Did go looking for the RLHa this am..no luck, but good looks at a Cooper's Hawk and a Red-tail. Both around the Gambrel barn and the pine sided house on Stevens Road. Family just return yest. from a "they made us go" trip to sunny Florida. Yes, we did wear T-shirt, shorts and sandals each day. And swam in the waters on both coasts. But, we are home again (to cold and snow). This was a family trip to FL. We flew in and out of Fort Meyers. 2 nights by Lake Ochachobee, 4 in Vero Beach w/ my Mom (they actually moved out so we could stay there), and 3 nights on Sanibel Island. John Sutton of Corinth and I birded Merritt Island NWF one day (lots of water, shore birds).(I can forward his pics if anyone would like, they are on Flicker). Went on an Airboat ride on Lake O. at the north end. Not really my style, but amazing access to spots I would never get to, sort of like a pelagic trip. Boys got to steer boat. I/ family totaled 114 species. I added new birds to the list each day, though on 2nd to last only added 1 (Snowy Plover, a lifer). Met a birder who was talented. She was doing a "Bird-a-Day" (that's a new bird) challenge, for the year. (any takers ?) I am not the best typer, so if some of the species are abbreviated, bear w/ me. The shore bird and waterfowl numbers were amazing at times. Here are the highlights: in chronological order..and many were seen lots of times, esp. the herons. Numbers are approximate and cumulative to the trip. Boat-t. Grackle 100's Anhinga ~20 Great Egret 100's Black and Turkey Vultures. ~600 Limpkin ~20 Cattle Egret ~ 500 Am. Coot ~20,000 large concentrations, numerous places. Osprey ~200 Laughing Gull and Ring-bill ~200 Tree Swallow ~200 Barn ~ 50 Purple Martin ~500 Co. Moorhen ~40 Tri-colored Heron ~ 100 Great-blue ~100 Green Heron ~20 Black-necked Stilt ~60 Red-sh. Hawk ~50 Crested Caracara ~20 Am. Kestrel ~60 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 5 Great-cr. Flyc. ~20 Eastern meadowlark ~12 Western Kingbird 1 male Glossy Ibis ~150 Loggerhead Shrike ~50 Killdeer ~12 Forster's Tern ~300 Black-bellied Plover ~500 Blackskimmer ~500 Purple Gallinule 2 Snail Kite ~12 Mottled Duck ~40 White Ibis ~600 several age classes Wood Stork ~ 60 Little Blue Heron ~40 Lesser Yellowlegs ~ 60 Greater ~50 Pied-b Grebe ~40 No. Shoveler ~100 Blue-w. Teal ~ 200 Purple Swamphen 2 (pair) Invasive AOU species. On airboat ride. Bald Eagle ~ 12 Wilson's Snipe 3 Sandhill Crane 9 2 families, 1 solo. Swallow-t. Kite ~12 Burrowing Owl 1. Several times. At night in Kissimmee Prairre St. Pk. Went specifically for them. (lifer) Barred Owl. 1 KPSP. Roseate Spoonbill ~ 12 Pine Warbler ~ 8, Palm W. ~ 20 Mag. Frigatebird ~ 6 Sanderling ~2000 Ruddy Turnstone ~600 No. Gannett ~ 30 Semi-p. Sandpiper 4 Least Sa. ~500 Royal Tern ~100 Caspian Tern ~20 Co. Ground Dove 2 at Pelican Island NWF. Gadwall 8 Reddish Egret ~16 Sora 3 vocalizing. Dunlin ~600 none in summer plumage S-b Dowitcher ~800 L-b Dowithcher ~12 Bonaparte's Gull 6 (see John's pics) Carolina Scrub Jay 1 " B-g Gnatcatcher 6 Redbellied Woodp. ~ 30 Bl-Crowned Nightheron 2 Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp. Wh-eyed Vireo 3 Misc. warblers. Sandwich Tern 6 cool bird, tiny dash of yellow at bill tip. Snowy Plover 2 (pair) (lifer) Wilson's Plover ~ 12 (lifer) Hudsonian Godwit ~12 Western Sandpiper ~12 quite close. Piping Plover ~12 SO.as you can see...Florida birding is quite special ! Hope I (we) get to go again. Missed Gull-billed Tern. And others. Good to have an excuse to return. BS Bill Shepard Project Coordinator CT River Birding Trail 2360 Academy Road Thetford Center, VT 05075 Home: 802 785-2855 **************************************************************** To post messages, send e-mail to: [log in to unmask] Set your e-mail application to PLAIN TEXT ONLY to post messages. To contact the list owner: [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------- Web based archives and subscription management are available at: http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/Archives/uv-birders.html ****************************************************************