Hi Julie and other SWFLBirdliners,

Thanks for reporting from Sanibel Lighthouse.  As you know, the toll is now
$6.00 plus the cost of parking at the Lighthouse so it's good to know that
migrants are now coming through and be able to plan.  I know Walt Winton doesn't
email, but if anybody else goes out there and sees good birds, it is really
important that they tell one of the Bird lists.  (and if they can't do that-a
phone call to one of the list members who would post for them would work).

If you use the lists to get good birds, you really need to be fair and share
what you see.

To have Kentucky Warbler, Hooded, and Prothonotary out there since Tues. and
have no reports from list members is unacceptable.

For you, Julie, as an out-of-state person to make that extra effort to subscribe
to SWFLBIRDLINE and report important migrants is very special.  Thank you.

Marie
Marie Gonsalo
Fort Myers
BSeaside@...


--
___________________________________________________________
Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com
http://promo.mail.com/adsfreejump.htm

I did have a worm eating, and hooded warbler, as well as barn, and tree
swallows this am. But I also got drenched.Luckily I have a husband who
is equally foolish, and he was getting drenched at the pier.Yesterday
the bl.wh.vireo was joined by a yellow throated one. I didn't mean to
start a birder war with my email earlier. I would only be getting some
of these birds with help from others, and I appreciate all of the
education I get from all of you "down" here. I am used to the postings
in the Illinois area on ibet so I am a little confused about all the
various list groups down here.This is one was the easiest for me to
access.Julie Long

I did have a worm eating, and hooded warbler, as well as barn, and tree
swallows this am. But I also got drenched.Luckily I have a husband who
is equally foolish, and he was getting drenched at the pier.Yesterday
the bl.wh.vireo was joined by a yellow throated one. I didn't mean to
start a birder war with my email earlier. I would only be getting some
of these birds with help from others, and I appreciate all of the
education I get from all of you "down" here. I am used to the postings
in the Illinois area on ibet so I am a little confused about all the
various list groups down here.This is one was the easiest for me to
access.Julie Long

I did have a worm eating, and hooded warbler, as well as barn, and tree
swallows this am. But I also got drenched.Luckily I have a husband who
is equally foolish, and he was getting drenched at the pier.Yesterday
the bl.wh.vireo was joined by a yellow throated one. I didn't mean to
start a birder war with my email earlier. I would only be getting some
of these birds with help from others, and I appreciate all of the
education I get from all of you "down" here. I am used to the postings
in the Illinois area on ibet so I am a little confused about all the
various list groups down here.This is one was the easiest for me to
access.Julie Long

I will be in the Fort Myers area the week of April 18. I am hearing
that birding is bad at Ding Darling. Are there other recommendations
for places to see and photograph birds and other area wildlife. I am
willing to travel as far south as the Everglades if need be. I am also
interested in seeing the burrowing owls> I head Cape coral is a good
place. Does anyone have specific areas I could ook. My main interest is
in observing and photographing.

Thanks for any help!!

Hi all you SW florida birders.I've just joined the group and thought
I'd introduce myself.My name is Paul and I live in the New Forest in
England.Along with My family we have enjoyed many vacations in
Florida,and have only missed one year since 1992.We always try to
spend at least a week in the fort myers area,usually staying on
Sanibel,which is our favourite place.
I joined the site so that I can keep up to date with whats being
seen in the area,and hopefully pick up some tips on where to
go.hopefully we will be back on the island in October,Is that still
a good time for autumn migration?As we have a four year old son,I
cannot usually devote a lot of time to birding whilst we are
there,so we usually end up driving slowly around ding darling,until
I start getting complaints from wife and son..."I'm hungry","I'm
bored","shut the window,the mossies are biting","I've wet
myself"...and then we have to leave!!
Are there any other nature reserves that are worth a look?
If any of you are planning a trip to the UK,feel free to email me
for any advice or local birding tips.
I have a web site,(www.nutbags.co.uk)which is mainly for my part
time business selling wild bird foods,but I also use it to list my
sightings and bird photos.
We love your part of the world and are really envious of you for
where you live,and would love to emigrate there ourselves,but with
immigration the way it is,I would need to get a sponsored
employment,so if any of you know of any sympathetic employers over
there please let me know!!!Thanks for reading this,I'll look forward
to checking your postings.Regards,Paul

All,

As the Burrowing Owl RFI may be of interest to others, I'll reply to the list.

