Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is located near the entrance of Sanibel Island, about 25 miles from our Florida home. It's a national treasure, like all our National Parks and Wildlife Refuges.
Roseate Spoonbills with a White Ibis or two hanging around with them
During this time of the government shutdown (one more part of our current National embarrassment), this particular refuge is being kept open (so far at least) by volunteers from the Ding Darling Wildlife Foundation. We took the wildlife drive through the center of the refuge one evening last week. It's a one-way drive-through with lots of pull-outs for birding; we got out of the car at every one of them.
Little Blue Heron
The picture at the top was the crowning glory of this particular birding excursion. I could not stop smiling at that big group of Spoonbills with their beautiful pink wings and pink reflections. But all of the birds along the way were great. The picture above and those below are in the order we spotted them. The Little Blue came out of the mangroves as we got out of the car at the first stop and headed for the water.
White Pelicans
It was good to see quite a few White Pelicans. Both the white and brown ones were in possible danger earlier in the year (last summer, before we got here) because of SW Florida's red tide and green algae bloom. Both caused fish die-off and fish, of course, are the diet for these water birds.
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Two views of the same Night Heron perching in the mangroves -- maybe just waking up for a busy night ahead.
Night Herons roost during the day. At night they forage in shallow ponds and marshes. I wasn't as close to this bird as the pictures look. Zoom lenses are so much fun.
A pair of Wood Storks across the water. We also saw a lot of small shorebirds at this stop, but they were too far away for good pictures, even with that lens. (Storks are big birds -- about 40 inches long)
Our last and most exciting stop was where we saw the group of Roseate Spoonbills also shown in the first picture. This is the non-zoomed view -- so, the way we first spotted them. We have never seen so many Spoonbills at once. Usually they are solitary or in groups of two or three, at least when we see them.
Meanwhile, back home in the Canal Cottage, skies are almost always beautiful. And we've pretty much finished the nagging little first-of-the-season home improvement tasks -- so there is even more time to enjoy them. Always grateful.
LINKING this week to the following sharing opportunities. Thank you to all of the hosts.
NATURE NOTES; ALL SEASONS; OUR WORLD on Tuesday; MOSAIC MONDAY; GOOD RANDOM FUN; THROUGH MY LENS; TUESDAY TREASURES ; WILD BIRD Wednesday; MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; THANKFUL THURSDAY; TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS; SKYWATCH FRIDAY; FRIDAY BLISS; SATURDAY CRITTERS; and RATHER B' BIRDING
They are beautiful! You have amazing adventures!
Posted by: Jennifer Jilks | January 27, 2019 at 05:30 AM
So impressive are your photos this time around! Of course I LOVE the spoonbills!!
It's terrific that you shared all this with us at I'd Rather B Birdin this week...thanks.
Posted by: Anni @ I'd Rather B Birdin' | January 27, 2019 at 03:22 AM
A wonderful place to visit!
Posted by: KB | January 26, 2019 at 04:50 PM
Looks like you had a beautiful day to photograph the birds and the landscape. Such stunning Spoonbills!
Posted by: Judy Biggerstaff | January 26, 2019 at 03:40 PM
What a great day...to see all the different birds. I would want to go there every day!
Posted by: Rose | January 26, 2019 at 02:50 PM
lovely photos of a great selection of birds and amazing to see so many roseate spoonbills, what amazing birds
Posted by: craftygreenpoet | January 26, 2019 at 10:53 AM
Hello Sallie, I am having problems commenting this morning. This is my 3rd time trying. I love Ding Darling and if I lived nearby i would be there all the time. Love the birds, great collection and variety. The Spoonbills are a lovely color pink. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend.
Posted by: Eileen Wise | January 26, 2019 at 04:27 AM
Hello. It looks that you have a wonderful wildlife refuge area there. Great photos.
Posted by: Anu | January 26, 2019 at 04:07 AM
What a wonderful country ! Thank you to share it with us !
Posted by: Annie | January 25, 2019 at 11:56 PM
Great shots! I love the night heron peeking out! And of course the roseate spoonbills are brilliant.
Posted by: Linda in Virginia | January 25, 2019 at 10:26 PM
Your photos are fabulous, Sallie, -you brighten up life for us stay-at-homes!
Posted by: Hildred Finch | January 24, 2019 at 09:21 PM
I love the pink and white reflection of the water in the first photo. The government shutdown really is a national embarrassment. I had personal experience this week when I reached out to the Lead Wildlife Ecologist for Joshua Tree National Park to report a dead tortoise I discovered on a hike, only to receive an automated response that he's on mandatory furlough and is not allowed to use his government-issued cell phone or computer during the furlough!!
Posted by: Peter B. | January 24, 2019 at 03:02 PM
Good shots.
Posted by: Jim, Sydney, Australia | January 24, 2019 at 01:32 PM
Beautiful spoonbills and sky shots. Just gorgeous! Thanks for linking up today!
Posted by: Michelle | January 24, 2019 at 10:32 AM
Love all these warming pictures!
