Florida Gulf Coast Creations

Tag: Florida Scrub Jay

Sebring
Last week right before hurricane Helene decided to wreak havoc on our area, my friend Art and I took a ride over by Sebring. It’s an area that we like to visit because of the diverse landscape. Most of the region is comprised of large farms with citrus groves, and a lot of cattle ranches. But there are also roads that go through hardwood forests and swamps. We typically find a wide variety of wildlife. It seems like every trip provides some kind of pleasant surprise.
On this day we found almost 60 different species of birds. During his last trip to Sebring, Art came across a family of endangered Florida Scrub Jays. We hoped that they hadn’t moved on to a different area. Fortunately, they were still there. I’ve posted about scrub jays in the past if you would like to read more. They are amiable and curious birds that will often come to calls.
Florida Scrub Jay Hopping Around in a Magnolia Tree
One of our nice surprises of the day happened early in our trip. We came across a beautiful red-headed woodpecker that was picking bugs off a fence post. We usually find them up in the trees but rarely down low. This bird would fly back and forth from the post to a large pine tree, and it gave us some nice poses.
Red-headed Woodpecker Perched on a Fence Post
Agricultural land is often a good place to find crested caracaras. This trip was no exception. We saw several. But the best action happened when we spotted two sitting on top of a tall utility pole. They stayed for a few minutes then flew off, but quickly returned. It gave us a chance to get some good flight pictures. Caracaras seem to be more trusting of people than other birds of prey. Maybe because they are scavengers and are often around farm workers and machinery.
Crested Caracara Lands on Top of a Telephone Pole
There were meadowlarks everywhere on this trip. We saw dozens of them. Their distinctive calls seemed endless. After reviewing photos, there were several juveniles so it must have been a good nesting season. The early morning sun really highlighted their bright yellow breasts and provided for some good photos.
Juvenile Eastern Meadowlark Perched on Top of a Weed
Finally, a trip to this area wouldn’t be complete without an encounter with some owls. There is a spot we found a couple of years ago that we know is home to some barred owls. Certain times of the year they will respond to a call. On this day, a pair came to check out our call. While one of the owls stayed hidden among the palm fronds, the other perched on an outer frond to see what to see what the noise was about. It stayed for several minutes and gave us some good photo opportunities.
Barred Owl Resting on a Palm Frond
Other birds we saw were many sandhill cranes, egrets, herons, wild turkeys, hawks, and even a bald eagle. It was a good day. A few more pictures from the trip are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, please visit the galleries listed.
October 3, 2024
Highlands Hammock State Park
Now that the summer is upon us and the weather is getting hot, a favorite location for us to visit is Highlands Hammock State Park just outside Sebring. Like many other parks in Florida, it has a diversified habitat. The park transitions from a dry, primitive area with scrub oaks and pine trees to a deep woodland swamp with huge cypress trees. In between is an area called the hammock which is covered with large hardwood trees.
Our favorites are the primitive and swamp areas. On this occasion, we didn’t make it to the swamp because there was so much activity in the primitive area. Highlands Hammock is known for having a population of Florida scrub jays, which are endangered. We were fortunate to find the jays. This time of year, the red-headed woodpeckers, northern flickers, and eastern towhees return to nest. We often see great horned owls, bobwhite quail, eastern bluebirds, American kestrels, and other woodpeckers.
You can learn more about Highlands Hammock at the link below.
- Highlands Hammock State Park | Florida State Parks
June 7, 2022
More Scrub Jays
We recently ventured out to nearby nature preserve which has a large stand of scrub oaks. In Florida, when you find sizable areas of scrub oaks, you may find Florida scrub jays. They are very sociable and curious and tend to travel in family groups. Scrub jays can be very approachable which makes them a fun species to photograph. Their bright blue and gray markings are beautiful. It’s always a treat to find them because there are so few around. They are only found in Florida. The Federal Endangered Species Act lists them as threatened.
A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.
- Florida Scrub Jays
April 30, 2022
Heading Toward Fall
Summer is beginning to wind down for many, including wildlife. It seems in Florida that summer is the time to catch up with things like editing and organizing photos and finishing projects that need to be done around the house. While summer is generally quieter for wildlife photography, there are species that we only see from March to August.
The swallow-tail kite is a magnificent bird that migrates from South America in the spring to breed in Florida. Their diet consists mostly of insects although they also eat lizards and small snakes. They are about the same size as a red-tailed hawk but what makes them so spectacular is their flying skill. They can capture dragonflies out of the air. I was fortunate to witness one take a dragonfly off the tip of a bush in our back yard. I noticed movement in the air and when I looked, the kite had swooped down and picked off the dragonfly and slapped the top of the shrub with its tail just a few feet from where I was standing. Of course, my camera was INSIDE the house. Aargh!! Yet another missed opportunity. Sadly, they are leaving the area now ahead of hurricane season.
Other birds that are non-migratory are often more visible during the summer months because of breeding activity. Sometimes we see odd behaviors and unusual sights like a bobwhite quail singing from a pine tree.
Bobwhite Quail Singing in a Pine Tree
All species of birds of prey nest at different times of the year. Eagles start in late fall / early winter and are followed by owls and hawks that typically nest in early spring. In late spring the ospreys breed while summer is the time for kestrels, kites and caracaras.
The good news is that we’re heading toward the best time of the year for birding in Florida. The fall migration is near. Many birds will be arriving for the winter while others will be stopping over on their way further south. From October through April, the state transforms into a sanctuary for so many different species.
A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.
August 20, 2021

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