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![]() Tom & I arrived Sunday around 10:30 and went directly to the Mulberry Tree at Bay Pier. First sighting was male & female Rose-breasted Grosbeak munching Mulberries.Walking back to the fountain, there were 3 Indigo Buntings on the ground. Just around the first corner a Magnificent Frigate Bird and Short-tailed Hawk. was overhead. Next up, a Nashville Warbler and Blackpoll Warbler. These were before the fountain. We birded this area till lunch and headed for North Beach to lunch. Busy tables! There were very few spaces available. The out to the beach for Oystercatchers, Skimmers, Mergansers, etc. Next to the end of North Beach and out for this Black-bellied Plover. We had 50 species in about 3 hours. The eBird link can be seen here. ![]() Monday Morning back at the Mulberry Tree. I have to say for those of you who could not make it; you missed a Fallout Day. Scarlet Tanagers, Summer Tanagers, Indigo Buntings, Red-breasted & Blue Grosbeaks rained from the sky! Painted Buntings, Ovenbird, Tree & Barn Swallows, Marbled Godwits, Dowitchers, Least, Royal, & Forster's Terns, and many other shore birds were there for the viewing. This turned out to be another 50 plus day. The eBird link for species can be seen here. The total species for both days was 70. ![]() Black-throated Blue,Cape May, Black & White, Northern Parula Warblers, Brown Thrasher, trio of Vireos, Marsh Wrens, and Ovenbird were some of the species. A Wood Duck as truly in the woods, We were on one of the trails when a male flew over our heads and landed in a tree. Perhaps he had a nest nearby. We recorded 42 species. The eBird link to the species noted can be seen here. Photo by Fred Hileman ![]() Elections were held with two new officers elected. Bob Messersmith, President and Joyce Lewis, Secretary. Still time for craziness. Some kids just never grow up. Photo by Thomas Gulley Fred Hileman ![]() Photo Courtesy of Thomas Gulley ![]() We had 72Another beautiful day in the birding world. 15 came to Cedar Key today for an outing and lunch of course. But we got just what we deserved. BIRDS! BIRDS! and more BIRDS! American & Brown Pelicans, Herons, Egrets, Ibis, Spoonbills,Swallow-tailed kites, Clapper rail, Oystercatchers, Avocet, Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Terns including Common Tern, Swallows, Purple Martins, Gray & Eastern Kingbird, Ovenbird, Cape May Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Blackpoll, Orchard Oriole and more. We had 72 species for the trip. Here is the eBird link to the species for the day. Photo by Fred Hileman
![]() Eight Bird enthusiasts joined in on the Ahhochee Hill Bird walk and we managed to tally 33 species. The nice surprise was the half-dozen RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS that gave us good looks! Other good birds were YELLOW WARBLER, SWALLOW-TAILED KITES, OSPREY(unusual for wooded area), RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, and SUMMER TANAGER. Another really neat spotting was a female E. BLUEBIRD with a large grasshopper that she downed as we watched. The trail was well maintained and Christie provided us a very helpful map. Lake Lisa was down to a small pond but a LITTLE BLUE HERON was enjoying it. Another fun morning in Nature, Jim & Eileen ![]() Michele Kline, again, wowed her audience at our Second Annual "Baby Bird Shower" held at Chinsegut Nature Center. Michele is president of H.O.P.E. Wildlife Rehabilitation. She presented Skye Peregrine Falcon, Shelby Red-shouldered Hawk and Spencer Barred Owl to a very attentive audience who had come to learn of the characteristics and habitats of Michele's 3 ambassadors. Photo by Bob Moseley ![]() The Red-headed Woodpecker and Summer Tanager by Rey Wells were two of the 22 species that I recorded just in and around the building. The list that I have can be seen at this eBird link. Thank all of the volunteers who made this fund raiser a smashing success. Looking forward to the 2018 3rd Annual Baby Bird Shower!!!! The bottom 4 photos are by Rey Wells ![]() Members of Sierra Club Suwanee - St Johns Group organized a Rainbow River Tour for 13 residents and assistants of the Harbor House of Ocala. The cruise was designed to provide an outing for individuals who are no longer able to go out as often as they once did.The water taxi was provided by Capt Brit Cottrell. I represented Citrus County Audubon as narrator. The cruise lasted for 90 minutes and enabled us to see and ID 21 species. Bald Eagle, Swallow-tailed Kite, Herons,. Limpkin and many Wood Ducks with chicks thrilled the passengers. The list can be seen at this eBird link. Photographer Bruce Ackerman covered the event and the article was posted in The Ocala Star Banner and can be viewed at this link. ![]() Fred Hileman President Citrus County Audubon |
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