25 April 2023 - Bonita Springs

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Anhinga, Spotted Sandpiper, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Turkey & Black Vulture, Bald Eagle, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Little Blue Heron, Great White & Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Swallow-tailed Kite, Bald Eagle, Osprey, Tricolored Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Mottled Duck, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Purple Martin, Chimney Swift, Northern Cardinal, Northern Mockingbird, Mourning Dove, Blue Jay, Boat-tailed & Common Grackle, Red-winged Blackbird, Purple Martin

A quick walk in the early morning around the streets and dock area produced a singing Brown Thrasher, Pileated Woodpecker and a couple of Yellow-crowned Night Herons collecting nesting material close to the digs. After breakfast we spent the morning just chilling by the dock, reading and watching what went past. 3 Spotted Sandpipers were nearby around the dock, and in the distance a Swallow-tailed Kite soared. (This is the only (extremely distant) photo I managed of Swallow-tailed Kite. Overall we had good close views of several during the trip but mainly swooping low over the road as we drove along). Meanwhile, good numbers of White Ibis and Anhingas were on view frequently (with c.25 of the latter in the air at one time). A small group of Purple Martins went through and a Bald Eagle soared nearby for a brief time. Both vultures were seen and a good selection of herons. By the dock a pair of Common Grackle were often in the overhanging tree, usually quite vocal, and at one point three Mottled Ducks appeared and swam past. One, maybe two, Pileated Woodpeckers were seen along with all the usual frequent species.

For our lunch we went to "Jimmy the Beef Guy", and ordered an Italian beef sandwich each, with a side of fries between us. That filled us up for the entire day!

Afterwards we came back to the dock and continued our chill out period just watching the birds and boats go by. Many of the same species seen this morning were visible again, along with a Roseate Spoonbill over and a Red-winged Blackbird that moved all around us, singing out of view and finally giving itself up. Birds heard but not seen included Tufted Titmouse, Great Crested Flycatcher and Brown Thrasher. Most photos are of birds flying past or overhead as we sat around the dock area.

Brown Thrasher, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1250 (view full size image)