Lower Wekiva River Preserve, 1/13/2014

Lower Wekiva River Preserve
Carolina Chickadee
I had an absolute blast this morning at the Lower Wekiva River Preserve. I wasn't planning to go here this morning; I have to get here pretty early to walk the trail I enjoy most, and I normally don't have the time.  But my son missed his bus this morning, so I drove him to school, which is only about 10 minutes from the park), and this allowed me to get to the park early enough to walk my favorite trail.  It's a beautiful trail through pine scrub habitat, and just to the east there are breeding Florida Scrub Jays. I'm not able to get onto that property to see them, but I keep hoping one would venture into this park for me.  Sadly that was not to be the case today.  However, shortly after arriving, I started seeing Red-headed Woodpeckers--my first target bird.  In all I saw four of them, and I may have heard a fifth, but it's possible I heard one that I later saw. Three of the birds I saw this morning were in the same general area I'd seen six of these woodpeckers back in November, and at least one of these has excavated a cavity in a tree.  So I'm very hopeful that these birds will stick around and breed in the park.  The fourth bird was immature and it was in a different area of the park.  I know I didn't see this one back in November.

Lower Wekiva River Preserve
Red-headed Woodpecker
Lower Wekiva River Preserve
Red-headed Woodpecker (Immature)
Lower Wekiva River Preserve
Red-headed Woodpecker at Cavity
My second target bird for this morning was a Bachman's Sparrow.  This bird was much harder to find.  I walked out to an area where I knew they were breeding this past summer.  I walked a little stretch of path for about 30 minutes before one showed itself briefly as it flew between palmetto bushes. It did not cooperate for photos, unfortunately.

Lower Wekiva River Preserve
Carolina Chickadee
My third target bird was a Carolina Chickadee.  This park is the most reliable park I know of in Seminole County for this species.  Almost immediately after I arrived in the parking lot I heard one calling.  But on the way back to my car I heard one singing, and it flew right in front of me.  It was one of those moments that you can't plan--it just happened.  The bird perched at about eye level on a branch of a taller bush.  Behind the bush was only distant trees, so I was able to get a nice, clean background behind the bird.  The lighting was still pretty nice, and the sun was almost directly behind me.  I've been trying for years to get these kinds of photos of Carolina Chickadees, but for some reason I've never been able to get them.  I went to Seattle in November and was able to get nice photos of Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees within the span of a couple days, but I've gone years without success for Carolina Chickadees, and I've seen perhaps hundreds of them.  This morning it all came together for me, and it's very exciting.

Lower Wekiva River Preserve
Carolina Chickadee

Comments

  1. I have never seen a Carolina Chickadee in person before, so it's especially nice to view your superb images. Sounds like you had an enjoyable excursion to the Wekiva River Preserve.

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  2. Wonderful photographs of your morning, Scott! We have a shortage of Carolina Chickadees here in Polk county so I'm really jealous! Like you, I hope the Red-headed Woodpeckers enjoy breeding success. Nice work finding a Bachman's Sparrow this time of year! I usually have to hear them singing first and they don't do much of that until Spring.

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  3. Scott, I will be in Titusville next week, traveling south from Canada to escape the cold. You mentioned the 'click' ponds in your last post. Can you tell me where that is?

    Thanks,

    Herman

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  4. Sure, but so the directions can be helpful to others, I'll place the directions in at post. Thanks!

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  5. Thank you Scott, love your work on this site.

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