Birds I Encountered in Florida

Anyone who has visited Florida and been to the beaches knows the seagulls (noisy!) and has watched

the pelicans diving for food. One winter when I was sitting in my car by a deserted beach one pelican decided to do a bit of showing off. He strutted back and forth in front of me then took off, dived into the sea and flew back with a fish - cross-wise in his beak. Why do that when you've a beak large enough to use as a shopping bag? I soon found out. He put the fish on the sand and proceeded to fillet it. Show off. I beat a quick retreat.

At one time I lived in a static caravan/mobile home in a small park. Every morning I took a smart walk around the park - with an escort. A falcon. When I left home in the morning he was on a nearby electrical cable. I turned right, he flew past me to perch further along. Then I turned left. Yup, he overtook me. All the way around the park. Even when I sunbathed in my back garden he would perch on the electrical cable.

I'm glad he wasn't a vulture. Or buzzard if you prefer the name. Ugly things but very graceful when flying. Did you know that when taking off from the ground they have to make a running start? The aeroplanes of the bird world? One day when driving along a country road I had to stop as a flock of vultures had found some road kill. Why stop? To wait for them get wound up for take-off!

Florida has a wide variety of birds of all types but two of my favourites are the mockingbird and the beautiful small, crested and musical red cardinal. (His mate is - would you believe - drab brown).

Yes, a mockingbird does copy every sound he hears - sirens, reversing vehicle beepers, telephones, car horns, babies crying. And, of course, it imitates the songs of other birds!

Never a dull moment in birdland.