This is an excellent time to view and photograph Burrowing Owls.  Many males are
now standing guard at the burrow during daylight hours as the females incubate
eggs, making active burrows easy to locate.  For those not aware, most burrows
are staked with white PVC pipe and have a T perch.  Look for these indicators as
you drive various neighborhoods, particularly in the southeast Cape.  The owls
are more concentrated south of Veterans Pkwy and east of Chiquita Blvd.

Two areas easy to find are the Pelican Blvd ball fields and the Cape Coral
Library.

The Pelican Blvd  ball fields also host a Monk Parakeet colony.  It is located a
mile or so north of Cape Coral Parkway on the west side of Pelican Blvd.  The
burrows are located on the south side of the complex along SW 42 Ter.

For specific directions go to http://mapquest.com
and enter "Pelican Blvd and SW 42nd Ter, Cape Coral, FL 33914"

The library is located just north of Mohawk Pkwy on SW 9th CT.  Many burrows are
in this neighborhood, so drive the perimeter of the library and nearby streets
looking for the marked burrows.  After checking the Pelican  ball fields, go a
short distance north on Pelican, turn left (west) on to Mohawk Pkwy.  Continue
to the 4 way stop, cross Skyline Blvd and continue to the first street on your
right, SW 9th CT.  Turn right, and begin to look for burrows.

For specific directions go to http://mapquest.com
and enter "Mohawk Pkwy & Sw 9th Ct, Cape Coral, FL 33914

Charlie

Charlie Ewell
Arlyne Salcedo
Cape Coral, FL
Anhinga42@...
SalcedoDVM@...

----- Original Message -----
From: "ssamojed" <mattsamo@...>
To: <SWFLBirdline@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2005 4:20 PM
Subject: [SWFLBirdline] Florida visit




I will be in the Fort Myers area the week of April 18. I am hearing
that birding is bad at Ding Darling. Are there other recommendations
for places to see and photograph birds and other area wildlife. I am
willing to travel as far south as the Everglades if need be. I am also
interested in seeing the burrowing owls> I head Cape coral is a good
place. Does anyone have specific areas I could ook. My main interest is
in observing and photographing.

Thanks for any help!!

--- In SWFLBirdline@yahoogroups.com, "ssamojed" <mattsamo@s...> wrote:
>
> I will be in the Fort Myers area the week of April 18. I am hearing
> that birding is bad at Ding Darling. Are there other
recommendations
> for places to see and photograph birds and other area wildlife. I
am
> willing to travel as far south as the Everglades if need be. I am
also
> interested in seeing the burrowing owls> I head Cape coral is a
good
> place. Does anyone have specific areas I could ook. My main
interest is
> in observing and photographing.
>
> Thanks for any help!!


I birded Ding Darling on the early morning tide Monday. There were
huge numbers of all the waders and white pelicans frolicking for the
cameras along with thousands of migrating shorebirds. The warblers,
vireos and other woodland birds, however, were extremly scarce on the
Baily Tract and at the lighthouse, although there were a few prairie
warblers sing on the the Ding Darling wildlife drive. The key to
birding there, of course, is low tide at morning or evening.

I'm sure you're aware of Corkscrew and the lagoons on Ft. Myers Beach
behind the Holiday Inn.

