I'm a birder!!! Spring is awesome in FL!

Hi Bro Doug! My name is Melissa and I'm an avid birder here in the Sunshine State! I started out 10yrs ago with a passion for photography and that has transitioned into bird photography this past year or so. I find it very challenging! I'd love to hear about what birds you see in your yard. Here are some of our regulars: Yellow-rumped warblers, Tufted Titmice, Red-winged black birds, Gray Catbird, Northern Parula, Brown Thrashers, Blue Jays, Gnatcatchers, Cardinals, Ruby-crowned kinglets, Palm warblers and Mockingbirds (on occasion). Lately I have been seeing a hawk around, most likely a red-shouldered. The blue jays chase it away, but it swooped down about 4 ft. in front of me this morning....very cool! We saw our first Swallow-Tailed Kite fly over about 2 weeks ago too! Happy Birding! P.S. Your photos are awesome - congrats on your weight loss. I just got my surgery date so I'm excited!

Hi Melissa!!! Thanks for the compliment on my weight loss. I'm sure I'll be sending you compliments soon, since you have your surgery date. I know you're excited!!! I'm excited for you!!! I'd given up on meeting any fellow birders here at OH. I just accidently swung over here to check...and low-and-behold...a fellow birder. But...I'm jealous. You Florida folks get on my nerves with your great "backyard birds". I've actually seen all the birds you've seen in your "backyard"...but I've had to drive a few miles to go on my bird hikes. (Well so far this year...I've seen all of the ones you've mentioned except the Gray Catbird and the Palm Warblers this. They've been reported here in Indiana...I just haven't seen any as of yet.) Here's my "Backyard List" so far this year: Canada Goose Mallard Killdeer Rock Dove Mourning Dove Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Blue Jay American Crow Carolina Chickadee White-breasted Nuthatch Carolina Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet American Robin Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher European Starling American Tree Sparrow Field Sparrow Song Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Northern Cardinal Common Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird House Finch House Sparrow Here's my complete "2006 List" so far: Common Loon Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe American White Pelican Double-crested Cormorant Great Egret Turkey Vulture Canada Goose Mute Swan Wood Duck Gadwall American Wigeon American Black Duck Mallard Blue-winged Teal Green-winged Teal Redhead Ring-necked Duck Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Hooded Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Ruddy Duck Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk American Kestrel Merlin American Coot Sandhill Crane Killdeer American Wood**** Bonaparte's Gull Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Rock Dove Mourning Dove Great Horned Owl Barred Owl Belted Kingfisher Red-bellied Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Eastern Phoebe Blue Jay American Crow Barn Swallow Carolina Chickadee Black-capped Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Carolina Wren House Wren Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Eastern Bluebird American Robin Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher European Starling Northern Parula Yellow-rumped Warbler Ovenbird Louisiana Waterthrush Eastern Towhee American Tree Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Fox Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Northern Cardinal Eastern Meadowlark Common Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird Purple Finch House Finch American Goldfinch House Sparrow Happy Birding to you Melissa... Do you have any place online showing photo's you've taken of birds??? Stay in touch!!! Doug...