21 April 2023 - Palm Harbour, Dunedin, Hammock Marsh

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Purple Martins, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, White Ibis, Mourning Dove, Blue Jay

While having lunch back at Mango Cottage, I found a nymph stage Eastern Lubber Grasshopper in the patio area of the back yard. These are blackish with yellow stripes, the adults being bright orange and yellow. There were also several Brown Anola lizards in the garden. We had a trip out to Dunedin, a rather pleasant little town, where we had a walk through the centre and around the harbour. Several Purple Martins were flying around the harbour, and a Great Egret was perched on a post just a few yards away. A couple of Red-bellied Woodpeckers showed quite well, then we worked our way back to the digs via Hammock Marsh, which apart from a single Spotted Sandpiper, Great Blue Heron and a couple of Ospreys, was fairly quiet. Back at the cottage, we were surprised to see a White Ibis feeding on the lawn in the back yard, but this allowed a close approach and some slightly better photos than this morning's bird in the half-light. Two Mourning Doves drank from the bird bath in the back garden, and a Blue Jay was also present as we chilled on the patio.

Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 2500 (view full size image)