Bill Jones
Bonita

thanks to everyone for the emails after my first posting
yesterday.you all seem very welcoming and happy to share information
about where to watch birds.I regularly post on my local bird groups
pages,and there is a definate suppression of many sightings,and a
number of "select groups"within the group,so if you are not part of
that trusted band of friends,you don't always get to hear whats been
seen!
I am very interested in garden birds,which is partly why I set up
my "nutbags.co.uk"bird food delivery service.Basically what I'm
doing is buying foods in bulk at trade prices from the main food
suppliers,then selling it on to people at discount prices,and
delivering for free.Its not making me rich(i'm only doing it part
time)but I enjoy saving people money,and I usually get to see how
they feed birds in their gardens,plus hopefully see birds that I
don't normally get in my garden.
Feeding birds is big business here in the UK,but my question to you
all is what is garden bird feeding like in florida?Do you get many
birds in your back yards?If I eventually realise our dream of
emigrating to Florida would my kind of business work there?
I've read birding world magazine which does seem to suggest a lot of
people in america enjoy feeding birds,but what about florida
specifically.Wev'e only stayed in holiday villas or condos,and the
houses wev'e seen don't seem to have much in the way of gardens,so
does a typical SW florida estate have a lot of birdlife?
I look forward to reading your thoughts.many thanks.Paul

Birding at the lighthouse is still pretty sparse. Yesterday there was
one of each-goldfinch, purple martin, indigo bunting, cape may,
y.rumped, parula, prairie, gnatcatcher.  I think someone had a yellow
thr. vireo. I had a couple of nighthawks the night before.There were
several of us there. I was there from 8-11 am. One guy had some
warblers,hooded, worm eating) and the y. billed cuckoo somewhere near
the American Legion. And someone has had a grey kingbird in their yard.
Maybe the lighthouse birds are just not staying and are moving up the
island. Ane maybe that is what they always do. Julie Long, St.Charles,
Il

Seen at the Sanibel Lighthouse area today by myself and/or others were
Orchard Oriole, Kentucky Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Indigo
Bunting, Hooded Warbler, and Prarie Warbler.  On the whole things are
quite slow.
Dick Konz
Sanibel


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi swflorida birders,

While talking with my mom this morning, she described her backyard bird
antics at her place on Sanibel.  Her place is a mile west of the elementary
school off San-Cap Road.  Three mottled ducks were feeding on her back lawn,
the snowy and great egrets were in and relaxing. The doves and grackles were
competing for the seed on the two feeders and the fishcrows, red-bellied
woodpeckers and blue jays were devouring the peanuts.

But then a stranger showed up on the back lawn.  A Muscovy Duck landed near
the mottled ducks and began feeding.  This is the first time that I have
heard of a Muscovy on the island. Does anyone know of a population residing
on Sanibel?  This is not a good sign. Could the campground on Periwinkle
that used to and possibly still maintain some exotics have Muscovys?

At least the Mucovoy only hung around for 10 to 15 minutes before taking
flight.

Harry Hooper
Tallahassee, Florida

I agree with Dick about birds being sparse. I did have a good variety
on Fri. In addition to what Dick posted there were cerulean,
swainsons, Tenn, yellow throated,prothonotary warblers and a
hummingbird and red eyed vireo. We had a great small fallout about
9:30 am that day. Today there was a yellow billed cuckoo,E. kingbirds
and someone else had a loggerhead shrike,a merlin and a redstart, plus
a few of the Sat. and Friday birds. Except for the small fallout it is
a bird here and a bird there and it takes a lot looking.Julie Long,
St.Charles,Il

This morning at the Lighthouse there was a little more activity than
lately.  There were Tennessee Warbler, Ovenbird, Worm-eating Warbler, a
probable Kentucky, Blue Grosbeak, and an identity challenge in a juvenal
female Painting Bunting.
Hopefully with these strong winds the birds will hang in.
Dick Konz
Sanbel


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Birders,
I just wanted to let you know that I will be leading 3 bird walks at the
Apalachicola Nat. Estuarine Research Reserve later in April. The walks are
scheduled on April 22, 26 & 29 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. They are FREE of
charge. Meet at the ANERR nature center in Apalachicola. I hope to see many of
you there.

