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Posted by Vince Lucas on 13:52:26 05/18/08
Twenty or so individuals, some from as far away as Tallahassee, took part in Saturday's tour out at STA-5, south of Clewiston in Hendry County. The Clewiston Inn brought a large vanload of folks out as a trial run for a proposed ecotourism venture to start later in the year. BTW, folks may be interested to know that the Clewiston Inn gives a room discount to birders and the van trip to STA-5 will be part of a birding package through the Clewiston Inn. More information on this venture will be forthcoming I'm sure. Of the 64 or so species seen, most of the winter birds have departed for points north but a few ducks remain i.e. Northern Shoveler & Ring-necked Duck. Among the highlights seen were a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, marking only the second occurrence for this species at STA-5. The white morph of the Great Blue Heron ("Great White Heron") was still present from earlier in the year. Least Bittern numbers were impressive with well over a dozen seen and probably many more gone undetected. One LEBI almost flew into Alan Murray's car on one of the cross-dikes! The number of Roseate Spoonbills seen in the various impoundments was also impressive with 100+ enumerated. One individual was seen laying down on the ground. I'm not sure if it was nesting (a first away from the Keys & Tampa Bay area?) or sick/injured. We'll have to watch the ROSP more carefully! American White Pelicans (mostly juveniles or bachelors) were still around in fairly good numbers. 160 Black Skimmers was a good showing for this inland location at this time of the year. With some of the water levels drawn down, exposed mudflats harbored several nice shorebirds including one Semipalmated Plover (uncommon at STA-5); 4-5 Semipalmated Sandpipers (migrants); 15 or so Stilt Sandpipers in nice breeding plumage; nesting & very vocal Black-necked Stilts; nesting Killdeer; and some distant straggler Long-billed Dowitchers. One Forster's Tern and 18 Caspian Terns were nice to see, especially the latter in such large numbers. As the summer progresses and the heat & humidity increase, the lack of public throngs coming out to STA-5 might be your chance to come to see this birding "gem" here in South Florida unencumbered. Something to consider.
The trip out to STA=5 from Naples held few surprises although Alan Murray and I did see a Yellow-billed Cuckoo cross the road along CR835. We saw our "usual" trip birds including Limpkin, Snail Kite, Swallow-tailed Kite, Common Ground-Dove, Eastern Meadowlark, Northern Cardinal, Sandhill Crane (with youngster), Common Nighthawk, most waders. Northern Bobwhite (heard), Black-necked Stilt, etc. A brief stop at the SFWMD-owned Farm 8 Wetlands, just north of the Ocean Boy Shrimp Farms on CR835 in Hendry County produced an impressive 12 Snail Kites and 20+ Limpkins along with some shorebirds (Least & Semipalmated Sandpipers; Black-necked Stilts and Killdeer). However, after the main STA-5 tour was over, a bunch of us stopped back at Farm 8 Wetlands (mainly to show the out-of-towners the Snail Kites) and we found and positively identified a nice White-rumped Sandpiper as well as a few Semipalmated Sandpipers along with the other aforementioned shorebirds. Another great sighting was a rather close view of a banded and transmittered Snail Kite that was originally photographed near this site back in late December 2007 by Tricia Auffhammer. Go here for Tricia's great photo:
http://www.tropicalaudubon.org/tasboard/messages/19383.html
One hopes that the dredging going on at this beautiful wetland by SFWMD does not impact all of the birds and other wildlife who call this place "home".
Here is our day list for STA-5 proper including birds seen along Blumberg Rd. from its CR835 junction:
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 1
Fulvous Whistling-Duck 10-12
Wood Duck 1 (drake)
Mallard 1
Mottled Duck
Blue-winged Teal 5
Northern Shoveler 1
Ring-necked Duck 5
Northern Bobwhite (heard only)
Pied-billed Grebe
American White Pelican >25
Double-crested Cormorant
Anhinga
Least Bittern 12+
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron (White Morph aka "Great White Heron") 1
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Green Heron (on nest)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (on nest)
White Ibis
Roesate Spoonbill >100 total
Wood Stork >12
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Swallow-tailed Kite 1
Red-shouldered Hawk
Purple Swamphen >5
Purple Gallinule >5
Common Moorehen
American Coot
Limpkin 7
Killdeer
Semipalmated Plover 1
Black-necked Stilt
Lesser Yellowlegs
Semiplamated Sandpiper 4-5
Least Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper >15
Long-billed Dowitcher
Caspian Tern 18
Forster's Tern 1
Black Skimmer 160
Mourning Dove
Common Ground-Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Common Nighthawk (resting on telephone lines along Blumberg Rd.)
Loggerhead Shrike
White-eyed Vireo
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher (Blumberg Rd.)
Common Yellowthroat (ubiquitous and vocal)
Eastern Towhee (Blumberg Rd.)
Northern Cardinal
Bobolink >50
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Boat-tailed Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
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