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Posted by Brian Rapoza on 19:04:07 11/13/10
Fourteen birders joined me for today's TAS trip to Fakahatchee Strand and Marco Island in Collier County. Most participants, on their way to our meeting place at Big Cypress National Preserve's Oasis Visitor Center, spotted a male Snail Kite perched on the cypress at the abandoned airboat concession near Shark Valley. Limpkin was also seen en route, as were just about all of the common waders. A Chipping Sparrow and Ruby-throated Hummingbird were found in the butterfly garden at Oasis; Grasshopper and Savannah Sparrow were seen around the parking area.
At Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park's Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk, male and female Baltimore Orioles were perched in a tree within the adjacent Miccosukee village and a Northern Flicker was perched in a tree across the road. A Barrred Owl was heard along the boardwalk and was seen briefly by a few participants. Other species encountered included Northern Harrier, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested Flycatcher, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Gray Catbird, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler and Common Yellowthroat. A Carolina Wren was heard. We were unable to find any feeding flocks along the boardwalk. Upon exiting the boardwalk, we ran into a group of visitors who had just encountered a Black Bear. The bear at one point came up onto the boardwalk, where it obligingly posed for photos. Sadly, the TAS group only saw the photos. Across Tamiami Trail from Big Cypress Bend, we consoled ourselves with sightings of a light morph Short-tailed Hawk, Barn Swallows, a House Wren and a couple of Swamp Sparrows.
Our next stop was at the new observation tower on the old Oilpad Road in Ten-Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Only a few waders, a Pied-billed Grebe and a House Wren were found there. A quick stop at Fritchey Road produced absolutely nothing.
At Tigertail Beach on Marco Island, the group waded across the lagoon and walked down the beach until we found a group of shorebirds that included two Snowy Plovers. Good numbers of Magnificent Frigatebirds were soaring along the beach; at least one Northern Gannet was spotted offshore. Other birds seen there included Reddish Egret, Black-bellied, Wilson's, Semipalmated and Piping Plover, Greater Yellowlegs, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, Sanderling, Western and Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, Sandwich Tern and Common Ground-Dove. We stopped at several locations on Marco Island to look for Burrowing Owls, but found none.
Our last stop of the day was at Kirby Storter Boardwalk in Big Cypress. Two Bald Eagles were spotted en route. An American Bittern was hunting beyond the end of the boardwalk; a second bittern was briefly seen some distance beyond the first. Other birds encountered along the boardwalk included Downy Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, Blue-headed Vireo, Tufted Titmouse and Pine, Palm and Black-and-white Warblers.
The male Snail Kite was still in the cypress tree at the abandoned airboat concession when we passed on our return to Miami.
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