Field Trips

January 28: Tierra Verde and Fort DeSoto

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.)

January 21: Amberjack, Serviceman Park, Caspersen Beach, Venice Rookery

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.)

January 14: Circle B Bar Reserve

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.)

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.)

For summaries of earlier trips, click on Archives.