Upload
others
View
2
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
FLORIDA,SPRING2010
SUBTLEBIRDINGINTOURISTSPOTS
byPeterWelch
Introduction:
IwasluckyenoughtoenjoyafamilybreaktoFloridathisEasterandwhilstmedoinganyproperbirdingwouldhavebeentrickywithtwoyoungchildrentoentertainitwaspossibletocombinetotouristhauntswithsomewildlife.FindingreportsonFloridabirdingbeforeIlefttheUKwasproblematic,soIthoughtI’dwritethisreporttotryandhelpanyoneelsewhofindsthemselvesinFloridabuttiedtoanonbirdingagenda.
OverthecourseoftwelvedaysImanagedtoidentifysixty-twospeciesandphotographfifty-sixofthem.FiftyofthebirdsseenwerelifersformeandIwasunabletoconclusivelyidentifyatleastafurtherfifteensightings.
PleaseexcusethelessthanscientificstyleofthisreportbutIdecidedtocoverthegeographicallocationsratherthanatimelineorgenusledapproach.Allofthebirdingwasdonewithanotebook,cameraandtheloanoftheexcellentPetersonEasternBirdsguidebookbutwithoutbinocularsortelescope.Identificationsweremadefromtheguidesandafewwerecheckedwithothers,moreexpertinwildlifefromtheUSA.
InalmostallareasGrackles,HouseSparrows,BlackVulturesandNorthernMockingBirdswereseenbutotherwiseforeachlocationI’velistedthespeciesseen,anyspecificareasofinterestandanyotherwildlifesightingsofnote.I’msurethatthereareotherspotsImissedandspeciesIdidn’tpickupbutthemainsightingsareasfollows.
ChampionsGatearea
Whenlookingforavillatostayinmyfirstcriteriawerefindingagoodone,withenoughroomforourextendedpartybutIwilladmitthatwhenIfoundVillaMagicnearChampionsGatetheideaoftherebeingaswampareaimmediatelybehindtheVilladidaddtoitsappeal!
Above:SandhillCrane(top)andBoat-tailedGrackle(bottom)
ThelistofbirdsseenfromthevillaitselfincludedWhiteIbis,Boat-tailedGrackle,roostingLittleBlueHeron(whichIdidn’tseeanywhereelse),NorthernCardinal,NorthernMockingbird,Anhinga,CattleEgret,BlackandTurkeyVulture(overheadflyovermostafternoonsdownto20m)andbestofallvisitingSandhillCranes,asinglebirdandlaterinthestay,apair.QuitebizarreandfascinatingtowatchSandhillCranesfeeding3mawayfromtheswimmingpool…
Above:LittleBlueHeron(top),NorthernMockingbird(middle)andTurkeyVulture(bottom).
Earlymorningwalkswithinamileofthevilla,andinanareaofswamp,orangegrovesandscrubborderingtheChampionsGategolfcourseoffLoughman’sRoadgaveSandhillCranesroostinginthelagoons,WoodStork,Anhinga,GreenHeron,Osprey,TuftedTitmouse,BrownThrasher,Yellow-rumpedWarbler,PalmWarblerandLoggerheadShrikeonthewires.
Above:BrownThrasher(top)andLoggerheadShrike(Bottom).
AnareaoforiginalswampamileorsotothewestcrossingtheI27anddownDeenStillRoadwasonlydiscoveredonthelastmorningbutaverybriefvisitsawaflockofeightornineBlackVulturesontheroaditselfandmoreroostingnearby,severalunidentifiedhawks,NorthernParulaWarblerandaSwampRabbitintheroadsideverge.MoretimespentinthisareawouldhavepaiddividendsI’msure.
Above:TuftedTitmouse(top)andSwampRabbit(bottom).
MagicKingdomarea
IncludingsightingsontheapproachtotheDisneyarea
OntheactualapproachroadstotheDisneyareafromtheI4exits:WildTurkey,SandhillCrane,AmericanMoorhen,WoodStork,GreatWhiteEgretandCattleEgretwerepresentaswellasTurkeyandBlackVultures.IntheeveningstherewerefrequentsightingsofArmadilloandonesightingeachofaRaccoonandanOtterintheclearingsalongsidetheroad.
Above:WhiteIbis(top)and(bottom)CommonGrackle.
andGreatWhiteEgret(bottom).
InMagicKingdomitself,againbothvulturespecieswereseen,alongwithBoatTailedandCommonGrackle,HouseSparrowsandEgrets.LocationsofnoteincludedaroundtheLibertySquareRiverwhereWhiteIbisandGreatWhiteEgretswerekeenonscavengingroastturkeylegsbeingsoldaslightsnacks(notsurewhattheyfeedTurkeysonintheUSbuttheywerehugedrumsticks!).InadditionjuvenileLaughingGullandRing-billedgullswerearoundtheriverwithRed-belliedandDownyWoodpeckerseeninthetreesalongthemainstreetinFrontierland.Therewerealsocallsfromabuteospecies(notseen)fromtheislandarea,whichalsoheldmoreWhiteIbis.
