Friday January 19th
Friday the 12th was a very long day with stops in Gainesville and Tallahassee. Friends, David and Tammy McQuade had birded several of these locations just the day before and offered timely intel.
At daybreak, I was on the Hawthorne Trail near Payne's Prairie in Alachua County, were I had Chipping Sparrows, Eastern Towhee, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Tufted Titmouse, American Robins and Carolina Chickadee.
Sweetwater Wetlands Park - Gainesville
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A female Ruff, or Reeve, is a rare visitor to the United States.
It's a shorebird
that breeds in Northern Eurasia and winters in Africa
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| Sora |
Purple Gallinules, Wilson's Snipes, American Bitterns, Soras, Long-billed Dowitchers and a very rare Ruff were all easily observed and photographed. Plenty of waterfowl including Buffleheads, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Ruddy Duck Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, Mottled Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Lesser Scaup, Common Gallinules, American Coots, Pied-billed Grebe and a Horned Grebe.
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| American Bittern |
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| Purple Gallinule |
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| Wilson's Snipe |
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| Long-billed Dowitcher |
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| Northern Shovelers |
Other birds seen included
Least Sandpipers, a Roseate Spoonbill, Limpkins, Cooper's Hawk, Savannah Sparrows, Red winged Blackbirds, Tree Swallows, Killdeers and all the expected waders.
Another interesting sighting were
wild Cracker Horses that are a part of the free-range Payne's Prairie herd.
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| Lesser Scaup |
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| Blue-winged Teal |
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| Northern Shoveler |
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| Bufflehead |
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| Ruddy Duck |
Newman's Lake - West Trail - Alachua County
Instead of a visit to the La Chua Trail at Payne's Prairie State Park, I had switched to a new venue recommended by David and Tammy McQuade.
They had a great sparrow experience on Thursday. Lincoln's, Grasshopper, White-crowned, Vesper, Savannah, and Swamp Sparrows, plus a Golden-crowned Kinglet.
I didn't do as well as Dave and Tammy, but did add Savannah, White-crowned and Swamp Sparrows.
Had to move along as the expected rain had arrived. So onto Tallahassee.
A great report including the Ruff, Tom.
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