Thanksgiving in Florida Nets Us 6 Life Birds -- Part Two

        This post continues the tale of my and Carl's Thanksgiving travels to the very birdy state of Florida in which we acquired 6 life birds -- 2 life birds each birding day!  In this first trip to Florida as birders, we gained a new appreciation of this state as a vacation destination -- since all vacations must now include birding forays!  In Part One of this series, I recounted how, on our first day, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving,  we followed the information gleaned from eBird reports, and easily found a Limpkin (Life Bird no. 1 for the trip) and the Magnificent Frigatebirds (Life Bird No. 2).  This present post will relate our adventure from Friday, post-Thanksgiving -- another day, another 2 Life Birds!

        Thanksgiving Day, we spent with family and friends, helping to prepare a wonderful feast.  From time to time, we would step outdoors to work on Chris and Steve's (Carl's sister and brother-in-law) yard list.  They are not birders so the task falls to us.  I cannot say that we gave it a very serious effort as we did sleep in.  Carl got a fly-over Bald Eagle (sorry, no picture) and I got this fly-over Roseate Spoonbill.

Roseate Spoonbill -- Sister Chris' house -- St. Petersburg, FL

  We could not miss the Downy Woodpecker residing in the side yard or the numerous Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers surrounding us at all times.  A murder of crows flew over every evening as they headed to a nearby roost along with many Great Egrets.

          When we were not helping out in the kitchen or visiting, we were plotting the next birding excursion for Friday.  Again, we used eBird reports including the Rare Bird Alerts for Pinellas County, Florida.

Carl and Cathy plotting the next birding excursion --  St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012 -- Photo by Don Miller

A pair of Black Scoters, rare for Florida Gulf waters, and a Long-Billed Curlew had been sighted at Fort De Soto County Park.  Overall, it seemed that the birdiest reports were from that park so, decision made, we would return there, this time with Carl's father, Don Miller.

Map courtesy of Pinellas County -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL  -- Click here for a larger view 

           Upon our early morning arrival, we stopped at the marina just after crossing the bridge.  Many Double-crested Cormorants, gulls -- Laughing, Herring and Ring-billed -- and terns -- Royal and Sandwich -- were resting on the rails and poles on the piers.

Laughing Gull -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

 I saw a small cluster of American White Pelicans floating in the bay in the distance.  A few shore birds grazed along the boat ramps and the water's edge, including this Black-bellied Plover.

Black-Bellied Plover -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

At the far end of the parking lot, two Ospreys were on their nest.  Then they disappeared.  Later, we found this one hanging out over the path to the restroom where he posed and vocalized (probably to his mate about these weird folks below him pointing big lenses in his direction!)

Osprey -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Osprey -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

 
             We next decided to head slowly to the Bay Pier where the Black Scoter and Common Terns had been seen in recent days.  Normally, Carl hates to bird from the car, but the birdlife -- Osprey, Great Egrets, Loggerhead Shrikes, and American Kestrels --was so dense along the roadside that he was mesmerized in our slow pace to the pier.  

              At the pier, Snowy Egrets decorated the roof of a small building.

Snowy Egrets -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012 -- Photo by Carl Miller

          At the end of the pier, Carl photographed this lovely Great Egret.

Great Egret -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012 -- Photo by Carl Miller

 Then he discovered that this bird was banded!

Band on Great Egret -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012 -- Photo by Carl Miller

Later, back in Charleston studying the photos, he was able to decipher enough of the band number to send it to The Bird Banding Laboratory at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center run by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Nearly immediately, Carl received a response.  This particular bird hatched in 2008 and was banded in August 2008 about 15 miles north (as the Great Egret flies) of Fort De Soto County Park.  Coincidentally, this banding location, Cross Bayou, is just a couple of miles east of Carl's sister's house!        

            Carl and Don moved on down the shoreline while I stayed on the pier studying a group of Forster's Terns hoping that one would transform itself into a Common Tern.  While there, a local birder,  Mark Burns, arrived with his scope.  Having read the eBird reports, he was hoping to relocate the Black Scoters identified by other birders in recent days.  From the beach, he had already scoped a dark spot on the water that he hoped was one of the birds.  He had come to the pier to get a better angle.  Together, taking turns looking through his scope, we relocated the sea duck and indeed confirmed it to be a female Black Scoter!  I asked Mark if he knew the whereabouts of the reported Long-Billed Curlew.  He did!  He pointed us in the direction of the Protected Shorebird area north of the Gulf Pier.  Before we left this area, we found a group of 5 Common Ground Doves perched in a tree very close to our car.  These Common Ground Doves are not nearly as jittery as the ones we have in South Carolina. They perched out in the open close to human occupied areas and would not flush! 

Common Ground Dove -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012 -- Photo by Carl Miller

Common Ground Dove -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012 -- Photo by Carl Miller

       Again,as we continued our slow birding by car towards our new destination and our potentially new life bird, the Long-Billed Curlew, I spotted some interesting birds on the wire and asked Carl to pull off.  One bird was a Loggerhead Skrike.  The other was different -- thick-ish, straight bill, like a Vireo but longer, dark gray-green back, lighter gray head, another shade lighter gray chin and upper breast and a bright yellow lower breast and belly -- our first ever Western Kingbird -- Lifebird no. 3 for the trip!  I called it Western Kingbird, but before I could get a photo, it flew.  Carl was dubious that I could ID a new life bird in such a quick look.  But I was 99% sure.  Knowing that birds have favorite perches, we decided to look again in the same spot when we returned from the Protected Shorebird Habitat. 

        Our next parking lot was also rather birdy.  As soon as we were out of the car, we were pulled in different directions by very busily feeding flocks of Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, Palm Warblers, Ruby-Crowned Kinglets and Yellow-Rumped Warblers.

