Continuing forward....our mission was to get Doug and Ann 150 birds on their Florida list. The weather during the second half of their visit was even hotter and drier than the first, it was a brutal April in Florida this year.
We enjoyed a beach and birding day at Fort De Soto Park in St. Petersburg. This park has some of the best beaches in the world, not to mention it is the #23 birding hotspot in the United States. The Celery Fields in Sarasota offered up great views of Limpkins, a Least Bittern and a Sora. The Venice Rookery allows birders close-up photo opportunities of nesting egrets and herons. We scored many shorebirds and waders on visits to Siesta and Longboat Keys.
Storms along the Gulf of Mexico during spring migration produce a phenomenon known as a "fallout". That is when migrating birds become grounded by rain and unfavorable winds. In all, Doug and Ann ended up with 145 species, including 75 "life birds". They would have easily made it to 150 had there been a single storm. Here are some photos of the second half of their visit. We had a fantastic time, we can't wait to do it again.....tweet.....tweet!!
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| Ann & Doug Holding their Cardinal level certificates (50 species = level 1) from the Great Florida Birding Trail. They fell five short of reaching level 2 (150 species = level 2) |
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| Swallow-Tailed Kites (Winchester Blvd. Ponds, Englewood FL) |
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| Least Bittern (The Celery Fields, Sarasota FL) |
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| Green Heron (The Celery Fields, Sarasota FL) |
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| Prairie Warbler (Male) (Felts Preserve, Palmetto FL) |
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| Mute Swan (Longboat Key FL, near Sarasota) |
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| Limpkin (The Celery Fields, Sarasota FL) |
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| SORA (The Celery Fields, Sarasota FL) |
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| Loggerhead Shrikes (Juveniles) They are just way too cute. (The Celery Fields, Sarasota FL) |
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| Indigo Bunting (Male) (Felts Preserve, Palmetto FL) |
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| Anhinga chicks on the nest. (Venice Rookery, Venice FL) |
