Visit your favourite destinations
|
Visit your favourite destinations |
| A Report from birdtours.co.uk |
Florida & Georgia 28th March - 24th April 2009,
An invitation to celebrate a wedding on Tybee Island, Georgia prompted an extended holiday to take in some spring migrants, hopefully a number of warblers in their breeding finery, in both Georgia and Florida. Our itinerary incorporated six days with relatives at Whispering Point, Casselberry situated north-east of Orlando, before driving north to Tybee Island, some twelve miles east of Savannah (2nd to 7th April). Then we returned to Casselberry until 11th before a week’s stay at a resort on Ormond Beach just north of Daytona. This was followed by a final few days based at Casselberry before returning home.
15 species of warbler were noted during the trip and flocks of Cedar Waxwings were everywhere. Typically for the region, wading birds are numerous and raptors are frequently seen. Some lifers were recorded on the trip, adding to the experience.
Books and maps used were David Sibley’s Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America, Bill Pranty’s A Birder’s Guide to Florida, American Map’s Central Florida Regional Road Map and Florida State Map.
Useful websites are:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpaceCoastAudubon
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FlaBirding
http://lists.ufl.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=FLORIDABIRDS-L
http://www.birding.com/wheretobird/georgia.asp
http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga.us/content/displaycontent.asp?txtDocument=85
Casselberry 28/3 – 1/4, 8 – 10/4, 19 – 24/4
Our cousins’ property at Casselberry (described as Henry’s Creek in the species list below) includes a stretch of Lake Howell Creek in 5 acres of well-vegetated woodland and has some good birds on site, birding highlights included breeding Barred Owl (one dive-bombed by one of the nesting Swallow-tailed Kites on 24/4); numerous other raptors including Bald Eagle overhead (with 2 adults being mobbed by Swallow-tailed Kite 30/3); a Hermit Thrush seen early on several mornings, and warblers and vireos passing through, best being a Northern Waterthrush by the creek on our last day. Casselberry is less than an hour’s drive to the atlantic coast. Local parks included Red Bug Lake Park, off Red Bug Lake Rd, and is just a short walk away, and Jay Blanchard Park, part of the Little Econ Greenway off Dean Road, is just a ten minute drive.
Trips out included Blue Heron Wetlands, near Titusville and Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island , Lori Wilson Park, Cocoa Beach and Playalinda Beach, Merritt Island Nat Seashore – all described in Bill Pranty’s guide.
Red Bug Lake Park 8,10&20/4 highlights: N. Parula, Black-and-white, Prairie and Palm Warblers, a family of Sandhill Cranes.
Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4 highlights: 3 Purple Gallinules, Northern Harrier, 2 Wilson’s Snipe, Caspian Tern, 6 Common Ground-dove.
Black Point 9/4 highlights: Caspian Tern, flock of Black-necked Stilts, Greater & Lesser Yellowlegs, flock of 40 Glossy Ibis.
Jay Blanchard Park 20/4 highlights: 2 Limpkins, 2 ad & 2 juv Little Blue Herons, Brown Thrasher.
Lori Wilson Park 21&23/4 highlights: 7 warbler sp, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Painted Bunting, Bank Swallow.
Playalinda/ Merritt Is 21/4 highlights: 2 Florida Scrub-jays, 2 Roseate Spoonbills, sev shorebird sp, 6 American White Pelicans.
 |
 |
Barred Owl |
Wood Duck |
 |
 |
Swallow-tailed Kite |
Sandhill Crane |
 |
 |
Purple Gallinule |
Wilson’s Snipe |
 |
 |
Limpkin |
Painted Bunting |
 |
 |
Cape May Warbler |
Blackpoll Warbler |
 |
 |
Black-and-white Warbler |
Northern Waterthrush |
 |
 |
Black-throated Blue Warbler |
Northern Parula |
Tybee Island 2 – 7/4
Situated on the atlantic coast some 12 miles east of Savannah, Ga with principal habitats of beaches and marsh. Walks from the motel followed quieter cycle routes where possible coupled with beach strolls from the old fishing pier and around the southern end of the island. Good birds included 2 American Kestrel, 2 Common Loons and a flock of 540 Black Skimmers.
Trips to nearby Fort Pulaski and Lazaretto Creek also yielded some good birds.
Fort Pulaski 4/4 highlights: White-eyed Vireo, 2 Eastern Bluebirds, Merlin.
