Posted by Brian Rapoza on March 02, 2003 at 09:13:14:
A total of 95 species were seen or heard by participants on Tropical Audubon's carpool
trip yesterday to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and Ft. Myers Beach. Taking the
Government Road route, the Vermilion Flycatcher spot (13.8 miles north of I-75) was
our first stop. The Vermilion was easily found; Brown Thrasher, as well as Pileated
Woodpecker (the first of many) was also seen there. Just past the Seminole reservation,
a single Crested Caracara was seen helping itself to a meal dropped by a Red-tailed
Hawk. A few Sandhill Cranes were seen in the area; a single Black-necked Stilt was
seen on a farm pond on the right side, shortly before reaching Route 846 (watch out
for the soft shoulders in this area!) Steve Riddle spotted a Peregrine Falcon while we
were on 846.
We arrived at Corkscrew about 10AM. Linda Humphries, who had been waiting patiently
for us since 8:30AM, was rewarded with a pair of Swallow-tailed Kites before our arrival.
The rest of us would not be as lucky with the kites. The group did see American
Goldfinch, Swamp Sparrow, Limpkin, both Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night
Herons, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Downy Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, and 9
species of warbler, including many singing Northern Parula.
After lunch at Corkscrew, we headed for Ft. Myers Beach. The Holiday Inn was
charging $5.00 for parking, so we parked at the shopping center across the street.
A somewhat strong southerly breeze was pushing the water into the lagoon; as a
result, the only shorebirds we saw were 5 American Oystercatchers and a few Willets.
A Reddish Egret provided entertainment. Heading back south, a Magnificent Frigatebird
was seen over the Estero Pass Bridge. At Dog Beach, a small tern in breeding plumage
(black cap, reddish bill with a black tip) was seen sleeping among the Royals, Sandwich,
Forster's, and a couple of Caspian's. I thought it was a Common Tern, but unable to
determine the wingtip to tail ratio, it may have also been a Forster's.
Our last stop before heading back to Miami via Tamiami Trail was Eagle Lakes Park in
Naples. No Eurasian Wigeon could be found among the Americans, nor could we find
the Bronzed Cowbirds.
Special thanks to Arthur "WalMart on Wheels" Sissleman (that van of his has everything,
including the kitchen sink!), for coming through with a spare pair of shoelaces when
mine broke, and for assisting with a compressor and a can of Fix-a-Flat when visiting
birder Ralph from Boston was having tire trouble. You're the man, Arthur!