Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Encounters With Migratory Birds
I lead a hike today called "Encounters With Migratory Birds" and lucky for me and the birders who joined me we did just that, encounter migratory birds!
Thanks to a nice cold front passing through overnight we enjoy 45 species over 3 hours of birding at Ferndale Preserve located on CR 455 in Minneola Lake County.
Highlights:
American Redstart: 8 (3 Adult Male, 1 Immature Male, 3 Female)
Black-throated Blue: 1 Adult Male
Blackpoll: 2 Adult Male
Tennessee: 3 Adult Male
Magnolia: 1 Adult Male
Prairie: 2 Adult Male
Western Palm: 200+
Common Yellowthroat: (1 Male 1 Female)
Yellow Warbler: 1
Ovenbird: 3
Chestnut-Sided: Fall Female
Acadian Flycatcher: 1
Chimney Swifts: 90+
Barn Swallow: 30+
Northern Rough-winged: 2
Bank: 1
Red-eyed Vireo: 1
Swainson's Thrush: 1
Cliff Swallow: 1 (Only 2nd record for the preserve)
Of note was the lack of Black & White Warbler over the last several weeks at all the parks.
PEAR Park's bird survey on 9/30 showed good movements of Swainson's Thrush (12), Brown Thrasher (8), 5 Warbler Species including 4 Northern Waterthrush and both Tanager species (1 Female of each).
I also added a new yard bird on 9/30 Common Yellowthroat which was still present today when I came home.
Thanks to a nice cold front passing through overnight we enjoy 45 species over 3 hours of birding at Ferndale Preserve located on CR 455 in Minneola Lake County.
Highlights:
American Redstart: 8 (3 Adult Male, 1 Immature Male, 3 Female)
Black-throated Blue: 1 Adult Male
Blackpoll: 2 Adult Male
Tennessee: 3 Adult Male
Magnolia: 1 Adult Male
Prairie: 2 Adult Male
Western Palm: 200+
Common Yellowthroat: (1 Male 1 Female)
Yellow Warbler: 1
Ovenbird: 3
Chestnut-Sided: Fall Female
Acadian Flycatcher: 1
Chimney Swifts: 90+
Barn Swallow: 30+
Northern Rough-winged: 2
Bank: 1
Red-eyed Vireo: 1
Swainson's Thrush: 1
Cliff Swallow: 1 (Only 2nd record for the preserve)
Of note was the lack of Black & White Warbler over the last several weeks at all the parks.
PEAR Park's bird survey on 9/30 showed good movements of Swainson's Thrush (12), Brown Thrasher (8), 5 Warbler Species including 4 Northern Waterthrush and both Tanager species (1 Female of each).
I also added a new yard bird on 9/30 Common Yellowthroat which was still present today when I came home.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Ferndale Preserve "Mini" Fallout
Today was the monthly bird survey for Ferndale Preserve located on CR 455 in Minneola, Lake County FL.
The morning started off fairly slow from the parking lot, which is often the hub of activity during migration. The slow walk up the hill to the more open restoration area began showing activity along the wooded edge, a flycatch was first to be seen but was quickly lost in the flood of flitting birds. First Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, than an American Redstart female, then another, and another, and another mixed with Blue-grays, then 2 Western Palms popped up, than a Prairie, and more Redstarts, White-eyed Vireo and the local crowd like Cardinals and such got into it. We walked down the south side of the preserve which was quiet adding female Black & White and more common stuff, on our way back to the parking lot the American Kestrel and Blue Jays went nuts chasing another bird that was cruising low across the fields, a MERLIN..... soon after we flushed a covey of Bobwhites and after returning to the parking lot we jumped in the truck and drove through the park to lake level, at first nothing till we stopped to look over at Smith's Island, the midges were out in force and in a small clump of Laural Oaks the flitting of birds was seen, Gnatcatcher, American Redstart, Black & White, PROTHONOTORY! Then another and another, Prairie, more Gnatcatcher, the tree was alive! BLACKBURNIAN! YELLOW! another Yellow, and then 2 more! VIREO the call rang out! YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, then White-eyed, Cardinals, more Gnatcatchers, then birds just kept appearing, Common Yellowthroat! We soon moved on up the southern boundry and hit another tree full of movement, Parulas! Praires....more Prairies.. and more.. and more.... soon Black & White, Black-throated Blue, White-eyes, and the common stuff entered in like Downies, Red-bellies, Tufted Titmouse.... more than a dozen Prairie in 1 tree! Just an awesome day wish I had carried my camera but I barely even made it due to being sick to my stomach.
Northern Parula: 6, 4 Male 2 Female
Black & White: 6, 5 female 1 male
Praire: 20-30
Yellow: 4, 2 Male 2 Female/immature
Blackburnian: 1 Female
Prothonotory: 4 All very bright males
Ovenbird: 2
American Redstart: 20-25 all females except 1 adult male
Western Palm: 8-10
Common Yellowthroat: 6-8 mostly female or immature males
Black-throated Blue: 1 Female
Eastern Wood-peewee: 1
Veery: 1
Yellow-throated Vireo: 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers: 30-40
Merlin: 1 very dark Immature, Taiga Sub-species likely....
