Tropical Storm Hermine At Bunche Beach: Pt. I

The weather has seemed downright weird to me this rainy season in southwest Florida which is not to imply that it has been any less than uncomfortably humid.

The Piping Plover above (image 1) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

The rainy season has not been anywhere near as predictable as it is supposed to be in Florida. And for the first time in nearly 11 years a storm system approached Florida which became Tropical Storm Hermine after it entered the Gulf of Mexico.

The Semipalmated Plover above (image 2) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

The Sanderling above (image 3) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

"Erwin" the Piping Plover above (image 4) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

Tropical Storm Hermine began to further intensify as it was no longer over land and drew strength from warm waters. On the morning of my sunrise visit to Bunche Beach Preserve on 1 September, the conditions were overcast and windy.

"Erwin" the Piping Plover with Semipalmated Plover above (image 5) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

The Piping Plover with prey above (image 6) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

The Piping Plover with prey above (image 7) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

I coincidentally met up with wildlife photographer Gail Campbell in the parking lot at the preserve before heading to the beach. We spoke briefly to catch up on things while observing that the low tide appeared high as the water had been driven into the bay by the storm.

The Short-billed Dowitcher above (image 8) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

The Western Sandpiper above (image 9) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

The Short-billed Dowitcher above (image 10) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

It began to rain before deciding whether to head toward the east or west channel, fortunately only briefly. Gail and I decided to go to the east as there were more shorebirds visible in that direction.

The Wilson's Plover above (image 11) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

The Willet above (image 12) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

It was also good to see "Erwin the Piping Plover" again who recently arrived from Nebraska's breeding grounds. This will be Erwin's sixth season overwintering at Bunche Beach Preserve. There was typical aggressive behavior observed between Piping Plover and Semipalmated Plover with the latter dominant.

The Piping Plover above (image 13) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

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The Piping Plover above (image 14) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2016.

Please also see Tropical Storm Hermine At Bunche Beach: Part II

In Search Of Erwin At Bunche Beach: Pt. II

With luck I have been in the right place at the right time to observe Erwin the Piping Plover at Bunche Beach Preserve.

The Bald Eagle above (image 1) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

As a relative youngster, Erwin had arrived at San Carlos Bay from its nesting area at a lake shore housing development near North Bend, Dodge County, Nebraska when I would photograph her on 7 January 2012.

The Fish Crow above (image 2) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Roseate Spoonbill with Snowy Egret above (image 3) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Great Egret with Snowy Egret above (image 4) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Short-billed Dowitcher above (image 5) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Roseate Spoonbill above (image 6) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The following "season" I again photographed Erwin on 17 October 2012 and 25 January 2013. I missed Erwin in 2014, but again am focused on her in 2015. Although much earlier than previously observed, it would seem likely that Erwin might have arrived at Bunche by now.

The Tricolored Heron above (image 7) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The fisherman above (image 8) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Roseate Spoonbill above (image 9) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The white morph Reddish Egret with Snowy Egret above (image 10) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Great Egret above (image 11) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

My first effort to find Erwin of late was unsuccessful on 29 August. A follow-up visit to Bunche Beach Preserve on 1 September is represented in this post. As all the expected waders were present, a wave in excess of 80 Fish Crow would make flyovers from west to east by mid morning.

The Forster's Tern above (image 12) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Snowy Plover above (image 13) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Snowy Plover above (image 14) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Piping Plover above (image 15) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Sandwich Tern above (image 16) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

Shorebirds appeared to be in lower numbers than the visit a few days earlier. Tom Obrock had reported his observation of Black and Common Tern at Bunche on 31 August which I didn't see the following morning.

The juvenile Sandwich Tern above (image 17) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Laughing Gull above (image 18) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The juvenile Sandwich Tern above (image 19) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Sandwich Tern with juvenile above (image 20) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Sandwich Tern with juvenile above (image 21) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

My first of season Forster's Tern was observed among a couple of dozen Sandwich Tern. Many trips to Bunche have offered audible memories of the calls of two species in particular. The two recent visits to find Erwin have offered the Sandwich Tern drowning out the solitude while occasionally Willets are most vocal.

The Sandwich Tern above (image 22) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Little Blue Heron with prey above (image 23) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Little Blue Heron with prey above (image 24) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Roseate Spoonbill with White Ibis above (image 25) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Bald Eagle above (image 26) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

It was an unexpected surprise to meet up with wildlife photographer and Constable Robert Doiron visiting from New Brunswick. At one point we began to part ways as I looked at the large expanse of flats before me where I expected Erwin might be. A moment later Robert called to me to advise that Erwin was between us.

The Little Blue Heron above (image 27) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The white morph Reddish Egret above (image 28) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The white morph Reddish Egret above (image 29) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The white morph Reddish Egret above (image 30) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

Constable Robert Doiron above (image 30) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

Gail Campbell and Tom arrived soon thereafter. Though it was still early I had warmed up quickly and was beginning to get very dehydrated. I have ordered a possible remedy for this problem occurring in the summer months, and will advise of its success or failure hopefully soon.

The Double-crested Cormorant above (image 31) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

Erwin the Piping Plover above (image 32) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

The Snowy Plover above (image 33) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

Meryl Friedrich with the Virginia Tech Shorebird Program has advised me that the Piping Plover with the green flag "PEV" with the blue band on its upper right leg was banded as an adult on the coast of Rhode Island on 14 May 2015.

The banded Piping Plover above (image 34) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

Robert would make a late afternoon visit to Little Estero Lagoon this day to find an American Flamingo which he photographed in flight exceptionally well.

The banded Piping Plover above (image 35) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

After observing Erwin so early in the overwintering season this year, it is my expectation to see her many more times before her return to Nebraska to produce another generation in 2016.

Erwin the Piping Plover above (image 36) was photographed at Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2015.

Please also see In Search Of Erwin At Bunche Beach: Pt. I