Richard Klim
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I assumed it was just one too many fireside cocktails.
-
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Florida, Winter 2013-14 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Jos Stratford
- Start date
Indeed it is of interest. Sobering that the global population hit a low of 23 at one time.
24 December - Lake Kissimmee-Cocoa Beach
Jeepers, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers wake up late! With an unexpected and rather heavy shower coinciding with dawn, maybe it was just a dislike of rain that was keeping them snug within the depths of the tree. Either way, an hour after light broke, with my eyes glued to the roost hole, not a peek of the birds had been seen ...I began to worry that they had actually flown the coop pre-dawn and slunk off into the forest somewhere.
One hour and twenty minutes past dawn, a blur of movement and, in the blink of an eye, out shot out a Red-cockaded Woodpecker, vanishing immediately into the gloom of forest beyond. Rats, an hour and a half of rain, just for that, I was disappointed! But then, from the hole, a small beak, then a head ...Red-cockaded Woodpecker number two had woken up! And this was a far more cooperative bird, flitting out and landing on the pine adjacent, fluffing out its feathers for a while, having a little peck and then slowly edging up the trees. Nice views indeed. And then off it went, launching into the air and taking off in the same general direction as the first bird, gone for good.
I have to conclude these birds do need a certain amount of effort to see them, finding them in the forests certainly requires some luck, staking out roost holes doesn't guarantee prolonged views. I considered myself lucky, and with that departed. Back at camp, with the sun now beginning to break through, I took a short walk along Lake Kissimmee, finding a second pair of Snail Kites and a splendid eight Bald Eagles, then packed up the tents to begin the drive to our next destination, the Atlantic coast of central Florida. Managed to relocate the Whooping Crane as we exited the Kissimmee area, but otherwise had a fairly uneventful drive across to the coast. One Eastern Cottontail en route, as well as a few Wild Turkeys and the usual herons and egrets.
Rented a fairly luxurious room on Cocoa Beach, checking in for three nights and then immediately having a quick saunter across to the adjacent beach. Brown Pelicans drifting up and down, lots of Ring-billed Gulls. With my interest in beaches tending to wain after about ten minutes, I then decided to backtrack over the Banana River and find the Viera Wetlands, a site I had not initially planned to visit. A water-treatment site, now developed into a nature reserve with trails and hides, Viera turned out to be an excellent little addition to my itinerary, not only sporting a good bunch of assorted ducks, including my first Mottled Ducks and Hooded Mergansers of the trip, but also a good selection of other species including a Green Heron and a fabulous pair of Limpkins feeding four little fluffy-ball chicks, dead cute! Moderately small in size, the Viera wetlands would have made for a pleasant hour or so in themselves, but leaving the site, I took a small track to the left and found an even greater reward - two large settling pools, both shallow and fringed by expanses of exposed mud. And upon this, great hordes of birds! Sandhill Cranes, American White Pelicans, Green-winged Teals by the hundred, Blue-winged Teals in the dozens and, best of the lot, masses of waders, assorted flocks zipping back and fro across the mud. Foolishly I had left my telescope back at the hotel, but using the car as cover, I was able to park close to the birds and enjoy the spectacle - an absolute minimum of 350 Least Sandpipers, 150 Short-billed Dowitchers, 40 or so Dunlins, a couple of dozen Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and, scattered across, an occasional Black-bellied Plover here and there. With my scope, I was pretty sure I might have been able to pick out a Long-billed Dowitcher from the many dowitchers largely sleeping. Ah, well, I vowed to return. Anyhow, add the only Bonaparte's Gull of my trip, a few Forster's Terns and ever greater numbers of Sandhill Cranes dropping into roost, and it certainly was a nice way to celebrate Christmas Eve!
Jeepers, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers wake up late! With an unexpected and rather heavy shower coinciding with dawn, maybe it was just a dislike of rain that was keeping them snug within the depths of the tree. Either way, an hour after light broke, with my eyes glued to the roost hole, not a peek of the birds had been seen ...I began to worry that they had actually flown the coop pre-dawn and slunk off into the forest somewhere.
