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Posted by Vince on 17:00:45 12/10/05
All:
Acting on a tip from visiting birder Dale Fitch, who reported a Cassin's Kingbird in extreme eastern Collier County along CR 858 earlier this week, Naples birder Ralph Pike and I ventured out to the area near the Hendry County Correctional Facility this morning to try to relocate the bird. We left Naples via CR 846 (Immokalee Road). Sighting highlights along CR 846 were Purple Gallinule, Wilson's Snipe (x12), Crested Caracara, Northern Harrier (male), Cooper's Hawk, Roseate Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, many Wood Storks, and two Swamp Sparrows. Heading south off of CR 846 onto CR 858, on the west side of CR 858 (Collier County or west side of highway), we quickly refound the first year Vermilion Flycatcher I originally found there two weeks ago. Note: to see this bird, look on the west side of CR 858 between the 12th & 13th telephone pole from where CR 858 makes the right turn at the Correctional Facility. The VEFL flycatches from a small shrub about 100 yards out in the cow pasture just past the Cabbage Palm you will see at this site. Site fidelity is fairly reliable for this bird. A spotting Scope is helpful.
This is the same general area where Dale had reported the Cassin's Kingbird. We only were able to locate one Western Kingbird, and try as we may, we could not turn it into a Cassin's. No other kingbirds were seen. Perhaps the foggy weather had something to do with it? We did have five Scissor-tailed Flycatchers though!
At the far eastern side of Wainwright Rd. (the road that runs directly in front of the Hendry County Correctional Facility) past where the pavement ends and the dirt road starts, near the living facilities for the prison staff, we found a pair of Crested Caracara actively searching for nesting material. We had close-up views of these birds. One of the caracaras was the one I reported a few years back. It is banded with a green leg band (right leg?) and a metal band (left leg?) The other caracara was even more interesting in that it only had one leg! It also had a small deformity (patch of yellow flesh) on its breast. An interesting pair to say the least.
Other interesting birds in the area were FOTS American Robin (x3); Eastern Towhee (male); Sandhill Crane (>5), Great Crested Flycatcher (x2), numerous Eastern Phoebe (more than I ever recall seeing in winter at one time), Eastern Meadowlark (x2), Indigo Bunting (x2), Common Ground-Dove, Savannah Sparrow, Cooper's Hawk, Prairie Warbler, White-eyed Vireo, and many Black-crowned Night-Heron.
After leaving eastern Collier County, we headed for the Greenway-Fritchey Road Area. We had very little of interest birdwise here except for an adult Bald Eagle perched in a distant Slash Pine.
Next we went to Eagle Lakes Community Park on US Rte. 41. We almost immediately found the beautiful pair of Eurasian Wigeon reported yesterday by Alan Murray. Great job Alan as usual! This is the first time I've seen these ducks in the impoundment that now houses the gazebo. In years past, the birds were always in the far northwestern impoundment. We could not locate any Bronzed Cowbirds unfortunately. Also present at Eagle Lakes were a small group of Green-winged Teal along with the more common Blue-winged Teal, many Mottled Duck, a couple of Lesser Yellowlegs, (no Solitary Sandpiper that was reported by Alan), a mutant(!) Mallard, and all the other "usual" suspects.
We ended our morning with a brief stop at the North Naples Wastewater Treatment Plant on Goodlette-Frank Rd. just south of Immokalee Rd. where we saw many Hooded Mergansers, Northern Shoveler (x4), Lesser Scaup, Blue-winged Teal and Ring-necked Ducks. One Spotted Sandpiper and a Prairie Warbler were also seen at the North Naples Wastewater Treatment Plant. Add a Pileated Woodpecker flying across Goodlette-Frank Rd. for another nice bird sighting.
In all, we saw or heard a total of some 79 species. Not bad for several hours of morning birding in Collier County!
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