Felts Audubon Preserve, Palmetto

We spent a few days last week grown-up camping in  the Palmetto-Bradenton area.  (We slept in our own bed in the Road-trek camper van and let other people cook dinner for us. )

Felts Audubon Preserve is in Palmetto.   Other Audubon Preserves we've visited have an Information Center and well-marked trails, boardwalks and so forth.  And they always have great birding opportunities.   This one definitely had the birds, but it was also less developed.  That was OK though because it was also far less crowded than we've come to expect during the "high season" in Florida.

 

 

Bill looking for the lost trail

We started off on a dirt trail along a creek where we saw a few nice turtles and some butterflies, but then the trail suddenly ended.  It had been a long time since we'd enjoyed bushwhacking our way on a hike.   (I'm not kidding about enjoying -- we did used to like that when we were younger,  but un-improved areas in the Pacific Northwest are quite different from here in Florida.)  

 

 

This vine was entangled in overgrowth all along that non-trail .  I don't know my wildflower IDs at all, but I can tell you that this one smelled wonderful.      In the interest of complete honesty and to show that we're not completely crazy, we did turn around shortly after I took that bushwhacking picture and retraced our way along the turtle trail.  

Back in civilization, we spotted female and male cardinals.  Always favorites  --  these guys don't live in the Pacific Northwest, so we never saw them until we traveled south in our RV years.   They aren't exactly common for me yet, in that we don't see them around where we live here in SW Florida, but we do most times we go to a birding spot.  I never get tired of seeing them.

Then we found the trail to the birding blind which we'd read that Felts Preserve had. And I was a happy birder:

 

Painted Bunting

 

 I am grateful to the Audubon people here at Felts for keeping the bird feeders filled so that we could see and photograph these gorgeous birds.  It would be fun to spot a painted bunting on its own without the help of feeders, but we've never been in the right place at the right time.   Seeing them here was great enough!  

 

 

It's a good thing we were there when we were because according to the Audubon Society's website, painted buntings  start to migrate North again in March.   

 

Here's a closer view of the little blue bird that was sharing the feeder bounty.  I would have thought it was a female bunting, but all my books  show her as a greenish bird.  There was nobody else at the bird blind but  us -- which was good in most ways, except I could have used an expert volunteer.  

 

SunRise on the Canal

 This is a closer-to-home picture -- but it is from February a year ago.  We're looking EAST early in the morning, standing at the dock at the end of our block.   That dock was destroyed during Ian, but the park is in the process of rebuilding it.  (You can still stand at the end of the street and look across the Canal, but to watch the sun rise you have to get up earlier than I've been doing this year.  Not the Hurricane's fault!)

 

Thank you to the hosts of  these sharing opportunities

MOSAIC MONDAY;   NATURE NOTES;   THROUGH MY LENS;  MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; WILD BIRD Wednesday;  THANKFUL THURSDAY;  SKYWATCH FRIDAY;   SATURDAY CRITTERS   and RATHER B' BIRDING 

Comments

[David M. Gascoigne]

That Painted Bunting is really stunning, Sallie. It's a long time since I have see one, but I hope to remedy that omission in November at Cayo Coco in Cuba where they are known to spend the winter. I guess you'll be heading back to Oregon soon, so safe travels.

[Anni]

That last bird image with a hint of blue looks to be a female indigo bunting to me. I too never tire of seeing cardinals!!

This was a great outing.
Thanks for taking us at I'd Rather B Birdin' along with you.

[Lavender Dreams]

I love getting out on trails like that but it's a challenge to keep going when things are grown up so much. I love the Painted Bunting. I haven't seen one in a long time. Love your photos and adventures. It's so nice to have your camper to travel in!

[Shiju Sugunan]

What a beautiful hike and gorgeous bird sightings. Great images!

[Breathtaking]

Hello Sallie:=)
Your first photo reminds me of being in the jungle.It is nice to go for a drive and visit a nature reserve. Sleeping in your Camper Van is my kind of camping, in comfort without the pesky mosquitoes or ants in your sleeping bag, which tormented me in my younger days. You were wise to turn around instead of struggling through the undergrowth, but venturing on the path enabled you to see those two beautiful birds.I have never had the pleasure of seeing them in the wild. I loved your photos of them, the Cardinal and the Painted Bunting are stunning birds. Your sun rise images is also very beautiful.Happy days! :=)
Enjoy your weekend Sallie
All the best.
.

[Eileen]

Beautiful photos, Sallie! Looks like my kind of place for a walk.
I always love to see the Painted Bunting, they are beautiful.
Love the Cardinal and your lovely sunrise. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great weekend.

