Migration has Picked Up

Sunday October 20th

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

We're finally having some fun 

as the birding activity in Southwest Florida has finally picked up. even as Fall Migration period is reaching its waning days

Till now our birding experience has been very weak and disappointing.  A question shared by many was 'Where are the birds?'

Red-eyed Vireo

Merlin

Rotary Park in Cape Coral has had a nice variety lately. The Blue-winged Teal have arrived. Other recent sightings at Rotary Park have included Acadian Flycatchers, Swainsons Thrush, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Red-eyed Vireos, white-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Gray Catbirds, Mangrove Cuckoo, plus Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue, American Redstarts, Black-and-white, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Cape May, Northern Parula, Yellow-throated,  Prairie, Ovenbirds, Tennessee & Common Yellowthroat Warblers. Also Scarlet Tanagers,  Indigo Buntings, House Wrens, Peregrine Falcons, Merlin and Belted Kingfishers. Even a Nashville warbler was seen a couple of days ago

Acadian Flycatcher

The past couple of  days I haven't needed to leave my yard as the huge ficus in the front yard is very birdy.  Baltimore  Orioles,  Bay-breasted,  Magnolias, Tennessee, Pine, Black-throated Blue, American Redstarts, Black-and-white Warblers, a Swanson's Thrush and White-winged Doves.

Plus Grackles, Crows ,Mockingbirds and Starlings are loading up on the fruit and bugs

A female Black-throated Blue Warbler

A White-eyed Vireo

A Scarlet Tanager munching on a berry

European Starlings are feasting on the fruit on the ficus tre

Fall Migration

Saturday September 29th

Whimbrel seen on Ft Myers Beach

Spring Migration in our corner of Florida has been quite slow so far. The variety of species being observed is as expected, however, we are only experiencing very small samplings. No real big push has really passed through yet. My personal best for September was the Least Flycatcher at Hammock Swamp and the Acadian Flycatcher at Caloosahatchee Creeks Preserve.  Today I had my first look at a Summer Tanager for the Fall. But all of the local venues have been quite spotty so far.

This Fox Squirrel was keeping an eye on things

My first-of-the-year Eastern Wood-Pewee

Acadian Flycatcher seen at Caloosahatchee Creeks Preserved

In August the expected shorebirds had arrived. Sandpipers, godwits, dowitchers, plovers and such   But know by the end of  September the neo-tropic birds have been very 

Red Knot seen on Ft Myers Beach

Piping Plover seen on Ft Myers Beach

slow. There had been concerned about lost opportunities with the Six-mile Cypress Slough Preserve boardwalk being closed for the first half of the month. But it turns out that this venue has been unexpecting so far, anyway. 

The season will last through the middle of October and hopefully we will be able to enjoy more bird activity.  

Heading to Dade County

Thursday September 19th

Eastern Kingbird photographed By Bob Pelkey at "the Annex"

  Today I joined with Bob Pelkey - wildlife photographer and expedition leader - on a day trip across the state to visit birding hotspots in Miami-Dade County. It was a long, hot day starting for us about four-thirty in the morning. As we headed east, a goal of a one hundred count day was set and we soon had our first bird of the day with a Limpkin calling in the pre-dawn darkness as we passed through Collier County.

 

Bob Pelkey in Action

  Just a few days ago our friends Dr Padilla and Master Birder, Vince McGrath had made the same trip and had a very good experience at our first stop at "The Annex" on Aerojet Road within the Frog Pond WMA, which is just east of the entrance to Everglades National Park. Of special interest here besides migrating warblers were the reports of continuing alder flycatchers and a willow flycatcher.

 

Bob and I arrived about seven-thirty and encountered a large crew of workers armed with machetes assembling at Lucky Hammock. We learned that they were employed by the South Florida Water Management District to clear out exotic foliage, so moved on down the road toward The Annex for the flycatchers. But first we were stopped at the gate by an employee for SFWMD. We'd have to leave the car there and walk the site. The location was being closed off due to folks using the remoteness to conduct non-wildlife viewing activities.

 

We spent a couple of hours here and dipped on the flycatchers, In fact birding wasn't to exciting. Lots of Eastern Kingbirds were present, did get a female Black-throated Blue Warbler and a Northern Parula. A flock of migrating Bobolinks was observed passing overhead and White-eyed Vireos and Cardinals did call from the dense foliage. Only swallows recorded all day were seen here with seven Purple Martins perched on the wires and a lone Barn Swallow flying overhead. As we were leaving we added a Merlin, several Eastern Meadowlarks and Killdeer in the plowed fields. Added Common Myna in Florida City.

Common Myna in Florida City

 

  From here we moved onto Matheson Hammock County Park in Coral Gables. We found very little activity in the picnic area or along the service road area. We did manage a nice male Black-throated Blue Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, a Peregrine Falcon and a Yellow-throated Vireo (265). A lady riding her bike told us of a large flock of birds near the swimming beach, which turned out to be a large number of Wilson's Plover and Ruddy Turnstones, plus a lone Least Sandpiper.

