Thursday January 26th
I have tried to make an annual trip up to the northern end of Florida especially to the Florida Panhandle. Usually scheduling my birding holiday around the first or second week of January. Living in Southwest Florida, we do get to enjoy the many species of birds that choose to winter in our area. But many species that usually don't venture this far south, may still be found a few hours to the north.
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| Cedar Waxwings trying to stay warm on a cold blustery day at Lake Apopka |
Some target species would include many species of waterfowl like snow geese and common goldeneye. The search for waterfowl often takes us to venues in Lake Apopka, Gainesville, St Marks NWR and Merritt Island NWR. These venues can also host a wide variety of other species as well. The lands around Tallahassee are known as the Red Hills and are actually the southern terminus of the Appalachians. And here can be found flora and fauna more commonly found in more northerly regions such as winter wren, white breasted nuthatch and red breasted nuthatch, an occasional brown creeper, purple finch, golden-crowned kinglet and juncos have showed up in larger numbers this year. We also have a lone flamingo that has taken up residency at St Marks for a few years. Brewers and rusty blackbirds can be located wintering in north Florida, mostly in the Panhandle.
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Blue-winged Teal
found in the wetlands along the Lake Apopka North Shore Wildlife Road |
This trip was a lot of fun and I was rewarded with many great observations. My five days spent traveling and birding got me a list of species. Actually, had three lifer species on the trip Wilson's and Nashville Warblers and a rare to Florida White Wagtail. It gets harder each year with finding lifers in Florida as my life list grows. On this trip I did miss several species on my target list., for a number of reasons. I think primarily due to birding solo. I had much more success when joining with other birders. I crossed paths with my friends Dave and Tammy McQuaide and had some great birding observations. Dave and Tammy are outstanding in finding the birds.
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Swamp Sparrow
Lake Apopka, Florida
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Day one was basically a travel day, going from Fort Myers to Lake Apopka. Made a stop in Polk County to look for the pair of Whooping Cranes (just learned, recently, that one of the pair of whoopers has passed away) that have patrolled a pasture on Backbone Road near Babson Park. Put in almost an hour, but the cranes were staying out of view. Guess I'll have to return sometime soon.
The location is managed by the St Johns Water Management District, who had acquired it former farmland after the chemical run-off from fertilizers and pesticides had cause an
ecological disaster to Lake Apopka. There are several hiking paths throughout the restoration project with a lot of outstanding birding. The wildlife drive permits folks to access the property via auto only on the weekends.
Lots of coots and waterfowl including Ring-necked Ducks, Shovelers, Teal, Whistling-ducks. Some other fun sightings included some Cedar Waxwings, Painted Bunting, Swamp and Savannah Sparrows, Purple Gallinule, Bonaparte's Gulls and Northern Harriers
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| American Coots numbered in the thousands at Lake Apopka |
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Ring-necked Duck
Lake Apopka |
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Purple Gallinule
Lake Apopka |
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Glossy Ibis
Lake Apopka |
Leaving the Lake Apopka, area about 11:30, I was headed to my next targeted venue. On a pond southwest of Ocala was a reported, rare to Florida,
Greater White-fronted Goose. The location was called Glen Hill Farm located along a busy SW 27th Avenue. The goose was easily spotted but was difficult for me to get a good pic. The pond also hosted a
Redhead duck, Hooded Mergansers, Mottled Ducks, lots of Canada Geese, Wilson's Snipes, Yellowlegs, Killdeer, a least Sandpiper, Sandhill Cranes and about eight
Ruddy Shelducks. Not sure what the story is with the
Ruddy Shelducks. They're probably escapees.
eBird Checklist - 14 Jan 2023 - Glen Hill Farm - 21 species |
Hooded Merganser
at Glen Hill Farm - Ocala, Florida
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Canada Goose
at Glen Hill Farm - Ocala, Florida
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| Greater White-fronted Goose in Ocala |
Last venue for the day was time spent at Sweetwater Wetlands Preserve in Gainesville. Sweetwater Wetlands is an outstanding birding venue. Today's target species included
Common Goldeneye, Buffleheads, Soras, Purple Gallinules, Black Bellied Whistling-ducks and Rusty Blackbirds. I had also a lifer in a
Wilson's Warbler. The option for experiencing the uncommon to Florida Rusty Blackbirds is when they come into roost at sundown. I had stationed myself at the stack-out spot awaiting the birds to fly in, where I was greeted by my friends Dave and Tammy McQuade. They were also on hand to see the Rusty Blackbirds, and this wasn't the first time we had crossed paths at this spot. Because, almost to the day, a year ago, we made the same unexpected encounter with the McQuades and Eary and Jennifer Warren, waiting on the blackbirds.
