I’ve been enjoying birding at the Lust Road entrance to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive when it is closed to cars. It’s a beautiful walk, and you get to take time and enjoy the wildlife without people getting annoyed at waiting for you.

On this day in early March, my first bird was this Orange-Crowned Warbler hanging out near the entrance. You can see a tiny bit of his orange crown on the top of his head.

This little Pied-billed Grebe popped up in the canal. He’s in breeding plumage already. Hopefully I’ll find a nest or two this spring. The baby grebes are such fun to watch!

The ducks have begun to leave Florida already, migrating back up north to nest and raise their families. Some Ring-necked Ducks still lingered in the canals. This female raised her wings to wave at me!

I came across this Anhinga nest and stood watching as the birds interacted. The female was incubating eggs on the nest, and the male stood watch nearby. Sometimes he’d grab a twig and then help place it carefully on the nest. Look at that bright blue eye!

As I headed back to my car, I came across a group of American Coots creating a fuss. The next thing I knew, they were splashing around in a mating ritual. Look at those big white feet!

My last bird of the morning was a Downy Woodpecker working on his nest. You can see the cavity that he’s carving out with his beak. His mate watched from nearby to make sure he did it right. It’ll be fun to watch them raise their family this spring!