The Ephemeral Isles (29-30Mar2015)

The Bahamas a truly a special place, especially the "Out Islands".  The pace of life is slow and relaxing, the climate is pretty much perfect and with my mother being here, the food is amazing.  However I have come to grow a new appreciation for it the past couple years with the focus on birds and wildlife in general.  Amazing that such diverse life is capable on a land that is relatively young or at least in terms of landmass.  They call them the ephemeral isles because the sea level has such a drastic effect on the land.  Eons ago many of these islands were connected.  With sea level rising now, who knows if they will be around in a couple thousand years.

Lizards and Anoles on Eleuthera are varied.  I could see myself getting into Lizard identification too.

At Leon Levy Preserve the birding was a little slow in the middle of the day on Sunday.  Black and White Warbler.

The lizarding was great though.

Back at the house a couple of herons posed for me.

Tricolored Heron

I was pretty sure this was a white morph Reddish Egret. Maybe a second year bird.  Bill was dark and not bicolored.  It was too big to be a Snowy and the feet were black.  The dark bill ruled out Great Egret.  Not right for a Little Blue either.

In the evening we went to South Palmetto for sunset and I bagged this Kestrel.

American Kestrel

In the morning today I got up early and headed to Leon Levy.

Red-legged Thrush!!  Very obliging bird but light was still not ideal.

Cape May Warbler

Mangrove Cuckoo!! Could I ask for a better pose?

Finally got some better shots at White-crowned Pigeons.  There was at least 50 roosting around the mangroves.

Prairie Warbler

Bad photo but it shows the size difference between the Reddish Egret white morph and the Snowy Egrets.

In between conference calls (yes I can't get away from work), I went outside and this Western Spindalis was eating some kind of grub next to my Dad's tool shed.

Are you kidding? This bird is face melting.

Another B&W Warbler

Then while on a work call I was looking out the window and saw this guy!  Luckily he was still there when I finished up.

Ovenbird

Later in the evening by the lake:

Green Heron

It's too bad my kids have school.  I could totally live down here.

Cheers.