Christmas Count

 Monday December 20th

Joined with Vince McGrath and Toni Sutton on Monday the 20th for the annual Audubon Christmas Count. Due to conflicts with my work schedule, I had never participated in the count in the past. No excuse now that I've retired. So, meet up with Vince and Toni at 7 am at Lakes Regional Park in Fort Myers to start the day. 

Arrived at Lakes Park as large clouds of birds - Fish Crows, White Ibis, Boat-tailed Grackles, Glossy Ibis, Cormorants and Snowy Egrets were leaving their roosts to start a new day.  Other good finds included King Rail, Northern Waterthrush, Summer Tanager, A Sharp-shinned Hawk, Limpkins, Least Bittern, a Great Blue Heron gathering nesting material, a momma Mourning Dove feeding a pair of begging juveniles and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Dipped on a sora, hummingbirds and Great Horned Owl.

From Lakes Park we explored Vince's assigned territory stopping at various locations and venues in the area. we were able to add Blue-winged Teal, Spotted Sandpiper, nesting Bald Eagles, Anhingas, Ring-billed Gull, Brown Pelicans, Eurasian Collared-Doves, Coots, Red-tailed Hawk, Ospreys, Gnatcatchers, Loggerhead Shrikes, Muscovy Ducks, Red-shouldered Hawks, House Finches, House Sparrows, Common Gallinule, Tufted Titmouse, Gray Catbirds and a Black-and-White Warbler.

I believe we scored 65 species which Vince lamented on this as a low number. He focused on how the residential development of the area has affected the numbers and varieties of birds.

The Summary created by Toni Sutton

eBird Checklist Summary for: Dec 20, 2021

Number of Checklists: 18
Number of Taxa: 65

Checklists included in this summary:
(1): Lakes Park
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 7:13 AM
(2): 15290 Bass Rd, Fort Myers US-FL (26.5221, -81.9120)
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 9:34 AM
(3): 14943–14973 A and W Bulb Rd, Fort Myers US-FL (26.5245, -81.9196)
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 9:50 AM
(4): 10032 Forest River Ln, Fort Myers US-FL 26.53282, -81.92023
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 10:08 AM
(5): 14245–14259 A And W Bulb Rd, Fort Myers US-FL 26.53733, -81.91991
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 10:13 AM
(6): McGregor Pointe Shopping Center, Fort Myers US-FL 26.52047, -81.93945
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 10:24 AM
(7): Ruttenberg Park
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 10:39 AM
(8): 8932 Banyan Cove Cir, Fort Myers US-FL 26.56811, -81.90129
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 11:31 AM
(9): Edwards Kontinos Dr, Fort Myers US-FL 26.59544, -81.89017
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 11:48 AM
(10): 1470 Royal Palm Square Blvd, Fort Myers US-FL (26.5937, -81.8869)
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 11:56 AM
(11): 4785 Barkley Cir, Fort Myers US-FL (26.5914, -81.8812)
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 12:09 PM
(12): 5652–5666 Sunrise Dr, Fort Myers US-FL 26.58596, -81.88513
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 12:28 PM
(13): 5298 Cedarbend Dr, Fort Myers US-FL 26.58140, -81.88108
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 12:58 PM
(14): Auto selected 26.57837, -81.88160
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 1:01 PM
(15): 5249 Summerlin Commons Blvd, Fort Myers US-FL 26.57850, -81.87901
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 1:03 PM
(16): Florida Southwestern State College - Lee Campus, Fort Myers US-FL 26.55404, -81.88901
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 1:13 PM
(17): US-Florida-Fort Myers-13250 University Center Boulevard - 26.548x-81.885
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 1:41 PM
(18): Lakes Park - US-Florida-Fort Myers 
Date: Dec 20, 2021 at 2:23 PM

