The Florida Keys

Saturday May 8th 

Last weekend made my annual trip to the Keys and the Dry Tortugas National Park in search of those special birds we only encounter in the Keys. Sunday was the trip out to Fort Jefferson.  

Had wanted to get out there a couple of weeks earlier, but reservations for the ferry was fully booked. May 2nd was the closest available date for a booking. Why go 70 miles due west of Key West to go birding? To experience the thousands of seabirds that nest on these tiny spots of sand. Brown Noddies in the hundreds, Sooty Terns in thousands, the only breeding sight for Masked Boobies within the United States and Magnificent Frigatebirds. Add the rare accordance of a Black Noddy, some Bridle Terns, possible Roseate Terns and the migration of Neotropic Birds passing through.

So Sunday, arrived at the Ferry in Key West in plenty of time for our launch at eight AM. Its a three plus hour trip aboard the Yankee Freedom. About a half hour out from the dock an Audubon's Shearwater was spotted cruising just atop the waves. Much nearer to our destination the captain slowed down the boat so the birders got a chance to observe and record the eighty or so Masked Boobies that nest on Hospital Key.

Masked Boobies photographed by
Dave McQuade in 2016.
I've yet to get a descent photograph myself
eBird Checklist - 20 May 2016 - Dry Tortugas NP--Hospital Key - 4 species

Brown Noddies

Arrived about 10:30 at Fort Jefferson on Garden Key with the visitors dividing up into three groups - the serious birders, snorkelers and the tourists. For most of the birders, the first objective was to locate the Black Noddy at the north coaling docks. Amongst the hundred of brown noddies, finding the similar looking black noddy was a task.  I lucked out as noted big year birder John Vanderpoel and master birder Bill Kaempher were kind enough to to put me on the bird with great looks at the Black Noddy through their scope.  A Lifer for three of us. 

Green Sea Turtle seen within the moat

Parrotfish

Over the next three hours lots of wildlife was observed included spotting sea life in the clear waters around the fort especially within the moat. Including a Green Sea Turtle, Parrotfish, Gray Snapper, Tarpon, a Barracuda ands of colorful reef fish

Within the fort a Broad-winged Hawk, a Merlin, Barn Swallows and a Coopers Hawk soared overhead with the Brown Pelicans and Magnificent Frigatebirds. Other migrants observed included Hooded Warblers, American redstarts, Blackpoll Warblers, Northern Waterthrush

Bridled Tern

Sooty Tern

Magnificent Frigatebird

Brown Noddy

Sooty Terns

Hooded Warbler

Northern Waterthrush

A bathing female Blackpoll Warbler

On the day before I explored the Keys for other interesting birds from Key Largo to Key West. Checked twice in the weekend at the Blue Hole on Big Pine Key for the black grassquit. Dipped on both visits. Did get a good look at a Key Deer here. It was far too comfortable around with people.

Actually not much activity here at all. Just the Key Deer and some green iguanas

Free Ranging chickens are everywhere in the Keys

White-crowned Pigeon at Key West

White-eyed Vireo at Key Largo

Gator at Blue Hole

Up at Key Largo heard Black-whiskered Vireos and several White-eyed Vireos  plus Cape May Warblers and Gray Kingbirds. At the Marathon Government Center lots of Least Terns were present as they nest on the roofs of the buildings. Did have very dissatisfying looks at a couple of Roseate terns, which also nest on the roof. Also visited Fort Zachary Taylor State Park on Key West with looks at White Crowned Pigeon, American Redstarts and Blackpolls. Stationed myself at the western end of the Marathon Airport to sunset to await the Antillean Nighthawks.  This has usually been a reliable spot, but the birds didn't show as expected. Ironically did heard one further east from my stakeout spot. Additionally heard more in the pre-dawn hours on my trek from Marathon to Key West on Sunday morning.

Northern Curly-tailed Lizard at Key Largo

Fort Zachary Taylor - Key West

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

The Apex of Spring Migration

Thursday April 25th

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Spring migration is in full swing these days and this third week of April is usually the apex of activity. So many interesting birds are stopping over for rest on Sanibel, with the Sanibel Lighthouse being our Spring Migration Hot Spot. 

