Friday, January 27, 2012

Mergansers At Bunche Beach

I continued my efforts to find Horned Grebe at Bunche Beach Preserve this week.

The Black-bellied Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Tom Obrock has been very successful in the observation of Horned Grebe in San Carlos Bay this month.

Tom noted that the birds have been seen quite far off the beach although earlier observed them near the Sanibel Lighthouse at closer range.

The Black-bellied Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

I made three trips to Bunche this week including one morning visit and two mid afternoon arrivals.

The sunrise trip led to my surprise of the number of wildlife photographers that would ultimately be on the scene.

The photographer above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

It's good to see increased interest in the documentation of what may be seen at Bunche.

One photographer was dressed in a bright red jacket not recommended for a near approach of the wildlife.

The Cockle Clam above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

This photographer spooked the birds I was observing into flight as she approached well behind me.

It was my good fortune to observe three banded birds though I was only able to photograph two of them.

The Sanderling above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

A Sanderling and two Piping Plovers were observed banded this day.

I submitted images, one of each species to Alice Van Zoeren on the University of Minnesota Plover Team.

The Piping Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Alice in typical fashion replied nearly immediately advising me that the Piping Plover was part of the Great Plains population.

The Piping Plover I missed was seen very briefly noting a red flag and bands with colors and placement on the bird's legs which I cannot recall.

The Ruddy Turnstone above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Alice advised that this bird was also from the Great Plains while Cheri Gratto-Trevor noted the Piping Plover with the green flag seemed to indicate the bird affiliated with the Virginia Tech team whom I have not heard from as of this writing.

Alice recommended contacting Mark Sherfy, affiliated with the United States Geological Survey and very knowledgeable of red flagged plovers.

The Ring-billed Gull above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

It was entertaining to observe the feeding behavior of these and other bird species often seen devoting the majority of their time seeking sustenance.

Leaving the Preserve this day I met a decades long local on his way to the west channel.

The Brown Pelican above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

He was carrying a tripod with a Nikon D7000 attached to a digiscope.

He noted that his smallest useable aperture setting with his setup is f/13, also commenting that the Florida light often presents an opportunity for successful images.

The Forster's Tern above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

He told of his sighting of the Long-billed Curlew on New Year's Day when Tom had observed the species as well.

The curlew wasn't personally seen this week, while I was informed the bird was observed and unfortunately spooked by a photographer that approached too close during my morning visit.

The American White Pelican above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

The first afternoon visit to Bunche allowed good observations of the wildlife on the flats of the bay.

Again seen were a Reddish Egret and Little Blue Heron that remained in close proximity each other.

The scene with an out of focus Laughing Gull above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Marbled Godwit were again observed in a small flock seeming to favor their own ideal conditions (slightly deeper water) to feed in.

My favored observation this day was the sighting of three Red-breasted Merganser which I had not observed at Bunche Beach Preserve before as I recall.

The Marbled Godwit above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

The birds made their way into the bay over the west channel from a regrettably much greater distance than I would have liked.

The predictable flocks of inbound White Ibis near sunset were seen flying closer to the water's surface than observed before as they made their way to their roosts.

The Royal Tern above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

My final visit to Bunche Beach Preserve was with anticipation of meeting up with Conrad Tan last seen at Harns Marsh Preserve about 14 months ago.

Flying in from California, Conrad called me in the morning to advise that he wouldn't be able to join me this day due to a delay.

The Sanderling above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

That was very unfortunate for him as I would observe the mergansers again in a group of nine.

Tom advised me that he had seen one of the mergansers, a loon and a Horned Grebe at Bunche the day before and had the boon of observing Fork-tailed Flycatcher and the rarely seen Purple Sandpiper closer to the Tampa area.

The Sanderling above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

In the culling of images captured for the blog this week I nearly overlooked an interesting behavior of Sanderling seen in the two images immediately above.

The behavior occurred during the early part of my morning visit to Bunche.

The Snowy Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

I wasn't sure what to make of what was happening in real time.

After looking at the images taken closely, I conclude that the Sanderling had an injury to one of its legs.

The Snowy Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

What I find especially intriguing is that the bird drew the attention from its kind with a degree of interest though extremely briefly.

The behavior was seen once before which has me questioning my conclusion.

The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

It would be greatly appreciated to hear from those more familiar with bird behavior to give some insight on what was actually going on in the moment.

