Common Nighthawks

 Had not done much birding these first couple of weeks of June, but today I opted a drive out to Gladys County and then over to Clewiston. Started from home about 7am and noted the usual yardbirds such as Blue Jays, Grackles, House Sparrows, Starlings, Fish Crows, Rock Pigeons etc. Also stopped at Domestic Street to check on the Burrowing Owl family.  All five members were present this mourning.  Also found a Mottled Duck just standing in a field, plus the usual Mourning and Ground Doves, Eastern Meadowlark and Loggerhead Shrikes. Cattle Egrets were busy in there search for breakfast. Did not hear the bobwhite today.

   Next was to head north on I-75 and then east on state route 80. Stopped in Alva to check for Red-Headed Woodpeckers. Did locate a cooperative woodpecker and could hear more meadowlarks. More Loggerhead Shrikes and Northern Mockingbirds were present.  Swallow-Tailed Kites were also located several times throughout the trip.

Red-Shouldered Hawk in Gladys County

Florida Scrub Jay

   Continued east on SR80 till reaching the town of LaBelle were we catch route 29 north to Gladys County and Route 74. The telecomunication tower outside LaBelle was crowded with vultures waiting for the sun to heat up the air. Usually route 29 can be reliable in locating sandhill cranes and sometimes crested caracara.  But not today. Route 74 was also absent the cranes and caracaras while I was there today, but did get a couple of looks at Florida Scrub Jays sunning themselvies atop a bare tree. Also found a few more meadowlarks and American Crows.

  Red-Headed Woodpecker in Alva

Took SR 27 east from SR29 to Clewiston, were I searched around the McDonalds for the common mynas that have been reported there at times. But not today and so I headed over the the Lake Okachobee dike were I had found bronzed cowbirds before. No cowbirds today, but did find a fearless Creasted Caracara and a couple of Eastern Kingbirds. Heading for home from here I took a side trip to another lookout location on the dike.  Not much to be seen from the dike but did find a couple Common Nighthawks resting on the telepone lines in the middle of the sugar cane fields.  Another nighthawk was soaring above the cane.

 Eastern Kingbird in Clewiston

Crested Caracara at Clewiston

My List - (31)

Mottled Duck, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, White Ibis

Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Swallow-tailed Kite, Red-shouldered Hawk, Crested Caracara, Laughing Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Burrowing Owl, Common Nighthawk, Red-headed Woodpecker, Eastern Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Blue Jay, Florida Scrub-Jay, American Crow, European Starling, Northern Parula, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Grackle, Boat-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow