San Carlos Bay: Early Fall 2010

San Carlos Bay, located at the southern end of Fort Myers, Florida, has three magnificent wildlife venues on its borders which include Bunche Beach Preserve to the north, Bowditch Point to the south, and Lighthouse Park on Sanibel Island to the west.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

Early in the week I made a long overdue visit to Bunche Beach where I was greeted by an American Oystercatcher.

I made this species my focus of study as long as the bird would allow.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

The feeding behavior of the oystercatcher was interesting to observe as it would find its quarry as far into the sand as it could reach and then consume mollusks in small bits.

While Laughing Gulls were abundant in the area of the fishermen at the west channel of Bunche Beach Preserve, a solitary experienced adult gull waited near the oystercatcher waiting for an opportunity to steal its food.

The American Oystercatcher with Laughing Gull above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

I was glad to see that the oystercatcher was the dominant bird and was able to keep the gull at a relative distance.

Such is not the case when observing most other species of wading birds which succumb to attacks from the Laughing Gull frequently.

The Black Skimmer above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

A Bald Eagle made a couple of close flybys which was a thrill as I don't see the species often.

It was on the day that tropical storm 16 had entered the Florida Straits after a zigzag across Cuba that I made my way to Lighthouse Park on Sanibel Island.

The Osprey above was photographed at Lighthouse Park in September 2010.

There was drizzle before dawn, but the day turned out to be quite beautiful and fortuitous.

There wasn't any passerine activity noted in the "woodlands" of the park, so I made my way to the beach.

The Semipalmated Plover above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

Mere minutes later, a swarm of Laughing Gulls which appeared out of nowhere were fighting over a sea creature certainly startling the beachcomber that happened to be in the middle of the action.

I would spend much time observing the wading and shore birds that made their way mostly from north to south.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

Fishermen on the pier were successful in catching sharks I'd guess were about three feet.

A fellow visitor to the park had made a walk by me a second time I was aware of when I realized it was Wes whom I had met at Bunche Beach Preserve last year.

The Reddish Egret above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

After speaking with him briefly, I observed a few more swallows make their way into the bay at great speed when I decided to call it a day also having missed photographing a larger unidentified species of bird that was the greatest disappointment at the park.

I met up with Wes at the lighthouse on the way back to the car where he introduced me to Vince McGrath and Walt Winton.

The Wilson's Plover with juvenile above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

The three of them were evidently great friends and a powerhouse of birding skills with Wes telling me he's been into the study of birds for 40 years with in excess of 500 lifers while Vince had acquired his 700th with the observation of a Red-necked Phalarope at Bunche Beach Preserve 27 September 2010.

Vince was able to remarkably document the species photographing it with his iPhone.

From L-R above, Wes Dirks, Vince McGrath, Bob Schmidt visiting from Washington state, Vince Lucas, Jose Padilla, and Walt Winton above were photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

I believe I heard it mentioned that this was the first documented sighting of Red-necked Phalarope in Lee County.

From the lighthouse it was decided to travel to Bunche Beach Preserve in search of the Phalarope.

The Black-bellied Plover above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

Just before reaching the parking lot, Vince pointed out an approaching Peregrine Falcon that I wasn't able to get a shot of.

I'll be referring to Vince as "Hawkeye" in the future for his uncanny sense of sight and ability to find the unexpected and the kind words spoken of him by Wes.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

Though not seen at the time an entourage of extremely experienced birders congregated at Bunche Beach Preserve around 11am, it was then learned that the Phalarope had been seen earlier in the morning.

With great excitement and anticipation of the bird's return, Tom Obrock appeared from his walk to the west channel where it was determined he had a great sighting of American Avocet.

The Wilson's Plover above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

Everyone left the preserve but myself as the Phalarope failed to make a reappearance after about an hour.

I chose to head toward the west channel to photograph the avocet which I've only captured at close range on one other occasion at Lovers Key State Park 02 May 2008.

