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| January 28: Tierra
Verde and Fort DeSoto |
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Our birding group (16 people) headed
north to Fort DeSoto Park this morning. Our first stop was the south
rest area at the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on I-275. We saw 13 species of
birds with the highlights being two Common Loons, three Red-breasted
Mergansers, and two Spotted Sandpipers.
Our next stop was the Terra Verde
Ponds, which were loaded with ducks. We saw six duck species: Redhead
(500+), Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Northern Shovelers, American
Wigeon, and Ruddy Ducks. A special treat was an Eagle’s nest with both
Bald Eagles flying in with branches. We saw 23 different species of
birds at this location.
We then proceeded to Fort DeSoto
with our first stop being the North Beach area. In the trees by the
picnic benches, we observed quite a number of birds including Warblers
(Black-and-white, Palm, Pine, and Yellow-rumped), White-eyed Vireos,
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and Woodpeckers (Downy, Red-bellied, and
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers). As we walked out to the lagoon and the
beach, we did not see any shorebirds. A few Gulls and B Pelicans were
observed. We walked over to the protected area, where we found several
hundred shorebirds, including Plovers (Black-bellied, Semipalmated,
Snowy and Wilson’s), two Oystercatchers, Sanderlings, and Ruddy
Turnstones. There were probably some Sandpipers, but they were to far
away to accurately identify.
After a picnic lunch, we drove to
the east beach turnaround. No birds were observed in this area. Along
the way, we saw an American Kestrel, a Western Kingbird, and a Blue
Grosbeak (juv) on the wires. We saw 33 different species at Fort DeSoto.
Altogether, we observed 55 different species in the three locations.
On the way home, we made a brief
stop at Ackerman Pond in Sarasota to see if the Long-tailed Duck
observed earlier in the week was there. However, we did not see it.
Following are a few images taken during
our trip. (For a larger view, double click on the desired image.)
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January 21: Amberjack,
Serviceman Park, Caspersen Beach, Venice Rookery |
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Our Thursday morning birding group
(15 people) visited some locations near the Gulf shore today.
We started at Amberjack Environmental Park in Charlotte County, arriving
there at 8:15 and birding
until 10:30. Lemon Lake is full of water, but no ducks. We did see
several Pied-billed Grebes in
the lake and one Kingfisher along the shore. We walked the pink, red
and brown trails. The marsh
area was dried up. A Pileated Woodpecker was seen in a tree hole; he
was apparently enlarging
the hole. Overall, not many birds were seen. Following is the list of
birds seen.
Pied-billed Grebe 7 Osprey 1 Double-crested Cormorant 1 American Kestrel 1 Great Egret 3 Mourning Dove 1 Snowy Egret 2 Belted Kingfisher 1 Little Blue Heron 2 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Tricolored Heron 2 American Robin 30 White Ibis 4 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 3 Turkey Vulture 1 We than drove north into Sarasota County with our first stop being Serviceman Park by
the Venice airport. We were there for about 45 minutes. Our goal was to see some Scrub
Jays, of which we did see two. A few other birds were noted along the beach.
Following is my eBird list. Brown Pelican 2 Forster’s Tern 2 Double-crested Cormorant 30 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Sanderling 1 Florida Scrub Jay 2 Laughing Gull 5 European Starling 50 Ring-billed Gull 1 Common Grackle 30 After having lunch, we drove to Caspersen Beach, arriving there at 12:45. We birded
the area for about 45 minutes. Again, not many birds were seen. Following is my eBird
list. Brown Pelican 1 Ring-billed Gull 1 Double-crested Cormorant 1 Forster’s Tern 2 Ruddy Turnstone 1 Royal Tern 5 Sanderling 6 Belted Kingfisher 1 Laughing Gull 7 On our way home, we stopped at the Venice Rookery. There were at least a dozen nests
on the small island: Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, and Anhingas. We only saw one
nest that had chicks (GB Heron). There is a Great Horned Owl in the nest on top of
the high tower near the Audubon Center building. Double-crested Cormorant 1 Green Heron 1 Anhinga 9 Turkey Vulture 3 Great Blue Heron 9 Osprey 1 Great Egret 11 Great Horned Owl 1 Little Blue Heron 2 American Robin 60 Cattle Egret 1
Following are a few images taken during
our trip. (For a larger view, double click on the desired image.)
