Road Trip

Sunday December 15th

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Its been awhile since I've been able to go on a birding road trip.  But this weekend I headed up to Lake Apopka and Gainesville looking for wintering Sparrows and Waterfowl.

Fulvous Whistling Ducks

Ash-throated flycatcher 

 Arrived on Friday morning at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive to look for interesting waterfowl and other birds. First task  was to seek out the Ash-throated Flycatcher that has been hanging out close to the entrance gate. Almost got a great pic as the bird fly across the road to pose in a nearby tree. 

There were thousands of American Coots seen here and maybe another thousand Common Gallinules. The most interesting bird of the day was a male Painted Bunting seen near the Pump House. A Merlin was also cruising the Pump House area.

A Male Painted Bunting

A Peregrine Falcon and  Kestrel would be seen later along the drive.

Anhingas, Pied-billed Grebes and Double-crested Cormorants were also very numerous. As for the waterfowl, we had hundreds of Ring-necked Ducks, plus Fulvous and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, American Wigeons, Blue-winged Teal and Northern Shovelers.  Additional sightings included Swamp Sparrows, all of the expected Wading Birds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Yellowthroats, a couple of calling Soras, Palm Warblers, House Wrens, Belted Kingfishers, a juvenile Purple Gallinule and Eastern Phoebes. 

Bur Marigolds were in Bloom

Pied-billed Grebe

Great Blue Herons were numerous

Merlin at the Pump House Area

From Lake Apopka, traveled up to Gainesville with plans to check-out The La Chua Trail and Sweetwater Wetlands located on the northern edge of Paynes Prairie, tomorrow. But today as day was waning went over to an area called Magnolia Parke with the idea to see if any Rusty Blackbirds were coming in to roost. Didn't identify any rustys, among the Red-winged Blackbirds but had a few Yellow-rumped Warblers, Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, Carolina Chickadee and black-and-White Warbler.

Swamp Sparrows dining on Spanish Needle seeds

Snowy Egret

Day two was spent visiting venues in Gainesville.
 First stop was a stretch of the Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail - North, walking from SE 4th Street to the Sweetwater Spur and back. Only spotted a single Chipping Sparrow, that was identifiable. Other sightings included Eastern Towhees, Northern Flickers, Downy Woodpeckers, Eastern Phoebes, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Carolina Chickadees, Gnatcatchers, Blue-headed Vireo and Black-and-White Warbler

American Bittern

Next up was the Sweetwater Wetlands Preserve. Haven't visited here in almost two years and there was quite a different experience today. Back then the water level was lower with plenty of exposed muddy shores to attract Long-billed Dowitchers, various Sandpipers, Wilson's Snipes and a rare to Florida, female Ruff. Lots of waterfowl too.

Today the American Coots, Common Gallinules, Anhingas and Double-crested Cormorants are very abundant, But not a lot of other waterfowl - Blue-winged Teal, Mottled Ducks, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and a lone American White Pelican. Heard a Sora and photographed a Purple Gallinule, but dipped on any snipes or other rails

Purple Gallinule

Common Gallinules

Snail Kites have also moved into this venue since my last visit. Which is a good sign that this once threatened species is expanding their range.

 I also  joined a stack-out for another rare in Florida bird, LeContes Sparrow. As I waited on the bird, an American Bittern made an appearance as did a trio of Savannah Sparrows and a Song Sparrow. 

Turns out that the last sighting of the LeContes was made yesterday, before a strong storm, with tornados passed through the area last night. 

Snail Kite at the Sink Boardwalk

It didn't take long to cover the LaChua Trail at Paynes Prairie State Park as much of the area was flooded. The park volunteers I talked with said that the water levels were actually falling, and that the Spanish Horses and the Bison herd had been moved to another area of the park because of the high water.

At the Sink Boardwalk, several Snail Kites were active and very tolerant of the human visitors as were the huge alligators. Other sightings included a White-crowned Sparrow, more American Coots and Common Gallinules, Limpkins, Sandhill Cranes, Anhingas and Double-crested Cormorants

Bluejacket

Migration has Picked Up

Sunday October 20th

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

We're finally having some fun 

as the birding activity in Southwest Florida has finally picked up. even as Fall Migration period is reaching its waning days

Till now our birding experience has been very weak and disappointing.  A question shared by many was 'Where are the birds?'

Red-eyed Vireo

Merlin

Rotary Park in Cape Coral has had a nice variety lately. The Blue-winged Teal have arrived. Other recent sightings at Rotary Park have included Acadian Flycatchers, Swainsons Thrush, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Red-eyed Vireos, white-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Gray Catbirds, Mangrove Cuckoo, plus Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue, American Redstarts, Black-and-white, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Cape May, Northern Parula, Yellow-throated,  Prairie, Ovenbirds, Tennessee & Common Yellowthroat Warblers. Also Scarlet Tanagers,  Indigo Buntings, House Wrens, Peregrine Falcons, Merlin and Belted Kingfishers. Even a Nashville warbler was seen a couple of days ago

Acadian Flycatcher

The past couple of  days I haven't needed to leave my yard as the huge ficus in the front yard is very birdy.  Baltimore  Orioles,  Bay-breasted,  Magnolias, Tennessee, Pine, Black-throated Blue, American Redstarts, Black-and-white Warblers, a Swanson's Thrush and White-winged Doves.

Plus Grackles, Crows ,Mockingbirds and Starlings are loading up on the fruit and bugs

A female Black-throated Blue Warbler

A White-eyed Vireo

A Scarlet Tanager munching on a berry

European Starlings are feasting on the fruit on the ficus tre

Catching-up on November

Wednesday, November 26th

Its been difficult recently keeping current with my postings
So today I've chosen to  just post some pics from recent outings.

