Shorebirds on the causeway

Young royal tern making a racket.

First year least tern that's been banded. I couldn't see the numbers on these bands.

Another least tern with only one band.

Marbled godwit.

Cute little plover.

The Courtney Campbell Causeway is starting to get an influx of different shorebirds. I stopped by there after work one day last week when it was about to rain so there wasn't too many people on the small beach on the Clearwater side. Lots of young birds there that aren't in full adult colors yet. The least tern's beak will turn yellow after it's first year. Migration season is starting so I'm going to try and hit this little beach and Gandy beach after work for the next couple of weeks to see if I can find some different birds. I heard common terns and gull-billed terns hanging around so I'm going to try and find them.

Hunting for food at Fort Desoto

Ruddy turnstone digging far down in the sand.


Marbled godwit checking for food in the water.

Snowy egret getting ready to strike.

Tricolored heron has a little fish.

The north beach marsh at Fort Desoto is always busy with birds hunting for food. The water is shallow on the lagoon side so there is usually plenty to eat. I was there earlier this week and found a few birds getting an early lunch. I sat quietly in the sand for a while and they were busy all around me getting a bite. Eventually I got hungry and headed out for some lunch myself.

Fort Desoto birds

Rare sighting of a white morph reddish egret.

Marbled godwit going in for a swim.

Great egret looking for food and finding himself.



Great blue heron preening.

I had Friday off so I headed to Fort Desoto park early to see what kinds of birds I could fine. It was a hot sunny morning. There were tons of the usual gulls and terns there as well as marbled godwits, ruddy turnstones, egrets and great blue herons. I was able to get a picture of a fairly rare bird - a white morph of a reddish egret. They are normally dark red from their neck up and dark greyish/blue from the neck down. Occasionally you will see an all white one. They have the same straight beak. He (or she) was prancing around in the water. I got tons of great pictures that morning.