One hour and twenty minutes past dawn, a blur of movement and, in the blink of an eye, out shot out a Red-cockaded Woodpecker, vanishing immediately into the gloom of forest beyond. Rats, an hour and a half of rain, just for that, I was disappointed! But then, from the hole, a small beak, then a head ...Red-cockaded Woodpecker number two had woken up! And this was a far more cooperative bird, flitting out and landing on the pine adjacent, fluffing out its feathers for a while, having a little peck and then slowly edging up the trees. Nice views indeed. And then off it went, launching into the air and taking off in the same general direction as the first bird, gone for good.
I have to conclude these birds do need a certain amount of effort to see them, finding them in the forests certainly requires some luck, staking out roost holes doesn't guarantee prolonged views. I considered myself lucky, and with that departed. Back at camp, with the sun now beginning to break through, I took a short walk along Lake Kissimmee, finding a second pair of Snail Kites and a splendid eight Bald Eagles, then packed up the tents to begin the drive to our next destination, the Atlantic coast of central Florida. Managed to relocate the Whooping Crane as we exited the Kissimmee area, but otherwise had a fairly uneventful drive across to the coast. One Eastern Cottontail en route, as well as a few Wild Turkeys and the usual herons and egrets.
Rented a fairly luxurious room on Cocoa Beach, checking in for three nights and then immediately having a quick saunter across to the adjacent beach. Brown Pelicans drifting up and down, lots of Ring-billed Gulls. With my interest in beaches tending to wain after about ten minutes, I then decided to backtrack over the Banana River and find the Viera Wetlands, a site I had not initially planned to visit. A water-treatment site, now developed into a nature reserve with trails and hides, Viera turned out to be an excellent little addition to my itinerary, not only sporting a good bunch of assorted ducks, including my first Mottled Ducks and Hooded Mergansers of the trip, but also a good selection of other species including a Green Heron and a fabulous pair of Limpkins feeding four little fluffy-ball chicks, dead cute! Moderately small in size, the Viera wetlands would have made for a pleasant hour or so in themselves, but leaving the site, I took a small track to the left and found an even greater reward - two large settling pools, both shallow and fringed by expanses of exposed mud. And upon this, great hordes of birds! Sandhill Cranes, American White Pelicans, Green-winged Teals by the hundred, Blue-winged Teals in the dozens and, best of the lot, masses of waders, assorted flocks zipping back and fro across the mud. Foolishly I had left my telescope back at the hotel, but using the car as cover, I was able to park close to the birds and enjoy the spectacle - an absolute minimum of 350 Least Sandpipers, 150 Short-billed Dowitchers, 40 or so Dunlins, a couple of dozen Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and, scattered across, an occasional Black-bellied Plover here and there. With my scope, I was pretty sure I might have been able to pick out a Long-billed Dowitcher from the many dowitchers largely sleeping. Ah, well, I vowed to return. Anyhow, add the only Bonaparte's Gull of my trip, a few Forster's Terns and ever greater numbers of Sandhill Cranes dropping into roost, and it certainly was a nice way to celebrate Christmas Eve!
birdboybowley
Well-known member.....apparently so ;)
Blimey Jos - Red-cock Wood must be the only bird that I've seen easier than you! I turned up at Three Lakes and saw one on the first tree with a ring on it....but his was '97
I turned up at Three Lakes and saw one on the first tree with a ring on it....but his was '97 
ovenbird43
Well-known member
Blimey Jos - Red-cock Wood must be the only bird that I've seen easier than you!
Lucky! I used to go see the Red-cockaded Woodpeckers at least once a year when I lived in Arkansas, and I don't think I ever found one right away - it often required a lot of patience, standing around or walking slowly and listening for their quiet tapping.
