Just a casual drive thru Ding Darling, not much the usual four early migrants,
spotted sandpiper, belted kingfisher, barn swallow. Also yellow warbler in  the
ficus at the head of the Shell Mound trail, also yellow-throated and prairie
warbler, 10 spoonbills, reddish egret and yellow-crowned night heron. Ahh, but
on the way down San/ Cap Rd a swallow-tailed kite posed long enough for a few
pictures before his curiosity compelled it to fly right over my head at a mere
30'- sweet

Vince McGrath
Ft Myers, Fl

Volunteers needed!  Join a team or work alone.
Saturday September 15th marks the 7th year that Hendry-Glades Audubon and
volunteer birders and photographers
have participated in the Florida North American Migration Count.
Survey sites include  Fisheating Creek, North Lake Okeechobee, Lake Okeechobee,
OK Slough,
Dinner Island, and surrounding areas.
For information  about Hendry and Glades County  count contact:
Margaret England
LaBelle
www.hendrygladesaudubon.org

Talk about documentation. I was out doing Birdpatrol an hour ago with a couple
of Newspress staff talking about the now in place Great Florida Birding Trail
signs ( watch for them along the roads ) and as the tide was receding the birds
were coming in. Plovers, Godwits, Long-billed Curlew, egrets, kingfishers. Then,
whoa, low and close an American Bittern flew by heading south. Songbirds were
moving as well- Barn Swallow, Gnatcatchers, 2 Yellow Warblers and a Prairie. And
lots more!!

Vince McGrath
Ft Myers, Fl

The birding gods rewarded me with a beautiful Short-tailed hawk this morning at
6 Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. Seen from the entrance boardwalk. Sweet!
J.Padilla, Fort Myers, FL

The Long-billed Curlew was at Bunche Beach this morning -- 8:00 am at the far
west end.  Also saw the Common Tern Friday morning (8/17) at Bunche, but haven't
been able to find the Gull-billed Tern.  Ed Combs

Had Hooded, Worm-eating, Yellow, Yellow-throated Black-and-white, Pine warblers,
Am. redstart, No. parula, Red-eyed and Yellow-throated vireos, 2 Short-tailed
hawks among the usuals at Six Mile Cypress, Lee Co., FL this AM...not bad!
J.Padilla, Ft. Myers, FL

I was on the 2.5 mile mark of my daily run this evening when I saw 4 Eastern
Bluebirds. This was in south Fort Myers, Lee Co. FL. First of the year for Lee
Co. for me. #201 Lee Co Bird this year. Last year it took me up to Dec. 31 to
reach 200. The Birding Gods are smiling! J. Padilla, M.D. Ft. Myers, FL.

Very few birds around, but I was lucky to have one American Avocet and 2 Spotted
Sandpipers. They were on the west side.

Gail Campbell

After leaving Jose yesterday I found 2 more Common Terns on the next causeway
island which was nearly flooded. So cool driving in the ocean but I wouldn't
recommend it. Today there were far fewer birds but more Least Terns and no black
or common terns. No swallows, dozen Eastern Kingbirds and a Gray. Actually there
was lots more activity inland. Time to scan the large field by the Shell Point
clubhouse- turn onto Shell Point Blvd off of Summerlin then turn r. Into the
golf course flow the short road to the clubhouse you will see shorebirds in the
large field on your right- please be discreet. There are several Pectorals mixed
in with 100+ Short-billed Dowitchers of many plumages but many are calling
distinctively, a few least and killdeer- now is the time, also an Eagle flew
over about 20' high whew!

Vince McGrath
Ft Myers, Fl

Stilt Sandpiper (juvenile plumage) and Blue Grosbeak on Ding Darling Wildlife
Drive -- low tide, late morning today, 9/1.  Also Diamondback Terrapin.

An early flock of 34 White Pelicans was at Bunche Beach at 8:00 this morning
(9/3) -- about six weeks before my usual first sightings.  Bunche birding was
very good this morning -- all four small Plovers, Red Knots, all the usuals, and
many birds in the vegetation.  I went to the Lighthouse later in the morning; no
migrants there (should have stayed at Bunche).  Ed Combs

FYI. The following reported today by Vince McGrath. The weather front to the
north of us has been bringing outstanding numbers and species into the Pinellas
County area. Perhaps we are next?

