Birding in June

Birding in June in Southwest Florida

Wilson's Plovers Chicks

The summer months are not the best time to bird in southwest Florida. The migrants have passed on through, the winter visitors are gone  and several shore bird species disappear, as they return to the Far North for breeding. So with the reduced number of species and the heat of summer, birding can be a bit frustrating for next couple of months.

Snowy Plover

But interesting birds are still around.  Last week I headed over to Little Estero Lagoon on Ft Myers Beach to visit the Least Tern nesting area. We have hundreds of nesting least terns on hand and I also located almost a dozen Snowy Plovers with several chicks and far more nesting Wilson's Plovers.  One surprise was a dozen resting Red Knots, plus Royal and Sandwich Terns, and a soaring Magnificent Frigatebird. Also had a few non-migrating Black-bellied Plovers, Sanderlings and Semipalmated Plovers.  The wires along Estero Boulevard also hosted four Gray Kingbirds.

Least Tern

On recent visits to Bunche Beach in June I had a late and LIFER White-rumped Sandpiper, a Whimbrel, Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, Least Terns, a pair of Gull-billed Terns, American Oystercatchers, some late Dunlins, Semipalmated Sandpipers, and several Short-billed Dowitchers. Plus Ospreys, Bald Eagle, Willets, a Lesser Yellowlegs, Roseate Spoonbills, Brown Pelicans, both Night-herons, Reddish Egrets, Black Skimmers, Purple Martins, Mottled Ducks, White-eyed Vireos, and Prairie Warblers. Out on  Cayo Costa Island,  Charlie Ewell also had the Gull-billed Terns and a Black Tern.

Snowy Plover Chick

A visit to Babcock-Webb in Charlotte County, I easily located nesting Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, a couple of, still singing, Bachman's Sparrows and several Brown-headed Nuthatchs.  Plus Anhingas, Common Nighthawks, Eastern Meadowlarks, Loggerhead Shrikes, Northern Mockingbirds, Eastern Bluebirds, Eastern Towhees and Pine Warblers. Also a bobcat.

White-tailed deer at OK Slough

At Hicky's Creek Park I added Red-headed Woodpecker and Chimney Swifts. In Cape Coral we had Florida Scrub Jays, Burrowing Owls, Monk Parakeets and Eurasian Collarded-doves. At Okaloacoochee Slough  we added Northern Bobwhite, Wild Turkey, Swallow-tailed Kites, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Red-shoulder Hawk, Great Crested Flycatcher, American Crow and more nighthawks. Barred Owls are regular visitors at my work place and White-winged Doves and Brown Thrashers are seen around my home. Snail Kites and Limpkins are still easily found at Harn's Marsh.

Snail Kite with Sandhill Crane family in the background

Gray Kingbird on Ft Myers Beach