After settling down to observe the wildlife at Oil Well Road Duck Pond at the very tail end of the 2014 season the sheer number of birds seen was astounding.
The Roseate Spoonbill above (image 1) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
Many of the species of bird that would be expected to be seen at a southwest Florida marsh, pond, or the Gulf of Mexico shoreline were here at the time of my visit in huge numbers even after countless birds flew off before sunrise.
The Lesser Yellowlegs with Short-billed Dowitcher, Killdeer and Dunlin above (image 2) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Blue-winged Teal above (image 3) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The White Pelican above (image 4) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Northern Shoveler above (image 5) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Pied-billed Grebe above (image 6) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Wood Stork above (image 7) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
With patience the birds made numerous close flybys. It was a treat to have a pair of Gadwall offer my first observation of the species. The Gadwall was in very few numbers compared to the other ducks seen.
The Wood Stork above (image 8) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The American Coot above (image 9) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Pied-billed Grebe above (image 10) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Greater Yellowlegs above (image 11) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Great Blue Heron above (image 12) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The American Avocet above (image 13) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
It would seem that a late afternoon visit to the Oil Well Road Duck Pond when flooded would offer an equally enjoyable experience as the birds that leave in the morning return to roost overnight.
The scene above (image 14) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Blue-winged Teal with Northern Pintail above (image 15) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Anhinga above (image 16) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The White Ibis above (image 17) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Roseate Spoonbill above (image 18) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Roseate Spoonbill above (image 19) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
While my observation at the pond was very late in the season with the water level comparatively low in the tomato field, I would anticipate a differently rewarding experience with the venue visited by other bird species favoring deeper water.
The juvenile Roseate Spoonbill above (image 20) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Roseate Spoonbill above (image 21) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Roseate Spoonbill above (image 22) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The scene above (image 23) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Black-bellied Plover with waterfowl above (image 24) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The American Avocet above (image 25) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
Before it began to rain unexpectedly I met again the always enthusiastic Gail Campbell and her friend Marie Di Rosa, members of the
Lee County Bird Patrol, who informed me that the Great Blue Heron had taken down another bird just out of my view.
The Tricolored Heron above (image 26) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The White Pelican above (image 27) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The White Ibis above (image 28) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Lesser Yellowlegs with Short-billed Dowitcher above (image 29) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Lesser Yellowlegs with Short-billed Dowitcher above (image 30) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Lesser Yellowlegs with Semipalmated Plover above (image 31) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
Earlier on 29 November, Jim Boughton had observed and photographed the heron tenderize what he believed to be a Pied-billed Grebe.
The scene above (image 32) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The American Avocet above (image 33) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Northern Shoveler above (image 34) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The American Coot above (image 35) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Gadwall above (image 36) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
The Blue-winged Teal above (image 37) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
Many future visits to this rewarding place are planned in the Fall months.
Gail Campbell and Marie Di Rosa (l-r) above (image 38) were photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.
Please also see
Oil Well Road Duck Pond: Part I
Truly amazing flight images of stunishing species! Thanks 4 sharing!
ReplyDeleteGr. John
Thank you, John. You would certainly enjoy visiting this place. Image 23 (part II) is my favorite presented from the morning.
DeleteLoved the very first picture of the spoonbill landing. I went to Church Rd. Sunday morning...but only saw black vultures. I'd love to get a picture of cara caras. Could you tell me any other place to go to see cara caras?
ReplyDeleteThanks Bob!
Adele
Thank you, Adele. As a rule I typically don't photograph birds in flight after their approach (anymore), but in the case of the Roseate Spoonbill image you refer to it worked well.
DeleteIt is surprising that you missed the caracaras on Church Road. There is no better or more reliable place to see them that I know of. They tend to congregate in great numbers between a half mile east of the 90 degree turn in the road and a quarter mile east of Gate 2. They are best seen shortly before sunrise and an hour after. Look for them perched in any tree including the orange trees. They may also readily be seen in fight, on the ground under the orange trees, or even on the road itself. A slow drive along the road is recommended, so be wary of speeding traffic.
Donna McMurrer, Hemant Kishan, and I observed at least a dozen of them the day before your visit. There have been a few visits I have made when there were only one or two seen. Don't overlook the Western Kingbirds this time of year! We missed the Scissor-tailed Flycatchers on Saturday. With patience and diligent observation, you should see and hear thirty plus species along Church Road with the flycatcher and kingbird included.
Follow the link to a favorite image among hundreds that I captured of the caracara on Saturday. Images from the day will be in the blog in a month or so as I am playing catch up . . . http://www.pbase.com/jkrnm5/image/158656170/original
Thanks Bob,
ReplyDeleteI'll try again at Church Road.
Adele !
Good luck, Adele.
Delete