Keep em' Coming

The lack of updates has been directly due to the lack of internet access. We haven't had it in a couple nights. We have been birding from sunrise to sunset every day and have been kindly rewarded. The trip list sits at about 146 birds, many of which I have been able to photograph. It was great birding the Everglades, but we couldn't find a Short-tailed Hawk or the Black Rails along the Coastal Prairie Trail.

Today we birded along the Tamiami Trail to the west side of the state. Nothing overly exciting, although a very cooperative Purple Gallinule was fun to play with. We checked a few beaches on the west side including Tigertail Beach on Marco Island and Little Estero Lagoon near Fort Myers Beach. A lot of new year birds were had including Wilson's Plover, Red Knot, Sandwich Tern, and Magnificent Frigatebird, among others. All were very cooperative.

I'm going to start updating my list and posting more pictures, starting with the first day of the trip. I already posted pictures of the sparrows (see below), and I only took a few other pictures on the first day. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Black Scoter and Laughing Gull were all photographed.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Black Scoter

Laughing Gull

Because a lot of day one was driving, few pictures were taken. Check back for an update on day two (although I already posted a few goodies from that day). We still have a few more days to bird before my actual job starts. Many more birds to come!