Spotted Sandpiper - A visit to Bunche Beach

Wednesday, January 26th

West Inlet at Bunche Beach

The night before this visit to Bunch Beach we had quite a storm and that can be a good time to get out and do some birding on the beach.  Arrived about eight, with a low tide and found the place to be birdy. Started with a pair of Bald Eagles dining on a dead fish at the tide line. They did not cooperate for a photo and flew off with their breakfast.

Spotted Sandpiper is best located near the west inlet at low tide

Located large numbers of Willets and Marbled Godwits. Least and Western Sandpipers were active and a Spotted Sandpiper was located at the west inlet. Was able to count six Piping Plovers, about a dozen Black-bellied Plovers, a couple of Wilson's Plover and dozens of Semipalmate Plovers.

Black-bellied Plover

Several Red-breasted Mergansers and a Common Loon were spotted in the bay along with Double-crested Cormorants. Looked through the Black Skimmers, Laughing Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls and Royal Terns  for any herring gulls. No herring gulls today.  Did have a lone American White Pelican amongst the Brown Pelicans.  A flight of white pelicans was also seen overhead.

Had large numbers of Dunlins and Sanderlings and a few Ruddy Turnstones, plus a long Short-billed Dowitcher.  Northern Cardinals, Palm Warblers and a House Wren were active back of the beach.



White Ibis



My List -(36)

Red-breasted Merganser, Common Loon, American White Pelican, Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, Reddish Egret, White Ibis, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Wilson's Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Piping Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, Willet, Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Royal Tern, Black Skimmer, Mourning Dove, Fish Crow, House Wren, Gray Catbird, Palm Warbler, Northern Cardinal

Bunche Beach is famed for its birding

Brown Pelican

Saturday January 29th

Returned to Bunch Beach on Saturday morning for the Lee County Bird Patrol walk.  Had about a dozen participants and was lead By Charlie Ewell and Walt Winton. The birding  Saturday was close to the experience on Wednesday, but we were able to add a resting Caspian Tern and about six Red Knots.

Charlie was able to photograph a banded Dunlin and a banded Red Knot. The following was a report Charlie recieved on the red knot's history since it was banded.  Thanks Charlie!!!

Captures:


1/1/2007 11:45:00 AM - Sanibel Island - Bowman's Beach to Blind Pass, Florida, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

Resightings:

1/6/2007 - Fort Myers Beach, Florida, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

1/7/2007 - Sanibel Island- J.N Ding Darling NWR Wildlife Drive, Florida, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

3/12/2007 - Sanibel Island- J.N Ding Darling NWR Wildlife Drive, Florida, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

3/13/2007 - Sanibel Island- J.N Ding Darling NWR Wildlife Drive, Florida, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

9/15/2007 - Bunche Beach, Florida, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

12/18/2007 - Sanibel Island- J.N Ding Darling NWR Wildlife Drive, Florida, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

5/23/2008 - Mispillion Harbor, Delaware, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

5/23/2008 - Mispillion Harbor - Back Beach, Delaware, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

5/23/2008 - Mispillion Harbor - Osprey Point, Delaware, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

10/20/2008 - Fort DeSoto, North Beach, Florida, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

10/27/2008 - Fort DeSoto, North Beach, Florida, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

10/26/2009 - Longboat Key - at Diplomat Resort, Florida, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

3/6/2010 - Sanibel Island- J.N Ding Darling NWR Wildlife Drive, Florida, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

4/14/2010 - Kiawah Island - West, South Carolina, United States - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN

1/29/2011 - - 1172-98035 FLKY4 REKN
Charlie Ewell

My List - (34)
Red-breasted Merganser, American White Pelican, Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Reddish Egret, White Ibis, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Wilson's Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Piping Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, Willet, Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, Sanderling, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Caspian Tern, Royal Tern, Black Skimmer, Red-bellied Woodpecker, House Wren