Thursday March 6th
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| Wild Turkeys on Display |
Visited Myakka River State Park near Sarasota on a rather breezy day. Windy days can sometimes make birding more challenging but today was okay.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S216885229
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| Palm Warbler |
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| American Avocets |
Sunday March 2nd
Today was my second visit to Atlantic Mill Road, east of Clewiston, in search of the reported Smooth-billed Ani. Had dipped on my first visit so I needed to return. The location is a popular birding hot spot.
Smooth-billed Anis had moved into south Florida from the Carribean sometime back about a hundred years ago. By the 1940s and 1950s they had become rather common in Florida. But their population collapsed so that today they have become rare to uncommon in Florida.
Spent two hours exploring along the canal, along with a few other birders, and as I was leaving I luckily got flagged down by a couple who had located the bird. Nice.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S216249800
https://myfwc.com/media/19790/bba_sban.pdf
https://www.10000birds.com/the-fate-of-the-florida-anis.htm
February Wednesday 20
Wednesday January 29th
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| Scott's Oriole feeding on some jelly |
https://ebird.org/checklist/S211139040
I was unfamiliar with the Chinsegut Wildlife and Environmental Area near Lake Linsey in Hernando County. But a rare to Florida avian visitor is wintering here. It's a Scott's Oriole. A western species and is way outside of the species normal range and a Lifer for me.
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| Chipping Sparrow |
This conservation area is managed by Florida Fish and Wildlife and has an outstanding bird feeding station at the nature center featuring water features and several feeding offerings including a feeder offering jelly. Orioles and other species enjoy fruits and jellies and that is where anyone wanting to experience this rarity must wait. The Scott's Oriole was making very short visits to the feeder and my not return for as long as an hour.
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| A Pine Siskin bathing with a House Finch |
While waiting a nice variety birds came in and offered some nice photography opportunities
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| Carolina Chickadee |
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| Yellow-rumped Warbler |
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| Yellow Palm Warbler |
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| American Goldfinches |
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| Pine Warbler |
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| Red-bellied Woodpecker |
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| House Wren |
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| House Finch |
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| Red-winged Blackbird |
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| Pine Warbler |
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| Grey Catbird |
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| Sandhill Crane |
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| Tufted Titmouse |
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| Northern Cardinal |
Monday January 14th
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| Snow Goose |
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| Wilson's Snipe |
On Sunday I arrived at 11 am on a cold, wet day. Within a week the refuge would actual have freezing temps and snow. Snow is quite the rare event in Florida.
Had some nice sightings and missed a lot too. Checked out the Twin Bridges location looking for the reported Rusty Blackbirds. Moved on to East River Pool - Long-billed Dowitcher, Wison's Snipe, Ring-billed Gulls, Savannah Sparrow, Yellowlegs and Green Winged Teal. At the Mound Pools added White, Glossy and White-faced Ibis, Snow Geese, Blue -Winged Teal, Hooded Mergansers, and Red-winged Blackbirds
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| White-faced Ibis |
At the Lighthouse Pond and at the shore added Bufflehead, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Brown Pelicans, Forster's Terns, Cormorants, Redheads, Northern Shovelers, Ruddy Ducks, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Canvasback, Lesser Scaup, Greater Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209181072
Plans were to return tomorrow to finish. But later today I headed to the Panacea Unit of St Mark's to look to do some owling. This location on Bottoms Road is tidal marsh, which good habitat for Seaside Sparrow, Marsh Wren and Sedge Wren. But recently a Short-ear Owl has been patrolling the marsh. So, about sunset the owl appeared. Very nice. A lifer. A very uncommon bird in Florida. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209084183
Returned at sunrise to Bottoms Road for the Seaside Sparrow (seen & heard), Clapper Rail, Hooded Mergansers, but no wrens. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209246084
Went back to Lighthouse Road to continue with yesterday's birding. But the road was closed for some improvement project. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209253229. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209254086
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| Ruddy Duck |
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| American Wigeon |
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| Anhinga |
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| A wet, Red-shouldered Hawk |
Thursday January 9th
Gulfside Beach is a public park operated by the town of Sanibel Island. Parking is $6.00 per hour
https://ebird.org/checklist/S208610007
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| Herring Gull |
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| Lesser Black-backed Gull |
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| Lesser Black-backed Gull |
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| Lesser Black-backed Gull |
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| Lesser Black-backed Gull trying the Crab |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Piping Plover |
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| Willet |
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| American Oystercatcher |
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| Sanderling |
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| Brown Pelican |
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| Ruddy Turnstone |
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| Royal Tern |
Tuesday December 31
In 2024 I fell short on my modest goal of reaching 300 species seen for the year. By the numbers, I reached 274, with only three lifers. Piratic Flycatcher, Bananaquit and Scaly-breasted Munie.
