Spring Time

 Wednesday April 13th

Worm-eating Warbler
Pinecraft Park, Sarasota, Florida

Spring migration is getting started. A storm front came through on Monday which supported speculation that we'd have some local activity. Folks headed to our local spring migration hot-spot, The Sanibel Island Lighthouse, with high but unfulfilled expectations.

Scarlet Tanager
Rotary Park, Cape Coral, Florida

So on Tuesday we headed to Rotary Park in Cape Coral and had a better time. Some of the migrants on-hand included Cape May Warbler, Summer Tanagers, Scarlet Tanagers and Orchard Orioles. Some other migrants seen included Black-whiskered Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Ovenbirds and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

Worm-eating Warbler
Pinecraft Park, Sarasota, Florida

Today, traveled to Sarasota to check the activity at Pinecraft Park. Reports on the activity, from yesterday were very encouraging. Today wasn't as busy though, but  had a few good birds including Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Red-eyed Vireo, Hooded Warblers, Worm-eating Warbler

Bobcat
Pinecraft Park, Sarasota, Florida

Cape May Warbler
Rotary Park, Cape Coral, Florida

Hooded Warbler
Pinecraft Park, Sarasota, Florida

Sawgrass Lake

Tuesday, September 6th

Blackburnian Warbler

Joined with Bob Pelkey to visit a venue neither of us had ever visited. Reports of some hard to find, migrating warblers in SW Florida were intriguing, so we arrived at Sawgrass Lake Park in St Petersburg about 7:15 AM to do some birding.

 Canada, Cerulean, Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warblers were among migrates seen here just yesterday.  Bob and I managed to see a brief view of a female Cerulean Warbler, but we dipped on the rest today. Just the same we had twelve warbler species - Worm-Eating, Black-and-White, Prothonotary, Hooded, American Redstart, Cerulean, Northern Parula, Blackburnian, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Yellow-throated and Prairie Warblers. Other interesting birds today included a Limpkin, White Ibis, Red-shouldered Hawks, 

Chimney Swifts, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Summer Tanager and  Nanday Parakeets.

Yellow-throated Warbler

Yellow-throated Warbler

Worm-eating Warbler

Worm-eating Warbler

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Blackburnian Warbler

Common Gallinule

Limpkin

Florida Gar

Water Primrose

Ten Warbler Day at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Wednesday, September 7th

Zebra Longwing

Arrived at Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary at about 9:30am with the goal of finding any currant migrants.   Dick Brewer's blog had mentioned some interesting sightings including a kentucky warbler and the staff mentioned more sightings including FOS eastern phoebe, a hooded warbler and a blue-winged warbler.

My count for the day began with sightings of Crested Caracara and Black-belled Whistling Duck along Oil Well Road. At the Blair Center at Corkscrew checked out the butterfly garden for any hummers.  Did not sight an, but as I was later departing got looks at a couple of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. On the boardwalk, had a nice mixed flock at the bunting house including White-eyed Vireos, Carolina Wrens, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Tufted Titmice, a Prairie Warbler, a Northern Parula, a Yellow-throated Wabler and a Pine Warbler.  Also had a trio of Great Crested Flycatchers, Blue Jay, Red-bellied Woodpeckers and Cardinals.

Was able to add more gnatcatchers, carolina wrens, tufted titmice and great crested flycatchers, a Red-eyed Vireo, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker Red-shouldered Hawk, a Northern Waterthrush and a FOS Common Yellowthroat. Near the overlook, staff pointed out another very nice mixed flock including  a couple of Worm-eating Warblers, Northern Parula, Prothonotary Warblers, and Black-and-White Warblers. Later heard a distant call of a Barred Owl.  Not a bad day.



Little Blue Heron



Boardwalk at Bird Rookery Swamp

 One of the staff at Corkscrew told me about a close by, new access point to CREW property called Bird Rookery Swamp Trail.  It is located on Shady Hollow Boulevard, off of Immokalee Road.  did checked it out on my way home.  Not very birdy at the time, but the brushy fields next to the trail head would be promising later for buntings and sparrows.



Wild Hibiscus