Looking for Interesting Birds

Sunday May 6th

Last Thursday I traveled around Sarasota County in search of a few interesting birds.

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly seen at Pinecraft Park

The recent reporting of a House Crow at Nokomis Beach was intriguing.   I had been aware of reports from years ago of a pair of House Crows that were living at Nokomis Beach. This is an exotic species from South Asia that has been spreading out globally, some believe with the ability to stow away on freighters to visit new territories.

House Crow seen at Nokomis Beach

Easily located the House Crow when I arrived at the park about 7:45 am.

Moved onto Pinecraft Park ,which can be a very active migration magnet, where I

encountered several American Redstarts, Northern Parulas and Blackpool Warblers. Other encounters included Cape May Warblers, a  Worm eating Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Chimney Swifts, Nanday Parakeets, Black-throated Blue Warblers, Black-and-White Warblers, an Ovenbird  A Common Yellowthroat, Purple Martins and Tufted

Titmice.

Then over to The Celery Fields. When I arrived the Purple Martin Houses were being opened to check on the nests. Lots of babies. Out on the marsh Stilt Sandpipers and least Sandpipers were present on the exposed mud.

A Purple Gallinule was actively feeding along with Common Gallinules. A Least Tern dipped the water and an assortment of waders were present. Limpkins were also active, a Bobwhite could be heard and an Eastern Kingbird was hawking for its lunch.

An Eastern Kingbird

Gallery of Pics from the Purple Martin Houses 

One last stop was to look for the Tropical Kingbird that has, once again, returned to St Armonds Circle. The location was busy with traffic and shoppers, and then I found the parking lot that the bird has called home is now under construction. I guess they're building a parking garage.

Gray Kingbird

The tropical kingbird is around, but I didn't see today. Just Gray Kingbirds and Eurasian Collared Doves.



Ended the trip with a count of sixty birds seen today in Sarasota County.

Still Looking for Birds

Tuesday, April 25th


Rose early on the final day in the Keys to make a final look for Roseate Terns at the Marathon Government Center. Arriving at sun rise, the site was fairly quite with a Least Terns and Magnificent Frigatebird flying over head. But shortly a large flock of Roseate Terns flew in. A White-crowned Pigeon seen in the parking lot. Time to move on.

Cape May Warbler seen at Key Largo Hammock State Park

Made a return stop nest at Key Largo Hammock State Park and walked the one mile Loop Trail. Aside from Cardinals, White-eyed Vireos, Palm Warblers and a lone Cape May Warbler the location was fairly quite.

Key Largo Hammock

Sight along the Loop Trail at Key Largo Hammock Park

Before leaving the Keys made another return stop to look for the Cuban Golden Yellow Warblers at Card Sound Road toll booth area. After parking, was immediately rewarded with a singing yellow warbler with in a few feet. The Golden is a Yellow Warbler sub-species from Cuba and the Caribbean and barely reaches into the mangroves of the Florida Keys.

Cuban Golden Yellow Warbler

Northern Curly-tailed Lizard seen at Card Sound Road

Next made another return stop at Lucky Hammock, just outside of Everglades National Park. The site was loaded with Flycatchers. Eastern Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Gray Kingbird, Tropical Kingbird, Great Crested Flycatcher and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers.

Western Kingbird

Eastern Kingbird

Tropical Kingbird

From Lucky Hammock headed up to Coral Gables to Matheson Hammock Park were American Redstarts were dominate.  Other warblers seen included Blackpoll, Prairie, Ovenbird, Black-throated Blue, Cape May and Black-and-White. Other birds included Short-tailed Hawk, Chimney Swift and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. As for exotics birds seen a pair of Common Hill Mynas and a trio of Yellow-chevroned Parakeets.

Common Hill Myna

Matheson Hammock Park also hosts numerous exotic lizards - Basilisk lizards, African Rainbow Agamas, Green Iguanas, Crested Anoles and Knight Anoles.

Knight Anole

Crested Anole

One last stop, a return visit to the Snapper Creek Canal Cave Swallow Colony. On Sunday it was too rainy, but today Cave Swallows were zipping in and out of their nesting site below the Sunset Ave bridge. This wraps up my birding vacation. Lots of good sights , missed some too. Maybe next year.

