California Lifers

Wednesday 27th

Fog shrouded Santa Cruz Island

Visit my Trip List on eBird California Lifers - eBird Trip Report to see our birding activates.

Black-footed Albatross

 California pelagic trip had been on my bucket list for years, but in 2023, my planned trip with Island Packers out of Ventura California was canceled due to weather—disappointing. I rescheduled for October 2024 but had to miss it due to illness.

Sutil Island is a big rock adjacent to Santa Barbara Island
and our destination for Blue-footed and Cocos Boobies

Cocos Boobies have expanded their range northward with hundreds nesting on Sutil Island

My Photo of a Minke Whale
this is typical of most of my photography on this trip

 Fortunately, my friends Dave and Tammy McQuade reached out and helped me get on some Pacific coast life birds. They invited me to join them and my new friend, big year birder Geno Ellison, on two pelagic trips out of Ventura: The Blue Booby Trip on August 7th and the Pelagic Trip on August 9th. We also added a third trip to Santa Cruz Island for the Island Scrub Jay, plus a visit to the Burkhart campsite in Angeles National Forest, where I saw several lifers and a Southern Pacific Rattlesnake.

We also went to the Mt Clef Ridge in for the California Gnatcatcher but dipped on that one. 

Cactus Wren

Scaly-breasted Munia

The sage-cactus habitat at Mt Clef Ridge supports many birds
 and was our target for the California Gnatcatchers

The birding trip was a success overall, with great weather, 25 lifers, and several new friends. However, I missed a few life birds seen by others, such as the long-tailed jaeger, south polar skua, least storm-petrel, northern pygmy-owl, and brown creepers. The group also dipped on searches for mountain quail, MacGillivray's warbler, American dipper, and California gnatcatchers.

On the Burkhart trail looking for lifers.
Dave, Tammy and Geno were working to find me some good birds

White-headed Woodpecker

Santa Cruz Island Fox

Black-crowned Nighthawk

Ventura Harbor

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

Babcock-Webb WMA

Friday April 20th

Bachman's Sparrow

Arrived at Babcock Webb just at dawn and headed to the Red Cockaded Woodpecker site on Tram Grade road. Within just a few minutes  I witnessed all of the 'Big Three'.  They include a Red cockaded Woodpecker, several Brown headed Nuthatches and a couple of singing male Bachman's Sparrows.

Numerous Bachmans Sparrows  were singing throughout the property this morning and I was able to get a few photos of these normally shy birds.

Also found my first sighting of a Hairy Woodpecker for the year, plus a pair of Brown Thrashers, calling Northern Bobwhites, Eastern Towhees and Eastern Meadowlarks. Also saw lots of Black crowned Night herons, Great created Flycatchers, White eyed Vireos, Sandhill Cranes and a lone White winged Dove.

Eastern Towhee

Met a couple, birding from Miami who were pointing out a pair of Eastern Bluebirds checking out a RCW nest hole.  At this point, FWC biologist, Kellie,  joined us and offered further insight on Bluebirds and Great created Flycatcher using RCW nest holes. Kellie spent time with us, discussing the various species on the site,  like the RCWs, the Bobwhites population and control burns. And very interesting to me, was the research and management of local bat population.  Including Florida's rarest bat - the Florida Bonneted Bat.

Bachman's Sparrow

As we were conversing, a singing Bachman's Sparrow popped up next us, providing  a great photo opportunity. Kellie also provided the use of her scope as scanned a pair of young Great Horned Owls consuming a snake.

Black-crowned Night-heron

Road Trip - St Marks

Sunday January 21st

Its a cold and windy Saturday morning in the Panhandle. Yesterday I had birded in Gainesville and in Tallahassee, today I  had arrived at St Marks National Wildlife Refuge.

The Vermilion Flycatcher seen in February 2016

Rusty Blackbird

For birders, visiting St Marks, especially in the winter months, can be a lot of fun. Many wintering species seen here can be quite uncommon to rare in southern Florida.

In preparing for this visit, I had spent a lot of time reviewing ebird reports from this venue. A couple of interesting species being reported had disappeared before we got there. A brewers blackbird that had been an easy pick in the lighthouse parking area and a beautiful, male vermilion flycatcher that had also been a easy pick up at Stoney Bayou impoundment. The flycatcher had returned to this spot for at least three years, Saw it on my last visit. But it disappeared a few weeks ago. 

Lots of good birds are still on hand though.

Some targets today included Rusty Blackbirds, American Black Ducks, Clapper Rail, Virginia Rail, White-faced Ibis, Common Goldeneye, Nelsons Sparrow and more. Didn't get all of them, but did, finally, was successful with locating Rusty Blackbirds. A fellow named Don Morrow was nice enough to share the location of a flock at the double bridges. A good start.

Further on, along Lighthouse Road, stopped at Stoney Bayou. Lots of birds but so many were staying on the far shore in an effort to get out of the cold wind blowing across the water. Suspected and later confirmed at least one White-faced Ibis was on hand, plus White Ibis, Greater Egret, Snowy Egret, Coots, Buffleheads, Scaups, Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron.

Yellow-crowned Night-herons

are not common here

Next stop was at the headquarters and picnic ponds area. Lots of American Wigeons, Ring-necked Ducks, Mallards, Rudy Duck, Coots, Pintails, Redheads, Black-crowned Night-herons and a lone Yellow-crowned Night-heron. Missed on the American Black Ducks and the reported Eared Grebe wasn't seen today.

