2015 Naples, Florida: Birds

Birds of Southwest Florida

With beaches, marshes and swamps, Florida is a haven for wildlife, especially birds.

(Click on each image to see the high-resolution version)

On our first day, on the beach outside our hotel resort, I was greeted by a Snowy Egret chowing down a fresh catch.

Snowy Egret

There were quite a few Black-bellied Plovers on the beach, whose demeanor I would characterize as "contemplative".

Black-bellied Plover

Willets are more common, and their behavior could be described as "probing".

Willet

"Scurrying" is probably the most accurate description of Sanderlings running on the beach.

Sanderling

Beautiful Sandwich Terns on Captiva Beach.

Sandwich Tern

We saw this Anhinga, one of Florida's signature birds, in J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

Anhinga

Brown Pelicans in flight.

Brown Pelican

Besides water birds, there are also small passerines, such as this White-eyed Vireo and a Palm Warbler, in the wooded area next to the beach. This vireo and warbler were found in Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park within walking distance from our hotel resort.

White-eyed Vireo

Palm Warbler

My birding highlight happened at Harns Marsh, where I saw this Limpkin, a decidedly Florida specialty and a new bird for me.

Limpkin

Other birds in and around the marsh include Sandhill Cranes, Ospreys and herons of several species.

Sandhill Crane

Osprey

Tricolored Heron

My only other new bird of this trip was a distant Snail Kite, an endangered species, nesting in a tree in the middle of the marsh. At first I thought the second bird in the back was a kite too, but Bob Pelkey of SWFloridabirder pointed out that it was actually a Boat-tailed Grackle. The picture is pretty bad, but I was glad to see them at all.

Snail Kite

Finall a American Bittern which I almost missed (they tend to blend into their environment).

American Bittern

My pursuit of the Burrowning Owls in Cape Coral (two trips) turned out to be futile. But there were quite a few Loggerhead Shrikes there, which is a little consolation.

Loggerhead Shrike

I also did not see any Florida Scrub Jays, but instead another noisy bird, a Common Grackle.

Common Grackle

At Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary I found a few migrating or wintering warblers, which was most delightful.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Black-and-white Warbler

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