Chasing (and missing) a Godwit at Fred Howard Park

So it was twitch time. With the predicted heavy rain still far off in the Gulf and with a couple hours to spare thanks to my understanding wife, we made a bee-line for Fred Howard Park to look for a possible new Life Bird: A Bar-tailed Godwit. I wasn't even going to try but a post came through that the bird was there now and we arrived in less than 90 minutes at the described location.

We arrived and, as Dad paid the entry fee, I jumped out to scan the flock in the area where the bird was not long ago. The bird...was not there. All we found were a few Marbled Godwits hanging with Willets on the beach.



We decided to walk around the parking lot and take a rest stop. The most obvious birds were Red-winged Blackbirds feeding along the vegetation.



Laughing Gulls were resting on top of the restrooms so I had to take a quick close-up while I could.



The rain was beginning to move in on us, wave after wave, as we rounded the western edge of the park. Not much there but a Semipalmated Plover.



Back by the initial flock the best I could discover was a Wilson's Plover. Not too bad, but not the bird I was after.



I had thought I saw a possible candidate bird as we drove in so I opted to go back and see if it was THE bird. Nope. Just another Willet. I had to retreat to the car as the rain increased and we watched another Semipalmated Plover along the embankment.



On the opposite side of the road I spotted a few Common Loons coasting in the gloom.



Not willing to conceded defeat yet, we headed back and the flock had shifted to the other beach. Right by the road was a small flock of Short-billed Dowitchers in the seaweed.



People were crossing the beaches and flushing the resting flocks, especially the hundred Black Skimmers just looking for a place to relax.



Still no Bar-tailed Godwit. Dang. Time to give up. Rain was still coming. On the way home, we made a stop at a water treatment plant where we noticed a TON of ducks on the ponds there. Dad stopped the car and I got out in the pouring rain to get some shots for later processing. Most ducks we have ever seen in one spot ever. I am guessing 6,000 Redhead.



The shot above is just one frame of a couple of dozen I took of the entire scene. I made panoramas of each side but am not sure how to present such a large photo here. I did make sure to take a closer shot of one very lightly colored Redhead before I had to escape the rain. My camera was getting too wet.



We headed home. Life Bird #2 missed for the trip. Oh, well. According to later forum posts, the Bar-tailed Godwit headed North and was spotted miles away and even returned to the first spot after we got back to Orlando. Thanks, Godwit. No year-ending new birds for me. Guess I will just have to gear up for local birds next week.