Bird Nesting Season in Florida!

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Added: Thu Sep 25th 2:35pm
Posted in: Hobbies & Collections

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Did you know that right now, at this very moment, more birds are nesting than any other time in the year? I actually didn’t know until my neighbors told me about the newest findings made by the Lake Ashton Bird and Nature Club.

I just think creatures of nature are fascinating, especially ones that sing!

On a past trip, the Lake Aston Bird and Nature Club found two Least Bitterns, but on this last outing, five were found including three new chicks!  Alan Delorey of The Club says that the needs of tending to young birds made the otherwise highly secretive adult birds quite visible.

Two Black-necked Stilts are said to have produced chicks from several nests around Lake Ashton including the Marsh Dock. Such a site is a rare treat because the birds are mostly found in California and just bordering the Gulf of Mexico.

Two Roseate Spoonbills were sighted, and several days later their numbers grew to a dozen! Researching the Spoonbills, I have learned that along with the Black-neck Stilts, these birds usually don’t nest this far inland.

More reports have stated that Purple Gallinules continue to lurk behind the grasses in the East Side Marsh, and a pair of Sandhill Cranes had two chicks over on that side in July. Also, the Wood Ducks on the Marsh are going into “eclipse,” which means they molt their feathers and look rather plain and dull for several weeks. You’ve got to keep your eye out for lots of baby birds this month because chicks are hatching and you want to miss it!

If you are in the area, stop by Lake Ashton to bird watch. The Club meets for a bird trip every Wednesday morning from 8-9 a.m. Visit Lake Ashton for further information.  Be sure to check out the facilities there too…see what other clubs are doing. Lake Ashton isn’t like some of the other enormous Florida retirement communities where you can’t make new friends easily and join in the fun…everyone’s welcome here and we're looking for more neighbors!