Posted by: Tanya Breese | January 24, 2019 at 05:41 AM
Beautiful bird photos, the flamingoes ?? always make me laugh when they sleep standing on one leg !
Love your sky pictures !
Posted by: Gattina | January 24, 2019 at 02:29 AM
Hi Sallie, these photos of all those birds are gorgeous. I especially loved the one of the spoonbills. You certainly have some great wildlife down there, and pretty skies! :)
Posted by: DeniseinVA | January 23, 2019 at 02:02 PM
What an amazing place to visit! I will put it on my list of places to go! Enjoy your afternoon. It's sure been a beautiful day!
Posted by: Lavender Dreamer | January 23, 2019 at 01:55 PM
How fortunate to have the refuge so nearby. Love seeing your photos of the birds, and water which I rarely see in AZ. Glad you have more time to play now that home chores are done.
Posted by: Gaelyn | January 23, 2019 at 09:24 AM
Sallie, your photos are so great to see, as always, being mostly critters I'll never see for myself!
If you will let me know which post you want to link up to My Corner of the World, I can link it for you. You can email me at tenfootheart (at) gmail (dot) com!
Posted by: betty - NZ | January 23, 2019 at 02:08 AM
...wow, nature's treasures at their best!
Posted by: tomthebackroadstraveller | January 22, 2019 at 08:26 PM
The spoonbills are gorgeous. The whole trip looked like fun. Hooray for the volunteers. So many beautiful birds.
Posted by: diane | January 22, 2019 at 05:47 PM
You live in a bird paradise. Those rose spoonbills are on my bucket list!
Posted by: [email protected] LOOSELEAFNOTES | January 22, 2019 at 02:07 PM
What a great place to explore, so many birds to see.
Posted by: Amy Franks | January 22, 2019 at 11:19 AM
Look at all those spoonbills! What a great birding day. And super sunsets. We'll be in Florida again soon.
Posted by: Sharon Wagner | January 22, 2019 at 10:32 AM
The shut-down is now a month old with my daughter 7 months pregnant and out sick so no money coming in and my SIL is working without pay. So much stress that my daughter does not need with this really difficult pregnancy.....Michelle
Posted by: Michelle | January 22, 2019 at 10:31 AM
The photos and birds are great!
Posted by: Recep Hilmi TUFAN | January 22, 2019 at 08:36 AM
It must be wonderful to have a nature reserve that you can drive around and then stop at selected places. We have nothing like that except perhaps for Scotland!
You think you have problems with your politicians? You should see and hear our dead losses.
Posted by: Phil Slade | January 22, 2019 at 08:21 AM
Lovely pictures to see, especially the first large one!
Here, in the UK Midlands, it is around freezing, with yellow ice warnings-and the risk of heavy snow :).
Posted by: Hazel | January 22, 2019 at 07:32 AM
The top shot is truly a beauty with its soft pink hues and reflections. I always enjoy these Florida nature posts as the birds there are not common to my neck of the woods and it seems unbelievable that mostly I see fake Flamingos on front lawns when someone is having a birthday. And Spoonbills ... well that would be an extremely rare sighting, indeed. :)
Posted by: Penelope Puddlisms | January 22, 2019 at 06:39 AM
the wildlife in this area is just extraordinary...i would love a florida trip, filled with nature walks and birding!! we have so many friends and so much family in florida, a trip there is filled with socializing and visits, there is never any "extra" time to enjoy things like birding. bravo for those volunteers, keeping this place open!!!
the refuge has an interesting name...now i am humming "ding dong the witch is dead"...i know, WHAT!!! i'm sure it will stay with me all day!!!
Posted by: Debbie | January 22, 2019 at 05:37 AM
What a great pleasure... Thank you for sharing this wonderful and fantastic captures. Happy MosaicMonday!
Posted by: Heidrun Stallwanger | January 22, 2019 at 02:02 AM
What a great range of birds - and glad that the volunteers are keeping the park open. Maybe they should run the White House too!
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
PS: sorry for slow reply, I have been away.
Posted by: Stewart M | January 21, 2019 at 11:14 PM
That first photo of the Roseate Spoonbills is spectacular, complete with reflections.
Posted by: Alan Bates | January 21, 2019 at 07:33 PM
So now it's Miller Time so to speak. I finally got the Christmas stuff down and the Valentine's Day lights up so that's something. Beautiful sunsets, been awhile since I saw one although we did have sun the past few days.
Those spoonbills and the wood storks are soooo cool. It's a regular wonderland down there, I hope you don't feel the sting of this childish and harmful shut down. Oh, that night heron as the same expression as my guest cat used to have, lol.
Posted by: Jeanna | January 21, 2019 at 07:11 PM
What a great place for birding! I always love seeing the Spoonbills. It's snowing hard here...
Posted by: Barb | January 21, 2019 at 03:02 PM
Your Spoonbills are such a delight! Beautiful photos as always and a wonderful place to visit.
