That’s not the case with many of the little birds that can be found in Central Florida, including warblers and vieros.

On a recent trip to Lake Marian in Osceola County, I came across a number of little birds feeding on insects in an oak tree and nearby brush.

I was happy to see a flock of Northern Parulas, tiny 4-inch birds who spend summer here before migrating to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean for winter. I also came across another member of the warbler family, a Prairie Warbler.

And, though they are hard to spot, I also found a White-eyed Vireo, which has a wonderful song but is pretty reclusive.

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My trip to Osceola County on the first weekend of August was really fun, and it was filled with a lot of birds.

I was surprised to see a female American Kestrel feasting on a cicada. Even though Kestrels are listed as year-round residents of Florida, I rarely see them over the summer.

I was happy to come across a little male Northern Bobwhite, who was greeting the morning by singing out to some nearby friends.

And, of course, spotting a Snail Kite is always a thrill for me. The female I saw picked up two snails at once.

Not bad for the “slow time.”

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I photographed four new birds (five if you include the first female of a species I have seen), and I was able to take pictures of many other familiar birds, too.

The new birds were Chirping Sparrow, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Northern Rough-winged Swallow and Magnolia Warbler (which I posted about earlier). Honorable mention in the new-bird category goes to my first female Black-throated Green Warbler (I photographed a male in the Florida Keys in 2024).

Among the familiar birds I found was a Carolina Chickadee, which seemed pretty appropriate for the locale.

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That’s what it was like on Saturday morning at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, where it was apparently Kite Day.

There were multiple Mississippi Kites and Swallow-tailed Kites flying around the same location at the same time.

While editing my photos, some pictures I took of what I thought were two Mississippi Kites in a tree actually had three.

I also came across a Mississippi Kite feasting on a cicada, and the Swallow-tailed Kites calling out while in flight.

It was a great morning!

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These cute cobalt-and-tan birds are long-distance migrants who have been making a stop at Lake Apopka as they get ready to head to Central and South America for winter.

“Barn Swallows fly from North American breeding grounds to wintering areas in Central and South America,” AllAboutBirds.org says. “Southbound fall migration may begin by late June in Florida or early July in Massachusetts.”

It’s fun to watch them darting across the sky and skimming along waterways for insects to eat. It’s less fun (let’s say challenging) to try to get a good photograph of a Barn Swallow while its in flight

Fortunately for me, on a recent visit to Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, I caught some Barn Swallows resting near a bridge – making the photography easier.

The post It’s migration season? Just ask Barn Swallows appeared first on Roger Simmons.

“Many male warblers are black and yellow, but Magnolia Warblers take it up a notch, sporting a bold black necklace complete with long tassels, a black mask, and a standout white wing patch,” AllAboutBirds.org notes.

I got up early one morning to go birding and drove north of Waynesville on a highway called Max Patch Road. It took me to a very remote area. I found a place to pull off the road near an apple tree that was busy with lots of birds, including this male Magnolia Warbler.

With its bright colors, it was easy to spot it. It only hung around for a perhaps minute before flying away, but I was happy to get my photos of this beautiful bird.

The post Spotting a stunning Magnolia Warbler in North Carolina appeared first on Roger Simmons.

I’ve seen them at Orlando Wetlands, and I’ve seen them at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. But I’ve seen the most at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive this season.

I have also seen so many little Stilts who have hatched and grown into juveniles and near-adults. It’s been fun watching and photograhing them.

AllAboutBirds.org says this about Black-necked Stilts: “Black-necked Stilts are among the most stately of the shorebirds, with long rose-pink legs, a long thin black bill, and elegant black-and-white plumage that make them unmistakable at a glance. They move deliberately when foraging, walking slowly through wetlands in search of tiny aquatic prey. When disturbed, stilts are vociferous, to put it mildly, and their high, yapping calls carry for some distance. “

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Mission accomplished!

Fortunately for me, I wasn’t the only photographer looking for the birds. Jaye Patrick was there when I arrived, and he helpfully pointed out two of the kites.

The lighting was much better this time than it was in my first visit with the kites last week. And while last week there were six of the birds flying around, this morning there was just two.

Still, I’m happy I got these photos since the Mississippi Kites will be leaving soon for migration.

The post More Mississippi Kites at Lake Apopka appeared first on Roger Simmons.

So, this is a catch-up post with birding trips from last month. Among the locations I visited were Osceola County, Merritt Island, Lake Apopka, UCF and the Orlando Wetlands. Even a couple of backyard visit made the cut for this round of photos of 25 different kinds of birds.

Also interesting (at least to me) was the continued appearance in June of some birds that were supposed to be gone by now: Roseate Spoonbills and Wood Storks at the Orlando Wetlands, and a Lesser Scaup and an American White Pelican at Merritt Island.

The post Busy birding during slow summer season appeared first on Roger Simmons.

I love watching these birds, which migrate from South America to Florida in the spring and summer months to breed.

Audubon notes that they used to be more common across the Southeastern U.S., and their range used to extend as far north as Minnesota. Now Florida is where they are primarily found during breeding season.

I love how Audubon describes Swallow-tailed Kites: “Our most beautiful bird of prey, striking in its shape, its pattern, and its extraordinarily graceful flight. Hanging motionless in the air, swooping and gliding, rolling upside down and then zooming high in the air with scarcely a motion of its wings, the Swallow-tailed Kite is a joy to watch.”

The ones I saw were flying around hunting for insects to eat — they’ll grab and eat their prey while in flight. I also saw, for the first time, some swooping along the ground to grab a meal.

They are a joy to watch.

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