Cinnamon Teal

 Monday December 14th

Made another two day road trip, last week, with stops at Silver Springs State Park, Sweetwater Wetlands in Gainesville, Daytona Beach and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Rhesus Monkey habitat at Silver Springs State Park

Stopped first at Silver Springs State Park east of Ocala. Silver Springs is famed as the home territory for troops of feral Rhesus monkeys who's presence are due to monkeys having escaped into the forests almost hundred years ago. Eventually they will be removed as obnoxious exotics, but for now they have been culled to reduce their numbers. Until recently a small number of feral squirrel monkeys had existed in areas near to the Gordon River in Naples, Florida. But licensed trappers were allowed to cull these monkeys.  They are probably extirpated at this point.

Sandhill Trail

It started as a cold day while I hiked the Sandhill Trail, which featured a sandhill Long-leaf Pine ecosystem.  Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, American Robins and Downy Woodpeckers were active. Some of the flora in this habitat included the Long-leaf Pines, Sand Pines, American Turkey, Live, Sand Post Oaks and Myrtle Oaks, Saw Palmetto, Black Cherry American Olive, Leafy Elephant's Foot and Coastalplain Golden aster.

Sand Pine

River Trail

 Before leaving leaving Silver Springs walked the  River Trail.  A different, more riparian ecosystem then the sandhill area. Some of the flora here included Bald Cypress, Live and Water Oaks, American Sweetgum, Pignut Hickory, Southern Magnolia, Red Maple, Dahoon and American Holly, Sugar Hackberry, Silverling, American Beautyberry, Sparkleberry and Walter's Viburnum

 At the trail head was immediately met by an active Hermit Thrust. Not a lot of other birds seen or hears, aside Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers , a few waders and Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers. 

Sparkleberry

A single Bufflehead was present today

Gainesville is less than an hour north from Ocala and had several venues in mind to bird, but wanted to start at Sweetwater Wetlands. Have had some very nice visits here in the past and rusty blackbirds had
been roosting here up till a week ago. Birding was a bit disappointing. Water level were too high for shore birds and snipes and for some reason I didn't notice any sparrows either. The venue can be very  good for waterfowl. For some reason black-bellied whistling ducks weren't present during my visit. But we had a great many Common Gallinule and American Coots. Plus some Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, Leaser Scaup, Ruddy Ducks and Ring-necked Ducks.  Did hear a Sora calling. 

Limpkin seen at Sweetwater Wetlands

Day Two

Daytona Beach wasn't really my target venue.  Had planned to make a stop at Ormand Beach to see if gannets were present and Sabastian Inlet or Ponce Inlet to look for purple sandpipers. But I really needed an extra day on this trip to handle all these possible stops. Perhaps a five to seven day trip next month could be accommodating.

Angelwing shell

At Daytona Beach hundreds of Laughing Gulls were lounging on the sand. Plus some Ring-billed and Herring Gulls and a lone Lesser Black-backed Gull. Additional Royal Terns and a couple of Black Skimmers.

Herring Gull

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Merritt Island can be a good location for spotting wintering waterfowl.  Currently a male Cinnamon Teal is wintering here and we don't see cinnamon teal in Florida very often.  Its a western species, not commonly found this far east. 

The Cinnamon Teal with Blue-winged Teal
at stop number 4 on the Blackpoint Wildlife Drive

As a Florida vagrant, the Cinnamon Teal was a special sighting.  Other waterfowl included Northern Pintail, Blue-wing and Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, Northern Shovelers and Mottled Ducks.  American Coots and Common Gallinules were plentiful on the Blackpoint Drive. Wood Storks, Rosette Spoonbills, White and Glossy Ibis, Reddish Egret, Great Blue Herons and other waders were present.  As seen were Caspian Terns, Ring-billed Gulls, Greater Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitchers, Palm and Orange-crown Warblers. 

Green Heron

Checked-out the birding activity along the Bio Lab Road.  Only a few Sanderlings and Royal Terns

today. 

But on the out of the refuge was able watch an active family of Florida Scrub Jays. Then the four hour drive home

Florida Scrub Jay

Asters seen at the St Johns River at Palatka

Spiny Fiddlewood seen on the Blackpoint Wildlife Drive

Indian Blanket seen at the Blackpoint Wildlife Drive