Lunchtime At The Canals Of Pelican Bay

 

 

This is an AMERICAN ANHINGA OR SNAKE-BIRD.

 

She has been living (or lived) in a tree by my Century 21 Sundance office for at least the last year, hunting for her daily meals in the pond/canal. She is different from any other water foul I've ever witnessed swim before.

 

 

 

You see, she swims with just her neck and head above the water, (thus the name "Snake-bird") or if she is hunting fish she will be completely immersed as she stalks her prey, hiding amongst the pond muck before striking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

The anhinga doesn't have oil in their feathers like most water foul so they will climb back in their tree and spread their wings in the sun to dry and get warm again. She will sit like this for a good long time too.

 

 

 

 

 

Her eyes are a scary red color. I imagine it has something to do having sharp underwater vision. I looked at a lot of different websites and not one of them mentioned a reason for the eye color of these birds. It's almost evil looking.

This particular anhinga noticed that as I fed the fish there was a lot of activity going on near her tree. She began to take a closer look and realized what a feast of fish and oh, that Great Blue Heron just ate one!

 

Next thing I knew here comes Ms. Anhinga swimming out of the water within a couple feet of me with a fish of her own. Did I have my camera out with me that day? Nooo, of course not. Well, I started bringing out with me every day after and my patience won out, twice!

(Warning, Photos are a bit graphic)

This day in July, my new friend speared a good sized blue gill and proudly came walking out of the water about 5 feet from me displaying her catch. It took her a good while to eat her prize, it was almost too big for her.

Recently Ms. Anhinga didn't like Mr. Great Blue Heron (twice her size) around her fish stash and kept chasing him off, it was quite funny to watch. She was in the water and he was trying to get to the water and she kept chasing him off, I'm so sorry I didn't get that on video.

The next day as I was feeding the fish she was having no luck catching one and she had the nerve to come out of the water, walk up to me and open her mouth, making her threatening noise, as if to try to chase me off. I looked at her and said "Why you ungrateful bird, get back in there and get your lunch".

She went back in the water and started to chase the soft shelled turtle off.

(the turtles are not a threat to her fish stash either, they are in fact very shy and are not fish eaters even though they look mean)

I haven't seen her since. Maybe there was just too much action there at her little tree.

The other anhinga that used to hang out at the other end of the water is missing too, I wonder if they are up to no good together...

 

23 Comments on Lunchtime At The Canals Of Pelican Bay

Lysa-Wow, you remind me what I missed today!  Pelican Bay!  It's amazing we have all this wildlife around us, hmmm, maybe if I can keep my batteries charged I too might take nice photo's.

08/16/2007 05:43 PM by Midori Miller-Daytona Beach Florida Real Estate Trainer (CENTURY 21 Sundance Realty)


And PB Missed you too Midori! Go to Ritz Camera Shop and get rechargeable batteries. I can take about 350 photos with mine (not using the flash). Cya tomorrow!

08/16/2007 05:54 PM by Lysa Napolitano, Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance (Century 21 Sundance)


Lysa, that is some story! LOVE IT! You did a great job --how close were you ??? She seems to be very content with your presence even if you are zooming I think she knows you are there...show off!

08/16/2007 06:40 PM by Michele Connors, Broker in Charge (Coldwell Banker First Realty Morehead City)


Michele, Thanks! I was about 3 to 5 feet away when she came out of the water. Once she started to try to get the fish off her beak I was using the 10X zoom, not sure of the distance, but yeah, I think she was showing off LOL.

08/16/2007 06:52 PM by Lysa Napolitano, Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance (Century 21 Sundance)


Great photos Lysa!  My eyeballs are dropping out of the sight of the fish dinner...oink oink!

08/16/2007 08:58 PM by Your Tampa Bay Mortgage Source


I am so envious of your surroundings....I almost did a blog tonight about our greedy birds! But something came up...if my pictures are OK maybe I'll do it tomorrow!

I think Loons have red eyes too!

08/16/2007 09:14 PM by Joan Mirantz- Concord New Hampshire Realtor (Keeler Family Realtors)


Those pictures are beautiful!  I love the different kind of wild life you have, the just look so vibrant. 

