Why would anyone go to Fla. in July?  For me, mostly to join my twin in Sarasota for a family reunion of all of his and Mary's children.  But. I admit, I had hopes of seeing a Swallow-tailed Kite, and a Florida Scrub-Jay; I was very successful in the former, but I didn't see the Jay.  I saw (for my life list!!) the Kite, a Red-shouldered Hawk, a Barred Owl (yes, yes I know, but I have never seen one in the wild), a  Common Ground Dove (how tiny!), and finally, a flock of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.
Here are the photos.

First morning, in the driveway --a Wood Stork!

Queen Milkweed (Florida variety)

Ruddy Daggerwing

Ruddy Daggerwing larva

Barred Owl (my first in the wild)

Zebra Heliconian

Red-shouldered Hawk, the most common hawk in Fla



American Swallow-tailed Kite

Swamp Lily

American Swallow-tailed Kite

A Lubber Grasshopper, about 3" long

The only alligator sighting.  Fla. was experiencing some of the heaviest rains in years. This one was about 2'.

I'm in the mood for love....

I'm in the mood, etc. White Ibis were everywhere.

Black Vulture

Loggerhead Shrike, rather infamous for impaling its
prey on needles and barbed wire, for curing

The Osprey at Simmons Park, near Ruskin.  This is the best place I have ever been to get close to them.

Cattle Egret

And here he is, the Black-bellied Whistling-Duck.  The maps show him in the west and the guide says he is a casual to Louisiana, so to see him in Fla. was quite a treat.  And, for me, a Life List bird.

This unique sighting is a "gift" from Don Zalusky who pointed them out to me in his neighbor's backyard in Sun City Center! She had been feeding them for several days.

Common Ground Dove, pretty much strictly a gulf coast bird, straggling as far north as New York; small, about 6-7 inches.