Babcock-Webb

 Wednesday, April 30rd

    Try to visit Babcock-Webb at least once a month. The slash pine-palmetto palm habitat at Babcock is favored by Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and Bachman's Sparrows.

The Bachman's Sparrow is a very sulky species and are best located while they are on territory, basically around April when the males are singing. But observations at Babcock this past month were very rare this past month.  So where did the sparrows go? April is probably the best time to find Bachman's but virtually no one were reporting these birds.  I made three trips in April myself.

A FEW PICS

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Northern Bobwhite

Purple Gallinule

Purple Gallinule

Baby Gator

Gray Catbird

Anhinga

White-winged Dove

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge

 Monday January 14th

Snow Goose

On this leg of my North Florida Birding Tour, spending a two-night stay visiting the St Marks National Wildlife Refuge in the Florida Panhandle.  I have a must-see list of birds of interest. There is the American Flamingo hanging out at Mounds Pond 2, which is not a roadside venue. But the site is also the spot to locate American Black Ducks and Pintails. I am also interested in seeing Snow Geese, White-faced Ibis and the wide variety of waterfowl that frequent the Lighthouse Pond and offshore in the Gulf.

Wilson's Snipe

On Sunday I arrived at 11 am on a cold, wet day.  Within a week the refuge would actual have freezing temps and snow. Snow is quite the rare event in Florida.

Had some nice sightings and missed a lot too. Checked out the Twin Bridges location looking for the reported Rusty Blackbirds. Moved on to East River Pool - Long-billed Dowitcher, Wison's Snipe, Ring-billed Gulls, Savannah Sparrow, Yellowlegs and Green Winged Teal. At the Mound Pools added White, Glossy and White-faced Ibis, Snow Geese, Blue -Winged Teal, Hooded Mergansers, and Red-winged Blackbirds

White-faced Ibis

At the Lighthouse Pond and at the shore added Bufflehead, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Brown Pelicans, Forster's Terns, Cormorants, Redheads, Northern Shovelers, Ruddy Ducks, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Canvasback, Lesser Scaup, Greater Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209181072

Plans were to return tomorrow to finish. But later today I headed to the Panacea Unit of St Mark's to look to do some owling. This location on Bottoms Road is tidal marsh, which good habitat for Seaside Sparrow, Marsh Wren and Sedge Wren. But recently a Short-ear Owl has been patrolling the marsh. So, about sunset the owl appeared.  Very nice. A lifer. A very uncommon bird in Florida. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209084183

Returned at sunrise to Bottoms Road for the Seaside Sparrow (seen & heard), Clapper Rail, Hooded Mergansers, but no wrens. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209246084

Went back to Lighthouse Road to continue with yesterday's birding.  But the road was closed for some improvement project. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209253229. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209254086

Ruddy Duck

American Wigeon

Anhinga

A wet, Red-shouldered Hawk

Birding at the Zoo

 Sunday May 26th

A young Rose-ringed Parakeet

I arrived at 9 am, just as the Naples Zoo opened its doors, to engage in some birdwatching. The zoo's impressive tropical gardens are a reliable spot for observing the feral Rose-ringed Parakeets that nest there. 

Anhinga Nestling

Cuban Brown Anole

Young Tricolored Herons

Great Egrets

Additionally, there's a rookery of nesting wading birds on an island within Alligator Bay. The presence of alligators serves a practical purpose: it protects the eggs and nestlings from predators like raccoons, which would have to brave the gator-infested waters to reach the rookery.

Lesser Flamingos

Giant Anteater

Harns Marsh

Thursday, June 1st

Made my monthly visit to Harns Marsh as a part of my Lee County Bird Patrol assignment. Even with some recent heavy rain, the water levels were still very low. The canals were almost dry. Won't be long till the rains of summer fill them up.

It was fun getting watch a trio of river otters as they were fishing for their breakfast.  

Had several Florida Sandhill Cranes including an adolescent colt. A female Snail Kite was hanging out near the start of the trail. As I was leaving researchers from the University of Florida were on hand to do a survey on the kites.

Other sightings included Little Blue Herons, Mottled Ducks, Black-crowned Night-heron, Gray-headed Swamphens, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Common Gallinules, Limpkins and Anhingas 

Little Blue Heron

Gray-headed Swamphen

Black-crowned Night-heron

Common Gallinule

Anhinga

Limpkin

Snail Kite

Snail Kite

Wakodahatchee Wetlands

 Sunday February 21st

Neotropic Cormorant

For several years now, the only reliable venue to look for Neotropic Cormorants is at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach in Palm Beach County. The bird is nested here and has young in the nest.

This venue is owned and operated by the Palm Beach County Utilities as a water reclamation project for the processing of treated waste water. The marsh they created acts a natural filter as these waters are returned to the environment. It is also open to the public to enjoy the great array of Florida wetland wildlife attracted to the marsh. Gators, turtles and green iguanas are common and the huge numbers of wading birds are on present and nesting within feet of curious visitors.

Believe this is an offspring of the Neotropic and a Double crested Cormorant

Nesting Wood Stork

Nesting Wood Stork

Nesting Wood Stork

Double-crested Cormorant on the nest

Male Anhinga sporting his breeding plumage

Male Anhinga sporting his breeding plumage

Female Anhinga

Green Iguana

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Gray-headed Swamphen

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Purple Gallinule

Glossy Ibis

Sailfin Mollies are a food source for many species here

Purple Martins have arrived

Great Blue Herons on a nest