The Crimson-Shouldered Hawk was hovering by means of the sky on a fantastic, winter morning. Immediately, a white raptor dove at it and the hawk needed to take defensive motion. The Swallow-tailed Kite (pictured above) was saying its presence for an additional season at Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Southwest Florida.
Corkscrew Swamp’s well-known bald cypress bushes
Corkscrew Swamp serves as a gateway to the Western Everglades surroundings and ecosystem. The sanctuary’s boardwalk takes you thru a wide range of habitats together with wetlands, moist prairie, and the most important remaining virgin bald cypress forest on the planet. There may be a lot to expertise there, which makes it my absolute favorite birding vacation spot in Florida. I often go to Corkscrew as soon as a month throughout our keep. On this weblog, I’m writing about my mid-February go to with my husband.
Male Painted Bunting
I wish to get there earlier within the day, as a result of it’s quieter and there are fewer individuals round. The birding begins as you exit the customer centre. Chicken feeders are arrange close to the beginning of the boardwalk. They appeal to everybody’s favorite chook: the colorful Painted Bunting. We noticed two males and a feminine, plus two feminine Indigo Buntings. A Mourning Dove and a Frequent Floor-Dove stored the realm beneath the feeders clear.
Getting into the wooded space this 12 months, I observed the water degree was a lot decrease than final 12 months, which was very moist. Winter is often the dry season in Florida. Decrease water ranges imply you’ve the prospect to see extra of the vegetation under the boardwalk. A docent confirmed us the toxic Water Hemlock plant. As you proceed alongside, you encounter the bald cypress bushes, lots of that are named after notable individuals who had been concerned with the sanctuary. The bushes are lined and topped with vines and air crops. The wetlands and these bushes are what make it such an important place for birds and animals.
Male Northern Parula
The Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers had been joined that morning by an inflow of Northern Parula Warblers. The parulas appeared to be in every single place and the woods had been full of their songs. Additionally, I noticed Black-and-White and Pine Warblers. A Northern Waterthrush sang beneath the boardwalk. A Blue-headed Vireo was gleaning bugs close by. A Barred Owl’s name boomed by means of the woods.
White Ibis strolling by alligator flag crops
There weren’t as many waders as I anticipated with the decrease water ranges. We nonetheless noticed Nice Egret, Inexperienced Heron, White Ibis, Limpkin, and Nice Blue Heron. A Yellow-crowned Heron was perched on a department in a ray of sunshine. It snoozed whereas individuals admired it. A Belted Kingfisher zoomed previous.
Limpkin standing in entrance of pond lettuce
For those who like critters, we noticed younger alligators and grey squirrels. Water Moccasin snakes, turtles, anoles, and Blue-tailed Skinks will be discovered there. River Otters stay within the sanctuary. They often even come onto the boardwalk. They had been reported on the day of our go to, however we missed them. I’ve seen them, up shut, different years.
Now you realize why I returned for an additional go to in March, the place I noticed extra birds and the younger of animals. Lastly, I acquired to expertise the fantastic thing about the cypress cover because it bursts with inexperienced needles, shading the boardwalk under.
Word: The Ibis, Limpkin, Corkscrew Swamp images by Leslie Kinrys. The Swallow-tailed Kite, Painted Bunting and Northern Parula are from Wikipedia Commons, a web based supply of copyright-free images (Painted Bunting by Andrew C.; Swallow-tailed Kite by Andy Morffew).
