Herons, Hawks & Owls

We started the day at Corkscrew Swamp & Sanctuary.  Sort of a drizzly, overcast morning but we were in a swamp after all! It was fairly quiet for birds this morning but as we first started out on the boardwalk we came upon this little blue heron hunting for breakfast.

Then on the way out this red shouldered hawk stopped to pose a while.  We had seen several in the travels along the boardwalk, but they all seemed to be landing in huge tangles of branches or just way off.

This afternoon it was off to find the burrowing owls.  Cute little devils who live in a hole in the ground.  Small, sometimes shy but not this afternoon.

Just look at the eyes.  Don’t ya just want to take him home?

And this is the little lady of the house…burrow.  If you look close, you can see the sand stuck to her face, especially around her left eye.  She was digging around in the burrow while pappa was holding off the gang of photographers knocking at their door step, or maybe that’s burrow step.

Finally, I’m sure you’ve all heard how an owl can swivel his head all the way around?  Well, his body is facing just a bit to the right of the camera and his head is turned all the way left to face back at me!