For the past several days, I noticed four Roseate Spoonbills feeding, along with other wading birds, in the drainage ditch along Rampart Blvd between Walgreens and the I-75 overpass in Port Charlotte.  This morning I decided to visit the ditch and obtain some pictures of the Spoonbills.  I arrived there at 730 a.m. and, guess what, no Spoonbills.  I did take some images of a Tricolored Heron periodically flying over and dipping in the water.  Other birds seen included Glossy and White Ibis, Great and Snowy Egrets, and a Great Blue Heron. 

Around 8:00, I decided to drive over to the marshy area in back of the Walmarts on Kings Highway.  Lo and behold, mixed in with the various wading birds were four Spoonbills about half way out in the marsh.  Other birds seen included Little Blue and Tricolored Herons, Great and Snowy Egrets, Moorhens, Killdeer, and eight Sandhill Cranes on the far bank. 

On Friday morning, I decided to go into Punta Gorda Isles and check on the status of two Burrowing Owl nests I was aware of.  The first one was on Tropicana.  This nest had four young juveniles; one adult was seen watching over them.  It was interesting to note that the eye color of the juveniles ranged from dark to pale yellow.  None had, at this time, the bright yellow eyes usually seen in these owls.

The second nest I visited was on Colony Point.  There were two juveniles along with two adults watching over them.  These birds, including the juveniles, had bright yellow eyes.  These juveniles, as well as the others on Tropicana, were nearly full grown.