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Posted by Vince Lucas on 19:05:59 06/25/06
All:
Only three of us (Margaret England, Stephen Buczynski & myself) showed up at STA-5 to drive around the Northeast Cell but that was OK by me since I was doing some photography with my new digital SLR. There's definitely a learning curve to digital photography when one is used to shooting film all one's life! Given time, I'm sure I can improve on my initial results. The trip to STA-5 from Naples netted a few good birds, mostly in Hendry County. Specifically, I found a Limpkin and a juvenile Snail Kite near the intersection of CR 833 & CR 835 north of the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation. The drive down Blumberg Road to the parking lot at STA-5 was even better. The recent rains had created a few acre-sized wetland along Blumberg approximately 1/2 mile south of where it intersects with CR835. In this wetland were many (>50) Glossy Ibis and all of the other expected waders including many "calico" juvenile Little Blue Herons and several Yellow-crowned Night-Herons. There were about a dozen Mottled Ducks and at least two pairs of Wood Ducks. Nice. Black-necked Stilts were also abundant. Along the canal paralleling Blumberg I found a vocalizing Eastern Towhee and Eastern Meadowlark. A couple of Common Nighthawks were plying the cane fields. Common Ground-Doves were evident as were many territorial Red-winged Blackbirds. A Northern Rough-winged Swallow perched on the power line along the road was a nice find and a very cooperative Least Bittern perched out in the open was a treat for the eyes.
Having never birded STA-5 in the month of June, I wasn't quite sure what I'd find. Of course I expected the local breeding birds like Black-necked Stilt, Killdeer, Common Moorhen, Mottled Duck, Common Yellowthroat & Red-winged Blackbird as well as some of the waders. However, the presence of certain other species makes me wonder about their breeding status. Present were both Black-bellied and Fulvous Whistling Ducks as well as a half dozen Ring-necked Ducks. We also found 10 or more American Avocets in full breeding plumage (photos taken) as well as three Black Skimmers, possibly the same ones that have been at this site all winter and spring. The avocets in full breeding plumage may be unusual, especially if they remain here all summer.
We did add one new species to the STA-5 checklist. A few Northern Bobwhites were calling from the parking area near the gate.
Here is a list of all of the species seen at STA-5 on June 24, 2006:
6 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
4 Fulvous Whistling-Duck
6 Wood Duck
x Mottled Duck and juveniles
6 Ring-necked Duck
x Northern Bobwhite (Heard only -- New species for STA-5))
x Pied-billed Grebe (Breeding)
x Double-crested Cormorant
x Anhinga
5 Least Bittern (Breeding)
x Great Blue Heron
x Great Egret
x Snowy Egret
x Little Blue Heron (Breeding)
x Tricolored Heron
x Cattle Egret
x Green Heron (Breeding)
x Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
x White Ibis
x Glossy Ibis (Breeding)
9 Roseate Spoonbill
x Black Vulture
x Turkey Vulture
3 Osprey
2 Red-shouldered Hawk
x Red-tailed Hawk
>100 Purple Swamphen
5 Purple Gallinule
x Common Moorhen (Breeding)
x American Coot
12 Limpkin
x Killdeer (Breeding)
x Black-necked Stilt (Breeding)
10 American Avocet
3 Black Skimmer
x Eurasian Collared-Dove
x Mourning Dove
x Common Ground-Dove (Breeding)
x Common Nighthawk
x Northern Rough-winged Swallow
x Northern Mockingbird
x European Starling
x Common Yellowthroat (Breeding)
x Eastern Towhee
x Northern Cardinal
x Red-winged Blackbird (Breeding)
x Eastern Meadowlark
x Boat-tailed Grackle (Breeding)
The remaining 2006 and 2007 STA-5 schedule is as follows:
2006: All Saturdays
July 29
Aug. 26 (Fall Bird Count)
Sept. 23
Oct. 14
Nov. 11
Nov. 25
Dec. 9
Dec. 23
2007: All Saturdays
Jan. 13
Jan. 27
Feb. 3
Feb. 17 (Great Backyard Bird Count)
March 10
March 31 or Apr. 1 (Big O Birding)
Apr. 14
Apr. 28
May 12 (Summer Bird Count)
If interested in going to STA-5 on any of these dates, contact Margaret England at sta5birding@earthlink.net
Before I forget, there were more butterflies and diurnal moths at STA-5 than I've ever seen, especially along the canal paralleling Blumberg Rd. A very odoriferous flowering plant of some kind (yet to be identified) was a veritable butterfly magnet. Seen were many Cloudless Sulphurs, Sleepy Orange, Dainty Sulphurs, Great Southern Whites, Queens, Black Swallowtails, White Peacocks, Red Admirals and a lone European Skipper (unexpected) among others. Diurnal moths were mostly Pyralids. There were also many odonates but I better end this epistle here.
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