More Winter Birds of Florida

The Willet (Tringa semipalmata) is a common sight along Florida beaches. This large shorebird nests on the ground, usually in well-hidden locations in short grass. They forage in shallow water probing and picking up food by sight.

The Willet's population declined sharply due to hunting in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Their population has since increased, but they are still considered at risk, especially in light of continued habitat loss.



The Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) is a large shorebird in the family Scolopacidae. Also known as the sicklebird or candlestick bird. . . it is more common on the west coast of the USA. Candlestick Point in San Francisco was named after this indigenous bird (as was the sports stadium Candlestick Park).

The population of Long-billed Curlews is also significantly reduced from historical numbers.



Below: The Sanderling (Calidris alba, syn. Crocethia alba or Erolia alba) is a small wading bird.

This bird is a long-distance migrant, wintering in South America. It is somewhat unlike other sandpipers in appearance, which has led to the suggestion that it should be placed into a monotypic genus Crocethia.

The individuals currently in Florida are only transients that will continue south.

They feed on invertebrate prey buried in the sand.



TROPICAL WEATHER BREWING IN THE GULF OF MEXICO?

There is some broad low pressure in the northern Caribbean Sea this evening. The computer models continue to develop a strong low pressure in this area over the next week. Currently the National Hurricane Center advises that:

Disorganized showers and thunderstorms over the northwestern Caribbean Sea are associated with a broad low pressure area. Some slow development of this system is possible as it drifts to the northwest. This system has a low chance . . . 20 percent . . .of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours. Locally heavy rains will likely continue over a large portion of Central America. . . Cuba and adjacent islands during the next couple of days. . . resulting in life-threatening flash floods and mud slides.

Other sites I'm currently following:

The Royal Horticultural Society
Kew Royal Botanic Gardens
We are the 99 Percent
Occupy Wall Street
Occupy Together
Save Medicare
Phillip's Natural World II
Phillip's Natural World III