Charlie Ewell

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

-----Original Message-----
From:         Vincent McGrath <mcavian@...>
Sender:       Birdbrains - Florida Birds/Natural History
<BRDBRAIN@...>
Date:         Mon, 10 Sep 2012 20:30:36
To: <BRDBRAIN@...>
Reply-To:     Vincent McGrath <mcavian@...>
Subject: [BRDBRAIN] Six Mile Cypress Preserve, Ft Myers

Followed up on the report of Blackburnian Warbler and others today. From 12 to
2pm I tallied 9 species of warblers, red-eyed vireos, E Wood Pewee (2), titmice,
gnatcatchers oppressive humidity
Blackburnian Warbler 4
  # 300 for Florida on the year!!!!! First time ever
Male Hooded
Worm-eating
Blue-winged
Chestnut-sided
Prairie
Black & White
Yellow-throated
Tennessee

Vince McGrath
Ft Myers, Fl
To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list,
please visit us on the web at:
http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html
To set to no mail send a message:  SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL to
LISTSERV@...
To reinstate mail service after NOMAIL send a message: SET BRDBRAIN MAIL to
LISTSERV@...
Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin@...
____________________________________________________________________________

Hi all
Got there late (10am) birding was good
Steady flow of Barn Swallows, 1 Bank, 1Martin , many Gnatcatchers, a number of
warblers. Kingfisher, red- eyed and an imm white-eyed vireo
The Warblers
Prothonotary
Worm-eating
Yellow
Tennessee ( most numerous)
Parula
Prairie
Am Redstart
Common Yellowthroat
Of note all warblers were immature
Total warbler species for past three days has reached 16
It's on!!
Vince McGrath
Ft Myers, Fl

Walt Winton, Tom Obrock and I birded this morning 6 Mile Cypress Swamp Preserve
for 3 hours. A typical fall equinox cloudy morning brought us many thrushes. I
counted at least 5-7 Swainson's, 1 Gray-cheeked, 4 Veery, I saw a nice Nashville
Warbler, Magnolia, Northern Waterthrush, Black- throated Blue, American
Redstart, Black-and-white, Yellowthroated and Common Yellowthroat Warblers, a
Summer Tanager and a Red-eyed Vireo among the many good birds we had there.
J.Padilla, MD

6 Mile Cypress Slough Preserve was birdy this AM. A Canada Warbler male was seen
by Vince McGrath, Tom Obrock and me. Summer Tanager, Ruby-throated Hummingbird,
Blackburnian Warbler, Black-throated Blue, Veery and Swainson's Thrush among the
good migrants we had. Walt Winton also repirted Chestnut-sided Warblers and
Scarlet Tanager. J.Padilla, MD, Ft. Myers FL

A local birder called to report an adult male Rufous Hummingbird has found his
yard favorable. Seen and photographed yesterday. I was able to see him today for
about 5 min at 1:30pm. There is suitable habitat with a few old citrus trees,
powderpuff tree and assorted flowering plants. An existing hummingbird feeder
and another installed for encouragement. Known to overwinter here's hoping it
stays.
  Unfortunately it is on private property and local owner wish for privacy. If
someone wishes to see it contact me by email ( mcavian@...) or call me if
you know my number.
  Lehigh Acres can be tough to navigate so previous permission and directions is
needed.
Thus is the first Rufous I've seen in Lee Co in many years

Vince McGrath
Ft Myers, Fl

2 Barred Owls SIX MILE CYPRESS

Checklist for STA5 NAMC Fall 2012

The next trip to STA5 will be October 13th.  Reservations required.
For STA5 lists and Hendry and Glades Fall NAMC go to
www.hendrygladesaudubon.org

For information about STA5 escorted trips contact:

Margaret England
LaBelle

Stormwater Treatment Area 5, Hendry, US-FL Sep 15, 2012 6:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
35.0 mile(s)
Comments:     Includes STA5,  Blumberg Road, Deer Fence Road and L1 Dike Road; 
Fall  2012NAMC
69 species

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck  8
Fulvous Whistling-Duck  54
Mottled Duck  219
Blue-winged Teal  151
Northern Shoveler  1
Northern Bobwhite  1
Pied-billed Grebe  54
Double-crested Cormorant  30
Anhinga  67
American White Pelican  21
American Bittern  4
Least Bittern  2
Great Blue Heron  34
Great Blue Heron (White form)  2
Great Egret  162
Snowy Egret  172
Little Blue Heron  59
Tricolored Heron  71
Cattle Egret  325
Green Heron  9
Black-crowned Night-Heron  14
White Ibis  11
Glossy Ibis  46
Roseate Spoonbill  3
Black Vulture  5
Turkey Vulture  20
Osprey  17
Snail Kite  8
Northern Harrier  1
Cooper's Hawk  1
Red-shouldered Hawk  Red-tailed Hawk  1
Sora  2
Purple Swamphen  22
Purple Gallinule  7
Common Gallinule  111
American Coot  244
Limpkin  4
Killdeer  27
Black-necked Stilt  165
Greater Yellowlegs  60
Lesser Yellowlegs  962
Long-billed Dowitcher  1
Caspian Tern  1
Eurasian Collared-Dove  20
Mourning Dove  169
Common Ground-Dove  71
Barn Owl  1
Belted Kingfisher  31
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Crested Caracara  6
American Kestrel  3
Peregrine Falcon  1
Loggerhead Shrike  8
White-eyed Vireo  2
American Crow  4
Barn Swallow  467
Carolina Wren  1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  9
Northern Mockingbird  12
European Starling  225
Common Yellowthroat  97
Eastern Towhee  1
Northern Cardinal  10
Red-winged Blackbird  469
Eastern Meadowlark  5
Common Grackle  120
Boat-tailed Grackle  495
Brown-headed Cowbird  10

