Common Eider

 Tuesday January 27th

Lovers Key eBird Report

A female Common Eider has been reported, sporadically, around Fort Myers Beach for several months and most recently at Lovers Key State Park. Ran out to Lovers Key and with Vince McGrath, was able to see the eider at the south end of the beach at Big Carlos Pass. 

A Florida rarity, Common Eider

Snowy Plover

Red Knot

Black bellied Plover

Bunche Beach

 Sunday September 6th

Bunche Beach bird list

A typical visit to Bunche Beach at a low tide.  The best time to bird here is at low tide. Especial early in the morning on a hot day.

Fish Crows

Black-bellied Plover

Reddish Egret

Reddish Egret

Semipalmated Plover

Piping Plover

Short-billed Dowitcher

Sanderling

Marbled Godwit

Ruddy Turnstone

Wilsons Plover

Willet

At The Beach

 Sunday May 19th

American Oystercatcher

Today, I dedicated some time to birdwatching on the beach, arriving just after dawn to sidestep the day's heat. My start at Bunche Beach was met with a less-than-ideal tide, already swallowing the mudflats. Despite this, a handful of birds were active: Sanderlings, a Semipalmated Plover, Black-bellied Plovers, Western Sandpipers, a solitary Willet, and eight American Oystercatchers. The skies, though clear of clouds, were also devoid of birds, save for a few Laughing Gulls. 

Black-bellied Plover

Reddish Egret

Moved onto Sanibel Island and Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge Drive. Best sighting here was a pair of Manatees. Again, it was not very birdy. A bathing Osprey, more Willets, Reddish Egret, a young, Yellow-crowned Night-heron. Was keen to spot a mangrove cuckoo.  Haven't seen or heard one for a very long time. Dipped on the cuckoo once again.

Seems this Manatee is taking a nap

A bathing Osprey

One last stop at Turner Beach on Captiva Island. The skies were still clear. Not much here. Royal Tern, Willet, Sanderling, Osprey, Fish Crow

Sanderling

Willet

Bunche Beach

 December 12th

Over this past weekend, I made my first visit to Bunche Beach since before Hurricane Ian. It's been over two months since the storm made landfall here and the beach still needs some clean-up.  No doubt this venue is not the highest priority for the available recovery resources. Yet I'd like to see some signage be restored, especially on the rule of No Dogs on the Beach. Encountered three different beach walkers accompanied by their dogs. Because this preserve is an important sanctuary for endangered shorebirds, like red knots & piping, wilson's and snowy plovers, dogs are not permitted.

Low Tide at Bunche Beach Looking Toward the Sanibel Bridge

Somebody has lost their boathouse

Arriving at a very low tide found the exposed pretty empty of birds. Pretty much devoid of terns, skimmers or gulls. Suspect that the water quality remains an issue.

There a were some shorebirds at the west end of the beach. Sanderlings, Black-bellied Plovers, Least Sandpipers, Western Sandpipers, Spotted Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plovers, Dunlins, Piping Plovers and a Ruddy Turnstone.

Dunlin

Least Sandpiper

Western Sandpiper

Giant Atlantic Cockle exposed at low tide

Southern Seaside Goldenrod in bloom at the beach

A Banded Piping Plover

Fort Myers Beach

 Saturday December 3rd

It's been around nine weeks since Hurricane Ian devastated Sanibel Island and Fort Myers Beach. At this point the clean-up, repairs and rejuvenation on Fort Myers Beach has progressed well. Much of the mess has been cleared, but there is going to a long time needed for recovery. 

A curfew still exists, but non-residents, clean-up crews and contractors can access the island from 7am till 7pm, Tuesday through Sunday. Some businesses have opened and do appreciate patronage.

The FMB pier has been skeletonized and hosts tons of seabirds and the shrimp boat fleet remains beached. The public parks and beaches remain closed, probably till sometime next year. So, I did access the beach at the south end of the island at Carlos Point.  I was able to park across the pass at Lovers Key State Park, which is also closed. The scene of how the storm rearranged the beach was evident s I was walking across the draw bridge. Some of the beach has been carved out, creating a new, shallow inlet.

This end of the island is scheduled for a beach clean-up, soon.  And it is much needed. Saw much debris littering the sand like chairs, pails, a kayak, utility sinks, pieces of docks, mattress, and every manner of stuff

The birding and shelling were pretty good. Lots of shore birds but gulls and terns were scarce today. A peregrine falcon showed up, scattering the resting birds into flight. Some of the sightings included Willets, Marble Godwits, Sanderlings, Dunlins, Snowy Plovers, Black-bellied Plovers, Semipalmated Plovers, Least Sandpipers, Western Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers, Ruddy Turnstones, Cormorants, Brown Pelicans, a Herring Gull, Sandwich Terns, Royal Terns, Snowy Egrets and Red Knots.  Dipped on laughing gulls, skimmers, frigatebirds, American white pelicans and wilson's plover.

Willet

Dunlin

Red Knot

Black-bellied Plover

Mottled Duck

Red Knot and a Black-bellied Plover

Red Knot

Red Knot

Snowy Plover