New Year

 Sunday January 9th

River Otter

Ventured out to build a fresh list for a new year.  Visited venues throughout the area looking for interesting birdlife. At Torrey Island at Belle Glade saw that the Vermilion Flycatcher was still active as were a pair of River Otters.  Was told that it was suspected that the otters were being fed as they showed little concern with the walkers and birders.

Went back out to the cane fields to look for the raptors seen recently. Succeeded in relocating the White-tailed Kite, Northern Harriers, Bald Eagles, American Kestrels, Peregrin Falcon, Barn Owl and Red-tailed Hawks. Dipped on finding swainsen's hawk.

American Kestrel at Belle Glade Marina

Peregrine Falcon

Northern Rough-winged Swallow at Belle Glade Marina

Bald Eagles

Lots of the shorebirds and seabirds located at Bunche Beach and Fort DeSoto. 

Snowy Egret at Fort DeSoto Park

Red Knot at Fort DeSoto

Banded Piping Plover at Fort DeSoto

Red-breasted Merganser at Fort DeSoto

Caspen Tern at Fort DeSoto

Black-bellied Plover at Fort DeSoto

Brown Pelicans at Fort DeSoto

American Oystercatcher at Fort DeSoto

Limpkin at Six-Mile Cypress Slough Reserve

The Day of the Raptor

 Sunday, December 26th

Belted Kingfisher

In the quest for some final year birds went out to chase a Cassin's kingbird found in Holey Land WMA in Palm Beach County on Christmas Eve. Tried to access the location by driving south along the Miami Canal from US 27.  Seemed to be the most direct route when traveling from the Gulf Coast. But it is not.  Encountered closed roads and detours but did arrive just yards from the location only to be blocked by a water management project that had removed a bridge. 

Barn Owl

Okay so I doubled back to try to access the property from another direction.  Planned to go east along Bolles Canal but encountered a locked gate on this road adjacent to a pumping station. Have access this road many times over the years and hadn't ever seen it closed before. Elected to head home from here.

But before leaving I did take a look for any Barn Owls at the pumping station and did find an owl. This was actually a nice addition to todays. Because I had already encountered a number of interesting raptors while driving around the cane fields.

There were many dozens of American Kestrels present. Added a couple Peregrine Falcons, a couple of Caracaras, several Red-tailed Hawks and Northern Harriers. White-tailed Kites were working the fields, observed a lone Swainson's Hawk. saw a couple of Bald Eagles, several Ospreys and at least one Short-tailed Hawk. Turkey and Black Vultures round out the raptors seen today. Hundreds of Tree Swallows and a single Northern Rough-winged Swallow, plus Belted Kingfishers, Grackles, Cormorants, Anhingas, Wading Birds, Meadowlarks, Phoebes, Palm warblers and Common Yellowthroats were seen too.

Eastern Meadowlark seen along the Miami Canal

Northern Harrier seen along the Miami Canal

Bald Eagle seen on Blumberg Road

Peregrine Falcon seen on Rogers Road

Chasing a Lifer

Sunday, April 17th

Its amazing how the computer age has made the twitching after a rare or vagrant bird so much easier. At your finger tips is so much up-to-the-minute information. Today, because of eBird, rare bird reports, text messaging, cell phone communications and digital photography, we were able to successfully locate a, possible first ever to be reported in Florida, vagrant Pacific Golden-Plover.

A Peregrine Falcon at the Sem-Chi Rice Mill

For a week now, a Pacific Golden-Plover has been found, in association with Black-bellied Plovers on a sod farm in the Everglades Ag Area south of Belle Glade. The exact location has been on the Six Mile Bend Sod Farm on CR-880, adjacent to Browns Farm Road, in western Palm Beach County. Bob Pelkey and I arrived on site just after dawn and spent about a half hour in our search before finding the bird. It was quite obviously smaller and darker than its Black-belled cousins. Bob was able to get a few photos before the birds wandered farther away into the sod field. A scope is a diffident must today. By now our friends Stan Damen, Dr Jose Padilla and master birder Vince McGrath arrived to share in enjoying this unusual visitor to south Florida.

See a eBird report and photos of the Pacific Golden-Plover by Coray Callaghan

All five of us then proceeded to the nearby Sem-Chi Rice Mill to get photographs of the Yellow-headed Blackbirds being seen there. We counted around thirty of these birds, with the males displaying a striking yellow head and throat. A Peregrine Hawk was found to be keeping a close watch on activities at the mill.

Also nearby was Stormwater Treatment Area 1W. Best sighting from there included two pairs of Black-necked Stilts, a Black Skimmer and a pair of Purple Gallinules.

Bob and I also made a stop at The White's home in Alva to try to get photos of the buntings still active about the feeders. A pair of Painted Buntings were still present, as were a few American Goldfinches. About a dozen beautiful Indigo Buntings were also seen here. Plus a calling Northern Parula was foraging overhead and Bob caught sight of a hummingbird too.

