Tropical Kingbird

Sunday July 23rd

Tropical Kingbird in Sarasota

Today I ran up to Sarasota to look for the breeding Tropical Kingbird. As in past years it was located behind the shops at St Armands Circle.

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks

are becoming quite common

But my first stop of the day was at the Celery Fields off of Fruitville Road in Sarasota.  Arrived at dawn.  Found the expected species including Barn Swallows, Purple Gallinules, Black-belled Whistling-Ducks, Purple Martins, Nanday Parakeets and Red-shouldered Hawks.

Then onto St Armands Circle. Started out with large flock of foraging Fish Crows. Gray Kingbirds were calling and after some searching I did locate the Tropical Kingbird.  Other sightings included Chimney Swifts, Eurasian-collared Doves and House Finch.

Tropical Kingbird

Gray Kingbird

House Finch

Went onto check the beach (access #5) on Siesta Key, but not much to really see there. So I added an extra stop to head north to Anna Maria Island to look for any Blue-Crowned Parakeets.  Which I did find. A small flock was observed in the parking lot of the Manatee County Beach Park.

Blue-crowned Parakeet

Least Sandpiper