New Years Big Day

 Monday January 5th

New Year's Big Day - eBird Trip Report

Western Lesser Black-backed Gull

 

Kicked off the new year with a Big Day of birding.  Stayed within Lee County, starting before sunrise at Estero Bay Preserve SP--Winkler Point, where my first bird for the year was a calling Bald Eagle. Moved onto Bunche Beach, Bass Road Ponds, Cape Coral, Powell Creek Preserve, Alva and ending at with brief stops at Harns Marsh and West Marsh in Lehigh Acres. After wrapping up my day at West Marsh it was time to head home for some rest. But the day was not done, because there was a call from Eary Warren giving me a heads up on a sighting at of a Red Throated Loon that he and his posse had located at Riverside Park in Fort Myers. A very rare sighting to southwest Florida. As it was only a 14-minute drive from my home, I headed out. At the park I added Forster's Terns to my list, but not the loon. Will try again later.

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

Harns Marsh

Thursday, June 1st

Made my monthly visit to Harns Marsh as a part of my Lee County Bird Patrol assignment. Even with some recent heavy rain, the water levels were still very low. The canals were almost dry. Won't be long till the rains of summer fill them up.

It was fun getting watch a trio of river otters as they were fishing for their breakfast.  

Had several Florida Sandhill Cranes including an adolescent colt. A female Snail Kite was hanging out near the start of the trail. As I was leaving researchers from the University of Florida were on hand to do a survey on the kites.

Other sightings included Little Blue Herons, Mottled Ducks, Black-crowned Night-heron, Gray-headed Swamphens, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Common Gallinules, Limpkins and Anhingas 

Little Blue Heron

Gray-headed Swamphen

Black-crowned Night-heron

Common Gallinule

Anhinga

Limpkin

Snail Kite

Snail Kite

Bunche Beach

 Saturday July 23rd

Haven't been out to Bunche Beach for a couple of months. Primarily because the better tides needed to observe the birds have been occurring very late in the day, which usually when the thunderstorms roll in. Prefer to visit when the tides are low in the early morning, to avoid the worst temperatures of the day and to avoid crowds. Plus, the current issues with fuel prices have been keeping me a home. 

Young Little Blue Heron

Juvenal Yellow-crowned Night-heron

Laughing Gull

Short-billed Dowitcher

Black Skimmer

Ruddy Turnstone

Western Sandpiper

Western Sandpiper

Western Sandpiper

Western Sandpiper

Dune Marsh-Elder

Black Mangrove

Black Mangrove

But yesterday I did venture out in the afternoon after the rain had passed through. Saw a nice variety of the expected birdlife. Most common on the day were Short-billed Dowitchers. Plus, Sanderlings, Western and Lesser Sandpiper, a Spotted Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstones, a few Willets, Marbled Godwits, American Oyster Catchers, Laughing Gulls, Black Skimmers, Least, Sandwich and Royal Terns, Brown Pelicans, Fish Crows, Northern Cardinals, Rosette Spoonbills, Reddish Egret, Little Blue Herons, Great and Snowy Egrets, White Ibis, Black-bellied and Semi-palmate Plovers and Yellow-crowned Night-herons.

A New Year

 Friday January First

Spent the day looking to start my new year's list with visits to a few local hot spots. 

Snowy Plover at Bunche Beach

Had  a good start at Bunche Beach, arriving at a low tide.  Best bird was perhaps seeing a Snowy Plover. We occasionally will find a Snowy Plover at Bunche, but the sandier beaches on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel are better places to look for them.  Other sightings at Bunche included several Reddish Egrets, American White Pelicans, Piping Plovers, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, Least Sandpipers and Spotted Sandpiper. Dipped on several expected species, which turned out to be the trend of the day. 

American White Pelican at Bunche Beach

Next made a quick check of Lakes Park. Looking for least bitterns here, but settled for a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, a Cooper's Hawk and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. 

Mottled Duck at Lakes Park

Moved on to the boardwalk at Six-mile Cypress Slough Preserve. Which was very quite today.  The same for Rotary Park in Cape Coral. Next were the burrowing owls and Monk Parakeets at the nearby Pelican Boulevard Ballfields. The noisy parakeets can be easy to locate, but the owls were in hiding today. 

Loggerhead Shrike at Lakes Park

Cattle Egret at Harns Marsh

The Florida Scrub jays were absent today too.  Looked for them in Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres.  Ended the day at Harns Marsh. Lots of Pied-billed Grebes, a few Grey-headed Swamphens and the expected wading birds. So the day's tally wasn't very high. And that's OK

Least Sandpiper at Bunche Beach

Common Gallinule at Harns Marsh

Northern Mockingbird at Lakes Park

Little Blue Heron at Harns Marsh

Great Southern White 

At Harns Marsh