25 December. Merritt Island.
With Florida boasting just a single endemic species, i.e. Florida Scrub Jay, it seemed appropriate to save it for Christmas Day. So it was, an hour before dawn, through the deserted streets of Cocoa Beach I began my drive, destination the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Timed it just perfect, crossing the Indian River into the reserve as light began to flood across the wetlands. Picking up a reserve map at the entrance, my first part of call was the excellent Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, a seven-mile auto route that meanders around a mosaic of habitats, the most productive of which were shallow impoundments, some tidal, some not. These were generally full of birds - heron cocktails on many, ducks on some, waders on others, it certainly made for a good start to the day. Amongst the many highlights, numerous Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons, plentiful Tricoloured Herons and Little Blue Herons, four Reddish Egrets, a flock of about a thousand mixed Blue-winged Teals and Northern Pintails, an assortment of waders including American Avocets and both yellowlegs and, on the non-bird front, a splendid River Otter and quite a few Feral Hogs. Also Belted Kingfishers, a couple of Bald Eagles, loads of Pied-billed Grebes and a few Caspian Terns.
With Blackpoint finished, thoughts began to turn to the Florida Scrub Jay. To the impressive backdrop of Kennedy Space Centre, I began my search with a slow drive along the Kennedy Parkway, ideal habitat throughout, but no birds on this occasion. No worries, I had the whole day, so turned towards Playalinda Beach to check the scrub along this road. Hardly need to check anything - parking the car in the ranger station behind the toll booth, all too soon a whole flock of Florida Scrub Jays were bouncing towards me over the lawn! What little crackers they were, a lively flock of eight birds, hopping about, jumping up onto posts and generally showing off most generously. Spent a good half hour with these birds, stopping by a little later for second helpings. With photographs not exactly challenging to obtain, I then decided to proceed down to the beach.
Though warm and sunny, a wicked onshore wind had been blowing for much of the day, Merritt Island itself largely sheltered by the dunes, but stepping atop those dunes, the full strength was soon apparent. Hmm, maybe a seawatch might be productive I thought, at least it should notch up a Gannet or two! So, perching down on a convenient bench, Brown Pelicans and Royal Terns adjacent, a most pleasant couple of hours idled by. Seawatching off the Atlantic coast of Florida is rarely a productive pastime, but with the onshore winds my little effort was well-rewarded - not only were Gannets passing in reasonably numbers (at least 60), but I also scored a few less expected additions, the best being three flocks of Black Scoters (a total of 30 birds), five quite superb Pomarine Jaegers at close range and, most unexpected of all, a single Sooty Shearwater cruising south! Also found three Common Loons and a Horned Grebe, all sitting on the sea.
From the coast, now mid-afternoon, I then looped along Bio Lab Road - several large Alligators, a few Roseate Spoonbills and a Bald Eagle - and walked the Scrub Trail, the latter producing a single Northern Flicker, but nothing else. At this point, I did consider a return to base, but opted instead for a quick retrace of all localities visited during the day and, as motoring towards the exit, made a spur of the moment decision to have a look at Peacocks Pocket Road, a dead end track leading to the Indian River. What a good decision this was ...not only a smart Sora Rail shuffling along the roadside creek and both American Bittern and Green Heron in the same ditch, but an absolutely corking Bobcat crossing the road midway along. What an excellent Christmas present!
And with that I did depart, a quick scan of the Indian River adding a few waders and a couple more Black Scoters, and then back to Cocoa Beach I went. Christmas Day over, Florida Scrub Jay and Bobcat in the bag.
With Florida boasting just a single endemic species, i.e. Florida Scrub Jay, it seemed appropriate to save it for Christmas Day. So it was, an hour before dawn, through the deserted streets of Cocoa Beach I began my drive, destination the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Timed it just perfect, crossing the Indian River into the reserve as light began to flood across the wetlands. Picking up a reserve map at the entrance, my first part of call was the excellent Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, a seven-mile auto route that meanders around a mosaic of habitats, the most productive of which were shallow impoundments, some tidal, some not. These were generally full of birds - heron cocktails on many, ducks on some, waders on others, it certainly made for a good start to the day. Amongst the many highlights, numerous Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons, plentiful Tricoloured Herons and Little Blue Herons, four Reddish Egrets, a flock of about a thousand mixed Blue-winged Teals and Northern Pintails, an assortment of waders including American Avocets and both yellowlegs and, on the non-bird front, a splendid River Otter and quite a few Feral Hogs. Also Belted Kingfishers, a couple of Bald Eagles, loads of Pied-billed Grebes and a few Caspian Terns.
