Snow Birds

Even though we are in the midst of a recession/depression, everybody, but everybody flies to Florida for the winter months - especially our feathered friends. These beauties were feeding at the Ding Darling Refuge on Sanibel. At another sanctuary just a bit to our south several individuals were arrested for shooting and killing a number of protected birds and leaving them where they fell.

http://www.winknews.com/news/local/39876842.html

No splashing in the pool and the tourists have to keep their distance.

White pelicans travel in flocks and are different from the more common brown pelicans we see all the time. The white pelicans fish while swimming instead of diving (sometimes from great heights) for dinner like the brown ones do. Is that an alligator in the foreground?

This is a roseate spoonbill, which we don't see very often. The first time I saw a group of them, I assumed they were flamingos. Well, they are pink.

Don't know what this bird is. Only one I've ever seen - looks like a duck with long legs.

So......are you a snow bird?