April Birds and Such

 Saturday April 30th

Spring migration has been very weak this season.  Not much activity. Seems either the migrates took advantage of the winds to speed on past us or stayed further west as they crossed the Gulf of Mexico, coming ashore around East Texas / Louisiana. So, I've posted a few miscellaneous sightings of interesting fauna see this month.

Blue Jay

Possum Family

Mayan Cichlid

Tufted Titmouse

Gray-headed Swamphen

Northern Waterthrush

Rosette Spoonbill

Swallow-tailed Kite

Southern Black Racer

Island Glass Lizard

Baby Gator

Gray-headed Swamphen

Female Black-throated Blue Warbler

Mangrove Skipper

Northern Parula

Northern Parula

Palm Warbler

Eastern Kingbird

Northern Mockingbird

Bobolink

Female Black-and-White Warbler

Short-tailed Hawk

Gray Kingbird

Female Cape May Warbler

Black-necked Stilt

Snowy Plover

Northern Cardinal

Glossy Ibis

Little Blue Heron

Fish Crow

Tricolored Heron on the Nest

Juvenile Tricolored Heron

Juvenile Tricolored Heron

Slow Start to Fall Migration

Monday September 14th

Bobolinks seen today at Harns Marsh in Lehigh Acres

Finally, after a very slow start this September with the fall bird migration, action seems to be picking up. We're just now getting nice samplings of migrants passing through Lee County. Blackburnian and Chestnut-sided Warblers are finally here. So are Bobolinks, Summer Tanagers, Eastern Wood-Pewees and Thrushes. More to come!!

White-eyed Vireo seen today at Six-Mile Cypress Preserve

White-eyed Vireo

Eastern Wood-Pewee seen today at Six-Mile Cypress Preserve

Barred Owl seen today at the Grand Father tree at Six-Mile Cypress Preserve

Bobolinks at Harns Marsh

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

The Fall Migration is heating up here with the arrival of the neo-tropic warblers. Reports from the Miami and St Pete areas included lots of interesting birds such as Blackburian, Kentucky and Canada Warblers.

Haven't heard anything from Sanibel Lighthouse yet, but Six-Mile Cypress Slough Preserve has yielded Blue-winged, Blackburnian, Tennessee, Chestnut-sided, Worm-eating and Hooded Warblers.

So migration, which can be hit-or-miss in our corner of Florida, is becoming interesting.

 

Apple Snail shell

At Harns Marsh in Lehigh Acres, were I stopped by for a quick visit before heading into work, I found the water is still too high for waders and shorebirds. I've dipped on snail kites for several weeks know as they appear to have left the marsh, first due too very low water levels and now because of very high levels, in their search for their favored meal of apple snails. Still no kites seen but a few Limpkins are still present. Best bird of the day were a flock of migrating Bobolinks resting in the weedy berm. First heard their distinctive 'pink pink' call and checked them closely as they all were in their drab basic plumage.



Snail Kite

 

When the water level does recede we should see a lot more of the waders including American and least bitterns and shorebirds.  Then the ducks will show later.  we often have Mottled, Blue-winged Teal, Ring-necked, Lesser Scaups and Hooded Mergansers. At times Ruddy, Shoveler or American Wigeon. See the Lee County Bird Patrols bird list

Bobolinks and Pelicans - a visit to Harn's Marsh

Tuesday, May 3rd

I wasn't able to get out for some birding till the afternoon.  Headed over to Harn's Marsh in Lehigh Acres with the idea of seeing if any migrating Bobolinks could be found.  Had a seen a flock there a year ago.  Plus last week I had see a flock of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks close to the parking area.  Maybe they were still around.

First checked out the activity of at the Harn's Marsh School entrance. Counted at least eight Snail Kites, most were juveniles. Limpkins were everywhere. Also present were the usual waders including Little Blue Herons, Glossy Ibis, Snowy Egrets and a Sandhill Crane. The nearby cypress stand provided a pair of Northern Parula and a Yellow-throated Warbler

Limpkins were very numerous

At the 38th Street entrance, the water level at the marsh has become much lower lately, exposing a growing amount of the muddy bottom. This developed into two good birding experiences.  First was that were several shore birds, including Least Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs, Killdeers a Semipalmated Plover and a Pectoral Sandpiper were located.  If I had a scope, might have found more.  Secondly, there was a huge concentration of wading birds in one corner of the marsh, including Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, Glossy and White Ibis, at least a hundred Great Egrets, attracted to the concentration  of their prey.

Bobolinks would not allow a close enough approach for a good picture

 My big surprise is the presence of at least five American White Pelicans.  Had not ever seen them there before.  Probably a group of juveniles not interested it migration to the breeding grounds.

Wood Storks

Roseate Spoonbill

 Present was a family of Sandhill Cranes with a pair of colts. And as for the Boblinks, I did find a flock of of sixteen moving between the the brush alongside the road and cattails in the marsh.

Sandhill Crane family



Was surprised to find American White Pelicans



A great many birds were concentrating in the shrinking pools

My Day's List (38) - Mottled Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Anhinga, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Snail Kite, Common Moorhen, Limpkin, Sandhill Crane, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Least Tern, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Parula, Yellow-throated Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Bobolink, Red-winged Blackbird, Boat-tailed Grackle