Florida 2015 List (1 Viewer)

Left the house at 5 a.m. today and drove 2+ hours to bird Lake Apopka North Shore Restoration Area--CR448A entrance (Lake Co.) and Lake Apopka NSRA--Clay Island Trailhead. Great way to start the year with 4 rare species. The portion of Lake Apopka NS Restoration that held a majority of the birds we found out today will be closed for a month starting Jan 5, 2015. So we lucked out by going today. Bad day for photography. Overcast, gray sky's so was unable to get decent pic's of many of the birds. However, overall a great day in the field


1. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
2 Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Rare)
3 Blue-winged Teal
4 Double-crested Cormorant
5 Anhinga
6 Great Blue Heron
7 Little Blue Heron
8 Tricolored Heron
9 Cattle Egret
10 White Ibis
11 Glossy Ibis
12 Black Vulture
13 Turkey Vulture
14 Osprey
15 Northern Harrier
16 Sharp-shinned Hawk
17 Cooper's Hawk
18 Bald Eagle
19 Red-shouldered Hawk
20 Red-tailed Hawk
21 Sora
22 Common Gallinule
23 American Coot
24 Limpkin
25 Sandhill Crane
26 Killdeer
27 Wilson's Snipe
28 Mourning Dove
29 Groove-billed Ani (Rare)
30 Belted Kingfisher
31 Red-bellied Woodpecker
32 Downy Woodpecker
33 Northern Flicker
34 American Kestrel
35 Least Flycatcher
36 Eastern Phoebe
37 Vermilion Flycatcher (Rare)
38 White-eyed Vireo
39 American Crow
40 Tree Swallow
41 Tufted Titmouse
42 House Wren
43 Marsh Wren
44 Carolina Wren
45 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
46 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
47 Gray Catbird
48 Northern Mockingbird
49 Northern Waterthrush
50 Orange-crowned Warbler
51 Common Yellowthroat
52 Palm Warbler
53 Pine Warbler
54 Wilson's Warbler (Rare)
55 Eastern Towhee
56 Vesper Sparrow
57 Savannah Sparrow
58 Swamp Sparrow
59 White-crowned Sparrow
60 Northern Cardinal
61 Painted Bunting
62 Red-winged Blackbird

Randy B

Foggy most of day so limited my chase to primarily ducks today. Despite weather was pleased with my results. Visited 3 locations. Ponds at local dump, crescent lake, and Lake Maggorie. Lake Maggorie is starting to recove from years of abuse. Glad to see improvements and return of the ducks. Looks like poor weather will continue through weekend. Highlight today was male Pintail. We don't see many of these in our county.

63 Northern Shoveler
64 Wood Stork
65 Great Egret
66 Snowy Egret
67 Roseate Spoonbill
68 Spotted Sandpiper
69 European Starling
70 Boat-tailed Grackle
71 Brown-headed Cowbird
72 Canvasback
73 Ring-necked Duck
74 Pied-billed Grebe
75 Laughing Gull
76 Ring-billed Gull
77 Caspian Tern
78 Nanday Parakeet
79 Fish Crow
80 Common Grackle
81 Muscovy Duck
82 Lesser Scaup
83 Ruddy Duck
84 Brown Pelican
85 Gadwall
86 Northern Pintail
87 Green-winged Teal
88 Loggerhead Shrike

Great start to 2015 .. I have a Birding buddy down around the Orlando area. I am heading down for a week of Birding with him .. Can't wait !!


Brian

Lot of good birds to be found in Orlando area enjoy your trip Brian.


Slow day. Not able to spend a lot of time chasing birds. Holiday is over so back to work in morning

89 Canada Goose
90 Pileated Woodpecker
91 Black-and-white Warbler
92 Yellow-rumped Warbler
93 Lesser Yellowlegs
94 Rock Pigeon
95 American Robin

Great list of bird, Pauhana!

Only one bird to add so far this week

96. Common Goldeneye.

Rare bird In our area. Last seen by me on 12/24/14. Relocated yesterday

Randy

Quick stop by Lassing Park to check for Bonaparte's Gull. One of better winter locations for bird and lucked out and found one along with a few other shorebirds needed for year.