Good Luck & Good Birding,
Alan W. Knothe,
The Birdman,
Nature Tours by Alan
A Bird Guiding Service
(850) 653-4854

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

All,

Julie Long asked me to post a Dickcissel was seen late today (7 PM on Thursday
14 Apr) at the Sanibel Lighthouse between the fishing pier and the road.  A
reminder that the causeway toll is now $6 and the parking is $2 per hour.

Charlie

Charlie Ewell
Arlyne Salcedo
Cape Coral, FL
Anhinga42@...
SalcedoDVM@...

I am posting this for Julie Long who saw a Dickcissel at the Fishing
Pier area of the Lighthouse last evening (Thursday) at about 7:30 P.M.
Dick Konz
Sanibel


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

All,

Here is a request from Roger Clark (Lee County Parks and Rec):

A meeting was held today to discuss plantings  in and around the
Fragrance Garden. Now is your time to speak up for the birds! Please get
your ideas on species, groupings and recommended structural aspects to
me by May 14,2005. The only criteria are that the plants be noninvasive
and available through the nursery trade.
Exotic plants can be used.

I recommend that if you have time that you visit the park to see what
has been planted so far. There are plans for "creating" some native
plant communities including pine flatwoods and oak hammock.

Please forward this request to other  birders or groups.

Thanks!-Please contact me if you have questions.

Roger S. Clark
Land Stewardship Manager
Lee County Parks & Recreation
3410 Palm Beach Blvd.
Ft. Myers, Fl  33916
roger@...
Phone #: 239-461-7453
FAX-239/461-7460

Originator of post:
Charlie Ewell
Arlyne Salcedo
Cape Coral, FL
Anhinga42@...
SalcedoDVM@...

All,

Julie Long passed along word today (Fri 15 Apr) of the following highlights at
the Sanibel Lighthouse:

Cliff Swallow
Red-eyed Vireo
Scarlet Tanager
Cape May Warbler
Dickcissel

Charlie

Charlie Ewell
Arlyne Salcedo
Cape Coral, FL
Anhinga42@...
SalcedoDVM@...

----- Original Message -----
From: "Charlie Ewell" <Anhinga42@...>
To: <swflbirdline@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2005 10:13 PM
Subject: [SWFLBirdline] Dickcissel @ Sanibel Lighthouse



All,

Julie Long asked me to post a Dickcissel was seen late today (7 PM on Thursday
14 Apr) at the Sanibel Lighthouse between the fishing pier and the road.  A
reminder that the causeway toll is now $6 and the parking is $2 per hour.

Charlie

Charlie Ewell
Arlyne Salcedo
Cape Coral, FL
Anhinga42@...
SalcedoDVM@...

The adult male Dickcissel was seen again today in the very early
afternoon and again by me, Julie Long and Dale (Last name?) about 7:15
PM tonight.  The bird was flying back and forth across the main road to
the lighthouse where the boardwalk goes to the fishing pier.
Dick Konz
Sanibel


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hello All.

I'm a backyard birder here in Tampa and here's an interesting
observation for you all:  What has to be the last robin in Tampa (and
confused apparently) made a nest over a 2-3 day period in a camphor
tree in my yard, then disappeared.  It was the only robin still around
as far as I could tell.  I checked the Fla. Breeding Bird Atlas which
indicates that Florida breeding for robins is rare but not unheard of
in Hillsborough County.

Great Crested Flycatchers are all over the place and I have a Brown
Thrasher that is singing almost non-stop from the top of an oak tree.
  At first I thought it was a mockingbird but the song was much richer
and melodious and the phrasing seemed different. It's a nice change to
see this usually secretive and quiet bird high up in a tree.

