The sunrise above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. Water levels in the flooded fields visited this trip appeared about the same as seen earlier if not slightly dryer as indicated by fewer puddles in one field on Gladeview Road.
On my preceding visit, it was noted by Naples birding master Vince Lucas, in the company of masters Tom Obrock and Jose Padilla, that nearly every puddle in this particular field was occupied by shorebirds.
The Black Tern above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. I again left Fort Myers about 2 and 1/2 hours before sunrise to be on the scene for the first wildlife activity of the day.
It was my intention to visit the area the previous day when Vince was leading a tour of STA5 and then guiding visitors from Seattle in the agricultural area afterward with hopes of meeting up with him somewhere coincidentally, but I was in much need of rest.
The Black-bellied Whistling-Duck above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. My first stop and observation was at the fields east of the University of Florida Agricultural Research and Education Center which had abundant very early morning activity unlike the preceding visit.
I slowed to a stop on the highway in front of the first gate to find a wildlife observer already there that occupied the space for two vehicles with the access gate closed.
The American Avocet with Black-necked Stilt above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. Since I had discovered on my previous visits that the the first field is actually best viewed from the second access gate with the sun rising from behind, I drove the short distance to find that gate open.
There's a disadvantage here with a canal perpendicular to the highway along the east edge of the first field that adds some distance for viewing, with a berm overgrown with weeds additionally between the canal and field.
The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. It was here that I met Tom Smith on the berm on my first visit whom had been a mere 20 feet from where I would make my observations this day.
I again had a very strong urge to cross the canal which is no more than ten feet wide to climb the berm to its other side to get the best view of the field.
The Red-winged Blackbird above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. The banks on either side of the canal are steep and I just had a really uncomfortable feeling about crossing it with no idea of the canal's depth, not to mention the possibility that it may not have a solid bottom.
So I remained on terra firma to observe with the best view I had.
The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. The eastern flooded field which was practically absent of birds on the previous two visits was rife with the very abundant Black-necked Stilt in the area.
Nearly a hundred Mottled Duck were observed in the east field later in the day.
The Great Egret above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. In the west field, Roseate Spoonbill were closer to the highway than they had been observed before.
An additional highlight here was a larger number of swallows with one species that I was able to photograph successfully.
The Short-billed Dowitcher above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. I had remembered to adjust the camera's focus points after many failed attempts to barely track the fast moving subjects that strafed me numerous times within five feet.
Adjusting the camera correctly allowed me to finally acquire focus on them for at least a chance in taking a photograph of them.
The Cloudless Giant Sulphur above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. A pair of Black Skimmers made passes directly in front of me quite a few times as well.
From these fields I moved on the the flooded fields on Brown's Farm Road which were completely absent of the plentiful spoonbill and Wood Stork seen on both visits earlier in the month.
The Black Tern above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. A pair of Black Tern were observed at these fields with a few Mottled Duck, very abundant Cattle Egret and a few Great Egret with it unfortunate not to have seen the Gull-billed Tern again.
From here I drove onto Sam Senter Road and then east which is a very favored area brought to my attention by Vince in the lead on the previous tour.
The Barn Swallow above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. I considered the visit to this spot hurried previously due to inclement weather and immensely enjoyed spending more time at this field.
Although Fulvous Duck were not seen here, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck remained abundant with a pair protective of what appeared to be ten small juveniles.
The Black Tern above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. From here I drove East on County Highway 880 to Gladeview Road where Black Terns were again active among a solitary Least Tern.
The Fulvous Whistling-Duck with juvenile was not seen here either this visit.
The Brown-headed Cowbird above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. There were two families of Common Gallinule with fledglings seen while I almost ran over one of the birds that appeared out of nowhere.
A small rat was seen crossing the road that was a surprise with all its predators around.
The Brown-headed Cowbird above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. Four Black-crowned Night-Heron were seen in flight together which was the most I had seen of this species before at one time.
With direction from Tom Obrock I traveled to the Cypress stand off 827 with hopes of observing Barn Owl seen by Vince, Tom and Jose on 10 August 2011.
The Black-bellied Whistling-Duck with juveniles above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. Although I scanned every branch, there was not a bird seen in the trees although many swallows were observed working the Miami canal before me.
I had my first sight of an alligator in the area here.
The Black-bellied Whistling-Duck above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. There were some really strange prehistoric looking insects seen here especially after I disturbed the grasses on the side of the road.
I later learned that if I had traveled a mere additional mile to the north at the end of 827, I could return to the Cypress stand on the other side of the canal for a more accommodating view of the trees.
The Green Heron above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. Rain had fallen during my commute through the area in the late morning and early afternoon with lightning unexpectedly having been observed well before sunrise.
Undaunted I chose to make another return to Sam Senter Road.
The Black-crowned Night-Heron juvenile above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. I stopped near the crane on the west side of the road which was covered with Brown-headed Cowbird while the wires above had hundreds more.
As I made a slow approach to photograph the birds on the crane I was startled by the presence of another hundred of the species that took flight from the tree behind me.
The Green Heron above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. The sound effect of their blast off was extraordinary and startling.
The Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks with juveniles were not seen again as hoped and the bird activity had declined significantly in what was then early afternoon.
The alligator above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. My speculation is that visitation and observation of the fields in the Everglades Agricultural Area should best be made in the Fall when the fields are accommodatingly flooded for the migratory shorebirds.
With the fields comparatively devoid of water at the end of the dry season (Spring), it would seem unlikely the shorebirds migrating north would find this area suitable for a stopover with the exception perhaps of those species that would rest in the sod fields.
The Scarlet Skimmer above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. I only observed one field (Brown's Farm) that appeared to be intentionally flooded for perhaps rice farming while all the remaining fields observed appeared to be mechanically drained.
This is a must visit wildlife area traveled from anywhere during Fall shorebird migration.
The Black Tern above was photographed at Everglades Agricultural Area in August 2011. Press here for a map with locations of Everglades Agricultural Area wildlife venues visited in 2011.
Feature: Everglades Agricultural Area Part I
Feature: Everglades Agricultural Area Part II
What a wonderful post. Thank you for sharing this nature adventure.
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