97 Black-bellied Plover
98 Willet
99 Marbled Godwit
100 Bonaparte's Gull

Hope to spend some time in morning chasing some more of our winter visitor's.

Randy

First a couple to add from last evening. Quick stop at Cresent Lake Park in St Petersburg FL netted two more year birds

101 Greater Scaup
102 Monk Parakeet

Up this morning early to make the short 30 min drive over to Redington Long Pier on Redington Bch, FL. Was hoping to score wintering gulls and did just that, finding all three that are common on our coast in winter. Interesting this was two of the Royal Terns I photographed this morning were both banded. First time I have seen banded Royal's. Will have to investigate banding info.

103 Herring Gull
104 Lesser Black-backed Gull
105 Great Black-backed Gull
106 Forster's Tern
107 Royal Tern
108 Black Skimmer

Last stop of the morning was as always a swing past the ponds at our local dump where I found male & female Hooded Mergansers mixed in with a large group of Northern Shovlers.
Great finish to the morning

109 Hooded Merganser

Randy

Did a big day today (well a big half day) in home county of pinellas, fl. Started before sun up looking for owl's and rails. Finished the day looking for ducks. Totaled 104 species which is new personal high for me in a day. Best bird of day was a immature Red Headed Woodpecker. Unfortunalty this bird is now listed as rare in our county due to loss of habitat so it's always a great find.
Parks visited included Possum branch Preserve and Brooker Creek Preserve

110 Wood Duck
111 Mottled Duck
112 Redhead
113 Bufflehead
114 Horned Grebe
115 Black-crowned Night-Heron
116 Clapper Rail
117 American Oystercatcher
118 Greater Yellowlegs
119 Ruddy Turnstone
120 Sanderling
121 Eastern Screech-Owl
122 Red-headed Woodpecker
123 Blue-headed Vireo
124 Blue Jay
125 Carolina Wren
126 Sedge Wren
127 Eastern Bluebird
128 Hermit Thrush
129 Brown Thrasher
130 Ovenbird
131 Indigo Bunting
132 Eastern Meadowlark
133 American Goldfinch
134 House Sparrow

Randy

Managed to make a couple quick stops yesterday after work. On way to Ft Desoto park area I located Common loon feeding in water off the Terra Verde bridge. On to ponds at terra verda to look for American Widgeon reported the day before. No luck, no ducks at all on ponds. Leaving there I headed to Pinellas Point Lookout in South St Petersburg in hope of findIng Whimbel resting on clam bar. Better luck at this location, Whimbrel, Short billed Dowitcher, and Dunlin added to year list

135 Common Loon
136 Whimbrel
137 Dunlin
138 Short-billed Dowitcher

randy

Headed over to east coast of Florida today in hopes of finding Iceland and thayers gull along with common merganser. Well scored 2 out of 3

139 Common Merganser

Frank Reardon Park. daytona shores fl

140 Northern Gannet
141 Piping Plover
142 Thayer's Gull life bird

Will try for Iceland gull again on Sunday

Randy

Returned home from our East Coast Trip. Tried again this morning for Purple Sandpiper but no luck. Didn't have a lot of time to wait the bird out today. Did get to spend a very nice sunrise however at Ponce Inlet with my wife. Estimate at lease 500 (probably more like a 1000) Black Skimmers came into the beach at sunrise. Pretty spectaular sight. Don't remember seeing that many at one time. Went back to our room at Longboard Inn, New Symrna Beach. Lovely couple who run it. Excellent food, would recommend. After breakfast we headed south hoping to locate Long Tail Duck. We did just that after a bit of search located SE of bridge at Parrish Park.

Since we were right there at entrace we went into Canaveral Nation Seashore. As we entered at pay booth noticed Florida Scrup-Jay's bouncing around in the tree's. Pulled over and actually found 5 Jay's. What a treat. We went into park. Found quite a few birds but nothing else new for year. I did manage to miss the Eared Grebe. Bummer, would have been a new Florida bird for me. Oh, well will be other chances.

All in all a great trip as I celebrated 31 years of marriage to my wonderful wife.

