab. Here's proof from Barb. 

Palm trimming is happening in many villages. Vermin love palm drupes! Trimming fruiting palms (and raptors, owls, Blue Herons) help control the vermin population. We save money and safely support the habitat by not feeding birds or any wildlife and trimming palms. What drupes you ask? They are bright orange, yellow, or red. Here's one type:

Red Tide bloom continues. Here is a map to see Red Tide Current Status and a screen-grab of it.

I'm grateful to live in a village with many gardens (which reduces grass and the need for fertilizers and herbicides for pests such as mole crickets - these chemicals get into the water via storm water runoff). Manatee County has a fertilizer ordinance which disallows distribution from June through November to help reduce Red Tide blooms and improve water quality. I've lived in Florida for 40 years - the Red Tide (though naturally occurring algae) intensity and duration these last years is nothing I can remember.