Day 55: February 24 - Back to Circle B-Bar Preserve

Sunny, very warm (88) with a mild breeze

       Back on the grounds of the Circle Bar-B Preserve in Lakeland to explore the western side of the preserve.  We found that the trail around this area is much better shaded, and that’s a welcome factor given that the temperatures today are forecast to peak out around 90 degrees.  The dike along which the trail runs is paralleled on each side by shallow sloughs, mostly covered with duckweed.  Beyond the water on the left, broad expanses of grasslands and marsh extend for perhaps a quarter of a mile.  A number of cypress trees, live oaks, and pines make for fine cover for many of the smaller birds, while tall dead snags provided perfect perches for larger species like hawks, vultures, and of all things…roseate spoonbills.

     It's quite a hike around the preserve, but rather than trying to make good time, we saunter along in a fashion that will allow us to spot most of the wildlife that is found along these dikes and impoundments.  Yesterday's hike took several hours and today's is promising more of the same.  So, on we go.

       While not quite as busy as the west or left side of the dike, the east side still provided us with some nice shows.  A juvenile Black-crowned night heron was perched about 10 feet above the water and remained so motionless as to be almost undetected until one of our number happened to scan the area with the binoculars. 

       We enjoyed watching a pair of Pied-billed grebes as they swam beneath the duckweed, leaving a trail easily visible on the surface while being completely submerged.  I simply followed the wake through the viewfinder of my Nikon and prepared to shoot when the little guy surfaced.

      Back on the other side, the sun was providing excellent lighting for shooting and the birds were more than cooperative as well.  An American bittern posed no more than 20 feet from the dike while camera shutters were ticking off like machine-gun fire.

     The spoonbills continued to fly in to the tall bare trees, and even the more elusive Limpkin made use of the snags for perching.  Occasionally, a Bald eagle would fly over and the entire assembly would burst into precautionary flight.

     The warblers were still sparse today with Parulas, Yellow-rumps, and once in a great while a Palm.  But this will change…and soon!  It will be well worth another trip in another month or so to see what this marvelous preserve can serve up for us later in the spring.