I love Florida backyard wildlife! (Jacksonville, Tampa: pool, kitchen, areas)

[Ryde41]

Based on your description ..I'd say its a Kite, a Swallow-tailed Kite. They make lots of noise too. (I love bird quizzes..lol)

[agreatlife]

Thanks doc & ride. I think you are correct, I think it is a kite. I was thinking shrike, most of my books are packed up, and when I did a search on shrike it was much too small, duh. None of thepics from the web site look exactly like any the bird I saw, but I think it's the same family. Hopefully I'll get a pic soon. I see these every year about this time, but they don't hang around for any length of time at all.

Thanks again. rep points to you both.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Greatlife, I kept seeing a bird like that around this time last year, over on the northwest side, the Gulf. At first I thought it was a tern, but the color and size was incorrect.
I never could get a pic but am pretty sure that Ryde's suggestion, a Swallow-tailed Kite, is also what I was seeing.

[jbm32206]

Originally Posted by agreatlife

Anyone have any pics of terns? There's one that's been flying around our pond here, but I haven't been able to get a picture of it. I'm not even sure it's a tern, it's large like a hawk, white, very sleek with a black forked tail. Anyone know what it might be based on my rather vapid description.

That sounds like a swallow-tailed kite. Does it look like this?

[agreatlife]

jbm - yes, but I didn't remember that it had the black tipped wings, only some black on it's forked tail. I feel confident that this is the bird I've been seeing. Hopefully I'll get a pic.

Thanks to you for sending this pic.

[jbm32206]

There's several sites where you can get some help...with photos
Birds of North America - Whatbird.com
WhatBird | identify birds | bird identification guide | north america
Or there's bird forums that you can also post ID questions...
Birding Worldwide - BirdForum
WhatBird Forums - Forums

[toops]

Originally Posted by jbm32206

Saw the Osprey againWho then flew over to check out the college

Aahahaha, Egret Goes to College.

I've seen an egret or two (maybe that one?) at UNF. There are little "wading pools" that form every once in a while after rain right around the entrance stoplight (coming from 9A/Town Center) that they like to relax in.


I want to see pug pictures! Man, I am obsessed with pugs. They are so stinkin' cute. Of course, I don't own my own; if I were to get a dog, I'd rescue one from a shelter.


Here's my own wildlife - I actually have two and this one is the more sedentary. I can't get a good picture of the smaller one because she's always running around and camera shy. She's kind of weird - she has no fear of the vacuum and will eat out of my hand and come sniff or nibble on me when I sit on the floor, but refuses to be picked up - I named her Rocket (the black one). This one's Panda, appropriately named for her color pattern and weight/size:





(Rocket)



Also on the subject of wildlife, does anyone know about the Scottish chip thief?




Absolutely love that...how smart.

[Ryde41]

I liked the chip thief video..lol.
Okay, did I hear a request for a Pug photo?

[riveree]

That seagull is too funny! Smart bird .

Love the pug-in-a-patch (of flowers), Ryde!

[Keith-n-Jax]

I didnt realize that egrets came into yards like that I was shocked to see one in my back yard.