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DESTINATION - SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Typical BIRD SIGHTINGS
Provided by SRQ Bird Alert
7 December - We took a spin out in the boat this afternoon, running down the Gulf
coast from Stump Pass in Englewood to Little Gasparilla Pass, continuing under the Boca Grande Bridge into Gasparilla
Sound. It was very nice to see some of our wintering birds out and about – a juvenile No. Gannet flew by in the
Gulf, a few Caspian Terns were on sandbars in the ICW and off Boca Grande, and many Magnificent Frigatebirds
were in the air today. We watched one MAFR join the fray with several gulls, all trying to snag a fish from
one lucky LAGU. The MAFR swooped in a few times, wasn’t successful, and took off. Entering the Sound from under the old
trestle, we spotted a Red-breasted Merganser, my FOTS. We continued on to the Audubon Bird Island, where the
usual hordes of American White Pelicans were loafing on the sandbar, along with D.C. Cormorants, assorted
Gulls, and Rudy Turnstones. As we turned to leave, my son spotted several ducks in a raft to the
northeast, towards Boggess Hole, so we motored over and discovered about 30 additional RBME, with a few Horned
Grebes scattered amongst them. There were two other small groups of HOGR in the area, totaling at least a
dozen all together. We have never checked this particular site before, so I’ll be sure to keep it on my hit list.
Susan Daughtrey, Englewood
4 December - SRQ Audubon led a shorebird walk/trolley ride all over Siesta Key here
in Sarasota County, today. We ended up having more fun with all the Raptors than the Shorebirds. It all started in the
parking lot (of course) with a Red-tailed Hawk on a low wire and Coopers Hawk 5 feet away on the next
higher up wire. Both stayed long enough for extended looks/comparisons. At the public beach on Siesta Key we found a
Lesser Black-backed Gull in among all the Herring Gulls again fun to compare. At access 8 we spotted the
American Kestrel perched on top of one of the masts in the sailboat area. Out on the Gulf we found 2 soaring
Gannets and 1 sitting Juv. Gannet in the water. Heading back to the access 8 we spied the Peregrine
Falcon perched on a balcony on the tallest building. Next we went to the North Bridge and found 2 American Oyster
Catchers and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers.
Kathryn Young
6 December - North Lido Park, 10:30 am. Observed 3 Bald Eagles (1 mature, 2
juveniles) in the dead Australian Pines at the very entrance to the park, North Polk/Emerson Drive. Once inside the park,
the mature Eagle circled 4 times, relentlessly pursued by a diving Osprey and then found refuge in a live A-Pine.
The wintering male Am. Kestrel was non-plussed but one of the 3 Red Shouldered hawks (2 imm., 1 mature)
put up a squawk. There were numerous Palm Warblers and Blue-Grey Gnatcatchers in the pines and brush and 3
Red Bellied Woodpeckers.
Marc Hayman
6 December - Several of us while walking Stump Pass Beach State Park this morning
saw a close juvenile PEREGRINE FALCON perched on a dead Australian Pine. This is likely the same peregrine
seen by Susan Daughtrey about two weeks ago on Stump Pass and by Bill Dunson a week ago at the bridge leading to the
southern end of Manasota Key.
Margaret Dunson, Englewood
5 December - We saw this pair of wood ducks in the back pond in Gulf Gate
yesterday. My pond is on Bowline Dr in Gulf Gate (off Markridge)
Wendy Davis
3 December - We had a flock of about 15 Red Knots this morning at Casperson
Beach, the first we have seen this Fall. They were just past the boardwalk foraging with some Black-bellied Plovers
and Sanderlings. There were no beachcombers in the vicinity.
Rett & Priscilla Oren, North Venice
3 December - Perhaps of interest - Very much so, and unlike other times of the year you will find that the VAST majority of
winter reports are of the Western species Lesser Nighthawk rathar than Common Nighthawk. The former is
annual in small numbers in Florida, while the latter has only been positively documented in winter 1x I believe. Someone
more up to snuff on this can undoubtedly correct me, but I thought I remember the birds Larry Manfredi recorded a few
winters back being the first documented winter occurrence of Common Nighthawk. Even if I'm wrong here, I'm
certain it is safe to suggest that statistically speaking and Nighthawk seen in FL in December is much more likely a
Lesser Nighthawk than a Common Nighthawk.
Jeff Bouton, Port Charlotte
2 December - This afternoon I traveled down the spine of Anna Maria Island, Longboat
Key and Lido Key looking for any birds that may have been blown around by the substantial winds we experienced. I started
at the Beachhouse Restaurant about 2:30 and worked my way south. From the boat ramp at Coquina Bayside on Anna Maria
Island I observed 31 Magnificent Frigatebirds hovering motionless over and near an island in the bay that was
littered with egrets and herons trying to get out of the wind. Since I'm one of the new people in the area
I'm not sure of the importance of Frigatebirds this far north in early December, but it seemed a tad late to me
to have that many. At Beer Can Island there was a flock of maybe 60 Black Skimmer and some terns that
included 1 Piping Plover. Reaching Lido Key I found a first cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull milling around
with 11 Herring Gulls at the south tip of the beach. Here also in the menagerie of terns and shorebirds
was my first Sarasota County Caspian Tern. Finally at about 5:15 p.m. a Peregrine Falcon sailed through
scaring the wits out of every feathered creature on the beach. There is now one less Red Knot in the flock on the
island and the Peregrine no doubt has a full stomach.
Craig Faanes
1 December - The American Kestrel that winters on Siesta Key has returned to his
“perch” atop the masts of the catamaran at the egress of Public Access 10 (just north of the public beach area). It’s
been there every morning so far this week.
Michelle van Deventer
Question - Is anyone seeing large aggregations of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks--20 or more? Please
email me locations. I’m trying to tee up the Sarasota CBC.
Jeanne Dubi, Sarasota
Please send your input about rare and/or interesting bird sightings to:
SRQbirdalerts@msn.com"
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