Bird Bonanza in Sanibel

Whenever I’m lucky enough to see Roseate Spoonbills in the Florida wetlands, I am enchanted by their delicate pink color and the wide brush stroke of deeper pink on the wings of the adults. Their eyes are pink too.

Then, while observing the face and spoon-shaped bill, I am amazed at the diversity of nature.

Casting a pink shadow on the water, these Roseate Spoonbills were feeding during low tide.

All within the same hour and the same location, my friend Caroline and I observed a wide variety of bird species: many Little Blue Heron, a Green Heron, a Tricolored Heron, some Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Reddish Egrets, lots of Ibis, Brown Pelicans, Cormorants and the huge migratory American White Pelicans, along with a Yellow Crested Night Heron and an Osprey pair. It sounds like a trip to the Aviary, but no — this was all wildlife enjoying the J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida. Keep checking this blog for more actions shots of these beautiful birds.