Looking For Flycatchers

Friday February 22nd

A Young Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Elected to drive out to Hendry County this morning in pursuit of wintering flycatchers. Was looking for Scissor-tailed Flycatchers and Western Kingbirds.  The known, more local, locations for finding these birds haven't been very fruitful this year.  But the spot near STA-5, SR-835 and Deer Fence  Canal Road in Hendry County, has been reliable.

So I routed a trip through Lehigh Acres, Felda, Immokalee, Deer Fence Canal Road, Clewiston, LaBelle and home. First stop was the Red-headed Woodpecker site at Wellington Ave, in Lehigh for Bobwhite (FOS), Red-headed Woodpecker and White-winged Dove. Then out to Church Road in Felda.

Western Kingbird

Savannah Sparrow

Just before reaching Church Road along SR-82, had to stop to check out the American White Pelicans sitting on the mud flats at a road side pond. Was more interested the flock of terns sitting out there with the pelicans. They all turned out to Royal Terns.  

Church Road, in Felda,  was very interesting today as Blue Grosbeaks, Mockingbirds, American Goldfinch, Cardinals, American Kestrels and Savannah Sparrows were sunning themselves atop the pepper bushes, along a side road.. No Crested Caracaras seen on this stretch of road, but the flycatcher pasture did host a young Scissor-tail Flycatcher and a lone Western Kingbird, along with a large flock of  Wild Turkeys. Surprised to find the flycatchers at this spot today, as this location had become less reliable this winter

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Probably a Krider's Red-tailed Hawk

Probably a Krider's Red-tailed Hawk

From Felda, proceeded out toward the Deer Fence Canal area. On the drive over, several Crested Caracaras were seen along with Red-shouldered Hawks, American Kestrels, Belted Kingfishes, Sandhill Cranes, a Snail Kite, Limpkins and Eastern Meadowlarks.  

At the Flycatcher Site, I didn't spot any today. 

Now heading north, passing by cattle pastures, orange groves and sugar cane fields toward Clewiston, made a side trip down Blumberg Road. Blumberg Road is the access to the northern entrance of STA-5.  Had no plans to go that far, but this can usually, in winter, be a good location for raptors. So I did see patrolling Northern Harriers, more American Kestrels and a pair of Red-tailed Hawks.  One of which is probably the Kriders race of the Eastern red-tailed Hawk subspecies. Will continue doing research on exactly what this is.  Don't see many of them in Florida. 

A young Herring Gull

One final stop for the day is at the Levee Park in Clewiston. Lots of Brown-headed Cowbirds, Laughing Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls and a young Herring Gull

Misses today included American Robins, neither of the whistling ducks, and any Swallow-tailed Kites.

Todays Bird List ( 60 ) - Mottled Duck, Northern Bobwhite, Wild Turkey, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, 

Blue Grosbeak

Common Ground Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Limpkin, Sandhill Crane,  Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Royal Tern, Wood Stork,  Anhinga, Double-crested Cormorant, American White Pelican, Brown pelican, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Tri-colored Heron, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Snail Kite, Northern Harrier,  Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, American Kestrel, Crested Caracara, Eastern Phoebe, western Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, Fish Crow, Tree Swallow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, American Goldfinch, Savannah Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, eastern Meadowlark, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Boat-tailed Grackle, Palm Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal and Blue Grosbeak.

Red-shouldered Hawk

White-winged Dove

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Western Kingbird