Sunday, October 20, 2019

Migration has Picked Up

Sunday October 20th

Yellow-billed Cuckoo
We're finally having some fun 

as the birding activity in Southwest Florida has finally picked up. even as Fall Migration period is reaching its waning days

Till now our birding experience has been very weak and disappointing.  A question shared by many was 'Where are the birds?'




Red-eyed Vireo


Merlin
Rotary Park in Cape Coral has had a nice variety lately. The Blue-winged Teal have arrived. Other recent sightings at Rotary Park have included Acadian Flycatchers, Swainsons Thrush, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Red-eyed Vireos, white-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Gray Catbirds, Mangrove Cuckoo, plus Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue, American Redstarts, Black-and-white, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Cape May, Northern Parula, Yellow-throated,  Prairie, Ovenbirds, Tennessee & Common Yellowthroat Warblers. Also Scarlet Tanagers,  Indigo Buntings, House Wrens, Peregrine Falcons, Merlin and Belted Kingfishers. Even a Nashville warbler was seen a couple of days ago

Acadian Flycatcher
The past couple of  days I haven't needed to leave my yard as the huge ficus in the front yard is very birdy.  Baltimore  Orioles,  Bay-breasted,  Magnolias, Tennessee, Pine, Black-throated Blue, American Redstarts, Black-and-white Warblers, a Swanson's Thrush and White-winged Doves.

Plus Grackles, Crows ,Mockingbirds and Starlings are loading up on the fruit and bugs




A female Black-throated Blue Warbler

A White-eyed Vireo
A Scarlet Tanager munching on a berry
European Starlings are feasting on the fruit on the ficus tre

Monday, August 26, 2019

Black Tern at Bunche Beach

Sunday, August 25th


Roseate Spoonbill at Bunche Beach Preserve


Beach Bean
Its been awhile since I birded at Bunche Beach. Haven't really had the time.



 But today I arrived at the low tide and found lots of birds busy feeding on the flats.  



Had my first Black Tern of the year, in the company Least, Royal and Sandwich Terns.  



A couple of dozen Red Knots were busy feeding in the exposed sea grasses. We had Short-billed Dowitchers, Ruddy Turnstones, Least Sandpipers, Willets, Marbled Godwits, Black-bellied Plovers, Wilson, Piping and Semipalmated Plovers too. 

Black Tern

Black Tern
Black Tern

Lots of Marbled Godwits present today.
 This individual is extremely pale in coloration.

An extremely light colored Marbled Godwit
Red Knot

Red Knot

Royal Tern family

Young Royal Tern begging for a snack
Gray Kingbird
A family of Gray Kingbirds were sitting on the wires 
at the intersection of John Morris Road and Summerlin

Sea Oats


Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Terns

Short-billed Dowitcher


Least Tern


Seaside Dragonlet

Ground Cherry

Ground Cherry

Seaside Dragonlet


Beach Bean

Beach Bean

Seaside Oxeye

Buttonwood

Red Mangrove in Bloom


Roseate Spoonbill


Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Down to the Beach


July 17, 2019

Carlos Point - Fort Myers Beach


American Oystercatcher
Today, on my visit to Carlos Point on Ft Myers Beach, I have finally cross paths with a trio of American Oystercatchers.  Hadn't seen any since last November. Since our Red Tide disaster last summer many species have become scarce, no doubt due to the lose of food sources or perhaps to a higher than normal mortality rate. But improved conditions some species are returning to our shores.


American Oystercatcher









Black Skimmers with juvenile 















Arrived later than normal today.  I like to be done by 10 am during the summer to avoid the heat and lightening. So it was a bit hot and I could see that Black Skimmers and other shorebirds were trying to cool down by keeping their bills open to dissipate heat.

The Least Tern and Black Skimmers nesting colonies were still active, with hundreds of birds. They were a bit defensive still, so needed to take a wide berth to keep them more comfortable.  It appeared that few birds were still on a  nest, and lots of juvenile birds were around

Snowy Plover families were active as well. Only spotted a single Wilson's Plover, so not sure how well they had fair with nesting. Last month I had observed several young Wilson's Plovers, so perhaps they had already fledged  

Other species present included Ospreys, a Magnificent Frigeatbird, Brown Pelicans, Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, a lone Common Tern, Sanderlings, Ruddy Turnstones, a lone Marble Godwit and a number of Black-bellied Plovers.
        
Least Tern
                                                                                                   



Juvenile Black Skimmer

Marbled Godwit

Sanderling






Black Bellied Plover

Willet


Ruddy Turnstone


Brown Pelican

Gray Kingbird
A pair of Gray Kingbirds were found the other end 
of the island near Bowitch Point Park



What's Blooming at the Beach


Seashore Purslane

Inkberry berries

Dune Sunflower

Cuban Jute

Madagascar Periwinkle