The Western Sandpiper above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

While I was able to observe the species clearly from Vince's scope before he left, it was impossible for me to see the bird I was heading for as it was more than half a mile away.

When I thought I was close enough to find it with the camera, I stopped and scanned the horizon and was able to hone in on it.

The Short-billed Dowitcher above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

The American Avocet was ultimately seen clearly in the company of a pair of Royal Terns, several Marbled Godwits, about 40 Red Knots (with a few showing the last remnants of breeding plumage and a pair with flags), several Short-billed Dowitcher, and a few Western Sandpiper.

As the tide was quickly rising, the sandpipers were the first to take flight with the Red Knots and dowitcher mere seconds later.

The Short-billed Dowitcher above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

The Royal Terns took flight a moment later with only the Marbled Godwits remaining with the American Avocet.

A few minutes later the avocet would be alone and took flight about five minutes after that.

The Black-bellied Plover above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

Just before it took flight, where it would land and remain in range for a few more shots, the bird did a really nice wing stretch which I failed to capture as I was attempting to capture some additional images of the American Oystercatcher in the immediate area.

The oystercatchers were in a group of four, three of which had just joined one that was already nearby.

The American Avocet with Marbled Godwit above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

I couldn't help think how enjoyable it was to hear the call of these birds with them assisting my ability to recognize the bird without seeing it in the future.

While the shorebird action was sparse within the mile in either direction of the parking area initially, at this point in time the rising tide was likely the cause of a large flock of Black Skimmers landing to my east.

The American Avocet above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

With them traveled many dozens of smaller birds including Ruddy Turnstone which have been increasing in numbers seen since spring.

As the camera's battery indicator was giving me warning of failure as I was photographing Tricolored and Great Blue Herons, I again decided to call it a day.

The American Avocet with Red Knot above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

Upon arrival at the parking area after my long walk, I was surprised to see Wes again whom was the first to arrive after another reported sighting of the Red-necked Phalarope at the east channel a half hour earlier.

Speaking with Walt about the Burrowing Owl as we waited for the possible return of the Phalarope, it was entertaining to hear him tell of the Burrowing Owl that he sees on his mailbox.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

I had asked him if he ever saw the owls mate with his reply no, but he told of observing the mating behavior of Yellow-billed Cuckoo that lasted about the same time as the owls at five seconds.

Wes had told me of the remarkable lives of fellow birders whom were quite passionate in the endeavor to entertain themselves and certainly enlighten and educate others.

The American Oystercatcher above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

We all decided to call it a day in the late afternoon as the tide at Bunche Beach Preserve had nearly covered all the suitable mudflats that the Phalarope would favor.

I readily admit that it's extremely unlikely that I would have been able to single out the Red-necked Phalarope without the assistance of the distinguished birders I was very fortunate to spend part of a day with.

The Ruddy Turnstone above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

There was no report of an additional sighting of the Red-necked Phalarope in the area as of this writing.

It will hopefully offer more excitement in the days ahead.

The unusual above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve in September 2010.

There are going to be tremendous migratory opportunities at all three of San Carlos Bay's wildlife venues in the weeks ahead with a Hawk watch scheduled at Lighthouse Park and led by Vince McGrath in mid October.

Feature: Black-necked Stilt

The Black-necked Stilt is a species of bird that should not be expected to be seen at any time unless you are somewhat certain to find it.

The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

Well, with that said, how might one expect to find a needle in a haystack?

In my case, I was informed of the elusive species' location by reading the wildlife blog of Tom Obrock.

The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

I've come to realize the benefit of a full understanding of the preferred habitat of the species you are looking for.

In addition, it helps to have a great familiarity with the area if you're going to find an elusive species on your own and then perhaps simply get extremely lucky.

The Glossy Ibis above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

Although I was never specifically making a diligent effort to find the Black-necked Stilt until this past week, I was disappointed that I had not observed it before.

