Continuing on from a previous post (see SW Florida, Dec 2019, Part I), I’m highlighting birds from the Fort Meyers/Naples FL area that I observed and photographed in late December 2019. All but one photo in this post were taken in the Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.
White Ibis are prolific in SW Florida. Here are two flying over on an overcast morning. The other is foraging in the swampy area of the Sanctuary. That long recurved beak is really something.
Another common sight is the Anhinga. They like to hang out on branches with their wings spread to dry after fishing for their lunch. This one looks to be figuring out how to maneuver that large fish down its throat and avoiding the spines on the dorsal fin. It succeeded after several minutes of thrashing it around. The silver highlights in their plumage can be spectacular in bright sunlight.
Two other sightings: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and the ubiquitous Red-shouldered Hawk.
I can’t post photos from Florida without adding some of its famous reptile, the American Alligator. This is a juvenile peeking out from weeds and a mom gathering up her hatchlings. Her mouth has to be the safest place in the world for those little guys!
And, a raccoon to represent the mammal population.
Birds in My Viewfinder 
Keep ’em comin’
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Loved these pictures…must have been a great trip!
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Love the shots of the Anhinga with the speared fish, and the wading raccoon… and, of course, the gators! William
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