Another interesting observation for me was the attempt by an Osprey to carry a fish away too large for its capability.

The Dunlin above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

A Great Blue Heron flew in quickly after the Osprey dropped the fish though was unable to find it.

The Osprey made a second unsuccessful attempt to carry the fish away while the heron never made an attempt to take the fish for itself which surprised me.

The Least Sandpiper above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Prior to my last visit of the week to Bunche, stakes and tape appeared designating a small protected area most likely intended for the Snowy Plover and Piping that have been seen with regularity at the Preserve.

The Snowy Plover was amazingly tame and photogenic as in every previous encounter with the species this year.

The Red-breasted Merganser above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

If I were to approach with care, crawling slowly toward them, I'm quite sure the birds would allow me to get within ten feet or less of them.

Possibly a coincidence, the Snowy Plover seen made a very alert posture when a fellow visitor to the beach approached the nesting area wearing a red t-shirt about a hundred feet away.

The Reddish Egret above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

I observed the plover for about a half hour with only a very brief glimpse of its eyes wide open.

The Snowy Plover had possibly been taking an opportunity to rest with it typically seen on the move staying very close to the shoreline with heavy foot traffic at Bunche this time of year the norm.

The Red-breasted Merganser above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

The plovers appear to have chosen a challenging place to potentially breed with daunting odds against it including the natural calamity of an unusually high tide.

The cordoned off area again appeared small to me with a recommendation that the area be extended significantly in length.

The Osprey above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

To encourage success in the raising of chicks, I would add driftwood and mangrove leaf litter for shade and cooler conditions in the protected area.

It is hoped that the Snowy Plover in particular, a Bunche Beach Preserve specialty, is seen in greater numbers in the months ahead.

The Osprey above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

It would be a bonus to have successfully reared chicks banded to offer insight into the movement of the birds with the utmost hope that they would return.

The Horned Grebe continued to remain elusive to me though is expected to be seen in the future.

The Osprey above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Harns Marsh Preserve: Early Winter 2012

My second afternoon visit to Harns Marsh Preserve was made following dozens of earlier visits which have favored the early morning hours and later best for photography.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

Upon my arrival, it was very quite wildlife wise as it had been this past Christmas Day with my experience clearly indicating best observations are made at dawn when everything at Harns is on the move.

An afternoon visit to Harns is not the best time for photography considering the angle of the sun.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

An Osprey this week was observed perched slightly left across the water from the parking area.

A very brief consideration was made taking a photo of it thinking it might be the only shot taken in these two afternoon visits.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

From the parking area I walked north along the perimeter road as long as I could stand it before entering the inviting marsh.

The temperature had been well below normal the preceding days so was more comfortable entering the water with gators seen or heard on occasion during the warmer months.

The American Coot above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

My objective was to explore the inner depths of the marsh with the sun behind me hoping for a flyby of anything.

This required me to work my way through some uncomfortably cold water.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

I had hoped that the water level would have receded at least a little, but it remained as high as I have ever seen it at the Preserve.

The water was never more than waste deep although a challenge to find a spot to settle down and observe as I haven't replaced the Gitzo tripod yet with the inability to extend the legs after their repeated exposure to salt water.

The wildlife observers above were photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

An advantage I had with the light several hours from sunset was the sun relatively low on the horizon in the winter months.

As if a goal reached, I stayed within the vicinity of the Cypress tree not wading more than a couple hundred feet beyond.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

The Cypress tree was completely stripped of the weed growth that had reached its canopy last year.

I'm curious to know which species of bird carried the nest building material away.

The Great Egret above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

Note the feather remnants on the bill of the egret in the image immediately above.

Their removal is often made by some wildlife photographers seeking a perfect image with post processing magic.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

If I had such expertise I would likely do the same, while in this instance we can see the bird which appears to have been preening itself likely immediately before it took flight which is interesting to me.

Sandhill Crane preoccupied my attention on this week's journey with it my good fortune to have found them so close.

The Snail Kite above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

With inspection of the kite image directly above I discovered that the bird has bands on both legs.

I am unsure if I have seen this bird before as I don't recall the band characteristics.

The Snail Kite above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

While focused on the cranes and their behavior, what I thought was a Peregrine Falcon had silently appeared staring me down from atop the Cypress tree.