08/16/2007 10:50 PM by Illinois Mortgage Lender | Kim Murphy (1st Advantage Mortgage, LLC)


Leah, Hi Girl! Thanks :), It was a fresh fish dinner at that!

Joan, I am very lucky to be where I am, but I miss the upstate NY birds too, I used to get up to 70 wild turkey in my yard there. I'll have to check out the loons, looking forward to your post!

Kim, Thanks! When you come visit, I'll take you on a tour :)

08/17/2007 05:35 AM by Lysa Napolitano, Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance (Century 21 Sundance)


SUPER shots!!!! I love it! Thanks for taking the time not only to take the photos, but to share them!!!

08/17/2007 07:26 AM by Bill & Barbara Jo - Florida Realty Professional - AHWD (Charles Rutenberg Realty)


Hi Bill & Barbara Jo! Thanks for coming by, so glad you enjoy my photos! I love sharing them!

08/17/2007 09:25 AM by Lysa Napolitano, Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance (Century 21 Sundance)


Great photos...now maybe you should become a wildlife photographer.

08/18/2007 07:57 AM by Neal Bloom-Realtor ® Assoc.-CRS-Weston FL (RE/MAX Premier Associates)


Amazing shots that you got of him eating the fish whole.  Isn't that weird how they do that?  Wonder if they ever need the Heimlich maneuver?

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

08/18/2007 12:07 PM by Kansas City North Real Estate :: Fran White 816-682-3897 (North Kansas City Real Estate, Reece and Nichols Residential)


Neal, I would love nothing better, but I need a better camera and lens, thanks for coming by!

Fran, What amazed me is how small their necks are and the fish went down once she got it past her mouth. LOL On the heimlich! Thanks for coming over!

08/19/2007 06:43 AM by Lysa Napolitano, Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance (Century 21 Sundance)


Great photos. A real down the hatch fish story. Also thanks for commenting on something we recently did. It's most appreciated... every time.

08/20/2007 12:13 PM by Gary Bolen (CRS) Lake Tahoe Real Estate Information (Dickson Realty - South Lake Tahoe)


Hi Gary, thanks! You're welcome, I like coming by the Tahoe area on occasion :)

08/20/2007 02:32 PM by Lysa Napolitano, Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance (Century 21 Sundance)


Lysa...

I really really enjoyed this post. I am a bit of nature freak myself or I am a freak of nature :)

Haven't decided on that yet :)

P.S. Blog Boy says HI :)

TLW...ROAR!

08/22/2007 06:08 PM by "The Lovely Wife"...Broker Bryant's Wife... (Co-Owner Tutas Towne Realty, Inc.)


TLW, Glad you enjoyed it, I think you're a nature freak like myself, not a freak of nature :)

Hi back to Blog boy!

08/22/2007 06:22 PM by Lysa Napolitano, Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance (Century 21 Sundance)


Incredible photos!  Are you sure you aren't a pro?  LOL

My sister used to work the seabird sanctuary in St. Pete and she always said the Anhingas were meaner than snakes.  She hated having to do rescues on them. But they are quite striking.  Gotta give them that much. 

08/22/2007 09:25 PM by Carol Smith, ReMax Preferred, REALTOR®, Toledo, OH (www.calltoledohome.com)


Carol LOL! Snakes aren't that mean, unless disturbed... I guess that explains why she came out of the water at me that day. As for being a pro, nope, but maybe one day :)

08/23/2007 08:34 AM by Lysa Napolitano, Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance (Century 21 Sundance)


Lysa I love your post. There is a reason I come everyday to work :-)

08/24/2007 03:38 PM by Anna Lukyanova (Century 21 Sundance Realty)


Anna, you mean it's not my wonderful personality? :) I was surprised you had not seen these before, glad you enjoyed them!

08/24/2007 03:40 PM by Lysa Napolitano, Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance (Century 21 Sundance)


Cyndee, thanks! Sometimes we just miss some posts my friend. I know I do!

09/06/2007 07:17 PM by Lysa Napolitano, Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance (Century 21 Sundance)


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Real Estate - Other: Lysa Napolitano,  Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance (Century 21 Sundance)
Lysa Napolitano, Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance
Daytona Beach, FL
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