St Marks National Wildlife Refuge

 Monday January 14th

Snow Goose

On this leg of my North Florida Birding Tour, spending a two-night stay visiting the St Marks National Wildlife Refuge in the Florida Panhandle.  I have a must-see list of birds of interest. There is the American Flamingo hanging out at Mounds Pond 2, which is not a roadside venue. But the site is also the spot to locate American Black Ducks and Pintails. I am also interested in seeing Snow Geese, White-faced Ibis and the wide variety of waterfowl that frequent the Lighthouse Pond and offshore in the Gulf.

Wilson's Snipe

On Sunday I arrived at 11 am on a cold, wet day.  Within a week the refuge would actual have freezing temps and snow. Snow is quite the rare event in Florida.

Had some nice sightings and missed a lot too. Checked out the Twin Bridges location looking for the reported Rusty Blackbirds. Moved on to East River Pool - Long-billed Dowitcher, Wison's Snipe, Ring-billed Gulls, Savannah Sparrow, Yellowlegs and Green Winged Teal. At the Mound Pools added White, Glossy and White-faced Ibis, Snow Geese, Blue -Winged Teal, Hooded Mergansers, and Red-winged Blackbirds

White-faced Ibis

At the Lighthouse Pond and at the shore added Bufflehead, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Brown Pelicans, Forster's Terns, Cormorants, Redheads, Northern Shovelers, Ruddy Ducks, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Canvasback, Lesser Scaup, Greater Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209181072

Plans were to return tomorrow to finish. But later today I headed to the Panacea Unit of St Mark's to look to do some owling. This location on Bottoms Road is tidal marsh, which good habitat for Seaside Sparrow, Marsh Wren and Sedge Wren. But recently a Short-ear Owl has been patrolling the marsh. So, about sunset the owl appeared.  Very nice. A lifer. A very uncommon bird in Florida. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209084183

Returned at sunrise to Bottoms Road for the Seaside Sparrow (seen & heard), Clapper Rail, Hooded Mergansers, but no wrens. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209246084

Went back to Lighthouse Road to continue with yesterday's birding.  But the road was closed for some improvement project. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209253229. https://ebird.org/checklist/S209254086

Ruddy Duck

American Wigeon

Anhinga

A wet, Red-shouldered Hawk

Lake Jackson - Tallahassee

Thursday January 16th

Made a couple of visits to the Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park and the near by Crowder Road Landing at Lake Jackson in Tallahassee.

I came to bird at the state park and was also interested in the history of the mounds.  The Mounds  goes back over thousand years ago and was believed to be a important capital for the indigenous people of the day.

More history is presented on The Butler Miller Trail, which leads to the remnants of a Pre-civil War era grist mill. The mill was once part of Colonel Robert Butler's large plantation.

Red-shouldered Hawk at Lake Jackson

The geography around Tallahassee, called The Red Hills, can be considered the southern terminus of the Appalachian Mountain range. Which also features flora commonly seen in the southern Appalachians of Georgia, such as trilliums and violets. This is also the usual southern range for some wintering birds such as Winter Wrens and White-breasted Nuthatches, that favored this bio-system. I was successful in locating both species. Plus Carolina Chickadees, Barred Owl, and Pileated Woodpecker.

Canada Geese are year round residents in Tallahassee

On Lake Jackson, hundreds of American Coots are seen, as well as a large number of Ruddy Ducks, some Buffleheads and a couple of Bonaparte's Gulls.

Possumhaw

Yaupon

Ruddy Ducks and a Coot on Lake Jackson

Underwood's Trillium

Pink Wood-Sorrel

Violet

Road Trip - Lake Apopka

Monday January 15th

Flagler Beach

Headed east, today, toward the Atlantic Ocean at Flagler Beach for some sea watching. On past winter visits here, hundreds of Northern Gannets could be observed from shore.  Today's weather conditions included clear skies, but was chilly with a strong brisk wind causing a very heavy surf.  And there were no gannets. Made several stops between the Flagler Beach Pier and Gamble Rogers State Park along Highway 1A1. One observation at the Gamble Rogers over look was a distant Jaeger.  To far out to definitively say if it was a parasite or a pomarine jaeger.  Leaning toward Pomarine.

 My original plans included a stop at Lust Road at lake Apopka North Shore Mitigation Area. and perhaps some hiking within the property. The North Shore Mitigation Area is managed by the St Johns River Water Management District. The SJRWMD recently has opened an 11 mile Wildlife Drive which is only open to the public on week ends and federal holidays.

But today was a federal holiday so I was able to include entering and enjoying the Wildlife Drive. At the Lust Road Gate two, rare in Florida, species have been wintering.  A long-tailed duck has been using a water reclamation pond and an Ash-throated Flycatcher has been active in the area. Got the flycatcher but dipped on the duck. I don't think anyone reported the long-tailed duck today.

