Jump start with Monday

My Monday is always reserved for birding with the Caloosa Bird Club - today's destination - Sanibel!

Our first meeting place is at the Lighthouse with the hopes of catching sight of some migrants (the bird kind).

I got there early to start the day with a sunrise - imagine my surprise when I caught sight of Kelly, my program coordinator for the turtle program - what a great way to start the day and to get my juices running for the upcoming turtle season.

Nearby was a Lesser Black-backed Gull feasting on a large Catfish.

Along the Hammock trail - a pair of White Ibis with a Marsh Rabbit were owning the spot....

 

A Prairie Warbler was heard and seen as well as

a couple Hooded Warbler - a male is pictured here. After a bit I headed to the Island Inn Road for our next stop.

 

A Kestrel was spotted looking at me :D

On the north side of Island Inn Road the city has cleared up quite a bit of vegetation - it was calling to me, so I ventured over. Look at that open space!

Other than the Kestrel a family of White Ibis was seen - here is an adult with several juveniles.

The group was joined by more adults and soon they left the area.

I met up with my group and headed over to the Bailey Tract - our target bird was the Sora....

and here it is - taking a drink and cooling his heels.

Across the way a pair of Black-necked Stilts was admired - look at those bubble gum legs!

On the way out of the trail we took extra time to watch the Sora some more. After a bit it was time to head to the Sanibel Garden Preserve. We took the road less traveled and enjoyed the scenery as well as a few species along the way.

 

A pair of Magnificent Frigatebirds,

a few Snowy Egrets and

a Swallow-tailed Kite provided us with a great aerial show. Our aim for this trail was to see a

Mangrove Cuckoo, however he eluded us and instead we ended up seeing a

Mocking bird.... we got excited there for a bit when we thought we had the Cuckoo - so let's just say that we saw a Mocking Cuckoo as well as a good laugh. All in all it turned out to be another great birding day.