Cheers
Randy

143 Long-tailed Duck Parrish Park
144 Florida Scrub-Jay Canaveral National Seashore--pay station area

Took the day off and between doctor visits got in a little birding. Decided to chase a Field Sparrow that has being hanging around Booker Creek Preserve area. Awesome bird for our county. Rarely seen so was excited to find it this morning. First time I have seen bird in Florida. Also added Wild Turkey to my list. A short but good day.

145 Wild Turkey
146 Field Sparrow

Cheers
Randy

Weather not real good today. Cold front passed through bringing rain all night and now dealing with with wind gusting at 30 mph comng in off the Gulf of Mexico. Not the greatest day to bird. Did go out to Ft DeSoto park to see if any interesting Offshore birds had be blown in. No luck. Only real concentration of birds was at the East Beach Turnaround so did pick up a few of the common shorebirds.

147 American White Pelican
148 Wilson's Plover
149 Semipalmated Plover
150 Least Sandpiper
151 Sandwich Tern
152 Common Ground-Dove

Wind is supposed to lay down for Sunday so hope to be able to head about an hour drive south to locate a Cinnamon Teal. Will see how it goes.

Did a little traveling today. First an hour south to Manatee County. Finally got down to see the Cinnamon Teal that has been hanging around a subdivision for a couple of months. Also stopped by Felts Preserve for Painted Bunting. Lovely male and female seen from feeder blind along with many Indigo Buntings. Than home and back down to Sarasota to visit with my son and his wife. On way home did a short run to look for rumored Crested Caracara. Lucked out and found not only one but two. Great way to end the weekend. Now back to work on Monday Ugh.

153 Cinnamon Teal
154 Crested Caracara

Cheers
Randy :t:

Been to busy at school and crappy weather has hampered any birding until today. Was able to go out to Ft DeSoto for about hour and half. Not much time but did add one bird. Lot's of other good birds seen in the short amount of time.

155 Red-breasted Merganser

Hope to get out some more this weekend. Going south to Sarasota on Saturday. Will check out Celery Fields and if done early enough helping my son will hit Myakka River State Park and check for waterfowl.

Sunday, will see.

Randy
Cheers

Started the weekend birding after school on Friday. Down to Northshore park to check on shorebirds. Not many birds but did come up with two for the year list
North shore park Pinllass county Florida

156 Reddish Egret
157 Western Sandpiper

Saturday morning up early to head to Sarasota, about an hour south. Went to Celery Fields and located 2 of the 3 birds I wanted for the day

celery Fields. Sarasota County Florida
158 Stilt Sandpiper rare this time of year
159 Long-billed Dowitcher Celery Fields

Another early morning today to head north to Gainesville, 2.5 hours north. Scored some good birds

160 Whooping Crane University of Florida--Beef Teaching Unit. Rare bird
161 Chipping Sparrow University of Florida--Beef Teaching Unit


162 Cedar Waxwing Magnolia Parke US-FL
163 Rusty Blackbird Magnolia Parke US-FL Life bird


164 Green Heron Paynes Prairie Preserve SP--La Chua Trail
165 Barn Owl Paynes Prairie Preserve SP--La Chua Trail
166 Song Sparrow Paynes Prairie Preserve SP--La Chua Trail

Except the drive home that took over 3 hours because of traffic accidents was a good weekend

Cheers
Randy

Out and about before dawn this morning. After talking with my friend Brian we decided to chase the Say's Pheobe that had returned to DeSoto county again this year. Left the house at 6 a.m. heading east toward Arcadia. Takes us just short of 2 hours to reach 4 mile grade off State Road 70. Friggin cold this morning for use Florida boys. Medowlarks were in fine tune singing away as we drove down the road. Our destination is a old cattle pen with a pole barn. No sooner had we got out of the car we were rewarded with a close flyby of a Crested Caracara. Awesome bird in the early morning light. We spent almost 30 min scanning the barn and pen before the Pheobe popped up into a dead tree and was immediatly chased away by a Loggerhead Shrike. Waited it out a few more minutes and the bird returned to view on a fence post. Got a show for about the next 20 minutes as the bird was activiley feeding before flying back behind the bard out of view. Awesome morning. Added some Long Bill Dowitchers and Lesser Yellowlegs to my county list on the way home.

