Piping Plover Surveys at Fort Pickens

Today was a much better day for bird surveys, though it was still a little chilly.



The birds like to point that out as they hide behind whatever windbreak there is on the mudflats. The birds, like this snowy plover (SNPL) have the right idea!



There was one banded piping plover (PIPL) near the asphalt pile,



who seemed to be quite thirsty!



Another was fighting with a sanderling (SAND). Just look at those bright orange legs.



A young eagle (BAEA) hid in the woods,



Brown pelicans (BRPE) floated on the updrafts,



and a sandwich tern (SATE) kept flying away from me. We can't officially count a bird in our survey until we pass it or it flies in the opposite direction. I followed this little guy for nearly two miles as I tried to complete my survey. I keep telling myself it's good for them to fly on cold days - it warms up their chilly muscles!



By the time I headed back east on the south shore of the island, I was running with the wind behind me and the sun was high in the sky. It was a beautiful day indeed!

Too Wet and Windy for the Shorebirds Today

Starting today, the 23rd, we're in the 5-day window for PIPL (piping plover) surveys on the north shores of the Perdido Key, Santa Rosa and Fort Pickens areas.



Though the day started with brilliant blue and white skies, it just wasn't fit weather for our feathered friends.



Normally, we'd start at one end of the beach, and count all the shore birds, like this semi-palmated plover, between the first sand bar and the vegetation line on the north shore.



I really tried hard to do that this morning, and had a good time counting birds in the first two miles of Fort Pickens. It was hard to find them though as they all hid from the wind! The photo is a little fuzzy as the birds continually tried to smooth their ruffled feathers.



Once I reached the asphalt pile, it was time to turn back. Though the tide was receding, there was standing water in the road corridor...



And the surf was kicking in the Gulf. I wouldn't mind getting stuck out at the west end of the beach, but I was pretty sure my boss had other tasks in mind before the end of the day. That just gives me a great excuse to head back out to the beach in the morning, as long as it stops raining by then!

(* No, I don't avoid the beach in the rain. That said, it is hard to use binoculars to id shorebirds in a downpour!)

PIPLs, SNPLs, WIPLs, et al.

Yes, it was another bird survey day. We have a lot of those in the winter, and yes, for a sea turtle girl, this is officially winter. Once that thermometer hits 80 degrees, it's time for a parka (if you don't believe me, just ask my co-workers...)

A lot of these will seem redundant, but it's time for 'peep' lessons. For today, it's just the following:



SAND (sanderlings)



WIPL (Wilson's plover)



PIPL (piping plover)



SNPL (snowy plover)



with some WILL (willets)



BRPE (brown pelicans)



and GBHE (great blue herons), thrown in for good measure....

Now let's try that again...



Can you tell what's in here? There are just two species...



Here, we have three... It helps to click to see them better, and pay close attention to leg color and their beaks!

I'll try to photograph a north shore survey soon so we can add some to the cast of characters in the park :)

Birding at Perdido

Today was another Piping plover survey day, with the north shore of Perdido Key our destination. Perdido has not attracted many PIPLs in recent years, but it's still fun to see what's out there!



There were night herons,



tri-colored herons



and osprey, among other gulls, terns, peeps and pelicans.



There were lots of jellies too, including this one with it's little heart on the medusa!

PIPL Survey at Fort Pickens

Three times a month, we have to do north shore bird surveys on each of our three beaches. Yesterday, I worked on Perdido Key. This morning, after my turtle patrol, I surveyed Fort Pickens... It's such a rough life!




Today, there were feeding egrets



Black skimmers, alternately feeding



and just standing around...



Lesser yellowlegs



Short-billed dowitchers



Long-billed dowitchers



Baird's sand pipers (the one on the right),



some taking flight... they must not like amateur photographers!



It was an all-around gorgeous day at the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Even the Blue Angels seem to agree!