Lazaretto Creek 5 & 6/4 highlights: 3 Northern Harriers (1 ad male), 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow.
 |
 |
Royal Terns |
Black Skimmers |
 |
 |
Laughing Gulls |
American Herring Gull |
 |
 |
Ring-billed Gulls |
Brown Pelican |
Ormond Beach 11 – 18/4
A beach resort just north of Daytona booked through RCI, provided beach walks and a base for visiting other coastal reserves. A 4.5 acre vacant lot next to our resort also produced good birds, in particular a Common Nighthawk seen as we went out for dinner, and hunting Peregrines over.
Trips out included Washington Oaks Gardens SP (A1A south of Marineland), Smyrna Dunes Park (New Smyrna) and stopping briefly at Bird Island Park (off SR421 causeway), Lori Wilson Park (Cocoa Beach) , Turtle Mound & Canaveral National Seashore (A1A south of Daytona Beach), and a stop at Tomoka SP (Ormond-by-the-Sea) en route back to Casselberry.
Washington Oaks 12&16/4 highlights: Swallow-tailed Kite, Spotted Sandpiper, White-eyed Vireo.
Smyrna Dunes 13/4 highlights: 6 Piping Plovers, 1 Wilson’s Plover, 1 Caspian Tern.
Lori Wilson Pk 14/4 highlights: 10 species of warbler (3 lifers – Cape May Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler & Louisiana Waterthrush).
Turtle Mound 17/4 highlights: Merlin, White-eyed Vireo, Common Ground-dove.
 |
 |
Piping Plover |
Wilson’s Plover |
 |
 |
Caspian Tern |
Osprey |
Species List
Species |
Personal List Updates |
Comment |
Common Loon |
2 off Old Fishing Pier, Tybee 3/4 |
|
Pied-billed Grebe |
Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4 |
|
American White Pelican |
6 Merritt Is 21/4 |
|
Brown Pelican |
Common on coast |
|
Northern Gannet |
1 Smyrna Dunes 13/4, 52 (6 adult) south past Ormond 6pm – 7pm 16/4, several off Turtle Mound 17/4, 6 Playalinda 21/4 |
|
Anhinga |
Common |
|
Double-crested Cormorant |
Common & large daily movements north along Tybee coast |
|
Snowy Egret |
Common |
|
Tri-colored Heron |
Fairly common |
|
Little Blue Heron |
Fairly common |
|
Great Blue Heron |
Common, flock of 21 over Tybee 3rd |
|
Great Egret |
Common |
|
Cattle Egret |
Common |
|
Green Heron |
Fairly common |
|
Glossy Ibis |
Several Blue Heron Wetlands, 40 Black Point 9/4 |
|
White Ibis |
Common |
|
Wood Stork |
Henry’s Creek max 2, 3 Bird Island 13/4, 1 Red Bug 10/4 |
|
Roseate Spoonbill |
2 Merritt Is 21/4 |
|
Wood Duck |
Henry’s Creek max 7 |
|
Mallard |
2 with ducklings Red Bug |
|
Mottled Duck |
Several Black Point 9/4 |
|
Northern Shoveler |
Flock of 20 Tybee 3/4 |
|
Blue-winged Teal |
1 Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4, 9 Red Bug 10/4 |
|
Muscovy Duck (feral)* |
Life List |
2 Lake Mary off17-92 18/4 |
Bald Eagle |
1 Henry’s Creek 28/3 & 2 on 30/3, 3 en route to Tybee 2/4, 1 on return 7/4, 1 Red Bug 8&10/4, 1 Bird Island 13/4 |
|
Turkey Vulture |
Common |
|
Black Vulture |
Common |
|
Sharp-shinned Hawk |
1 Henry’s Creek mobbing Red-shouldered Hawk 31/3, 1 Red Bug 8/4 |
|
Cooper’s Hawk |
Fort Pulaski, Lazaretto Creek, Blue Heron Wetlands, Ormond, 1 over 17-92 |
|
Northern Harrier |
Lazaretto Creek 1 on 5/4, 2 on 6/4, 1 W over I95 nr exit 15 on 7/4, 1 Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4 |
|
Swallow-tailed Kite |
Henry’s Creek pr most days & 3 on 30/3, 1 Washington Oaks 12 & 16/4, 1 Red Bug 10/4, 1 Taylor Creek Rd (nr Tosahatchee Reserve) 23/4 |
