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Posted by Vince Lucas on 19:22:55 02/13/06
Today, fifteen or so intrepid Caloosa Bird Club members braved the extremely low 40's temps (way cold for us) to bird the nearly tourist-less Tigertail Beach and other locales on Marco Island. In spite of the weather, we had s good day of shorebirding at Tigertail. Highlights:
Snowy Plover -- >10
Piping Plover -- >6
Semipalmated Plover
Wilson's Plover -- >12
Black-bellied Plover
Dunlin
Greater & Lesser Yellowlegs
Least & Western Sandpipers
Short-billed Dowitcher
Sanderling
Willet
No Red Knots were seen.
Other birds:
White morph of Reddish Egret plus at least four "usual" birds.
Red-breasted Merganser -- (2)
Caspian Tern -- (1)
Afterward, we drove some side streets on Marco to look for Burrowing Owls. We found quite a few roped-off BUOW sites but only one Burrowing Owl brave enough to perch out of its burrow.
Our last stop of the day was Mackle Park on Marco. There we found a dozen or so Purple Martins flying low over the lake at the park. In addition there were Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Muscovies, and some genetically "different" Mallards present. There were no Blue-winged Teal nor Northern Shovelers or Ruddy Ducks that usually frequent this lake. However, there was a dead "Pekin" Duck with its partner looking a little forlorn but alive. . . .
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