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Refuge Day Birding Trip to Three Sister’s Springs

10/15/2022

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It was a beautiful start to a great day of birding as eight of us left from the USFWS office on Kings Bay Drive for Three Sisters Springs. 

Right off the bat, up in the great oak tree next to the office sat a Great Horned Owl.  This would be the first of two owl species seen for the day.  At Three Sisters Springs a Barred Owl ate a Fiddler Crab while posing for us in a tree over the board walk.  No manatees in the springs, but the water was crystal clear and beautiful to view.  On the road leading to the springs there were Eastern Bluebirds sitting on their boxes as we drove by.

The owl wasn’t the only bird looking for a crab to eat; a juvenile, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was seen next to Idiot’s Delight Springs.  Further down the board walk we spotted a Red-shouldered Hawk up in a tree.

In the sky were Chimney Swifts and Tree Swallows.  A “murder” of Fish Crows flew across in the sky.  The sound of uh-uh could be heard in their wake.  A lone Mottled Duck flew by and as we watched it go, we could see Boat-tailed Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds over the marsh. 

Lake Crystal had an Anhinga and three Pied-billed Grebes to watch.  These little “tugboats” were swimming along as they dove under water and then popped up again and again.
The most common warblers were Palm Warbler seen throughout the refuge grounds as they flew from bush to bush while bobbing their tails.

Our total for the day was 37 Species on our morning outing. A good time was had by all.
 
Ken Spilios
President Citrus County Audubon
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Crystal River Preserve – ECO walk trail

10/11/2022

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The morning started out just about perfect for Citrus County Audubon’s first-of-the-season bird walk.  Nine intrepid birders ventured out in the wilds of Citrus County on Wednesday, October 5th to see what we could find.  One of those nine was our own nonagenarian (yes, I had to look up this word) Mike Smith who walked with the group for the entire 1.6 miles of the ECO Trail.  You ask how to live to be over 90?  Just continue to follow us on our adventurous walks and enjoy life.

Although it was chilly and the ground was wet with dew, we were able to find 26 species of birds.  The most common bird found was the Gray Catbird.  They seemed to be flying around everywhere.  Also heard and seen were numerous, White-eyed Vireos.   In addition, we found Black and White Warblers, Parula Warblers, a Common Yellowthroat, Pine Warblers, and a beautiful showing of both male and female American Redstarts.
At one point after playing a tape of an Eastern Screech Owl, one answered us back and then we also heard the rattle of a Belted Kingfisher.

Toward the end of our walk, we found a Red-eyed Vireo, an Eastern Phoebe, as well as Downy, Pileated and Red-bellied Woodpeckers.
The most interesting bird found was a Short-tailed Hawk seen by Effie Smith and Ken Spilios.  Too bad most had left by that time.
​
 We hope to see you at our next field trip to Inglis Island on October 28, 2022.  There is more information on this walk on our web page at https://www.citruscountyaudubon.org.
 

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Photo used under Creative Commons from Lip Kee