At Wakodahatchee Wetlands, a water treatment facility that is also a beautiful wildlife refuge, we saw many immature birds like this Tricolored Heron.

Glossy Ibis

One Boat-tailed Grackle seemed to be very impressed--or amused--by the stick-handling abilities of a second grackle

Two male Boat-tailed Grackles

Although many Wood Storks already had young in their nests, this one was still collecting sticks.

Tricolored Heron on a nest in the mangrove thicket at Wakodahatchee Wetlands, FL

In the same thicket was this young Glossy Ibis.

Young Glossy Ibis

Young Glossy Ibis

Butterfly

Young Great Egret on a nest

Young Great Egret trying its wings

Young Wood Stork on the nest

The parent stands guard over the young Wood Stork.

The young Wood Stork made its presence known.

Purple Gallinule

Purple Gallinule

Another Wood Stork, this one tending 3 chicks

Nests of different species of birds filled the mangroves on islands in the wetlands and the bigger birds seemed to get the higher locations.

An adult Cattle Egret sits on a nest while young Cattle Egrets clamor nearby.

Three nests within a few feet of each other

Wood Stork sitting on a nest

The view from the boardwalk, across the water, at Wakodahatchee Wetlands

In the distance, more nesting birds are visible.

Young Great Egret

Young Cattle Egrets were competing with each other for the parent's attention.

The adult Cattle Egret was mobbed by its chicks.

This Double-crested Cormorant seemed unperturbed by passersby on the boardwalk.

Close-up of the Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron adult with its chick

The Great Blue Heron chick demanded attention.

Wes, Jane, Steve, Phoenix and Hannah, on the boardwalk at Wakodahatchee Wetlands

Jane, Steve and Hannah

Wes explained that the green around the eye of the adult Anhinga was part of its breeding 'plumage.'

Adult and young Anhingas

We got great looks at a Least Bittern among the pickerel and other plants in the water.

Least Bittern

Least Bittern

Pickerelweed with honeybee

Honeybee on pickerelweed flower

Dragonfly

Butterfly

Fireflag blooms

Fireflag

The Swamp Rabbit has much smaller ears than a Cottontail.

Tricolored Heron, through the slats of the boardwalk

Solitary Sandpiper, the only shorebird we saw

Solitary Sandpiper

Dragonfly

Dragonfly

Duck Potato flowers

This gator guarded one of the small islands.

Purple Martins were nesting in every hole of this martin house.

Male and female Purple Martins

Adult female Purple Martin

Anhinga on the rail of the boardwalk at Wakodahatchee Wetlands

The Gray-headed Swamphens are larger than the gallinules and compete for their habitat space.

Gray-headed Swamphen

Gray-headed Swamphen

Great Egret

Glossy Ibis

Female Boat-tailed Grackle

Gray-headed Swamphen--keep on truckin'

Mottled Ducks

Preening Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Someone spotted this water snake resting in the mangrove above the water near the boardwalk.

Young female Boat-tailed Grackle

Tricolored Heron, showing off its head feathers from the rail of the boardwalk

Is this an ironweed?

Male Boat-tailed Grackle

Spatterdock

Spatterdock

Immature Glossy Ibis

Immature Glossy Ibis

Swamp Rabbit

Young Anhingas

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

An elegant-looking Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Basilisk lizard

Basilisk lizard

Basilisk lizard

Wood Stork flying over

Two young Tricolored Herons

Young Tricolored Herons

Adult Wood Duck with chicks

Wood Duck chicks

Wes explained that the deep red of the bill and legs of the Cattle Egret indicates its breeding status.

Breeding Cattle Egret

Preening Cattle Egret

Wood Stork in flight

Glossy Ibis

Wood Stork getting a drink of water

Wood Stork

Wood Stork wading in the Wakodahatchee Wetlands

It's hot in the mangroves when the sun is out and Wes explained the parent Wood Storks drink water, then feed it to their young...

...and dribble it on them to cool them down.

Wood Stork giving water to its chick

Wood Stork cooling its chick by dribbling water on it

Basilisk

Tricolored Heron on its nest in a Bald Cypress

Tricolored Heron on its nest

Two young Great Egrets demanding attention from their parent

One of the young egrets was determined to get its parent's attention.

Great Egret parent with 2 chicks

I had the impression this parent had no food, but was, perhaps, watching the chicks while the other parent foraged.

The chicks didn't seem to understand.

