On April 2nd Arthur and I got the key to our new home, and we spent the following weeks working on various repairs, cleaning, and updating jobs around the house. Mid-month we gladly hosted a good friend of mine for a weekend, and just a day later we welcomed my in-laws for a two-week visit. I managed to lure said guests to my local patch a couple of times during their visits, so despite the excitement from the move and our welcome visitors, I managed to complete 8 birding checklists at Gemini Springs during the month.
I saw just 55 different species, a significant decrease from last April’s total of 67 birds. None of the 55 were new to my all-time patch list, either. At least I finally got my FOY Limpkin! The full species list is at the end of this post.
One of the two springs | 01-APR-13
Common Gallinule mid-preen (it was full-on bath time) | 01-APR-13
FOY (First-Of-Year) Indigo Bunting | 01-APR-13
A beautiful and docile rat snake that I assisted off of the bike path | 01-APR-13
sunrise | 07-APR-13
Anhinga on the fishing pier | 07-APR-13
Marsh Rabbit | 16-APR-13
Green Heron | 16-APR-13
Boat-tailed Grackle | 16-APR-13
On April 16th I finally managed to locate the Red-shouldered Hawk nest between the fishing pier and the parking lot. The nest had two babies (confirmed the next day) and I noted their growth during my subsequent visits. They seem to have fledged before the end of the month. Also on the 16th, I saw a pair of Common Gallinules that were caring for three small babies. I hope to have a separate post about them published here in a couple of days, so stay tuned.
Common Gallinule adult with two babies | 16-APR-13
Red-shouldered Hawk nestling | 16-APR-13
Red-shouldered Hawk nestlings | 17-APR-13
On April 20th I visited the park with my friend Kim. We saw some good birds and had a fine time. I lucked out when I brought Kim to a spot where I had seen Barred Owls before; we saw an adult fly from its perch to a nest cavity (I’ll have a bit more about this bird later, too).
Gemini Springs | 20-APR-13
Tricolored Heron (Photoshop filter fun) | 20-APR-13
Barred Owl | 20-APR-13
On April 24th Arthur and I visited Gemini Springs with his parents. We showed them the hawk nest but the Barred Owl was a no-show that morning. And I FINALLY got to see my FOY Limpkin.
Gemini Springs | 24-APR-13
Gemini Springs | 24-APR-13
Curious Blue Jay | 24-APR-13
pink | 29-APR-13
On April 29th I saw another Limpkin. This one put on a bit of show, and I’ve saved a few photos for a separate post. That morning I also saw the Red-shouldered Hawk kids for the last time; I hope they successfully fledged!
Limpkin | 29-APR-13
Red-shouldered Hawk shortly before fledging | 29-APR-13
Eastern Grey Squirrel | 29-APR-13
Muscovy Duck feet | 29-APR-13
April 2013 bird list, Gemini Springs
Muscovy Duck (Domestic type) – Cairina moschata (Domestic type)
Double-crested Cormorant – Phalacrocorax auritus
Anhinga – Anhinga anhinga
Great Blue Heron – Ardea herodias
Great Egret – Ardea alba
Snowy Egret – Egretta thula
Little Blue Heron – Egretta caerulea
Tricolored Heron – Egretta tricolor
Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis
Green Heron – Butorides virescens
Black-crowned Night-Heron – Nycticorax nycticorax
White Ibis – Eudocimus albus
Glossy Ibis – Plegadis falcinellus
Turkey Vulture – Cathartes aura
Osprey – Pandion haliaetus
Bald Eagle – Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Red-shouldered Hawk – Buteo lineatus
Common Gallinule – Gallinula galeata
American Coot – Fulica americana
Limpkin – Aramus guarauna
Black-necked Stilt – Himantopus mexicanus
Mourning Dove – Zenaida macroura
Barred Owl – Strix varia
Chimney Swift – Chaetura pelagica
Belted Kingfisher – Megaceryle alcyon
Red-bellied Woodpecker – Melanerpes carolinus
Downy Woodpecker – Picoides pubescens
Pileated Woodpecker – Dryocopus pileatus
Great Crested Flycatcher – Myiarchus crinitus
White-eyed Vireo – Vireo griseus
Blue Jay – Cyanocitta cristata
Fish Crow – Corvus ossifragus
Tufted Titmouse – Baeolophus bicolor
House Wren – Troglodytes aedon
Marsh Wren – Cistothorus palustris
Carolina Wren – Thryothorus ludovicianus
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – Polioptila caerulea
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – Regulus calendula
Gray Catbird – Dumetella carolinensis
Northern Mockingbird – Mimus polyglottos
Brown Thrasher – Toxostoma rufum
Cedar Waxwing – Bombycilla cedrorum
Black-and-white Warbler – Mniotilta varia
Common Yellowthroat – Geothlypis trichas
American Redstart – Setophaga ruticilla
Northern Parula – Setophaga americana
Palm Warbler – Setophaga palmarum
Yellow-rumped Warbler – Setophaga coronata
Chipping Sparrow – Spizella passerina
Northern Cardinal – Cardinalis cardinalis
Indigo Bunting – Passerina cyanea
Red-winged Blackbird – Agelaius phoeniceus
Common Grackle – Quiscalus quiscula
Boat-tailed Grackle – Quiscalus major
American Goldfinch – Spinus tristis
