Pecking of the Wood

Six-mile Cypress Slough was the target for yesterday mornings excursion and it once again came through with a plethora of species and all within easy viewing distance. This park is still relatively quiet on the human side of things although, with an addition of a nature center/museum last year this is quickly changing. In the past the 9:30 am guided tours would have maybe 5 people on them, yesterday when I passed the tour there were easily 15 people.

The Slough path itself is approximately 1.2 miles located off of.... Six-mile Cypress Blvd. Plenty of parking is available for $1 an hour. I didn't venture into the center itself so I'm not sure if there is a cost to look around inside. The trail starts right off the parking lot and immediately drops you into a young cypress stand. But I didn't even need to get that far before having some great birds. Looking around the parking lot I found 3 Swallow-tailed Kites perching in the treetops. I never saw them again once they left for the day. Also, in the parking lot was Tufted Titmouse and Red-bellied Woodpecker along with a few Warblers that flew over.

Swallow-tailed Kite

I did get a chance to see 4 woodpecker species total at this park. Pileated, Downy, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. This trip has also been a chance for me to start to learn the Warblers. I have never gotten into Warbler identification at all and it's proving a detriment this trip. I am however learning quickly especially with the more brightly feathered members of this group. The flush of warblers that were working the Slough this morning included: Common Yellow-throat, Palm Warbler, Northern Parula, Black and White Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatchatcher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Yellow-throated Warbler. There were a few other non-descript warblers that I may try to get ID's on if I have pictures with distinguishable features.

Crappy picture of a Yellow-throated Warbler

Here are the rest of the species... American Coot, Common Moorhen, Tricolored Heron, Little Blue Heron (including immature white forms), White Ibis, Anhinga, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, Red-shouldered Hawk, Bluejay, Northern Cardinal, Gray Catbird, and Green Heron.

American Coot

In the afternoon I took a quick trip over to Cape Coral to check out another boardwalk trail, 4-mile Cove Park. The part of the trail that I walked was not good for birds, the cove itself yielded a single Anhinga. The trail pulled in a small flush of maybe 4 warblers, the only one I got a look at was a Black and White Warbler.

However since I was in Cape Coral and I knew of a couple of Burrowing Owl Spots, I decided to go take a peak and I was not disappointed. The nests are all within about 20 feet from the road side.