With Blackpoint finished, thoughts began to turn to the Florida Scrub Jay. To the impressive backdrop of Kennedy Space Centre, I began my search with a slow drive along the Kennedy Parkway, ideal habitat throughout, but no birds on this occasion. No worries, I had the whole day, so turned towards Playalinda Beach to check the scrub along this road. Hardly need to check anything - parking the car in the ranger station behind the toll booth, all too soon a whole flock of Florida Scrub Jays were bouncing towards me over the lawn! What little crackers they were, a lively flock of eight birds, hopping about, jumping up onto posts and generally showing off most generously. Spent a good half hour with these birds, stopping by a little later for second helpings. With photographs not exactly challenging to obtain, I then decided to proceed down to the beach.
Though warm and sunny, a wicked onshore wind had been blowing for much of the day, Merritt Island itself largely sheltered by the dunes, but stepping atop those dunes, the full strength was soon apparent. Hmm, maybe a seawatch might be productive I thought, at least it should notch up a Gannet or two! So, perching down on a convenient bench, Brown Pelicans and Royal Terns adjacent, a most pleasant couple of hours idled by. Seawatching off the Atlantic coast of Florida is rarely a productive pastime, but with the onshore winds my little effort was well-rewarded - not only were Gannets passing in reasonably numbers (at least 60), but I also scored a few less expected additions, the best being three flocks of Black Scoters (a total of 30 birds), five quite superb Pomarine Jaegers at close range and, most unexpected of all, a single Sooty Shearwater cruising south! Also found three Common Loons and a Horned Grebe, all sitting on the sea.
From the coast, now mid-afternoon, I then looped along Bio Lab Road - several large Alligators, a few Roseate Spoonbills and a Bald Eagle - and walked the Scrub Trail, the latter producing a single Northern Flicker, but nothing else. At this point, I did consider a return to base, but opted instead for a quick retrace of all localities visited during the day and, as motoring towards the exit, made a spur of the moment decision to have a look at Peacocks Pocket Road, a dead end track leading to the Indian River. What a good decision this was ...not only a smart Sora Rail shuffling along the roadside creek and both American Bittern and Green Heron in the same ditch, but an absolutely corking Bobcat crossing the road midway along. What an excellent Christmas present!
And with that I did depart, a quick scan of the Indian River adding a few waders and a couple more Black Scoters, and then back to Cocoa Beach I went. Christmas Day over, Florida Scrub Jay and Bobcat in the bag.
A great read as always - and still more to come
Thanks, the feedback is appreciated :t:
Pitvar
Well-known member
So far you've added one new location to try at Easter and confirmed another Jos, so thanks from me too - now how do I tell the family they would prefer the "parks" without me
... now how do I tell the family they would prefer the "parks" without me
The WMA at Lake Kissimmee is only an hour from Disney World, and given it costs (I think) US $170 a person to enter Disney World, tell them you are forgoing the Disney experience purely in consideration of the family budget :t:
26 December. Merritt Island.
Day two at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. After a quick scoot round the Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, I had decided to spend this day focussing on the woodland hammocks and then later on the tidal flats on the Indian River. Things had already begun well with a flock of five Wood Storks in a ditch on route up from Cocoa Beach, and another on the Wildlife Drive, but the birding was about to get even better when I ventured along the Peacocks Pocket Road again, primarily to see if lightening might strike twice with the Bobcat. No feline action, but almost immediately encountered a most impressive roving flock of passerines in the broken woodland that edges the initial parts of the road. Three Cedar Waxwings perched on exposed snags, two Pileated Woodpeckers thumping away at stumps, a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets and, a positive feast for the eyes, an amazing 80 or so Yellow-rumped Warblers buzzing through the bushes, truly a sight to behold, even more so when a right stunning Yellow-throated Warbler appeared in their midst! Also American Robins, Blue-Grey Gnatcatchers and Downy Woodpecker.
