Saturday, September 18, 2010

Exotics

Blue-crowned Pigeon

?

Sarus Crane

?

?

Spoonbills


Fulvous Whistling duck
Here are a few more pic from the Little Rock Zoo. Some of the birds I recognized and some I did not. There were not many signs up identifying the animals; that was one of the things I emailed the zoo about in their comment section online, along with a compliment on their many improvements to the park.






Friday, September 17, 2010

A Non-native Resident


A good preening and cool feet soaking
Nice crown

While waiting for migratory birds to make their way into Arkansas, here is an exotic bird who is with us all year. This Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum) from the Savannah of Africa is a permanent resident of the Little Rock Zoo.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Finally, the Green Heron



I have been trying to get pictures of a green heron (Butorides virescens) for quite some time. These guys are on the lakes all around me, but the combination of having a camera and spotting this bird never seemed to click for me. But of all places, I was at the zoo with my two grandsons when I spotted this green heron on the gibbon monkey island. The heron was getting an easy meal of goldfish and koi from the man-made stream that went around the island. And obviously, this time I had my camera. Speaking of fishing, these birds will use bait to catch their prey such as a worm, seeds, crumbs of bread, or anything else that will attract a fish to within striking distance.