[Photo Cache]

I am so done with tent camping. If I'm going to do it there should be cot inside the tent :)

[Cathy]

Such wonderful photos! Thank you!

[Linda W]

Beautiful post. I love the painted buntings.

[Yogi]

So wild that the trail just ended!! But you kept on and eventually turned back.
Some cool birds you found, some of which I am sure that I have never seen in the wild. We do have lots of cardinals here.

Nice that the preserve keeps the feeders filled for you. They don't do that here.

Beautiful sight across the dock, even if it was last year.

[DeniseinVA]

You certainly saw more beautiful birds, I do envy you the wildlife down that way. This preserve is another one I would like to put on my bucket list. Loved all the photos Sallie, thank you so much!

[Jm, Illinois, U.S.A.]

What a wonderful spot to see the different beautiful birds.

[Michelle Keltner]

I like these bird photos. My dad lives in the FL panhandle and I constantly toy with the idea of buying a condo there. I love the warm temps!

[Jim, Sydney, Australia]

Beautiful birds.

[Peter B.]

Grown up camping sounds like the way to go! Beautiful photos of the painted bunting.

[Ken Schneider]

Since moving to New England, I especially miss the Painted Buntings. No hope of seeing them here. You obtained some very nice images of the birds. It would be easy to get lost in that palmetto jungle.

[Penelope Notes]

Ooooo, I do like the sound of turtle trail. Such a gorgeous spot for the dock ... thank goodness they are rebuilding!

[::: Heidrun]

Yes, watching the different birds are wonderful. I love the blue one. Maybe you find his name.

And I`m very glad for you, that you can make such wonderful captures to show us here.

We, the husband and myself looking out on our terace and see some birds.

Thank you being part at
MosaicMonday

Have a wonderful week. Hugs by Heidrun

[diane]

You two are brave and fit to challenge yourselves in such a place. My Bill has problems walking around the village but to be fair he has a very weak heart. The painted bird is beautiful. So are the cardinals.

[Linda]

It's good to see the birds especially such colourful ones. I'm wondering how they coped during the hurricane storms. The vegetation looks tropical. You had an adventure. It was great that you slept in your own bed and you arranged for others to cook your meals.

[Michelle Banks]

Oh sunshine.... A flock of about 45 red-wings and starlings flew in before our storm tonight...all will be fed and have water...

[Gaelyn]

Your bird shots are amazing! Wonder if the vine is from rose family with five petals and lovely aroma. Nice camp trip.

[Sharon Wagner]

Lovely birds! I'm hoping that Lover's Key State Park has reopened and rebuilt by the time I get down there next fall. Or maybe I'll need to bushwack my way in! :)

[Amy]

That's a very colourful little bird and I think it's so nice when someone else cooks dinner, what a treat.

[Veronica Lee]

Magnificent captures of the beautiful birds, Sallie.

Love that sunrise shot too.

Hugs and blessings.

[Sondra]

cool beans on the PB p b

[Beatrice]

The painted bunting indeed lives up to its name, Sallie. We always had cardinals in the yard when we lived in VA and it is the state bird there were many of them. I've seen only a few here in NH, but sure they will be more in warmer weather. Glad you enjoyed the recent Friday Funnies signs.

[A ShutterBug Explores]

Wow! ~ Awesome birds and sky shot is wow too! ~ great photos ~

Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

[Jennifer Jilks]

What a great spot to visit!
I spot mine through the front window. Not as great a photo, but in sub-zero weather it is ideal!
Lovely photos you have.
I like that camping with room service.

[Bob]

Beautiful birds Sallie, yes. I feel great, thanks.

[somewhereinireland]

Beautiful captures of the beautiful birds. Have a wonderful week

[Carol]

Occasionally I see cardinals - one of my favorite birds. I have never seen a painted bunting and this is one beautiful bird.

[Debbie]

those birds and your images of them are gorgeous!! that tilted little head on the cardinal, so adorable!! the buntings remind me of texwisgirl, do you remember she always saw them?!?!

such a pretty sunrise, from the archives...it's so good that we save them!!

[ellen b.]

Glad you found your way back from the 'lost trail'. A nice adventure. So many sweet birds with nice color. I like the sound of sleeping in your own bed but letting others feed you! Have a nice week.

[Eileen]

Hello Sallie,
This preserve sounds familiar, maybe I have stopped there years ago.
I love the Painted Bunting, beautiful images. The other bird looks like a Indigo Bunting, maybe immature male? Beautiful sunrise capture. Take care, have a wonderful week!

[Pat]

Your bushwacking adventure sounds like fun, Sallie. I miss seeing cardinals--as you said, they don't migrate this far west I've never seen a painted bunting either--what a gorgeous bird!

[William Kendall]

Such beautiful birds.