Shingle Creek, Part 2

As mentioned in the previous post, besides just wanting to get out to this area for a hike, my visit was an attempt to find out if any Red-breasted Nuthatches might be around out in the pine trees at Shingle Creek. Once you leave the swamp that lines the creek, there is an open hike that leads to a couple of areas known as pine islands. They are areas that contain mainly pine scrub in the middle of the wetlands that make up most of the Shingle Creek property.



I figured if there were going to be any Nuthatches out here it would have to be in this excellent environment. Nothing but pines and palmetto out in these spots.



There was a tiny sound near the entrance of the trail and I saw a small bird. I wanted to verify the species and get a picture but it disappeared. I walked about 50 yards down the trail when I realized that my hopes of finding Nuthatches were about fading to zero. There was a not a sound out here. Just wind. My next thought was that this is going to turn into a flower finding hike from here on out. OK. First up on the edge of the trail was one of the many species of Golden Aster.



I noticed these flowers up ahead. At first I thought they were a species of rare milkweed that I had seen on a Jay Watch day. The more I studied the plants I noticed they didn't have the proper parts for milkweed.



Nearby, another clump of white flowers was beckoning. These turned out to be Narrow-leaved Sabatia. When I got the photos side by side at home I determined that the first white flowers had to be a withering example of the same flower. They just look different at different stages of their blooming period.



One of my favorite little flowers out in flatwoods is the Yellow Star-grass. Sometimes it is hard to get the exposure right if the day is super bright since their petals are so bright yellow.



I still am not sure about this yellow flower. It is even smaller. If you happen to know, feel free to pass it along.



As the trail reached to farthest point to the North it curved and the path was basically taken over by tall grasses. I had to press on to get back to the scrubbier parts on the far side of the curve back.



Once the soil got more moist, the flowers began to appear again. In one little patch some small flowers could be found among the thinning grasses. Turns out to be a Butterwort.



I then turned my attention to another tiny flower, this one more purple. I later made the discovery that these flowers, like the Sabatia earlier, are the same species but at different stages.



Another favorite flower of mine is the Batchelor Button. They are hard to miss with their large, bright yellow heads bobbing in the breeze. The orientation is correct. This flower was hanging sideways.



Less seen on my travels is the Bog Batchelor Button. They are similar to the yellow Batchelor Button but tend to be shorter, almost attatched to the ground, and orange. I found a lot of them here today.



Armed with a new gallery of flower images I headed to the exit of the East Pine Island Loop. I was almost out of the loop when I heard a little chipping sound in the pines near the tables. The bird was still here so I might have a chance at a photo. But that short tale will be in the next post...

Shingle Creek, Part 1

I keep seeing reports from Shingle Creek more and more lately and wanted to get out there at some point. Today would be the day. It is only 15 minutes from work so it was about time I made it over. I was a nice day to hike to 6-plus miles in a couple hours. I took a lot of photos so I will split this journey into three different posts as to keep them a bit more compact but they will still be fairly long, screen-wise.

This post will focus on the birds and the main stretch of the hike. The next post will be about Pine Island and the flowers I found there. The final post will be about a special bird I found at the entrance to Pine Island. I thought it deserved its own spotlight.

Shingle Creek is considered the "northernmost headwaters of the Everglades watershed" and the trail head begins behind the Hunter's Creek Elementary School. A kiosk provides a lot of information to savor before heading into the swamp.



Just past the sign, a nice bridge gives us our first view of Shingle Creek. Lore has it that the name comes from the fact that settlers used to use the cypress trees as a source of shingles for the area's houses.



A few steps later and you are staring at the surrounding swamp comprised mainly of Cypress and Gum trees. There was a feeding flock I could her way in the distance but it was difficult to make out all of the fast moving birds and too far for photos. There were Titmice, Yellow-throated Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and more.



My secret objective was to try and locate any Red-breasted Nuthatches but I need pine trees for that so I head down the trail to continue to the right habitat.



As I emerged from the swampy area I was met by a White Ibis and a Tricolored Heron keeping watch over the bridge spanning the creek at this end.