 

Graylag Geese in Kendall

  From here we checked out the nearby University of Miami Campus were we had good success with exotic birds last year, but with the campus busy with the purpose of education, we left for A.D. Barnes Park. Finally at Barnes, near the pool, we found some birds.  Over the coarse of several hours we encountered American Redstarts, Tennessee Warblers, Ovenbirds, Northern Parula, Red-eyed Vireos, Acadian Flycatchers (266), Worm-eating Warbler, Black-and-White Warblers, a pair of White-crowned Pigeons, a Peregrine Falcon and a Common Hill Myna (267).

 

Egyptian Goose at Kendall

At a  stop at the Kendall Baptist Hospital campus Bob tried  getting pics of the Mitred Parakeets in flight, but they were just too fast on the wing. Had to have been at least sixty parakeets on hand. At the pond we added a pair of Egyptian Geese, scores of feral Muscovy Ducks, Pekin Ducks and Graylag Geese. As we headed for home and enjoying urban traffic conditions we sighted several Monk Parakeets, a few White-winged Doves, Eurasian Collared Doves, Rock Pigeons and the usual city bird life. More Muscovy Ducks and another Egyptian goose.

It was a good trip, but we come up short on our hundred count goal. Looking forward to seeing Bob's pics.

                                                                                       Day Count (70) -

Feral Muscovy Ducks

Egyptian Goose, Mottled Duck, Mallard (Domestic type), Muscovy Duck (Feral), Double-crested Cormorant, Anhinga, Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, White Ibis, Limpkin, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawk, Common Gallinule, Wilson's Plover, Killdeer, Ruddy Turnstone, Least Sandpiper, Laughing Gull, Rock Pigeon, White-crowned Pigeon, White-winged Dove, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Monk Parakeets, Mitred Parakeet, Acadian Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Fish Crow,  Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Mockingbird, Common Hill Myna, Common Myna, European Starling, Ovenbird, Worm-eating Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Bobolink, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Grackle and Boat-tailed Grackle

Animals - Red Fox and Raccoons (A D Barnes Park)

 

Swallow-tailed Kites - Hernando County

Thursday, July 29th

Black-necked Stilt at The Celery Fields

Had an open day to spend on some birding and was considering heading over to the Everglades agricultural area around Hendry and Palm Beach Counties for barn owls, swallows and early migrant shorebirds.  But instead my daughter Katie and I headed up toward Tampa to visit with my older daughter Melissa and her husband Robbie. There was still to be be some birding involved. 

We revisited a few of my spots from my June "Big Day". Namely The Celery Fields in Sarasota, the Power Line and Rock Lake Roads near Brooksville in Hernando County.

Began with a quick check of Domestic Street in south Lee County and started with a Red-tailed Hawk, Burrowing Owl and Chimney Swift. At The Celery Fields, the sandhill cranes had already dispersed, but was able to add the first Bald Eagle I have seen in over a month, several Osprey, a dozen Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, several Black-necked Stilts with chicks, Snowy Egrets, Tricolored Egrets, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Mottled Ducks, Royal Tern, Laughing Gulls, Moorhens, American Coots, Limpkins, Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, Anhingas, a Great Blue Heron and my FOS Least Sandpiper.  Missed were wood ducks, least bitterns and any swallows.

Observation deck being constructed at The Celery Fields.  Could use such a structure at Harns Marsh



Juvenile Black-necked Stilt at The Celery Fields.



My FOS Least Sandpiper at The Celery Fields

Next stop was Power Line Road on the border with Hernando and Pasco Counties.  It was here, a few weeks ago, that mississippi kites were being seen in a small concentration.  I did get one at that time, but did not expect anything today as they were probably already on the move to migrate south.  Did get five Southeastern American Kestrels and a trio of Swallow-tailed Kites, but no mississippi kites while we were there.  There was supposed to a burrowing owl colony located nearby, but again we missed on them.  Did get Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks, Turkey Vultures, Wood Storks, Cattle Egrets, a calling Red-eyed Vireo, Eastern Meadowlarks, Eastern Bluebirds, Northern Mockingbirds, Loggerheaded Shrikes, Northern Cardinals, Mourning Doves and Rock Pigeons.

Swallow-tailed Kites

Ended the birding phase of our trip with a return to Rock Lake Road, which is located where the Withlacoochee State Trail crosses Croom Rital Road.  The Trail seems to be very popular with bikers. Here I found a nesting tree for a pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers, plus an other pair of young Red-bellied Woodpeckers and a noisy Pileated Woodpecker. Also added several Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, a calling Blue Jay, American Crow, a Male Summer Tanager, Northern Cardinals and a LIFER  - ACADIAN FLYCATCHER.  A rough count for the day was around fifty birds.