Carolina Wrens

Carolina Wrens -
Some current birding
Monday Oct 4th

Inlet at Bunche Beach at Low Tide

Monday morning we planned on a visit to The Everglades and Key Largo to look for south Florida specialities like white-tailed kites, white-crowned pigeons and common mynas. May even have a gray kingbird still hanging around. Sometimes Swainson's hawks have already arrived by now.  But oops - when we went to take off at 5am, my car battery was dead. Maybe we can go later this month.

Later Monday afternoon, after resolving the mechanical problems, I checked out Bunche Beach and Six-Mile Cypress Slough. Arrived at Bunche Beach at a low tide. Found Barn Swallows working the beach and a Peregrine Falcon caused a big stir among the forging and resting flocks. A half dozen pink Roseate Spoonbills working the shallows at the north inlet with a pair of noisy Belted Kingfishers flying overhead.

Had a few Wilson's Plovers and a lone Piping Plover.  Lots of Semipalmated Plovers and Sanderlings. The American oystercatcher and the many Black Skimmers have a very comic appearance. Checked carefully for the red-necked phalarope that was seen last week, but has been missing lately. I think that this may have a first report of a red-necked phalarope in Lee County. A White-eyed Vireo could be heard in the scrub behind the beach. Had a total count here of 34 species

Roseate Spoonbill at Bunche Beach

Next I left the beach for the swamp. Arrived at Six-Mile Cypress Slough boardwalk. The White Ibis, Anhingas, Great Egreat and Cattle Egrets were already starting to assemble at the night rookery on the lake. Not much else was found here at this time.  Had a lot of Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers and Tufted Titmice., but the only warblers seen were a lone Black-and White and a lone Palm. Only eleven species here today.

Carolina Wren at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Tuesday Oct 6th

Checked out Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Collier County this morning.  Place had very few visitors this morning, but the birding was okay. Had an abundance of active and noisy Carolina Wrens, FOS Gray Catbirds were everywhere and White-eyed Vireos were also very common. Encountered a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird in the butterfly garden at the entrance to Blair House. A painted bunting had recently been reported here, just as their arrival on the east coast are being reported. But I did not sight one today, but it won't be long. Not a large quantity of warblers but did get samplings of Black-and-White, Northern Parula, Prairie, Pine and American Redstarts.  These all represent species expected to be found here. No tropical migrants were present today.

One mixed flock of Tufted Titmice, Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, American Redstart, Northern Parula and Great Crested Flycatchers seemed very agitated concerning a certain tree cavity in a grand old cypress tree. The commotion attracted a Red-Bellied Woodpecker who had to check out the hole too. No idea what the issue was all about. Maybe a snake was sleeping inside. Pileated Woodpeckers were seen several times, but only found a lone Downy Woodpecker. Black and Turkey Vultures soared overhead with an occasional Red-shouldered Hawk or Anhinga. Another soaring hawk appeared to be a Coopers Hawk. Total count here was 26

Month to date is 89.