Friday, June 29, 2012

Birds, Beaches, And A Tropical Storm

As a weather system in the Gulf of Mexico became named Tropical Storm Debby, setting a record for the number of named tropical storms in the Atlantic basin before the end of June, I heard from Tom Obrock.


The Herring Gull above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.

Tom was at Bunche Beach counting Magnificent Frigatebirds in large numbers that I had never encountered before. He noted over thirty before advising me he was on his way south to check out the possibilities at Fort Myers Beach and Bowditch Point. I met up with Tom at the Sanibel Lighthouse after counting nineteen frigatebirds along the causeway. This compared to the two or at most three that I had previously seen at one time. There was little wildlife activity at the lighthouse as the waves and winds caused part of the road accessing the lighthouse by car to be washed away. We traveled from there to Bowman's Beach as the winds appeared even stronger from the south. With a game of flag football in progress in the calmer conditions offshore, we continued toward Captiva where we stopped at Blind Pass. It was here that I got my first sighting of Chimney Swifts. They were darting over the tree tops creating a great challenge in photographing them. A juvenile Red-bellied Woodpecker was seen for the first time here. After a short while observing a Sandwich Tern work the Pass where the Gulf waters enter Pine Island Sound at high tide, we headed back to where Tom thought he had seen a Herring Gull along the causeway. The bird was still there at a short distance from Causeway Islands Park. It is unusual to see this species of gull in the area at this time of year. A remaining few frigatebirds were again observed riding the winds. Ospreys were present as a lone Roseate Spoonbill juvenile flew toward the east. After Tom had to move on, I devoted time to observation of a pair of Brown Pelicans that were actively feeding. A Mottled Duck was observed making its way over San Carlos Bay in the direction of the lighthouse. I then made a stop at Bunche Beach to observe a higher tide than I have ever observed there before. Expected heavy rains were fortunately absent this day, while a state of emergency would ultimately be declared by Florida's Governor this week. This season's nesting of Loggerhead Turtles along Florida's Gulf Coast was reported to have had significant losses.


The Herring Gull above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Magnificent Frigatebird above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Magnificent Frigatebird above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Magnificent Frigatebird above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Osprey above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Brown Pelican above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Boat-tailed Grackle above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Double-crested Cormorant above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Laughing Gull above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Chimney Swift above was photographed at Blind Pass in June 2012.


The Sandwich Tern above was photographed at Blind Pass in June 2012.


The Mourning Dove above was photographed at Blind Pass in June 2012.


The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Magnificent Frigatebird above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Osprey above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Brown Pelican above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Brown Pelican above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Brown Pelican above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Brown Pelican above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Brown Pelican above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The Brown Pelican above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The scene above was photographed at the Sanibel Causeway in June 2012.


The scene above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The scene above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The scene above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


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


The Brown Pelican with Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The Osprey, headed toward Bowditch Point, above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Bunche Beach: Spring To Summer

With the change of seasons to summer this week, a pair of visits were made to Bunche Beach offering some interesting wildlife observation mainly typical for the venue.


The photographer focused on a possible nest in a palm tree above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.

I timed my visits to preferred low tides where the birds have more room to forage and rest with less disturbance from beachgoers. Commonly seen shore and wading birds were less prevalent on my first visit when there was significant recreational activity going on at the west channel. The first visit, however, offered observation of a Whimbrel that was likely that observed by Gail Campbell and Ed Combs on May 31st. Black Skimmers were not seen on my first visit, but a couple dozen were present on the second. Tom Obrock reported to me that the skimmers were present at Bunche Beach on June 21st. It would be unusual not to see the skimmers, at least from a great distance, at San Carlos Bay.


The Greater Yellowlegs above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


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


The Whimbrel above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


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


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


The Whimbrel above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


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


The scene above (reminder, dogs are prohibited at Bunche with excellent venues in the area for their owners) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


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


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


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


The Least Tern above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The scene above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The Snowy Egret above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


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


The shorebirds above were photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


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


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


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


The sunset above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


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


The Wilson's Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The Great Egret above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The Great Egret above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The Great Egret above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The Wilson's Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


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


The Great Blue Heron above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


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


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


The Great Egret above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


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


The Wilson's Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The Semipalmated Sandpiper above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.


The Semipalmated Plover above was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in June 2012.