Good warbler action at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers, as reported this mid September, led to an unplanned trip as far as
Fort De Soto Park to find additional suspects.
Tom Obrock above (image 1) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
Tom Obrock and I met up for the birding journey north which with good fortune included a sunrise stop at the north Siesta Key Beach tidal pool to find a Wilson's Phalarope that was reported the day before.
The Wilson's Phalarope above (image 2) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Wilson's Phalarope above (image 3) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The preening Wilson's Phalarope above (image 4) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Western Sandpiper with Least Sandpiper above (image 5) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Least Sandpiper above (image 6) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Wilson's Phalarope above (image 7) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Red-necked Phalarope had flown the coop, though the Wilson's Phalarope was able to be observed at extremely close range. Inexplicably the Wilson's Phalarope flew to the northern area of the tidal pool after feeding successfully for more than 15 minutes.
The Wilson's Phalarope above (image 8) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Semipalmated Plover above (image 9) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Piping Plover above (image 10) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The immature Sandwich Tern above (image 11) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Sandwich Tern with prey above (image 12) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Sandwich Tern above (image 13) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The tide at Siesta Key was low and offered a good concentration of shore birds. Tom pointed out a pair of Rock Doves that seemed to me oddly out of place on the beach. Stunningly, a treasure hunter with a metal detector walked immediately through their space as I was capturing images of them.
The Brown Pelican above (image 14) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Sandwich Tern above (image 15) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Sandwich Tern above (image 16) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Black-bellied Plover above (image 17) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Royal Tern with prey above (image 18) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Royal Tern with prey above (image 19) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
With the overcast conditions, I could have stayed for hours observing the action at Siesta Key. Instead we made our way to Fort De Soto with a first stop at the East Beach turnaround where kiteboarders were making good use of the wind while flushing the shorebirds.
The Royal Tern with prey above (image 20) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Royal Tern with prey above (image 21) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Snowy Plover above (image 22) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Ruddy Turnstone above (image 23) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Willet above (image 24) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Rock Dove above (image 25) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The northern lagoons of Fort De Soto Park offered good numbers of shorebirds. The birds were for the most part loafing at midday, while those at the North Beach Lagoon adjacent to the concession stands were interestingly skittish with every overflight by an Osprey.
The Laughing Gull with prey above (image 26) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Laughing Gull with prey above (image 27) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The Laughing Gull with prey above (image 28) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in September 2015.
The scene above (image 29) was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in September 2015.
The Least Sandpiper above (image 30) was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in September 2015.
The Great Blue Heron above (image 31) was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in September 2015.
It was good to hear the call of a Great Horned Owl at East Beach. Warblers were expected to be seen in abundance at the water fountain, but were surprisingly absent save a pair. A Cooper's Hawk made a very low flyover of the fountain during our second stop of the day there.
The Forster's Tern with mixed shorebirds above (image 32) was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in September 2015.
The Ring-billed Gull above (image 33) was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in September 2015.
The Forster's Tern with Black Skimmer above (image 34) was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in September 2015.
The Black Skimmer with mixed shorebirds above (image 35) was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in September 2015.
The Sandwich Tern above (image 36) was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in September 2015.
All in all it was an enjoyable trip with the Wilson's Phalarope at
Siesta Key Beach a highlight for me.
The Sandwich Tern above (image 37) was photographed at Fort De Soto Park in September 2015.
