Snail Kites

Sunday July First



Snail Kite at Harn's Marsh

Black-necked Stilts

Today I took a few hours to hit some sites to start a new month list for July. Started at nearby Harn's Marsh were Snail Kites and Limpkins can be counted on as sure hits. But in a reference to a recent article in the Ft Myers News-Press the local snail kite population has been suffering from the recent drought conditions. Its been reported that all of the recent snail kites nests have failed and they are migrating up towards Kissimme in search of a dependable food supple. On this visit I found the water levels are rising due to the rains from tropical Storm Debbie, but still the marsh was no very birdy.  I did see a couple of Snail Kites and a few Limpkins. With the high temperatures I did not stay long and as I returned to my car I noticed that the new Harn's Marsh Middle School's retention pond was loaded with birds.  Counted at least nine Black-necked Stilts, plus numbers of Mottled Ducks, Glossy Ibis, Snowy Egrets and a lone Roseate Spoonbill.




Burrowing Owl in Cape Coral

 Next I checked out the activity at the Franklin Locks on the Caloosahatchee River.  Noticed that the purple martins had moved on from the martin houses, but House Sparrows were abundant. A Bald Eagle was setting atop the nest tree across the river and a a Yellow-crowned Night-heron was a sentry duty at the beach. Least and Forster's Tern were actively feeding around the lock.

From here I headed across the river at Alva and traveled west along North River Road looking for any caracaras. Did not get the caracara, but added a White-eyed Vireo.  On the north side of Cape Coral I found a couple of the resident Florida Scrub Jays, Eastern Meadowlarks and Burrowing Owl. lastly at a  stop at the ball fields on Pelican Boulevard in Cape Coral I added more Burrowing Owls, Monk Parakeets and Eurasian Collared Doves. Had to end this trip for now as I had to head into work soon.

But I managed to add a few more birds on the way into work including Eastern Bluebird,  Red-shouldered Hawks and Common Nighthawks. Lastly we had our nightly visit from a Barred Owl.

A nice variety of birds today.


Barred Owl at my work place