325 : Anhinga

Anhinga - Anhinga anhinga

Perhaps the strangest bird encountered for a long time. A reptilian monster that for much of the time struggles to take on the form of a bird. Part of the global family of "Darters" of which there are 4. They do look related to "Cormorants" and they certainly hunt and eat fish below the surface but the comparison ends there. Take a look at an Anhinga grabbing a quick breath while hunting underwater.

The  whole body of the bird is submerged and just the snake-like head is visible as it catches a breath. Sinewy and rope like the bird can twist around underwater to chase and spear its fishy prey. The other views of Anhinga you are likely to get are of them drying out their feathers onshore for an age which must be an important process. Typically a duck or other water bird has strong waterproofing provided by oils and preening. My understanding is that Anhingas who have to swim for a living dispense with this to allow themselves to sink and in order to keep the feathers in working order for flight long hours are spent drying out after each dive.

So not the most attractive of birds but in many respects you have to admire the year's of evolution that turns a perfectly good bird into a snake-necked submarine hunter. Whilst I caught up with this species in Florida they are a bird typically of South America and the waterways and rivers of the tropics. Straight from Jurassic Park.

Anhinga,  Anhinga anhinga
Florida, Orlando Wetland Park
May 2015

324 : Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis

I have heard americans refer to these as "redbirds" and you can see why. They are resident in the Eastern and mid-West but do not seem to have a range that extends to across the Rockies to the West. They are ask resident in Mexico.

The red colour seems to be quite hard for the the camera to cope with in terms of picking out feathers.  They remind me of  Hawfinch in the UK in terms of bill structure, size of head etc. but of course I never have and never will see a Hawfinch because they don't exist !!

Its a while since I was in Florida but I guess something else to report from the trip was my bemused discovery of country music. The only genre where people just drink, have failed relationships and drive around in trucks all day. I am not sure it is my music !

Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis
Orlando Wetland Park, Florida
May 2015

323 : Red-winged Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoenicus

It has taken me several weeks to put fingertips to laptop again to start to complete my Florida bird set. So long in fact that I find myself in the Lake District on my next trip - the annual family holiday. But back to Florida first and a staple American bird.

The red epaulettes on this bird take it beyond the ordinary even if it is common. These birds were abundant around the hotel and at the Orlando Wetland Park. So abundant in fact that it is considered an agricultural pest and is shot, poisoned and trapped. Despite this there remain 200 m individual birds across the States, Canada and down into Mexico and Central America.

The photo above was taken on the scrubland around the hotel.

Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoenicus
Scrub near Hilton, Orlando, Florida
May 2015