Hello! Back from my adventures in Alabama and Florida. I know I give the South a whole lot of smack-talk, but man, the gulf of Alabama is just beautiful. I was only at Dauphin Island, AL for about two hours, but I could stay for days. It is just a wonderful place to relax and take in nature. The shoreline was beautiful at sunset (see picture) and got up close with some mellow pelicans. I also got to see a Loggerheard Shrike (pictured), which was the mystery bird that I couldn't figure out until I got home to my super-helpful birding book. The features on this bird are outrageous, very striking. I wouldn't have guessed that this bird was so vicious, but makes sense when you look at the beak, found this description "uses its hooked beak to kill insects, lizards, mice, and birds, and then impales them on thorns to hold them while it rips them apart." Yikes! The Red Breasted Merganser was also freakin' sweet (below), red eyes, red bill, just a beautiful bird. 
On the way to the airport I stopped in Downtown Pensacola and was able to take in Project Greenshores which was an aweso
me landing they built for a variety of birds right on Pensacola Bay. I'm still trying to figure out what birds had landed on site, looked like a gang (see picture). And no, they aren't pelicans. I think some are Auks (check out batman in the middle). I was just awed at how beautiful this trip was. I would definitely go back there on vacation. I travel a lot for work and there are some places (mostly in the hardcore south central part of this country and pretty much all of Texas except the Hill Country) that I would be fine without ever going back to. And then you find a gem like the Gulf Shores and you don't want to leave. As much as my job drives me crazy sometimes, the ability to travel and see places I could never afford to visit on my own, is pretty much priceless. And since my region of responsibility has changed, there is a very good chance I'll be back there again this year.
Off to Kentucky this week (which is another place I don't mind going back to- won $25 in the lottery last time :)) and back to Florida at the end of the month. I'm also very excited to be heading home in March for a conference. Will allow me to see my new nephew and grab some good hang time with my friends at night. Well, have a good weekend and stay warm.
On the way to the airport I stopped in Downtown Pensacola and was able to take in Project Greenshores which was an aweso
me landing they built for a variety of birds right on Pensacola Bay. I'm still trying to figure out what birds had landed on site, looked like a gang (see picture). And no, they aren't pelicans. I think some are Auks (check out batman in the middle). I was just awed at how beautiful this trip was. I would definitely go back there on vacation. I travel a lot for work and there are some places (mostly in the hardcore south central part of this country and pretty much all of Texas except the Hill Country) that I would be fine without ever going back to. And then you find a gem like the Gulf Shores and you don't want to leave. As much as my job drives me crazy sometimes, the ability to travel and see places I could never afford to visit on my own, is pretty much priceless. And since my region of responsibility has changed, there is a very good chance I'll be back there again this year.Off to Kentucky this week (which is another place I don't mind going back to- won $25 in the lottery last time :)) and back to Florida at the end of the month. I'm also very excited to be heading home in March for a conference. Will allow me to see my new nephew and grab some good hang time with my friends at night. Well, have a good weekend and stay warm.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home