This was a very pleasant and rewarding trip today.

Day List (45)

Pacific Golden-Plover , Pied-billed Grebe, Anhinga, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Black Vulture, Swallow-tailed Kite, Bald Eagle, Purple Gallinule, Common Gallinule, Black-necked Stilt, Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, Ruddy Turnstone, Laughing Gull, Forster's Tern, Black Skimmer, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Common Nighthawk, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Crested Caracara, Peregrine Falcon, White-eyed Vireo, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Fish Crow, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Parula, Red-winged Blackbird, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Boat-tailed Grackle, Common Grackle, Painted Bunting, Indigo Bunting, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow

Some Birding on Sanibel

Sunday, October 11th

Peregrine Falcon

The Audubon Society of Southwest Florida hosts an annual Hawk Watch at the Sanibel Lighthouse each October, which is always lead by master birder Vince McGrath. Lately the event has featured few raptures. 

This year was no exception. The only raptor to make an appearance, aside from the local Osprey was a Peregrine Falcon that greeted all of as we approached the parking lot. The early sighting of the falcon was considered a good omen for the day, but apparently the winds would be against us. Other birds seen today included lots of migrating Palm Warbler, several Northern Rough-winged Swallows, a Scarlet Tanager and the usual waders and shore birds.

Snowy Egret near the fishing pier

In 2008 we had a very good day. The American Kestrel count exceeded 100,  plus several Merlins, Peregrines, Osprey and Sharp-shinned Hawks. 

The next year, 2009, we had sixteen American Kestrels, a dozen Sharp-shinned Hawks a pair of Broad-winged hawks, six Merlins and a few Osprey.

White Ibis near the fishing pier

The next good event was in 2011 with a pair of American Kestrels, three Merlins, a pair of Sharp-shinned Hawks, a Red-tailed Hawk, a pair of Northern Harriers, a Broad-winged Hawk some Osprey, plus a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, a Pin-tailed Whydah, an Audubon Warbler and Baltimore Oriole. 

Eastern Phoebe seen at the Bailey Tract

Bob Pelkey elected to visit the Ding Darling NWR Bailey Tract. Here we added a Blue-winged Teal, more Palm Warblers, a FOS Eastern Phoebe and a Red-shouldered Hawk. Maybe next year would be better.

Marsh Rabbit seen at the Bailey Tract

Peregrine Falcon at Little Estero Lagoon

Tuesday March 27th

Met up with Bob Pelkey at Little Estero Lagoon on Ft Myers Beach with the idea of finding a snowy plover or any northern gannets. I was aware that gannets were seen off of Captiva Island a couple of days ago. But there presence then may have been due to a weather front pushing them close to shore at that time.

Wilson's Plover were common today

A least sandpiper

The most common sight today was actually the large crowd of snowbirds enjoying a beach. We did find a couple of dozen Wilson's Plover, plus a few Semipalmated Plovers and a couple of Piping Plover.  A few Dunlins were seen and one was starting to show the dark belly. The many Black-bellied Plovers were also starting to start changing plumage. We also found a couple Double-crested Cormorants sporting the name-sake crests.

Had hoped to find any early least terns, the gannets, frigatebirds and the snow plovers, but struck-out on all of them.  Only a few Laughing Gulls and Brown Pelicans , a lone Ring-billed Gull, a lone Royal Tern and a juvenile Herring Gull were seen. Otherwise the sky was empty. It was still good birding and Bob captured a lot of  good photo opportunities including the Peregrine Falcon at rest high up the side of one the condos bordering the preserve. It may have been standing over a recent victim as well. It was too far for me to get a decent picture, but Bob should have a few good shots on his blog later this week.

Other birds seen today included Least Sandpipers, a Black-Crowned Night-Heron, a Belted Kingfisher, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Little Blue Herons, White Ibis, House Sparrows, Northern Cardinals, Tricolored Herons, Willets, Ruddy Turnstones, Sanderlings and Palm Warblers

Boat-tailed Grackle

Falcons

September 28th

This could be a good time for birding in South Florida with a cold front passing through. There is a great expectation for some great fall-outs.  We shall see.

We also have a tropical storm brewing to the south, pushing up towards Florida,which should also contribute to the expected birding events.  I think that there is also a possibility of pelagic species to be pushed close to shore. This maybe why we had an unusual observation yesterday of a red-necked phalarope at Bunch Beach.

For me there is irony in this observation of the phalarope in that I had been tagging along with Mr McGrath as he was conducting his bird survey, but elected to leave shortly before he found the phalarope. Could of had a lifer.  The red-necked phalarope is not really seen in southwest Florida.

Chose to check-out the Sanibel Lighthouse area for any migrants stopping yet, but found it very quite. Did find a female Prairie Warbler and a female American Redstart, but that was all for warblers. The migrants that I did find was a couple of Merlins and a Peregrine Falcon. One other bird I found that surprised me a bit was a Red-headed Woodpecker sitting in a snag with a couple of Red-bellied woodpeckers.

