Palm Beach Wetlands Trip Report – March 25, 2017

Jeff and 8 birders drove to Boynton and Delray Beach on Saturday, first to Wokodahatchee Wetlands and then to Green Cay for a fabulous day of birding.  We met with Linda McCandless from the Audubon Society of the Everglades who gave us a wonder tour of Wakodahatchee.  This wetlands is know for nesting birds and we were not disappointed.  Lots of Storks, Cattle Egrets, Anhingas, and Green Herons on the nest with eggs and young chicks.  Then onto Green Cay to see several Soras and Least Bitterns along with a long list of other species.  A couple of birders spent the night and repeated the process the next day.

Wakodahatchee Wetlands

7 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
2 Egyptian Goose
2 Mottled Duck
8 Blue-winged Teal
250 Wood Stork
4 Double-crested Cormorant
100 Anhinga
4 Great Blue Heron
12 Great Egret
7 Tricolored Heron
25 Cattle Egret
5 Green Heron
3 White Ibis
4 Glossy Ibis
2 Black Vulture
3 Turkey Vulture
1 Osprey
1 Sora
1 Purple Gallinule
4 Gray-headed Swamphen
7 Common Gallinule
24 American Coot (Red-shielded)
1 Limpkin
6 Black-necked Stilt
1 Eurasian Collared-Dove
2 Mourning Dove
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Monk Parakeet
2 Blue Jay
12 Fish Crow
1 Purple Martin
6 Tree Swallow
1 Northern Mockingbird
1 Black-and-white Warbler
2 Common Yellowthroat
1 American Redstart
2 Palm Warbler (Western)
2 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)
1 Northern Cardinal
6 Red-winged Blackbird
6 Common Grackle
25 Boat-tailed Grackle
1 Brown-headed Cowbird

Number of Taxa: 43

Green Cay Wetlands & Nature Center

3 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
2 Mottled Duck
18 Blue-winged Teal
8 Pied-billed Grebe
2 Wood Stork
5 Double-crested Cormorant
9 Anhinga
1 American Bittern
2 Least Bittern
2 Great Blue Heron
5 Great Egret
2 Snowy Egret
3 Little Blue Heron
6 Tricolored Heron
5 Green Heron
3 White Ibis
15 Glossy Ibis
1 Black Vulture
2 Turkey Vulture
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
2 Red-shouldered Hawk
1 Red-tailed Hawk
5 Sora
1 Purple Gallinule
7 Gray-headed Swamphen
50 Common Gallinule
150 American Coot (Red-shielded)
2 Limpkin
1 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
2 White-winged Dove
1 Eastern Screech-Owl
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
2 Blue Jay
8 Fish Crow
10 Purple Martin
1 Northern Parula
3 Palm Warbler (Western)
4 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)
1 Northern Cardinal
6 Painted Bunting
15 Red-winged Blackbird
6 Common Grackle
15 Boat-tailed Grackle

Number of Taxa: 43

Circle B Bar Preserve Field Trip Report – Mar 11, 2017

Mark led a dozen birds to Circle B Bar Preserve for a very productive day.  We saw or heard 61 species , see below

 

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Blue-Wing Teal

Pied-billed Grebe

Wood Stork

Cormorant

Anhinga

Brown Pelican

American Bittern

Least Bittern

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Snowy Egret

Little Blue Heron

Tircolored Heron

Cattle Egret

White Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Roseate Spoonbil

Black Vulture

Turkey Vulture

Osprey

Bald Eagle

Red-shouldered Hawk

Purple Gallinule

Common Gallinule

American Coot

Limpkin

Sandhill Crane

Greater Yellowlegs

Willet

Lesser Yellowlegs

Pectoral sandpiper

Wilson’s Snipe

Ring-billed Gull

Mourning Dove

Common Ground Dove

Barred Owl

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Downy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Eastern Phoebe

White-eyed Vireo

Blue Jay

American Crow

Fish Crow

Tufted Titmouse

Carolina Wren

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Gray Catbird

Northern Mockingbird

Common Yellowthroat

Northern Parula

Palm warbler

Yellow-rumped warbler

Northern Cardinal

Red-winged Blackbird

Common Grackle

American Goldfinch

 

 

Birds and Brew Field Trip Report – -Feb 26, 2017

Best turn out I have seen in recent years.  Roughly 30 birders showed up for the Viera Wetlands drive about.  Highlights included a Great Horned Owl, Snipes, and a Solitary Sandpiper (thanks to Dave Simpson).  After the wetlands drive, the gang went to the Pizza Gallery where Rochelle hosted a well planned out social hour that drew in 35 birders.  SCAS provided free pizza and sodas along with door prizes and raffles. A fun time was had by all.  Definitely worth a repeat!!

Thanks Rochelle for all your hard work and thanks to David for keep the the field trip list.

