Spring Time

 Wednesday April 13th

Worm-eating Warbler
Pinecraft Park, Sarasota, Florida

Spring migration is getting started. A storm front came through on Monday which supported speculation that we'd have some local activity. Folks headed to our local spring migration hot-spot, The Sanibel Island Lighthouse, with high but unfulfilled expectations.

Scarlet Tanager
Rotary Park, Cape Coral, Florida

So on Tuesday we headed to Rotary Park in Cape Coral and had a better time. Some of the migrants on-hand included Cape May Warbler, Summer Tanagers, Scarlet Tanagers and Orchard Orioles. Some other migrants seen included Black-whiskered Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Ovenbirds and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

Worm-eating Warbler
Pinecraft Park, Sarasota, Florida

Today, traveled to Sarasota to check the activity at Pinecraft Park. Reports on the activity, from yesterday were very encouraging. Today wasn't as busy though, but  had a few good birds including Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Red-eyed Vireo, Hooded Warblers, Worm-eating Warbler

Bobcat
Pinecraft Park, Sarasota, Florida

Cape May Warbler
Rotary Park, Cape Coral, Florida

Hooded Warbler
Pinecraft Park, Sarasota, Florida

Everglades Agricultural Area

Tuesday, August 4th

The month of August is a good time to investigate the fields, farms and flooded lands of what  is described as the Everglades Agricultural Area, in western Palm Beach County. Bill Pranty in his 'A Birders Guide to Florida' (2005) tells us that these flooded fields attract thousands of  wading birds, migrating shorebirds and  larids. Coveted rare species include uplands sandpiper, buff-breasted sandpiper and Wilson's phalarope. The uplands and buff-breasted sandpipers should appear latter in the month on the sod farms. Today we hoping to find the phalaropes.

American White Pelicans

 These flooded cane fields were our destination today, as Bob Pelkey and I were in search of these seasonal birds.  Our first stop of the day was a visit to the 'cypress stand' along the Miami Canal at its junction of SR-827, at sunrise. The cypress stand is a noted spot for barn owls and I've seen some here in the past. But not today. We did see several Barn Swallows, a couple of Bank Swallows, Meadowlarks, Red-winged Blackbirds, Tricolored Herons and a calling Bobwhite.

Along CR-827 and the bordering Bolles Canal we had calling King Rail, Green Herons, A Purple Gallinule, Common Gallinule, Common Yellow-Throats, more Bank and Barn Swallows, Killdeer, a Limpkin and a very large Bobcat.

Bobcat seen in the cane fields

Purple Gallinule along the Bolles Canal

Along US-27 we found a large flooded areas featuring Black and Gull-billed Terns, Black-necked Stilts and American White Pelicans. We also found a Caspian Tern, Solitary Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpipers, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.

Solitary Sandpiper

Black Tern

Black Tern

Green Heron

The nearby King Ranch Sod Farm had a few Least and Greater Yellowlegs, more Black-necked Stilts, Pectoral Sandpipers and Least Sandpipers.

Greater Yellowlegs

The Purple Swamphen has just been renamed the Gray-headed Swamphen,

to more accurately describe the particular purple swamphen species seen in south Florida

Black-necked Stilt

Pair of Black Terns

Black Tern

Roseate Spoonbill

Common Nighthawk

Along CR-880, just before reaching Brown's Farm Road were a dozen or so Cliff Swallows lining the telephone lines. Further up at the 6-Mile Bend Sod Farm we scanned for any grass peeps, only finding a lone Killdeer and single Sandhill Crane.

Our final, and very fruitful stop was a series, of what appeared to be, formerly flooded, but now muddy and wet fields along Brown's Farm Road. It had to have been this location that two days ago, a pair of Wilson's phalaropes were reported. We did not find any but there were thousands of birds present. Waders were here in huge numbers including Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Tricolored Herons, Green Herons, Cattle Egrets, Great Blue Herons and Black-crowned Night-herons. Migrating shorebirds included Least and Western Sandpipers, Pectoral Sandpipers, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitchers, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, American Avocets and hundreds of Black-necked Stilts, many with young of various stages of growth.

Wood Storks

Glossy Ibis

Pectoral Sandpiper

American Avocet with Black-necked Stilt

American Avocets

American Avocet

Black-crowned Night-heron

Others sightings here included Mottled Ducks, American White Pelicans, Bald Eagle, Common Nighthawk, a Black Skimmer, Black Terns, Gull-billed Terns, Barn Swallows, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds and Boat-tailed Grackles.

Lake Apopka Restoration Area.

Thursday, December 11th
Day Five - North Florida trip

This morning would be the last stop for Bob Pelkey and myself in search of interesting birds. Today we entered the north shore access point to the Lake Apopka Restoration Area near Zellwood with a nice list of birds we hoped to locate this morning starting withe the groove-billed anis, Our list also included Fulvous Whistling Ducks, Ash-throated Flycatchers, Least Flycatchers White-crowned Sparrow and Yellow breasted Chat (one of my nemesis birds).

We arrived right at sun rise on a chilly morning. We gave it a few minutes before setting out hoping to sight or here any owls and to see if the rising sun would warm things up. No owls. So we started out to walked the Loop Trail were the anis have been regularly seen.