Not far from the open area here, I could hear a bunch of birds in the woods just off the trail. I walked in and was surrounded by Titmice, Pine Warblers, Downy Woodpeckers, Blue-headed Vireos and a Black and White Warbler which commanded most of my attention. Primarily due to the fact that it was the one bird giving me good views as it fed along a nearby tree.



Round and round it went and only paused for a brief second of two as I snapped away. Love these little birds.



Before I continued my trek I couldn't resist getting a shot of the Climbing Aster blooming in the shade.



Water flows along the open trail away from the main creek. During wetter times the area is very damp and provides habitat and food for many species. Another of the birds out in the open was a Little Blue Heron that paid me little attention.



Many Eastern Phoebes were foraging along the ditches but most flew off when I walked down the trail. This one at least gave me a curious glance before taking off.



I have no idea what scared up this Great-blue Heron. It was completely out of view and far ahead of me when it took off squawking and landed up in the cypress stands. Check out those cool feet grasping the perch.



Just after I took that shot, a Red-shouldered Hawk came zooming out of the trees, landed about 20 feet in front of me, picked something up, and flew back into the trees. I had no time for a shot while it was on the ground so I had to settle for a perched shot. A good view of the 'red shoulders', though.



The other fun sight along the open trail was a Florida Cooter sunning along the bank as I headed back toward the swamp in route to the van.



A nice selection of sights down the main trails. Again, the next post will be mostly flora and the trip around a 'pine island' on the property. Stay tuned!

Hooded Mergansers Return a Bit Early

Early? Well, a little earlier than last year. Last year I got my first confirmed sighting at this location on the 27th. Always nice to round the curve and finally see the first Mergansers of the season.



It appears that only one male was out there but there were 4 females.



The male tried to stay under water most of the time but I did get him in my sights a few times.



When the birds are in this small pond they spend a lot of time diving to grab food under the lily pads. Up and down, up and down.



Now they are here. I can relax a bit and try for closer shots as the Fall settles in.



I wish they were here year-round. But that might take away some of my true enjoyment every time I do see them. Plus, I know where these birds will be for many months to come.

Bald Eagle at the Nest

A late afternoon swing through the Greenwood Cemetery finally revealed the Bald Eagle at the nest. Still, it is not seen there much and the other bird of the pair is nowhere in evidence. To me, anyway.



My other concern is that the nest is rather unkempt. It originally was an Osprey nest that the eagles, who lost their old nest due to a fallen tree, took over last year. Looks like it needs upkeep. Hopefully, once both eagles reunite they can spruce up the place and begin the next generation.

Underbite Mockingbird

Still no ducks out at LaCosta Wetlands so I had to settle for counting the remaining birds in the area. There was a surprise otter sighting but it kept mainly under water as it crossed the ponds. On the way out I noticed a Northern Mockingbird sitting in the top of a small tree. Not having taken too many shots out here, why not? Then I noticed it had some weird bill action going on. Big overbite? Severe underbite? A little of both?



I have seen other Mockers with deformed bills before but this shape is new to me.



The bird seemed otherwise healthy so the bill shape probably does not effect it in regards to eating. I will keep an eye out for it during future visits.

Wood Ducks in for a Landing

A quick stop at Demetree Park in downtown Orlando was more about getting some fresh air than thinking I would find too much but it did lead to a fun little moment. I was trying to count the Myrtle and Palm Warblers feeding in some trees around one of the lakes when I heard the familiar whistle of Wood Ducks flying overhead. It was actually the largest flock I have seen at one time with about 30 birds in the sky wheeling around the edges of the lake. I tried for some flight shots but the trees kept getting in the way.

They disappeared so I resumed my warbler watching. Suddenly, a few of the birds arrived again and were in position for a landing on the far side of the lake. I decided to take a few snaps.



Wish they could have landed closer but I still find these shots a little fun.



Not much else out and about. Time to transition into the last species to arrive so the birds that are already here are fairly quiet and few to be seen. Bring on the Waxwings and Goldfinches!