Northern Parula and a Summer Tanager

at the Sanibel Lighthouse

Many of our local birders had wisely purchased annual parking passes from the Town of Sanibel, to save money, as we have had such great birding activity at the lighthouse, that parking fees at the lighthouse add up quickly as we extend our time enjoying the day.  At $5.00 an hour the fees add up quickly.. And you will be ticketed with a hefty fine if you overstay your time. Not so long ago the parking was $2.00 hour, 

Great Crested Flycatcher at Rotary Park

Hooded Warbler
Sanibel Lighthouse, Sanibel Island - April 2019

Baltimore Oriole 

Bronzed Cowbird 

Have had a couple bronzed cowbird hanging around the neighborhood. 

Common Nighthawk

Was observed at the Sanibel Lighthouse

A flock of Orchard Orioles spent some time in this Black Olive Tree on Sanibel Island

Indigo Buntings are recharging on figs

Spring Migration

Wednesday April 8th

Hooded Warbler at Sanibel Lighthouse,
 Photo courtesy of Tammy McQuade

Spring migration has arrived here in Southwest Florida. The waterfowl, sparrows, harriers and yellow-rumped warblers have departed. The dunlins, dowitchers and piping plovers will be gone soon.  And the neo-tropics are now passing through.

Weather conditions dictate what, if any, migrants passing through will stop here for a rest. A week ago we had a very nice land-fall of warblers and swallows. The lighthouse on Sanibel Island is the spring hot spot for birding these resting birds. I visited there this morning and most of our earlier visitors had already moved on. Was able to see my FOS sightings of Magnificent Frigatebird and Barn Swallows, plus a Worm-eating Warbler, a single Palm Warblers and a gorgeous Prairie Warbler.

But that earlier land-fall was very rewarding.  I couldn't participate till the third day when I was able to see a Swainson's Warbler, several Hooded Warblers, a Worm-eating Warbler, many White-eyed, Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireos. Also saw Prothonotary, Northern Parulas, Black-and-White, Prairie and Palm Warblers. A beautiful Swallow-tailed Kite was hunting the tree tops as well. Dipped on the Kentucky Warbler and Oven Bird observed by others.

A rare to our area cave Swallow at Sanibel Lighthouse.
Photo courtesy of Tammy McQuade

On the first couple of days of this land-fall exhausted Barn, Tree, Cliff and even a rare to our area Cave Swallow were observed. All of the previously mentioned warblers and vireos were reported. Gray and Eastern Kingbirds, Indigo Buntings and a suspected Lazuli Bunted have also been reported. I had a suspected first season female cerulean warbler at Six-mile Cypress Preserve.

Swainson's Warbler at sanibel Lighthouse,
 Photo courtesy of Tammy McQuade

Hopefully we'll be treated to more colorful migrants passing through. Another interesting spring migrant are a hand full of Greater Flamingos that have been returning to an isolated and off-limits sight in western Palm Beach county. Seem that varying numbers of these birds have been visiting in the spring for the last several years. The word got last year about this population and the Miami Herald posted an article about a count of 143 at that time.  So far this year only eight have been reported.  Limited access has been made available by reservation, but quickly filled up. My friends Dr Jose Padilla and Dave and Tammy McQuade managed to participate in the first tour of the sight and were successful.

Greater Flamingos seen at STA 2 in  Palm Beach County
 Photo Courtesy of David McQuade

So many visitors to Florida think that they have seen a flamingo, by misidentified the much more common Rosette Spoonbill. But they can be seen, rarely,  even on occasion in our area.

 The best bet is a winter visit to Snake Bight. This is a shallow section of Florida Bay abutting Everglades National Park. Access here is either walking the Snake Bight Trail to its terminus or kayaking to the location from the marina at Flamingo.

Spring Migration - Looking for Early Warblers

Tuesday April First

Hooded Warbler at Ft DeSoto Park. Photo by Bob Pelkey

First off I want to wish my friend Ed, in Onalaska, Texas a Happy Birthday. Secondly we are seeing the start of the Spring neotropical  bird migration. The earliest arrivals are trickling in with Hooded Warblers and Prothonotary Warblers showing up in good numbers.    




 Today, in a late day visit to Ft DeSoto Park in Pinellas County, Bob Pelkey and I saw that Hooded Warblers had arrived in large numbers. They were hopping around everywhere. White-eyed Vireos  are also abundant today. Other migrating warblers seen included Prairie, Northern Parula, Worm-eating, Louisiana Waterthrush and Black-and-White. Lingering winter resident birds included Black Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, Redheads, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Gray Catbirds, and Palm & Yellow-rumped Warblers. Nanday Parakeets, a family of Great Horned Owls and a Merlin were nice additions for the day. The beaches offered all the usual and expected shorebirds and waders.  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Earlier in the day I visited one of our local hot spots, Six-Mile Cypress Preserve, in search of migrants. Seen today included Great Crested Flycatchers, Black-and-White Warblers, Parula, Prothonotary Warblers,  Pine Warblers, Black-throated Green Warblers, Prairie Warblers, Yellow-throated Warblers, White-eyed Vireos and Red-eyed Vireos. Lingering winter visitors included Blue-headed Vireos, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Palm Warblers and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Gray Catbirds and  Common Yellowthroats.               