Heading to Dade County

Thursday September 19th

Eastern Kingbird photographed By Bob Pelkey at "the Annex"

  Today I joined with Bob Pelkey - wildlife photographer and expedition leader - on a day trip across the state to visit birding hotspots in Miami-Dade County. It was a long, hot day starting for us about four-thirty in the morning. As we headed east, a goal of a one hundred count day was set and we soon had our first bird of the day with a Limpkin calling in the pre-dawn darkness as we passed through Collier County.

 

Bob Pelkey in Action

  Just a few days ago our friends Dr Padilla and Master Birder, Vince McGrath had made the same trip and had a very good experience at our first stop at "The Annex" on Aerojet Road within the Frog Pond WMA, which is just east of the entrance to Everglades National Park. Of special interest here besides migrating warblers were the reports of continuing alder flycatchers and a willow flycatcher.

 

Bob and I arrived about seven-thirty and encountered a large crew of workers armed with machetes assembling at Lucky Hammock. We learned that they were employed by the South Florida Water Management District to clear out exotic foliage, so moved on down the road toward The Annex for the flycatchers. But first we were stopped at the gate by an employee for SFWMD. We'd have to leave the car there and walk the site. The location was being closed off due to folks using the remoteness to conduct non-wildlife viewing activities.

 

We spent a couple of hours here and dipped on the flycatchers, In fact birding wasn't to exciting. Lots of Eastern Kingbirds were present, did get a female Black-throated Blue Warbler and a Northern Parula. A flock of migrating Bobolinks was observed passing overhead and White-eyed Vireos and Cardinals did call from the dense foliage. Only swallows recorded all day were seen here with seven Purple Martins perched on the wires and a lone Barn Swallow flying overhead. As we were leaving we added a Merlin, several Eastern Meadowlarks and Killdeer in the plowed fields. Added Common Myna in Florida City.

Common Myna in Florida City

 

  From here we moved onto Matheson Hammock County Park in Coral Gables. We found very little activity in the picnic area or along the service road area. We did manage a nice male Black-throated Blue Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, a Peregrine Falcon and a Yellow-throated Vireo (265). A lady riding her bike told us of a large flock of birds near the swimming beach, which turned out to be a large number of Wilson's Plover and Ruddy Turnstones, plus a lone Least Sandpiper.

 

Graylag Geese in Kendall

  From here we checked out the nearby University of Miami Campus were we had good success with exotic birds last year, but with the campus busy with the purpose of education, we left for A.D. Barnes Park. Finally at Barnes, near the pool, we found some birds.  Over the coarse of several hours we encountered American Redstarts, Tennessee Warblers, Ovenbirds, Northern Parula, Red-eyed Vireos, Acadian Flycatchers (266), Worm-eating Warbler, Black-and-White Warblers, a pair of White-crowned Pigeons, a Peregrine Falcon and a Common Hill Myna (267).

 

Egyptian Goose at Kendall

At a  stop at the Kendall Baptist Hospital campus Bob tried  getting pics of the Mitred Parakeets in flight, but they were just too fast on the wing. Had to have been at least sixty parakeets on hand. At the pond we added a pair of Egyptian Geese, scores of feral Muscovy Ducks, Pekin Ducks and Graylag Geese. As we headed for home and enjoying urban traffic conditions we sighted several Monk Parakeets, a few White-winged Doves, Eurasian Collared Doves, Rock Pigeons and the usual city bird life. More Muscovy Ducks and another Egyptian goose.

It was a good trip, but we come up short on our hundred count goal. Looking forward to seeing Bob's pics.

                                                                                       Day Count (70) -

Feral Muscovy Ducks

Egyptian Goose, Mottled Duck, Mallard (Domestic type), Muscovy Duck (Feral), Double-crested Cormorant, Anhinga, Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, White Ibis, Limpkin, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawk, Common Gallinule, Wilson's Plover, Killdeer, Ruddy Turnstone, Least Sandpiper, Laughing Gull, Rock Pigeon, White-crowned Pigeon, White-winged Dove, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Monk Parakeets, Mitred Parakeet, Acadian Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Fish Crow,  Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Mockingbird, Common Hill Myna, Common Myna, European Starling, Ovenbird, Worm-eating Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Bobolink, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Grackle and Boat-tailed Grackle

Animals - Red Fox and Raccoons (A D Barnes Park)

 

Spring Migration at Sanibel Lighthouse

Monday April 23rd

The past two days the spring migration birding along the Florida Gulf Coast has been awesome. All the migrant traps along the coast have hosted many of the warblers, tanagers, orioles, grosbeaks etc. that have usually just fly past us.  But weather conditions brought them in on Saturday night and the projected winds for tomorrow should carry them away.

