Recap - Orlando Wetlands

​Enough Citrus Audubon members and friends showed up at Orlando Wetlands on January 25th, 1:00 PM to fill two trams.  The trams were electric and were operated by volunteers of the Friends of Orlando Wetlands Park.  It was warm and breezy as we set out on a multi-mile birding tour of the wetland.  Here is one of the trams.  It hosted Fred Hileman, Bob Ross, and others.  Longtime friend of ours and the guide, Eileen Riccio, is looking for birds from the shotgun seat.

---

Eileen’s partner, Jim Meyer, was the guide on the lead tram that hosted eight bird folks, including this writer.  Just after the first turn off the “main road”, we got a great close-up view of this Purple Gallinule.  It’s moving and flapping its wings because it was just accosted by a Common Gallinule that might have been a male with a female close by.  

---

​We turned around at the beginning of the new boardwalk.  On the way back toward the “main road” we came upon this Anhinga that had caught a large pan fish and was finally about to swallow it.

---

​Toward the end of our tour, we spotted this Great Blue Heron with what Bob Ross identified as a Two-toed Amphiuma.  It was a lifer for most of us.  It is said to be the largest salamander in North America.  Much to our surprise, the heron made quick work of the large amphibian.
​Rey Wells

---

 The below entry was offered by Jim Meyer.
We managed to see Black-crowned Night Herons, many BB Whistling Ducks (~500 in the Park), many Purple Gallinule, Limpkins, Sandhill Cranes, E. Bluebird, several duck species,  and heard  the Barred Owl. 
Four other neat bird sights were observed when we saw a B. Eagle in its nest, a Merlin Falcon high in a snag, a N. Pintail hiding in a group of Blue-winged Teals

---

Photos, courtesy of Fred Hileman, Rey Wells, Jim Meyer.