Eastern Palm Warbler

Took a little walk to reset my head during work. Not too far. Just back around the woods. Again. Only heard a Blue Jay at one point. I continued down the tree line toward my path. As I rounded some low branches I noticed a couple of shapes zipping up into the branches. Moments later, one of the shapes actually hopped toward me and peaked around a leaf.



More proof that birds really do dig me. I was happily surprised to see this Eastern Palm Warbler come directly to me instead of run the other way. Most of our Palm Warblers that visit us are the Western variety which are more brown overall. Nice to see the bright yellow this morning.



This bird checked me out for a few more seconds and then grabbed its friend and they headed to get more food out on the grasses.



Back to work and counting the birds flying past the building through the day.

Loggerhead Shrike

It has been quiet in the area of late. Clear skies, breezy, cool. Great weather to be outdoors but doesn't seem to be inviting too many birds to watch. So I was very pleased to be sitting at work and seeing a Loggerhead Shrike fly up to the small oak in the parking lot.



This bird was very busy looking in all directions. Typically we have a bunch of dragonflies drifting about but today the breezy winds and gusts seemed to have cleared them out. Still, it was so busy looking here and there that it barely gace me any noticed as I shuffled outside to try for some close photos.



Loggerhead Shrikes are mostly seen on overhead wires or on fence rails watching for insects. Every now and then I will find one atop a small tree like this one. The ones on wires and fences often seem to be more skittish.



Fun fact: Loggerhead Shrikes are sometimes called "Butcher Bird" due to their eating habit. If the bird catches something of good size (I have seen photos of them capturing small mice!) they impale the prey on a thorn, branch, or even barbed wire where they can tear off pieces while eating.



Shrike populations are on the decline. There were a couple years where I can't even recall seeing them in Orlando. I use to find entire families of them year ago. Forunately, I have been seeing more and more of them this year. I even found newly fledged birds near downtown last February.



I hope those sightings continue and that the Shrikes can rebound. They are super cool to watch. Not to bad to look at even those they are all shades from white to black and all the greys. Works out perfectly against a blue sky, don't ya think?

Strolling Through the Park(s)

I was on a mission to look for some Red-breasted Nuthatches. Not that they are really here in the center of the state but they are all over on the coasts this year. I just wanted to see if maybe, just maybe, I could find some pine trees and the birds.

Guess what? No luck.

The only really dense stand of pines that I could recall nearby was down by the high school at Wadeview Park. It was a nice day for a walk but no Nuthatches. I had to settle for a pretty Northern Mockingbird that was chasing off Common Grackles in the shade.



Squirrels are a dime a dozen but how could I pass up a shot like this?



The following day I stopped by Mead Garden after our banding day to see what was what. Really not a lot of activity anywhere in the park. It was near noon so I wasn't totally surprised. A Downy Woodpecker was feeding in the trees but I didn't feel like taking a photo. However, the bird kept getting closer and closer and wouldn't leave. Oh, alright...



Myrtle Warblers are returning in big numbers now. Many of them were along the river feeding in the branches.



Nice to have a big yellow patch on this bird to reveal it as an adult male. Seems all I ever see are females until Spring.



Not a lot of time to actually bird this week. Maybe I can find a new duck on my drives home.

Eastern Screech Owl

I had a nice opportunity to photograph an Eastern Screech Owl at our banding site. Full disclosure: This is a bird we actually caught in our mist nets at Lake Lotus. After I banded it I found a stump nearby and gently placed the owl on it and figured it would fly off right away. Nope. It decided to sit for a while. Where's my camera?



The photo above utilized the flash but I am almost preferring the shot below without it in the natural morning light.



The owl sat for about 15 minutes. I kept an eye and ear out for any smaller birds spotting it and harassing it but it was nice and quiet. I walked over after those 15 minutes and said, "You know you can go, right?" and she took off into the pine trees.

Bird whisperer...

If you would like to see a photo of the bird in hand right after I banded it, and many other birds that we captured that morning, check out our banding blog which is updated weekly.

This is only the second Screech Owl we have captured at the banding site and it is always a thrill.