Things were quiet in the area in late October. Fall migration was pretty slow but I still wanted to get out for a walk so I headed to North Shore park that sits on the bay near downtown St. Pete.
It looked like rush hour traffic far out in the bay with all of the sailboats. People were also kayaking and wind surfing. It was still warm out so the water was the place to be.
I had a nice walk along the water before heading home for lunch.
The skimmers lined up along the shoreline at Fort Desoto.
Out on Outback Key spit, I could see tons of shorebirds from the beach.
So many shorebirds, so little time. The spit was full of different shorebirds but nothing new on this trip. The tide was high in mid-October early in the morning so I was wading knee deep to get out to the area where the shorebirds were. It was a slow walk just making sure I didn’t sink and go under. Everything was packed in my backpack but you just never know.
There were a few marbled godwits at Fort Desoto Park.
Least terns
I think this is a juvenile sandpiper.
Lots of plovers running around including the Wilson’s plover in the first picture and piping plovers with orange legs.
Sleeping sanderlings
Soon the skimmers will be gone. They are rare to see in the winter at the park.
Lots of shorebirds at Fort Desoto in early June. It felt good to be out stretching my legs along the shoreline. Even though it was hot there was a good breeze coming off the gulf.
It’s always fun to see marbled godwits with those pink toothpick beaks.
The crow was mistaking the trash for food.
A crab coming up on shore when the tide went out. He made it back in though.
Jump! A great blue heron taking off from the roof of the pier cover.
A nice morning to be outside.
I heard this cicada screaming from the mangroves near the pier. I found him pretty quickly. Such a weird loud critter.
Lots of little critters on the wrack line at Fort Desoto in last September.
Quiet sleepy morning at Fort Desoto.
Pelicans were hanging out everywhere.
Shorebirds were everywhere.
Not much going on in late October.
After walking the nature trail at Honeymoon Island State Park, I headed over to the beach to see if there were any shorebirds hanging around.
The usual birds were there: marbled godwits, royal terns and dowitchers.
The waves were splashing over the jetties. It was fun to be out in one of the last cool windy days before the heat sets in (and the tourists).
Semipalmated plover
Marbled godwits (the avocet photobombed the last shot).
Royal terns
A few shorebirds on the shore. Only down here in Florida we call it a beach. So really, they should be called beachbirds. Found on the “beach” on the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
Most of the marbled godwits were napping when I got to Fort Desoto early on a Saturday morning. I did see one still feeding across the marsh. I watched him for a while. Popping tiny crabs in his beak. After about 10 minutes, he stopped digging around for crabs and started preening his feathers. It was time to move on.
A marbled godwit trying to sleep in the middle of dowitchers.
A lost oystercatcher. “Excuse me, can someone tell me where the restroom is?”
A few willets mixed in.
Giving me the eye.
A shorebird convention.
“Can you please keep your peeping down? Us oystercatchers are trying to sleep.”
A young laughing gull.
A “loud as usual” laughing gull.
Dowitchers busy looking for breakfast.
Taking a break from the crowd.
I think this is a Forester’s tern in non-breeding colors. Could also be a common tern.
Shorebirds are starting to move through the area. For the past month, there’s been almost no birds at the north beach marsh at Fort Desoto. When I went in late July, the marsh area was starting to fill up with birds. Mostly dowitchers, willets and marbled godwits. It was the usual hot sunny perfect morning on the beach.
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