Friday, December 26, 2014

Feature: Oil Well Road Duck Pond Part II

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

Friday, December 19, 2014

Feature: Oil Well Road Duck Pond Part I

It was with good fortune that I chose not to allow another year to pass before my first trip to the seasonally flooded Naples Oil Well Road tomato field in late 2014.


The scene above (image 1) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.

I'm not quite sure the most popular name for this venue while Naples Oil Well Road Duck Pond seems best suited to ensure all know what is being referred to. Adding "tomato field" to the name seems inappropriate especially if the farm operator decides to plant another type of crop.


The American Avocet above (image 2) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Roseate Spoonbill above (image 3) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Bald Eagle above (image 4) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron above (image 5) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The American Avocet above (image 6) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.

The Naples Oil Well Road wildlife mecca was on my mind after reading reports of Snow Goose seen there for many days, and through the inquiry about it by wildlife blogger Hemant Kishan visiting from Michigan.


The Cattle Egret above (image 7) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Wood Stork above (image 8) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Wood Stork above (image 9) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Wood Stork above (image 10) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Palm Warbler above (image 11) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.

This remarkable venue attracts winged wildlife from late Summer to late Fall, or late August to early December. This year the farmland was reported by southwest Florida wildlife observer Arthur Sissman as replete of water with the land freshly cultivated on 9 December.


The Long-billed Dowitcher above (image 12) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Mottled Duck above (image 13) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Green-winged Teal above (image 14) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Northern Shoveler above (image 15) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Blue-winged Teal above (image 16) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.

My arrival about 30 minutes before sunrise on 2 December led to an unexpected level of astonishment in the scene that was unfolding before me in twilight. Not familiar with the venue, I had established an observation point on the north side of the "pond."


The Blue-winged Teal above (image 17) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Boat-tailed Grackle above (image 18) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Northern Pintail above (image 19) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Northern Pintail above (image 20) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Northern Pintail above (image 21) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.

I learned shortly after sunrise that the property is off limits there. I made my way back to Oil Well Road for further observations which were equally enjoyable. For a slightly closer view of the action I chose to climb the perimeter berm.


The Glossy Ibis above (image 22) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Eastern Phoebe above (image 23) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Blue-winged Teal above (image 24) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Short-billed Dowitcher above (image 25) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Blue-winged Teal with Green-winged Teal above (image 26) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.

Although a sole Painted Bunting was seen with a flight directly in front of me, the numbers of birds seen overall were staggering. The venue reminded me a bit of STA5 with the wildlife at the pond contained in a much smaller space.


The Blue-winged Teal with Green-winged Teal above (image 27) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Northern Shoveler above (image 28) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Greater Yellowlegs above (image 29) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Mottled Duck above (image 30) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Blue-winged Teal with Green-winged Teal above (image 31) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.

Arthur Sissman's checklist of birds at the pond on 29 November 2014 and 9 December 2014 can be seen respectively here and here.


The Green-winged Teal above (image 32) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Roseate Spoonbill above (image 33) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The juvenile Snowy Egret above (image 34) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The Lesser Yellowlegs above (image 35) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.


The scene above (image 36) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.

An effort is made here to document with imagery what can be expected to be seen at the Naples Oil Well Road Duck Pond. With the large number of pictures taken on the morning of my visit, time has allowed a beginning to this article.


The Roseate Spoonbill with prey above (image 37) was photographed at Oil Well Road in December 2014.

It's time to take a breath as I reflect on the very memorable experience.

Please also see Oil Well Road Duck Pond: Part II