March 05, 2004
Weekend Birding
Well, I am back to blog after a short hiatus. Not too busy, just too lazy.
I did get out a bit last weekend and actually got a lifer... three Seaside Sparrows...up in Citrus County (thanks to the spot recommended by Bev Hansen). I unfortunately could not even manage a moderately adequate picture of the sparrow, so my world-class binocular views will have to do.
I did manage to see a few other interesting birds, such as an alternate plumaged Horned Grebe, a sharp-looking Red-headed Woodpecker View image
and a Florida ABA exotic specialty, the Budgerigar.
For those of you ABA listers out there, the Budgie mecca is definately the town of Hernando Beach, a community on the gulf coast of florida about 45 minutes north of St. Petersburg. http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?Pyt=Tmap&&csz=HernandoBeach+FL+&Get%
I have been three for three on Budgie sightings when looking for these Australian imports, so hopefully all who venture forth for these fast flying chatterboxes will be successful as well. I have had great luck seeing these birds by driving on Flamingo Blvd, which can be reached by turning off CR-597 to Calienta St. http://www.mapquest.com/maps/refreshmap.adp?pan=s&rand=1521
There are at least two different houses along Flamingo Blvd that have feeders and if the Budgies aren't having a feeding frenzy at the time, the birds should either be in a near by tree or sitting up on the powerlines.
To top off the day, I even got a lifer reptile out in an interesting sandy oak/pine scrub type area in Hernando County...a Peninsula Mole Skink that was hiding under a piece of plywood.