Lots of good birds today along the drive. Soras, Purple Gallinules, a beautiful male Vermilion Flycatcher, a Horned Grebe, lots of Pied-billed Grebes, Fulvious Whistling Ducks, Ruddy Ducks, Ring-necked Ducks, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, Northern Pintails, American Bitterns, herons and egrets, Red-shouldered Hawks, Ospreys and Northern Harrier.

Lake Apopka Photo Gallery

Vermilion Flycatcher

Purple Gallinule

Common Gallinule

Palm Warbler

Green Heron

Ruddy Duck

Ring-necked Duck

Managed to add one more venue before dark with a quick visit to Merritt Island NWR.

Only had time to visit Blackpoint Drive and found many Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, American Wigeons, Coots, Hooded Mergansers, Northern Pintails Pied-billed Grebes and Roseate Spoonbills. Also added a Greater Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Plovers, a Merlin, Reddish Egrets, Glossy Ibis, White Ibis and Tree Swallows.

Northern Pintail

Road Trip - Sweetwater Wetlands Park

Friday January 19th

Friday the 12th was a very long day with stops in Gainesville and Tallahassee. Friends, David and Tammy McQuade had birded several of these locations just the day before and offered timely intel.

At daybreak, I was on the Hawthorne Trail near Payne's Prairie in Alachua County, were I had Chipping Sparrows, Eastern Towhee, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Tufted Titmouse, American Robins and Carolina Chickadee. 

Sweetwater Wetlands Park - Gainesville

A female Ruff, or Reeve, is a rare  visitor to the United States.

It's a shorebird

that breeds in Northern Eurasia and winters in Africa 

Sora

Sweetwater Wetlands Park was a very special venue in Gainesville. 

Purple Gallinules, Wilson's Snipes, American Bitterns, Soras, Long-billed Dowitchers and a very rare Ruff were all easily observed and photographed. Plenty of waterfowl including Buffleheads, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Ruddy Duck Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, Mottled Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Lesser Scaup, Common Gallinules, American Coots, Pied-billed Grebe and  a Horned Grebe.

American Bittern

Purple Gallinule

Wilson's Snipe

Long-billed Dowitcher

Northern Shovelers

Other birds seen included Least Sandpipers, a Roseate Spoonbill, Limpkins, Cooper's Hawk, Savannah Sparrows, Red winged Blackbirds, Tree Swallows, Killdeers and all the expected waders.

Another interesting sighting were wild Cracker Horses that are a part of the free-range Payne's Prairie herd.

Lesser Scaup

Blue-winged Teal

Northern Shoveler

Bufflehead

Ruddy Duck

Newman's Lake - West Trail - Alachua County

Newman's Lake - West Trail

Instead of a visit to the La Chua Trail at Payne's Prairie State Park, I had switched to a new venue recommended by David and Tammy McQuade.  They had a great sparrow experience  on Thursday. Lincoln's, Grasshopper, White-crowned, Vesper, Savannah, and Swamp Sparrows, plus a Golden-crowned Kinglet. 

I didn't do as well as Dave and Tammy, but did add Savannah, White-crowned and Swamp Sparrows. 

Had to move along as the expected rain had arrived.  So onto Tallahassee.

Harns Marsh

Wednesday February 1st

River Otter with its lunch

Headed over to Harns Marsh in Lehigh Acres for my monthly Lee County Bird Patrol survey for this venue and was rewarded with a fine day.  Spotted a nice male Snail Kite along Sunshine Parkway, near to arriving at Harns. They have become a bit scarce here lately.

At Harms, I started with a flock of American Robins accompanied by Red-belled Woodpecker, Gray Catbird, Mourning Doves, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. An aggressive pair of Red-Shouldered Hawks appeared to be driving off a young RSH at the vulture roost.

Gray-headed Swamphens were active along the walk with a couple of Purple Gallinules as well. While observing a River Otter munching on a sunfish, one off the purple gallinules came out to investigate what the otter was up too and quickly ran back to cover. Also present today were a large number of Common Gallinules, Pie-billed Grebes, American Coots, Grackles and Limpkins. Not very many Red-winged Blackbirds today.

River Otter

Due to lowering water levels the number of waders is increasing with Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Cattle Egrets, Tricolored Herons, Roseate Spoonbills, Little Blue Herons, White Ibis and Glossy Ibis. The numbers of Blue-winged Teal seemed to also be increasing along with about sixty Ring-billed Ducks and a hand full of Mottled Ducks. Missed om any black-bellied whistling ducks, but was able to finally sight the lone male Ruddy Duck others have been reporting.

American Robin

Gray-headed Swamphen

Blue-winged Teal

Purple Gallinule

Ruddy Duck