Three days ago I did not even know that Nanday Parakeets existed. I had previously posted that I drove over to the Pelican Baseball Fields … not in search of Burrowing Owls but Monk Parakeets (Birding Florida’s Undesirables). In my research prior to my Pelican Baseball Trip birding extravaganza, I discovered eBird reports mentioned a few Nanday Parakeets. This led me to wonder … what is this bird?! I quickly did eBird species searches for south Florida and discovered Nanday Parakeets were quite possible to find in the Fort Myers area (also known as a Black-Hooded Parakeet).

Over the next two days I drove the Fort Myers area and took hikes at parks where I sometimes saw the Nanday Parakeets at a distance. I was never able to get truly close. Thankfully at a Fort Myers city park I met some local birders while walking the Billy Creek Preserve (a delightful park for birding). When I told them I was on a Nanday Parakeet Quest, they said drive north to Celery Fields near Sarasota. This area is actually and old clery farm which was purchased by the local Audubon society. It has amazing number of Nanday Parakeets.

This morning, Sunday, I woke up early as always (5:15 am). I was trying to decide where to bird this fine morning. I decided to look at eBird reports for Celery Fields and Nanday Parakeets. Some reports had over 400 of of these parakeets at Celery Fields. I decided … why not drive north to Sarasota? Remember, Florida traffic is horrible, but I decided on Sunday morning traffic should be way less at 6:45 am (it was less on I-75).

Jackpot! I saw hundreds of Nanday Parakeets! The Audubon Society has feeders which attract these birds to easily observable spots first thing in the morning. Should you decide to make the trip plan on getting there early. I arrived by 8:15 am. By 9:30 there was nary a Nanday Parakeet around, but prior … hundreds and hundreds till the morning feed was finished.

I had to deal with heavy fog when I first arrived, but I have learned through years of bird photography that fog and rain 0ften brings out deep colors in bird plumage. It is only in the later two or three photos that I started to have brighter conditions as the fog started to burn off.

The Nanday Parakeets of Celery Fields!

Okay, I’ll admit it … I love to the bird the unlovable … the undesirable birds of south Florida. While eBird and Cornell may hold up their collective noses at these two bird species, I actually went out looking specifically for these two colorful characters yesterday, and I was successful! What were the focus of my explorations?

• Monk Parakeets: From eBird – “Monk Parakeets, native to South America and long popular in the pet trade, established wild populations here in the 1960s. These social parakeets nest communally and dozens live together year-round in large, multifamily stick nests built in trees and on power poles.” My focus were the Pelican Baseball Fields in Cape Coral where MOST people go to see the Burrowing Owls, and yes I did see the small owls, but my focus and major time spent was trying to find and capture the green birds on camera. Okay, I’ll admit I did have a pet parakeet in the 1970’s.
• Gray-Headed Swamphen: From eBird – “Originally from southern Asia, it became established in southern Florida in the mid-1990s when birds escaped from captivity and began breeding.” My search was back once more at Harns Marsh.

Remember, the Ring-Necked Pheasant which folks love to see and photograph was also an import circa 1890 … from China! (see eBird). We now consider this bird a native … no star is listed next to its species name on an eBird report (unless out of range near a game farm).

Do you bird the undesirables? the unpopular? Remember, whatever birds you prefer are fine. Personal enjoyment is the key!

Gray-Headed Swamphen (nest construction in process)

Monk Parakeets (mating time)

Molly and I are escaping the Northland’s bitter cold for a short respite in southern Florida, and for me this means birding. One of my favorite spots in the Fort Myers region is Harns Marsh. Whereas other birding / tourist locations can be filled with people, the birding walk along the trail is always peaceful and only shared with a few other folks. It is important to arrive shortly after sunrise for two reasons:

1. The birds will be active and feeding (later in the day when not feeding the birds often hide in the tall marsh grasses)
2. The sun will be “behind you” and focused upon the birds as you walk the trail.

Here is an example of early morning, just after sunup … low bright sun behind me and blinding this Roseate Spoonbill. I have never been this close to a Roseate, and the bird never flushed (the bird could not see me given how low the sun was in the sky). I tend to hike two miles … one mile out and then back which takes me as far as some brush piles and one big tree next to the marsh.

A couple more comments before I get on to my photos from Harns Marsh …

• Don*t miss what I have named “West Harns Marsh“. This birding spot is next to the county sheriff department’s training area and small airport. The open area right next to the marsh attracts raptors. Scan trees, fence posts, etc. as you slowly drive the dead-end road.
• For the first time we flew down to Fort Myers rather than driving the looong route from northern Minnesota. A key reason for flying rather than driving was finding a bicycle shop from which we could rent good road bikes (and for me an eBike). Give Bike Bistro a try. I am very pleased with their bicycles, service and prices. However, if you want “beach bikes”, this is the wrong store for you.

Harns Marsh Birding (all the images in this post were taken during one two hour birding hike)

Roseate Spoonbill

Roseate Spoonbill & Snowy Egret

Roseate Spoonbill & White Ibis (immature)

Northern Mockingbird

Red-Shouldered Hawk

Sandhill Cranes

Snowy Egret

Tri-Colored Heron

Tri-Colored Heron & Little Blue Heron

Little Blue Heron

Great Egret