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Posted by Vincent Lucas on 10:46:43 06/22/11
My one-man June Challenge jumped to 95 species in the last two days as I added Brown Thrasher, Northern Flicker & Carolina Wren at a friend's yard in Golden Gate Estates. That was yesterday. This morning, I went to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and added Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Northern Parula & White-eyed Vireo for a total of 95 species. Yellow-billed Cuckoo (seen or heard yesterday at Corkscrew) still eludes me for both my Collier County Big Year (stuck at 199 species since May 2nd) and the June Challenge. With a little over a week left, it's going to be tough to crack 100 species for the June Challenge on my own. I know of a handful of other Collier sightings that will make the magical 100 species goal but I want to do it myself! On another note, for those who have never seen one or for those photographers out there, the Ghost Orchid at Corkscrew is blooming again and has 7 blooms! That's amazing, seeing that this orchid, found only in SW FL and Cuba, usually doesn't bloom until August. Maybe it will have a second bloom like it did in previous years. Bring a long lens or preferably digiscope it as it's small and quite a distance off of the boardwalk. The volunteers have a spotting scope set up for those wishing a better look. Also in bloom are both Swamp & Scarlet Hibiscus, Marsh mallow, Pond Apple (with fruit), Camphor Weed, Buttonbush and a few others. There's not much water there! Leps include Florida Viceroy, Silver-spotted Skipper, Gulf Fritillary, Orange-barred & Cloudless Sulphur, Ruddy Daggerwing, Palamedes Swallowtail and several others. The only Ode I saw was a Common Green Darner.
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