Florida 2010 – VII – J.N.D. Darling and chilly tropics

Wood Stork (Mycteria americana), J.N Ding Darling Nature Reserve, Sanibel Island, Florida:

The title came to my mind when I had recalled the weather during my trip to Florida in January this year. The temperatures that usually reach 20 degrees Celsius in this southern state of USA during January went down to the freezing point obviously affecting all the inhabitants of the Sunny State – The TV broadcasted news about iguanas falling down from the trees and I had to laugh when I saw a man exploring the cat-ice on the road. Much more severe consequences were visible in J.N. Ding Darling Nature reserve at Sanibel Island – hundreds of dead or half-dead fishes in the water! As I was the very first visitor of the reserve that day, I hurried up to the entrance to report what I saw and what I thought was some kind of natural disaster – the woman in the booth calmed me down saying that this happens sometimes. The water inhabitants of the shallow mangroves are used to living in tropical climate and are not able to cope with the sudden drop of temperature – but what seems to be a disaster for fish population was a great feast for birds, nothing gets wasted in nature! I will not pretend that I was waiting hours for the right moment to take pictures of birds catching fishes – the mangroves were full of dead or half-frozen fishes that morning and so it was not very difficult to photograph wading and fishing bird species that are usually lazily resting on the ground (e.g. Woood Stork (Mycteria americana)).

Wood Stork (Mycteria americana), J.N Ding Darling Nature Reserve, Sanibel Island, Florida

A lot has already been written about J.N. Ding Darling Nature Reserve so I will not overwhelm you with other information and rather present a few more pictures from this amazing place. I was very happy to see Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea), the relative of the European Black-crowned Night Heron. Although that species is quite common in Florida and I have seen many pictures of this bird on internet, I had to wait almost till the end of my Florida trip to meet this bird. At that day, I have met Yellow-crowned Night Heron several times in Ding Darling, usually hiding in the dense bushes.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea), J.N Ding Darling Nature Reserve, Sanibel Island, Florida

This particular bird perching on the rotten branch even performed this “amazing action” for me when it lazily caught the paralyzed fish blundering around.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea), J.N Ding Darling Nature Reserve, Sanibel Island, Florida

And at the end a few pictures of Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), the graceful raptor I wrote separate article about…

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), J.N Ding Darling Nature Reserve, Sanibel Island, Florida

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), J.N Ding Darling Nature Reserve, Sanibel Island, Florida

List of relevant articles about Florida

Florida 2010 – I – Anhinga, the snakebird

Florida 2010 – II – Pelican the bomber

Florida 2010 – III – Wakodahatchee, all in one

Florida 2010 – IV – Osprey, Florida`s fisher

Florida 2010 – V – Waders – not a simple task!

Florida 2010 – VI – Florida`s woodpeckers

Florida 2010 – VIII – Little Estero Lagoon

Vultures of southern USA

Florida 2010 – IX – Sebastian Inlet State Park

Human – a friend or enemy?

Florida X - Egrets and Herons

Florida XI – close-up

Florida XII – Fort Desoto

Florida XIII – some more birds

Birds of Florida - Portfolio (article)

Portfolio - birds of Florida (photos)

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