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Posted by joel wilcox on 04:46:08 11/14/10
I'm here for a school outing; got away yesterday to be on the beach from 3-4:30. All the following were within 1/2 mile of beach accessed from the large parking lot about 2 miles south of Ulmerton Road (or whatever Ulmerton Road turns into that far west). The birds were tolerating beach walkers to an amazing degree, and all species were seen no more than 20 feet away:
Red Knot c. 200-250, maybe more. Several banded with green or yellow or orange, a couple with bands on both legs. Many of them not real plump, I hope they make it. I wonder if it would be possible to make non-sticky suet pellets (that would not pick up sand) for them to eat? I would donate to that kind of project.
Semi plover
Sanderling
American Golden Plover? 8-10 That is sure what they looked like. Possibly juvenile BB, but the cap was quite dark. I did not pay enough attention to the bills to be sure.
Willet 80-100 in groups of up to 20.
Ruddy Turnstone
American Oystercatcher 2, lifer, 12 feet away
Great Black-backed Gull 1, another surprise
Sandwich Tern 8-10, sometimes hovering in the wind <10 away.
Forster's Tern many, often as close
many other un-ID'd terns
Black Skimmer 12-15 <20 feet
Great Blue Heron 2 always interesting to see them at the beach
Snowy Egret 2
Great Egret
Brown Pelicans diving, laughing gulls everywhere.
And one limpkin feeding in a pond next to a manicured lawn at the hotel.
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