Corkscrew Swamp 12/9--Short-tailed Hawk, Common Ground-Dove, Painted Bunting

Painted Bunting
Photo: Shari Zirlin

The next "must bird" location when we're in southwest Florida is Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The sanctuary is 14,000 acres in total. Audubon manages the swamp; to get to the 2 1/2 mile boardwalk that winds through a variety of habitat (pine flatlands, wet prairie, a marsh, and the largest old growth bald cypress forest on the continent) we had to travel in all 4 direction--first south, then east, turn north, and finally go west.  It is the worth the winding journey. Along the way, on Immokalee Road, we saw many Cattle Egret in the pastures, and as we approached the sanctuary entrance a flock of Black Vultures lifted off the road and flew toward the car. Another hundred feet on and 4 Sandhill Cranes were at the edge of the road. A good start.

It could be said that the bird conservation movement started here--Audubon has been protecting the egret and herons there since 1905, originally from plume hunters, now just from the general depredations of all of us.

For us, Painted Bunting is the most desired bird there and we weren't disappointed, nor did we have to wait long. The volunteer at the desk waved his arm nonchalantly in the direction of the feeder by the window and  there one was. A woman inside the center was looking at the bunting and claimed she couldn't see any color on it. I told her to go outside, that perhaps the tinted glass was affecting her view. "Or else," I murmured to guide waiting for his tour to start, "maybe get a new hobby."

Shari & I walked the boardwalk trail. In a tree at the other side of a field I spotted a small hawk perched on a branch. It was black with a white breast. When we came across another volunteer on the trail, he confirmed that our suspicion was correct--Short-tailed Hawks are fairly common in the swamp.

Corkscrew Swamp has had in the past the largest breeding colony of Wood Storks in Florida, but recently they had not been nesting there. That seems to have changed this year, because from another over look we had more the 40 of them roosting in the tree tops.

While we were talking to that guide we heard a tremendous hammering in the woods, followed by a Woody Woodpecker imitation--Pileated Woodpecker. While we never were able to see one, hearing two of them that loudly counts.

It was odd to walk along seeing what we consider "summer birds" like gnatcatchers, vireos, and Great Crested Flycatchers. On the other hand, it was also odd to come across a Yellow-rumped Warbler--our resident winter warbler in NJ.

When we arrived back at the nature center there were two Painted Buntings at the feeder and below, feeding quietly, a Common Ground-Dove.

Our day list for the swamp:
27 species
Wood Stork  45
Anhinga  3
Great Egret  1
White Ibis  1
Black Vulture  10
Turkey Vulture  5
Red-shouldered Hawk  1    Heard
Short-tailed Hawk  1
Sandhill Crane  4
Mourning Dove  3
Common Ground-Dove  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
Pileated Woodpecker  2    Heard
Great Crested Flycatcher  3
White-eyed Vireo  1
Blue-headed Vireo  1
Carolina Wren  2    Heard
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  5
Gray Catbird  3
Northern Mockingbird  1    Heard
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Pine Warbler  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler  1
Northern Cardinal  1
Painted Bunting  2
Common Grackle  3

Along the trail, as is common at these types of sanctuaries, are many interpretive signs. This one qualifies for 

Disgusting Thought of the Day