Dave and Tammy caught-up with me at this point.  They had stopped at the Biltmore Avenue Pond first today for another try for the Ross's Geese. No Ross's, but did relocate the Greater White-fronted Goose.

Black-crowned Night-herons are common

We moved onto the Lighthouse.  Lots of ducks - American Wigeons, Canvasbacks, Redheads, Lesser and Greater Scaup, Ruddy Duck, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Loon, Cormorants, American Oystercatchers, Buffleheads, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers.

Redhead

Canvasback

American Wigeon

Pintails

Common Goldeneye

Greater Scaup

Spent a few more hours enjoying the refuge. We checked the helipad area for red-cockaded woodpeckers and henslow's sparrows. Dipped on these, but added Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Swamp Sparrow, Sedge Wren, House Wren, Bald Eagle and Brown-headed Nuthatch. 

A good day

A Lee County Blitz

Monday, January 2nd

Started a long day at day break from the parking area at Harn's Marsh Preserve.  Its a new year. A time for renewal.  A time to start a new list. Today will be a Lee County Blitz or a Big Day, to count as many bird species as possible in a day.  I did mine solo, which probably cost me a few ticks.

 

Ring-necked Duck

But at Harns Marsh, I ran into Meg Rouse, China Bont and Dick the photographer and together we had some good sightings. Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Purple Gallinules, Gray-headed Swamphens, Swamp Sparrow.

 

Florida Scrub Jay

From here I left the group and sought out the Florida Scrub Jays that can be found at 47th Street West in Lehigh Acres.

Then onto the pond on Homestead Road in Lehigh, were I added a Crested Caracara, Roseate Spoonbill, Least Sandpipers a Greater and a Lesser Yellowlegs.

Next was the Red-headed Woodpecker colony on Wellington Road in Lehigh, but I haven't spotted any of the woodpeckers here for some time. But I did find a  Sharp-shinned Hawk.

Sharp-Shinned Hawk

The White's feeders in Alva can be a great spot to find buntings, goldfinches and White-winged Doves. But not for me today. And the nearby Red-headed Woodpecker colony on Parkinson Road only revealed an American Kestrel.  No woodpeckers.

Maybe at the Caloosahatchee Regional Park there'll be a Red-headed Woodpecker or maybe a White-eyed Vireo.  Nope.  Moving on

Then I tried the Caloosahatchee Creek Park and again no woodpeckers or any thing else.

Finally at Pop Ash Creek Preserve there was a Red-headed Woodpecker.  Not much else.

Onto Cape Coral were I made a stop to see Bald Eagles at the Famous Pritchett Eagles Nest, as seen on the national news. Then to the Great Horned Owls nest on SW 22th Ct and the Monk Parakeet nests at the ball fields on Pelican Boulevard. But all through Cape Coral I never spotted a Burrowing Owl, which is unusual.

Great Horned Owl

Onto Ft Myers and found several Nanday Parakeets on Tufts Street. Then onto a spot along the river to look for any scaups. No ducks though.

Its starting to get late and I've missed the low tide, but headed over to Bunche Beach anyway.  The place was packed with folks enjoying a holiday outing. No point in even trying this venue. Missed a lot of birds by being late here.

Wrapped up the day with a walk on the board walk at Six-mileCypress Slough Preserve.  Again not many birds on hand. A long trying day with too many miles on the car. Looks like I hit on 79 birds. Short of the 100 count goal for the day.  My friends Dave and Eary were far more aggressive and managed a Lee County Big Day count of 134 species.

 

Nanday Parakeets

Day's Bird List (79) -

Black-crowned Night-heron

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Muscovy Duck, Wood Duck, Mottled Duck, Mallard x Mottled Duck (hybrid), Blue-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Wood Stork,  Magnificent Frigatebird, Double-crested Cormorant, Anhinga, Brown Pelican, Least Bittern, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, Black-crowned Night-Heron, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Black Vulture,  Turkey Vulture,  Osprey,  Snail Kite,  Northern Harrier,  Sharp-shinned Hawk,  Bald Eagle,  Red-shouldered Hawk,  Purple Gallinule,  Gray-headed Swamphen,   Common Gallinule, American Coot, Limpkin, Sandhill Crane,  Killdeer, Least Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Great Horned Owl, Belted Kingfisher, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Crested Caracara, American Kestrel, Monk Parakeet, Nanday Parakeet, Eastern Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Blue Jay, Florida Scrub-Jay, American Crow, Fish Crow, Tree Swallow,  Carolina Wren,  Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Common Yellowthroat, Palm Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Savannah Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Grackle, Boat-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird and House Sparrow

Some of the Faces at Six-Mile Cypress

Wednesday, November 9th

Gray Squirrel

Today I spent about an hour at the Six-Mile Cypress Slough boardwalk. Basically was interested in a bit of walking and a bit of photography. The weather was nice, the light was good and the parking lot was quite full.

Double-Crested Cormorant

Anhinga

Carolina Wren

Red-Bellied Woodpecker dining on Dahoon Holly berries

Downy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

A Napping Black-Crowned Night-Heron

Florida Banded Watersnake