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Posted by Brian Rapoza on 19:56:39 03/08/14
A dozen birder s joined me for today s TAS trip to southern Collier County, including Jose Zequiera, seven-year old son of MAST Academy colleague Otto Zequiera and one of the sharpest young birders I ve met in a long time. It was a beautiful day for birding, with clear skies, comfortable temperatures and light breezes. We began bright and early at Kirby Storter Boardwalk in Big Cypress National Preserve, where more birds were heard than seen. Wood Stork, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Northern Waterthrush were among the birds seen along the boardwalk. Downy Woodpecker and Eastern Bluebird were among the birds heard.
Next stop was Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. In the Bald Eagle nest that has been visible along the boardwalk since the 1980s, a young eagle performed wing-flapping exercises for us, possibly in preparation for fledging. Northern Parula were singing all along the trail. Other species encountered included Red-shouldered Hawk, Great Crested Flycatcher, Blue-headed and White-eyed Vireo, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Gray Catbird and Pine and Black-and-white Warbler. At the viewing platform at Ten Thousand Island National Wildlife Refuge, we added Blue-winged Teal, American White Pelican, Glossy Ibis, and Roseate Spoonbill to our trip list.
We then drove down to Marco Island; a pair of Burrowing Owls were waiting for us at the intersection of Kendall Drive and Hernando, just before the entrance to Tigertail Beach. One owl chased down a lizard while we watched. A walk along Tigertail s lagoon followed lunch. Conspicuously absent during our visit to the beach were any gulls or terns. Dunlin was the most abundant shorebird; other shorebirds we found included Black-bellied, Wilson s, Semipalmated and Piping Plover, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Western and Least Sandpiper and Short-billed Dowitcher. An adult Reddish Egret performed for us along the way while Prairie Warblers were heard in the mangroves. We ended our day at Eagle Lakes Park; a small flock of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks was seen in the impoundment with the gazebo. Mottled Ducks and a lone Lesser Yellowlegs were also found.
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