Greater White-fronted Geese -- No

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Posted by Vince Lucas on 20:50:45 01/29/06

All:

This afternoon, I spent two hours driving the roads at Dinner Island Ranch WMA in Hendry County looking for the five Greater White-fronted Geese found and photographed by Tim and Lesa Panto on January 27th and announced on yesterday's Florida RBA. To see a photo of these birds, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/cqy8c

and then click on the link to the jpeg i.e. GWFG012706.JPG

I looked at anything and everything while at Dinner Island Ranch, including distant "grass" clumps trying to make them into these birds but just couldn't do it. I saw the small pond/wetland where the Panto's found the geese but they were not there -- neither the geese nor the Panto's! The trip wasn't an entire washout (it never is when I visit Hendry County) however. About 1/2 mile, after passing through the front gate at Dinner Island Ranch, I saw what probably is a resident Peregrine Falcon sitting on a fence post along the main road. The bird allowed me to come within 75 feet of it. Other "typical" birds for Dinner island Ranch included 5-6 Sandhill Cranes, Northern Harrier (male), many singing Eastern Meadowlarks, more Savannah Sparrows than I've ever seen in one locale, numerous American Kestrels, several Red-shouldered Hawks plus all of the usual waders including many Wood Storks, egrets, herons, both ibis, etc. Shorebirds consisted of Greater Yellowlegs (2) and several Killdeer. Although I really didn't check the hammocks for passerines, I did have an Eastern Phoebe and White-eyed Vireo at one point and of course ubiquitous Palm Warblers. Along the canals adjacent to the road one is liable to find Common Yellowthroats and Swamp Sparrows.

Some of the better birds I saw this afternoon were on my way to and from Dinner Island Ranch along CR846 (going to this place) and afterward along CR858 as I returned back to Naples. At the Immokalee Ranch on CR846 (Collier County) a mile or so past the Immokalee Airport, I tried for the Solitary Sandpipers which have been present for most of the winter. The wetland on the south side of the road where I usually find these birds has dried up so I checked the cowpond on the north side of the highway where I've found them in year's past. No Solitary Sandpipers there but there were seven Wild Turkeys drinking from along the edges of the pond. I watched them for five minutes before they casually sauntered off into the cow pasture and then the distant woods. Nice. The Solitaries are, in all likelihood, still around. There is another cow pond about 300 yards further south of the wetland that dried up on the south side of CR846. I didn't have a scope but I could see shorebirds there. I'd bet my bottom dollar that the SOSAs were in there.

About 1/2 mile from where CR846 intersects with CR833 (Hendry County), I had two Snail Kites plying the canal right along the road. Way cool. Returning from Dinner Island Ranch, along this same road, I watched over 50+ American White Pelicans with as many Wood Storks crowd into another cowpond. The scene was almost comical.

I took CR858 back to Naples from where it intersects CR846 on the Hendry/Collier County line. I had excellent views of a Crested Caracara sitting on a fence post. In the Vermilion Flycatcher spot (between 12th & 13th telephone poles from where CR858 makes the right turn from the Hendry County Correctional Facility) the vermilion Flycatcher was a no-show today. However, there were five Scissor-tailed Flycatchers in the general vacinity. Viewing these birds was difficult because the setting sun was directly in my eyes. But what was even more disturbing was the fact that it looks like the owners of this property are converting the cow pastures to citrus as there was newly excavated and cleared land from the north of the VEFL spot. This is very disturbing to me as this area is such an idyllic place. Converting it to a monoculture will forever ruin the birding here and this location will become just another distant memory of yet another Collier County locale that has been lost to either development or agriculture.

Lastly, this morning I stopped at the North Naples Wastewater Treatment Ponds on Goodlette-Frank Rd. in Naples. I was only there for five minutes. The "usual" ducks, waders, raptors & shorebirds were there including a Ruddy Duck -- a bird I've rarely seen at this location.

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Comments:	: All: : : This afternoon, I spent two hours driving the roads at Dinner Island Ranch WMA in Hendry County looking for the five Greater White-fronted Geese found and photographed by Tim and Lesa Panto on January 27th and announced on yesterday's Florida RBA. To see a photo of these birds, go to: : : http://tinyurl.com/cqy8c : : and then click on the link to the jpeg i.e. GWFG012706.JPG : : I looked at anything and everything while at Dinner Island Ranch, including distant "grass" clumps trying to make them into these birds but just couldn't do it. I saw the small pond/wetland where the Panto's found the geese but they were not there -- neither the geese nor the Panto's! The trip wasn't an entire washout (it never is when I visit Hendry County) however. About 1/2 mile, after passing through the front gate at Dinner Island Ranch, I saw what probably is a resident Peregrine Falcon sitting on a fence post along the main road. The bird allowed me to come within 75 feet of it. Other "typical" birds for Dinner island Ranch included 5-6 Sandhill Cranes, Northern Harrier (male), many singing Eastern Meadowlarks, more Savannah Sparrows than I've ever seen in one locale, numerous American Kestrels, several Red-shouldered Hawks plus all of the usual waders including many Wood Storks, egrets, herons, both ibis, etc. Shorebirds consisted of Greater Yellowlegs (2) and several Killdeer. Although I really didn't check the hammocks for passerines, I did have an Eastern Phoebe and White-eyed Vireo at one point and of course ubiquitous Palm Warblers. Along the canals adjacent to the road one is liable to find Common Yellowthroats and Swamp Sparrows. : : Some of the better birds I saw this afternoon were on my way to and from Dinner Island Ranch along CR846 (going to this place) and afterward along CR858 as I returned back to Naples. At the Immokalee Ranch on CR846 (Collier County) a mile or so past the Immokalee Airport, I tried for the Solitary Sandpipers which have been present for most of the winter. The wetland on the south side of the road where I usually find these birds has dried up so I checked the cowpond on the north side of the highway where I've found them in year's past. No Solitary Sandpipers there but there were seven Wild Turkeys drinking from along the edges of the pond. I watched them for five minutes before they casually sauntered off into the cow pasture and then the distant woods. Nice. The Solitaries are, in all likelihood, still around. There is another cow pond about 300 yards further south of the wetland that dried up on the south side of CR846. I didn't have a scope but I could see shorebirds there. I'd bet my bottom dollar that the SOSAs were in there. : : About 1/2 mile from where CR846 intersects with CR833 (Hendry County), I had two Snail Kites plying the canal right along the road. Way cool. Returning from Dinner Island Ranch, along this same road, I watched over 50+ American White Pelicans with as many Wood Storks crowd into another cowpond. The scene was almost comical. : : I took CR858 back to Naples from where it intersects CR846 on the Hendry/Collier County line. I had excellent views of a Crested Caracara sitting on a fence post. In the Vermilion Flycatcher spot (between 12th & 13th telephone poles from where CR858 makes the right turn from the Hendry County Correctional Facility) the vermilion Flycatcher was a no-show today. However, there were five Scissor-tailed Flycatchers in the general vacinity. Viewing these birds was difficult because the setting sun was directly in my eyes. But what was even more disturbing was the fact that it looks like the owners of this property are converting the cow pastures to citrus as there was newly excavated and cleared land from the north of the VEFL spot. This is very disturbing to me as this area is such an idyllic place. Converting it to a monoculture will forever ruin the birding here and this location will become just another distant memory of yet another Collier County locale that has been lost to either development or agriculture. : : Lastly, this morning I stopped at the North Naples Wastewater Treatment Ponds on Goodlette-Frank Rd. in Naples. I was only there for five minutes. The "usual" ducks, waders, raptors & shorebirds were there including a Ruddy Duck -- a bird I've rarely seen at this location.
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