Cool and Breezy

As much as I plan, nothing can really prepare you for what nature will throw your way. I was up and at Lakes Park in Fort Myers this morning only 20 minutes later than I had meant to be. I pulled into the lot and went to pay to park, then decided to toss on my sweatshirt before hitting the trail. The sweatshirt was definitely a necessity. Within a few moments the cool air circled around me playing second fiddle only to the 1000 Tree Swallows that were doing the same.

I admit that my motivation is slightly waning (or is it waxing?) today and all I will do is make a list of the species I came across and a few details. I described Lakes Park in yesterdays blog so I'll add my list: Tree Swallow (at least 1000), Common Moorhen, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, Osprey, Brown Pelican, White Ibis, Boat-tailed Grackle, Red-winged Blackbird, Fish Crow, Cedar Waxwings, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal, Gray Catbird, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Anhinga, Mottled Duck, Spotted Sandpiper, Palm Warbler, and Yellow-rumped Warbler (about 50 at least). There was a hybrid duck that I assume was a Mallard x Mottled hybrid (male) since it was with the Mottled Ducks. I tried to digibin the bird but with poor results.


Little Blue Heron (at Ding Darling)

The next spot was Bunche Beach, no pictures from here, parking is at the end of the road and is free. Read the signs on the history of the place as it's of interest. This spot is pretty much just a beach about a mile long. Take off up or down the beach to view a decent number of shorebirds. Today was: Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Sanderling, Dunlin, Willet, Black-bellied Plover, Laughing Gull, and Black Skimmer. I may try to stop by this spot again to get some pictures.


Laughing Gull (Sannibel Causeway)

The last birding spot of the day was a quick trip over to J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. I wont talk about this too much as a plethora of information is available online about this park. Suffice it that this is a definite must stop spot for birders. Some days are better than others, today was interesting but with hightide, not as bountiful as I would expect. The one big bonus for the day was the abundance of shorebirds, that I can only assume were seeking refuge from the strong winds on the beaches. From today: Turkey Vultures, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Green Heron, Reddish Egret, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, White Ibis, Brown Pelican, White Pelican, Roseate Spoonbill, Dunlin (hundreds), Short-billed Dowitcher (hundreds), Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Least Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Anhinga, Double-crested Cormorant, Pied-billed Grebe, and Red-breasted Merganser.

White Ibis seen somewhere along the way

Strangest bird story of the day: in front of the house a Turkey Vulture landed in the road, a few second later a Red-shouldered Hawk came swooping down on the back of the Vulture and both took off. The hawk landed on the awning and the vulture to somewhere else. A few minutes later the vulture returns to investigate and taste a couple mouthfulls of bird seed scattered on the road. Apparently it was not to his tastes because the bird flew away shortly there after.


Royal Terns hanging out on the causeway to Sannibel Island

Total new species today: I'll have to get back to you. LOL But about 3 life birds.