Butterflies and blooms at the Furama Resort, Danang, Vietnam

Dunlin or Curlew Sandpiper?

 Birding in early December at Port Charlotte (Florida) Beach Complex on Charlotte Harbor.  Found some "peeps" feeding on the shore.  Are these Dunlins (Calidris alpina), as I suspect?  Or....could they be Curlew Sandpipers (Calidris ferruginea) ?  Dunlins are not uncommon here, but Curlew Sandpipers certainly are.

 We checked out Sibley and Peterson Field Guides....very similar appearing birds.

Size comparison with 7.25" Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus.)

 Dunlin wiki link

 Curlew Sandpiper wiki link

 Audubon Curlew Sandpiper page

Curlew Sandpiper range map.  Seeing this bird on Florida's Gulf Coast would make it a rare stray!

 Here I don't see a supercillium, but maybe this is a bird just coming into non-breeding plumage?  And the legs are yellow, not black....maybe a Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) but it's bigger than I would expect???

Supercillium?

 Audubon Dunlin page

Dunlin winter range in Blue

Got to say I am unsure on this ID.....odds on favorite would be Dunlin!  What do you think, my birding friends?

Banded Great Blue Heron

 Spotted this Great Blue Heron (Ardea Herodias) on a recent visit to Stump Pass Beach State Park, and noticed a leg band.  Having seen many Great Blues, but never noticed one to be banded, I sent in a report to the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory....hoping to learn more about this bird.  No luck, but a nice response from biologist Matt Rogosky.

Banded Bird Reporting

Marker Ref. ID: 82031 encountered 10/19/2016. NCBD (Marker)

cmreports@usgs.gov Dear STEVEN SCOTT, Thank you for reporting a sighting of a bird with auxiliary marker(s) (colored leg band, neck collar, wing tag, etc). Unfortunately, we are unable to return any information on the bird because we have been unsuccessful in finding out who originally banded the bird you have sighted. Therefore, we are unable to provide you with the banding history (age, sex, banding date, banding location, etc) of the bird(s). Although our office is responsible for issuing the authorizations for these types

To

wabisabifarm@yahoo.com

Nov 21 at 11:33 AM

Dear STEVEN SCOTT,


Thank you for reporting a sighting of a bird with auxiliary marker(s) (colored leg band, neck collar, wing tag, etc). Unfortunately, we are unable to return any information on the bird because we have been unsuccessful in finding out who originally banded the bird you have sighted. Therefore, we are unable to provide you with the banding history (age, sex, banding date, banding location, etc) of the bird(s).

Although our office is responsible for issuing the authorizations for these types of markers, it is very common that we cannot match the bird to a bander. There are several possible reasons for this:

1. You may have seen, recorded or reported the codes on the marker incorrectly. Transposing numbers, mistaking number for letters, etc. are common sources of error.
2. The Bird Banding Lab did not receive enough information from the sighting (eg. there was no code/color associa ted with the auxiliary marker from the sighting, species of the bird is unknown).
3. Authorization for the marker was not approved or was not issued by the Bird Banding Laboratory. A bander could be using the marker illegally.
4. Many authorizations for the kind/color of marker sighted for the species has been issued, making it impossible to match it to the original bander.
5. Markers may be faded or discolored from the originally issued marker at the time of sightings making it difficult or impossible to match the sighting to the original bander.
6. The bird may be an escapee from an aviary or another captive facility or was someone's pet.

We realize that it can be difficult at times to view bands/markers on birds and appreciate all efforts to report sightings. If the complete or correct codes should become available, you may resubmit your
sighting.

Your interest, cooperation and patience are appreciated. Again, we regret that we are unable to provide any information at this time.

In this e-mail is your original report submitted to the BBL.

Marker Reference ID: 82031
Type of Marker: Left leg band #1: Pink
Species of Bird: ARDEA HERODIAS
Date bird/band obtained: 10/19/2016
How bird/band was obtained: Sight record: identified by color band, marked plumage or marker other than standard, numbered metal band.
Status of band after obtaining bird: LEFT ON BIRD
Present condition of bird: ALIVE - UNKNOWN

Location where bird/band was obtained:
Country: United States
State/Province: Florida
County/Parish: Charlotte
Nearest Town/Place: Grove City
Distance and direction from the town: 1.4 mi. WSW
Description:

Contact Info:
1. STEVEN SCOTT
26073 ANCUDA DR
PUNTA GORDA, FL 33983 United States
Work Phone:
Home Phone: (941) 625 -0381
Fax:
Email: wabisabifarm@yahoo.com

Remarks: Great Blue Heron with pink leg band. Number 8 on band. Seen alive and in apparent good condition at the south end of Stump Pass Beach State Park on Manasota Key, Englewood, Florida. Photos available.... request at wabisabifarm@yahoo.com

Sincerely,
MATT ROGOSKY, Biologist
Bird Banding Laboratory
USGS PWRC
12100 Beech Forest Road
Laurel, Maryland 20708-4037
Email: cmreports@usgs.gov

I will continue to find out more about this bird's banding...will see if Cornell's Ornithology Lab can help.

All About Birds Great Blue Heron

Stump Pass Beach State Park is a good spot for shore birds...on a barrier island in Englewood, Florida.

Stump Pass Beach State Park

The shifting sands of barrier islands have made the beach walk "wet" during high tide.....but Stump Pass is one of my favorites!

Mailbox moths!

(Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) is quite a name for the little critters living on my mailbox!  Common name is Bagworm Moth.

University of Florida entomology link

There are over 1000 species in the family Psychidae.  The "bags" here contain the "worm," and are attached by very strong silken threads.

Bagworm Wiki link

The males become moths and live only a couple of days.  The females lay eggs in their bag and do not emerge as moths.

Usually infesting evergreen, the worms feed on over 50 families of plants and can cause significant damage.  I cannot find any plant damage nearby the mailbox....and postulate that they may indeed be eating junk mail!!!!

More about Bag Worms!

These bags are constructed of twigs....they all look similar and are very strong.  The sticks are held together by lots of silk.

Another Florida Bagworm blog!

Locomotion is achieved by spinning some silk and then dragging the bag along as it moves.  There are silk trails all over the mailbox!