It was a gorgeous morning at the Circle B Bar Reserve.  The temperatures were cool, there was a little breeze, and the winter birds are coming back.  The Belted Kingfishers were posed on the power lines at the entrance to the reserve, and within a few minutes of parking, I’d located my first of fall (FOF) House Wren, Eastern Phoebe, and Gray Catbirds.  The reserve was chirping with the sound of little birds, like the Palm Warblers that have recently returned.  Friends Donna, Norm, James and I chased a Yellow-Billed Cuckoo up and down the Marsh Rabbit Run trail (the cuckoo thinks his paparazzi is a little cuckoo too!).   The other highlights of the morning included a Sora (thanks Donna!), an American Kestrel, and Indigo Buntings.

The Bald Eagles have begun rebuilding their nest by the nature center.  Herman found the new nest location and mentioned it on the Circle B Flickr page.  I didn’t try to find it this morning, but I did watch in awe as the eagles circled over my head.  The highlight was when one flew towards me with nesting material.  :)

I found an American Kestrel posing high in the “Treasure Tree” off the Heron Hideout trail at sunrise.  He nicely stood there and waited for me to play with stacked teleconverters.  But I ended up cropping a non-stacked image instead.  It was much sharper.

Hawks were active this morning. Aside from the usual Red-Shouldered Hawks, we saw several juvenile Cooper’s Hawks. Thanks to those who helped me identify this guy!

I’ll have to post more pictures later in the week when I have time.  It’s bad when your day job interferes with photography!  I missed the bobcat that Dan photographed after I left!!

Bird Species List (30 total): White Ibis, American Kestrel, Anhinga, Bald Eagle, Black-Bellied Whistling Duck, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Boat-tailed Grackle, Common Gallinule, Common Yellowthroat, Cooper's Hawk, Double-Crested Cormorant, Downy Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Gray Catbird (FOF), Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, House Wren (FOF), Indigo Bunting, Limpkin, Little Blue Heron, Palm Warbler, Pied-Billed Grebe, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Red-Shouldered Hawk, Red-winged Blackbird, Sora, Tricolored Heron, Wood Stork, Yellow-Bellied Cuckoo