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DESTINATION - SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Typical BIRD SIGHTINGS
Provided by SRQ Bird Alert
11 September - At the Celery Fields in Sarasota in the pond right next to the gazebo
there were 10 adult Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks with at least 20 youngsters among them. Also about a dozen
Blue-winged Teals and one lone Glossy Ibis.
Ray Smart, New Port Richey
7 September - This morning at Pinecraft Park, Edith Miller and others had red-eyed
vireos, a hooded warbler, Acadian flycatcher, ruby-throated hummingbird and a wood thrush.
Jake & Lynn Jakubowicz
7 September - Pinecraft Park continues to be pretty quiet. However I did manage to
comb out a few birds this morning. There were a few Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, a few Red-eyed Vireos, an
Ovenbird, a Hooded Warbler, and a heard and briefly seen Empidonax Flycatcher. regards and good
birding,
Jeff Palmer Sarasota
6 September - We would like to report on a 9-6-09 mid-morning trip to Webb Lake
(south of Punta Gorda) and a 9-7-09 mid-morning trip to the Sarasota Lettuce Fields. In addition to the usual birds
observed around Webb Lake, we saw an eagle perching on a pine tree limb as it silently surveyed the quiet lake
waters, then take flight and snag a largemouth bass with its talons as it glided just above the lake surface.
We observed many different birds at the Lettuce Fields but were surprised to see two adult female Black-bellied
ducks, each with four recently hatched ducks in tow. The mothers were busy showing them how to search for and obtain
vegetation beneath the water surface.
Stanley Rodak and Wendy Davis
6 September - Sunday morning at 7:55 AM, 30 white-winged doves were on Bee
Ridge Extension 1/4 mile north of Landmark Road (formerly Coash). They flew off to the west in small groups and were
gone by 8:00.
Paul and Sandy Newhart
5 September - There were 4 American Oystercatchers around Beercan island
Saturday, between Jewfish Key and the north end of Longboat Key. One was on the sandbar and on the beach by the bridge
to Anna Maria Island. 3 others flyovers.
Greg Voigt
5 September - Spent about an hour at the Celery Fields in Sarasota today. LOTS of
Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks with little chicks, as well as many younger, immature ducks. Here's what I saw:
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (many 50-60+), Tricolored Heron, Moorhen (10), American Coot
(1), Great Egret (3), Little Blue Heron (1), Limpkin (3 feeding together on the edge of the island
west of the Gazebo), Great Blue Heron, Fish Crow, Boat-tailed Grackles (lots molting their tail
feathers) - Always funny to see the grackles without the tails!, Osprey (5), Laughing Gull (5).
Are Fulvous Whistling Ducks found here as well? I heard some calls that sounded way different from the
Black-bellied's call. I thought I saw a couple, but they were in the sun and could have been immature
Black-bellied ducks.
Dan Irizarry, Bradenton
Peter Rice comment: Yes, fulvous whistling ducks are seen in tiny numbers from time to time in the Celery Fields and
elsewhere, often with black-bellied whistling ducks.
5 September Rothenbach Park (east end of Bee Ridge Road) - Sarasota - Pretty quiet
migrant-wise, but did have an Ovenbird 30 feet high up in a tree. Many, many Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and
parulas, and several Yellow-throated Warblers. The best thing though: 2 Wild Turkeys scurrying
off into the woods. It’s always a treat to see them so far west. Also saw 11 deer and heard what sounded like
a big cat sounding off. I tried to locate whatever it was, but couldn’t find it. It really did emit that angry
hissing/throaty sound, very loud too. And no, it wasn’t a squirrel.
Jeanne Dubi, Sarasota
Comment by Peter Rice: We live at Heritage Oaks Golf & Country Club that is across Bee Ridge Road Extension from
Rothenback Park. Twice over the past ten years I have heard reports of people living in our compound seeing in our
compound panthers (aka cougar and mountain lion), one time they reported seeing one and another person
reported seeing an adult and two young panthers.
4 September - Was out on Siesta Key today. 10:30 am walked out access 7 hoping for
a shorebird fix and was rewarded with 19 Least Sandpipers,3 Western Sandpipers,4 Black-bellied Plovers,
3 Ruddy Turnstones, 11 Snowy Plovers, 4 Semipalmated Plovers and 30+ Sanderlings foraging
in and around tidal pool South of access. Good Birding to All.
Ruth Ellen Peipert
4 September - Went to Robinson Preserve today. It was a scorcher out there by
8:30, but there were some nice finds:
14 Spotted Sandpipers (I figure that's quite a lot. They were in groups of 1-3 scattered throughout),
2 Stilt Sandpipers (I believe), 5 Least Sandpipers, 3 Black-bellied Plovers, 30+ Killdeer,
12 Forster's Terns, 20 Laughing Gulls, 15 Chimney Swifts, 2 Reddish Egrets, 2 Snowy
Egrets, 2 Little Blue Heron, 3 Tricolored Heron, 1 Great Blue Heron, 1 Brown Pelican,
20 Roseate Spoonbills, 20 Wood Storks, 1 Blue Jay, 3 Northern Cardinal
There were 2 passerines that I caught glimpses of, but I couldn't ID them.
Robinson Preserve is located in northwestern Bradenton at the mouth of the Manatee River at Tampa Bay.
Dan Irizarry, Bradenton
4 September - My morning walk through Pinecraft Park was cut short by a crew
spraying herbicide for air potato vine. There were a few birds to look at though. I saw a handful of Blue-gray
Gnatcatchers, a few Red-eyed Vireos, and an Ovenbird. regards and good birding,
Jeff Palmer, Sarasota
3 September - Other than a Yellow-throated Warbler, Rothenbach Park this
morning had no other migrants. It was pleasant strolling though the woods though, and I did see some nice butterflies:
Giant Swallowtail, many Queens and several Brazilian Skippers, among others.
I am staying in The Meadows for the time being, and early this morning, as I was watching hundreds of Bats
coming into roost, I saw a Barn Owl fly north across the golf course. It’s nice to know that they are in other
places in SRQ besides the Celery Fields. Jake Jakubowicz did report one at the Miss Sarasota Softball grounds on 17th
Street a few years back. This is not far from The Meadows. Since Barn Owls are widespread throughout the world, I
expect that there are more in Sarasota County than we think.
Jeanne Dubi, 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
SarasotaAudubon.org
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