A Garden Of Eden: Part III

The Eastern Bluebirds which flew in from the south at the water hole along Oil Well Grade at Babcock-Webb Wildlife Management Area on 21 May were a very welcome surprise.

The Common Ground Dove above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The water hole discovered near the noon time hour on the 21st offered a surprise activity of birds along Oil Well Grade. The large congregation of bluebirds led to my two follow up visits on 25 and 26 May which unfortunately did not offer the bluebirds again.

The Eastern Bluebird above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Eastern Bluebird above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Common Ground Dove above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The sunrise above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Northern Flicker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The images presented in this article are predominantly from the 25 and 26 May visits which were themselves quite remarkable and memorable. A Northern Bobwhite calling, oblivious to my presence with the car as a blind, was perched immediately adjacent to the road on the 25th and was so well camouflaged that I failed to capture its image.

The Northern Flicker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Blue Jay above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

I did not see a Common Nighthawk again while I was not making an effort to find one. A significant amount of time was devoted to the namesake of this series related to my wildlife observations at Babcock-Webb. I considered the water hole a gravitation point for good observations with patience.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Eastern Towhee above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Blue Jay above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

It was a treat to see Brown Thrashers at this venue that Hemant Kishan had introduced me to at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary a couple of years ago. I would not have recognized the species without Hemant's edification and his interest in the natural world.

The Blue Jay above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Blue Jay above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Loggerhead Shrike above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Loggerhead Shrike above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Northern Cardinal above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

While I devoted many hours to stationary observation at Webb over several visits, it was in the end that I had regret. Just before my move into the inner off road areas of the wildlife area I caught a glimpse of a very strange looking creature.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

A search of images on the internet led me to believe that the beast may have been a Florida Fox Squirrel. A concern for the quality of an image captured led to none at all. The mammal disappeared on me within seconds of taking my eyes off of it.

The Brown Thrasher with prey above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Northern Cardinal with prey above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

Thinking it the best time to explore the inner reaches (as far as I dared) of the WMA at the end of the dry season, I found an always photogenic Pileated Woodpecker. An unidentified hawk that I never got a good look at led to my getting stuck in the mud.

The Northern Cardinal above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Northern Cardinal above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown Thrasher above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The frog above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The frog above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

My lesson learned is to advise you to stay on primary roads here at all times unless you are walking. I was chastised by a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission employee that questioned what I had done when I requested a wrecker to tow my vehicle.

The Pileated Woodpecker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Pileated Woodpecker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

Babcock-Webb WMA is a venue that should be explored by you when possible.

The Pileated Woodpecker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

Please also see: A Garden Of Eden Part I
Please also see: A Garden Of Eden Part II

A Garden Of Eden: Part II

Images presented in this article are from additional observations at Babcock-Webb Wildlife Management Area on 21 May 2014.

The Northern Flicker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

I couldn't help but devote significant observation time to several Northern Flickers which are a species I rarely see at other wildlife venues. It was particularly enjoyable for me to observe the flickers in flight which allowed for a view of their very distinctive appearance with the yellow underwings while Gilded Flicker is likely similar.

The Northern Flicker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Northern Flicker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The bird food above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

It wasn't until very late in my stay at the wildlife area on 21 May that I discovered an oasis that near high noon and afterwards offered a respite to many dozens of birds that were remarkably active. This time of day is typically when wildlife is at its most quiet.

The Wood Stork above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The banded Red-cockaded Woodpecker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Eastern Black Swallowtail above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The bird species observed here seemed guardians of what appeared to be a paradise for them. I was actually so much in awe of what I was observing that I captured relatively few images with a select few which will appear in the next article.

The Northern Mockingbird above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Northern Flicker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Northern Flicker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

As noted in the previous article, the time devoted to wildlife observation at Babcock-Webb this day was very extensive and will not conclude until the third and final article in this series which will include highlights from additional visits to the venue on 25 May, and again on 26 May.

The Northern Flicker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Northern Flicker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Northern Flicker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

If one were to consider a birding destination at a time least favorable for racking up bird species numbers, or for the mere pleasure of observing a few specialties in the area of southwest Florida, Babcock-Webb WMA should be considered for a visit throughout the summer months.

The dragonfly above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The dragonfly above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The Brown-headed Nuthatch above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

This venue certainly should be considered a jewel for Charlotte County and Rex Rowan's June Challenge. You may consider birding in the air conditioned comfort of your car which would additionally serve as a blind to minimize disturbance of the birds.

The Hairy Woodpecker above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

The dragonfly above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

Though I have not done this myself (yet), a walk along Seaboard Grade seems a required activity at Backcock-Webb WMA which you may revel in with its reported shady comfort.

The Eastern Towhee above was photographed at Babcock/ Webb Wildlife Management Area in May 2014.

Please also see: A Garden Of Eden Part I
Please also see: A Garden Of Eden Part III