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| Yellow-Rump Warbler |
Day Three starts in Gainesville. Checked out a city park called Westside Park for a reported
Dark-eyed Junco. It's a nice park, where I was greeted by
Red-tailed Hawks, Chipping Sparrows, Eastern Bluebirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Carolina Chickadee and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Dipped on the junco though. A young birder I met here, named Ben, was successful after my departure with finding the junco.
eBird Checklist - 15 Jan 2023 - Westside Park - 19 species |
| Eastern Bluebird at Westside Park |
Now I was heading west from Gainesville for some birding in the Tallahassee Area. This region, called the Red Hills, is the most southern terminus of the Appalachian Mountain Range. Its hilly with some deep ravines and this zone hosts many plants and birds that are more common further north. Some of my favorite birding venues in the area included Lake Jackson, Florida Caverns State Park, and Torreya State Park. But I missed them this time around.
Twenty miles east from Tallahassee, at a crossroads called Wacissa in Jackson County is the location active with wintering Brewers Blackbirds. Had to be over a hundred present today in a feed lot. Was difficult to get any decent photos because of distance.
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| The White Wagtail, seen from a distance, at Lake Elberta |
Next it was onto the city to visit Lake Elberta.
eBird Checklist - 15 Jan 2023 - Lake Elberta - 26 species Was here to search out a lifer, because a
White Wagtail has been staying at Lake Elberta for several weeks.
White Wagtails are not found in Florida. They don't even belong on this continent. They are native to Europe and Asia. Vagrants had been seen in the Aleutians Islands of Alaska though.
Walked the perimeter of the lake without any success, but there was a secondary location at Mill Street Pond, a couple of miles away. When I arrived, I was informed that it was just here. So back to Lake Alberta where I was successful when I ran into Dave and Tammy, again, who were watching the bird down on the mud flats.
Aside from the wagtail, the park also hosted Canada Geese, Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Wood Storks, Cormorants, Snipes and American White Pelicans.
From here, I joined with Dave and Tammy for another try for a Junco at
Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park. The Park is just north of the city. I hadn't been here before but was aware that it can be an outstanding birding location. We were successful with the
Dark-eyed Junco and a bonus of a pair of
Golden-crowned Kinglets.
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| Song Sparrow at St Marks |
Day four began before dawn where I was listening and searching at stake-out spot in the salt marshes for Seaside Sparrows and Clapper Rails along Bottoms Road in the Panacea section of St Marks NWR. Dave and Tammy had put me onto the spot where I didn't hear the sparrow, but I did see and hear
Clapper and Virginia Rails, plus Sedge and Marsh Wrens. |
| America Wigeon at St Marks |
Then it was onto the Lighthouse Road in the
refuge. Dave and Tammy were already heading out of St Marks, after successfully finding the American Flamingo at the Lighthouse Pool and scooping out bay, at the
Cedar Point Trail for the reported long-tailed duck, a surf scoter and a red-throated loon. They advised me to hurry to the Cedar Point spot for the sea ducks. I did this, even with the travel disruptions due to the repaving projecting on Lighthouse Road and the large numbers of bike riders that had descended onto the refuge today. When I finally arrived at the lookout spot on the bay the sea birds were out of view. There were actually very few birds on the bay. There were a few
Common Loons, a Horned Grebe, Buffleheads, a Common Goldeneye, Royal Terns, Cormorants and Brown Pelicans. |
| America Wigeon at St Marks |
At the Lighthouse Pool the
American Flamingo was napping out in the middle of the waters. Lots of ducks too -
Blue-winged Teals, Northern Shovelers, a Pintail, Lesser Scaups, Greater Scaups, Ruddy Ducks, Redheads, Canvasbacks, Gadwall, American Wigeons. Plus,
American White Pelicans, American Coots, Pied-billed Grebes, Laughing Gulls, Bonaparte's Gull, Long-billed Dowitchers, Willets Dunlins, a Marbled Godwit and an American Avocet.Along the periphery of the pool, I re-found the Nashville Warbler Dave had spotted earlier, plus an Orange-crowned Warbler, Song Sparrows, Catbirds, Yellow-rumped Warblers.