Local Male American Kestrel, Southeastern Subspecies (resident)
The morning started off fairly slow from the parking lot, which is often the hub of activity during migration. The slow walk up the hill to the more open restoration area began showing activity along the wooded edge, a flycatch was first to be seen but was quickly lost in the flood of flitting birds. First Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, than an American Redstart female, then another, and another, and another mixed with Blue-grays, then 2 Western Palms popped up, than a Prairie, and more Redstarts, White-eyed Vireo and the local crowd like Cardinals and such got into it. We walked down the south side of the preserve which was quiet adding female Black & White and more common stuff, on our way back to the parking lot the American Kestrel and Blue Jays went nuts chasing another bird that was cruising low across the fields, a MERLIN..... soon after we flushed a covey of Bobwhites and after returning to the parking lot we jumped in the truck and drove through the park to lake level, at first nothing till we stopped to look over at Smith's Island, the midges were out in force and in a small clump of Laural Oaks the flitting of birds was seen, Gnatcatcher, American Redstart, Black & White, PROTHONOTORY! Then another and another, Prairie, more Gnatcatcher, the tree was alive! BLACKBURNIAN! YELLOW! another Yellow, and then 2 more! VIREO the call rang out! YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, then White-eyed, Cardinals, more Gnatcatchers, then birds just kept appearing, Common Yellowthroat! We soon moved on up the southern boundry and hit another tree full of movement, Parulas! Praires....more Prairies.. and more.. and more.... soon Black & White, Black-throated Blue, White-eyes, and the common stuff entered in like Downies, Red-bellies, Tufted Titmouse.... more than a dozen Prairie in 1 tree! Just an awesome day wish I had carried my camera but I barely even made it due to being sick to my stomach.
Northern Parula: 6, 4 Male 2 Female
Black & White: 6, 5 female 1 male
Praire: 20-30
Yellow: 4, 2 Male 2 Female/immature
Blackburnian: 1 Female
Prothonotory: 4 All very bright males
Ovenbird: 2
American Redstart: 20-25 all females except 1 adult male
Western Palm: 8-10
Common Yellowthroat: 6-8 mostly female or immature males
Black-throated Blue: 1 Female
Eastern Wood-peewee: 1
Veery: 1
Yellow-throated Vireo: 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers: 30-40
Merlin: 1 very dark Immature, Taiga Sub-species likely....
Local Male American Kestrel, Southeastern Subspecies (resident)
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Catching Up and #401
I really need to do more about updating this blog. Maybe put it on my calendar...lol
Well I got bird number 401 for Florida.... Inca Dove out at St. George Island thanks to a call from Wes Biggs I drove all night and arrived first thing in the morning to get the bird with Wes Biggs, David Simpson, David Hartgrove, and Ray Webb... Later ran into Dotty Robbins, and 2 others whose names slip my mind at this moment. The down side was I got a speeding ticket just east of SMNWR on SR 98.... The price of chasing!
Yesterday I took Jeri, as birder from North Carolina, out as a Birding Pal she got 10 lifers on a fairly quiet day overall.
Also added Blackburnian Warbler to my yard list as an immature male flitted through the yard with the usual suspects of titmice.
Well I got bird number 401 for Florida.... Inca Dove out at St. George Island thanks to a call from Wes Biggs I drove all night and arrived first thing in the morning to get the bird with Wes Biggs, David Simpson, David Hartgrove, and Ray Webb... Later ran into Dotty Robbins, and 2 others whose names slip my mind at this moment. The down side was I got a speeding ticket just east of SMNWR on SR 98.... The price of chasing!
Yesterday I took Jeri, as birder from North Carolina, out as a Birding Pal she got 10 lifers on a fairly quiet day overall.
Also added Blackburnian Warbler to my yard list as an immature male flitted through the yard with the usual suspects of titmice.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
First Fall Migrants
The sound of the local Tufted Titmice told me I likely had guests and I was right! 3 Northern Parula, mom, dad, and still being fed fledgeling... but there was more.... Black & White Warbler a stunning male, then a Prairie Warbler with its beautiful yellow and black, and a flash of orange which I knew could only be one thing... A male American Redstart... Good start for the yard and hope there are many more visitors to come...
Sunday, July 31, 2011
#400
We'll I got #400 for FLORIDA and it was a LIFER too.... White-tailed Tropicbird sub-adult but stunning... The trip was great though I was awake for 23 hours all together.
Highlights:
Wilson's, Leech's, & Band-rumped Storm-petrels
Audubon's & Cory's Shearwaters
Brown Booby and Brown Noddy
Sooty and Bridled Terns
Black-capped Petrel
The only new bird for me was the tropicbird but it was worth all the time and effort. Wonder what will be #401?
Will try to upload some picture tomorrow....
Highlights:
Wilson's, Leech's, & Band-rumped Storm-petrels
Audubon's & Cory's Shearwaters
Brown Booby and Brown Noddy
Sooty and Bridled Terns
Black-capped Petrel
The only new bird for me was the tropicbird but it was worth all the time and effort. Wonder what will be #401?
Will try to upload some picture tomorrow....
Monday, July 25, 2011
Pelagic Trip Saturday
This Saturday i am going on a pelagic trip out of New Smyrna, I really hate boat trips for fear of getting seasick, but I need 1 species to reach #400 for Florida and I am hoping that it happens this trip, White-tailed Tropicbird is the most likely addition and a "Lifer" too.
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