A few weeks ago, we took a long ride down by Lake Okeechobee to look for a couple of rare birds for our region. They had been sighted at a campground on the south end of Lake Okeechobee. On the ride over we spotted a bald eagle with opossum roadkill for breakfast, and we were able to get some good shots. Further along, there was a species of game bird that has adapted to the south Florida habitat and is now beginning to build a population. The bird is a red-legged partridge, and it is very colorful. Like grouse and quail, it likes the ground and would rather run than fly. We were fortunate to see several that popped out of the grass and ran along a dirt road.
Our destination ended up being a bust. The two species we were hoping to find didn’t show. So, the 2-plus hour drive through citrus groves and sugar cane fields was salvaged by the eagle, the partridge and a tom turkey that was fanning for a harem of hens in a field. Sometimes the journey is better than the destination.
A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.
