Migration

Monday, August 3rd

A FOS Yellow-throated Warbler
seen at Bunche Beach Preserve

Neotropical bird migration is slowly rolling into Southwest Florida. 

Today I feel lucky with seeing my first-of-season Hooded Warbler at Six-mile Cypress Slough Preserve. Master Birder Vince McGrath spotted the hoody for our group.

Last week I had seen my FOS Black-and-White Warblers at Six-mile and other birders have seen prothonotary warblers, American red-starts and red-eyed vireos as well. All of these early migrants do nest in northern Florida and easily arrive here first.

A couple of Short-tailed Hawks have also returned to the Six-Mile Slough Preserve from central Florida.

Shorebirds have already been migrating for a few weeks now and I elected visit to Bunche Beach Preserve yesterday. I arrived on a low tide and found hundreds of shorebirds working the mud-flats and shallows for a meal. There were hundreds of Short-billed Dowitchers present fresh from the Arctic. Marbled Godwits, Sanderlings, Least Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers and a FOS sighting of a Piping Plover had also arrived. A couple of Barn Swallows flew in. Prairie Warbler and a FOS Yellow-throated Warbler were also seen here. Other birds seen included a flock of twenty Rosette Spoonbills, lots of waders, a couple of Spotted Sandpipers, a Least Yellowlegs, Willets, Ruddy Turnstones, Black Skimmers, Least Terns, Bald Eagle and Osprey.

Semipalmated Plover sporting his breeding colors

Earlier in the day I had my FOS Belted Kingfisher sitting on the a power line. Soon we'll be hosting many more species

FOS Piping Plover

Reddish Egret. A White-morphed Reddish Egret was also seen at Bunche 

White Ibis

Osprey breed at Bunche Beach

Least Sandpiper at rest

Wilson's Plover are a year-round residents

Hundreds of Short-billed Dowitchers have arrived

Wilson's Plover

A few Red Knots were present

This Fiddler Crab thought it was well hidden