Central Florida

  Thursday January 18th

Osprey seen at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

January 14th 

Central Florida - eBird Trip Report

Began my birding vacation at Lake Apopka.  The wildlife drive on the North Shore of Lake Apopka is a must visit venue for wintering waterfowl and wetlands bird life. Managed by the St Johns Water Management District, this property is an example of taking heavily polluted farmlands, responsible for some terrible bird die-offs, and rehabbing the lands and waters into a much healthier habit for the environment. 

Arrived early in the day and traveled the six miles under threat of rain. Some of the birds present today included thousands of American Coots, Hundreds of Common Gallinules, Black-belled Whistling Ducks, Ring-necked Ducks, plus Purple Gallinules, Swamphens, Sora, Wilson's Snipe, American Wigeons, Pintail Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Blue-winged Teal, Gadwall, Mottled Ducks, Osprey, Northern Harriers, Savannah Sparrows and more.

It rained the remainder of the day as I moved onto Cocoa Beach. Did a little sea watch birding at the cocoa beach pier. Noted that Northern Gannets were on hand offshore.

Wood Stork
Merritt Island

January 15th

Toured Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Birded the Black Point Wildlife Drive and Bio Lab Road.  Lots of Blue-winged Teal were present as well as Northern Shovelers, Common Gallinules, Pintail Ducks, Ring-necked Ducks, Greater & Lesser Scaup. Bonaparte's Gull, Reddish Egrets plus Wood Storks, Rosette Spoonbills, American White Pelicans, Hooded Mergansers, Northern Harriers and Caspian Gull were seen.

Looked for the American Flamingos reported to be seen from the Haulover Canal site in MINWR. Spotted Kestrels and Brown Pelicans, but not the flamingos.

Glossy Ibis
Merritt Island

Snowy Egret
Merritt Island

January 16th

Spent the day in Gainesville, birding at Sweetwater Wetlands Preserve and Paynes Prairie State Park. The weather conditions have remained wet so that when I arrived early at Sweetwater Wetlands, I opted to protect my camera from the rain by leaving it my car. This was a mistake. Had several awesome photography opportunities with a posing King Rail, Ruby Crowned Kinglet and Sparrows. 

One observation was that there were almost no waterfowl present - a pair of Blue-winged Teal and a trio of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks. 

Did seen Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Kinglets, Marsh Wrens, Chipping, Savannah, Song & Swamp Sparrows.  Plus Orange-crowned Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, Palm & Yellow-rumped Warblers. I missed on snipe, sora, purple gallinules and bitterns.

Blue-winged Teal
Lake Apopka

The next stop was at the Le Chua Trail where Snail Kites have taken up residence in the area of The Sink.  Counted five today. Had an Ovenbird seen in the parking area as I was leaving.

Orange-crowned Warbler
Sweetwater Wetlands

January 17th  

On my way home made a stop at the Paynes Prairie State Park Visor Center to look for the Whooping Crane reportedly seen out on the prairie. It was only 35 degrees this morning as I checked for any interesting birds. Had some Spanish Horses, Sandhill Cranes and Northern Harrier.  But no Whooping Crane today

Savannah Sparrow
Sweetwater Wetlands

Snail Kite
La Chua Trail - Paynes Prairie State Park

Limpkin

Carolina Wren
Paynes Prairie State Park

Gadwall
Lake Apopka

Little Blue Heron
Lake Apopka

Trip Report - Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival

Day One

Wednesday, November 4th

Today, I arrived at Harlingen, Texas about 11:00 am to attend the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. The Rio Grande Valley hosts many bird species that aren't found anywhere else within the U.S. as well as western species not seen at home in Florida.  And I have wanted to visit here for a long time.

 

Bronzed Cowbird

So after collecting my rental car, headed over to the convention center to collect my credentials Here I also collected my first species of the trip - the very numerous Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird and Inca Doves. 

Estero Llano Grande State Park

Then it was off to Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco. This park is a must visit location for birders and had recently hosted a juvenile Northern Jacana. I had high hopes of seeing this rare-in-the-States Mexican bird, and had been regular in Estero for several weeks. but disappeared just two days before the festival began. Disappointing, but there was so much more to see.(bird List)

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Upon arrival birders were commenting on sightings of a Ducky-capped Flycatcher and a Blue-throated Hummingbird. Spent some time looking for hummingbirds and saw Bluff-bellied and Ruby-throated Hummers. Missed the Blue-throated. At the visitors center deck over-looking ibis pond, was able see add both Least and Pied-billed Grebes, American Coots, Gadwall, Great Kiskadee, Great Egret, more Great-tailed Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds. 

Gadwall

On the trails I added White-tipped, Inca and Mourning Doves, Indigo Buntings, Eastern Phoebes,  Vermilion Flycatcher, Sora, Lark Sparrow, a Eared Grebe, American White Pelicans, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Couch's Kingbird, a pair of White-tailed Kites, White Ibis, Great Blue Heron, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Blue-winged Teal, Tree and Barn Swallows, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and Mockingbirds.

A pair of White-tailed Kites

Savannah Sparrow

Vermilion Flycatcher

Later in the afternoon, Dave and Tammy McQuade arrived at Estero Llano.  Dave and Tammy had been on a guided tour of a northern section of the King Ranch earlier in the day and had great success including a Ferruginous Hawk and a large gathering of Mountain Plover.

Eastern Screech OwlTexas Screech Owl or McCall's Screech Owl (Megascops asio mccallii, Range: Southern Texas (USA) south to northeastern Mexico

So now they were on-hand and quickly began a search for the Blue-throated Hummingbird. After a time we moved on as Dave was going to take me to a spot he knew about, to see a ground roosting Common Pauraque. This bird was just inches off the trail but was so easily missed do its being able to blend into the forest floor. Then we looked at a near by screech-owl box which had its resident Eastern Screech-Owl (McCall race) poking its head out to greet visitors. Down the trail was Alligator Pond, were  we saw  Anhinga, Ringed and Green Kingbirds, Long-billed Thrasher, Nashville Warbler, Spotted Sandpiper and Black-crested Titmouse.

Common Pauraque

After five and half hours of birding the property, it was time to check-in to the hotel and crash.  Dave and Tammy stuck around Estero to wait for the arrival of some friends of the theirs and to continue the search for the Blue-throat. They would add Plain Chachalaca after I left and Dave would spot a female Red-legged Honeycreeper at Estero a few days later.

White Ibis

Day List (50) - Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Gadwall, Blue-winged Teal, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Anhinga, American White Pelicans, Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, White Ibis, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, White-tailed Kite, Sora, Common Gallinule, American Coot, White-tipped Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Eastern Screech Owl, Common Pauraque, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ringed Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Eastern Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Flycatcher, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Long-billed Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Nashville Warbler, Lark Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Bronzed Cowbird, Great-tailed Grackle and House Sparrow.

Couch's Kingbird

Ringed Kingfisher