The Black-necked Stilt is considered a shorebird and having spent countless hours at wildlife parks and preserves that constitute suitable habitat for the species had me believe that I should see the stilt at least occasionally.

The Killdeer above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

But that was not the case as the Black-necked Stilt remained an elusive creature with it a member of the family Recurvirostridae which includes the American Avocet.

In my three plus years of Florida wildlife observation, I have only once seen the American Avocet with it in the surf at Lovers Key State Park in early May 2008.

The Anhinga above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

As has been my experience, I consider Recurvirostridae extremely rare relative to other shorebirds in my area of southwest Florida.

On the morning of my attempt to see the Black-necked Stilt for the first time, it was with great fortune that Tom Obrock drove through the Exit 131 Rest Stop off I-75 as he was headed home from work while continuing his search for migratory species and specifically "lifers."

The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

As we chatted about photography and our recent observations, it became clear he found me very misguided as to where I thought I might observe the stilts and gave me more specific detail of his observations of the species.

Tom also told me that he needed some shut eye before meeting up with the Birdpatrol at Bunche Beach later in the day.

The Mottled Duck above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

I think we are both in agreement that Harns Marsh Preserve needs another access point to negate what I certainly feel is an extraordinarily long walk around its perimeter.

Since I had to work very early in the morning the following day, I regrettably couldn't attend the Birdpatrol event.

The Cattle Egret above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

I chose to continue my attempt to observe the Black-necked Stilt where Tom had told me he had observed it in the recent past.

Approaching my third hour of observation at the Rest Stop site, I was literally in my car with the engine running already having given up when a few of the stilts flew into view.

The Black-necked Stilt above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

It was infuriating to me that I missed flight shots of the incoming Black-necked Stilt as I had been planted at the ready with the camera for such an extended period of time.

Three Black-necked Stilts were observed to fly into the flooded (due to seasonal rains) undeveloped commercial property from the south at the tree line immediately east of the Rest Stop.

The Black-necked Stilt above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

David Sibley's Guide to Bird Life and Behavior indicates that the avocets and stilts, classified as shorebirds, will frequent fresh water environments.

The field had a water depth of between four and 12 inches of water over an area I would guess at ten acres which allows for favorable, though fleeting, ecosystems.

The Black-necked Stilt above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

An unusual anatomical detail of Recurvirostridae shorebirds is that they have partial webbing between the three primary toes in the avocet while the stilt has webbing between the middle and inner toe.

While I was mobile in my observation of the stilts, with an effort to have the birds with the sun behind me, a neighbor of the property stopped to tell me that the water level seemed to be at an ideal depth as the birds might not otherwise be seen.

The Black-necked Stilt with Greater Yellowlegs above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

The gentleman also noted that he was pleased that others cared about what we could behold before us.

In my next two hours of observation of the Black-necked Stilt, there were a total of four of the species seen.

The Black-necked Stilt above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

While I originally thought there was another group of six stilts, a review of my photographs taken proved to show that the birds I thought were stilts were actually Greater Yellowlegs.

I had observed the yellowlegs into the sun and was only able to photograph them somewhat successfully using a very high exposure bias to avoid the capture of the birds completely in silhouette.

The Greater Yellowlegs above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

While there were only three Black-necked Stilts initially seen together, the fourth bird would ultimately make its way onto the scene from a direction I failed to observe.

With my little understanding of the Black-necked Stilt species, I speculate that the group of four included two juveniles.

The Black-necked Stilt above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

The juveniles might easily be mistaken for adult females on the ground as they are very similar in appearance.

When the four birds were captured in flight together, it's seemingly obvious that there were two juveniles as their size appears significantly smaller than the adults.

The Black-necked Stilt above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

Of the four birds in tandem, I believe the adult female to be the laggard.

Wildlife species I consider notably observed near the company of the Black-necked Stilt included Greater Yellowlegs, Glossy Ibis, Little Blue Heron with 1st year juvenile, Killdeer, Mottled Duck, Anhinga, Great Egret, Cattle Egret, and Red-shouldered Hawk.