 This was a nice start for Spring migration.  Hopefully weather conditions will allow us in southwest Florida opportunities to enjoy these colorful birds as they rush north to start nesting.


A count for the reached 74 birds.

Migrants at Six-Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

Thursday, August 23rd

The early migrants are finally arriving in beautiful Southwest Florida and specifically at our local patch called Six-Mile Cypress preserve. We have already seen the arrival of the shorebirds and now that the warblers are at hand.

Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers are a common sight and sound at Six-Mile

Wednesday I had the opportunity to spend a few hours biding in the company of Walt Winton. We both   had read Dr Padilla's report from a couple of days ago about how much the birding had improved. He had reported Short-tailed Hawks, plus Hooded, Worm-eating, Pine, Northern Parula, Louisiana Waterthrush,Yellowthroated and Black-and-White Warblers, plus Red-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireos.

 

We started out with a Prairie Warbler in the company of Tufted Titmice, Carolina Wrens, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and Red-eyed Vireos. Waders were notability absent due to the high water levels and we dipped on the short-tailed hawks.  but we have a number of Chimney Swifts whom I presumed were also migrating through. Now back to the warblers -  we came up with eight on the day including Hooded, Black-and-White, a Prothonotary, a Yellow, a Northern Parula, a half dozen American Redstarts and some Pine warblers. We also found Pileated, Hairy, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, more Red-eyed Vireos, a Great Crested Flycatcher, Belted Kingfisher, Anhingas and a Blue Jay. Seems other birders present reported worm-eating warbler, a kentucky warbler and louisania waterthrush. A nice start for the fall migration.

 

Well on Thursday, I returned twice to Six-mile hoping from additional surprises. The morning session was not very rewarding. My only warbler was a Louisiana Waterthrush, Was able to add a Red-eyed Vireo, Tufted Titmouse, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Northern Cardinal, Carolina Wrens too. The afternoon session was better with two Hooded Warblers, Black-and White Warblers, Yellowthroated Warblers, a Prothonotary Warbler and more Red-eyed Vireos.  Not a bad start.  Still dipped on worm-eating warbler, kentucky warbler and yellow-throated vireo, but we're not done yet

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.

Philadelphia Vireo - back to Ft DeSoto

Friday April 29th

Returned to Ft DeSoto for a third try in April at sighting any spring migrants.  The weather held potential for some numbers to make land-fall here. But alas, some good sightings were made, but the numbers were very low.  And those good sightings required some work.




Black-throated Green Warbler

 

Black-throated Green Warbler

Arrived about 9:00 am and ran into several disappointed birders.  After checking a couple of locations I ran into John Mangold and the birding poet, Jeff Hooks. Just before running into these guys I had found a cluster of birds in an area which proved to be a hot spot for the day. Had a Palm Warbler, a flock of about ten Indigo Buntings, a Yellow Warbler and an unidentified thrush. Earlier John, Jeff, Ron Smith and another birder named Tom had great views of a pair of male golden-winged warblers there. So I joined with John and Jeff to try and relocate the golden-wings. Would have been a lifer for me, but we did get great looks at a couple of Black-throated Green Warblers, an Eastern Wood-pewee,  more Indigo Buntings, a Prairie Warbler and a female Blackpoll Warbler. 

We split up about eleven o'clock and I returned to the mulberry trees near the pier. I had checked it out earlier and had not seen anything.  On my return to this spot, I sat and waited for any activity that is usually centered around the water feature. Almost immediatelly had several birds come in to get a drink. Started with a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak, then more Indigo Buntings, a female Hooded Warbler, a FOS Eastern Kingbird, a rarely seen Philadelphia Vireo - Lifer!! and a very large raccoon.  Even had a White Ibis and a Laughing Gull come for a drink. The Nanday Parakeets were also noisy visitors to the area as well. 
Link to photo by Jeff Hooks on his blog of a Philadelphia Vireo he photographed on a later date at Ft DeSoto.
Had to head for home by 2:00  when I noted a Gray Kingbird and a lone Brownheaded Cowbird on the wires. An earlier check of the Teirra Verde ponds still had very small numbers of Lesser Scaups, Redheads, Pied-billed Grebes and a lone male Ruddy Duck. And  even earlier, on the drive up to St Peterburg, I checked the campsite road along the south shore of Webb Lake at Babcock-Webb in Charlotte County. Not to much was found but for a very out-of-place juvenile Snail Kite seen sitting on a snag.  Over all it was a good day.

