25 September - At 2 PM today at Siesta Key, Beach Access #4, 30- plus black skimmers
and least and common terns in a flock on the beach.
Hugh Yaeger
24 September - In Pinecraft Park this morning, the noxious spray smell is still there.
Anyway, it was slow, but I managed to see 2 Tennessee Warblers, a Common Yellowthroat (a true migrant for
this park), an Eastern Wood-Pewee, 2 Swainson’s Thrushes, 2 parulas, a Red-eyed Vireo and I
heard but did not see at least 2 Ovenbirds. There were also several gnatcatchers. The resident female
Ruby-throated Hummingbird was active.
Jeanne Dubi, Sarasota
23 September - At the last rock jetty at Casperson Beach on 9/23, along with the
usual assortment of GBHE, SNEG, and BRPE, I saw two black-bellied plovers, a Western willet, two
sanderlings, several Fosters and sandwich terns, and ruddy turnstone. Then around 4:30p I
noticed something out of the corner of my eye. Almost invisible against the rocks, was a juvenile yellow-crowned
night heron. Blew me away. I took a number of photos, and it didn't seem concerned by my presence or by other people
walking past. It spent most of the time preening and looking out over the water. This was a first for me. I have been
going to Casperson pretty regularly for the past 18 months, usually between noon and 6p.
Elaine Rimbach, Venice
22 September - Today, Rick Greenspun, John Ginaven, Dan Irizarry and I birded
Rothenbach Park (at the east end of Bee Ridge Road, 3 miles east of I-75) here in Sarasota. We hit a few mixed flocks,
although I wouldn’t describe the park as hopping. Did get American Redstart, several Ovenbirds, parulas,
many gnatcatchers and Prairie and Yellow-throated Warblers in amongst the residents. Did encounter
2 Barred Owls deep in the woods, which was nice.
Jeanne Dubi, Sarasota
21 September - I spent a few hours checking out South
Lido Key Nature Park in Sarasota County this morning. The birding was a little slow, but a few things were moving. I got
a few Yellow and one Yellow-throated wabler, four Eastern and one Gray Kingbird, a
Merlin, and a House finch at the Nature Center entrance at the north end of the park. At the main entrance,
I got the same warblers along with Northern parula, two Blackburnians, and a surprise American
bittern. The beach featured a Reddish egret and a few shorebirds: Semipalmated and
Black-bellied plovers, Willet, Sanderling, and turnstone.
David Simpson, Fellsmere
17 September - Yesterday there were 2 Pectoral Sandpipers at Pop’s Golf,
just east of the Fruitville library. When looking at Pecs, don’t be fooled by the size difference between male and female.
It can be as much as 20%. Before I figured that out years ago, I thought I was looking at 2 different species. There were
Least Sandpipers there too in close-to-breeding plumage. They actually look like miniature Pecs. I was trying to
get them to be White-rumped Sandpipers until I got a good look at the yellowish legs.
Jeanne Dubi, Sarasota
15 September - A look at the radar revealed a strong storm system moving in on birds
migrating down the west coast. Migrants are meeting storms that are moving inland off the gulf; the storm system may
bring down birds through out the central belt of Florida. If you experienced heavy rain between 2:00am and 4:00am last
night, you might want to check your local patch for new faces. Nature is Awesome.
Angel & Mariel Abreu, Miami
14 September - Spent a couple hours today at Robinson Preserve. Had some nice finds
among the regulars:
Wilson's Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer (1), Willet (3),
Spotted Sandpiper (If anyone needs to see some, they're pretty much guaranteed here!), Semipalmated Sandpiper,
Short-billed Dowitcher, Belted Kingfisher, Barn Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow,
Tree Swallow, Reddish Egret, Tricolored Heron, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron,
Great Blue Heron, Mottled Duck, Forster's Tern, Laughing Gull, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher,
Yellow Warbler , * Finally some passerines!, Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Fish Crow,
Osprey, Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill.
On the way out to the flats, I saw what looked like a small dinosaur. I had a rather unexpected Snapping Turtle along
the trail. Afterwards, I went to the grass fields east of Lorraine Dr on University Parkway to finally get some Pectoral
Sandpipers. I wasn't disappointed. At the field there were Killdeer, Pectoral Sandpiper (many 30+),
Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Western Sandpiper, Black-bellied Plover (many, 30+)
and oddly, Blue-winged Teal (13). There was a nice pond just a few yards away, but they were dabbling in the
flooded field.
Dan Irizarry, Bradenton
14 September - This morning at Pinecraft Park there were a few good birds, the best
of which was an adult male Blackburnian Warbler. Other birds of interest were Ruby-throated Hummingbird,
Pine Warbler, Ovenbird, White-eyed Vireo, and several Red-eyed Vireos. Regards and good
birding,
Jeff Palmer, Sarasota
14 September - I spent some time at the north end of the Celery Fields again this
afternoon (Sunday, 09/13/09) and found a Gull-bill Tern amongst a flock of Laughing Gulls and half a dozen
Forster’s Terns resting in the dirt field. Migratory shorebirds seen there Saturday evening and today
included Western Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Long-billed Dowitcher, Greater and Lesser
Yellowlegs, and Solitary Sandpiper.
Valeri Ponzo
13 September - My husband and I saw three Black-bellied Whistling Ducks along
Shell Creek in Punta Gorda. We were kayaking and launched from Hathaway Park off of Washington Loop Rd via US 17. We
also saw a Limpkin, Wood Storks, Sand Hill Cranes fly over, Black Vultures, a Great Blue Heron, a
Great Egret and many butterflies - Queen and a variety of swallowtails. Bird On.
Sue & Dave Miller, Bonita Springs
13 September - This afternoon in the flooded Bermuda Grass field on University Blvd.
just east of Lorraine Rd., there were a bunch of birds. Among the hundreds of Laughing Gulls were a potpourri of
shorebirds. Included in the assembly were 50 Black-bellied Plovers in various plumage, 30 or more Pectoral
Sandpipers, several peeps, some Yellowlegs, and about a dozen Glossy Ibis.
Jeff Palmer, Sarasota
13 September - Spent some time today between rain showers at Robinson Preserve. It
was very quiet until I got to the western Pond near the boardwalk and Gazebo. There weren't a lot of birds, but a nice
variety. I managed to get an unlikely lifer here: Gull-billed Tern. Three of them were near a Laughing Gull.
I don't know how common they are in these parts this time of year.
Here's what I saw:
Gull-billed Tern (3), Laughing Gull, Willet, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs,
Wilson's Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper, Killdeer,
Spotted Sandpiper (4), Mottled Duck, Osprey, Bald Eagle (2 - near the nest), Great Egret
Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Great Blue Heron, Anhinga, Feral Mallard Ducks - looked
like adult male Mallards, but something was just..off...with them.
Dan Irizarry, Bradenton
12 September - I took a quick pass by the north end of the Celery Fields (Sarasota)
on my way to the Fruitville Library. In addition to at least 30 shorebirds there was a single black tern. It was
on the east end of the big cleared field on the little road across from the library. I didn’t get to get much of a look
at the shorebirds as my son was impatient to go to the library. I am going back now by myself to get a better look. Also,
"my" Yellow-throated Warbler returned to winter with me yesterday (Sept 11), only one day later than she
came last year. This will be her third winter here. I know everyone is probably wondering how I could possibly know it is
the same bird. This is the one that is obsessed with our car mirrors and even got stuck in a car once. Sure enough, I
came home from the gym yesterday afternoon and there she was on my husband’s car!
Valeri Ponzo, Sarasota
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
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