2016 St. Pete CBC, Part 1

That time of year again! Time to head to St. Pete to count as many birds as we can in our selected count circle for the Christmas Bird Count. This year I was assigned to Area #5 in the very urban St. Pete area near Tropicana Field. Being so city like, we didn't get some species I would have expected nearly anywhere else (no Carolina Wren?) but we managed to get some nice birds along the way.

We began at Crescent Lake before dawn searching for owls in the neighborhoods. No luck. Right at dawn we returned to the lake park and started counting every thing we could see. Besides the huge number of Muscovy and Domestic duck all over the Northern side, we had a Wood Stork on a tree as the Sun rose just behind the treetops.



Nearby, a few Green Herons lurked in the shadows.



As we tried to ID a warbler in the underbrush we flushed a Black-crowned Night Heron that flew out to rest next to the stork.



There were other species added to the list but this little Gray Squirrel insisted on getting its photo taken. Fine...



Small flock of wintering duck were scattered around but we decided to come back later when the light was better for some photos. They will appear in the next post. For now, we headed to Coffee Pot Bayou to the roosting spot of Brown Pelicans and Double-crested Cormorants. There were a lot but I enjoyed having a couple right next to the road for some good shots.



We also spotted a Roseate Spoonbill trying to hide in the mangrove roost and numerous Anhinga.



Next, we headed to the beach as the tide was low and we hoped to get some good shorebirds to add to the list. Killian took up a spot on the end of a jetty to record bird numbers as Jim called them out while peering through his scope.



Many birds, like this Dunlin, were close enough to not need a scope.



There were a lot of Least Sandpipers in the close flock. I can't recall having so many shorebirds stay so close to me. They usually scatter upon approach. I guess this area is so full of visitors that the birds take little notice.



If something else would startle the flock they would quickly return right next to us.



There was a nice gathering of birds loafing farther down the beach so we headed in that direction. Along the way, a Eurasian Collared-Dove strolled the beach as a Loggerhead Shrike sat atop a light pole.



Our main target was counting the 65 American White Pelican jammed at the edge of the sand spit. There were also scores of terns and Black Skimmers behind them.



A Reddish Egret soon flew in and began its dancing through the shallow water in search of a meal.



We also spotted a single Herring Gull resting with a few Laughing Gulls and some Royal Terns.



We were hearing Monk Parakeets near the parking lot and Killian found them on our second trip out here. They were in a tree right over a few folks getting in some training. Not a care in the world.



Most of the Monk Parakeets were by themselves but I liked this cute pair getting their feathers blown about in the breeze.



Then they would snuggle and preen one another.



But, we needed to head to our next stop which was a small park by a boat slip. Not too much around but a Northern Mockingbird, some Mytle Warblers, and few White Ibis.



Finishing up our first areas so quickly, we decided to head to the golf course a little early. We were told to return later, however, as a lot of golfers were still arriving and they thought it would be better for us to return in the afternoon. OK. Time for lunch and then back to look for a Sapsucker and other birds at the lake.

We thought the golf course might not hold that many birds, though, so we weren't totally enthused about it anyway. Boy, would we be in for a surprise. All that in the next post!

Labor Day at Lake Apopka

Labor Day was upon us and I heard that the Lake Apopa North Shore Drive would be open as it is for Federal holidays. I asked my wife if she would like to go with me and she surprised me by saying, "Sure." Not easy to give up a morning to sleep in and we would have to be there by sunrise. Best time to bird, ya know.

We arrived right on time. I was expecting a line of vehicles since it was a holiday but I think we only counted 5 other cars during our entire trip. Weird. Also, kind of weird was the last time I came out it was one Osprey after another on the poles. Today they were replaced by Red-shouldered Hawks. Our first was calling like crazy as the Sun rose behind us.



A bit farther ahead we found another Red-shouldered Hawk. That thing resembling an emerging alien is the birds talon as it holds its leg close to itself.