Great Horned Owls - Ft DeSoto Park

It's spring migration time and sometimes birding can be fun. It's just a matter of right place at the right time. One good spot is Ft DeSoto Park in Tampa Bay. Headed up there on Monday arriving about 8:30am.  Could only stay for a couple of hours.

The resent news was about the hundreds of Hooded Warblers that had descended on the island. Other visitors included Worm-eating warblers, Prothonotary Warblers and a Blue-winged Warbler among the reported sightings. A brown-crested flycatcher had been reported regularly for about the past two weeks. But with the nice weather, I had already figured the migration counts would have shrunk. And so it was. 

Still found several Hooded Warblers, plus a couple of Palm Warblers, a Prairie Warbler, a Black-and-White Warbler, a lone Northern Parula and had great looks at a Prothonotary Warbler. A nice male Summer Tanager was in the Ranger's yard.  Lots of Cedar Waxwings. Several White-eyed vireos and a single Blue-headed vireo were busy too. A flotilla of 28 American White Pelicans came in off the bay, probably heading north to Montana. Was able to look at the Great Horned Owl and her chick in there nest, and I also got a brief look at the Long-billed Curlew before it flew off. Not bad for a couple of hours. Missed on the brown-crested flycatcher though. I'll be back in a couple of weeks
Checking the Terra Vierde ponds showed that almost all of the ducks are gone.  Just a few Ruddy Ducks, Lesser Scaups and a few Coots. Had fly-overs of Black-hooded Parakeets at the ponds and twice within the park. Don't know if it was single flock following me around or several flocks.

My List - American White Pelican, Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Reddish Egret, White Ibis, Wood Stork, Black Vulture, Osprey, Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, American Oystercatcher, Willet, Long-billed Curlew, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Forster's Tern, Sandwich Tern, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Great Horned Owl, White-eyed Vireo, Fish Crow, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Parula, Prairie Warbler, Palm Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Summer Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Boat-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Black-hooded Parakeets, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, American Coot

Ft DeSoto Park

On Monday, September 21, 2009 my daughter Melissa and I traveled up to St Petersberg from Ft Myers to bird Ft DeSoto Park. The park is on Mullet Key near to the Skyline Bridge in Tampa Bay. We had a good birding day back last April during the spring migration. We missed out on having a great day like when birders hit the island during a "Fall-Out" of large flocks of exhausted migrants. But we did OK especially with the ficus tree at the headquarters building. Our list for that day included Mottled Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Magnificent Frigatebird, Great Egret, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Osprey, American Coot, Black-bellied Plover, Willet, Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, Laughing Gull, Least Tern, Common Tern, Royal Tern, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Fish Crow, Tree Swallow, Gray Catbird, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Palm Warbler, American Redstart, Kentucky Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Summer Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Boat-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Orchard Oriole, House Sparrow

But as for a good fall migration day we seemed to be a bit early and had zero luck with only finding a few Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, a few eastern Kingbirds and a couple of Gray Kingbirds. However the shorebirds were very good. We easily found the resident Long-Billed Curlew and was happy to locate Caspian Terns at both the East Beach and North Beach locations. We don't see Caspian Terns down in Lee County. In fact I hit it as my lifer just last February over at STA-5 in Hendry County. http://www.audubonswfl.org/STA5.htmonswfl.org/STA5.htm. It was a good day with terns with five species. It would have been nice to locate a Black Tern, but it is probably already too late in the season. I thought that I had a Lesser Black-Backed Gull at North Beach, but could not get a good viewing, but did have one perched on a pole road-side as we were leaving for the day. Again these gulls don't come further south to Lee County, so it was a good catch.

My list for this visit - Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, White Ibis, Wood Stork, Black-bellied Plover, Wilson's Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Willet, Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Laughing Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Caspian Tern, Common Tern, Forster's Tern, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern, Mourning Dove, Belted Kingfisher, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Kingbird, Gray Kingbird, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, European Starling