18 Muscovy Duck (Established Feral) -- (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), (15), (16)
8 Blue-winged Teal -- (8)
1 Mottled Duck -- (1)
30 Mallard x Mottled Duck (hybrid) -- (1), (8), (11), (15), (16)
2 Pied-billed Grebe -- (1)
1 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) -- (17)
4 Eurasian Collared-Dove -- (1), (3)
2 Common Ground Dove -- (1)
24 Mourning Dove -- (1), (2), (3), (5), (6), (17)
1 King Rail -- (1)
22 Common Gallinule -- (1), (10), (11), (18)
8 American Coot -- (1)
4 Limpkin -- (1)
1 Spotted Sandpiper -- (11)
1 Laughing Gull -- (18)
3 Ring-billed Gull -- (1)
1 Wood Stork -- (1)
20 Anhinga -- (1), (6), (9)
52 Double-crested Cormorant -- (1), (6), (9), (10), (11)
4 Brown Pelican -- (1)
1 Least Bittern -- (1)
12 Great Blue Heron -- (1)
8 Great Egret -- (1), (4), (7), (10), (16)
21 Snowy Egret -- (1), (16)
2 Little Blue Heron -- (1),(16)
10 Tricolored Heron -- (1), (7), (11)
5 Cattle Egret -- (6), (7)
1 Green Heron -- (1)
562 White Ibis -- (1), (7), (11), (17)
46 Glossy Ibis -- (1)
12 Black Vulture -- (3),(18)
10 Turkey Vulture -- (2), (3), (8)
9 Osprey -- (6), (7), (13), (16), (18)
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk -- (1)
2 Bald Eagle -- (3),(18)
2 Red-shouldered Hawk -- (3), (11)
1 Belted Kingfisher -- (16)
2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker -- (1), (12)
9 Red-bellied Woodpecker -- (1), (3), (18)
5 Downy Woodpecker -- (1), (11), (16), (18)
2 Pileated Woodpecker -- (3), (5)
4 Eastern Phoebe -- (1), (12)
1 Blue-headed Vireo -- (1)
6 Loggerhead Shrike -- (1), (6), (7), (12)
12 Blue Jay -- (1),(2),(3),(8)
214 Fish Crow -- (1), (5), (7)
1 Tufted Titmouse -- (18)
42 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher -- (1), (3), (7), (10), (12), (18)
1 House Wren -- (1)
148 European Starling -- (1), (5), (6), (7), (15), (16), (17)
8 Gray Catbird -- (1),(4),(18)
7 Northern Mockingbird -- (1), (7), (11), (16)
6 House Sparrow -- (17)
2 House Finch -- (16)
75 Common Grackle -- (1)
152 Boat-tailed Grackle -- (1), (2)
1 Northern Waterthrush -- (1)
1 Black-and-white Warbler -- (18)
3 Common Yellowthroat -- (1)
48 Palm Warbler -- (1), (2), (5), (7), (12), (16)
12 Pine Warbler -- (18)
15 Yellow-rumped Warbler -- (1), (2), (8)
2 Yellow-throated Warbler -- (1), (7)
1 Summer Tanager -- (1)
10 Northern Cardinal -- (1), (18)

This trip summary was created using the eBird app for iPhone and iPad.
See eBird for more information.

Day 2 Florida Keys Trip

 Monday November 23th

Day 2 wasn't a very birdy day. One good sighting for the day was at the motel in Marathon. Nice looks at a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

From here was a stop at Long Key State Park. Walked the the Golden Orb Trail looking for unique Keys trees, plants ad animals. 

Long Key, along with Bahia Honda, is also a location for the rejuvenation of the very rare Miami Blue Butterfly. Long Key is also regenerating from effects of Hurricane Irma. Acres of mangrove were killed off by the high surge water.  New growth can be seen emerging among the skeletal remains of the ravaged trees. 