A surprise awaited us on the first curve. A juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron posed in the morning light just perfectly.



Last month I hardly saw many Great Blue Herons. Today they were spaced every 500 yards!



Our first American Alligator was lurking near the first heron.



We finally discovered one Osprey enjoying breakfast on the telephone poles but it was the only one of the day.



More American Alligators prowled the basin behind the pump house.



I almost missed the Bald Eagle sitting on the far side of the basin before we headed around the next bend.



All of last month's young Common Gallinules are reaching the teenage look.



I failed to get a shot of the numerous Green Herons flying by in July but we had one try to hide in plain sight next to the road today.



A young Red-shouldered Hawk was perched atop some bushes but was winding what the noise was below it. It was a Limpkin which disappeared into the shadows before a photo could be had.



There were a lot of Yellow and Prairie Warblers flying around feeding but this is the best I could capture as they were moving super fast in search of insects.



I was anxious to get to the spot where all of the swallows were congregated on my previous visit. As we approached I thought I was spotting a Life Bird up on the wires. I have seen a couple of Bank Swallows (right) but never got a shot. To the left is a fluffy Barn Swallow told by the forked tail feathers.



The bird I was after I spotted through the windshield and managed to get one shot as the clouds moved in the cloak the scene. My first ever Cliff Swallow located center-right.



A Shiny Blackbird has been here for a while but I forgot to try for a photo last time.



Among the swallows, I found a single Purple Martin in the group.



Trying to be a little artsy with a silhouette of Swallows against the clouds.



One of Carolyn's favorite birds, a Glossy Ibis, perches along the roadside.



Yet another Red-shouldered Hawk was at the end of the line sending us on our way home.



Not a bad drive on a quiet holiday. We will definitely be back. Maybe a little sleeping in in between, though.

2014 CBC in St. Pete, Part 2

Part Two. Still at the duck pond and among the Mottled Ducks and all of their hybrids we found a male Blue-winged Teal trying to blend in.



Over on a culvert, a Tricolored Heron was soaking in the morning light.



As we passed the Tricolored we spooked an unseen Green Heron which flew off to the side of the waterway across from Maximo Park. It perched in a mangrove in harsh backlight but I will take it for now.



We circled around the boat slips and passed through the gates but not before noticing another new species for the morning. A few Eurasian Collared-Doves were busy trying to stay unseen but I managed a few shots just the same.



How can you miss the call of Parakeets? Once we got to the edge of the road around the ball park we found a flock of Monk Parakeets on the grass foraging so Becki and I had to make our way over for a chance of getting a photo or two. We don't get these in large numbers in Orlando as they do her around St. Pete.



The Monk Parakeets here are nesting under the numerous Osprey nests in the stadium lights and make themselves known quite loudly. I love this shot of this one from the lawn.



Nearby, European Starlings were feasting on things on another part of the lawns but soon turned to drink form a puddle along the road.



On the way out of Eckerd College we had a great view of a Wood Stork in a retention pond near the parking lots.



Our last stop of the day was at Dolphin Cay. We all had high hopes on this spot. It is a gated community but we had access and all maps seemed to be promising. Boardwalks through a mangrove marsh. A beach on the water. A few ponds. Sadly, the boardwalk only offered up a few birds and the beach held less. Only a pond in the center of the development added to our list. It was full of Lesser Scaup.



The males reflected in purple and greens while the females flashed their whites and browns.



Resting along the edge of the pond was a very accommodating Double-crested Cormorant.



All we found down at the beach was a ghost. A lone Gull footprint along the shore.



We tried a couple more ponds along the golf zones and then settled down to take a full count before our day was over. A nice Kelvin-Helmholtz cloud formation (thanks, Peg!) ended our day before we all headed home.



The final St. Pete count was 157. OK for what the year has been. It has been higher but there really are not a lot of birds around this season. Another CBC down. I always look forward to the next one!