MourningDovescouldbeseeninthequieterareassuchasaroundAriel’sGrottowhereIalsohadfleetingviewsofGreyCatbirds.
AparticularlygoodspotwastheMonorailstationwhereDouble-crestedCormorantscanbeseenonthepontoonsonthemainlake,orSevenSeasLagoonasitsknown,anEgyptianGoosewasalsopresentonthelakeitself.ThewoodedareatotherightoftherampuptotheexpressmonorailwhichreturnstotheparkinglotalsogavesightingsofBrownThrasherandRed-belliedWoodpecker,withthestarbirdbeingobservedflyinghighoverthestation:aSwallow-tailedKite.
Above:Swallow-tailedKite.
Finallythecarparkingareassawgullsandcrowsfeedingondiscardedfoodandsomeunidentifiedhawkspeciesinthebeltofpinetreesalongtheedgesoftheparkinglots.
AnimalKingdom
AswellasacollectionofcaptivebirdsinwalkthroughaviariestheAnimalKingdomparkgaveNorthernCardinalsinthebambooplantationsaroundtheKaliRiverRapidsqueuingarea,excellentviewsofBlackVulturesintreesaroundtheMeerkatenclosureandGreyCatbirdsforaginginthegorillaenclosure.Thesafaridrivewhichintheoryshouldhaveresultedinmorenativespecieswasnonstopwhichmadefortrickyspottingandperhapsduetothetimeofdaydidn’trevealanythingunexpectedwithagoodsizedflockofWhiteIbisinwiththecaptiveFlamingos.MottledDuckwereseenwithMallardontheDiscoveryRiver,whichringsthecentreofthepark.
Above:NorthernCardinal(top)andMottledDuck(bottom).
MourningDoveswereagainobservedfeedinginthequieterexhibitareasandasonlyalimitedamountoftimewasspentinthisparkthereareprobablyothergoodlocationsnotencountered.
Above:MourningDove
SeaworldandDiscoveryCove
TherewaslimitedhabitatinboththeseparksbutagainGrackleswerecommonaswereAmericanCrows.ThesealionexhibitattractedGreatWhiteEgretsandSnowyEgretsandagainNorthernCardinalscouldbefoundinthethickervegetation.Foranyonethathasn’tencounteredCardinalsthelocationcalltheyusesoundsveryclosetothatofaWrenintheUK,soignoreWrentypecallsatyourperil.DespitethemaleCardinalsbeingbrightredtheycanbedifficulttospotincover.
ThemostinterestingthingformewastheManatees–especiallyasIdidn’tgettoseeanyinthewild:asfaraszooexhibitsgo,theManateeenclosurewaslargeandseemedtooffersomeinterestandvarietyfortheseamazingcreatures.
Above:AManatee
Osprey,RingBilledGullandMottledDuckwhereallpresentinthevicinityoftheSkyTower.
Gatorland
Above:BlackVultures.
GatorlandwasapleasantsurpriseasitappearstobeawellrunattractionbasedaroundAlligatorsandsomeCrocodilespeciesbutalsohadawildswampboardwalkandawalkthroughtheAlligatorbreedingswampwhichholdsalargeandmixedbreedingcolony(orrookery)ofEgrets,Herons,Double-crestedCormorant,Anhinga,WoodStorkandRoseateSpoonbill.TheGatorlandwebsiteincludesasectiononphotographicinterestandhasacomprehensiveguidetothespeciesthatmaybeseenbutonthisvisittheyincludedLimpkin,GreyCatbirdandcloseupviewsofBlackVulturesinthemainattraction.
Above:GreyCatbird(top)andSnowyEgret(bottom).
AlsoofinterestseenfromtheboardwalkwereCarolinaWren(whichappearsatleastdoublethesizeofaUKWren)FloridaWaterSnakeandFiveLinedSkink
Above:FloridaWaterSnake.
Above:andCarolinaWren(bottom).
InthemainswampareawereAnhinga,Double-crestedCormorant,WoodStork,RoseateSpoonbill,SnowyandGreatWhiteEgret,GreatBlueandTricoloredHeronplusaround40largeAlligators.AftersomecarefulexaminationofthewoodedareaBlackCrownedNightHeronwerealsoseen.
Above:RoseateSpoonbill(top),TricoloredHeron(middle)andWoodStork(bottom).
