Rostrhamus sociabilis

A snail like a pollinator on a gazania flower from my garden

Lots of small snail on the Oak leaves yesterday. I didn't notice the damage to this one until I was processing the image.

View with Lightbox

Explore 20.08.2016

Snail with droplet

Thanks so much for the visit!

Happy Snail Saturday ! Sorry to post and run, folks, I'll catch up this evening...

Snail

This tiny Snail, measuring just 8 mm was on the Jade plant.

Snail Kite ~ (Rostrhamus sociabilis)

A Snail Kite in flight with nesting material.

Thanks for visiting!

Historically, snail kites were found from the Everglades to just southeast of Tallahassee, but wetland drainage and development eliminated or altered its shallow freshwater foraging habitat

Generally, the species is somewhat nomadic, moving from wetland to wetland in search of snails, but they are regularly seen in the marshes associated with lakes Kissimmee, Okeechobee and Tohopekaliga, at the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, water conservation areas (Everglades), and even along stretches of the Tamiami Trail.

The Florida snail kite is aptly named - it feeds almost exclusively on apple snails and, in the United States, is found only in Florida.

The species was listed as endangered in 1967. Today, the population is considered to be stable, but extremely vulnerable to the stresses of habitat loss, prolonged droughts and anything that affects the availability of apple snails, its primary food.

Snail kites breed from December to August and lay an average of three eggs in bulky nests built in a variety of wetland trees, shrubs and emergent vegetation. During the nesting season, the birds are usually found singly or in pairs; in winter, they often roost together in communal groups.

Lucky observers will witness the snail kite in action, as it searches for its prey by flying low over shallow freshwater marshes scattered with shrubs and trees. When it spots a snail, it swoops down, extends its legs into the water and briefly hovers while it grasps the snail with its talons. While still in flight or after landing on a nearby perch, the kite uses its thin, hooked bill to pull the snail from its shell.

I found this Male perched in a Sable Palm along the shore of Lake Kissimmee, at Joe Overstreet Landing.

Snail

Slowly crossing our driveway today.

Snail kites inhabit marsh habitats in both the Everglades of south Florida and shorelines of lakes in central Florida. They frequently can be seen slowly flying along the shorelines seeking their primary food item, the apple snail. At other times, you may see a kite perched on a clump of cattail or in a willow tree. During droughts, kites may disperse from their traditional range in the Everglades and larger lakes from Lake Okeechobee north to Lake Tohopekaliga and show up at smaller lakes and marshes throughout south and central Florida. Snail kites nest during February to August in Florida. During the nonbreeding season, kites may form large communal roosts in both cattail and willow stands where they can be seen flying into the site 1-2 hours before sunset.

It is along the margins of Lakes Okeechobee, Kissimmee and Tohopekaliga where most boaters or anglers may see a snail kite.

I found this female in Osceola County, Florida on Lake Kissimmee.

perhaps it went like this: "are you my Mother?"

Have a great weekend, take it slow and steady! ;0)

Snail Kite ~ (Rostrhamus sociabilis)

A male Snail Kite comes in for a landing with a nice size Apple Snail. If you look below you can see the red snail eggs on the branch sticking up from the water.

Thanks for visiting!

Found this little fella under a pile of old plant pots. At first I thought it was just a lovely empty shell but soon a little head popped out to see what was happening. After having his photo taken the tiny snail was gently put back where he was found.

'Natural Shells' for 'Macro Mondays'

Thank you for your views, faves and comments.

HMM

Happy Snail Saturday! Pouring with rain here, so the snails will be out in force today ! Have a great day folks, whatever the weather !

7 stitched images, shallow dof

Taken just before sunset at Lakes Regional Park, Fort Myers, Florida.

As always, thank you so much for stopping by and for leaving any comments or faves, they are very much appreciated.

Wonderful encounter with what i think is a snail-eating snake, please correct me if I’m wrong. It blends in so well…Tortuguero NP, Costa Rica

This is a very young garden snail that I saw yesterday in my backyard. It brings back memories of my childhood when I used to collect them and treat them as pets.

And on the lettuce without pesticides ... cute snails! 🐌🐌

snail on a plant

Grove snail (Cepaea nemoralis) resting on a tree trunk.

Wstężyk gajowy (Cepaea nemoralis) odpoczywający na pniu drzewa.

Press L

Helix aspersa

This Snail Kite was practically posing for us!. We found him by a bridge in about the same place we had found him a previous year. It just goes to show how important the enviroment is. We you remove vegetation and change the environment you may affect more than you think...

Happy Snail Saturday

Vineyard snail

large, light brown snail with a spherical, brownish casing, which is valued as a delicacy. here in my garden after the rain.