If you're looking for a short day trip providing a nice, birdy location this time of year, you can't go wrong with Tierra Verde and Ft. DeSoto. Here are two short accounts of Sarasota Audubon-led trips to these locations in February:
February 8 Trip, Led by Dan Irrizary
Our first stop was just before the drawbridge to Tierra Verde. A quick scan here revealed a mixed raft of Red-breasted Mergansers and Common Loons (3 each or so) feeding not more than 50 feet offshore. We all got excellent looks at these birds that tend to be scope distances away!
From here we stopped at the Eagle pond. Mother eagle was standing by the nest, periodically checking in on her 3 week old eaglet! The male eagle was out hunting. The pond had about a dozen Pied-billed Grebes, lots of American Coots, some Common Moorhens, and several Ring-necked Ducks.
The Redhead pond and the pond just north of it were excellent this morning. The more northern pond had Pied-billed Grebes and many Lesser Scaup. The larger Redhead pond had hundreds upon hundreds of Redheads. Mixed in with them were some Lesser Scaup. We found a lone American Wigeon and gorgeous drake Northern Pintail amongst all these ducks. Several dozen Northern Shovelers were found along the north side of the pond. A lone Blue-winged Teal was spotted, as was one or two Ruddy Ducks.
From here, we went to North Beach. Winds were strong out of the north and the sky was overcast. We weren’t expecting much. There was a lone American White Pelican far off in the distance. In the lagoon were a Herring Gull, some Ring-billed Gulls, Laughing Gulls, Tricolored Heron, Reddish Egret, and Great Egret.
Those were the highlights. Not a single shorebird was seen, but with the weather and it being low tide, they weren’t expected.
February 22 Trip, Led by Lynn Jakubowicz and Mary Heinlen
Twenty birders had a pleasant day at Fort DeSoto and the Tierra Verde duck ponds. Before the day was over we had recorded 70 species. We started our day at the far end of East Beach, where we saw American Oystercatchers, Red-breasted Mergansers, and Common Loons, as well as numerous shorebirds. Moving on to North Beach, we had a nice collection of gulls and terns, and a small group of six Wilson’s Plovers.
At the Tierra Verde duck ponds, we saw numerous ducks, including Ruddy Ducks, Northern Shovelers, and well over a hundred Redheads. One of the highlights of the day was a close view of a Bald Eagle chick on the nest with both parents nearby. Driving home over the Skyway Bridge we watched a huge flock of American White Pelicans fly past overhead.
Want to join us for other Sarasota Audubon trips this season? Check out the schedule on our website, www.SarasotaAudubon.org.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Birds of Ecuador--A Travelogue by Audubon Member Rick Greenspun
Hello From Ecuador Bird Friends,
After only one day in Ecuador, I thought I had brought my weather jinx from Sri Lanka!! We were met by torrential rain ( usually they get brief afternoon showers) that lasted 24 hours and resulted in being cut off from our lodge at Tandayapa, due to landslides. roads in and out were closed for the day and we retreated to a place called Mindo Loma Lodge and Preserve while our guide scrambled to find us alternative accomodations for the night.
WOW!! what a consolation prize that turned out to be. We were lucky enough to be able to bird from the balcony of the lodge protected from the weather while we were dazzled by Golden, Flame faced and Saffron crowned and Black chinned Mountain Tanagers. In the mix were dozens of Hummingbird species, Toucans, Flower Piercers and many others. The crown jewels of Ecuador are hummingbirds and Tanagers. There are 131 species of Hummers and 119 species of Tanagers and now, as of this email, we have barely made a dent.
We have been birding mostly the Western slope of the Andes and today visited Antisana Reserve at about 11,000 feet for high Paramo species.
Dazzling flight displays by Andean Condors, Aplomado Falcons, Carunculated Caracara and vistas of the active volcanoes surrounded by clouds and snow made for a spectacular day.
Off to the Amazon tomorrow for five days and believe it or not I will have internet access( its a new world) and will try to send a few more emails.
As always, anyone wanting info on the itinerary can contact me. Stay tuned and Good Birding
Regards, Rick
After only one day in Ecuador, I thought I had brought my weather jinx from Sri Lanka!! We were met by torrential rain ( usually they get brief afternoon showers) that lasted 24 hours and resulted in being cut off from our lodge at Tandayapa, due to landslides. roads in and out were closed for the day and we retreated to a place called Mindo Loma Lodge and Preserve while our guide scrambled to find us alternative accomodations for the night.
