My third trip to St. George Island this spring was about like the other two; I missed the fallout! There were still plenty of pretty birds hanging around, but not in the numbers that had been reported the day before. What happens is these birds fly in from over the gulf. They get here exhausted and hungry. They rest a little, eat a little, and then they’re driven north by raging hormones! Spring is breeding season and that’s the only thing on their mind! No time to stop and visit; it’s time to fly! It was a grey, cloudy, overcast day, making it difficult for pictures, but I did manage to catch a couple beauties!
.
A young Summer Tanager – coming right at me! I turned too late for a decent shot, but he’s such a cutie! I had to share.~
~There were American Redstarts all over the place – male and female. This is the female:~
~And this is the male:~
~I was quite surprised to see a pretty big gator off the shore of the island. Not a small one by any means!~
~Orchard Oriole~
~Gray Catbird~
~And a Gray Catbird. (There were catbirds all over the place!)~
~I think this is a Black and White Warbler.~
~He never gave me a clear shot, but he was hopping up and down the branches like they do, so I think that’s what he was.~
~I have no idea what this little thing was,~
~but she sure was pretty!~
~The ever-present squirrel!~
~A Willet~
~An Eastern Towhee doing daily hygiene.~
~All fluffed up and ready to go!~
~From the Thrush Family – not sure what kind. 
~Another Thrush~
~Pretty sure this one is a Wood Thrush.~
~A male and female Downy Woodpecker played ‘chase’ all around the trees!~
~A beautiful little Magnolia Warbler.~
~Resting in a tree…~
~He was a real beauty. Wonder how many times I walked by him before I saw him?~
~Don’t know if this is a Double-crested Cormorant and a young one or if the lighter one is something else.~
~Don’t know what was happening here, but if I was the one on the branch, I think I’d be moving!~
~I think this was the most beautiful bird I saw that day. I never got a clear shot, but it’s a Bay-breasted Warbler.~
~
~
~Don’t know what this little thing was, but it sure was pretty.~
~Osprey with lunch.~
~Not a spectactular day, but anytime I can get out with birds and a camera is a good one!~~~
~Prothonotary Warbler~
~Can’t see much of him, but in all his brilliance, a Yellow Warbler~
~There he is!~
~Eastern Towhee~
~Magnolia Warbler~
~Female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird~
~Eastern Wood-Pewee~
~A bee in a blossom.~
~Chestnut-sided Warbler~
~Not sure what this guy is – some kind of Kingbird or Flycatcher.~
~Osprey~
~Way up in the corner, a female Rose-Breasted Grosbeak and below her, a male.~
~There he is!~
~Mockingbirds follow me wherever I go, so every once in a while, I gotta shoot one.~
~A juvenile Summer Tanager.~
~I think these are a couple of female Hooded Merganzers.~
~Not sure what this one is, either. Another Kingbird or Flycatcher.~
~Pretty sure this is an Eastern Kingbird.~
~I think this is a female Northern Parula. (Or not???)~
~A beautiful Scarlet Tanager~
~A female and a juvenile Summer Tanager.~
~An almost adult Summer Tanager.~
~Another Scarlet Tanager.~
~Another M.ockingbird~
~A Cattle Egret~
~Pretty sure this guy hiding in the weeds is a Dickcissel.~
~Another view.~
~
~Osprey~
~Female Red-Winged Blackbird~
~
~
~
~
~Mockingbird~
~An extremely large fish – I believe it’s a Gar~
~
~CHOMP!~
~Eastern Towhee~
Great Blue Heron~~