Birds added to Florida year list today

167 Eurasian Collared-Dove
168 White-winged Dove
169 Say's Phoebe Florida rarity so great bird for the day

Cheers B
Randy

Just one bird to add today but its a good one. Decided to make one more attempted to locate the Lark Sparrow at Ft DeSoto Park. Got out there a little after 8 a.m. without a lot of confidence as the wind was blowing a bit more than i would have like. Spent out 45 minutes walking up and down a dirt road trying to locate the bird w/o luck. My last trip down I noted a Northern Mockingbird chasing another bird into a seagrape bush. A quick look with my bino's and I knew it was something different. Moved across the field and there sat the Sparrow up in perfect light out in the open. Got a series of quick pics before it flew toward some palmetto bushes and I was unable to relocate. Thank you Mockingbird.

170 Lark Sparrow Florida rarity

Whew, long day but outstanding birding. Left house at 4:30 a.m. to drive 3.5 hours to Stormwater Treatment Area 5 in South Florida. Arrived about 8 a.m.. After meeting with party leaders we headed out. STA-5 is an interesting location. The area consist of several large settling ponds for stormwater runoff. Birding is excellent. Purple Swamphens, Purple Gallinule, Snail Kite, Northern Harriers and many species of ducks are common this time of year. Our total list for today was 74 species (see list below). Added several new birds for the year.

171 American Wigeon
172 Least Bittern
173 Snail Kite
174 Purple Swamphen
175 Purple Gallinule
176 Peregrine Falcon
177 Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Only birds we hoped for but missed were Tropical Kingbird and American Bittern. The wind picked up a bit later in the morning which may have hampered locating the Kingbird. We did however, locate my first White Morph Great Blue Heron. After leaving the location we drove the entrance road looking for Western Kingbird and Scissor-tail Flycatcher. No luck. However, on the way home on SR846 (think thats number) we did locate 4 Western Kingbirds on the wire's along side the road. Woo Hoo, bird 178 for the year.

178 Western Kingbird


Today List for STA-5

1 Fulvous Whistling-Duck
2 American Wigeon
3 Mottled Duck
4 Blue-winged Teal
5 Northern Shoveler
6 Northern Pintail
7 Green-winged Teal
8 Ring-necked Duck
9 Lesser Scaup
10 Pied-billed Grebe
11 Wood Stork
12 Double-crested Cormorant
13 Anhinga
14 American White Pelican
15 Least Bittern
16 Great Blue Heron
17 Great Egret
18 Snowy Egret
19 Little Blue Heron
20 Tricolored Heron
21 Cattle Egret
22 Green Heron
23 Black-crowned Night-Heron
24 White Ibis
25 Glossy Ibis
26 Roseate Spoonbill
27 Black Vulture
28 Turkey Vulture
29 Osprey
30 Snail Kite
31 Northern Harrier
32 Bald Eagle
33 Red-shouldered Hawk
34 Sora
35 Purple Swamphen 20 birds. Largest number I've ever seen
36 Purple Gallinule
37 Common Gallinule
38 American Coot
39 Limpkin
40 Killdeer
41 Greater Yellowlegs
42 Lesser Yellowlegs
43 Stilt Sandpiper
44 Least Sandpiper
45 Long-billed Dowitcher
46 Caspian Tern
47 Forster's Tern
48 Black Skimmer
49 Eurasian Collared-Dove
50 Common Ground-Dove
51 Mourning Dove
52 Belted Kingfisher
53 Crested Caracara
54 American Kestrel
55 Peregrine Falcon
56 Eastern Phoebe
57 Loggerhead Shrike
58 White-eyed Vireo
59 American Crow
60 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
61 Tree Swallow
62 House Wren
63 Marsh Wren
64 Northern Mockingbird
65 Common Yellowthroat
66 Palm Warbler
67 Yellow-rumped Warbler
68 Savannah Sparrow
69 Swamp Sparrow
70 Northern Cardinal
71 Red-winged Blackbird
72 Eastern Meadowlark
73 Common Grackle
74 Boat-tailed Grackle

Am very tired. Did come home and fix the wife dinner for Valentines Day. Off to bed early tonight. Will post a few pic's in the gallery area :t: