Pine Island, FL - 22 Nov 2009


Forecasts called for rain this morning, and as we left the condo the skies appeared dark to the north. A band of storms was moving to the east and heading right through the Pine Island area, our destination.


As we drove out of the complex, we spotted an Osprey atop the now-famous dead tree that hosted the GHO just two days ago. We stopped long enough for me to take 30-40 frames of the bird high above us.


Michelle wanted to see the Burrowing Owls, so we drove north back through Cape Coral and made quick stops at the ballpark to see the Monk Parakeets, and then to the library to see a single Burrowing Owl. Very cute!



We continued northward and headed toward Matlacha & Pine Island. Along the way we spotted numerous Osprey and Turkey Vultures, Loggerhead Shrikes (common in Cape Coral), Northern Mockingbirds, and a Crested Caracara! No sooner had we crossed the bridge to the island that the rains came and required a closing-of-the-convertible top.

At one point we stopped along the shoreline near several piers. Through the car windows we spotted a Belted Kingfisher, several Ruddy Turnstones, Laughing Gulls, and a Willet atop a distant pier. A Great Egret feeding near the car made for a nice portrait or two. Farther up the road another pier held a flock of roosting Short-billed Dowitchers and Black-bellied Plovers - my only digiscoped subjects of the day. At the end of the pier an Osprey perched next to the "Keep Out" sign seemed to add a nice emphasis to the warning! Five Marbled Godwits flew into view, but I could not focus on them to get an image - rats.


Lucky for us the rains soon let up. No sooner had we put the top back down on the convertible that we spotted 3 Magnificent Frigatebirds soaring overhead! John stopped the car so that I could grab several frames as a female and an adult male soared direcly above us. A nice, unexpected surprise. Too bad the sky was so overcast.




A stop at a local antique shop gave me the opportunity to photograph a flock of Royal Terns and Laughing Gulls that were roosting on posts lining the docks. Overhead an Osprey was perched on a masthead and feeding on a freshly-caught fish.












We then stopped at the Sandy Hook Fish & Rib House in Matlache for lunch. As we ate lunch I was able to spot several Bald Eagles, Anhinga, and Turkey Vultures pass overhead and disappear into the mangroves next to the pier. At one point a Pied-billed Grebe surfaced just a few feet from the dock.

After lunch we returned to the fish market, and I was able to get a few pics of the Sandwich Terns and Anhinga that were now sharing the docks w/ the Royal Terns.






Pine Island Flatwoods Preserve, Lee, Florida, US
Nov 22, 2009 8:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
12.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Robin and me
19 species

Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)  1
Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)  1
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)  2
Willet (Tringa semipalmata)  1
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)  1
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)  6
Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)  1
Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)  6
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)  3
Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)  1
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  1
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  1
Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)  1     at Cape Coral Library
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)  1
Crested Caracara (Northern) (Caracara plancus cheriway)  1
Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus)  6     ballpark next to Cape Coral
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)  1
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S42260064

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