EAA

Thursday July 19

Gull-billed Tern

Today I made the hour and a half drive from Ft Myers over to the Everglades Ag Area south of Belle Glade.  Seemed a bit early yet to be checking out the flooded sugar cane fields, but I noticed a few intriguing postings on eBird. 

Black Tern

Arrived in the area of Brown's Farm Road around 8:30 and started with the swallow colony at the intersection of 880 and Brown's Farm Road.  the swallows weren't all that accommodating but was able to pull out one, for sure Cave Swallow, from among all the similarly looking Cliff Swallows.

The flooded fields adjacent to the swallows were very active with a large concentration of Black-necked Stilts.  Dozens of Black Terns were foraging and resting here along with Gull-billed Terns, Least Terns, Caspian Terns, Short-billed Dowitchers and maybe a few Long-billed Dowitchers too. Other species present included Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Least Sandpipers, a Spotted Sandpiper, Black-bellied Plovers, plus Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs.

Black Tern

Common Nighthawk

Drove several miles along Brown's Farm Road and did encounter a nice couple of fields that werejust starting to be flooded. Slightly different mix of birds here.  Because the water wasn't very deep yet, it was attractive to nearly a hundred  Glossy Ibis, a couple a dozen Mottled Ducks, a few Common Gallinules and lots more Black-necked Stilts.  Both Yellowlegs, Dowitchers, Least Sandpipers and Laughing Gulls were also present. 

Had to be more than a hundred Black-necked Stilts today

Had hoped to add Fulvous Whistling Ducks, Wood Storks, wintering American White Pelicans, Pectoral Sandpipers and Stilt Sandpipers, but dipped on these.  Its a bit early on these sandpipers but no totally out of the question. But we should see numbers of them soon along with American Avocets and Wilson's Phalaropes

Caspian Tern

Least Tern

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Additional sighting along Brown's Farm Road included a great many Brown-headed Cowbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Both Grackles, Eastern Meadowlarks, Common Nighthawks, Green Herons, White Ibis, Purple Martins and Barn Swallows.

On the drive over and back noticed a few Swallow-tailed Kites soaring mostly near LaBelle, plus a Crested Caracara and several Sandhill Cranes.

Dowitcher

Least Sandpiper

Gull-billed Tern

Black Tern

Gull-billed Tern

Brown-headed Cowbird

Red-shouldered Hawk

Fort Desoto Park

Thursday April 19th

Rose breasted Grosbeak feeding on mulberries

By Thursday, the winds were now favorable for the migrating birds. But I visited Fort Desoto Park in Pinellis County anyway. Found that most of the warblers, vireos and such had moved out, but lots of Rose breasted grosbeaks and Scarlet  Tanagers were around.

A few thrushes too - including  Wood Thrush, Swainson's Thrush and Veery. Other migrants included Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Indigo and Painted Bindings, Summer Tanagers.


Other birds seen included Caspian Tern, Least Terns, a Lesser Black backed Gull, Marbled Godwits, Red breasted Merganser and Nanday Parakeets.

Swainson's Thrush

A rather orangish Scarlet Tanager

Scarlet Tanager

Female Summer Tanager

Summer Tanager consuming a wasp

Nanday Parakeets were everywhere

Black-bellied Plover looking for a ride North

Marbled Godwit

Caspian Tern

Reddish Egret

Red-breasted Merganser

Veery

Spring Time at the Beach

Saturday March 25th

Sunrise at Bunche Beach

A sunrise visit to Bunche Beach today to see what's new. Noticing that the shore birds are beginning to molt into their spring-time colors. Mostly we see these winter visitors in there most mundane off-season coloration. They seem to be just getting started. But it won't be long till they reach there breeding molt and head for the arctic or sub-arctic nesting sites.

Black-bellied Plover

Black-bellied Plover

Black-bellied Plover migration map

Dunlin nest in the Canadian Arctic

Dunlin Migration

Willet

Spotted Sandpiper

Sanderlings still in their winter feathers

Sanderlings migration map

Red Knot

Red Knot Migration

Little Blue Heron

Northern Cardinal

Caspian Tern

Looking for Buffleheads

Monday January 16th

Yesterday, got an invitation from Dave McQuaid to join him and Tammy to look for  a pair of Buffleheads reported at Matlacha Pass. So Today, at about mid-morning we set out from the marina to explore the waters of Lee County in search of any sea ducks and other birds.

 

Herring Gulls

Spent about five hours on the water and it was evident that this there are far fewer sea ducks winter in Lee County. Only spotted  some  Lesser Scaups and about 29 Redheads. In previous seasons, we had rafts of these birds counting into the hundreds.  Don't know what is happening, perhaps their food sources have been diminished due to our recent water quality issues.

 

Common Loon

We counted sixteen Common Loons on the day and about the same number of Horned Grebes and Red-breasted Mergansers. Other expected species seen included American Oystercatchers, American White Pelicans, Brown Pelicans, Cormorants, Herring Gulls, Laughing Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Caspian Terns, Royal Terns, White Ibis and lastly a juvenile Northern Gannet. Total misses included the Buffleheads, Scoters and Frigatebirds.

 

Caspian Tern with Ring-billed Gulls and Royal Terns

It was fun.  Thanks Dave and Tammy.

Dickcissels - Illinois Trip, Day Two

Wednesday, June 15th

Dickcissel at Midewin National Grasslands

Made a quick run down to Midewin National Grasslands near Joliet.  Grassland species are the noted birds including upland plover, henslows sparrow, boblinks, dickcissels, grasshopper sparrows and such.

Because of time constraints and mosquitoes, there was very little trail walking, with most of the birding done road side and from parking lots.  This did work out very well.  I was to dip on the upland plover and henslows sparrow, I get lots of Dickcissels and Bobolinks.  I also got Chipping, Field and Grasshopper Sparrows.  Was able to add Baltimore Orioles, a Turkey Vulture, Coopers Hawk, American Goldfinch, Indigo Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Eastern Meadowlarks, Red-wing Blackbird, Eastern Wood-pewee, American Crow, Eastern Kingbird, Blue Jay, Red-eyed Vireo, House Finch, Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, American Robins, Gray Catbird, Cardinals, Cedar Waxwings, Starlings, Common Yellowthroat, Great Egret, Cormorant and Killdeer.

A singing Dickcissel



Tree Swallow directing traffic



Found Baltimore Orioles in these trees

Tryed to get out of the trip into the city to continue birding Midewin, but that was a no go. So headed back to my sister's house and then we were off to the lake front in downtown Chicago. Because today the Shedd Aquarium was offering free admissions. The price was right. the lines were long but it was worth it. I also did not stop birding. Had lots of Ring-billed Gulls along Lake Shore Drive and the harbors. Also had Caspian Terns fishing the Montrose Harbor. It seems that these terns are roof top nesting in the area this year. Around Grant Park and the museums were the usual urban birds, Robins, House Sparrow, lots of Red-winged Blackbirds, Rock Pigeons, Common Grackles, Mallards grazing on the lawn and Canada Geese in the nearby harbor.

Chicago seen from the steps of the Shedd Aquarium

Lines at the aqurium, Field Museum in the background

Mallard

The Water Tower, One of the few structures to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871