Great Horned Owl

Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Ring-necked Duck
Hooded Merganser
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Anhinga
American Bittern

Least Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
White Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Roseate Spoonbill
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Red-shouldered Hawk
Common Gallinule
American Coot
Limpkin
Sandhill Crane — Three different nests!
Killdeer
Wilson’s Snipe
Solitary Sandpiper — Small yellowlegs-like sandpiper with conspicuous white eye ring and barred outer tail feathers.  Kept to the muddy edges.  Often bobbing it’s tail and head in a manner suggestive of Spotted Sandpiper.

 

Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Ring-billed Gull
Caspian Tern
Forster’s Tern

Tree Swallow

Eastern Phoebe

House Wren
Marsh Wren
Northern Mockingbird
Common Yellowthroat
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)
Savannah Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle

Orlando Wetlands Field Trip Report – Jan 25, 2017

Mark led a dozen birder to the Orlando Wetlands on Saturday.  Most of the ducks were gone.  The bird of the day was a least bittern seen by some but not all.  After the walk the group sat down to a picnic lunch.  The complete list of  53 species is below:

Blue-wing Teal

Sora

Purple Gallinule

Moorhen

Coot

Limpkin

Sand hill Crane

Pied-billed Grebe

Cormorant

Anhinga

Black Vulture

Turkey Vulture

Least Bittern

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Snowy Egret

Little blue Heron

Tricolor Heron

Cattle Egret

Green Heron

Black-crowned Night Heron

White Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Roseate Spoonbill

Wood Stork

Mourning Dove

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Sand-hill Crane

Osprey

Harrier

Red-shouldered Hawk

Caspian Tern

Kingfisher

Phoebe

White-eyed Vireo

Tree Swallow

Carolina Wren

Marsh Wren

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Catbird

Mockingbird

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Palm Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Savannah Sparrow

Cardinal

Painted Bunting

Red-winged Blackbird

Common Grackle

Boat-tailed Grackle

Brown-headed Cowbird

 

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Encore Field Trip – Feb 18, 2017

Marilyn led 23 birders along Black Point Drive in the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge on a beautiful although somewhat windy day.  Concerns about a low bird count due to the lack of water did prove to limit the number of ducks seen.  However, we had a productive day and counted the  65 species listed below:

Mottled Duck

Blue-wing Teal

Northern Shoveler

Green-wing Teal

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Loon

Pied-billed Grebe

Wood Stork

Double-crested Cormorant

Anhinga

Brown Pelican

White Pelican

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Snowy Egret

Little Blue Heron

Tricolored Heron

Reddish Egret

Cattle Egret

Green Heron

Roseate Spoonbill

Black Vulture

Osprey

Bald Eagle

Red-shouldered Hawk

Clapper Rail

Sora

Common Gallinule

American Coot

Killdeer

Avocet

Greater Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs

Willet

Rudy Turnstone

Sanderling

Short-billed Dowitcher

Long-billed Dowitcher

Wilson Snipe

Laughing Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Greater Black-backed Gull

Caspian Tern

Forester’s Tern

Royal Tern

Rock Pigeon

Collard Dove

Morning Dove

Ground Dove

Great Horned Owl

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Phoebe

Shrike

Scrub Jay

Fish Crow

Tree Swallow

Carolina Wren

Robin

Mockingbird

Yellow-rump Warbler

Palm Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Cardinal

Red-wing Blackbird

Boat-tail Grackle

 

North Brevard Hotspots Field Trip – Feb 11, 2017

Doug led 22 birders to several locations in and around Mims and Titusville to see 56 species.  Highlights included Painted Buntings at Doug’s backyard feeder and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in a neighborhood pond.  The day’s list is below:

Canada Geese

Osprey

Morning Dove

Red Shouldered Hawk

Pileated Woodpecker

Cardinal

Yellow rump Warbler

Common Grackle

Boat Tail Crackle

Fish Crow

Downy Woodpecker

Mocking Bird

Blue Jay

Starlings

Brown-headed Cowbird

House Sparrow

Collared Dove

Chipping Sparrow

Turkey

Belted Kingfisher

Painted Bunting

Robin

Tufted Titmice

Great Egret

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Palm Warbler

Snowy Egret

Pie-billed Grebe

Ring billed Gull

White Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Caspian Tern

Marsh Wren

Bald Eagle

White Pelican

Common Yellowthroat

Wood stork

Common Gallinule

Eastern Phoebe

Black Vulture

Turkey Vulture

Greater Yellowlegs

American Coot

Screech Owl (heard)

Cedar Waxwing

Red tail Hawk

Robin

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Black and White Warbler

Downy Woodpecker

Yellow-throated Warbler

Red-bellied woodpecker

White Eyed Vireo

Ruby Crown Kinglet

Eastern Bluebird

Short tail Hawk (unconfirmed)

Vero Beach Wetland Field Trip Report-Jan 21,2017

George led 16 birders from Melbourne down to the Vero Beach wetlands on a beautiful Saturday morning for a leisurely walk among the berms.  After a couple of hours of great viewing, most of us enjoyed a picnic lunch and reviewed our list for the day.  The group spotted 53 species including the prize Snail Kite and least sandpiper.  For a complete list see below.  Special thanks to George for leading the trip and to Fritz for the photos

