All photos are copyright Allan or Cathy Murrant unless otherwise stated.
March 26,2014 landing at Southwest Florida International Airport, we stayed in South Fort Myers to April 2,2014.
The Inn was chosen for its central location in respect to all of the places we wanted to visit during our stay. We absolutely lucked out when it came to the view from our room. Every morning Black Vultures would fly into the parking lot next to the Inn to check out what was for breakfast.
Black Vulture
Day 1 - We birded J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge and the Bailey Tract on Sanibel Island.
Anhinga
This was a lifer for us and we were very excited to see and photograph our first Anhinga. This was not a hard bird to find we saw and photographed many during our trip.
Brown Pelican
We drove slowly along Wildlife Dr. through the refuge. Wildlife Dr. is one way and to allow for pulling over and stopping. We stopped many times not just at observation points but anywhere we saw birds.
American White Pelican
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
White Ibis
Reddish Egret
Observation Towers along the road were good for viewing as well as photography. The wading birds were flying over the towers as they moved from one waterway to another.
Mottled Duck
Short-tailed Hawk
While we were stopped along Wildlife Dr. this Short-tailed Hawk flew over us. While we watched, it made a dive down behind some trees and grabbed this unidentified bird.
White Ibis
White Ibis were a common sight everywhere.
White-eyed Vireo
White-eyed Vireo were common everywhere.
Tri-colored Heron
We saw Tri-colored Heron at Ding Darling and the Bailey Tract.
Snowy Egret
The water in ditches along the roadside seemed to be enough to attract Egrets and Herons.
Common Gallinule
We spent some time on the Bailey Tract during the afternoon then returned to Ding Darling for the evening.
Black-necked Stilt
Visitors walk on the dikes between the ponds of water. We found a pair of Black-necked Stilt in one of the shallow ponds of water.
Prothonotary Warbler
This Prothonotary Warbler was feeding in the low branches of the trees hanging out over one of the ponds.
Day 2 - We birded Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Naples.
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk was a lifer for us.
Anhinga
Anhinga heads will pop up though the water lettuce long enough for a look around and take a breath then they are down again.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker were a common sight.
Barred Owl
There was a family of Barred Owls and they were a big treat for many along the boardwalk.
Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler was an exciting bird for us.
Little Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron, an adult in breeding plumage.
Great Egret
Great Egret, adult in breeding plumage. The birds were so close we had to back away to get full frame pictures.
Black-crowned Night Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron were not as easy to find and were shy.
They had bird feeders set up at the Visitor Center. We arrived early and one of the first birds at the feeder was Shiny Cowbird. We didn't realize how special Shiny Cowbird was so we didn't stop for a picture. We found out the bird didn't stay around and how special it was. These are the birds we did manage to photograph at the feeder.
Painted Bunting
Painted Bunting with a little patience they were reliable at the feeder.
Gray Catbird
Gray Catbird was common.
Northern Cardinal
Northern Cardinal was common.
Common Ground Dove
Because of the Common Ground Doves small size it was a very exciting bird to see. It is only sparrow size 6.5 inches.
We saw the Swallow-tailed Hawk after we left Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary along the highway.
Swallow-tailed Kite
Swallow-tailed Kite was seen almost every day.
Day 3 - We birded Fort de Soto Park and the North and South Sunshine Skyway Fishing Piers.
When we first arrived in the park we birded the wooded areas along the shore.
Hooded Warbler
Hooded Warbler were migrating through and could be seen feeding in the trees and on the ground thoughout the park.
White-eyed Vireo
White-eyed Vireo are easy to find but we don't see them much home so we had to take advantage and get lots of pictures.
Prothonotary Warbler
You can never see too many Prothonotary Warbler or take too many pictures of them.
After birding the wooded area we moved to the beach where the birds were roosting.
White Ibis
Black Skimmer
Snowy Egret
Marbled Godwit
Laughing Gull
Royal Tern
Brown Pelican
Reddish Egret
American Oystercatcher
We noticed the fishing piers on either end of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and decided to check it out for birds. For $3.00 + tax you can get a 1 hour sightseeing pass. Well worth the money we went out on both piers.
Sandwich Tern
Royal Tern
Magnificent Frigatebird
We were lucky to see Magnificent Frigatebird perched.
Day 4-5 - Babcock-Webb Wildlife Management Area, Punta Gorda, Charlotte County and Oscar Scherer State Park, Osprey.
Red-cockaded Woodpecker was our reason for visiting Babcock/Webb. We arrived at daylight and located the nest trees. Biologists have the trees with active nest holes marked with ribbon. We waited for the woodpeckers to emerge. It was very quick they flew out and flew away to spend the day foraging for food. We were lucky one landed in a nearby tree and we got pretty good looks. We birded the area for a few hours there were lots of Eastern Bluebird and flocks of Pine Warbler.
Brown Thrasher
Boat-tailed Grackle
Tri-colored Heron
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Brown-headed Nuthatch was nesting and a lifer for us.
We left for Oscar Scherer State Park, in Osprey. Then returned to Babcock-Webb Wildlife Management Area, Punta Gorda later in the afternoon to watch the Red-cockaded Woodpeckers return to the nest trees. We tried for Bachman's Sparrow but we were too early in the season.
Florida Scrub-Jay
Florida Scrub-Jay at Oscar Scherer State Park
Worm-eating Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler was a lifer.
Carolina Wren
Day 6 - Storm Water Treatment Area 5 and Pelican Baseball Complex, Pelican Blvd., Cape Coral.
Wood Stork
We thought Wood Stork was going to be hard to find. We saw them almost every day.
Roseate Spoonbill
American White Pelican
Red-shouldered Hawk
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was a lifer.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Black Skimmer
Black Skimmer at the Stormwater Treatment Area.
Crested Caracara
The storm water treatment area was the only place we saw Crested Caracara.
Monk Parakeet nest in the light fixtures for the ball field. They were flying with sticks into the fixtures.
Loggerhead Shrike
Loggerhead Shrike were not that hard to find but this one wanted its picture taken.
Northern Mockingbird
Northern Mockingbird is the Florida State bird.
Burrowing Owl
We knew Burrowing Owl nested at the ball field and was our reason for being there. We drove the roads around the field twice but no luck. We thought they must be nesting inside the fence but we couldn't see them. I put down my binoculars wondering where to look and noticed them beside our car not far from the curb. We thought how are these birds able to breed here? There were cars, people walking, and on the other side of the road were homes.
Day 7 - Everglades National Park and the Loop Road Scenic Drive.
Purple Gallinule
Purple Gallinule seen on the Anhinga Trail.
Anhinga
Black Vulture
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
Species Count for the trip was 127. Other highlights of the trip that we didn't photograph were Eurasian Collared-Dove, Fish Crow, Shiny Cowbird, Muscovy Duck, Tufted Titmouse, Yellow-throated Warbler, Nanday Parakeet, Wilson's Plover, Red-cockaded Woodpecker and Northern Bobwhite.