Salt Marsh

It is early in the morning and the fog is pretty thick everywhere I look - to the right is the tip of Sanibel with the Lighthouse.

Along the shore by the Causeway a Great Black-backed Gull is passing by....

and mingles within a bunch of Ring-billed Gulls.

I made my way to the Salt Flats and met Elaine there - just us and the vast open space.

Not too far away a feeding frenzy takes place.

A stunning Buckeye landed long enough for a good photo.

While above us several White Pelicans flew by.

We found some tall grasses and

we were blessed with good looks of a Saltmarsh Sparrow...

this little fellow came really close to our feet and we were amazed how tiny it was.

We marveled at our good fortune and came upon a flock of American Goldfinch - eating their fill.

It was then time to wrap it up but not before watching these White Pelicans flying.....

over the moon!

Christmas Bird Count with the Caloosa Bird Club

Brrr....the prospect of walking through muddy and wet salt flats in 45 degrees was daunting to say the least - I put my big girl pants on and off I went. I was in good company with Charlie Ewell, Karl Werner, Susan Cohen and Libby Wolfe - all excellent birders and I've learned something from each one of them. Thank you!

Our first sought after specie was a success....

A Saltmarsh Sparrow, check! We ended up spending about 2 hours there and saw a total of 37 species (see my E-Bird List)

Off we went to the Causeway - looking for a Peregrine Falcon....

Check! We also scoped the area and were able to find Common Loons, Mergansers & Horned Grebes among 35 species (see my E-Bird List)

Next on our list of places to be was Bunche Beach - we spent 3 hours there - our first sighting a Ruddy Turnstone.

A very special sighting - one of many Marbled Godwit

Black Skimmers with the Causeway in the background - leading to Sanibel Island.

Piping Plovers wearing their bands and flags.

They were much faster than I and their numbers eluded me.

The Long-billed Curlew came to be counted too.

He surely sparkles.

A Wilson Plover enjoying a Mangrove Crab.

The amusement of the day was to watch these sandpipers eating from a bowl size cavity in a mound of sand as if someone had put food there for them.

Everyone is equal here and all are happy to be able to share a meal.... Sanderling, Least Sandpiper and Western Sandpipers.

Short-billed Dowitcher came to investigate and share the bounty.

A Great Blue Heron came to seal the day. Another list for this portion - 45 species in all (see my E-Bird List). A fantastic day was had by all, we put forth an effort and truly enjoyed the experience.

Saltmarsh Sparrow at the Saltmarsh Flats

This was the first sparrow that was located.

This was the second sparrow that was seen a few minutes after the first one. We had a third sighting, with two sparrow on the same mangrove tree, unfortunately I wasn't able to put my lens on it.

The Saltmarsh

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.