Tag Archives: Lake Parker Park

Anniversary and Other Things

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Purple Gallinule Displaying at Lake Parker

Purple Gallinule Displaying at Lake Parker

Today is our 49th Anniversary. Wow! Doesn’t seem that long. We are thankful for the blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us over those years. We have not been perfect, but we have tried to live our lives for Christ and honor Him. He, the Lord, has been very gracious to us over the years. Dan has been a super husband also. Wouldn’t trade him.

This along with some other things going on the last two weeks have kept my blog a little slow lately. Last week we rearranged the room where I do the blog and the computer was offline for a few days. This week has been photo taking for the Music Camp at church and Doctors appointments. On Tuesday I received news that my left eye has a problem. I know it has been blurring on me lately. That is my picture-taking eye. So, yesterday, it was off to an eye specialist to be examined further. Long story short, I have a pucker in my retina. For now it is on a watch mode for a few months. Needless to say, I have been a little edgy and blogging has not been on my mind. The news yesterday was encouraging and I know it is in the Lord’s Hands. Your prayers are appreciated.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 KJV)

Tricolored Heron Looking at Lake Parker Park

Tricolored Heron Looking at Lake Parker Park

We did get to go birdwatching for a few minutes last week and managed to see Ospreys, Mourning Doves, 15 Wood Storks, 4 Sandhill Cranes, 15 White Ibises, Double-crested Cormorants, Great Blue Herons, Anhingas, Red-winged Blackbirds, Great Egrets, Pigeons, Boat-tailed Grackles, 10 Tricolored Herons, Family of Common Gallinules, Blue Jay, Fish Crows, Rooster and 2 hens,  Limpkin, Purple Gallinules – one displaying (first time ever saw that happen), Cattle Egrets, Eurasian Collared Doves. Those are in the order spotted as we rode up to Lake Parker and then home.

Thanks for all of you who stop by the blogs. Your visits are appreciated and trust that you receive a blessing and the information you are looking for.

Blogs:

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Edited the Accipitriformes Order Page with some pictures.

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Birdwatching Adventure for January 7, 2012

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Purple Gallinule by Lee at Lake Parker 1-7-12

Purple Gallinule by Lee at Lake Parker 1-7-12

In the last 10 days, Dan and I have finally been able to go birdwatching. We have had three birding trips right here in Polk County.

Twice we went up to Lake Parker Park in Lakeland. We went on the 7th and again on the 14th of January. The 7th was our 1st adventure of 2012. Here is a list of what I turned in to ebird.org which is a listing service that was launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society to track birds. Here is the list for the January 7, 2012:

Comments: Along shore on way to park and in park
26 species (+1 other taxa)
Mallard (Domestic type) 8
Ring-necked Duck 3
Pied-billed Grebe 4
Double-crested Cormorant – Immature 4
Anhinga 5
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 3
Cattle Egret 1
White Ibis 10
Glossy Ibis 4
Roseate Spoonbill 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 4
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Purple Gallinule 3
Common Gallinule 5
American Coot 7
Ring-billed Gull 20
Caspian Tern 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5
Palm Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Boat-tailed Grackle 20
American Coot showing feet by Lee LPkr

American Coot showing feet by Lee LPkr

American Coots have an amazing foot structure. It’s not what you would expect but has lobed toes rather than webbed feet. Photos of foot on Google Search

Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. (Job 9:10 KJV)

I also turned in the birds I saw coming and going to the park, which is 10 miles from our house:
9 species
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 10
Sandhill Crane 3
Rock Pigeon 4
Eurasian Collared-Dove 10
Mourning Dove 1
Fish Crow 50
Boat-tailed Grackle 5
House Finch 2
Palm Warbler cropped by Lee LPP

Palm Warbler (Mistaken Pipit) by Lee LPP

All in all, it was a great birding day. The highlight was getting a new bird for my life list of birds seen. (Update This Pipit turned out to be a Palm Warbler, NOT a life bird: We spotted an American Pipit along the shore before we arrived at the park.) We stopped because Dan had spotted a Roseate Spoonbill. The county had a fair sized alligator pinned up right there also.

Last year I saw 2 “life birds” but it took all year to find them. I am writing this on the 17th and I already have 2  to tell you about, but I will save those for the next articles.
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