This is a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, first thing in the morning when it was still kind of dark for my camera.

Looking into the mangroves at a Roseate Spoonbill.

Spoonbill with its cousin the White Ibis.

On Saturday morning I was invited to join three more experienced birders for a walk in a bird-friendly spot between wetlands and the Indian River Lagoon on Hutchinson Island. So helpful to have them notice birds by sight and sound and explain how they could identify them.

Morning light in a spider web.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron.

This was identified as a Tennessee Warbler. Not a great photo, but a new bird for me so here it is!

A dainty warbler of the Canadian boreal forest, the Tennessee Warbler specializes in eating the spruce budworm. Consequently its population goes up and down with fluctuations in the populations of the budworm.

Black-crowned Night Heron.

Night herons have such big eyes.

Palm Warblers are back in town.

Fluffball.

We see lots of these in Sewall’s Point in winter, hopping around on the ground, wagging their tails up and down.

We were surprised and happy to spot a Painted Bunting. Well, I did not notice it – I had help from the other birders! How could I miss such a bright bird?

This is a new bird for me, #192 on the sidebar blog list.

It really let us get a good look (if not a very good photo).

With their vivid fusion of blue, green, yellow, and red, male Painted Buntings seem to have flown straight out of a child’s coloring book. Females and immatures are a distinctive bright green with a pale eyering. These fairly common finches breed in the coastal Southeast and in the south-central U.S., where they often come to feeders. They are often caught and sold illegally as cage birds, particularly in Mexico and the Caribbean, a practice that puts pressure on their breeding populations.

Cattle Egrets perched up high.

White bird, blue sky.

A bit further down the path, a green (female or immature) Painted Bunting was scuffing around in leaves and grass.

In migration and winter, search for Painted Buntings by targeting sources of seeds such as weedy fields or bird feeders. In the summer, cruise through secondary growth or edge habitats with dense understory and listen for the species’ metallic chip call or the sweet, rambling song of a male. Painted Buntings spend a lot of time hidden in dense habitat so patience might be necessary; however, the wait will be worth it when you finally spot this gem, surely one of North America’s finest songbirds.

Such a pretty green color.

Very exciting for me to see these buntings for the first time!

Great Crested Flycatcher poses nicely in the morning sun.

Northern Parula.

Peekaboo.