Sunday I had some time to bird and was not sure if we want any fall-out from the weather. I had already a had a couple of unsatisfying attempts on Sanibel Island in the past week, which can get expensive to make extensive visits, with all of the tolls and parking fees. So I first tried Bunche Beach for any interesting pelagics that may have blown in. Found a very high tide and heavy surf and few birds. My best find was an FOS Semipalmated Sandpiper and a Marbled Godwit. Next tryed Six-mile Cypress Slough Preserve which was also very quite save for a Scarlet tanager that showed up just as I was leaving.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Sanibel Lighthouse. Photo by Dr Jose Padilla-Lopez

Called Dr Jose to report my find, but he and about every other local birder were at the Sanibel Lighthouse and at Ding Darling Refuge. He reported an awesome assortment of birds were on-hand. I was there in about 20 minutes. To bad my camera was out-of-order as there several photo opportunities such as a male Summer Tanager posing right off the trail.  Would have been a great shot. Indigo Buntings were everywhere and lots of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Baltimore Orioles, Orchard Orioles, Scarlet Tanagers and FOS Eastern Kingbirds. Other sights included a Gray-cheeked Thrush, Swainsen's Thrush, Northern Waterthrushs, Black-and-White Warblers, American Redstart, a Blue Grosbeak, Tennessee Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Dickcissel, a Black-throated Green Warbler, a female Painted Bunting ( the males have already left), Barn Swallows and Chimney Swifts.

Additional species witnessed by other birders on Sunday and Monday included  a scissor-tailed flycatcher, verry, wood thrush, yellow-billed cuckoos, bank swallows, northern rough-winged swallows, ruby-throated hummingbirds, cedar waxwings, blue-winged warblers, ovenbird, magnolia warbler, yellow warbler, black-throated blue warbler, hooded warbler and Lincoln sparrow.

Hooded Warbler - Fall Migration

Thursday, September 1st

It's nice to see that migration is happening and new birds are arriving from up north. Spent the better part of today birding sights in Lee County. Was able to tally 76 birds including a few first-of-season. Yesterday I had planned on following up on the good reports in Pinellas County ( lots of cerulean warblers, plus blue winged and golden-winged warblers), but last minute issues cancelled the day. But today was very satisfying and a lot less mileage on the car.



Semipalmated Sandpiper

 Bunche Beach

Started the day with a stop at Bunche Beach, arriving about 8:30am. The tide was low, the weather was comfortable and the birding was just as good as we found this past Sunday. Was able to add a pair of Black Terns and another pair of Forster's Terns in the company of several Sandwich Terns and a couple of Royal Terns.  The count on the Black Skimmers resting on the mud flats have to be about 150 birds.  A lone American Oystercatcher paced the distance of the flats in the company of many Semipalmated Plovers, Sanderlings, Marbled Godwits, Willets, Black-bellied Plovers, Short-billed Dowitchers and Semipalmated Sandpipers. Only located a sole Least Sandpiper, but did find two Spotted Sandpipers, several Wilson's Plovers and just one Piping Plover.

The waders included a Reddish Egret, Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Little Blue Herons, a Roseate Spoonbill and a pair of White Ibis.  Three Ospreys worked the water for a meal and Barn Swallows worked the beach.

Trail at Caloosahatchee Creeks

Caloosahatchee Creeks Preserve.

Got Caloosahatchee Creeks about 11am and birded the trails and ignored the picnic area, which was so fruitful last week. The birding started out slowly till I came to a spot were I first located a Yellow-throated Warbler and quickly added a FOS male Hooded Warbler, an Eastern Wood-Pewee, a female Northern Parula, a Red-eyed Vireo ( finally) and a Great Crested Flycatcher. Later came on another mixed flock and hit on a Prairie Warbler, FOS Worm Eating Warbler, a FOS Prothonotary Warbler, a bright male American Redstart, a Pileated Woodpecker and a pair of calling White-eyed Vireos.Other birds found included Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, Blue Jays ( one was really trying to mimic a hawk), American Crow and Northern Mockingbirds.

