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Hey Everybirdy, Got rained out at work today a little early so I headed over to Orlando Wetlands since I hadn't been there yet this year. I got reminded that I should've been going a little more often. While I didn't find anything out of the ordinary, it is a great place to wander around as it certainly is a place where a surprise or two could easily be hiding. After signing in, before even passing the restrooms, were half a dozen Blue-gray Gnatcatchers foraging on the edge of the berm. A little further out a pair of juvenile Red-shouldered Hawks were leap-frogging along several dead snags. A few Little Blue and Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Glossy Ibis meandering out in the marsh. About 1/4 mile further and I found a rather pale Red-shouldered Hawk pouncing on a frog. Spotted a Purple Gallinule about 50 yards out from the road, and while continuously scanning saw a pair of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks skimming the cattails on the south end of one of the cells. While the sun was still quite strong, the thunder clouds were moving in from the east and I decided for a quick walk through the hammock trail. Not one mosquitoe bite?!? hmmm. A Tufted Titmouse and several Northern Cardinals. I made it to the Lake Searcy outlet and was going to walk back along the road when lightning flashed and not a second later, the sky crackled liked sizzling bacon overhead and an enormous thunderclap had me decide to walk back through the woods! Hit the parking lot, turned and saw a pillar of smoke rising out of the hammock not 150 yards from where the trail wound through. That thunder did sound pretty close!! Several Barn Swallows, mostly juveniles, were perched on the wires along the exit road. Got to get out there more often. For those who've never been, it's a lot of walking, and in this heat, a couple of bottles of water is recommended, but it's worth the sweat. See you out there! Thomas J. Dunkerton Titusville, FL _www.pbase.com/boidpikchas_ (http://www.pbase.com/boidpikchas) ____________________________________________________________________________ FLORIDABIRDS-L Listserv mailing list information: Member photos I: http://bkpass.tripod.com/floridabirds.htm Member photos II: http://floridabirds-l.50megs.com For archives: http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/floridabirds-l.html Set nomail: Click: mailto:[log in to unmask] Type: Set floridabirds-L nomail Listowner: Click: mailto:[log in to unmask]