|
Osprey |
Common, Henry’s Creek max 3 on 31/3, Red Bug max 4 on 20/4 |
|
Red-shouldered Hawk |
Common Florida, Henry’s Creek pr & 3 on 30/3 |
|
Red-tailed Hawk |
1 Black Point 9/4, 1 Red Bug 10&20/4, 1 en route 18/4, 2 Jay Blanchard 20/4 |
|
American Kestrel |
2 Tybee 3/4 |
|
Merlin |
1 Fort Pulaski 4/4, 2 Turtle Mound 17/4 |
|
Peregrine |
Ormond 1 m on 11& 13 & 1 f 16/4 |
|
Purple Gallinule |
Life List |
3 Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4 |
Common Moorhen |
Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4, Jay Blanchard Park 20/4 |
|
American Coot |
Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4 |
|
Limpkin |
2 Jay Blanchard Park 20/4 |
|
Sandhill Crane |
Family of 2 adults + 2 young Red Bug |
|
Black-bellied Plover |
Small numbers on coast |
|
Killdeer |
Ormond- family party on vacant lot, 1 Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4 |
|
Piping Plover |
6 Smyrna Dunes 13/4 |
|
Wilson’s Plover |
1 Smyrna Dunes 13/4 |
|
Semipalmated Plover |
Several Merritt Is 21/4 |
|
Black-necked Stilt |
Several Black Point 9/4, Merritt Is 21/4 |
|
Spotted Sandpiper |
1 Washington Oaks 12/4 |
|
Greater Yellowlegs |
Several Black Point 9/4 & Merritt Is 21/4 |
|
Lesser Yellowlegs |
8 Lazaretto Creek 6/4, Several Black Point 9/4 & Merritt Is 21/4 |
|
Willet |
Common on coast |
|
Whimbrel |
2 Lazaretto Creek 6/4 |
|
Ruddy Turnstone |
Common on coast |
|
Sanderling |
Common on coast |
|
Dunlin |
Several Black Point 9/4 |
|
Red Knot |
2 Washington Oaks 16/4 |
|
Least Sandpiper |
Several Merritt Is 21/4 |
|
Wilson’s Snipe |
2 Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4 |
|
Laughing Gull |
Common |
|
Ring-billed Gull |
Common |
|
American Herring Gull |
Small numbers Tybee & Florida coast |
|
Great Black-backed Gull |
1 Smyrna Dunes 13/4, 1 Ormond 16/4, 1 Turtle Mound 17/4 |
|
Caspian Tern |
1 Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4, 1 Black Point 9/4, 1 Smyrna Dunes 13/4, |
|
Royal Tern |
Common along coast |
|
Forster’s Tern |
Common along coast |
|
Least Tern |
Fairly common along coast |
|
Black Skimmer |
Flock of 540 Tybee, 2 Ormond 16/4 & 1 on 17/4, 6 over A1-A, Cocoa Beach 23/4 |
|
Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon) |
Common |
|
Eurasian Collared Dove |
Several Tybee & Ormond |
|
Mourning Dove |
Common |
|
Common Ground-dove |
6 Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4, 1 Turtle Mound 17/4, 2 Playalinda 21/4 |
|
Yellow-billed Cuckoo |
1 Lori Wilson 21/4 |
|
Barred Owl |
Henry’s Creek pr most days (with 2 owlets 31/3), 1 Washington Oaks 16/4 |
|
Common Nighthawk |
1 Ormond 14/4 |
|
Chimney Swift |
Small parties N throughout |
|
Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
1 Henry’s Creek 8,9,19&24/4 |
|
Belted Kingfisher |
1 Henry’s Creek 30/3, Tybee 4/4, Lazaretto Creek 6/4, Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4, 1 Washington Oaks 16/4, 1 Tomoka 18/4 |
|
Red-bellied Woodpecker |
Common |
|
Downy Woodpecker |
Fairly common, max 2 Henry’s Creek |
|
Pileated Woodpecker |
Fairly common, max 2 Henry’s Creek |
|
Northern Flicker |
1 Ormond 16/4 |
|
Eastern Kingbird |
1 Tybee 7/4, 2 Black Point 9/4, 1 Washington Oaks 16/4, 1 Playalinda 21/4, 1 Taylor Creek Rd 23/4 |
|
Great-crested Flycatcher |
1 Henry’s Creek 8&22/4 & 2 on 19/4, 1 Tomoka 18/4 |
|
Loggerhead Shrike |
Fairly common |
|
White-eyed Vireo |
1 Fort Pulaski 4th, 1 Washington Oaks 16/4, 1 Turtle Mound 17/4 |
|
Blue-headed Vireo |
1 Henry’s Creek 30/3 |
|
Red-eyed Vireo |
1 Henry’s Creek 19/4, 2 Lori Wilson 21/4 |
|
Blue Jay |
Fairly common |
|
Florida Scrub-jay |
2 Merritt Is. 21/4 (just east of pay booth) |
|
American Crow |
Common |
|
Barn Swallow |
Common moving N throughout |
|
Northern Rough-winged Swallow |
1 Lazaretto Creek 6th |
|
Tree Swallow |
Flocks moving N throughout |
|
Bank Swallow |
US List |
Sev N Lori Wilson 23/4 |
Purple Martin |
2 Tybee 3/4, sev Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4, sev Lori Wilson 21&23/4 |
|
Carolina Chickadee |
Fort Pulaski 4/4 |
|
Tufted Titmouse |
Common |
|
Carolina Wren |
Common |
|
Ruby-crowned Kinglet |
Fort Pulaski 4/4, Red Bug 10/4, Washington Oaks16/4 |
|
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher |
Common |
|
Eastern Bluebird |
2 Fort Pulaski 4/4 |
|
Hermit Thrush |
1 Henry’s Creek 29-30/3, 8-9/4 |
|
American Robin |
1 Henry’s Creek 22/4 |
|
Northern Mockingbird |
Common, particularly Tybee & Ormond |
|
Gray Catbird |
Common |
|
Brown Thrasher |
1 Tybee 3/4, 1 Jay Blanchard 20/4 |
|
Cedar Waxwing |
Common, numerous flocks everywhere, max 80+ at Winter Park |
|
European Starling |
Common |
|
Cape May Warbler |
Life List |
2 Lori Wilson 14/4 & 4 on 21/4 |
Black-throated Blue Warbler |
1 Lori Wilson 14&21/4, 1 Washington Oaks 16/4, 3 (2m) Henry’s Creek 19/4 & 1 on 22/4 |
|
Yellow-rumped Warbler |
2 Tybee 3/4, 6 Fort Pulaski 4/4, several Blue Heron Wetlands 9/4, several Washington Oaks 12&16/4 |
|
Palm Warbler |
Common, 6 Lori Wilson 14/4 |
|
Prairie Warbler |
1 Red Bug 8&10/4, 1 Lori Wilson 14/4 |
|
Yellow-throated Warbler |
Washington Oaks 12 &16/4 |
|
Northern Parula |
Common, numerous singing birds, Henry’s Creek max 4 19/4, Lori Wilson max 3 14/4 |
|
Black-and-White Warbler |
1 Red Bug 8/4, 1 Lori Wilson 14,21& 23/4, 2 Henry’s Creek 19/4 & 1 on 22/4 |
|
Worm-eating Warbler |
Life List |
3 Lori Wilson 14/4, 1 Henry’s Creek 19/4 |
Common Yellowthroat |
2 Lori Wilson 14/4, 1 Henry’s Creek 24/4 |
|
Blackpoll Warbler |
2 Lori Wilson 21/4 |
|
American Redstart |
1 Lori Wilson 21/4 |
|
Ovenbird |
2 Lori Wilson 14/4 & 1 on 21&23/4 |
|
Northern Waterthrush |
1 (yellow form)Henry’s Creek 24/4 |
|
Louisiana Waterthrush |
Life List |
1 Lori Wilson 14/4 |
Painted Bunting |
Life List |
3 Lori Wilson 21/4 & 1 on 23/4 |
Northern Cardinal |
Common |
|
Swamp Sparrow |
1 Red Bug 10/4 |
|
Savannah Sparrow |
1 Smyrna Dunes 13/4 |
|
Red-winged Blackbird |
Common |
|
Common Grackle |
Common |
|
Boat-tailed Grackle |
Fairly common on coast |
|
House Sparrow |
Common |
|
American Goldfinch |
5 Red Bug 8/4 |
|
House Finch |
Common Tybee |
Number of species: 134
Life List: 6
US List: 7
Note * Muscovy Duck is considered a countable exotic in Florida and accepted by the FOSRC.
Other wildlife of interest:
Otter Red Bug Lake & Blue Heron Wetlands
Armadillo Henry’s Creek
Bottle-nosed Dolphins frequent sightings off the atlantic coast
Manta Ray 2 Playalinda Beach ( m & f ) presumed engaging in breeding activity
Monarch butterflies several sightings
Bob Marchant, 3rd July 2009
Why not send us a report, or an update to one of your current reports?
