Bunche Beach with Birdpatrol group

Oh Glorious Saturday! The weather was great and many people joined in with the Birdpatrol birding trip which was led by C. Ewell and I. Brooks - two excellent birders who share their extensive knowledge with others....thank you!

The Palm Warblers....a common sight in S.W. Florida.

A Marbled Godwit - 

A few Western Sandpipers

A Red-breasted Merganser made an appearance - I was glad to see it as I hadn't seen them since last winter.

Two Caspian Tern - a life bird for me. This Caspian Tern happens to be the biggest terns at 21". The bill, orange-red to coral red, is much thicker than Royal Tern. The Royal Terns as well as the Sandwich Terns were seen along the sandbar, which made a nice contrast when the two Caspian joined in.

The sandbar at Bunche Beach had many species - sandpipers, plovers, terns, gulls and pelicans.

These Yellowlegs were on the back side - also known as the Salt Marshes which can be accessed behind the Publix on Summerlin, the one nearest Sanibel. A small walking path through trees and shrubs takes you there.

And this was the sought-after specie at the Saltmarsh - a bunch of us saw it and debated over the i.d.....was it a Nelson or a Saltmarsh? For now it seems to favor the Saltmarsh specie......I will ask my trusted birdbrain folks to pipe in on it.
My E-Bird List for today.