coastal key – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Great Horned Owl Chick In Coastal Florida

By Mia McPherson|March 5th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Florida, Great Horned Owls, Honeymoon Island State Park, Pinellas County|Tags: barrier island, birds of prey, Bubo virginianus, chick, coastal, coastal island, coastal key, dead tree, Great Horned Owl, Gulf Coast, immature, owl, owlet, owls, pine forest, raptors, slash pine forest, snag, tree, winter, young|

This image of a Great Horned Owl chick resting near its nest on the coast Florida in lovely afternoon light brings back wonderful memories for me. It was 2008.

Tricolored Heron in breeding plumage with prey

By Mia McPherson|November 10th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Tricolored Herons|Tags: adult, baitfish, breeding plumage, coastal, coastal island, coastal key, Egretta tricolor, fish, Gulf of Mexico, heron, herons, prey, Tricolored Heron, wading birds, water, waves|

While in breeding plumage Tricolored Herons have redder legs, darker red eyes, blue lores and blue on the bill plus a longer, white occipital plume than they do during the nonbreeding season.

Fish Crows – Why I Can’t Dislike Them

By Mia McPherson|August 13th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge, Egmont Key State Park, Fish Crows, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Gopher Tortoises, Pinellas County|Tags: coastal, coastal island, coastal key, Corvus ossifragus, crow, crows, environment, Fish Crow, Gopher Tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus, natural balance, No Pets, shorebird conservationists, sign, tortoise, tortoises|

I was going to do a simple post about this image of a Fish Crow with a young Gopher Tortoise in its bill that was taken on Egmont Key State Park (also Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge), an island located just to the west of Fort De Soto, Florida.