Tonya

I guess we can post more pictures now! It's Kingfisher time!

Last post so I don't spam everyone after yesterday's big day. This was my favorite bird I found- The Vermillion Flycatcher. They're rare enough here that eBird didn't even believe me until I submitted photos. Someone told me they were down a trail and so I followed it and had to wait for probably 20 minutes before the male showed himself. The female was when I went back a few hours later. The male is a striking red, especially against the greens and browns of the swampy surroundings. He was really zipping around and hard to get a focus on and wouldn't let me anywhere close, so not the sharpest photo of the male, but the female turned out well.

My Big Day is done! Getting into the car but I wanted to put my thoughts down so I can come back to it later, even if no one else reads it lol 1- I got 3 lifers today (maybe a 4th, I'll have to check out the photos to be sure) and all 3 were because of tips and directions from other people. Don't be afraid to ask for help OR to offer it to others 2- 10 miles is a lot of birding. Bring comfortable shoes 3- It's okay to stop and take a picture of every kingfisher. If you don't then you're sure to miss absolute bangers 4- Sunrise is better than sunset 5- if I was even half decent at shorebird and Warbler ID I would probably have 10-15 more birds 6- Florida >Everywhere Else So long St Marks 🫡 Final Stats 10 Hrs 10.1 Miles 40-43 bird species 3 duck species 3-4 Lifers 1 Great Day 🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆

This is not a bird 😂 but it's my absolute favorite picture from today and honestly might end up as my #1 for 2026. This little guy was just trying to get an early morning nap and I caught him resting in a tree, giving it a hug with his little hands