Years again, I realized about Eagle Lakes Park in Naples from the Nice Florida Birding Path information e book. Once I first visited, I needed to stroll previous soccer fields and baseball diamonds. There was a water park, tennis courts, and a neighborhood centre. I puzzled the place the birding hotspot was to be discovered. Then, I arrived behind the park, with its three marshy ponds and tree-lined walkways. Out of the blue, I used to be in birding heaven, as I began to see a wide range of nice birds.
On a latest go to, I used to be delighted to see that the park managers had lastly reduce the reeds and palms, which had been blocking the views of the ponds for years.
Shiny Ibis
I began within the gazebo, which overlooks one of many ponds. A scope is beneficial on this park. Whereas scanning the pond, I noticed Shiny Ibis, feeding proper by the gazebo. Farther out, there have been Nice Blue Heron, Nice Egret, Snowy Egret, Wooden Stork, and Western Cattle Egrets. A Roseate Spoonbill was a flyover.
Mottled Duck
Hanging across the marsh edges have been Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers. An Jap Phoebe was hawking for bugs. Purple-bellied Woodpecker and Northern Flicker labored the slash pines for bugs. As I labored my means across the marsh, I heard the calls of American Coot and Widespread Gallinule. A pair of Mottled Geese engaged in a head-bobbing courtship. (These warm-weather geese are a south Florida specialty.) A Pied-billed Grebe sat on the water, close to a Little Blue Heron. There’s all the time some chicken perched excessive up, in search of its subsequent meal. As we speak, a Belted Kingfisher and a Loggerhead Shrike shared a snag, whereas looking.
Belted Kingfisher (prime) and Loggerhead Shrike (left)
After all, all these birds entice raptors, which want to share within the bounty. I watched a juvenile Purple-shouldered Hawk because it slipped by the timber. The native Osprey gave the impression to be absent. It may very well be as a result of a pair of Bald Eagles have taken over their previous nest on prime of a lightweight commonplace and evicted the earlier tenants (see image at prime of article). This park had all the time been dependable for an eagle sighting, however it was the primary time I seen them trying to nest right here. That can be one thing to look at over the approaching months.
I spent two hours within the park, within the late afternoon, and I noticed 35 species. If I had stayed till sunset, I might have seen all of the waders and marsh birds coming in to roost for the evening. However, actually any time of the day is nice for eagles and the opposite nice birds of Eagle Lakes.
Notice: All images by the Kinrys household.
