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DESTINATION - SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Typical BIRD SIGHTINGS
Provided by SRQ Bird Alert
30 June - Venice- At 5PM on Venice Ave 1/4 mile east of Hwy 41 two Common
Peafowl crossed the road in front of my car. I believe they were both female, possibly escaped from someone's
yard, as I have never seen peafowl on the loose in this area. They were crossing from the south side to the north.
Just what we don't need, more exotics on the loose.
Barry Rossheim, Venice
28 June - While soaking up the sun on Coquina beach around 2 pm today my wife and
I spotted a Juv. Northern Gannet floating about 40 yards off the beach! It was just paddling around acting
strange. I swam out to see if it had any fishing line or anything attached to it. I was able to get within 3 feet of
the bird so something was definitely off. For over an hour it was drifting towards groups of people swimming - I
watched a guy actually grab it's tail (that was what made me decide to swim with it until someone from the Save Our
Seabirds facility in Sarasota answered our voicemail that we left). Well, they were closed for the day, but we did
get a few local numbers from FWC. Unfortunately, they were all tied up. Now I've been with this bird for like an hour
or so (no sunscreen...stupid!) until he finally swam right to me! I had a can in a coolie and he went after it. I
even hid it behind my back and it just swam around me grabbing for the shiny can. I physically had to push him off
of me. Obviously, baby was hungry and must be getting handouts somewhere because after that event he flew off. I did
see a juv. Gannet in Big Pass (Sarasota) a week ago on my way to go grouper fishing. maybe same bird?
Jeff Fisher, Bradenton
28 June - I just saw a Swallow-tailed Kite fly over my house, about a mile
east of Tamiami and a mile north of E. Venice Ave. This is a first for me, although I had a glimpse of one last year,
but not enough to identify it. A friend pointed it out to me. But this one is mine!! It was just skimming the
treetops, and I had a fabulous close-up view w/o bins! It was beautiful! Just beautiful.
Elaine Rimbach, Venice
22 June - This afternoon, my husband and I went over to Palm Island, and found a
very unexpected late No. Gannet, floating where Stump Pass and the ICW meet. Also seen were one unbanded
Red Knot, one banded (silver band on the right ankle– couldn’t read the numbers) Sandwich Tern, a
Common Tern, one Short-billed Dowitcher, and five Roseate Spoonbills. There were plenty of the
other usual waders and shorebirds, Laughing Gulls and terns. On the ride back in, I did a double-take
when I noticed two small birds pecking around for a snack on the rip-rap rocks on the ICW side of our subdivision.
They sure didn’t look like any shorebirds I’d ever seen there. So, upon picking up the bins, I discovered that they
were juvenile European Starlings! I wasn’t aware of their penchant for sea critters….
Susan Daughtrey, Englewood
20 June - Driving north on I-75 in northern Manatee County on Saturday morning
we saw nine swallow-tailed kites flying together over the roadway.
Peter Rice
26 June - Last year I reported that I had a yellow male House Finch show up
at my feeders. Since then, a red male HOFI and some females have been coming around. This spring, I now have
at least four mated pairs of finches, two with yellow males and two with red males. I saw the fledglings, but
did not get any pix. The pictures show two yellow males together, a red and yellow, a yellow and female, a red and
female, and one close up of a red. The colors are gorgeous; very vibrant. Much more colorful than any HOFI I have seen
in south Jersey.
Elaine Rimbach, Venice
12 June - A group of us observed 6 Canada Geese in the pond across the road
from 5971 Cattleridge Blvd. in Sarasota at noon on Friday June 12, 2009. Turn onto Cattleridge Blvd. at the BP
Station/Arby's. They are in the pond behind the Arby's.
Frank DeSteno
11 June - I saw a swallow-tailed kite flying along Old Bradenton Rd.
between Mecca St. and Myrtle St.
Margaret Hoffman
11 June - I saw two N. Harriers fly from a Jacaranda tree (which is near
a bird feeder) in my yard in Venice. My eyes stayed on one of the birds, which was small, and I clearly saw the
white rump. I didn't notice the size of the second bird, but my impression was that it was larger. The two birds
were definitely "together". A couple of hours later, I inadvertently spooked a Mourning Dove at the feeder.
It burst into flight, immediately followed by a raptor which glided down from the Jacaranda. As it swooped
down to eye level, all I noticed was the striped tail, alternating evenly spaced rows of light and dark. There was
low contrast between the light and dark; the overall effect was grayish, and the body seemed to be grayish as well.
I believe it was a Northern Harrier. Has anyone else seen NOHA this late in the season? I don't know where to
find FOS, et al, records.
Elaine Rimbach, Venice
11 June - Driving along Bee Ridge Road east of I-75 Thursday morning I saw one
swallow-tailed kite flying about. The kite is very unlikely to remain in this specific location, but
it and likely others are passing through our area. On June 10th I saw two and heard three white-winged doves
along Bee Ridge Road Extension between the main entrance to Heritage Oaks Golf & Country Club and Landmark Road
(formerly Coash).
Peter Rice
Please send your input about rare and/or interesting bird sightings to:
SRQbirdalerts@msn.com
SRQBirdAlerts is brought to you by Peter Rice in association with the Sarasota Audubon Society. Visit them at
SarasotaAudubon.org
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