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January 14: Circle B Bar Reserve |
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Today, our birding group traveled
north to the Circle B Bar Reserve in Polk County. We left Punta Gorda
around 7:40 am and arrived at the Reserve around 9:30. Although it was
a little cool when we first arrived, it soon became warm and sunny for a
wonderful weather day.
We walked the Heron Hideout, Marsh
Rabbit Run, and Wading Bird Way trails. It seemed like birds were
everywhere. Hundreds, if not thousands, of White Pelicans were flying
overhead. Wading birds were everywhere. Highlights included two
American Pipits, which was a lifer for everyone, Wilson’s Snipe (one
within two feet of the trail posing for us), Limpkins, Spoonbills,
Cranes, and a juvenile Purple Gallinule. Following is a list of the
birds we saw.
Location: Circle B Bar Reserve Observation date: 1/14/10 Notes: Birding group Number of species: 50 Mottled Duck 4 American Coot 30 Blue-winged Teal 9 Limpkin 3 Northern Shoveler 4 Sandhill Crane 5 Ring-necked Duck 30 Killdeer 8 Pied-billed Grebe 5 Lesser Yellowlegs 3 American White Pelican 1000 Least Sandpiper 7 Double-crested Cormorant 30 Wilson’s Snipe 4 Anhinga 7 Ring-billed Gull 50 American Bittern 2 Common Ground-Dove 2 Great Blue Heron 4 Belted Kingfisher 1 Great Egret 9 Red-headed Woodpecker 1 Snowy Egret 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Little Blue Heron 2 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Tricolored Heron 2 Eastern Phoebe 2 Green Heron 1 Blue Jay 1 White Ibis 15 American Crow 10 Glossy Ibis 20 Tree Swallow 50 Roseate Spoonbill 4 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 12 Wood Stork 15 Northern Mockingbird 2 Black Vulture 5 American Pipit 2 Turkey Vulture 8 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 2 Bald Eagle 2 Palm Warbler 7 Red-shouldered Hawk 3 Northern Cardinal 4 Purple Gallinule 1 Red-winged Blackbird 15 Common Moorhen 30 Boat-tailed Grackle 4
Following are a few images taken during
oury trip. (For a larger view, double click on the desired image.)
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January 7: Corkscrew
Swamp Sanctuary |
This morning, our weekly birding group traveled south to Corkscrew Swamp. We arrived there about 9 a.m. Although it was a little chilly when we first arrived, it eventually turned into a nice, sunny and warm day, a great day for birding. There is quite a bit of water in the area now, which is good. Some of the more interesting highlights seen included Painted Buntings by the feeder (all males, no females), a fox squirrel, several Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, many Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, a Brown- headed Nuthatch, and a variety of Warbler species. Following is a list of my observations that was submitted to eBird.
Location: Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Observation date: 1/7/10 Number of species: 35 Anhinga 4 Brown-headed Nuthatch 1 Great Egret 1 Carolina Wren 2 Tricolored Heron 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 15 Black-crowned Night-Heron 2 Gray Catbird 4 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1 Northern Mockingbird 2 White Ibis 8 Northern Parula 1 Black Vulture 3 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 Turkey Vulture 3 Yellow-throated Warbler 3 Bald Eagle 1 Pine Warbler 2 Red-shouldered Hawk 4 Prairie Warbler 1 Mourning Dove 5 Palm Warbler 7 Red-headed Woodpecker 4 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3 Common Yellowthroat 3 Downy Woodpecker 4 Northern Cardinal 2 Pileated Woodpecker 2 Painted Bunting 4 Eastern Phoebe 3 Common Grackle 12 Great Crested Flycatcher 5 Brown-headed Cowbird 7 White-eyed Vireo 2
Following are a few images taken during
oury trip. (For a larger view, double click on the desired image.)
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For summaries of earlier trips, click on Archives.
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