The Makeup Of Bands

I was fascinated to learn more this week about a Piping Plover observed on 6 August 2010 than I would have ever imagined.

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

The plover most recently observed at Bunche Beach Preserve had four bands and a flag on its legs.

The reporting of this bird that Tom Obrock had observed five days later we believe to represent the same bird with his documentation seen here.

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

An email reply to Tom's report sent to him and myself follows . . .

Thank you for the report and photograph. The green flag on the upper left leg is a regional marker for piping plovers banded on the Missouri River below Gavins Point Dam. Gavins Point Dam is located on the northeast Nebraska - southeast South Dakota about 5 miles upriver from Yankton SD. The plover was banded by researchers from Virginia Tech who are studying piping plover use of sandbars constructed by the Corps of Engineers to provide nesting habitat for piping plovers and least terns on the Missouri. I will forward your report to the VPI researchers and they should be able to provide you with additional information as to when and where the plover was banded. Thanks again. It is nice to know that one of our plovers has already made it back to the wintering grounds.

Greg Pavelka
Wildlife Biologist
US Army Corps of Engineers

Another exciting observation of a banded Piping Plover again made at Bunche Beach Preserve, 5 November 2008, led to my discovery that the bird had been flagged in Argentina and was handled and banded in Chile, Mexico, Venezuela, Suriname, and possibly in the United States.

This plover also had a metal band placed on the upper right leg which remains a mystery without closer observation and better understanding of it.

A great resource for a basic understanding of bands and flags and what they represent may be seen here.

Be sure to report your finding of banded birds.

Please don't hesitate to recommend your favorite website resource to do this.

75 Years And Counting

A trip to New England this past week led me to meet up for some great food, family, and a little wildlife observation outside of the state of Florida.



Though it was great to see all, most importantly was in mom, Marie, celebrating her 75th birthday August 14th, 2010.

My sister Nancy spent dozens of hours researching rental properties on Cape Cod with the help of my sister-in-law, Maria, and niece, Krisztina (labor possibly induced this coming week).



The property chosen in East Sandwich was pulled off the rental market at the last minute and a beautiful alternative was found in New Seabury on Cape Cod.

Uncle Mike arrived on the scene with a pair of feathers in his hat.



He described his stop at an Osprey nest on the way in which explained one of the feathers, but it was undecided which species the other had come from.

When I told him of my personally exciting sighting of Wild Turkeys recently made, he pulled out his camera and showed me the same species that he had photographed the day before.



Nancy and her husband Jack told of their experience of observing a bird eating a rabbit on their way in.

An Osprey was heard and seen every day at the property while a Great Blue Heron made its way overhead on a few occasions.



The first day was the most active for birding by ear with a lot of action though it became quieter thereafter.

Brothers Jim and Jack were at the helm of a day trip to the east while a stop was made at a few points of interest.



Jim brought to my attention a bird collection at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History.

Nancy had made her way to the marsh there overlooking Wing's Island Conservation Area and advised me of an Osprey nest she had seen.



The historic Lighthouse Inn, approaching its 73rd year, overlooking Nantucket Sound at West Dennis Beach, offered Double-crested Cormorant that shared a jetty with Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, and gulls.

In addition, a solitary Least Tern working the surf over several hundred yards showed evidence of its bill turning black as the breeding season ends.



On 13 April 2010, a Piping Plover egg was observed on a private beach in Hyannis Port which was the earliest seen plover egg by four days in Massachusetts.

A bumper sticker at a local t-shirt shop noted that Piping Plover tastes like chicken, in reference to disruptive beach closures, while none of the stickers were observed on any vehicles in the area.



My nephew, Larry, and his wife and children had made a trip to South Cape Beach State Park early in the week to amazingly observe a small plane crash in the water which is still under investigation as to the cause as of this writing.

On the final morning of the trip, I observed a Carolina Chickadee at close range at the rental house which I remember mom favored in her porcelain work with the delicately painted birds perched on Dogwood.



The flight home offered a great view of Fort Myers Beach, Estero Lagoon and Lovers Key State Park on the plane's final approach to the airport.

The camera was stowed away as I had used up all the memory on the 2GB card.



Happy 75th Birthday Mom!

Bunche Beach Preserve Dedication

In the age of segregation in the United States, greatness and legacy was born.

Ranger Hitchcock with Lee County Parks and Recreation above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

In southwest Florida, in 1949, a half acre parcel of land was purchased on San Carlos Bay by those with foresight in Lee County which would in the following year be dedicated to Dr. Ralph Johnson Bunche and was called Bunche Beach.