Had some birding field trips. Central Florida, Tennessee, California and Isle Royale National Park.
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| Key Deer - No Name Key, Florida |
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| Hispid Cotten Rat - The Celery Fields |
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| Green Iguana - Sanibel Island |
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| Common Raccoon - Sanibel Island |
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| Isle Royale Red Squirrel a subspecies of the American Red Squirrel July 2024 |
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| American Black Bear Cub browsing on the emerging foliage Cades Cove - Great Smoky Mountains National Park May 2024 |
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| Northern Curly-tailed Lizard Clewiston, Florida August 2024 |
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| An Escaped Budge |
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| California Sea Lion Ventura, California |
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| Bobcat Palm Beach County, Florida December 2024 |
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| Muscovy Duck My House - Fort Myers, Florida January 2024 |
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| White-winged Dove My House - Fort Myers, Florida January 2024 |
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| European Starling Setting up nest at Lee County, Florida March 2024 |
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| Sanderling Bunche Beach - Lee County, Florida January 2023 |
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| Ring-billed Gull Lakes Park - Fort Myers, Florida January 2024 |
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| Semipalmated Plover Fort De Soto Park - Pinellas County, Florida March 2024 |
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| Semipalmated Plover Bunche Beach - Lee County, Florida September 2024 |
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| Roseate Spoonbill Ding Darling NWR - Sanibel Island, Florida January 2024 |
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| Rosette Spoonbill Myakka River State Park, Florida December 2024 |
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| Willet Turner Beach. Captiva Island, Florida May 2024 |
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| Piping Plover Ft De Soto Park - Pinellas County, Florida March 2024 |
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| Piping Plover Fort De Soto Park - St Petersburg, Florida January 2024 |
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| Western Sandpiper Fort De Soto Park - Pinellas County, Florida March 2024 |
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| Royal Tern Merritt Island NWR - Florida January 2024 |
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| Reddish Egret Merritt Island NWR - Florida January 2024 |
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| Great Egret Lake Apopka - Florida January 2024 |
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| Great Blue Heron Lake Apopka - Florida January 2024 |
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| Osprey Merritt Island NWR - Florida January 2024 |
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| Osprey - bath time Ding Daling WMR - Sanibel Island, Florida May 2024 |
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| Mottled Duck Ding Darling NWR - Sanibel Island January 2024 |
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| Pied-billed Grebe Lake Apopka, Florida January 2024 |
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| Rock Pigeon Clewiston, Florida August 2024 |
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| Common Gallinule Six-Mile Cypress Slough Preserve - Lee County, Florida June 2024 |
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| Anhinga Harns Marsh - Lehigh Acres, Florida April 2024 |
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| Baby Anhinga Naples, Florida May 2024 |
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| Green Heron Palm Beach County, Florida August 2024 |
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| Glossy Ibis Sarasota County, Florida February 2024 |
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| Blue Jay Lee County, Florida March 2024 |
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| Fish Crow Fort De Soto Park - St Petersburg, Florida January 2023 |
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| Fish Crow Fort De Soto Park - St Petersburg, Florida January 2024 |
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| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Celery Fields - Sarasota, Florida February 2024 |
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| Wood Stork Merritt Island NWR, Florida January 2024 |
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| Northern Mockingbird Lee County, Florida March 2024 |
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| Palm Warbler Sweetwater Wetlands - Gainesville, Florida January 2024 |
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| Palm Warbler Celery Fields - Sarasota, Florida February 2024 |
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| Palm Warbler Celery Fields - Sarasota, Florida February 2024 |
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| Northern Cardinal Fort Myers Beach, Florida March 2024 |
