Observations & Images
6 January 2007
Nest Building
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Observations & Images
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The mystery surrounding the appearance of the Magnificent Frigatebird is finally revealed while driving up to the Refuge this morning. From a distance what looked like a flock of Vultures soaring around began looking stranger and stranger until coming close the flock was identified as Magnificent Frigatebirds. |
| Over fifteen Frigatebirds were rotating slowly around in the still morning sky. | |
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The true size of these giant birds has to be seen in person to be truly appreciated. |
| A juvenile Frigatebird was accompanying its elders. | |
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The sad condition of the old Osprey home only gets worse. The small mass of sticks still in place on 31 December is gone. Save for the rope there is almost nothing left to indicate a once mighty nest topped the tree. |
| But there is a new addition to the tree which makes one wonder how it got there. The tip of the tree trunk was barren on 31 December but today there is a clump of sea weed draped over it. The picture at right shows the change. Was the sea weed put there by an Osprey? | |
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Ospreys were seen only at a distance like this one carrying a fish. |
| A chattering Belted Kingfisher sped around like a little speed demon. | |
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The Kingfisher's flight is so fast it is sometimes hard to follow. |
| One wonders what kind of message the bird is trying to impart with its constant chattering. | |
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Perhaps it is a warning to get out of the way as it zooms past. |
| A distant view of a soaring Anhinga. | |
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Various views showing the passage of White Pelicans. |
| White Pelicans passed by in ones and twos as the winter morning heated up into the eighties. | |
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Like the Magnificent Frigatebird, the White Pelican has to be seen in person to appreciate its great size. |