321 : Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-headed Woodpecker - Melanerpes erythrocephalus

A poor picture of a great looking bird. This was perhaps 400 m away and taken on the hoof with a 400 mm lens - I got two poor frames off before it flew on into the stand of trees behind.

I spent the day afternoon yesterday at the Disney Wilderness Preserve South of Kissamee. 9,000 acres of offset land purchased by Disney as part of their park expansion. It is managed by the Nature Conservancy in the US.

I had  a good 2 mile stroll around the place on a big loop - decided not to tack on an additional 3 miles with another loop as the car thermometer was topping 95 degrees. The terrain was mostly cyprus and palmetto. The park is dotted with smaller lakes and wetland areas. Some beautiful ponds with water lilys in flower.

I made my way down to the edge of Lake Russell and stopped for water.

A strange shore of sunken trees - many draped with Spanish "Moss".

The wood was a welcome change from being exposed to the full sun. Hard to bird though under a dark canopy and get any decent shots - even if you could see a bird in the first place. The general technique is to listen and then look - the little critters usually have to move though to give you half a chance. I am getting my eye back in slowly.

Biting insects were a real problem. There is some sort of giant fly about an inch long that just lands on you and sinks in its teeth. Really painful and I have a big welt this morning on one ankle - the bloody thing actually bit me through my socks ! Overall though I have got away quite lightly remembering to use the jungle juice in nice lethal doses.

How about this fine fellow. When agitated he raised a flap under his throat to warn me off. My younger son Sam has already identified this for me as a Brown Anole Lizard from the wild Florida website. Its good have technical backup like on Spring Watch or indeed the moon landings. Its a great site and you can read about this Lizard here.

The woodpecker is sadly decreasing in its numbers in North America. It is a bird of the South and East. Habitat loss is the main threat. What is needed is for 9000 acres to be set aside not because another 9000 acres is being trashed but just for the hell of it.

Red-headed Woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Disney Wildlife Preservation, Kissamee, Florida US
26 May 2015