Red-shouldered hawk

Yellow rump warbler

Mocking bird

King Fisher

Ring-bill gull

Osprey

Pied-billed grebe

Cormorant

Anhinga

Cattle egret

White ibis

Caspian tern

Glossy Ibis

Blue grey gnatcatcher

Sand hill crane

Little blue heron

Snowy egret

Blue jay

Red-bellied woodpecker

Robin

Phoebe

Great egret

Turkey vulture

Northern shoveler

Hooded merganser

Glossy Ibis

Mottled ducks

White ibis

Blue-wing teal

Boat tail grackle

Palm warbler

Greater yellowlegs

Lesser yellowlegs

Green heron

Wood stork

Little blue heron

Green wing teal

American coot

American bittern

Limpkin

Tri-color heron

Snail kite

Ring-necked duck

Red-tail hawk

Black vulture

Fish crow

Morning dove

Least sandpiper

Roseate spoonbill

Moorhen

Redwing blackbird

White Pelican

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Trip Report – 14 Jan 2017

Marilyn led 16 birders along Black Point Drive in MINWR on Saturday, 14 Jan 2016.  We had 67 species.  The highlights were: Clapper rail, Sora, American bittern, and snipe along with a host of other species.  See the complete list below and check out the wonderful pictures taken by some of the birders.  Thanks Fritz and Kit.

Pictures are Sora,  American bittern, and Bald Eagle

Common loon

Ring-bill gull

Osprey

Boat tail grackle

Willet

Rudy turnstone

Sanderling

Laughing gull

Morning dove

Black vulture

Turkey vulture

Wood stork

Great egret

Snowy Egret

White ibis

Glossy ibis

Tricolor heron

Blue wing teal

Snipe

Killdeer

Pied-billed grebe

Little blue heron

Green heron

Lesser yellow legs

Roseate spoonbill

Coots

Red-shouldered Hawk

Northern Shoveler

Avocet

Hooded merganser

White pelican

Tree swallow

Brown pelican

Common yellow throat

Red egret

Pintail

Cattle egret

Sora

Common gallinule

Cormorant

Anhinga

Catbird

Cardinal

Clapper rail

Harrier

Great blue heron

American bittern

Willett

Palm warbler

Yellow rump warbler

Bald eagle black skimmer

Yellow-bellied sapsucker

Shrike

Kingfisher

Red wing black birds

Fish crow

Black backed gulls

Mottled duck

Savannah sparrow

Shrike

Common grackle

Boat tailed grackle

Skimmer

Flicker (heard)

Mockingbird

Great horned owl

Starling

Blue Heron Field Trip Report-Dec 11, 2016

 

Here’s this morning’s bird list in the order that our group of 12 bireder saw them.  king fisher, mourning dove, black bellied whistling duck, collared dove, Caspian tern, cormorant, common gallinule, coot, both grackles, cat bird, blue wing teal, yellow rump warbler ,red shouldered hawk, Carolina wren, robin, palm warbler, American bittern, glossy ibis great blue heron, white ibis, cattle egret, sora, northern harrier, purple gallinule, marsh wren, laughing gull, savannah sparrow, bald eagle, wood stork, pied billed grebe, green wing teal, red tailed hawk, cooper’s hawk, tri-color heron, red wing black bird, killdeer

TM Goodwin Trip Report Nov 8 2016

Ten birders traveled to TM Goodwin to ride the roads along the impound.  The day started off cloudy but then warmed up a little as the sun broke through.  Lots of fun and very productive.  Look below to see the 64 species we found

Red shouldered hawk

Kestrel

Snail kite

Black vulture

Turkey vulture

Harrier

Shrike

Green heron

Great Egret

Cattle egret

Common Gallinule

Purple gallinule

Swamp Hen

Cormorants

Anhinga

Coots

Limpkin

Little blue heron

Tricolor heron

Glossy ibis

Snipe

Red-bellied woodpecker

Kingfisher

White pelican

Roseate spoonbill

Greater yellow legs

Lesser yellow legs

White ibis

Snowy egret

Great blue heron

Osprey

Swamp sparrow

Savannah sparrow

Pie-billed grebe

Palm warbler

Blue gray gnatcatcher

Bald eagle

Ring necked duck

Caspian tern

Blue wing teal

American bittern

Redwing blackbird

Wood stork

Northern Pintail

Killdeer

Boat tail grackle

Long bill Dowitcher

Black crown night heron

Black-bellied plover

Greater yellow legs

Black neck stilt

Least sandpiper

House wren

Skimmer

Morning dove

Pheobe

Hooded Merganser

Green-winged Teal

Northern Shoveler

Yellow-rumped warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Northern Mockingbird

Fish Crow

White-eyed Vireo