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Posted by Alex on 22:38:14 05/30/04
This weekend, I went with my mom and brother to stay over a friend's house in Golden Gate. Golden Gate is being built up rapidly, and it was nice to see that Carolina Wrens, Eastern Towhees, Pine Warblers, and at least four species of woodpeckers inhabit the beautiful pinewoods. I remember seeing my first Northern Bobwhites, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Brown Thrasher, and Swallow-tailed Kites here many years ago. Here is a summary of the trip:
Our first stop of the trip was the Clyde Butcher Gallery parking lot. I love this spot simply cause it has so many birds. Upon arriving, I called my Barred Owl imitation. As soon as I ended the call, White-eyed Vireos, Northern Parulas, Blue-gray Gnatcathers, and Northern Cardinals investigated. A Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Great Crested Flycatchers were also seen. The water levels were very low, and alligators were everywhere.
The Golden Gate area had Red-tailed Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flickers, Brown Thrashers, Carolina Wrens, Pine Warbler, Swallow-tailed Kite, and, unfortunatly, a European Starling. I guess they are moving into the area, and will compete with the woodpeckers. I had a lot of fun catching Green Anoles, Black Racers, Cuban Treefrogs, and TRYING to catch the quick Southeastern Five-lined Skink. Green Treefrogs and Greenhouse Frogs were heard. From 11:00 to about 12:30, I stayed up to listen to the Chuck-wills-widows counter-calling.
Off to Tigertail...
I have been trying to get to Tigertail for months. Finally, I convinced my mom to take me there instead of the usual beach we go to in Naples, Clam Pass Park.
In was very hot, and finding a parking space was hard, but it was worth it.
Near the enterance to Tigertail, though, we had a group of about 150 (!!!) frigatebirds, a few Gray Kingbirds, and two Burrowing Owls. The owls were on seperate sites just a few blocks from the Tigertail enterance. Tigertail had 10 species of shorebirds around still! Red Knot, Short-billed Dowitcher, Willet, many Wilson's Plover, a few Semipalmated Plovers, a lone Black-bellied Plover, a beautiful Dunlin in high breeding plumage, Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, and, THREE SNOWY PLOVERS. A life bird for me. They were tough to find, but it was worth the sunburn and trouble. Dozens of Least Terns, tons of Black Skimmers, a couple Reddish Egrets, and an injured, one-legged first summer Herring Gull were hanging around the tern colony. Killdeer and Black-necked Stilt were seen a few miles west of Everglades City. A Snail Kite was seen along the Tamiami Trail just west of the Collier Seminole State Park property.
I saw a large rail near the Sunway east of Carnestown (in front of Everglades City), but was heading to fast in the car. The last bird of the trip was a Hill Myna at 8:09.
Not a bad trip.
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