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| Northern Cardinal Lee County, Florida February 2024 |
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| Burrowing Owl Cape Coral, Florida March 2024 |
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| Ring-necked Ducks Cape Coral, Florida January 2024 |
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| Cattle Egret eating a Leopard Frog Sweetwater Wetlands - Gainesville, Florida January 2024 |
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| Sandhill Crane Harns Marsh - Lehigh Acres, Florida February 2024 |
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| Northern Harrier Palm Beach County, Florida September 2024 |
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| American Crow Myakka River State Park - Sarasota County, Florida January 2024 |
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| Red-headed Woodpecker Lee County, Florida March 2024 |
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| American Kestral Lehigh Acres, Florida March 2023 |
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| Indigo Bunting Alva, Florida January 2024 |
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| Purple Gallinule Celery Fields - Sarasota, Florida February 2024 |
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| baby Purple Gallinule Babcock-Webb WMA - Charlotte County, Florida September 2024 |
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| Purple Swamphen Celery Fields - Sarasota, Florida February 2024 |
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| Limpkin Myakka River State Park - Florida February 2024 |
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| Limpkin Family Harns Marsh - Lehigh Acres, Florida May 2024 |
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| Limpkin Chicks Harns Marsh - Lehigh Acres, Florida May 2024 |
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| Snowy Egert Merritt Island NWR - Florida January 2024 |
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| Black Vulture Payne's Prairie State Park - Florida January 2024 |
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| Turkey Vulture Clewiston, Florida August 2024 |
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| Red-shouldered Hawk Lucky Hammock - Miami Dade County, Florida January 2024 |
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| Red-shouldered Hawk Harns Marsh - Lehigh Acres, Florida April 2024 |
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| House Sparrow Ft Myers, Florida April 2024 |
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| Brown-headed Cowbird Celery Fields - Sarasota, Florida February 2024 |
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| Brown-headed Cowbird Lee County, Florida February 2024 |
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| Pileated Woodpecker Six-Mile Cypress Slough - Ft Myers, Florida April 2024 |
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| Tree Swallow Seven Islands Birding State Park - Tennessee May 2024 |
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| Tree Swallow Seven Island Birding State Park - Tennessee May 2024 |
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| Crested Caracara Collier County, Florida March 2024 |
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| Crested Caracara Hendry County, Florida February 2024 |
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| Young Caracara with roadkill Hendry County, Florida February 2024 |
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| Common Ground Dove Lee County, Florida March 2024 |
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| Killdeer Lakes Park - Lee County, Florida April 2024 |
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| Blue-winged Teal Celery Fields - Sarasota, Florida February 2023 |
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| Red-winged Blackbird Fort Myers Shores, Florida March 2024 |
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| Lesser Scaup Ding Darling NWR - Sanibel Island January 2024 |
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| Wild Turkey Cades Cove - Smoky Mountains National Park May 2024 |
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| Black-necked Stilt hatchling Lee County, Florida June 2024 |
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| Black-necked Stilt Myakka River State Park - Florida January 2024  |
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| Greater Yellowlegs Myakka River State Park - Florida February 2024 |
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| Tufted Titmouse Seven Islands Birding State Park - Tennessee May 2024 |
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| American Robin Myakka River State Park - Florida January 2024 |
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| Pine Warbler Six-mile Cypress Slough Preserve - Lee County, Florida January 2024 |
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| Pine Warbler Six Mile Cypress Slough - Ft Myers, Florida February 2024 |
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| Black-crowned Night-heron Hendry County, Florida February 2024 |
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| Eastern Meadowlark Everglades National Park January 2024 |
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| Common Myna Belle Glade, Florida September 2024 |
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| Swainson's Hawk Everglades National Park January 2024 |
