An enthusiastic group of about 30 people assembled at Bunche Beach for a Bird Walk sponsored by the Lee County Bird Patrol. The walk was lead by Walt Winton and Charlie Ewell and was indeed a success, despite the heat and threat of lightening.
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| Marbled Godwit |
Many of out spring shorebird migrants were on hand. Best birds were found while sorting through the Sandwich Terns resting on the exposed sand bars were a Common Tern and a Gull-billed Tern were found. Unfortunately we were unable to find any black terns. They usually show-up at this location just before Labor Day. Other terns present included a lot of Black Skimmers, a few Royal Terns and about a dozen Least Terns. Laughing Gulls were the only expected gull species this time of year.
We did search for the long-billed curlew sometimes seen here. Dipped on it but did see Willets, a Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Short-billed Dowitchers, Black-bellied Plovers, a couple of Piping Plovers, several Semipalmated Plovers and a Wilson's Plover. Western and Least Sandpipers, and Sanderlings were seen along with several Roseate Spoonbills and White Ibis. Both a normal red Reddish Egret and a white-morphed Reddish Egret were seen. Barn Swallows are the most prevalently seen swallows these days and a couple made an appearance. So did a Belted Kingfisher. A juvenile Bald Eagle was spotted far off dining on the beach. Figure that it had hung around instead of wandering off as the eagle population will do after nesting is over.
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| Lots of Black Skimmers |
We did miss a few interesting species like the curlew. we did not see any oystercatchers, spotted sandpipers or night-herons and the black terns didn't show either. A week ago Yellow Warblers, White-eyed Vireos, Prairie Warblers and the Long-billed Curlew were seen, but again, not today.
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