By tomorrow we expect a lot more activity here.

Before reaching Sanibel Island I opted to try for the phalarope at Bunch Beach.  I really did not expect to relocate it, but you never know unless you try. Well, I tried and will have to book onto a pelagic birding trip some time in the future to score on the bird. There is a trip advertised for November 14th out of Ponce Inlet in New Smyrna Beach.

Walked both ends of Bunche Beach and say about the same as yesterday.  Had to be about 200 Red Knots scattered across the mud flats which is a great increase in activity. Heard a White-eyed Vireo in the scrub back of the beach and observed a FOS Merlin circling the mud flats, probably looking for a tasty little peep for lunch. Diffidently a great site for birding. Have encountered international, basically British, birding groups visiting Bunche Beach on many occasions.

To round out the three species of falcon found here in this season, I stopped by Domestic Street in south Lee County were I knew I'd be able to locate a couple of Kestrals. Which gave me the trifecta on falcons for the day.



Least Sandpiper




Least Sandpiper




Western Sandpiper



Black-bellied Plover



Red Knots



Peregrine Falcon - Little Estero Lagoon

White-Morphed Reddish Egret at Little Estero Lagoon on Ft Myers Beach

As a county employee, I was required to take a furlough day, which is today. So I chose to visit Ft Myers Beach's Little Estero Lagoon to seek out snowy plovers. Arrived early to avoid the day's heat and the spring break crowds. The birding started out slowly. Just a few waders and no shorebirds. As I reached about midway the numbers increased, but still not very birdy. The skies were clear and only a few gulls and terns were about.  A pair of Ospreys kept busy hunting for breakfast. Had about six, high flying, but noisy Least Terns. These were the first that I had come across this season.  The beach was already prepped with demarcated zones for nesting seabirds including the least tern, snowy plovers and Wilson's plovers. So several hundred least terns should be arriving soon.

Found Sanderlings, Semipalmateed Plovers, Wilson's Plovers, Black-bellied Plovers and about six Piping Ploves.  But no snowy plovers today. Had been hearing a serinadeing Prairie Warbler and a couple of Palm Warblers were active. 

I have wondered if sedge wrens were found here. Seems that there is some suitable habitate, but I am no expert on this subject.  I have never found one to date.

The reason for the title to this article was that the Peregrine was my last siting before heading for home. Another birder had it spotted high up on the ledge of one tall condo buildings that line shore.

My List - Mottled Duck, Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Reddish Egret, White Ibis, Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, Black-bellied Plover, Wilson's Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Piping Plover, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Laughing Gull, Least Tern, Royal Tern, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Loggerhead Shrike, Blue Jay, European Starling, Prairie Warbler, Palm Warbler, Northern Cardinal, House Sparrow

Sanibel Lighthouse Hawk Watch

Had been looking forward to the Audubon of Southwest Florida's Sanibel Lighthouse Hawk Watch for some time. Because of work I missed last year's event, but showed up the very next day to take a try on my own. Luckily I ran into Vince McGrath who had lead the prior day's hawk watch. This one-on-one was a great learning experience for me. We had well over 100 American Kestrels, a few Merlins, Peregrins and Ospreys. had a number of Sharp-Shinned Hawks and many Swallows. I think we even had a Bald Eagle.

My list for October 13, 2008 -Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Snowy Egret, Black Vulture, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Black-bellied Plover, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Laughing Gull, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern, Tree Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Palm Warbler, Brown-headed Cowbird

So this year, we had a very nice cold front arriving right on time for this years scheduled hawk watch on Sunday October 18th, 8am - 10am. My debate was to show-up for the scheduled event or come on my own the following like last year due to the fact that I was getting off of work at 7:00am Sunday morning. Because of the potential bird fallout from the cold front was such a great opportunity I elected to struggle with my constant bane of sleep derivation and headed over to Sanibel Island on Sunday straight from work. The weather was very windy and chilly by Florida standards. But those strong winds had actually blown the birds away from southwestern Florida. Turns out Miami and Key West had outstanding birding that Sunday. So our birding was very slow. Very few song birds were on hand. Our first hwak arrived at 9:45am - a Sharp-Shined Hawk. By the time I left at 11am we had about 16 American Kestels, a dozen Sharp-Shinned Hawks, a couple of Broad-Winged Hawks and a few Ospreys were present. Also had about 6 Merlins with one individual we found very entertaining as it was aggressivelly interacting with another Merlin and the other hawks present. Prehaps those birders still on hand managed an outstanding sighting like a mississippi kite or something like that. You just never now when something exciting might show up. But not for me. It was time for some sleep for me.

My list - Brown Pelican, Osprey, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, Laughing Gull, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern, Rock Pigeon, Chimney Swift, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Prairie Warbler, Palm Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Boat-tailed Grackle