Fort Myers Beach - Caloosa Bird Club

It's Caloosa Bird Club day, Elaine and I set out for Fort Myers Beach.

First a quick stop at Bowditch Point before meeting up with the gang.

We caught this Loggerhead Shrike singing - it seemed to agree that it was going to be a great day!

We spotted A Common Ground Dove before leaving, it seemed to feel comfortable with very little distance between us. My E-Bird List for Bowditch Point.

We met up with the group - I counted 24 happily birding folks.

A Semi-palmated Plover eyed us down or should I say "up" - either way he kept his distance.

Others were just chillin - a Willet with a Snowy Egret.

A beautiful adult Brown Pelican

A pair of Florida chickens - they are lovingly named this way because there are so many of them - seriously though, these are White Ibis.

A beautiful beach with lots of room to spread out.

A bunch of resting Willets.

A very busy Belted Kingfisher - dashing here, dashing there while belting out his clattering rattle.

A Wilson Plover - check that bill out.....

in comparison to the Piping Plover.

A nice group of Ruddy Turnstone sporting their adult nonbreeding plumage.

A Great Blue Heron - what a statement he makes.

A Wood Stork waved us on as we headed to our lunch location. My E-Bird List for this beach.

After we finished our lunches while enjoying the shade by the Mound House, our leader - Vince McGraph - started the bird list and had us all standing up when he pointed out the Great Horned Owl that was snoozing above our heads while we ate.

We all Hooted for joy at the beautiful sight.

This bird won the award for "Bird of the day". My E-Bird List for the Mound House.

Oh - BTW - a few of us ended up extending the trip to Bonita with the hopes of finding a Franklin Gull that had been reported earlier this morning. Ummm....looks like quite a few birds to go through while looking for our goto bird.

In the meantime - we were glad to see a 5 month old Herring Gull.

The Marbled Godwits always brings a smile.

A nice group of Dunlins with a Willet.

A Black Skimmer coming in for a landing...

easy does it....

save for the photo bomb.

Well, we gave it a good try but no Franklin were to be found this trip - better luck next time. My E-Bird List for Bonita Beach.