The Groove-billed Anis is found in very small numbers in northern Florida as wintering birds from Texas. Elsewhere it tends to be a non-migratory species in Mexico, Central and South America.  The Smooth-billed Ani is endemic to Cuba and the Caribbean with a few sights reported yearly in Florida.  At one time it was actually a very common invasive breeder in Florida, but in recent years the species has almost become extirpated from Florida.

So both ani species are coveted by birders in Florida. As was evident by a small group of birders who congregated at the staked out site. We meet Mark and his wife from North Carolina,, a lady from New Jersey, Dave Goodwin and his friend Rex, and Robert Sattelmeyer from Georgia

Bobcat seen near parking area

Bob and I were successful in finding a trio of Least Flycatchers and spotting a flock of distant Fulvous Whistling Ducks and several Swamp Sparrows but dipped on the chat and the ash-throated flycatchers. Yes we did get a tick on the Groove-billed Ani, but a very unrewarding glimpse. About 9:30 as we were all spread-out on the staked-out portion of the Loop Trail, I heard the distinctive call of the bird and observed a fleeting glimpse as it disappear into some brush along the canal. After about an hour Bob managed to also get a glimpse as it changed location. We theorized that it was resting out of sight waiting for the insects they dine on to become active on the chilly morning.  By 11;30 we elected to move on and head for home and joined with a few folks who had already given-up.

Groove-billed Ani photographed at LARA by Robert Sattelmeyer

Later research revealed that a very patient Robert Sattelmeyer was rewarded with outstanding views of both birds at 12:30.  Robert was kind enough to allow me to post a couple of his photos from the day.

Groove-billed Ani photographed at LARA by Robert Sattelmeyer

Bird List for the trip ( I had only one lifer in the Winter Wren seen at Florida Caverns, Bob had many more)

(122) Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Muscovy, Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Common Loon, Pied-billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, Wood Stork, Double-crested Cormorant, Anhinga, American White Pelican, Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Clapper Rail, Sora, Purple Gallinule, Common Gallinule, American Coot, Sandhill Crane, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, Willet, Lesser Yellowlegs, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Dunlin, Least Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Snipe, Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern, Rock Pigeon, Common Ground-Dove, Mourning Dove, Groove-billed Ani, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, American Kestrel, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Fish Crow, Tree Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown-headed Nuthatch, House Wren, Winter Wren, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Common Yellowthroat, Palm Warbler, Pine Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Nelson's Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Grackle, Boat-tailed Grackle, Pine Siskin

Hermit Thrush

Ft DeSoto to Lake County

January 21st- Day #3

Double-Crested Cormorant

Laughing Gull at Egmont Key pier

Ft DeSoto Park
Left home at 10am for day three of my birding vacation. The late start was unavoidable and the day's weather was awful. Arrived at Ft DeSoto Park about noon and found conditions very windy, but no storms yet. The winds attracted a couple of dozen wind-surfing enthusiasts, who took over the east beach. I had counted on east beach as a possible site for diving birds, shore birds and perhaps a caspian tern or a black-backed gull. Only got Sanderlings, Dunlins and a lone Ring-billed Gull. Moved onto the Egmont Key pier which was not very birdy and people as well, due to the weather. Only about four Double-Crested Cormorants, a few Laughing Gulls and a lone Common Loon.

But was fortunate to watch a flyby juvenile Northern Gannet. This was surprise as this species is not found here, but with the heavy winds and that juvenile birds are known to wonder beyond their normally established range it was possible. I am very confident on this sighting and this would also be a life bird.
Checked out North Beach, which was wind swept and devoid of birds as well. But I was able to find a a few American Oystercatchers and a juvenile Herring Gulls clustered with Royal Terns and Ring-billed Gulls in a secluded spot out of the wind. Had a pair of Red-Brested Mergansers fly in just as I was heading out.

My list - Red-breasted Merganser, Common Loon, Northern Gannet, Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Anhinga, Great Egret, White Ibis, Wood Stork, Black Vulture, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, American Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Dunlin, Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Royal Tern, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Loggerhead Shrike, Fish Crow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Robin, Pine Warbler, Palm Warbler, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Boat-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird
Ft DeSoto Brochure-Map

Prior to arriving at Ft DeSoto, Checked out the Tierra Verde pond for waterfowl and the pond was loaded. Mostly found Redheads and Ring-necked Ducks, plus Pied-billed Grebes, Ruddy Ducks, American Wigeons, Lesser Scaups and Northern Shovelers.

My list - American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Osprey, American Coot, Ring-billed Gull

Lake County
My late start got me to Ranch Road east of Astulta in Lake County a bit late to find the resident say's phoebe, because of the pending nightfall and a prior local rainstorm the bird was probably at roost. So took a stab at the western kingbirds, sparrows and a possible ash-throated flycatcher on Lust Road in Apopka. But it too was bird-free. But did find a pair of Western Kingbirds and hundreds of American Robins at the nearby Hopper Farm roost site.

With it getting dark I lastly took a shot at owls at the North Shore - Lake Apopka restoration parking lot. Did get a pair of Hermit Thrushs and as I was checking them out, noticed not ten feet away but separated by a fence was a bobcat. We both did a quick retreat. Observed the cat a couple more times and it seems that it was not intimidated by my presence. Did get a brief look at a low flying Great Horned Owl.
Lake Apopka Restoration Area map

Bobcat

My list - Great Blue Heron, Wood Stork, Sandhill Crane, Great Horned Owl, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, Western Kingbird, American Robin