Posted by: Carol | January 21, 2019 at 01:22 PM
Ps...I'm visiting today from my personal blog...Hootin Anni's
Posted by: Hootin Anni | January 21, 2019 at 01:01 PM
Stunning views Sallie! I LOVE the spoonbill!!
Posted by: Anni @ I'd Rather B Birdin' | January 21, 2019 at 12:58 PM
Stunning views Sallie! I LOVE the spoonbill!!
Posted by: Anni @ I'd Rather B Birdin' | January 21, 2019 at 12:58 PM
Stunning views Sallie! I LOVE the spoonbill!!
Posted by: Anni @ I'd Rather B Birdin' | January 21, 2019 at 12:58 PM
Those spoonbills are a treat to see. Good on the volunteers for ensuring the birds are all OK.
Posted by: fun60 | January 21, 2019 at 12:52 PM
Happy to hear you are almost past the fixing things up stage. Your photos and mosaics are beautiful. Those birds are so interesting. Those skies are glorious. How lovely to enjoy them daily!
Posted by: ellen b | January 21, 2019 at 12:16 PM
Love the spoonbills, wood storks, and night heron! They are like elegant ballet dancers:) Ah I miss my zoom lens - so much easier to capture certain subjects. And the sunsets you captured look warm and inviting - the perfect end of the day:) Many thanks for catching all these features of beautiful Florida for All Seasons, Sallie! Have a great week!
Posted by: junieper2/JeshStG | January 21, 2019 at 12:00 PM
Wow - love those spoonbill shots, especially the first one! And I'm so glad you figured out my new blog site...
Posted by: Lady Fi | January 21, 2019 at 12:00 PM
Beautiful birds from yoyr Ding.
Happy misaic Monday Sallie
Much💖love
Posted by: gillena | January 21, 2019 at 10:41 AM
I had a picture book about birds when I was little. I always though the spoonbill was an amazing bird. I've never seen one in real life. - Margy
Posted by: Margy | January 21, 2019 at 09:14 AM
So pretty! I visited Ding Darling years ago on a field trip with 40 high school students. I would love to go back on my own and do some birdwatching!
Posted by: Laurie | January 21, 2019 at 07:59 AM
Magnificent nature photos ~ I was fascinated by Ding Darling place when we visited ~ ^_^
Happy Day to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Posted by: A ShutterBug Explores | January 21, 2019 at 06:57 AM
aww...wonderful.
greeting- evi erlinda
Posted by: evi erlinda | January 21, 2019 at 06:38 AM
So pretty, those spoonbills are wonderful. And yes, Japan has some huge cities - the greater Tokyo area has over 38 million people!
Posted by: Al | January 21, 2019 at 06:18 AM
Hello, Sallie! Ding Darling is another one of my favorite places. Thank God for the wonderful volunteers.. I loved all the birds, especially the Spoonbills and White Pelicans. Your sunset photos are gorgeous, a lovely way to end your day. Happy Monday, enjoy your day and new week ahead.
Posted by: Eileen Wise | January 21, 2019 at 04:21 AM
The birds are gorgeous to see. I love your collage, very pretty indeed. Thanks for sharing these beautiful images, Sallie and have a wonderful new week.
Posted by: bill burke | January 21, 2019 at 02:53 AM
It is so fun to see such exotic birds that I have never seen live! Happy MM!
Posted by: riitta k | January 20, 2019 at 09:04 PM
Sallie - when I was young, we lived near St. Petersburg for three years, and ever since then I have a soft spot in my heart for mangroves and all the wildlife that can be found there. The photos of the spoonbills brings to mind a painting, the way the pink reflection looks like dabs of paint. And stunning to capture one with its wings open. I am so glad you are sharing your little slice of heaven with the Mosaic Monday crowd!
Posted by: Angie | January 20, 2019 at 08:16 PM
Even at the second photo, I thought the Spoonbills were flamingos. I know from nothing. They are handsome creatures, the Spoonbills (flamingos, too, for that matter. I'm glad the pelicans are surviving there. I find it very sad that the fish, their food, didn't make it. I love yours and your husband's near sunset drive. Good cheer, Sallie. :-)
Posted by: Su-sieee! Mac | January 20, 2019 at 06:11 PM
It has been many years since we were on Sanibel Island, but I well remember the beauty of the island, the birds, and the seashells.
Posted by: Florence | January 20, 2019 at 05:24 PM
I absolutely must go there next time Im in FL, wish I was there now! So pretty Sallie.
Posted by: Sondra | January 20, 2019 at 04:10 PM
Great photos and magnificent birds. I think those are prettier than the ones out here which have black or yellow bills. Glad all your little house keeping jobs on the Cottage are finished and you can just relax and enjoy yourselves. Wish I new of a magic way to get rid of all my lawn and garden jobs!!!!
Posted by: mick | January 20, 2019 at 03:24 PM
What beautiful birds! 🐦
Posted by: William Kendall | January 20, 2019 at 03:06 PM