Location Big Cypress National Preserver, Carnestown, FL
Long curved beak and somewhat hunched appearance were diagnostic.
Saturday, April 20, 2019
298. Reddish Egret
Date April 12, 2019
I was wondering what these grayish egret birds were until it finally dawned on me what they were.
Cornell: Reddish Egret
Location Big Cypress National Preserver, Carnestown, FL
I didn't have much luck at the visitor center or the trail nearby (except for some great views of alligators!), so I simply stopped at various spots along the road.
Cornell: Reddish Egret
297. Burrowing Owl
Date April 11, 2019
We were driving through a neighborhood on the way to dinner when we noticed a mailbox that had a manatee with pup statue as the post on a side street to our right. So we turned around to take a picture. As I drove back towards the road we were on, I spied an owl on a T-perch on a vacant lot. I could hardly believe my luck. This was the first owl I had ever seen in the wild without help (like a nest report or someone with a spotting scope set up).
The next evening we drove through the same neighborhood and saw several of these T-perches with owls on them (often another owl was perched nearby on the ground). They are actually pretty common. There is even a conservation program in place.
Marco Island Growth Management: Burrowing Owls
Cornell: Burrowing Owl
Location empty lot in neighborhood, Marco Island, FL
The next evening we drove through the same neighborhood and saw several of these T-perches with owls on them (often another owl was perched nearby on the ground). They are actually pretty common. There is even a conservation program in place.
Marco Island Growth Management: Burrowing Owls
Cornell: Burrowing Owl
296. Least Tern
Date April 11, 2019
Before we left for the trip, I was somewhat regretful that we weren't going in the dead of winter, when people usually go to escape the awful eastern winter weather. My tax guy even chided me for it a little! But now I'm very glad I went when I did. This bird and the kite would not have been there.
Cornell: Least Tern
Location Sand Dollar Island, Marco Island, FL
I had heard from both boat guides that the Least Terns were just coming back and that there were reports of them being sighted in recent days. We stopped at the very place where there was a spot reserved for their nesting, so I was hopeful.
I saw and heard some terns right away, flying all about and diving in the shallow part of the surf. I eventually saw them enough to make a positive id. It was kind of like trying to identify swallows. Their calls were also diagnostic; I went to my phone and loaded up the correct track on Birding by Ear to confirm. It was actually kind of fun to listen to the real live birds and the calls on my phone at the same time; there was no difference. The repeated "Ki-deeeeeee ki-dic" was the clincher.
I was somewhat inland, watching some near the beach dive into the water. They were apparently very near some people because they were obviously expressing surprise and laughing as the birds swooped down very close to them.
Cornell: Least Tern
295. Wilson's Plover
Date April 11, 2019
Location Sand Dollar Island, Marco Island, FL
Like with our private tour, our boat stopped at a beach for some shelling time. I spent most of it birding. I'm not sure if I have the right location for this, but it's pretty close.
The island we stopped at had a roped off area. There were signs designating it as a sensitive wildlife area or some such language; Kent told us it was for the Least Terns, which were just now arriving from South America (he had heard reports of them being spotted). More on them in the next entry.
As I trudged toward a green area inland, where I thought I heard a Prairie Warbler of all things, I heard some cheeping behind me, and I saw this bird very near; I almost walked into it.
Cornell: Wilson's Plover
Like with our private tour, our boat stopped at a beach for some shelling time. I spent most of it birding. I'm not sure if I have the right location for this, but it's pretty close.
The island we stopped at had a roped off area. There were signs designating it as a sensitive wildlife area or some such language; Kent told us it was for the Least Terns, which were just now arriving from South America (he had heard reports of them being spotted). More on them in the next entry.
As I trudged toward a green area inland, where I thought I heard a Prairie Warbler of all things, I heard some cheeping behind me, and I saw this bird very near; I almost walked into it.
Cornell: Wilson's Plover
294. Magnificent Frigatebird
Date April 11, 2019
Location East Marco Bay, Marco Island, FL
This time we were on a dolphin eco-tour in the Marco Island tour. The naturalist (Kent) and pilot (Mike) were both quite familiar with the wildlife. I saw one of these soaring high above us, and I asked what it was. I suspected frigatebird, but I wasn't sure if it was wishful thinking. Mike confirmed it for me.