After that little haul, I decided to try my luck in the tropical lushness of Palm Hammock, another wooded island seemingly plonked in Florida from the depths of the South American rainforests. Not terribly many birds seen, but a very nice walk regardless - amongst the highlights, another flock of 40 or so Yellow-rumped Warblers, a pair of Tufted Titmice, two White-eyed Vireos, three Carolina Wrens and several Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.
Had ideas of leaving early enough to pop back to the Viera Wetlands, but before doing so, I made the best of a perfect tide to work Gator Creek Road and the causeway over the Indian River. Superb stuff all in all, a flock of 800 Lesser Scaups, ten Black Scoters, six more Wood Storks and a fair selection of waders, including at least 800 Dunlins and 400 Least Sandpipers, plus Red Knot, American Avocet, Black-bellied Plover, Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone and both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs all present in varying numbers.
Yup, Merritt Island had been good, but I was now eager to get back to the waders on the settling pools at the Viera Wetlands. The idea was to try and find a Long-billed Dowitcher amongst the Short-billed Dowitchers, but no such luck. I did however find three Stilt Sandpipers, amble compensation indeed. Wader numbers were perhaps slightly higher than a couple of days before, so too the numbers of American White Pelicans, approximately 80 now present. But, with no Long-billed Dowitcher to add to my haul, back to Cocoa Beach I went, arriving just as the sun was setting. Another productive day over.
Day two at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. After a quick scoot round the Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, I had decided to spend this day focussing on the woodland hammocks and then later on the tidal flats on the Indian River. Things had already begun well with a flock of five Wood Storks in a ditch on route up from Cocoa Beach, and another on the Wildlife Drive, but the birding was about to get even better when I ventured along the Peacocks Pocket Road again, primarily to see if lightening might strike twice with the Bobcat. No feline action, but almost immediately encountered a most impressive roving flock of passerines in the broken woodland that edges the initial parts of the road. Three Cedar Waxwings perched on exposed snags, two Pileated Woodpeckers thumping away at stumps, a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets and, a positive feast for the eyes, an amazing 80 or so Yellow-rumped Warblers buzzing through the bushes, truly a sight to behold, even more so when a right stunning Yellow-throated Warbler appeared in their midst! Also American Robins, Blue-Grey Gnatcatchers and Downy Woodpecker.
After that little haul, I decided to try my luck in the tropical lushness of Palm Hammock, another wooded island seemingly plonked in Florida from the depths of the South American rainforests. Not terribly many birds seen, but a very nice walk regardless - amongst the highlights, another flock of 40 or so Yellow-rumped Warblers, a pair of Tufted Titmice, two White-eyed Vireos, three Carolina Wrens and several Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.
Had ideas of leaving early enough to pop back to the Viera Wetlands, but before doing so, I made the best of a perfect tide to work Gator Creek Road and the causeway over the Indian River. Superb stuff all in all, a flock of 800 Lesser Scaups, ten Black Scoters, six more Wood Storks and a fair selection of waders, including at least 800 Dunlins and 400 Least Sandpipers, plus Red Knot, American Avocet, Black-bellied Plover, Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone and both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs all present in varying numbers.
Yup, Merritt Island had been good, but I was now eager to get back to the waders on the settling pools at the Viera Wetlands. The idea was to try and find a Long-billed Dowitcher amongst the Short-billed Dowitchers, but no such luck. I did however find three Stilt Sandpipers, amble compensation indeed. Wader numbers were perhaps slightly higher than a couple of days before, so too the numbers of American White Pelicans, approximately 80 now present. But, with no Long-billed Dowitcher to add to my haul, back to Cocoa Beach I went, arriving just as the sun was setting. Another productive day over.
Unfortunately not, he was happily sauntering across the road, but by the time I'd got my act together, he was in the grass and gone.
Can offer you this one from California in August however
Attachments
Andrew
wibble wibble
Can offer you this one from California in August however
Excellent, thanks Jos. :t:
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