Sunday, 24 March 2013

John Ringling Blvd. Bridge, Sarasota, FL, USA, 23-Mar-2013

9:30 PM
Protocol: Incidental
Comments: As Kim & I drove home from dinner in St. Armand's.
1 species

Black-crowned Night-Heron 6 all perched on pillars alongside the road bridge, facing out to the water; size, colour & head streamers distinctive even at 40mph in the dark.

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13539232

Saturday, 23 March 2013

Stump Pass Beach SP, Charlotte, FL, USA, 22-Mar-2013

2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Comments: Another trip to the beach with Kim; most of the time spent sitting around but we did go for a walk to the point.
Weather: bright, sunny, warm; mixed clouds.
11 species

Brown Pelican X
Turkey Vulture X
Osprey X - at least one pair nesting in the area.
Willet X
Ruddy Turnstone X
Sanderling X
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Forster's Tern X
Royal Tern X
Black Skimmer X

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13633985

W Perry Lane--N Indiana Ave Intersection, Sarasota, FL, USA, 22-Mar-2013

1:45 PM
Protocol: Incidental
Comments: Kim & I on our way to Stump Pass beach on 776, I spotted some raptors soaring west off the road. Weather: cloudy, warm.
2 species

Black Vulture 2
Swallow-tailed Kite 1 soaring alongside black vultures back towards Englewood. From the road it initially looked almost like a gull, but I spotted its fork tail & knew immediately what it was. We pulled over at the intersection & I looked through binoculars to see the tail & pale undersides contrasting with grey forward underparts: unmistakable. It sailed off east into the distance. Life-tick.

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13480475

Friday, 22 March 2013

Siesta Key, Sarasota, FL, USA, 21-Mar-2013

11:30 AM
Protocol: Incidental
Comments: Day out on the beach with Kim.
Weather: bright & sunny; windy (NE).
10 species

Double-crested Cormorant 2 out to sea.
Brown Pelican X
Osprey 1 over sea.
Laughing Gull X
Ring-billed Gull X
Royal Tern X
Eurasian Collared-Dove 3 on overhead power lines in the carpark, cooing away.
Fish Crow X
Common Grackle X - carpark.
Boat-tailed Grackle X - carpark.

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13471818

Thursday, 21 March 2013

Shamrock Park, Sarasota, FL, USA, 20-Mar-2013

4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments: A late small walk with Kim in average weather which caused the beach to be cancelled. Weather: blustery, spots of rain, mild.
14 species

Double-crested Cormorant 1 along intercoastal.
Brown Pelican 1 towards the sea.
Great Blue Heron 2
Snowy Egret 1 along intercoastal.
Laughing Gull X
Royal Tern X - a group of about a dozen flew over the carpark towards the intercoastal as we left.
Mourning Dove X
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 total; one on dead tree at end of firebreak path, another about halfway back up the path, repeatedly coming in to a patch on the ground before flying back to a thick tree branch.
Downy Woodpecker 1 heard then seen.

Florida Scrub-Jay 2 total; first one on the way back up the firebreak path. It was calling from a low shrub which it continued to do for a few minutes, it then flew directly towards where we were standing on the path observing it, coming closer & closer until it alighted on my head for a couple of seconds! It then flew back to another nearby shrub where it continued to call, moving slightly away from the path as we left it. The second was atop a small tree on the way to the visitors' centre. It called for 10 minutes or so before a gust of wind caused it to take wing.

Carolina Wren 1 heard singing & briefly glimpsed as it flitted down into undergrowth.
Northern Mockingbird X - several around apparently staking out territories?
Palm Warbler 3 individuals flitting low down at intervals along the path, with chestnut heads.
Pine Warbler X - several in the trees throughout.

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13472067

Saturday, 16 March 2013

Brookline Village T Station, Norfolk, MA, USA, 15-Mar-2013

8:15 AM
Protocol: Incidental
Comments: Waiting for the train to work.
2 species

European Starling X
Common Grackle 3 FOY singing from nearby trees then flew off towards the village.

Friday, 15 March 2013

Highlands Ranch to Denver Airport, Arapahoe, CO, USA, 14-Mar-2013

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
40.0 mile(s)
Comments: In a taxi from my hotel to the airport.
Weather: bright, sunny, cool.
7 species

Canada Goose X
Red-tailed Hawk X - a few seen along the way including one western dark-morph on a fencepost off the highway.
Ring-billed Gull X
Northern Flicker 1 on a lamppost in the carpark of the cinema next door to the hotel, drumming & calling.
Black-billed Magpie 6 in a small tree on a rough patch of unspoiled land seen from the highway.
American Robin X
Red-winged Blackbird 2 in the same patch of land as the magpies.

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13634157

Tuesday, 12 March 2013

Interstate 470--Intersection 177, Douglas, CO, USA, 11-Mar-2013

5:30 PM
Protocol: Incidental
Comments: Heading to hotel on business trip with work colleagues, seen from the car.
Weather: cold and grey but with some blue.
2 species

Black-billed Magpie 1 flew up on to a bush next to the road. Life-tick.
American Crow X - also seen at various points along the road to the hotel.

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13371782

Monday, 11 March 2013

Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, Norfolk, MA, USA, 10-Mar-2013

10:45 AM - 12:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments: With Kim, Christina & Brian for Maple Sugaring event along with several other people in the 2 foot deep snow. The sanctuary put on a nice event & I was even able to see a few species as we wandered the trails although the woods were very quiet, the best activity was on the centre's feeders.
Weather: cloudy then out bright; cold; 2 feet of snow on the ground.
10 species

Downy Woodpecker 1 on the feeders, viewed from the canteen as we ate pancakes with maple syrup.
Blue Jay X - heard.
Common Raven 2 flew over individually as I put my snow boots on in the carpark. Wonderful unmistakable call & large size.
Black-capped Chickadee X - mainly on the feeders but also heard in the woods.
Tufted Titmouse X - feeders.
Red-breasted Nuthatch X - several on the feeders; easy to identify with red breast & black head stripes. Along with the chickadees it was the most numerous bird on the feeders. Life-tick.
White-breasted Nuthatch 1 on a tree in the carpark next to our car.
Dark-eyed Junco X - a few flitting around, mainly under the feeders or within nearby bushes.
Northern Cardinal 2
Pine Siskin X - a few, or maybe even just one, coming in & out to the sunflower seeds. I only saw one at a time so it may have been just one, or a few taking turns.

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13380682

Sunday, 3 March 2013

Apponagansett Beach & Bay inc. Knowles Beach & Marsh, Bristol, MA, USA, 2-Mar-2013

11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments: Usual walk with Kim when visiting the in-laws.
Weather: bright, cool, breezy.
13 species

Bufflehead X
Red-breasted Merganser X
Great Northern Diver X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Downy Woodpecker 1 on a garden feeder right next to the road.
American Crow X
Black-capped Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
European Starling X - with the blackbirds & grackle.
Dark-eyed Junco X - several flying low in the same garden as the woodpecker.
Red-winged Blackbird 2 singing from high trees off the road on the way back. It took me a while to remember the song as winter has felt so long! They were with a grackle & a starling; first of year.
Common Grackle 1 with the blackbirds; first of year.

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13632370