Citrus County Audubon
  • HOME
  • CALENDAR
  • BLOG
  • BIRDING
    • REPORT SIGHTINGS
    • COUNTY CHECKLIST
    • COUNTY EBIRD PAGE
  • ABOUT CCAS
    • CONTACT CCAS
    • MEMBERSHIP
    • BYLAWS
    • MEETING NOTES
    • BOARD MINUTES
    • NEWSLETTERS
  • RESOURCES
    • CBC TEAM DOCUMENTS
    • EVENT SIGN IN SHEET
  • CCAS STORE

Recap - Archeological Site/Ft Island Beach

3/11/2021

Comments

 
​No reservations were received for this outing.  It was pretty quiet at the Crystal River Archeological Site.  So, Ken Spilios and Rey Wells migrated out to Fort Island Beach.  A rare bird had been continuing there and was usually seen on the rock jetty at the right end of the beach.
Picture
​When we arrived (at high tide) and approached the water, a number of small shorebirds were at the shoreline.  There was one darker bird that was stationary and facing toward the water.  We repositioned for a better look.  It turned out to be the rare bird, a Purple Sandpiper.  According to reports, this is the only one to EVER be seen on the west coast of Florida!  While some have been seen on the east coast of Florida, most winter further north than any other shorebird.   They breed in the high Canadian arctic and along the coasts of Greenland.  As for the name, light purple can be seen in the photo.  It spreads and deepens somewhat for breeding season.   Also, the base of the bill becomes much yellower as breeding season approaches.  Photos of non-breeding adults on allaboutbirds.org show much more yellow at the base of the bill than this bird exhibits.  This one might be an immature.

Picture
​In another area of the shore, there were many larger shorebirds together.  They including Laughing and Ring-billed Gulls, Royal Terns, and Black Skimmers.  Here’s one of the Skimmers with its bill in skimming/fishing configuration.  

Picture
​A few Common Loons were well out from shore.  Shortly before leaving, we spotted this female Bufflehead Duck that was just outside the rock jetty.  It’s keeping an eye on us while swimming away in a hurry.  In all, twenty-six species were identified at Fort Island Beach.

Comments

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Christmas Bird Count
    Conservation
    Field Trips
    Fred Hileman
    Kevin Brabble
    Lynn DeLong
    Reports

    Fantastic Blogs

    Alachua Audubon
    10,000 Birds
    Nemesis Bird
    ABA Blog
    All About Birds
    Birding Is Fun!
    Earbirding.com
    BirdCast
    Badbirdz Reloaded
HOME         CALENDAR         BLOG         BIRDING         PHOTO GALLERY         ABOUT CCAS         RESOURCES         CCAS STORE
*
Picture
Photo used under Creative Commons from Lip Kee