Fiddler Crab

Great Crested Flycatcher

The Golden Orb Trail heads through the mangroves, then moves inland through salt pans then higher to tropical hardwoods. Sightings include Seven-year Apple, Wash Wood, Poison Wood, Florida Silver Palm, West Indian Milkberry, Blackbead, Sea Lavender, Beach Spider Lily, Comma, Jamaican Dogwood and Wild Dilly

Sea Torchwood

Wash Wood

Sea Lavender

Seven-year Apple

West Indian Milkberry

Blackbead

Wild Dilly

Now I went onto Windley Fossil Reef State Park. Walked the Hammock Trail with the purpose of finding another rare plant, the Key Tree Cactus. 

With the help of park staff, I was able to see one witch is part of a re-introduction project. Mature cactus can reach 10 meters in height and have become quite rare due to habitat destruction

A specimen of Key Tree Cactus

Apart from the tropical hardwood forest, the property was once used to quarry limestone for the building of the overseas railroad.  The limestone was created from an ancient coral reef that existed about two million years ago when almost all of Florida was submerged below a shallow sea. The fossilized coral is evident along the quarry walls.

The hammock trail features placards identifying the many species trees and plants found here.  Such as Poisonwood, Crabwood, Scarlet Cordia, Coma, Blolly, Pigeon Plum, Milkbark, Black Ironwood, Monk Orchid, Triangle cactus, Bahama Strongbark and some unusual fungi.

Lancewood

November

December 2nd

Just a few photos taken while birding during the month of November.

GALLERY

'See what I got'

Brown-headed Cowbird seen in Highlands County

Florida Garter Snake was sunning its self in the road 

at Babcock-Webb on a chilly morning

Hooded Merganser seen in Punta Gorda

I believe these maybe called Snowberries.  

Seen along the Shell Mound Trail at Ding Darling on Sanibel Island

Myrtleleaf St John's-wort blooming at Babcock-Webb WMA

Red Knot

Snowy Plover seen on Ft Myers Beach

Roseate Spoonbill stretching it 's wings at Harns Marsh

My First-of-the Season Ring-billed Gull

One a pair of banded American Oystercatchers that had handing out on Bonita Beach

Red-cockaded Woodpecker from Babcock-Webb WMA

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Eastern Phoebe

Palm Warbler

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

A very late American Redstart found at Six Mile Cypress Slough

The Dunlins have arrived

Least Sandpiper found at Bunche Beach

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher seen along Church Road in Hendry County

Red Shouldered Hawk

Brown Thrasher

Black Racer seen sunning itself at Harns Marsh

Crescent Butterfly 

White Peacock Butterfly

Climbing Aster 

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher

Painted Buntings at Corckscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Sunday, January 29th

Painted Buntings at feeder located at the Blair House

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is located in eastern Collier County and is owned and operated by the National Audubon Society.  The sanctuary is home to one of the oldest stand of bald cypress trees left in the U.S. These trees, some several hundred years old, were barely saved from the loggers' axe.  It is a Jewel.

Besides the famed Wood Stork breeding colonies located here in the winter, it also hosts at least one of the few rare Ghost Orchids found in Florida.

Spent a couple of hours today walking the boardwalk. The feeders at the Blair House and at the Bunting House each hosted a pair of Painted Buntings. The Bunting House feeders also is home to a wintering Ovenbird.  Other sightings included a pair of Anhingas in a noisy altercation. Don't know what their problems were. Several Red-shouldered Hawks were active. One was busy consuming a snake and another pair were being very amorous. Had a few warblers, like Black-and White, Palm, Common Yellowthroat and Northern Parula.  Lots of Gray Catbirds and a Barred Owl, White-eyed Vireo and Carolina Wrens were heard. A light-phased short-tailed hawk was seen by several people, but was a miss for me. Other birds included Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Wood Stork, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker and Northern Cardinal.

An unusual visitor to the Blair House was a Rafinesque's Long-eared Bat sleeping near the outside rest rooms.  This is an uncommon bat and an excellent finish to my visit.  Earlier in the day I counted at least eighty Black-bellied Whistling Ducks at a pond on Immokalee Road east of Sanctuary Road.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Gray Catbird



Common Yellowthroat

Red-shouldered Hawk eating a freshly caught snake

Water Moccasin



Rafinesque's Long-eared Bat