LakeTohoarea
IncludingSouthportRoad
AtriptoBoggyCreekAirboatswasverygoodforbirdlifeandwildalligatorsbutonreflectiona45minuteprivatetourwouldhaveallowedmorechancestoseemanymorespeciesastheairboatcaptaincouldhavebeenaskedtoseekoutbirdspeciesinparticular.The30minutetripundertakenandtheareaimmediatelyaroundtheboatlaunchgaveBaldEagle,Osprey,SandhillCrane(nestingoutinthemarsh),RoyalTern,GreatBlueHeron,TreeSwallow,Red-wingedBlackbirds,SavannahSparrowanda12footlongAlligator!
Above:BaldEagle(top),Red-wingedBlackbird(bottom).
Above:Alligator.
SadlyIcouldn’tspendmuchtimeontheapproachroadtoBogeyCreekbutsawacoupleofunidentifiedhawksplusWoodStork,WildTurkey,RedShoulderedHawk,RedTailedHawkandunidentifiedWoodpeckerspecies.Thecoupleofmilesfromthemainroadtotheairboatsiswellworthcarefulexamination.
Clearwaterarea
IncludingDunedin
AtriptothewestcoastwasundertakenviatheSunshineSkywayBridgeabitofadetourbutworthitforthespectacularnine-kilometerdriveoverwhathasbeenratedtheworld’sthirdbestbridge!AlsofromthebridgeitselfwereBrownPelicansfishing,Osprey,aquicksightingofthreedolphinandaveryfrustratinglybriefviewofaFrigateBird,Ihadn’tpreviouslyappreciatedjusthowbigaFrigateBirdwouldappearinflight.AgainIwasunabletoexplorethevariousbeachsidecarparksandpullinspotsalongsidetheapproachroadstothenorthofthebridge,whichwouldhaveyieldedmorespeciesoratleastbetterviews.
Above:LaughingGull
Above:LaughingGull(top),BrownPelican(middle)andRing-billedGull(bottom).
TheClearwaterbeachareaitselfgaveLaughingGull,closeupviewsofBrownPelican’sfromthepier,AmericanHerringGull,Ring-billedGulls,RuddyTurnstone,Double-crestedCormorant,FishCrowandvariousparakeetspecies.
Above:BlueJay(top)andOsprey(middle).
Above:Yellow-crownedNight-Heron.
LeavingClearwaterbytheI19norththestretchofcoastalroadjustbeforeDunedintownhadatleasttenactiveOspreynests,someonartificialplatformsandsomeintrees.ImissedtheshotofthetripwhenanOspreycarryingafishaslongastheOspreyitselfflewinlowfromtheseajustasmymemorycardreachedcapacity.ThereisaverypleasantmemorialparkattheBestWesternyachtharbourjustpriortoDunedin’smainstreet(handyshoppingfornonbirdingpartners)andwhilstthechildrenplayedonthepark,BlueJayandYellow-crownedNightHeronwereseen(thelattersettingupanewcolonyinthetreesovertheplayarea).OutonthewaterfrontwasabirdhousebeingusedbyacolonyofanunidentifiedBlackbirdtypespecies,withoutbinocularsIcouldn’tgetagoodview.
IbelievefurthernorthontheI19isHoneymoonIslandandabirdingroutefromwhichBaldEaglescanbeseenplusmanymorewadersandcoastalspecies.
Conclusions
ThereareplentyofopportunitiestomixafamilyvacationinFloridawithsomecasualbirding,especiallyifyouchoosesomeoftheattractionstovisitonnon-parkdayswithcare:forexampleGatorlandisareallywellthoughtoutattractionforthenonbirders,sotherewerenocomplaintsaboutfifteenminutesintherookery!
OtherlocationsIdidn’tgettovisitbutwhichcouldhavebeenveryusefulweretheareasaroundthespacecoast,particularlyMerrittIslandandBlackPointDrive,plustheCypressLakeandLakelandareas.
I’drecommendtakingbinocularsfornonparkdays,keepingyoureyestotheskiesatalltimes,evenwheninthecar.IsawSwallow-tailedKiteoverthe417,SandhillCraneswithapairofnewchicksataShellgarageandOspreysandVulturesallalongtheI4.ThePetersonguideIborrowedwasexcellent–theSmithsonianGuideto“BirdsofFlorida”wassobadIreturnedittothevendor–photosofcaptivebirds,somethatlookedlikemuseumspecimensandappallingcolourreproduction.
Above:SandhillCrane
MylastnonbirdingtipwouldbeflyintoTampanotOrlando–notsurethebirdsareanybetteralongtheroadfromtheairportbuttoflyManchestertoTampaonthesameday,withthesamefirstlegtoPhiladelphia,was40%ofthecostofflyingtoOrlando.
PeterWelch,June2010
www.manchesterbirding.com