I attempted to approach the tree a little closer and unfortunately spooked the bird very easily before I was able to capture an image of it.

The Sandhill Crane above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

An American Kestrel came into view about an hour later.

Waterfowl remained for the most part very distant from me as well, though were heard with enjoyment from virtually all directions.

The Blue-winged Teal above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

I encountered the pair of Sandhill Crane that may be the ones that fledged their young in 2011 with only these two birds of the species seen this day.

A well manicured nest was revealed as the birds gave some distance with my approach.

The American Kestrel above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

A single egg that I would guesstimate at four by three inches was exposed in the nest.

The cranes will typically produce two young so another egg should be on the nest for the adults to tend to before mt next visit to the Preserve.

The Sandhill Crane egg above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

The lone Snail Kite that had made a few flybys earlier did not return.

Tree Swallows were observed in relatively few numbers though made flyovers frequently.

The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

I inadvertently flushed an American Bittern which relieved itself about five feet above the water's surface after taking flight.

There were a pair of birds seen that I was unable to photograph and regret cannot note as species seen.

The Red-winged Blackbird above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

Sora and Least Bittern may have been species present though cannot say for sure.

More than half the photographs taken this trip were attempts to capture a good image of Tree Swallow.

The Tree Swallow above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

A fun day it was although left Harns Marsh with my feet especially cold.

There was significant birding activity along the perimeter road with little thought other than to get the heat cranking in the car.

The Killdeer above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2012.

Harns was observed to be more popularly visited in the late afternoon than in the morning.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Two Florida Curlew Sightings: A Least Concern

A favored trek to the beach for wildlife observation is made when I am able.

The Snowy Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Such was the case this week when I made a Saturday trip to Bunche Beach Preserve.

The tourist season is not yet in full gear, while the parking spaces at the Preserve have become scarce at times.

The Willet above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Most visitors to Bunche Beach seem content to settle down to sun bathe and enjoy the scenery near the parking area while others explore the beach often causing the birds to take flight.

The birds often disappear toward Bowditch Point, Sanibel Lighthouse, the causeway, or merely elsewhere along the beach.

The Snowy Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

A mid afternoon arrival to the beach this week was a welcome one for some rest and relaxation while observing the wildlife.

It was still a bit on the comparatively chilly side with the ambient temperature in the mid 70's with the water temperature still cooler.

The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

I had cut the upper torso and arms off a recently acquired wetsuit which I found much too hot when out of the water.

I found the suit considerably restrictive as well and after its use this week found that I cut it down significantly more than I should have.

The Ruddy Turnstone above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Remember there are no second chances if you attempt such a thing.

At my approach to the west channel the birds were indeed in fewer numbers than I would expect with the flats favorably exposed with the pedestrian traffic likely the culprit.

The Willet above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

It was my great fortune to make my first observation of a pair of Snowy Plover that had previously eluded me this season.

Wildlife photographer Joshua Clark notified me that he had observed the Snowy Plover at Bunche during his very brief stay in the area around the Christmas holiday.

The Laughing Gull above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Josh's home base is Ohio and gave me the impression that he will be back.

A Reddish Egret, Tricolored Heron and ultimately a pair of Snowy Egrets were given a lot of my attention as they foraged near the shell encrusted rocks.

The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Willets were seen here in great abundance as a solitary Marbled Godwit observed without magnification flew in from the east about an hour before sunset.

The Bald Eagle and Long-billed Curlew seen on my visit to the Preserve last week remained out of sight.

The White Ibis above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

The image directly above is a good representation of behavior where an ibis captured a prey item and was almost immediately harassed by several Willet.

The Willet gave way to an opportunist Laughing Gull (likely immature) that has very rarely not been seen to successfully steal the food captured by other species that are challenged in eating it immediately.

The White Ibis above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

In this instance the ibis which I speculate as very learned held its own and was able to consume the majority of its find through great effort.

Another highlight this day was the observation of a banded Piping Plover with a color combination including a flag that I didn't recall seeing before.

The Piping Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

The banded Piping Plover image taken this week is seen directly above with a similar one taken 1 December 2011 which may be seen here.

These two images were forwarded to University of Minnesota's Great Lakes Waterbird Research Program via their excellent website with hopes of getting a reply about the banded plovers.

The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

I'm very excited to report that responses were received in an extremely timely manner offering insight about the birds seen.

