Birding Gemini Springs, January 2013

In January I submitted 11 eBird checklists from Gemini Springs (the start of a new year of the Bird-a-Day Challenge is a big extra motivation to get out and bird). I saw a total of 68 species; the complete list is at the end of this post.

New for my all-time Gemini Springs list were: Common Ground-Dove; Eastern Bluebird; Merlin; Red-headed Woodpecker; and Wilson’s Snipe. Here are some of my favorite photos from the month.

Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron | 02-JAN-13

There were several mornings that started off with thick fog. Birds may have been singing, but they were hard to spot in the mist.

hazy sun
Hazy sun | 06-JAN-13

I had been taking a certain route each visit, neglecting a portion of the woods I used to visit more often. I decided to walk through the woods one morning and check out a stand of snags where Pileated Woodpeckers and Mourning Doves like to hang out. I was pleasantly surprised to see a juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker — my first at Gemini Springs — checking out a few snags. Later I spotted a second bird.

Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-headed Woodpecker | 06-JAN-13

American Robins
American Robins | 06-JAN-13

more reflections
A clear morning | 07-JAN-13

Early in the month I got a new camera, the Canon SX50 HS. I am still warming up to it. Arthur took the photo below with my old camera, the Canon SX40 HS.

NOMO & berries
Northern Mockingbird | 08-JAN-13 | photo by Arthur de Wolf

Wood Stork
Wood Stork | 08-JAN-13

Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Bluebird | 15-JAN-13

morning
sunrise | 15-JAN-13

Northern Mockingbird
Northern Mockingbird | 15-JAN-13

Wood Stork in the fog
Wood Stork in fog | 26-JAN-13

kayak in the fog
Kayak fishing in the fog | 26-JAN-13

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | 26-JAN-13

Grey Catbird filter
Photoshop fun with a Grey Catbird | 30-JAN-13

Gemini Springs, January 2013 month list
Blue-winged Teal – Anas discors
Pied-billed Grebe – Podilymbus podiceps
Wood Stork – Mycteria americana
Double-crested Cormorant – Phalacrocorax auritus
Anhinga – Anhinga anhinga
Great Blue Heron – Ardea herodias
Great Egret – Ardea alba
Snowy Egret – Egretta thula
Little Blue Heron – Egretta caerulea
Tricolored Heron – Egretta tricolor
Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis
White Ibis – Eudocimus albus
Glossy Ibis – Plegadis falcinellus
Black Vulture – Coragyps atratus
Turkey Vulture – Cathartes aura
Osprey – Pandion haliaetus
Bald Eagle – Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Red-shouldered Hawk – Buteo lineatus
Common Gallinule – Gallinula galeata
American Coot – Fulica americana
Killdeer – Charadrius vociferus
Wilson’s Snipe – Gallinago delicata
Ring-billed Gull – Larus delawarensis
Caspian Tern – Hydroprogne caspia
Forster’s Tern – Sterna forsteri
Mourning Dove – Zenaida macroura
Common Ground-Dove – Columbina passerina
Belted Kingfisher – Megaceryle alcyon
Red-headed Woodpecker – Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Red-bellied Woodpecker – Melanerpes carolinus
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Sphyrapicus varius
Northern Flicker – Colaptes auratus
Pileated Woodpecker – Dryocopus pileatus
American Kestrel – Falco sparverius
Merlin – Falco columbarius
Eastern Phoebe – Sayornis phoebe
Loggerhead Shrike – Lanius ludovicianus
White-eyed Vireo – Vireo griseus
Blue-headed Vireo – Vireo solitarius
Blue Jay – Cyanocitta cristata
American Crow – Corvus brachyrhynchos
Fish Crow – Corvus ossifragus
Tree Swallow – Tachycineta bicolor
Carolina Chickadee – Poecile carolinensis
Tufted Titmouse – Baeolophus bicolor
House Wren – Troglodytes aedon
Marsh Wren – Cistothorus palustris
Carolina Wren – Thryothorus ludovicianus
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – Polioptila caerulea
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – Regulus calendula
Eastern Bluebird – Sialia sialis
American Robin – Turdus migratorius
Gray Catbird – Dumetella carolinensis
Northern Mockingbird – Mimus polyglottos
Black-and-white Warbler – Mniotilta varia
Orange-crowned Warbler – Oreothlypis celata
Common Yellowthroat – Geothlypis trichas
Palm Warbler – Setophaga palmarum
Pine Warbler – Setophaga pinus
Yellow-rumped Warbler – Setophaga coronata
Yellow-throated Warbler – Setophaga dominica
Prairie Warbler – Setophaga discolor
Savannah Sparrow – Passerculus sandwichensis
Northern Cardinal – Cardinalis cardinalis
Red-winged Blackbird – Agelaius phoeniceus
Common Grackle – Quiscalus quiscula
Boat-tailed Grackle – Quiscalus major
American Goldfinch – Spinus tristis

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