Bunche Beach

 Saturday July 23rd

Haven't been out to Bunche Beach for a couple of months. Primarily because the better tides needed to observe the birds have been occurring very late in the day, which usually when the thunderstorms roll in. Prefer to visit when the tides are low in the early morning, to avoid the worst temperatures of the day and to avoid crowds. Plus, the current issues with fuel prices have been keeping me a home. 

Young Little Blue Heron

Juvenal Yellow-crowned Night-heron

Laughing Gull

Short-billed Dowitcher

Black Skimmer

Ruddy Turnstone

Western Sandpiper

Western Sandpiper

Western Sandpiper

Western Sandpiper

Dune Marsh-Elder

Black Mangrove

Black Mangrove

But yesterday I did venture out in the afternoon after the rain had passed through. Saw a nice variety of the expected birdlife. Most common on the day were Short-billed Dowitchers. Plus, Sanderlings, Western and Lesser Sandpiper, a Spotted Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstones, a few Willets, Marbled Godwits, American Oyster Catchers, Laughing Gulls, Black Skimmers, Least, Sandwich and Royal Terns, Brown Pelicans, Fish Crows, Northern Cardinals, Rosette Spoonbills, Reddish Egret, Little Blue Herons, Great and Snowy Egrets, White Ibis, Black-bellied and Semi-palmate Plovers and Yellow-crowned Night-herons.

Carlos Point

 Saturday May 14th

Black Skimmers

Spent a little time checking out the seabird nesting colony at Carlos Point on Fort Myers Beach today.

Parked at the Lovers Key State Park on Island as available parking at the south end of Fort Myers Beach doesn't exists. So, from Lovers Key I crossed Big Carlos Pass on the draw bridge which dumped me out onto Carlos Point on Fort Myers Beach. Hundreds of Black Skimmers, Least Terns and Royal Terns have gathered at Carlos Point. The Least Tern Colony is already nesting.  The Black Skimmers have gathered and will begin their own nesting colony activity soon.  As for all the royal Terns, most will leave soon to nest up around the Big Bend area of Florida.

Snowy Plovers and Wilsons Plover are also nesting. 

Least Tern

Today, a few Laughing Gulls are around with numbers of Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones. A couple of Sandwich Terns and a young Herring Gull were also present. Looked around for any common terns or red knots but didn't find any today.

Ruddy Turnstone

Least Terns

Black Skimmers

A young Herring Gull

Black Skimmer

Royal Tern

A male sanderling sporting his breeding colors

Royal Terns

Carlos Point

Monday, July 13th

Returned to Carlos Point on Fort Myers Beach to check out the seabird nesting colonies. Lots of birds present today. Lots of Least Terns still active here and the Black Skimmers seemed to have had a

successful nesting season. Yet numbers of unattended skimmer eggs could be seem.  Spoke with a young lady monitoring the sight for Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, who shared that the eggs had  been washed out their nests by resent rain storms. 

Lots of Willets and a few Marbled Godwits, plus a young Herring Gull. Added Royal and Sandwich Terns, Laughing Gulls and Ruddy Turnstones. Snowy, Wilsons, Semipalmated and Black-bellied Plovers.  Too early for Piping Plovers arriving from nesting up north. Just a few Sanderlings.  Had oystercatchers or whimbrels as my targets for the day. Will have to try again later.

Some other interesting observations included a green iguana that dashed off as came into the green zone at the foot of the Big Carlos Pass Bridge. Needed to park on the opposite side of the bridge and walk across as there is no parking available otherwise. But besides the lizard, I photographed a kind of moth in the same area, I hadn't ever seen before.  Learned that its called a White-tipped Black. 

The Turtle Time people has also mark off four sea turtle nests in the area I visited. I don't think they were present on my prior visit last month.  Probably Loggerhead Turtles. Would love to experience a hatching some day.

Often encounter Bottlenose Dolphins at any beach in the Florida, including today. But was also surprised by a couple of Manatees grazing in the Big Carlos Pass. Always nice to see the Sea Cows.

 

Saw Some Common Terns

Tuesday May 19th

Brown Pelican at the Big Carlos Pass Draw Bridge

Black Skimmer at Carlos Point

Headed out to the beach a couple of times this month, now that the government says its okay.  A couple of weeks ago headed over to Carlos Point on Fort Myers Beach to see about the seabird nesting colonies.

Had to of been at least two hundred Least Terns on hand. Too early for any hatchlings yet, but the adults were certainly acting territorial to anyone getting to close to the nesting area. Black Skimmers will start nesting here soon as well and about sixty were also resting on the beach.  Wilson's Plovers and Snowy Plovers nest here as well. Sometimes we'll have American Oystercatchers nest here, but I personally haven't seen any of them yet this year.  

Least Tern at Carlos Point colony

He's trying, but she doesn't seem impressed

Sanderling

Ruddy Turnstone

Common Tern seen at Carlos Point.  Note the Leg Irons. Can't make out the data though

Today I checked out Bunch Beach and Bowditch Point Preserve looking for interesting birds.  Arrived at Bunche at day break. Had a rising tide with strong winds pushing the water up the beach as well.  So, not too many birds. Had my first of the season Marbled Godwit, plus a few Willets and Dunlins in their breeding colors. Across the bay at Bowditch Point, I started with Magnificent Frigatebirds and Brown Pelicans soaring overhead. On the beach a large number of Sanderlings, Royal Terns, plus a few Sandwich Terns and a nice surprise 

Dunlin at Bunche Beach

Laughing Gull

in finding a trio of Common Terns resting on the beach.  A pair of nesting Wilson's Plovers were very obvious, as volunteers had marked off their location to try and keep folks from walking on them. 

Herring Gull at Bowditch Point

Down to the Beach

July 17, 2019

Carlos Point - Fort Myers Beach

American Oystercatcher

Today, on my visit to Carlos Point on Ft Myers Beach, I have finally cross paths with a trio of American Oystercatchers.  Hadn't seen any since last November. Since our Red Tide disaster last summer many species have become scarce, no doubt due to the lose of food sources or perhaps to a higher than normal mortality rate. But improved conditions some species are returning to our shores.

American Oystercatcher

Snowy Plover

Black Skimmers with juvenile 

Juvenile Black Skimmer

Arrived later than normal today.  I like to be done by 10 am during the summer to avoid the heat and lightening. So it was a bit hot and I could see that Black Skimmers and other shorebirds were trying to cool down by keeping their bills open to dissipate heat.

The Least Tern and Black Skimmers nesting colonies were still active, with hundreds of birds. They were a bit defensive still, so needed to take a wide berth to keep them more comfortable.  It appeared that few birds were still on a  nest, and lots of juvenile birds were around

Snowy Plover families were active as well. Only spotted a single Wilson's Plover, so not sure how well they had fair with nesting. Last month I had observed several young Wilson's Plovers, so perhaps they had already fledged  

Other species present included Ospreys, a Magnificent Frigeatbird, Brown Pelicans, Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, a lone Common Tern, Sanderlings, Ruddy Turnstones, a lone Marble Godwit and a number of Black-bellied Plovers.

        

Least Tern

                                                                                                   

Juvenile Black Skimmer

Marbled Godwit

Sanderling

Black Bellied Plover

Willet

Ruddy Turnstone

Brown Pelican

Gray Kingbird
A pair of Gray Kingbirds were found the other end 
of the island near Bowitch Point Park

What's Blooming at the Beach

Seashore Purslane

Inkberry berries

Dune Sunflower

Cuban Jute

Madagascar Periwinkle