(Best Viewed at 1024 screen width)
DESTINATION - SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Typical BIRD SIGHTINGS
Provided by SRQ Bird Alert
All hands on deck for the Sarasota Christmas Bird Count (CBC).
Many of you from previous years are on board for the upcoming CBC, but we always need more folks to fill in gaps.
We'll assign you to teams; just let us know your birding level. All are welcome. Can't spend all day? Backyard and
neighborhood counts are also needed. Contact me at dubi@comcast.net or call 355-1709 for details/deployment.
Many thanks to all for helping in this important citizen science project!
Jeanne Dubi, Sarasota
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 CDC.
30 November - My husband and I were just treated to excellent views of a young
Peregrine Falcon on Palm Island (Knight Island), off Englewood. We were birding from the boat and first spied the
PEFA , flying low and north just off the shoreline, and scaring the bejeezies out of several flocks of peeps. He
got up to Stump Pass and circled around the point, landing on the beach next to the lagoon on the gulf side of the resort,
where he remained for a few minutes until some beach walkers scared him off. We watched him fly off west into the Gulf
until we lost sight of him. On another note, birding at Amberjack Park this morning in Englewood, I heard a Sora,
with his distinctive descending whinny. This is the first time I have heard a Sora there, though we have heard others at
the section of the Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park in Rotonda, just east of Amberjack. Also seen today was a
White-winged Dove at one of our bird feeders here in South Englewood.
Susan Daughtrey, Englewood
27 November - Several of us from the Englewood Birding group visited Sleeping
Turtles North on Border Rd. this AM and were treated to very good looks of a Male Red Start on the path
heading toward the river. He was in a mixed flock of Blue Grey Gnatcatchers, Blue headed Vireo , Tufted Titmouse
and Black and White Warbler. There was also a Yellow bellied Sapsucker on a nearby tree. In another area
when heading back to the parking lot there were several Palm Warblers, Yellow throated warbler as well as
Common yellow throats and Yellow Rumped warblers. Not far in the distance was a Pileated Woodpecker
and also several Phoebes!
Mary Dommermuth, Englewood
27 November - Nice close N. gannets near Englewood beach on Manasota Key yesterday
morning (Nov. 26) mostly heading north in small groups of 3 - 6. Total of about 30 in short time I was there.
Margaret Dunson, Englewood
Perhaps of interest, from BRDBRAIN - DeSoto County kingbird location: The
location where we had 5 Kingbirds yesterday is along County Road 760, east of Arcadia. Ron's directions are good.
The exact spot is about 1 1/2 miles west of the 90 degree turn where 760 turns from going south from SR 70 to heading
due west back to Arcadia. As you make the westward turn, you will pass orange groves on the south side of the road
belonging to the Bright Hour Ranch. The next big open area are fields posted with a For Sale sign on the gate. The birds
were close to the road in the tree line at the west side of this large open area, right where the road makes a jog to
the SW and then back to the west (this is the second "jog" that this road makes). The first bird we got in the scope
was a Tropical/Couch's as it had a forked tail and bright yellow under parts that extended almost to the chin.
Two other birds were Westerns as they showed gray upper parts down on the upper breast. There was no bright white
throat patch, thus ruling out Cassin's. We didn't get a close look at the other two birds as all 5 birds then took off,
soared high into the air, "hawked" around briefly, and then flew off to the north. We remained for awhile hoping they
would return, but after about 15 minutes, we moved on as we were in the middle of a county listing extravaganza. We had
a flock of 4 gobbler Turkeys in the road only a few hundred yards past the Kingbird spot. I added 11 species for
DeSoto County (all found south of SR 70), raising my total to 138. We checked out several Swiftmud preserves and an old
abandoned Golf Course, as well as several back roads that we followed out into the empty places on the map until we
reached the end of the broad.
David Goodwin, Brandon
27 November - I just now (5:15 p.m.) returned from my latest failed attempt
to find an American White Pelican at Cooper Creek Park off Honore Avenue. However as consolation I was treated
to at least 1,000 and possibly more Tree Swallows swarming over some hatching insects along the west shore of
artificial wetland. Intermixed were two Barn Swallows and at least one (that I could see) Northern Rough-winged
Swallow. The birds everywhere in the air above and adjacent to the emergent vegetation along that shore, from the
T intersection at the south end of the wetland north to and beyond the boat ramp. Curiously I was there at the same time
on Thanksgiving Day and didn't see a single swallow of any species.
Craig Faanes
27 November - Celery Fields. 10-11:30AM. The female American Wigeon was still
in the pond west of the gazebo. Also in the same pond Mallard, Mottled Duck, hybrids, and Blue-winged Teal.
Glossy Ibis were the most common waders. Also spotted was a Northern Harrier hunting the fields, two
Bald Eagle soaring with Turkey Vultures, and several Marsh Wren in the reeds west of the gazebo
pond. At Lake Ackerman were Ring-necked Duck.
Barry Rossheim
26 November - I saw a post on the masses of apple snail eggs on the emergent
vegetation at the Celery Fields. Our native apple snail lays white to light pinkish eggs, usually in clusters of
1-2 dozen eggs. However, we also have an exotic apple snail, known as the channeled apple snail
(Pomacea canaliculata) that lays bright pink eggs in clusters of perhaps 100 or more. The channeled apple snail is
becoming fairly common now in our area and originally hails from South America. Adults are larger than our native apple
snail, but I believe they are still eaten by limpkins, snail kites, etc. Hope this information is helpful.
Sincerely, Jeff Weber
(Environmental Specialist Sarasota County Natural Resources)
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. You can also join them on day trips:
Click Here
|
Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Englewood,
and their fabulous Islands of
Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key,
Lido Key, Siesta Key, Venice & Manasota Key
are the perfect
home base from which to explore other Florida points of interest! |
Click the Links below for our Recommended Accommodations
 |
A visit to SW Florida can lead to many return
visits & Eventual Relocation |
Real Estate Information
Recommended Restaurants
A Dozen Good Reasons to make the move to SW Florida...
TOP 12 LIST
|
|
