Indian River Lagoon
We are “short-timers” here in Florida with only about two weeks to go before heading back to New York. The time flies by so quickly, it is hard to believe that it has been three months since we arrived here. One of our favorite places to visit and bird is the Indian River Lagoon Preserve less than five minutes from our winter quarters. The Preserve has undergone some rather drastic changes over the past several years having borne the brunt of several pretty severe hurricanes. While it is showing signs of recovery, it has paid the price of its degradation in the amount of bird life we now find here. Today was fairly productive however and we did get to see several migrating warblers feeding up in the canopy.
Cape May warbler
Among the warblers seen today were the Prairie, Black and White, Black-throated blue, the Cape May seen in the photograph above, and the Northern parula in the shot below. As is so often the case with warblers passing through, they love to forage in the highest levels of the canopy and never sit in one place for more than a couple of seconds. This presents the photographer with a real challenge, but it also makes getting a good image all the more rewarding.
Northern parula
In total, we tallies 28 species at the park among which was the Northern flicker seen below. The Northern (Yellow-shafted) Flicker, a striking woodpecker species native to North America, is known for its distinctive yellow underwings and tail feathers, which become especially visible in flight. The “Yellow-shafted” variety most often found in the eastern US while in the west, the “Red-shafted” is much more common. These birds feature a brownish body with black spots, a prominent black crescent on their chests, and a bold red nape patch, making them easily recognizable. Typically inhabiting open woodlands, parks, and suburban areas, the Northern Flicker is unique among woodpeckers because it often forages on the ground for ants and beetles, rather than primarily drilling into trees. Their melodious calls and drumming can be heard throughout their range during the breeding season, adding a lively auditory dimension to their presence in natural settings.
Northern flicker - note the conspicuous yellow shafts on the flight feathers visible in today’s shot.
We finished today’s birding walk by driving a short distance to the Callalisa Creek Trail/Boardwalk Trail off Saxon Drive. The trail is easily traversed and offers ideal birding habitat with overhanging live oaks and pines and a short boardwalk to an observation deck overlooking Callalisa Creek. Bird enthusiasts and photographers may find Yellow-crowned night-herons, Great egrets, Green herons, and other waders along the creek as well as many warblers and other passerines such as the Blue-gray gnatcatcher seen in the photo captured this morning along the trail.
Blue-gray gnatcatcher in the canopy found along Callalisa Creek Boardwalk Trail.
As we prepare to get ready to depart from our beloved wintering grounds here in New Smyrna Beach and begin our own migration back north, it is always with bittersweet emotions. We love our Hudson Valley home and the mountains of New York, but we always miss the ocean and tropical climate of Florida. We will look forward to our return in January, but for now, we still have two weeks to visit a few more of our favorite Florida birding trail venues.