Happy birding everyone!

B

Dickcissel seen at Sanibel Lighthouse again this morning by quite a few
birders.  The bird had moved about 50 yards south of where it was being
seen yesterday, toward the lighthouse.  The special this year is Indigo
Buntings and mixed in are more Blue Grosbeaks than I have seen here
before.

Dick Konz
Sanibel



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

All,

Here are some extra directions to where the Dickcissel was located today:

Directly across the dirt road from the bathrooms there is an open area of grass
between the road and the beach.  To the left of the ficus tree and two picnic
tables, where the vegetation starts that borders the beach, there is a good
sized privet bush that looks to be a salt water victim of the hurricane.  It
appears mostly dead, with a few green leaves on it.  The Dickcissel, Indigo
Buntings, and some occasional Blue Grosbeaks were using the ground around this
bush to forage.  They all would pop up every so often into the dead privet for
easy viewing.  The Dickcissel would leave the area from time to time, flying
over the rest rooms and out of sight.  Before too long it would return to the
privet.

As Dick stated, the amount of Blue Grosbeaks around the area was exceptional.
particularly the area as you enter the boardwalk from the Gulf parking area.
With even greater numbers of Indigo Buntings, it was a great opportunity to
compare the two side by side.  Also seen were Palm, Prairie, Tennessee, and Cape
May Warblers, Scarlet Tanager, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Barn Swallow, and a Merlin.

Charlie

Charlie Ewell
Arlyne Salcedo
Cape Coral, FL
Anhinga42@...
SalcedoDVM@...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dick Konz" <dkonz@...>
To: "SWFLBirdline" <SWFLBirdline@yahoogroups.com>; "FLORIDABIRDS"
<FLORIDABIRDS-L@...>
Sent: Saturday, April 16, 2005 1:46 PM
Subject: [SWFLBirdline] Dickcissel at Sanibel Lighthouse



Dickcissel seen at Sanibel Lighthouse again this morning by quite a few
birders.  The bird had moved about 50 yards south of where it was being
seen yesterday, toward the lighthouse.  The special this year is Indigo
Buntings and mixed in are more Blue Grosbeaks than I have seen here
before.

Dick Konz
Sanibel



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





Yahoo! Groups Links

I have posted pics in the photo section under unknown and then click
on indigo buntings. My question is are these all males and if so
first
or second year? I think number 5079, 5081, and 5083 are females. Can
anyone answer my questions?
Thank You,
Ginette

A Pine Siskin has been coming to a thistle feeder in the Vanderbilt
Beach area of north Naples.  It was first seen on 4/15 and has been
there every day since, including today, 4/18.  The amazing thing about
this is how the siskin found the feeder ?  I took a few photos just in
case.

Swallow-tailed Kites were seen in Naples and at Corkscrew on 4/17.
Corkscrew seemed fairly quiet, with a few Northern Waterthrushes, and
Northern Parulas.

Purple Martins are investigating nearby nest boxes in Naples.

Frank Murphy
Rensselaer NY
(just visiting)

For those of you still here, this morning at the lighthouse for 45
minutes, I saw Louisiana Waterthrush, Common Nighthawk right over head
low, Blackpoll Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Male Painted Bunting, and
Red-headed Woodpecker.
Dick Konz
  Sanibel


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

hi all in sunny florida,I've been jealously reading all the sanibel
reports,and wishing I was there.I generally don't get to see many of
the smaller birds whilst we are on vacation,so am not familiar with
most of the reported birds.
Here in the UK,migration is also into full swing,with swallows,and
sand martins,chiffchaffs,willow warblers,wheatear,redstart and
whitethroat turning up all over the place.I also heard my first cuckoo
yesterday evening whilst out on my bike.
We still also have large numbers of waxwings around.As far as I'm
aware this has been a record year for waxwings in the UK,particularly
down on the south coast where I live.We get the odd 1 or 2  in the
area most winters,but its usually very short lived.this year there
have been hundereds and they are still here!
I look forward to "catching"some of your migrants on their way back in
the autumn.best wishes.paul

All,

The following update on the Dickcissel was posted by Dave Thurston to
Floridabirds-L on 19 Apr:

Subject: Re: Sanibel Lighthouse
From: David and Jacque Thurston <thurston AT COPPER.NET>
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 20:35:26 -0500

The male Dickcissel was present in the milkweed near the pier feeding with
the buntings and the grosbeaks.  Saw it about 8:00 a.m.