At the Twin Pools, I had more Bonaparte's Gulls, Forsters Terns, Semipalmated Plovers, Green-winged Teal, Hooded Mergansers, a Snipe and a Black-bellied Plover. Dipped on the American golden plover being reported here. Would have been a lifer.
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| Orange-crowned Warbler at St Marks |
Tramped around a bit at the helipad location but didn't scare up any sparrows. Added Brown-headed Nuthatches and Pine Warblers
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| American Flamingo napping at the Lighthouse Pool |
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| Lesser Scaup at St Marks |
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| Nashville Warbler at St Marks |
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| Canvasback at St Marks |
Day five begins back at the Seaside Sparrow stakeout spot Bottoms Road. This second try was successful in clearly hearing the Seaside Sparrow.
Before leaving Tallahassee, stopped at Lafayette Park to chase after White-breasted Nuthatch. Only heard a distant call from the nuthatch, plus Chipping Sparrows, American Goldfinch, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmice, American Robins and Carolina Wren.
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| Herring Gull at Ponce Inlet |
Next up was to leave Tallahassee and head east to the Atlantic coast. Headed toward Ormond Beach and Daytona Beach area and found much of the beach accesses unavailable due to damage from Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. Tried to sea watch from Gamble Rogers State Park. Not much to see.
Day Six I moved on from Daytona Beach traveling south along the coast to
Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Park. The storm damage from Hurricanes Ian and Nicole was quite evident and the Ponce Inlet Park had also been hit hard. The jetty had been severely damaged and closed to birders. But that's where one would look for the purple sandpiper. Lots of gulls on the beach. Mostly
Laughing Gulls and Ring-billed Gulls. Plus, a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Royal Terns. Saw my first of the season
Piping Plover on the inlet side of the park, When I had arrived, lots of folks were heading to their cars and stowing their optical equipment, because I had arrived just after a
Space-X launch at Cape Canaveral. The exhaust trail from the launch was still evident.
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| Willet at Ponce Inlet |
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| Piping Plover at Ponce Inlet |
My final stop was
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Drove the
Black point Wildlife Drive and found many of the cells were dry and the bird life wasn't very busy, till almost the last stop. Here was a great concentration of birds feeding on the concentration of fish.
Wood Storks, American White Pelicans, Rosette Spoonbills, Great and Snowy Egrets, Bonaparte's Gulls, Forsters Terns, Herons, Ibis, grebes, cormorants and yellowlegs. Also stopped at the visitor center to check out the feeders if there for any
Painted Buntings.Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Greater White-fronted Goose, Canada Goose, Muscovy Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mottled Duck, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead ,Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, American Flamingo, Pied-billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, King Rail, Clapper Rail, Virginia Rail, Sora, American Coot, Purple Gallinule, Gray-headed Swamphen, Limpkin, Sandhill Crane, American Avocet, Black-bellied Plover, Wilson's Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Piping Plover, Killdeer, Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Dunlin, Least Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Snipe, Greater Yellowlegs, Willet, Lesser Yellowlegs, Bonaparte's Gull, Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Caspian Tern, Forster's Tern, Royal Tern, Black Skimmer, Common Loon, Wood Stork, Anhinga, Double-crested Cormorant, American White Pelican, Brown Pelican, American Bittern, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Reddish Egret, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Snail Kite, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, American Kestrel, Eastern Phoebe, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Fish Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Tree Swallow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Marsh Wren, Carolina Wren, European Starling, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House Sparrow, White Wagtail, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Seaside Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Rusty Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Common Grackle, Boat-tailed Grackle, Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Palm Warbler, Pine Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Painted Bunting & Ruddy Shelduck