Later, Kent showed everyone a picture of a frigatebird and talked about them for a bit. By this time, there were about half a dozen soaring above us.
Cornell: Magnificent Frigatebird
This time we were on a dolphin eco-tour in the Marco Island tour. The naturalist (Kent) and pilot (Mike) were both quite familiar with the wildlife. I saw one of these soaring high above us, and I asked what it was. I suspected frigatebird, but I wasn't sure if it was wishful thinking. Mike confirmed it for me.
Later, Kent showed everyone a picture of a frigatebird and talked about them for a bit. By this time, there were about half a dozen soaring above us.
Cornell: Magnificent Frigatebird
293. Cattle Egret
Date April 10, 2019
Location Dollar Bay, Naples, FL
The guide knew a place where a bunch of these would often hang out, and sure enough they were there, about two dozen. As far as I could tell, they all had the buffy-orange cap. They were a bit shier than the Snowy Egrets; some of them started flying to different perches as if they were about to fly away.
I wasn't expecting to see these in the mangroves because they generally feed in fields (with, you know, cattle), but I guess sometimes they act like "regular" egrets. So this was a nice bonus.
All in all a very productive outing, with four new birds!
292. Ruddy Turnstone
Date April 10, 2019
The location is approximate; I looked at a map later to try to determine where we were at the time, and this was best I could do. Close enough!
About halfway through the boat ride, the guide grounded the boat near a little trail that went about 100 yards through the mangroves and out onto the beach facing the Gulf of Mexico. Here we collected shells and waded a bit.
I spotted a lonely bird foraging among the many shells that littered the sand. He caught a live one at one point; I saw him jabbing at the animal inside.
He was in non-breeding plumage, but the behavior and the bib (among other marks) indicated this species.
Cornell: Ruddy Turnstone
Location On the beach near Reb's Cove, Naples, FL
About halfway through the boat ride, the guide grounded the boat near a little trail that went about 100 yards through the mangroves and out onto the beach facing the Gulf of Mexico. Here we collected shells and waded a bit.
I spotted a lonely bird foraging among the many shells that littered the sand. He caught a live one at one point; I saw him jabbing at the animal inside.
He was in non-breeding plumage, but the behavior and the bib (among other marks) indicated this species.
Cornell: Ruddy Turnstone
291. Swallow-tailed Kite
Date April 10, 2019
Location Naples Bay, Naples, FL
I completely owe this one to our guide as well. I caught only a quick view as it swooped over the water ahead of us and flew into the mangroves. Fortunately, it was pretty unmistakable.
He characterized this bird as a harbinger of spring for them in southwestern Florida. Indeed, the dolphin guide (Kent) the next day would mention to me that a kite had been sighted recently, as though that were a notable event -- notable presumably because of the aforementioned signaling of spring.
290. Tricolored Heron
Date April 10, 2019
Location Naples Bay, Naples, FL
On the first day of our vacation in the Naples/Marco Island area, we took an eco-tour by boat in Naples. It was just me and Mieka with a guy on his boat. He proved very adept at pointing out birds and other wildlife as well as the ecological aspects of the area.
The first bird he found for me was a tricolored heron. We were "chasing" after some dolphins in a very quiet cove, and there were several Snowy Egrets on the shore. They were quite common, so I wasn't really looking carefully. He announced the Tricolored Heron and I was able to spot it immediately.
I was surprised at how small it was. It was basically the same size as the egrets. For some reason, I had it in my mind that they were the same size as Great Blue Herons, probably because when I first learned about the bird, I thought of it as the great blue but just a little different.
Cornell: Tricolored Heron
On the first day of our vacation in the Naples/Marco Island area, we took an eco-tour by boat in Naples. It was just me and Mieka with a guy on his boat. He proved very adept at pointing out birds and other wildlife as well as the ecological aspects of the area.
The first bird he found for me was a tricolored heron. We were "chasing" after some dolphins in a very quiet cove, and there were several Snowy Egrets on the shore. They were quite common, so I wasn't really looking carefully. He announced the Tricolored Heron and I was able to spot it immediately.
I was surprised at how small it was. It was basically the same size as the egrets. For some reason, I had it in my mind that they were the same size as Great Blue Herons, probably because when I first learned about the bird, I thought of it as the great blue but just a little different.
Cornell: Tricolored Heron
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