Alva and the Franklin Locks

Next  headed east toward Alva in hopes of adding carcara, wild turkey and white-winged doves. Did get a Red-headed Woodpecker near Alva. At the locks was able to add a pair of Limpkin and several exotics in House Sparrows, Rock Pigeons and Eurasian Collared Doves.

Harn's Marsh

Arrived about 2pm and found that it was not very birdy today. Even grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds were very low in numbers. Was greeted by a Bald Eagle roosting alongside the lake. Two of the Florida specialities found here were very quite.  Only found three Limpkins and one male Snail Kite. Saw only one Common Gallinule and the about similar numbers for Great Egret, Little Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, Little Blue Heron, Tricolred Heron, White Ibis, etc. Did find the Sandhill Crane family and the only ducks were present were several Mottled Ducks. Also found a Spotted Sandpiper.  Originally tryed to turn it into a solitary sandpiper, but the dancing gave it away.  Barn and Bank Swallows showed up as I was heading back to the car.

Eastern Kingbird

South Lee County - Domestic and Lee Streets.

The ponds on Domestic Street can be very active in the winter months with various ducks and coots, but currently only an Anhinga was present.  Recently the pastures along Lee Street had been active with two burrowing owl families. But today they were not to be located.  What was located were about a hundred Mourning Doves, a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk and a trio of Eastern Kingbirds.  Finally a flock of about a dozen Purple Martins arrived.  Have not seen this many martins at one time for a while.

Was a good day.  Got some good birds with the migrants arriving.

Common Nighthawks

 Had not done much birding these first couple of weeks of June, but today I opted a drive out to Gladys County and then over to Clewiston. Started from home about 7am and noted the usual yardbirds such as Blue Jays, Grackles, House Sparrows, Starlings, Fish Crows, Rock Pigeons etc. Also stopped at Domestic Street to check on the Burrowing Owl family.  All five members were present this mourning.  Also found a Mottled Duck just standing in a field, plus the usual Mourning and Ground Doves, Eastern Meadowlark and Loggerhead Shrikes. Cattle Egrets were busy in there search for breakfast. Did not hear the bobwhite today.

   Next was to head north on I-75 and then east on state route 80. Stopped in Alva to check for Red-Headed Woodpeckers. Did locate a cooperative woodpecker and could hear more meadowlarks. More Loggerhead Shrikes and Northern Mockingbirds were present.  Swallow-Tailed Kites were also located several times throughout the trip.

Red-Shouldered Hawk in Gladys County

Florida Scrub Jay

   Continued east on SR80 till reaching the town of LaBelle were we catch route 29 north to Gladys County and Route 74. The telecomunication tower outside LaBelle was crowded with vultures waiting for the sun to heat up the air. Usually route 29 can be reliable in locating sandhill cranes and sometimes crested caracara.  But not today. Route 74 was also absent the cranes and caracaras while I was there today, but did get a couple of looks at Florida Scrub Jays sunning themselvies atop a bare tree. Also found a few more meadowlarks and American Crows.

  Red-Headed Woodpecker in Alva

Took SR 27 east from SR29 to Clewiston, were I searched around the McDonalds for the common mynas that have been reported there at times. But not today and so I headed over the the Lake Okachobee dike were I had found bronzed cowbirds before. No cowbirds today, but did find a fearless Creasted Caracara and a couple of Eastern Kingbirds. Heading for home from here I took a side trip to another lookout location on the dike.  Not much to be seen from the dike but did find a couple Common Nighthawks resting on the telepone lines in the middle of the sugar cane fields.  Another nighthawk was soaring above the cane.

 Eastern Kingbird in Clewiston

Crested Caracara at Clewiston

My List - (31)

Mottled Duck, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, White Ibis

Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Swallow-tailed Kite, Red-shouldered Hawk, Crested Caracara, Laughing Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Burrowing Owl, Common Nighthawk, Red-headed Woodpecker, Eastern Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Blue Jay, Florida Scrub-Jay, American Crow, European Starling, Northern Parula, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Grackle, Boat-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow