One of our best destinations to look for the uncommon snail kite is a large marsh just outside of Fort Myers. The kites nest in the area and the waters around the marsh are full of enormous apple snails, which is the main diet of snail kites.
This day was not the best for snail kites. But their relatives, the swallow-tailed kites, put on quite a show for us. We know that there is a significant roosting area for the swallow-tailed kites not far to the east of this marsh. We were fortunate that a large group of them chose to feed above us. They are amazing to watch as they circle and glide chasing bugs and frogs and lizards.
Swallow-tailed Kite Glides by to the Right
We’ll head back later in the summer after the young kites have grown and their parents are actively hunting for food. There will also be more apple snails that have hatched providing a better food supply. Stay tuned.
For more information about this endangered species, go to the link below.
Each spring and fall the migration brings an amazing variety of birds through the area. Like their human counterparts, several choose to make Florida their winter home. But many are only passing through on their way to more southern destinations.
One species that spends a brief period here is the bobolink. They are related to blackbirds and travel in large flocks. It’s not unusual to see 100-200 birds in a group. They are seed and insect eaters and most often can be found in open grassy areas where there are plenty of insects and seed pods present. The males are easily identified by their black and white bodies with a large buff colored patch on the back of their heads. We were fortunate to come upon a large group that made a brief stop at the Celery Fields in Sarasota last month.
Juvenile Male Bobolink Eating Ragweed Seeds
The links below provide more information about bobolinks.
An area in eastern Sarasota County that was once farmland, was purchased by Sarasota County in 1995 and eventually transformed into a park. The area was known for growing celery and is comprised of ditches and wetlands. Today it is a popular destination for birders, walkers, and runners. There is a manmade hill in the center of the park that provides a nice challenge for fitness enthusiasts. The Sarasota Audubon Society has a small nature center on site, and they offer tours and educational services through a network of volunteers.
Black-necked Stilt Chick Walking through the Water
But for us, the main attraction is the habitat. The park has a series of flooded marshes, lakes, creeks, and grasslands. The great habitat means a lot of birds. It’s also a hotspot during the spring and fall migrations and attracts not only the birds, but bird enthusiast from all around the world. There have been almost 250 bird species reported at the Celery Fields.
Great Egret Flies by to the Left in the Morning Sun
For more information about the Celery Fields, please visit the links below.
The spring migration was amazing this year. Each year is different depending on the weather patterns. One of the absolute best places to be when the birds come through is Fort De Soto Park in St. Petersburg. The park is located where Tampa Bay empties into the Gulf of America and is a destination for bird photographers from around the world.
The park has several types of habitats which means a lot of different bird species. There have been well over 300 species reported. The beaches are host to many types of shore birds. Other areas of the park feature hardwood hammocks that attract warblers, songbirds, and birds of prey. In the spring, the park explodes with migrating visitors. It seems like every trail and beach offers different opportunities. There are ample food options for the travelers like mulberry and fig trees. The new buds on sea grapes are a favorite of several birds. And there are the shore birds that prefer the foods the waters provide. Since most of the birds are approaching breeding season, many of the males are in their full colors.
White Ibis in Breeding Plumage Stands by a Fountain
This spring the weather played a big role in some great photography successes. We had several strong cold fronts move through the area at well-timed intervals to create what birders refer to as fallouts. This occurs when the birds are pressing against the very strong frontal headwinds and eventually must find a place to rest. Fortunately, there were plenty of trees that were full of fruit, so the birds were able to eat and rebuild their energy levels.
Summer Tanager Male Eating a Fig in the Tree
We visited the park four times over a week and each day provided different opportunities. I hadn’t seen a blue grosbeak in over 20 years. This year there was a group of 10 to 15 that stayed for several days feeding on grass seeds.
Blue Grosbeak Male Hopping through Grasses in the Sand
The most amazing incident occurred on a morning right after one of the strong fronts passed through. I noticed a group of photographers gathered in a small area snapping shots. When I walked over to investigate, there was a male scarlet tanager hopping around in the grass chasing bugs. He had no fear of us. He was exhausted from his travels and his only focus was refueling. I sat on the grass and at one point he hopped within 10 feet of me. It was incredible. While he was looking for bugs, a male indigo bunting joined him and began eating seeds from the ground cover. Such beautiful colors!
Scarlet Tanager Male on the Ground Eating a Large Bug
Hopefully next year will line up the same as this year and we’ll get another chance to experience an amazing migration.
The link below takes you to a nice piece about the park.
Along the coastal areas of Sarasota are several small nature preserves and parks that provide shelter for some different birds. This past spring brought a couple of new birds for me and my good friend Art Nadelman. One of the birds was a tropical kingbird. It is a member of the flycatcher family. It’s rare to find a tropical kingbird east of Texas. Their normal range is South and Central America. During their migration, they are usually found only in the far southern parts of Texas, Arizona and sometimes California. There has been a tropical kingbird coming to this area for the past few years and some speculate that it may be the same bird.
Tropical Kingbird Perched on a Wire
Another bird that was new to us this year was a Philadelphia vireo. Again, these birds typically don’t come to Florida. Instead, their migration routes normally take them from the lower Canadian provinces through the middle of the US along the Mississippi river region to Central America.
Philadelphia Vireo in the Tree Top Looking for a Meal
I’ve included a couple of links below to learn more about the vireo and the tropical kingbird.
For the past several years, we’ve had the opportunity to photograph a family of bald eagles in Lakewood Ranch. Their nest was incredibly accessible and gave us countless great shots. Unfortunately, hurricane Ian took out the nest and several surrounding trees last fall and the eagles moved on to another location.
But we have a lot of eagles in the area and one of our friends told us about another nest with even better accessibility! The nest happened to be hidden well off the main highway but was exposed after the area was cleared for a huge residential development. The nesting area was fenced off to protect the birds but allowed us the ability to photograph them from almost any angle.
The day we arrived, there were two healthy eaglets in the nest. One of them was beginning to stretch its’ wings in preparation to fledge the nest. The parents would leave and return with food throughout the morning. A few days later we learned that the restless bird had fallen out of the nest. A specialist was called in to return the eaglet back to his family so he wouldn’t starve. Fortunately, since the area was fenced, it was somewhat protected from predators. However, the efforts didn’t last long as the eaglet fell out of the nest again shortly after it was put back. Thankfully, both eaglets ultimately flew off with their parents.
Juvenile Bald Eagle Sits on a Fallen Branch Beneath the Nest
During one of the trips to see the eagles, we spotted a family of killdeers on an adjacent lot. It was fun to watch the interaction between the little chicks and their parents. The chicks were scattered around, and the parents followed closely keeping watch. If we got too close, the parents would go into their wounded bird routine to draw us away from their babies. Eventually, after following them for several minutes, all four of the chicks obeyed the calls from the female and crawled beneath her for protection.
Killdeer Chicks Come to Their Mom for Cover
A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.
