Going to church - Church Road in Hendry Co.

Elaine and I got set to go across a few counties - first stop was in Lee Co, looking for the Whip-poor-will....the only thing I got out of that goal was to learn how to spell it....no show on the bird. Then as we headed to Hendry Co with a few species to see in mind, we saw our first Caracara of the day.

I think it's going to be a good day.

As we arrived at Church Road, we heard the Robins and saw them settle in a nearby tree.

Savannah Sparrows were greeting the new day.

So was the Eastern Phoebe.

Up till that point the weather seemed to be holding up....but now it was time to seek shelter.

A double rainbow....has the pot of gold been deposited in my car?? No, no such luck.

Soon the weather cleared up and things were looking much brighter....such as this tree....filled with

6 Western Kingbirds, 1 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, 2 Red-bellied Woodpeckers and tons of sweet oranges.

The Crested Caracaras were everywhere - we counted 12.

Along that fence with the Crested Caracaras was a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.

They make a fine pair, don't you think?

The air is changing - it made me feel as if I was in Kansas and watching the sky for the next development.

All's well....off we go across Collier County and back into Lee County, a quick stop at Gator Hole.

Several Bluebirds greeted us.

And Downy Woodpeckers entertained us.

I don't know about you, but to me this looks lovely....I love the outdoors and all that it entails.

A mystery bird.

More trails....YES!

We reached the end of the trail and high tailed it home....until.....we spotted ducks on the side of the road....

There was so many of them....I pulled out the scope and we counted....350 Ring-necked Ducks and 8 Coots.

And that, my friend, makes for a ducky day!

 

Birding Hendry and Glade w/Caloosa & Collier too!

TGIM - I love Mondays and the promises of observing birds and perhaps even seeing a "lifer" - today was my lucky day because I got to see two of them. 

We started our day by meeting the Caloosa Bird Club group at Barron Park in Labelle.

A beautiful and peaceful setting, one could easily sit here all day and watch as life unfolds. We spent a bit of time and observed some woodpeckers and warblers in the very old oak trees before heading out to Church Road.

A Loggerhead Shrike aka butcher bird because they catch small insects or lizards and smack them before gobbling them up.

Several Woodstorks were seen along the road.

A Wilson Snipe - very well disguised, if you didn't have your eyes on it while it moved, it was very easy to miss it totally.

A male Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in breeding plumage - wow! He stayed within those branches and it was quite difficult to get a good look at it, let alone take a photo.

Along Church Road - cattles/farms and dusty road with heavy machinery/road graders and pickup trucks going by....some were very kind others not so much. When it was time for the group to return to Labelle for lunch, my friends Elaine, Libby and myself decided to travel south to see the Tomato Fields and visit with some ducks.

Many Roseate Spoonbills could be seen off the road in flooded fields.

Woodstorks

The view of the field where the Spoonbills are feeding, notice the pink dots....these are the roseate.

When I zoomed in with my camera (Canon SX50) I was able to make out that there was a Greater Yellowlegs within the group.

My new life bird - Snow Goose - there were 4 of them (2 blue, 2 white). And what timing we had because shortly after we arrived they flew off way to the other side.

I wish there was a hideout spot in the middle of these fields so that we could see those ducks up close and personal and even take some decent photographs, but hey, that's okay ..... take a scope with you and feast your eyes on those beauties.

We were blessed with sunny skies - very warm and balmy temperature. The winds were very gusty, often time shaking our scopes while viewing the ducks.

Canvasback - another lifer for me ..... wow ..... what a beautiful duck that is.

American Avocets were spotted in the distance - several sandpipers too ... my assumption is Yellowlegs here but I'm not 100% sure - I welcome any and all comments.

Ducks, ducks and more ducks - WooHoo

Sometimes I don't realize how many ducks there actually are - but when a Northern Harrier makes an appearance and the ducks lift off - then I get a clearer picture of what is going on.

We observed the Harrier while he held something underwater - we watched as he stayed there for at least 15 minutes....our guess was that a coot was under his talons, being drowned for future consumption. The other ducks - mostly Mottled Ducks - just went about their business without paying no attention to this hawk.

We bid the area farewell with gratefulness in our hearts - and headed out to the corner of Immokalee Road and Oil Well Road....

another pond - this one occupied by Ring-necked Ducks and Merganser.

What a nice bunch they make. At last, it was time to pack up our gear and head on out - a great Monday was had birding with great friends. Till the next time.