It's a wonder somebody didn't lose an eye.

Some say there's no basis for anthropomorphizing animal behavior, but the second chick sure seems to be saying, "Hey, what about me!?"

Back near the entrance, we came upon the two young Green Herons we'd seen the day before.

Young Green Heron

Second young Green Heron

Young Green Heron

From Wakodahatchee, we went to Green Cay Wetlands and Nature Center; we saw this Red-bellied Woodpecker near the entrance.

This curious female Northern Cardinal also perched near the entrance.

Female Northern Cardinal

We watched this Soft-shelled Turtle in the water below us, from the boardwalk that goes all around the wetland.

Some other birders were photographing this Least Grebe when we walked up.

Least Grebe

On the opposite side of the boardwalk, this Black-necked Stilt sat on its nest.

Black-necked Stilt on its nest

Anhinga sunning

Common Gallinule

Slider turtle

Young White Ibis

Immature Glossy Ibis

Pied-billed Grebe

Immature White Ibis

Pink-flowering plant

Pink-flowering plant

Green Heron in flight

Green Heron perched

Another Green Heron

Pied-billed Grebe swimming underwater

Pied-billed Grebe

Pied-billed Grebe

Pied-billed Grebe swimming under water again

Pied-billed Grebe under water

Pied-billed Grebe

Pied-billed Grebe

Pied-billed Grebe

Pied-billed Grebe

Female in a Red-winged Blackbird nest

Pied-billed Grebe

Limpkin

Limpkin

Limpkin

Limpkin

Anole

Phoenix, Jane, Hannah, Mary and Wes

Mary and Jan on the boardwalk

Wes (behind), Jane, Hannah and Phoenix

Great Egret

Adult Mottled Duck and chick

Black Swallowtail on Pickerelweed

Black Swallowtail

Red-shouldered Hawk chick in a nest above the boardwalk at Green Cay

Wood Stork in flight

Black-necked Stilt

Dragonfly

Dragonfly

Mottled Ducks

Spiny Orb Weaver

Cattle Egret

White Ibis in dark red breeding color

White Ibis

Green Heron

Dragonfly

Dragonfly

Dragonfly

Yellow-bellied Sliders

After leaving Green Cay, we had lunch at a Mediterranean deli (with a big menu, but very strange billing) before going to Vista View Park in Davie, FL, where we found our second guide, Dave, and this Egyptian Goose.

Egyptian Goose

Egyptian Goose

The Egyptian Goose was wanting to walk away from us, so it was difficult to get a photo of the big black spot on its breast.

There were also several Loggerhead Shrikes in the park.

Loggerhead Shrike

Loggerhead Shrike

Steve posted their finds on eBird while Jan took photos.

Mary found some wildflowers to photograph.

White wildflowers with yellow centers

Wildflowers

Orange-flowered tree

There were also several burrows occupied by Burrowing Owls at the park, like these three young ones.

Young Burrowing Owls at Vista View Park, Davie, FL

The three owlets were overseen by two parents and their burrows were roped off to give notice to humans to not get too close.

Adult Burrowing Owl at Vista View Park, FL

Adult and young Burrowing Owls

Young Burrowing Owls

Adult Burrowing Owl, standing guard

Another adult Burrowing Owl

Adult Burrowing Owl and owlet

Adult Burrowing Owl and owlet

Adult Burrowing Owl

Adult Burrowing Owl

Adult Burrowing Owl

Red-bellied Woodpecker

In the same park, we found a large group of White Ibis grazing in a field, along with a couple of Boat-tailed Grackles.

White Ibis

After leaving Vista View Park, we went to Brian Piccolo Park, also in Davie, and found 3 Monk Parakeets eating the seed heads off the grass there.

Monk Parakeet

Monk Parakeets

Monk Parakeet

Monk Parakeet

Monk Parakeet

Monk Parakeet

Monk Parakeet

Monk Parakeet

Monk Parakeets

Monk Parakeet

Monk Parakeet

Monk Parakeet

The Burrowing Owls that were so reticent yesterday were more willing to be photographed today.

Young Burrowing Owls

Young Burrowing Owl

Adult Burrowing Owl

Adult Burrowing Owl

Adult and young Burrowing Owls

Adult and young Burrowing Owls

Adult Burrowing Owl

Adult Burrowing Owl

Jane (behind), Wes and Dave, in the parking lot at Brian Piccolo Park, Davie, FL