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Palm Warbler -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

           A hawk flew by us and through the trees of the picnic area.  We relocated this young Red-Shouldered Hawk quickly.    Like the Osprey, they are quite prevalent in Florida in the winter.

Red-Shouldered Hawk -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Red-Shouldered Hawk -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

           We progressed out beyond the trees to the beach.  Before long, Carl spotted at a distance the solo Long-Billed Curlew (Life Bird no. 4 of this trip!), alternately snoozing and grooming on the sand spit just beyond the protected area of the Shorebird Habitat.  Not wanting to flush the bird, we approached slowly taking many pictures, thinking that perhaps each click would be the last that this bird would allow.  Not so.  We continued our approach and he continued about his business.

Long-Billed Curlew doing his business -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

         Eventually, he flew to the landside of the lagoon to feed.

Long-Billed Curlew -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Long-Billed Curlew & Dunlin -- Look at the size difference!  -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Long-Billed Curlew -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

            Carl, not wanting to flush the bird, laid down in the grass, to shoot him at eye level.

Carl photographing the Long-Billed Curlew -- click here for a larger version -- Fort De Soto Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

As the bird fed, he moved down the water's edge, closer and closer to Carl!

Long-Billed Curlew feeding and being photographed by Carl -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Long-Billed Curlew in front of Carl -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

          Needless to say, Carl was thrilled and dumbfounded by his close encounter with this Life Bird!  Even though it is very difficult to obtain steady video with this camera without a tripod, Carl succeeded reasonably well at capturing this bird's feeding.

Long-Billed Curlew feeding -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- Novembre 23, 2012 -- Video by Carl Miller

He also shot me shooting him with the bird between us.

Cathy (background) photographs Long-Billed Curlew -- Fort De Soto Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012 -- Photo by Carl Miller

         Carl had a great vantage point with wonderful light!  Indeed, I was jealous.  So when Carl went to the restroom, I took his position for a few shots. 

Long-Billed Curlew -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Long-Billed Curlew -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

          Hats off and a big thank you to our most photographed bird of the trip, the very accommodating Long-Billed Curlew -- Life Bird no. 4 for the trip!  It was now time to return to the location where we saw Life Bird no. 3 -- Western Kingbird -- to confirm my 99% positive ID!

          Approaching the location of Life Bird no. 3 for our trip, we saw three different species on the wire.   We parked and then inched up on foot slowly towards the birds.  To our delight, we quickly figured out that the first bird was a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher -- our second sighting ever -- what a great bonus bird!

Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

  The next bird down the wire was an Eastern Phoebe. 

Eastern Phoebe -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Finally, we came to our potential new Life Bird no. 3 of the trip!  The photos do in fact confirm Western Kingbird!

Western Kingbird -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

This time, when he flushed, he came back -- with a bug -- multiple times!  There are reasons why birds have favorite perches!

Western Kingbird -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Western Kingbird -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

         Woohoo!  Four life birds in 2 days!  We were thrilled.  Before calling it a day, however, we decided to bird the other end of the park.  It was past midday so the bird activity had decreased a bit.  Still we were able to find some more Black-Bellied Plovers, a few Least Sandpipers and this perky little Piping Plover!

Piping Plover -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

I also took advantage of an opportunity to attempt photos of this American Kestrel on the wing.

American Kestrel -- Fort De Soto Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

American Kestrel -- Fort De Soto Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

          At the turnaround, we found a great photo op in three herons -- a Great Blue Heron, a Great Egret, and a Reddish Egret!

Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Reddish Egret -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Great Egret and Reddish Egret -- nice size comparison! -- Fort De Soto Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Great Blue Heron and Carl  -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Each bird then afforded us some nice solo portrait opportunities!

Great Blue Heron -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Reddish Egret -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Reddish Egret -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Great Egret -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Then, a juvenile Yellow-Crowned Night Heron flew in to fish the waters.

Juvenile Yellow-Crowned Night Heron -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

    
Before leaving, I played peek-a-boo with another Common Ground Dove...

Common Ground Dove -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

.... and finally, this one Northern Cardinal entertained us in his incessant battle with that intruder!

Northern Cardinal : "Pow!  Take that!" -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Northern Cardinal:  "Is he still there?" -- Fort De Soto County Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Northern Cardinal: "Listen dude!  There's not enough room on this turn-around for both of us!"  -- Fort De Soto Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

Northern Cardinal:  "Get off my turf, buster!  Bam!" --  Fort De Soto Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012

For your viewing pleasure, Carl captured the action on video!

Northern Cardinal attacks! -- Fort De Soto Park -- St. Petersburg, FL -- November 23, 2012 -- Video by Carl Miller

         Oh my!  What a GREAT day!  We just got 2 more life birds!  We returned back to Chris and Steve's house full of excitement and stories about our birding adventure.  We spent an enjoyable afternoon and evening en famille recounting our day and preparing to travel back to Charleston in the morning.

         Our trip was already guaranteed to be long without any "unnecessary" stops.  So Carl was a bit flustered when he found out that I was plotting a couple of side trips for two more life birds.  Thank you eBird and Mark Burns, the birder with the scope with whom I got the Black Scoter earlier in the day!  Mark had told me about a very specific spot just minutes from Chris' house for one species and eBird revealed another location for another endangered and threatened rarity -- just 30 miles east of Tampa!  How could we leave the vicinity without trying for this bird?!  Its population could crash before we returned to the area!   A little arm-wrestling with sister Chris (Thank you, Chris!) and the promise of a cup of Starbucks coffee (Starbucks was next door to the first stop!) sealed the deal!  Carl was on board!  Thus, this Thanksgiving birding saga continues with a Part Three in which I will tell of our final 2 of the 6 Life Birds seen!  Stay tuned!