Birding on Summerland Key

Electrical storm from Mote Marine Lab, Summerland Key

Before field work each day, I've been getting up to go birding on Summerland Key at dawn, checking out the mangrove-fringed lagoon on East Shore Drive then along to the small freshwater pond and trees on Katherine Street. Birdlife changes everyday on the lagoon with some migrant waders stopping off including Short-billed Dowitcher, Solitary Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper and Spotted Sandpiper. Large wading birds have included Reddish Egret, Tricoloured Heron, Green Heron, Great White Heron, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, White Ibis while Magnificent Frigatebird, Osprey, Cooper's Hawk, Cliff Swallow and Northern Rough-winged Swallow have appeared overhead. Up to four Belted Kingfishers have been present. With the exception of Blue-winged Teal, not much has been present on the small pond on Katherine Street but the surrounding trees and scrub have produced many interesting small passerines (for a European birder at least) including White-eyed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Swainson's Thrush, Gray Kingbird, Eastern Kingbird, Prairie Warbler, Palm Warbler, American Redstart and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Species in abundance on Summerland include White-crowned Pigeon, Northern Cardinal, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle and Mourning Dove