Fort DeSoto Park - 27 Feb 2005

27 February 2005 Tampa, FL

0800 Hrs.  Its 50F and downright pouring outside.  As we sit and eat continental breakfast in the hotel I see a flock of 6-7 White Ibis fly overhead.  The white birds and black wingtips appear very pretty in the dark overcast skies.

Hampton Inn Ybor City, Hillsborough, Florida, US
Feb 27, 2005 8:00 AM - 8:05 AM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments:     Heavy downpour, dark, overcast
1 species

White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)  7

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S182058602

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

0900 Hrs.  Despite the heavy rains we decide to take a drive down I-275 to Fort DeSoto Park south of St. Pete’s.  Arthur Morris highlighted the park in the February issue of Birder’s World.  As we crossed the Pinellas Bay Way off I-275 we found a group of shorebirds along the beach:  Ruddy Turnstones, Black-bellied Plovers, Snowy Egrets, Willet, Sanderlings, Short-billed Dowitchers, and Dunlin.  Just before entering the park we drove past a condominium complex that had a pond containing over 200 Redhead Ducks.  

1100 Hrs.  Fort DeSoto Park – North Beach.  The rains are finally letting up, but its windy, overcast, and humid.  As we drive into the parking lot we see several Snowy Egrets, Little Blue Herons and Willets feeding in the grass.  

I shoot several pics out the car window using the D70 and Sigma 400mm f/5.6.  Robin decided to stay in the car as I walk off toward the beach.  As I reach the shoreline past the mangroves I see the following shorebird mecca:

A single Long-billed Curlew, 12 Marbled Godwits, Sanderlings, Dunlin, 24 Willet, Semipalmated Sandpipers, White Ibis, 2 Reddish Egrets (blue phase) and 1 (white phase), 

Brown Pelicans, 4 American Oystercatchers, 12 Black Skimmers, Royal Terns, Laughing Gulls, Forsters Terns.  

As a group of birders approached the whole flock flushed and the Curlew disappeared toward the ocean.  As things settle down I spotted a Reddish Egret (blue phase) land along the beach.  I decide to walk down the shore toward the bird with my scope and Coolpix to digiscope it.  As I begin photographing it decides to approach me slowly and deliberately.  Quickly reaching into my pack I pulled out the D70 and proceeded to empty half the card taking numerous shots as the bird walked practically up to me.  Gorgeous! 

A short walk down the beach later I was greeted by a Snowy Egret, Great Egret, and Tri-colored Heron.  More pics at close range allow me to see the Snowy as an immature (yellow stripes along back of legs) and the Tri-colored as an adult (blue head).  

Out on the point were a dozen Brown Pelicans, numerous Marbled Godwits, Black Skimmers, Willets, Dunlin, Oystercatchers, and Royal Terns.  As they flew off I got a few long-distance flight pics, but no keepers.  A walk back to the car yielded Palm Warblers, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Pine Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, 2 American Kestrel and a Black-bellied Plover.

Fort De Soto Park, Pinellas, Florida, US
Feb 27, 2005 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
33 species (+1 other taxa)

Redhead (Aythya americana)  200     pond next to hotel at entrance to park. Packed in like cordwood!
American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)  4
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)  8
Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)  1     North beach. Tall shorebird with long decurved bill. Like, really long! No mistaking for a Whimbrel
Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)  12
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)  2
Willet (Tringa semipalmata)  28     4 on South Beach, 24 on North Beach
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)  2
Sanderling (Calidris alba)  20
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  6
Western/Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris mauri/pusilla)  12
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)  12
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)  12
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)  6
Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)  6
Wood Stork (Mycteria americana)  2
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)  2
Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)  1
Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)  2
Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)  1
Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens)  2     1 blue phase and 1 white phase
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)  2
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  1
White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)  7
Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)  2
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)  6
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)  2
Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)  4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)  2
Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major)  6
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)  2
Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S41756271

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

1300 Hrs.  After lunch in Bradenton we headed south down US-41 to Sarasota and Fort Meyer.  Along the route we encountered Bald Eagle, dozens of Black Vultures, Fish Crows, Boat-tailed Grackles, Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, a single black hawk (unknown sp.).

USF -Sarasota-Manatee Campus, Manatee, Florida, US
Feb 27, 2005 12:30 PM - 12:50 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
6 species (+1 other taxa)

Wood Stork (Mycteria americana)  1
Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)  4
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)  6
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  1
Buteo sp. (Buteo sp.)  1
Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)  6
Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major)  6

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S182059641

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

1800 Hrs.  We stopped in Ft Meyers and called Dr. Shell.  Had dinner w/ her on Sanibel Island at the Lazy Flamingo.  On the way back Robin and I saw our first Yellow-crowned Night Heron!  An immature sitting on a half sunken shopping cart along side the ditch off US-867 in the dark.

Lazy Flamingo, Lee, Florida, US
Feb 27, 2005 6:30 PM - 6:35 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.1 mile(s)
1 species

Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S182060135

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)