These Purple Swamphens are common at Chapel Trail on Sheridan Road, Pembroke Pines

About the only exotic species seem on a recent trip to the south Miami Area were these Muscovy Ducks

One of a pair of Bald Eagles often seen at Harns Marsh

This Merlin was recently seen at Bunche Beach

Blue-winged Teal are growing in numbers at Harns Marsh

A pair of Ring-necked Ducks at Harns Marsh

An enlarged photo of a Purple Gallinule at Harns Marsh

An uncommon Franklin's Gull found recently on Bonita Beach

A herd of Sanderlings playing tag with the surf.

A very uncommon, to Florida, Long-billed Curlew, but frequent visitor to Bunche Beach
This individual has been seen here over the course of several years

A White-morphed Reddish Egret seen at Bunche Beach

This Piping Plover, tagged as P69, was found recently at Bunche Beach.
More information on this individual is pending.

A Coopers Hawk seen this past Tuesday at the fishing pier at Ft DeSoto Park in Tampa Bay

Myakka State Park, near Sarasota, can be a great place to look for wintering waterfowl,
 such as these Northern Pintails and Mottled Ducked

Several Black-necked Stilts were also observed at Myakka State Park

Wild Turkey observed road-side at Myakka State Park

Sharp-shinned Hawks - Visits to Babcock-Webb and Harns Marsh

Wednesday, October 26th

Typical habitat at babcock-Webb

After spending so much time lately chasing the fall migration I took some time to visit a couple of my favorite spots. Spent the mourning visiting Babcock-Webb Wildlife Management Area in Charlotte County.  Started with locating a pair of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers.  The most common birds were Common Grackles followed by White Ibis, Pied-billed Grebes, Eastern Meadowlarks, Belted Kingfishers and Pine Warblers.  Other warblers included a lot of Palm Warblers, a few Common Yellowthroats and a sole Prairie Warbler. Was able to add a FOS Wilson's Snipe, a Bald Eagle, Common Ground Doves, an Eastern Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, a Yellow-throated Vireo, a single Eastern Bluebird , at least four Eastern Towhees, several chattering House Wrens.  Found several Northern Mockingbirds, a couple of Brown Thrashers, plus several Northern Cardinals.

While making a final stab at locating any nuthatches or bobwhites, which I dipped on, I was surprised to find a Broad-winged Hawk and then a Sharp-shinned Hawk flew past my car. Both hawks are migrants. Some of the them may stay for the winter, but mostly they are heading south.

Juvenile White Ibis, was part of a large flock of juveniles

Pied-billed Grebe

Great Blue Heron at Webb Lake

Later in the day I headed over to Harn's Marsh in Lee County.  The water level was still high so waders were not very numerous.  Did get Great Blue Herons, a couple of Limpkins,  Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Tricolored Herons, a single Glossy Ibis, a dozen Cattle Egrets and no white ibis.  American Coots have arrived and had a couple of Common Gallinule, another Wilson's Snipe, a trio of Least Sandpipers and a single Killdeer. The usual Turkey and Black Vultures are present and did find only two Snail Kites today. But the migrant hawks were present here too, including another Broad-winged Hawk, a Merlin, a Kestrel and a Sharp-shinned Hawk.  Had a couple of Savannah Sparrows in the company of a couple of Palm Warblers and a flock of Tree Swallows passed over just as I was leaving. As for ducks I counted twenty Mottled Ducks and a trio of Blue-winged Teal.  Won't be long and the variety of ducks will be increasing soon.

Least Sandpiper at Harn's Marsh

Hawk Watch at Sanibel Lighthouse

Sunday, October 23rd



Sanibel Lighthouse



Today we had the hawk watch at the Sanibel Lighthouse, sponsored by Audubon of SW Florida. It kicked-off at 8 am on a brisk, clear morning, with Vince McGrath as leader of our group of about fourteen birders.

Right off the bat, Gayle Schmidt reporting sighting a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and as we moved up the path we come up with our FOS Yellow-rumped Warbler.  But it wasn't a Myrtle race, it was a rare to south Florida Audubon's Warbler. So we started out with two western birds uncommon in Lee County. Then we found the recently reported male Pin-tailed Whydah.  No doubt an escapee, but it did put on a good show.

Audubons Warbler, photo by Stan Damen

Pin-tailed Whydah

Scissor-taled Flycatcher

Over the course of four hours we did not get big numbers of hawks, but did have a good variety - a couple of Kestrels, three Merlins, a pair of Sharp-shinned Hawks, a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, two Northern Harriers, a Broad-winged Hawk and at least three Osprey.

As for our non-raptor finds we had Baltimore Oriole, Scarlet tanager, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Yellow-throated Vireo, White-eyed Vireo, Tennessee Warblers, Blue-throated Blue Warbler, lots of Palm Warblers, a Prairie warbler, a late Cerulean Warbler, American Redstarts, Bay-breasted Warblers, Indigo Bunting , a female Painted Bunting, several Chimney Swifts and a sole Northern Rough-winged Swallow.



American White Pelicans at Ding Darling



Following the hawk watch, I headed over to Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge for a quick drive trough.  Was able to see a large number of American White Pelicans, Roseate Spoonbills, Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets, Willets, Short-billed Dowitchers, Pied-billed Grebes, a hand-full of Black-bellied Plovers, Least Sandpipers and Western Sandpipers. A good day to bird on Sanibel.