Dave Thurston
Naples

Charlie Ewell
Arlyne Salcedo
Cape Coral, FL
Anhinga42@...
SalcedoDVM@...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dick Konz" <dkonz@...>
To: "FLORIDABIRDS" <FLORIDABIRDS-L@...>; "SWFLBirdline"
<SWFLBirdline@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2005 11:39 AM
Subject: [SWFLBirdline] Sanibel Lighthouse



For those of you still here, this morning at the lighthouse for 45
minutes, I saw Louisiana Waterthrush, Common Nighthawk right over head
low, Blackpoll Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Male Painted Bunting, and
Red-headed Woodpecker.
Dick Konz
  Sanibel

Butterfliers,

Last Sunday (4/17/05) I spent a couple of hours butterflying the
roadsides along the first mile of Jane's Scenic Memorial Drive in
Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve in Collier Co.  This was my first
time there and didn't have any "inside info" on hot
spots.  I was
hoping to find some of the marsh skippers like Aaron's, Palmetto,
etc., but, maybe next time!  Conditions were 80 deg., blue skies, and
windy.

Here's the list

Palamedes Swallowtail (2)
Dainty Sulphur (1)
Red-banded Hairstreak (1)
Little Metalmark (3)
Gulf Fritillary (1)
Phaon Crescent (10) very fresh!
Pearl Crescent (5) fairly worn
American Lady (1)
Common Buckeye (1)
White Peacock (6)
Least Skipper (4)
Delaware Skipper (9)
Palatka Skipper (1)
Twin-spot Skipper (20)

I should have some new photos from this trip online in the next couple
of weeks.

Good butterflying!
Jeff
http:www.duke.edu/~jspippen/nature.htm

Perhaps of interest to SWFLBirdline subscribers is the SRQbirdAlerts Yahoo
Group.

The SRQbirdAlerts Yahoo Group provides rare and interesting bird alerts and
other bird watching information for the SRQ (Sarasota & Manatee Counties,
Florida) area. Some of the bird alerts are from surrounding counties (Ft. DeSoto
Park in particular) that are within an hour drive of the SRQ area.

SRQ is the code for Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.

The SRQbirdAlerts may be visited at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SRQbirdAlerts/

Peter Rice
____________________________________________

SRQ Bird Alerts is brought to you by Peter Rice in
association with the Sarasota Audubon Society.
Visit them at   www.SarasotaAudubon.org

Please send any input for the next SRQ Bird Alerts E-mail to:
SRQbirdAlerts@...

To subscribe, send an E-mail to: SRQbirdAlerts-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

To unsubscribe, send an E-mail to: SRQbirdAlerts-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

To visit the SRQ Bird Alerts Yahoo Group, please click on
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SRQbirdAlerts/

We encourage you to forward the SRQ Bird Alerts E-mails to others and to
encourage others to subscribe to our bird alerts E-mail list.

The Manatee Audubon chapter is at http://www.manateeaudubon.org/ and the
Venice Audubon chapter is at  www.veniceaudubon.org

Should you NOT receive SRQ Bird Alerts for more than two weeks it likely will
be due to your E-mail address having been removed from our directory. If you
wish to continue to receive SRQ Bird Alerts please send an E-mail to:
SRQbirdAlerts-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

End of SRQ Bird Alert  E-mail
____________________________________________





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]