The Black-necked Stilt above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

This retreat for the Black-necked Stilt at the Rest Stop will be further determined by the unpredictable rains this season, the dry season ahead, and future development.

Black-necked Stilts are thought to migrate to and from Argentina at the southern end of their range.

The visitor of the wildlife venue above was photographed at Exit 131 Rest Stop, Interstate I-75, Fort Myers, Florida USA in July 2010.

The most spectacular sunsets I've observed in my life, regrettably without an ability to photograph them, were observed this past week.

Feature: Little Estero Lagoon

Little Estero Lagoon, also known as Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area (with the CWA designation by the state of Florida in 1992), is one of 15 such areas of concern in the state.

The Great Egret above was photographed at Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area in October 2009.

The primary purpose of such a classification is to protect nesting and foraging wildlife that may be imperiled by the inadvertent or otherwise disturbance of species which could result in a decline in their numbers unnecessarily.

CWAs are under the authority of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

The Marbled Godwit above was photographed at Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area in October 2009.

Little Estero Lagoon has its nesting species, which include Least Tern, Snowy and Piping Plovers, Willet, and Sea Turtles, cordoned off with stakes, ribbon, and signs, as prudent, from April 1 through August 31. Once the Sea Turtle lays its eggs, it returns to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

I didn't observe any Sea Turtle nests near the lagoon this past year although there were successful nests at Lovers Key State Park immediately to the south.

The Great Egret above was photographed at Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area in October 2009.

Brie Ochoa, Park Services Specialist at Lovers Key, informed me that the Least Tern seemed to favor the lagoon area in the 2009 breeding season as there was a very significant decline in Least Tern nesting at Little Estero Lagoon's adjacent state park compared to 2008. I am not able to say how the nests compared at the lagoon between the two seasons as I failed to make noteworthy observations.

Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area is a must see venue from anywhere. While thought to be a preserve 150 acres in size, the lagoon itself is much more intimate.

The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area in October 2009.

The lagoon is just south of Fort Myers Beach. It has the Gulf of Mexico immediately to its west with condos and a Holiday Inn surprisingly close to the east. Close enough, in fact, to cast shadows on the lagoon's waters in the early morning hours.

The birds are for the most part seemingly oblivious to the human traffic that makes its way to and from the beach through the lagoon's shallow water.

The Snowy Plover above was photographed at Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area in October 2009.

While this venue is best visited at low tide, I also recommend a morning visit when the sun is most accommodating for comfort and photography if you are so inclined.

In my relatively few visits the lagoon, I have always seen the Great Egret, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Brown Pelican, and Osprey. Other species are hit and miss, but I've never failed to be completely astounded with the enjoyment I get from this place.

The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area in October 2009.

I observed the Long-billed Curlew at the lagoon for the first and only time in my two and a half years of wildlife observation in late December of 2008.

My only sighting of the American Avocet was made at Lovers Key in early May of 2008, so it may be expected to see this species at the lagoon any time other than in the summer months.

The Semipalmated Plover above was photographed at Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area in October 2009.

Renowned wildlife photographer, Artie Morris, made the announcement in his blog that he has chosen the Little Estero Lagoon for an early 2010 visit with his clients in favor of the very popular Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

The birds here should offer significant excitement as they do regularly.

The White Ibis above was photographed at Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area in October 2009.

There always exists an opportunity for photography of birds in flight at Little Estero Lagoon, but for the more ambitious, be prepared to get wet and muddy at my recommendation.

Other must see wildlife venues in the immediate vicinity include San Carlos Bay: Bunche Beach Preserve, Lovers Key State Park, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, and National Audubon Society Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

The Reddish Egret above was photographed at Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area in December 2008.

A more detailed account of my wildlife observations at Little Estero Lagoon in early October 2009 can be seen here.

Additional photographs I've taken at Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area can be seen here.