Royal Terns

Mating behavior

Sunset after the Storm

Bird Island Basin

Great Blue Heron

Ardea Herodias, is the largest Heron in North America

Common Tern

Cattle Egrets in flight

Bubulcus ibis

Cattle Egret in breeding plumage

Laughing Gulls stealing fish from the Pelicans

Leucoplaeus atricilla

Sunset Bird Island Basin

Look closely at the upper right of the sun. A sunspot or solar storm is visible to the naked eye.

Willet

Tringa semipalmata, silhouette at sunset, Bird Island Basin

Red Eared Slider

Trachemys scripta elegans. Also known as your common pet turtle

Feather through shell

Shipwreck

This abandoned boat was found at the 17 mile marker, still afloat with it's motor attached, covered with barnacles

Cattle Egret

Bubulcus ibis. Originated in Africa, found in North America in 1953

Royal Tern

Thalasseus maximus. Performs mating dances and ritual offering of fish to the female

Double Crested Cormorant

Phalacrocorax auritus. Notable aquamarine eyes, and bright blue mouth. Less preen oil than other birds, feathers get soaked-an advantage while diving for fish. Must spread its wings to dry them

Gaillardia pulchella

Firewheel, Indian blanket, Giradol rojo. A member of the Aster family, Asteraceae

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

Sanderling

Calidris alba, non breeding plumage. A circumpolar navigator, often 3-10,000 kilometers