Peregrine Falcon - Little Estero Lagoon

White-Morphed Reddish Egret at Little Estero Lagoon on Ft Myers Beach

As a county employee, I was required to take a furlough day, which is today. So I chose to visit Ft Myers Beach's Little Estero Lagoon to seek out snowy plovers. Arrived early to avoid the day's heat and the spring break crowds. The birding started out slowly. Just a few waders and no shorebirds. As I reached about midway the numbers increased, but still not very birdy. The skies were clear and only a few gulls and terns were about.  A pair of Ospreys kept busy hunting for breakfast. Had about six, high flying, but noisy Least Terns. These were the first that I had come across this season.  The beach was already prepped with demarcated zones for nesting seabirds including the least tern, snowy plovers and Wilson's plovers. So several hundred least terns should be arriving soon.

Found Sanderlings, Semipalmateed Plovers, Wilson's Plovers, Black-bellied Plovers and about six Piping Ploves.  But no snowy plovers today. Had been hearing a serinadeing Prairie Warbler and a couple of Palm Warblers were active. 

I have wondered if sedge wrens were found here. Seems that there is some suitable habitate, but I am no expert on this subject.  I have never found one to date.

The reason for the title to this article was that the Peregrine was my last siting before heading for home. Another birder had it spotted high up on the ledge of one tall condo buildings that line shore.

My List - Mottled Duck, Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Reddish Egret, White Ibis, Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, Black-bellied Plover, Wilson's Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Piping Plover, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Laughing Gull, Least Tern, Royal Tern, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Loggerhead Shrike, Blue Jay, European Starling, Prairie Warbler, Palm Warbler, Northern Cardinal, House Sparrow