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Posted by tricia on 12:11:40 07/15/07
My eagle eyed sister has migrated back for a visit.
So we hatched a plan to both bird and bud southwest fl yesterday.
we started off with a stop at Tigertail beach on Marco.
Arriving at 80am,the beach was empty of other people.It was low tide and we immediiately found our target bird the black skimmer,skimming away in front, behind and around us.
Gorgeous birds!
We spent only an hour watching them and then headed up to Corkscrew swamp sanctuary to see the newly discovered Ghost orchid that is in bloom there.
If you have a chance get there while it is still in bloom-they have set up a scope so people can see it.
We were also pleasantly surprised to find tufted titmouse, blue grey gnatcatcher,downy woodpecker,white eyed vireo,wren and pileateds singing and flying about.
The it was on to Oscar Scherer state park to find scrub jays.
This was a much discussed portion of the trip as it is almost in Sarasota. And I was a little concerned that we either wouldn't find them or they would be um, ugly.
Wrong on both counts!!
We walked one loop of the trail in the blazing hot sun and saw nothing.at all. nothing.
went back to the shade and then ventured back onto a further portion of the trail and again saw nothing.
Then a swallowtail kite appeared and captured our attention.
Then the towees started singing.Then Mr. Scrub Jay appeared in all his blinged up splendor.
As soon as he spotted eagleeye , he was on her head and then he was pecking her hand. then his offspring appeared and commenced yelling loudly while mom sat in a pine and observed.
I had a really tough time trying to take pictures because the giggles do not improve sharpness!
At one point I was graced with a bird on my hat,pounding on the brim and then peeking under the brim to stare at me .
Man , those are some cool birds!!
We stopped off at a sweet tomatoes in Fort Myers on the way home, and looked up as we got out of the car to find a SWTK circling the parking lot.
A very long but productive day....
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