It’s already October, and time to search for Florida’s only endemic bird — the Florida Scrub‑Jay. This remarkable species lives exclusively in the state’s scrub habitat, burying thousands of acorns each year and helping new oak trees take root. With 470 birds already on our list, we’re in the final months of our Little Big Year and once again heading south.
Venice: A Persistent Miss
Before heading to Oscar Scherer State Park, we made our fourth trip to Siesta Key Marker 5 to look for the Pectoral Sandpiper. This bird has become our number one miss of the year. Even though it’s not a common bird in Florida, it should have been a relatively easy find. After an hour, we again came up empty, though we did find 11 other shorebirds, including a Red Knot, Dunlin, and the ever-present Snowy Plover.
Florida Scrub-Jay at Oscar Scherer
Next, we met friends Suzanne and Gary at Oscar Scherer State Park. We decided to do our birding first while it was still cool. We took the green trail and were quickly rewarded with the sight of two Florida Scrub-Jays. We’ve observed these birds in five counties, and there’s usually a sentinel bird that signals either danger or an all-clear. They must know we are friendly, because we usually see more than one! The park also gave us great looks at an American Kestrel and a Red-tailed Hawk.
After lunch with our friends, we drove to Babcock-Webb WMA in search of a Brown-headed Nuthatch and a King Rail. Although it was the middle of the afternoon, the car birding made it comfortable. We quickly found a group of warblers, including a Tennessee Warbler, Pine Warbler, and the winter residents, Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers. Moments later, we found our target Brown-headed Nuthatch, which, as many birders know, sounds just like a squeaky toy. While we didn’t find the King Rail, we did log 26 species, including a Western Kingbird.
Sanibel Beaches
That night, we checked into the Anchor Inn & Cottages in Sanibel, a wonderful place with cute A-frame cottages. We didn’t waste any time before heading to Gulfside Beach. We heard the unmistakable trill of an Eastern Screech-Owl, and on the beach, we found 100 Royal Terns, 30 Sandwich Terns, and a lone Snowy Plover. We also saw one of the biggest sunsets ever! Dinner was a special treat across the street at Il Cielo, where we enjoyed amazing food and wine.
Sunday morning, while grabbing coffee at Bennett’s Fresh Roast, we decided to drive across the state to the East Coast. A Variegated Flycatcher had been reported every day for the past week in Fort Lauderdale, and we knew it was a bird worth chasing. We grabbed some donuts to go and headed to San Carlos Bay – Bunche Beach Preserve to look for a White-rumped Sandpiper. We found a Piping Plover among the 25 species we saw, but no new year birds before we had to hit the road.
Florida East Coast Birding
We arrived at Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale to find a crowd of birders already on the hunt. The flycatcher hadn’t been seen since the night before. While searching near the pines, Sharon was there when a Spot-breasted Oriole flew in—a new life bird for her! After lunch at the Southport Raw Bar for incredible oysters and dolphin tacos, we returned to the cemetery. Although we dipped on the flycatcher, we did spot many iguanas. While following a flock of warblers, we sat on a bench and noticed the plot of Leslie Nielsen, with the inscription “Let ‘er Rip” on the headstone. He had promised in a 1996 interview that it would be his epitaph, a final joke from the comedic legend.
Final Tally
This was a lot of birding for only three new year birds, but at this stage, that’s how it goes when you’ve already seen 470 birds. We also took three other trips to Fort DeSoto Park, Maximo Park, and another visit to Richard DeKorte Park in New Jersey for Sharon. The most noteworthy bird from those trips was a Bufflehead at Richard DeKorte Park. Our Big Year quest continues!
Trip Summary:
Trip Totals: 74 species • 3 year birds • 1 life birds
2015 Totals: 470 year birds • 75 life birds
Next up: Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
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