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| Vermilion Flycatcher Everglades National Park January 2024 |
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| Tropical Kingbird Everglades National Park January 2024 |
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| Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Everglades National Park January 2024 |
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| Yellow-headed Blackbird The Celery Fields - Sarasota, Florida March 2024 |
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| Northern Rough-winged Swallow Everglades National Park January 2024 |
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| Savannah Sparrow Everglades National Park January 2024 |
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| Savannah Sparrow Sweetwater Wetlands - Gainesville, Florida January 2024 |
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| Painted Bunting Celery Fields - Sarasota, Florida February 2024 |
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| Painted Bunting Lee County, Florida January 2024 |
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| Pintail Duck Lake Apopka, Florida January 2024 |
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| Ruddy Turnstone - opening and consuming a mussel. Fort De Soto Park - St Petersburg, Florida January 2024 |
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| Bonaparte's Gull Ding Darling NWR - Sanibel Island January 2024 |
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| Bonaparte's Gull Lee County, Florida January 2024 |
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| Forster's Tern Fort De Soto Park - St Petersburg January 2024 |
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| Forster's Tern Ft De Soto Park - Pinellas, Florida March 2024 |
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| American White Pelican Black Skimmer Island - Lee County, Florida January 2024 |
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| American White Pelican Bunche Beach - Lee County, Florida February 2024 |
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| Carolina Chickadee Seven Islands Birding State Park - Tennessee May 2024 |
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| Song Sparrow Alcoa, Tennessee May 2024 |
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| Song Sparrow Nara Nature Park - Houghton, Michigan July 2024 |
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| Orange-crowned Warbler Sweetwater Wetlands - Gainesville, Florida January 2024 |
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| Snail Kite Payne's Prairie State Park Florida January 2024 |
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| Ovenbird Rotary Park, Cape Coral, Florida October 2024 |
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| American Flamingos Black Skimmer Island - Lee County, Florida January 2024 |
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| American Flamingo Black Skimmer Island - Lee County, Florida January 2024 |
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| Lesser Yellowlegs Palm Beach County, Florida August 2024 |
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| Yellow-crowned Night-heron Ding Darling NWR - Sanibel Island, Florida January 2024 |
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| Lesser Black-back Gull Sanibel Island - Florida December 2024 |
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| Common Loon Fort De Soto Park - St Petersburg January 2024 |
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| Common Loon Rock Harber - Isle Royale National Park July 2024 |
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| Red-breasted Merganser Fort De Soto Park, Pinellas County, Florida January 2024 |
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| Red-breasted Merganser Rock Harbor - Isle Royale National Park July 2024 |
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| American Oystercatcher Fort De Soto Park - Pinellas County, Florida January 2024 |
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| Snowy Plover Fort De Soto Park - St Petersburg January 2024 |
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| Nanday Parakeet Fort De Soto Park - St Petersburg, Florida January 2024 |
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| Nanday Parakeet Ft Myers Shores, Florida March 2023 |
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| Eastern Screech Owl Six-mile Cypress Slough - Lee County, Florida January 2024 |
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| Florida Scrub-Jay Lehigh Acres, Florida January 2024 |
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| Herring gulls Rock Harber - Isle Royale National Park July 2024 |
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| Shiny Cowbird Fort Myers, Florida February 2024 |
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| Purple Martin Celery Fields - Sarasota, Florida February 2024 |
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| Purple Martin Homestead, Florida June 2024 |
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| House Finch dining on salvia Rotary Park - Cape Coral, Florida April 2024 |
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| House Finch Seven Islands Birding State Park - Tennessee May 2024 |
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| Yellow-bellied sapsucker Lakes Park, Ft Myers - Florida October 2024 |
