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Posted by Vincent Lucas on 19:58:28 04/13/12
Today, April 13th, two Danish friends and I birded a few sites in Collier County in search of lifers for them and a Bird-A-Day for me. We started out at Carnestown (jct. SR 29 & US Rte 41) where the two Common Mynas were walking around the Marathon Gas Station property. From there, we went down to Dona Dr. where Purple Martins were busy in their condo gourds. A few Barn Swallow juveniles were still present across the canal from the RV site and Eastern Meadowlarks were singing. Back on US Rte 41 west of Carnestown near the Everglades Airboat Tours, Long-billed Dowitchers, a few Stilt Sandpipers, Black-necked Stilts, Lesser Yellowlegs, Dunlin and several Blue-winged Teal were present. The American Avocets that were there a few days earlier were a no show. From there, we went to Rookery Bay to try for Mangrove Cuckoo that I had seen there exactly one year ago at this time. No luck on the MACU. A single Northern Flicker and two flyby Reddish Egrets were consolation prizes, however. At the ABC Islands near the Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge leading to Marco Island, a half-dozen Magnificent Frigatebirds and an squadron of Brown Pelicans were gracefully flying around. A lone Least Tern was also present nearby. On the islands themselves, nesting Great Egrets and other waders could be seen with the aid of a scope. On Tigertail Ct., a subadult Bald Eagle was in its nest in its usual place in the tall Australian Pines just off of the busy street. Many passersby stopped to watch it through our spotting scope much to their delight. On Crescent St., Burrowing Owls were present as they were on other nearby streets. Finally, at Tigertail Beach itself, the Least Tern colony was the largest I've seen in many years. They were everywhere and VERY vocal. It was nice to see that they were doing well this nesting season. In addition, we saw both morphs of Reddish Egrets and many waders as well as three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, which I rarely see in Collier County. One adult had a bum leg but the two second cycle birds with it were healthy. A nearby Herring Gull also had a bum leg. Odd. Shorebirds consisted of many Short-billed Dowitchers; Dunlin; Semipalmated, Wilson's, Black-bellied & Piping Plovers (one banded); Sanderling; Least Sandpiper; Ruddy Turnstone; Lesser Yellowlegs (one) and many Willets. No Snowy Plovers no Red Knots were encountered. Prairie Warblers were vocalizing in the nearby mangroves and Osprey were common. No Northern Gannets or Common Loons were encountered on the Gulf. A good day birding in Collier County!
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