A shift in the wind has the late night heavy with overhead flights calls. It has
been slow for a week now but I recommend heading to your favorite hotspots in
the morning. I'll be at the lighthouse. Wow, I hear veerys, swainson's thrushes,
tanagers, bobolinks, warblers and some more unfamiliar calls.
There was a steady 10mph N wind about 11pm it is SE @ 7mph now
Vince McGrath
Ft Myers, Fl

Taking my advice from last night's post I hustled over to the lighthouse in a
dense fog- ecological and mental. Hordes of Palm Warblers already streaming
overhead, occasional bobolinks, swallows (4spp), blackbirds.
Many Palms were landing all over the place. A real strong gathering of Palms in
the shoreline buttonwoods produced, to my pleasure, a beautiful bright
(Audubon's race) Yellow-rumped Warbler. We had the first ever Audubon's for here
last October. I would never have imagined seeing another here. Yellow,
Yellow-throated, and Prairie were the only other warblers.

Vince McGrath
Ft Myers, Fl

Cha Ching Jackpot!! The Ft Myers commando hit it on another mission to the Sid
farms. Our very first stop was the best. Along CR-880 we encountered a large
flock of Black-bellied Plovers(282). Scanning the flock we found 2 Buff-breasted
Sandpipers, 1 Long-billed Dowitcher, 1 Dunlin, numerous Ruddy Turnstones, app.
120 Least Sandpipers and on Clare scanning 2!! Am Golden Plovers. A Merlin
swooped in and lifted the flock, great looks at the Goldens in flight. 73 spp on
the day
There is an oasis of sorts farther east on the north side, here we found
Ovenbird, N Waterthrush, Palm, Yellow-throated, Parula, Prairie, and
Yellowthroat plus W-e Vireo, Catbird, and Brown Thrasher.
For raptors several Osprey, Kestrels, Red-shouldered, 1ea. Red-tailed and
Harrier, 3ea. Merlin and Cooper's Hawk, 2 Snail Kites ( Hendry Co),
5 Caracara, Bald Eagle, many Turkey and Black Vultures.
Whoooooooo hoooo!!!!
Vince McGrath
Ft Myers, Fl

Wow!! What a beautiful morning
Lots of warblers
Black-throated Green 1
Black-throated Blue /m 1
Magnolia 1
Tennessee 2
Prairie 2
Ovenbird 2
Black and White 3 traveling together all in same plumage
Palm too numerous?

Also N Rough- winged Swallows
BG Gnatcatcher
Indigo Bunting several
White-eyed Vireo 1
Gray Catbird 6
Adult male Sharp-shinned Hawk
Bobolink 2 up high
Plenty of local

And a male Painted Bunting has returned to my feeders

Vince McGrath
Ft Myers, Fl

Finally found some time to post. 13 species of Warblers today
3 Magnolia
2 Tennessee
Imm Pine
3 Prairie
2 Parula
2 Yellow-throated
1/f Blk-thr Blue
Many Palm
4 Am Redstart
2 Ovenbird
1 N Waterthrush
4 Com Yellowthroat
3 Black and White
Also many BG Gnatcatcher, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, 1 White-eyed Vireo
1 Swainson's Thrush
1 E W Pewee
1 Flicker, several Downy and Red-bellied Woodpecker
3 Red-shouldered Hawks screaming for nearly an hour and fall weather too nice to
describe.
And for Bluebird lovers some are hanging out on Penzance Rd near the turn at
Ranchette


Vince McGrath
Ft Myers, Fl

Three good sightings at Lighthouse Park this morning, Friday 10/12:
A kettle of 7 Broad-winged Hawks, mostly 1st year birds.
One Bay-breasted Warbler -- my first since October 17-22 last year.
One Acadian Flycatcher -- my first since an October 15 only sighting  last year.
Ed Combs