Babcock-Webb

 Wednesday, April 30rd

    Try to visit Babcock-Webb at least once a month. The slash pine-palmetto palm habitat at Babcock is favored by Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and Bachman's Sparrows.

The Bachman's Sparrow is a very sulky species and are best located while they are on territory, basically around April when the males are singing. But observations at Babcock this past month were very rare this past month.  So where did the sparrows go? April is probably the best time to find Bachman's but virtually no one were reporting these birds.  I made three trips in April myself.

A FEW PICS

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Northern Bobwhite

Purple Gallinule

Purple Gallinule

Baby Gator

Gray Catbird

Anhinga

White-winged Dove

Yard Birds

 Saturday July 20th

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks have recently been making visits to my yard because of the feeders. They are often in the company of the many Muscovy Ducks frequenting the neighborhood and my feeders.

To encourage interesting birds to visit I have been offering white millet, safflower seeds, sunflower hearts and a mixed blend. So, I'm getting lots of House Sparrows, Comon Grackles, Mourning Doves and White-winged Doves. The feeders also attract most all of the common resident birds including Eurasian Collared Doves, Common Ground Doves, Northern Cardinals, Red-belled Woodpeckers and Blue Jays. Most all of these species will bring their young fledglings with them to the feeders.

Because the host tree on the property, a huge Chinese laurel, didn't fruit this year had a drop off of interesting birds. 

Some interesting visitors this year, so far, include Bronzed Cowbirds and a Shiney Cowbird

Shiny Cowbird
February 2024

Bronzed Cowbird
April 2024

Northern Bobwhite
March 10, 2024

Northern Mockingbird

Nanday Parakeet

Red-bellied Woodpecker

House Sparrow

Nanday Parakeet

White Ibis

Great Crested Flycatcher

Blue Jay

Blue Jay

Northern Cardinal

White-winged Dove

Muscovy Duck

Painted Bunting

Common Grackles

Common Grackle

Brown-headed Cowbirds

Mourning Dove

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Mourning Dove

Some Pics for July

Monday July 25th

Northern Bobwhite
seen in Lehigh Acres

Cattle Egret
begging at the drive through at McDonalds

 

Showy Milkwort
at Lehigh Acres

Earthstar mushrooms
see in Lehigh Acres

Gray Squirrel
loves my bird feeders

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
have become common in the area

Feral Pigeon

Monk Parakeet
at the Pelican Boulevard ballfields in Cape Coral

Reddish Egret
at Fort Myers Beach

Atala
seen on Fort Myers Beach

Beach Morning Glory
Fort Myers Beach

Reddish Egret
Fort Myers Beach

Brown Thrasher

Bronzed Cowbird
Eagle Lakes Park - Naples, Florida

Florida Rainbow
Mussel shells collected at Babcock-Webb

Panaeolus antillarum
mushrooms that like to grow on cow dung

White-winged Doves
there numbers are growing at Babcock-Webb

At Babcock

 Monday, April 4th

Another visit to Babcock-Webb, in Charlotte County, today.

Northern Bobwhite

Got there early enough to see and hear a couple of Chuck-wills-widows. And again, saw lots of activity at drying up wetlands hosting American White Pelicans, lots of Wood Storks and Yellowlegs. Added a pair of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and heard several Bachman's Sparrows. Other birds included Swallow-tailed Kites, Eastern Towhees, Northern Bobwhites, Meadowlarks, Eastern Bluebirds, White-eyed Vireos, a Hairy Woodpecker, Pine Warblers, Gray Catbirds, Rosette Spoonbills, Black-crowned Night-herons, lots of White & Glossy Ibis and Common Yellowthroats.  Dipped on brown-headed nuthatch. It also appears that the palm and yellow-rumped warblers have pulled-out for their long flights north.

American White Pelicans

American White Pelicans

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Lesser Yellowlegs

Island Glass Lizard

Lots of white-tailed deer and alligators, plus spotted an Island Glass Lizard sunning itself on the road.

Island Glass Lizard

Baby Gators

Baby Gators