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| American Goldfinch Nara Nature Park - Houghton, Michigan July 2024 |
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| Wood Duck Celery Field - Sarasota, Florida February 2024 |
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| Wood Duck Celery Field - Sarasota, Florida February 2024 |
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| Northern Parula at Rotary Park, Cape Coral, Florida in October 2024. |
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| Northern Bobwhite Ft Myers Shores, Florida March 2024 |
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| Merlin Fort Myers Beach, Florida March 2024 |
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| Ruby-throated Hummingbird Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Florida September 2024 |
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| Barn Swallow Brown's Farm Road - Palm Beach County, Florida July 2024 |
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| Scarlet Tanager Rotary Park - Cape Coral, Florida April 2024 |
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| Eastern Wood-Pewee Rotary Park, Cape Coral, Florida September 2024 |
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| Piratic Flycatcher - a Mega Rarity in the U.S. Ft De Soto Park, April 2024 |
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| Cliff Swallow Seven Islands Birding State Park - Tennessee May 2024 |
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| Cliff Swallows on the banks of the French Broad River Seven Islands Birding State Park - Tennessee May 2024 |
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| Fluffy Barn Owl under a bridge at Alva, Florida April 2024 |
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| Yellow-billed Cuckoo Six-Mile Cypress slough Preserve - Lee County April 2024 |
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| Common Nighthawk Babcock-Webb WMA - Charlotte County, Florida July 2024 |
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| Least Tern Palm Beach County, Florida August 2024 |
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| Mallards Alcoa, Tennessee May 2024 |
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| Female Mallard with her ducklings Seven Island Birding State Park - Tennessee May 2024 |
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| Canada Goose Seven Island Birding State Park - Tennessee May 2024 |
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| Canada Goose Isle Royale National Park July 2024 |
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| Red-tailed Hawk Alva, Florida July 2024 |
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| Field Sparrow Seven Islands Birding State Park - Tennessee May 2024 |
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| Eastern Kingbird Palm Beach County, Florida September 2024 |
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| Blue Grossbeak Seven Islands Birding State Park - Tennessee May 2024 |
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| A young Rose-ringed Parakeet At the Naples Zoo May 2024 |
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| White-crowned Pigeon No Name Key, Florida June 2024 |
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| Rosette Terns Marathon, Florida June 2024 |
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| A young Great Horned Owl Babcock-Webb WMA - Charlotte County, Florida June 2024 |
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| Sedge Wren Nara Nature Park - Houghton, Michigan July 2024 |
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| Tennessee Warbler Rotary Park, Cape Coral, Florida October 2024 |
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| Cave Swallow Palm Beach County, Florida July 2024 |
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| Magnolia Warbler Rotary Park - Cape Coral, Florida September 2024 |
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| Black Phoebe Lake Los Carneros Park, Santa Barbara, California October 2024 |
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| California Towhee Lake Los Carneros Park - Santa Barbara County October 2024 |
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| Western Gull Ventura, California October 2024 |
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| Great-tailed Grackle Ventura, California October 2024 |
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| Western grebe Ventura Marina, California October 2024 |
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| Black-throated Blue Warbler Rotary Park, Cape Coral, Florida October 2024 |
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| Mangrove Cuckoo Rotary Park, Cape Coral, Florida October 2024 |
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| Bananaquit Boca Raton, Florida October 2024 |
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| Peregrine Falcon Palm Beach County - Florida November 2024 |
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| Least Flycatcher Palm Beach County, Florida December 2024 |
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| American Avocet Myakka River SP, Florida December 2024 |
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| Green-winged Teal Celery Fields - Sarasota, Florida December 2024 |
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| Groove-billed Ani Venice, Florida December 2024 |