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An extraordinary image of an "anhinga" (Anhinga anhinga). Not familiar with the bird? It is a quite common bird, I learn, in its range from Florida and the southern U.S. through to Mexico. It is like a cormorant and of about the same size and is often seen perched on a snag or tree limb drying its wings. A fish eater, it swims very deep in the water with just its head and neck exposed, earning the common name of "Snakebird". This splendid copyrighted image, taken at the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge at Sanibel Island, Florida, is courtesy of photographer Qiang Li whose "photocritique" site has many thousands of photographer submitted images. We thank you Qiang Li!

The anhinga does not normally range anywhere near Canada and is not generally found much further north than Tennessee. But in the summer of 2000, on July 16th, a specimen was spotted at the Delaware Sportsmen's Club marsh just west of London, Ontario and birders arrived en masse to add the rare (in Canada) bird to their lifetime lists. An update! It would seem that the anhinga was not seen at the marsh after roughly September 15/17 2000. Pete Read advised on September 18 2000 here it was last seen on Friday, September 15 2000 and I can find no definitive later information.

I found another fine anhinga image which photographer Cindy Marple, I am sure, would invite you to see.

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