I first heard back from Alice Van Zoeren affiliated with the University of Minnesota.

The Dunlin above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Alice made the comment in reference to the plover observed 1 DEC 11, "Left leg: orange flag above joint, two black bands below joint, right leg: USGS metal band above joint, light green band below joint. It was hatched in 2009 at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan."

Alice also noted that she personally banded the bird at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in the summer of 2011.

The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

She was kind enough to forward me her images of the identical bird with one of them including the bird's mate as the birds nested on their first egg.

Alice had forwarded my request of information about the banded plovers to Dr. Cheri L. Gratto-Trevor, Research Scientist of Shorebirds, Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre, Wildlife and Landscape Science Directorate, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada, as she was unsure of details about the banded Piping Plover seen this week.

The Long-billed Curlew above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Cheri forwarded my request to Mary Bomberger Brown with the Tern and Plover Conservation Partnership, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Mary replied to me that the banded Piping Plover, with its image included here, is a migrant from the Lower Platte River in Nebraska.

The Long-billed Curlew above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

She noted that it was banded as a chick on 16 June 2011 at a lake shore housing development near North Bend, Dodge County, Nebraska.

My sincere thanks to Alice, Cheri, and Mary for taking the time to allow this information to report here.

The Marbled Godwit with Long-billed Curlew above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

The image directly above shows a Marbled Godwit landing on a Long-billed Curlew.

I made a followup trip to Bunche Beach Preserve this week to observe the wildlife under different tidal conditions with Least Sandpiper to again be seen in fewer numbers than they were observed in the late Fall months.

The Long-billed Curlew with Marbled Godwit above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

The water level was significantly higher during my mid afternoon visit but would turn at about this time and recede noticeably.

It was a treat to see Tom Obrock at the Preserve this day as he was scanning the birds of the common and potentially unusual.

The Long-billed Curlew with Marbled Godwit above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

After speaking with him for a mere few moments he caught sight of a Long-billed Curlew flying in from the east.

Tom advised me that he had seen Horned Grebes far in the bay upon his arrival to the Preserve.

The Black Skimmer above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Selective sharpening was used on the image of the bathing Black Skimmer seen directly above accentuating the water droplets trailing off the bird's left wing.

A pair of Snowy Plover were practically at our feet in the company of Piping Plover and other shorebirds.

The Royal Tern above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

I left Tom's company to approach the Long-billed Curlew after he noted there were only two Long-billed Curlew reported in the state of Florida this week.

The curlew, a species I have not had the opportunity to study very much, was apparently content to forage on its own with no other bird anywhere near it.

The Royal Tern with Sandwich Tern above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Out of nowhere came a Marbled Godwit to challenge the curlew unsuccessfully as the curlew drove off the godwit handily.

The tables seemed to be turned as the godwits returned in numbers with unquestionable contentious behavior noted between the two species.

The Royal Tern above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

The curlew was attacked on a few occasions by the godwit for no apparent reason with plenty of space for them to distance themselves from one another.

The five godwit now on the scene were intent on invading the curlew's space and were apparently emboldened by their numbers.

The Forster's Tern above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

The curlew stood its ground however and would remain in the virtual same spot for the next couple of hours when I later passed it in near darkness leaving the Preserve.

I was compelled to wade into San Carlos Bay thinking about Tom's sighting of the Horned Grebes.

The Sandwich Tern above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

I reached about a hundred yards from shore without any sign of them which would otherwise be my first sighting of the species.

The water was getting deep although there was a possibility it would get shallower if I continued on.

The Reddish Egret above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

While dolphins have occasionally been observed in the bay, I couldn't get Tom's comment out of my mind that he has yet to see a shark's dorsal fin in the bay.

Closer to shore the day approaching sunset offered me the time to observe the routine of the feathered beasts of amazing diversity seen at Bunche Beach.

The Reddish Egret above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

One of the patrons of my employer, aware of my wildlife interest, inquired this week how my observations were going.

She noted that she and her family are native Floridians.

The Short-billed Dowitcher above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

When telling her of my sighting of the Long-billed Curlew this week, she noted that the LBCU is a very tasty bird according to her relatives.

The Long-billed Curlew is noted as a species of Least Concern according to a current page viewed about the species at Wikipedia.

The Dunlin above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in January 2012.

Be sure to observe the wildlife at Bunche Beach in my absence or with me if you can.