WOW!! what a consolation prize that turned out to be. We were lucky enough to be able to bird from the balcony of the lodge protected from the weather while we were dazzled by Golden, Flame faced and Saffron crowned and Black chinned Mountain Tanagers. In the mix were dozens of Hummingbird species, Toucans, Flower Piercers and many others. The crown jewels of Ecuador are hummingbirds and Tanagers. There are 131 species of Hummers and 119 species of Tanagers and now, as of this email, we have barely made a dent.
 |
| Golden Tanager |
 |
| Masked Flowerpiercer |
 |
| Green Crowned Wood Nymph |
 |
| Empress Brilliant |
We have been birding mostly the Western slope of the Andes and today visited Antisana Reserve at about 11,000 feet for high Paramo species.
Dazzling flight displays by Andean Condors, Aplomado Falcons, Carunculated Caracara and vistas of the active volcanoes surrounded by clouds and snow made for a spectacular day.
Off to the Amazon tomorrow for five days and believe it or not I will have internet access( its a new world) and will try to send a few more emails.
As always, anyone wanting info on the itinerary can contact me. Stay tuned and Good Birding
Regards, Rick
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Shorebirds on Siesta Key & Circle B Bar Preserve
January field trips included excursions to Siesta Key and Circle B Bar Preserve.
Shorebirds on Siesta Key, Jan. 15
This morning on the Sarasota Audubon's beach walk -Siesta Key we found an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and approximately 6 SnowyPlovers. We also had a Loon fly over letting us see the beautiful whitebelly and legs positioned far back on the body. It was also nice to see theSandwich Terns (5) which we did not dig up for the CBC in December. -Kathryn Young, Trip Leader
Circle B Bar Preserve: Jan. 22
The Circle B-Bar Reserve, one of the newest birding hot spots in Southwest Florida, proved its reputation on Saturday, January 22nd. The weather was cool, but pleasant. We tallied 68 species in four hours of birding. The oak and pine trees yielded Prairie Warbler, White-eyed Wireo, Yellow-rumped and Yellow-throated Warblers, along with an abundance of robins. We even spotted several very early Purple Martins. Most of the reserve is a water area. Hundreds of White Pelicans circled overhead.
All of the usual herons and egrets were seen, along with hundreds of coots, moorhens, and grebes. Limpkins were plentiful and were not at all shy. Three (yes, three!) American Bitterns put on a show: all so close to the path that binoculars were not needed. A Bald Eagle was on its nest. Wintering ducks, including Blue and Green-winged Teal, Wigeon, Shovelers, rRng-necked, and Pintails, were readily observed.
After lunch, half of the group elected to return to the spot where a King Rail had been reported. It obliged the group with great views, just a few feet off the path. It was a suitable ending to a great day of birding.
-Lynn Jakubowicz, Trip Leader
Who's welcome on these trips? Everyone, and that means you. Visit us online at http://www.sarasotaaudubon.org/ for the line up of trips in February and beyond!
Shorebirds on Siesta Key, Jan. 15
This morning on the Sarasota Audubon's beach walk -Siesta Key we found an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and approximately 6 SnowyPlovers. We also had a Loon fly over letting us see the beautiful whitebelly and legs positioned far back on the body. It was also nice to see theSandwich Terns (5) which we did not dig up for the CBC in December. -Kathryn Young, Trip Leader
Circle B Bar Preserve: Jan. 22
The Circle B-Bar Reserve, one of the newest birding hot spots in Southwest Florida, proved its reputation on Saturday, January 22nd. The weather was cool, but pleasant. We tallied 68 species in four hours of birding. The oak and pine trees yielded Prairie Warbler, White-eyed Wireo, Yellow-rumped and Yellow-throated Warblers, along with an abundance of robins. We even spotted several very early Purple Martins. Most of the reserve is a water area. Hundreds of White Pelicans circled overhead.
All of the usual herons and egrets were seen, along with hundreds of coots, moorhens, and grebes. Limpkins were plentiful and were not at all shy. Three (yes, three!) American Bitterns put on a show: all so close to the path that binoculars were not needed. A Bald Eagle was on its nest. Wintering ducks, including Blue and Green-winged Teal, Wigeon, Shovelers, rRng-necked, and Pintails, were readily observed.
After lunch, half of the group elected to return to the spot where a King Rail had been reported. It obliged the group with great views, just a few feet off the path. It was a suitable ending to a great day of birding.
-Lynn Jakubowicz, Trip Leader
Who's welcome on these trips? Everyone, and that means you. Visit us online at http://www.sarasotaaudubon.org/ for the line up of trips in February and beyond!
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