At its dedication, an estimated 3000 people certainly reveled at one of the first "black" beaches during the historical age of segregation with Bunche Beach today part of and bearing Dr. Bunche's name at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve.

The gentlelady above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

During this earlier period, Dr. Bunch had traveled a path that led him to receive the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize for his United Nations negotiations between Israelis and Arab States in the creation of the Palestine accord.

Dr. Bunche also received the Medal of Freedom from President Kennedy in 1963.

The gentlelady above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

The history of Dr. Bunche is very interesting and I encourage you to research his life.

A remarkable facility constructed for the use of future Bunche Beach Preserve visitors was dedicated on 19 June 2010, while also honoring D.J. "Petro" Petruccelli who served as an executive of the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce for 22 years and was a 25 year member of the Lee County Parks and Recreation Services Advisory Committee.

Tom Obrock above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

If it weren't for fellow Florida wildlife enthusiast, Tom Obrock, who advised me of the dedication and ribbon cutting at the preserve, I would always regret missing it.

The building on the current 719-acre preserve site has greatly benefited from further land purchases and donations while utilizing solar power for its electrical needs and has composting restrooms with no running water available.

The gentleman above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

The name of the road to Bunche Beach is John Morris, but I thought I heard it referred to as Bunche Road during the ceremony.

This road now terminating at San Carlos Bay from the north was once the primary route across the bay with its wooden bridge destroyed by a hurricane in 1926.

Ranger Miller with Lee County Parks and Recreation above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

The officials re-dedicating the preserve and its new facilities were all passionate in their words and well received by the crowd at hand.

While additional parking spaces were created in the 2010 renovation of the preserve, many were lost seemingly as a compromise.

Senior Supervisor, Cindy Carter, with Lee County Parks and Recreation above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

Significant parking closer to the beach has been eliminated.

Bunche Beach Preserve is one of my favorite venues to visit at any time, but particularly at low tide when one can walk over a large expanse of the bay to observe the often prolific bird activity there.

The gentleman above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

At the time of the ceremony, I was fortunate to observe an Osprey with prey while a few other bird species also passed overhead.

Bunche Beach Preserve has a proclivity to attract the endangered Piping Plover which currently receives federal protection.

Lee County Florida District 4 Commissioner, Tammy Hall, above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

My first observation of the Piping Plover was in the infancy of my interest in birding while at Bunche Beach Preserve.

My interest was of course heightened when I observed this bird species with evidence of numerous captures of it due to the bands on its legs.

The blessing above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

My research of banding has led me to believe that there can be great importance in the pursuit of birding.

While the Piping Plover is rarely seen, wading birds, and shore birds such as Wilson's Plover and Black Skimmer are much more frequently observed at Bunche Beach Preserve and are equally welcome and seen nearly year round.

Lee County Florida District 3 Commissioner, Ray Judah, above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

Least Terns were again observed near the west channel of Bunche Beach Preserve this past week and were actively feeding.

I'm now in my second year of observation of the Least Tern at Bunche Beach Preserve and am wondering where these particular birds are nesting and feeding their young.

The gentlelady above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

Many of my very favored wildlife photographs have been taken at Bunche Beach Preserve and include an image of the Little Blue Heron that I was humbled by having published in the 2010 Jan/Feb issue of Audubon magazine as an editors' choice in the inaugural photo issue of the periodical.

Another photograph taken at this must see venue involves interesting feeding behavior of the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron.

The gentlelady above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

This particular image which I have chosen to use on my contact card was culled from hundreds of thousands of images taken at wildlife venues around Florida.

Google maps has a current snapshot of the site available which was interestingly captured at an apparently very high tide.

The gentlelady above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

Additional writing of my experiences and observations at Bunche Beach Preserve can be seen by clicking here.

A representation of what might be seen through photography at Bunche Beach Preserve can be seen by clicking here.

Roger Clark with Lee County Parks and Recreation offering a tour of the preserve's grounds above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

Visit this astounding venue ideally around sunrise or sunset at low tide when you can.

Be prepared to walk in the water in the bay, while swimming is now an available option at the recreation facility which also offers two kayak launches, two fishing piers, and 310 feet of boardwalk for wildlife viewing.

The ribbon cutting above was photographed at San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve in June 2010.

There was a tremendous amount of activity and hard work by many in the hours preceding the dedication.

Bunche Beach Preserve is open from dawn to dusk year round.