Catching-up on November

Wednesday, November 26th

Its been difficult recently keeping current with my postings
So today I've chosen to  just post some pics from recent outings.

These Purple Swamphens are common at Chapel Trail on Sheridan Road, Pembroke Pines

About the only exotic species seem on a recent trip to the south Miami Area were these Muscovy Ducks

One of a pair of Bald Eagles often seen at Harns Marsh

This Merlin was recently seen at Bunche Beach

Blue-winged Teal are growing in numbers at Harns Marsh

A pair of Ring-necked Ducks at Harns Marsh

An enlarged photo of a Purple Gallinule at Harns Marsh

An uncommon Franklin's Gull found recently on Bonita Beach

A herd of Sanderlings playing tag with the surf.

A very uncommon, to Florida, Long-billed Curlew, but frequent visitor to Bunche Beach
This individual has been seen here over the course of several years

A White-morphed Reddish Egret seen at Bunche Beach

This Piping Plover, tagged as P69, was found recently at Bunche Beach.
More information on this individual is pending.

A Coopers Hawk seen this past Tuesday at the fishing pier at Ft DeSoto Park in Tampa Bay

Myakka State Park, near Sarasota, can be a great place to look for wintering waterfowl,
 such as these Northern Pintails and Mottled Ducked

Several Black-necked Stilts were also observed at Myakka State Park

Wild Turkey observed road-side at Myakka State Park

The Flooded Tomato Field on Oil Well Road

Monday, November 10th

Lately a particular tomato field along Oil Well Road in Collier County, floods for a few weeks from late October till about mid-December.  This temporary waterfowl oasis has produced excellent water fowl observations in the past and today is no exception.  So today I tried out my new spotting scoping scope and found first-of-the-year sightings, for me, of American Avocets and Gadwalls.

Rosette Spoonbills

Arriving about 9:30 in the morning, note that dawn or just before dusk are best times for viewing, I still managed to find lots of awesome birds. Such as Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, Mottled Ducks, American Coots and a pair of American Wigeons. The fly-over Bald Eagles would put these flocks to flight every few minutes, thus rearranging the individuals I'm checking. As counted over eighty Rosette Spoonbills and just a couple of American White Pelicans.  Others seen included both night-herons, Greater Yellowlegs Snipe, Common Gallinules, Red-shouldered Hawks, Red-tailed Hawk, Ospreys, Palm Warblers and a Prairie Warbler. 

Gadwall hen

A couple of years ago Vince Lucas introduced several of us to this location and since then we have also found Ruddy Duck, Green-winged Teal, a Cinnamon Teal, Wood Duck and Black-belled Whistling-ducks.  So it would be worth a return visit before the field dries up.

Blue-winged Teal

Snowy Egrets and Pied-billed Grebes

Northern Shovelers

American Avocets

Harns Marsh has Purple Gallinules

Sunday, November 9th

Occasionlly reports in Lee County, of a sighting of Purple Gallinules come in. But not very often They just haven't been commonly seen around here.

A Purple Galinule

Recently, Ron Bishop of Lehigh Acres, has found a family of Purples Gallinules residing in Harns Marsh, not far from the parking area.  Well it took me three tries, but finally found a single bird foraging in the Flag Weed. And recently King rails have been in the same location. Seems the best time for viewing is dawn or dusk.

Ron also has heard the Sora calling from somewhere on the other side of the lake. Hopefully these great birds will remain, unlike the dwindling population of Snail Kites.

Some of the other species encountered at Harns included, American Bittern, Redheads, Ring-necked ducks, Limpkins, A Snail Kite, Northern Harrier, Northern Rough-winged Swallows and a Bald Eagle. Others have reported Ruddy Duck as well.

Bald eagle surveying the marsh