Audubon Center for Birds Of Prey...and some more (NKP)

Audubon Center For Birds of Prey - Bald Eagle

We stayed grounded today. I re-hurt my back last Thursday loading my kayak in the minivan and wanted to take a break for it to heal but wifey asked me to take her somewhere, with only one condition; She did NOT want to walk too much under the Sun. Then she remembered our visit to Audubon Center for Birds of Prey. a little more than a year ago, so there we went. As we do not like to show the birds wearing the restraining device the center uses, wifey believes the pic above and the next are representative of what the center does.

Juvenile Bald Eagle at the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey

The Audubon Center for Birds of Prey is not a zoo. Is a rehabilitation center for birds of prey when they are found with life threatening conditions. For example, I remember one of the eagles we saw last year had a crooked beak. It was not going to be able to survive on its own. There are birds at the center with other conditions like broken wings, eye traumas, etc. If they can rehabilitate the bird, they will do it and then release it back to the wild when the time is right. If the bird cannot be rehabilitated it will stay at the center where the volunteers will take care of it. They have very interesting educational programs. Please click on the link, Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, for more and better information and visit them the next time you are in the Orlando-Maitland area. The fee is $5 per person. Here is their Facebook Page too.Now let me show you a sample of what is in there, at the exhibit area (birds that cannot be rehabilitated).

Barred Owl...This one was "imprinted", or got so used to humans for some reason. Other owls attacked it and hurt its eye.

Barn Owl, this is one we do not see around often...

Great Honrned Owls...

Red Tailed Hawk...

Bald Eagles. They have a few of them at the center. Let us start with the young one.  We were not able to learn why this one is at the center, but it is a shame such a beautiful bird most likely will never make it to the wild...

And a couple of adult Bald Eagles. Personally I prefer to see them like on the 4th of July at the Econlockhatchee River. But at least these ones help us to learn more about them.

And here are some pics of birds they have inside the house. These ones have restraining devices that are very obvious so was not able to hide them.

American Kestrels...

Eastern Screeching Owl...

And that was the end of our visit to the Audubon Center For Birds of Prey. After that wifey wanted to take a short walk around Mead Gardens just to see if there was something interesting to shot pics at. There were not too many options but we had a good time.

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Northern Cardinal. It had Bird Mites, an illness that causes the bird to loose the head feathers.

Butterfly

Butterfly

Turtles

A Northern Mockingbird giving a Red Bellied Woodpecker a hard time

Northern Mockingbird

Thanks for reading and hoping to be back at the kayak soon and for you to come back so we can share more Views From Our Kayak. Check our Views From Our Kayak Facebook Page. See you.

Econlockhatchee River - Snow Hill Rd Bridge to CS Lee Park

Juvenile Bald Eagle

Happy Independence Day from the Econlockhatchee River, prime habitat for our national symbol, the Bald Eagle. And had lots of sightings today, specially young ones like the one in the picture. There were not many pic chances due to the windy conditions on the river, which cause it to have waves!!!!!!!

Swallow-Tailed Kite

Put In / Take Out: Used a shuttle system for this one. Put In at the Snow Hill Rd. bridge over the Econlockhatchee River and took out my yak at CS Lee Park. My wife dropped me at Snow Hill and then picked me up 5 hours later at CS Lee Park. Started my paddle, expected to be an easy one because was going with the current, at 9:20 AM. Ended at 2:30 PM what was a very labored paddle. Did not factor the wind in my equation.

Gator

This section of the river can be divided in two parts. A closed area with the forest at both sides of the river and an open area, way down river, where you can usually see cows. Today also saw horses. Had multiple eagle sightings, adults and young ones. Sadly did not have pic chances since they did fly away from me in a hurry. After 3 hours it was a little disappointing. Only a few pics. But then, in an area where on our most recent trip we saw two adult bald eagles, and also heard shots, a pair of bald eagles flew over. Was able to shot a few pics, which was tough due to the very strong wind that made it a bumpy ride.

Red Shouldered Hawk

Mourning Dove

Little Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Later down river another adult flew from a tree in front of me to another one deep into the forest. Trying to find it saw the young bald eagle in the following two pics. Then, when leaving the area saw another young bald eagle perched in a tree. From there it was a Young Bald Eagle Festival. Multiple sightings all the way to the St. Johns River, which prove to be an extremely tough paddle with the wind in my face. At least for the last mile of the trip had the wind in my back. Here are the rest of the pics...

Juvenile Bald Eagle

Juvenile Bald Eagle

Juvenile Bald Eagle

Juvenile Bald Eagle

Juvenile Bald Eagle. This one is older than the other ones on the pics. Its head is white already

Juvenile Bald Eagle. Its head is already white

Swallow-Tailed Kite

Gator lurks

Roseate Spoonbill at a section where we had seen them before. I named it Spoonie Bend since is a bend that works as the beginning of the open area of the river.

TBD

Roseate Spoonbills

Cows on the river flats

Horse in the Econ

Horses

Horses

Young Bald Eagle in the St. Johns River

Wood Stork

Snowy Egret

These are the pics that I have. Do not think I have left many more on the file so basically, that is it. The ones that I find after a review will post them on our Facebook Page. Thanks for " reading"  and see you soon to share more Views From Our Kayak.

Econlockhatchee River Juvenile Bald Eagle