Scholarship Award Nights - April 2023
Avon Park High School
Lake Placid High School
Avon Park High School
Hannah Sheffield accepting from Susan Volpitta, Treasurer and Roberta Lake, Director, Highlands County Audubon
Sebring High School
Lake Placid High School
Avon Park High School
Isabella Manint accepting from Steve Blaire, President, Highlands County Audubon
Lake Placid High School
Lake Placid High School
Lake Placid High School
Chloe LeBlanc accepting from Fran Rolston outgoing Secretary, Highlands County Audubon
Fort De Soto - April 3, 2023 - 60 Species
Bird of the Day - Reddish Egret photo by Dale Knapp
There are only about five-thousand reddish egrets so seeing one is very special. Many thanks for Dale Knapp's photos. Hopefully you will see one someday.
Out trip to Fort De Soto with 60 species for our annual fundraising activity was good. For those of you who pledged an amount of money per species check with the member you sponsored or mail you check to PO Box 814, Lake Placid, Florida, 33862 As always thank you so very much and remember it is a tax-deductible donation.
Reddish Egret photo by Dale Knapp
Species List - Ft. DeSoto April 3, 2023 – 60 Species
Thank you, Dale Knap
Kestrel - White Ibis - Red-bellied Woodpecker - Mourning Dove American Crow - Black Vulture - Cardinal - Bald Eagle - Cattle Egret
Turkey Vulture - Pileated Woodpecker - Meadowlark - Mockingbird Caracara - Great Egret - Sandhill Crane - Red-shouldered Hawk
Eurasian-collared Dove - Laughing Gull - Great Blue Heron - Starling
Osprey - Tri-colored Heron - D/C Cormorant - Common Grackle
Brown Pelican - Ring-billed Gul - Royal Tern - Rock Dove - Blue Jay Forster’s Tern - Ruddy Turnstone - Barn Swallow - Willet - Snowy Egret
Catbird - Semipalmated Plover - Palm Warbler - Black & White Warbler
Great Crested Flycatcher - Nanday Parakeet - Short-billed Dowitcher
Sanderling - Little Blue Heron - Wilson’s Plover - Wood Stork
House Sparrow - Downy Woodpecker - Ground Dove - Anhinga
Roseate Spoonbill - Loggerhead Shrike - Reddish Egret - Black Skimmer
Blue-headed Vireo - Herring Gull - Black-bellied Plover - Robin
Boat-tailed Grackle - Fish Crow
Wakodahatchee March 16, 2023
111 miles of driving one way but boy is it worth it.
I hope you get a chance to go with us on a trip and the day turns out to be as special as this one was. Thank you everyone who went. Next time bring a friend.
Species List - Thank you Dale Knapp (68 species)
American Crow - Red-shouldered Hawk - Northern Mockingbird - Mourning Dove - Eurasian-collared Dove - White Ibis - Mottled Duck - Common Moorhen - Boat-tailed Grackle - Red-bellied Woodpecker - Red-winged Blackbird - Wood Stork - Cattle Egret - Great Egret - Palm Warbler - Tri-colored Heron - Wild Turkey - Sandhill Crane - Pileated Woodpecker - Kestrel - Blue Jay - Turkey Vulture - Black Vulture - Anhinga - Pine Warbler - Robin - Great Blue Heron - Ring-Billed Gull - Black-crowned Night Heron - D. Cr. Cormorant - Kingfisher - Little Blue Heron - Common Grackle - - Pied-billed Grebe - Great Crested Flycatcher - Eastern Phoebe - Eastern Meadowlark - Yellow-rumped Warbler - Black-bellied Whistling Duck - American Coot - American Redstart - Black-necked Stilt - Blue-winged Teal - Crested Caracara - Egyptian Goose - Prairie Warbler - Fish Crow - Greater Yellowlegs - Green Heron - Limpkin - Loggerhead Shrike - Muscovy Duck - Northern Cardinal - Osprey - Monk Parakeet - Roseate Spoonbill - Glossy Ibis - Purple Gallinule - Purple Martin - Purple Swamp-hen - Rock Dove - Starling - Swallow-tailed Kite - Tree Swallow - Yellow Warbler - Snail Kite - Northern Parula Warbler
Circle B Bar February 8, 2023
What a Day!
The weather was amazing, the wind was nearly non -existent, the sixteen folks who went were there to enjoy all Circle B Bar has to offer, and boy what great outdoor experiences it has to offer. After Circle B Bar we migrated to Catfish Country Restaurant and enjoyed talking about the 70 species seen that day. Once again, thank you to everyone who makes these trips so enjoyable.
Circle B Bar 02.08.2023 Species List – Thank you Dale Knapp
70 Species... WOW!
Mourning Dove,
Sandhill Crane,
Great Egret,
American Crow,
Boat-tailed Grackle,
Red-shouldered Hawk,
Loggerhead Shrike,
Kingfisher,
Anhinga,
10. Cattle Egret,
Black Vulture,
Osprey,
Red-bellied Woodpecker,
Great Blue Heron,
Wood Stork,
Mockingbird,
Little Blue Heron,
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher,
Tufted Titmouse,
20. Cardinal,
Catbird,
Yellow-rumped Warbler,
Glossy Ibis,
D/Crested Cormorant,
Common Gallinule,
Eastern Phoebe,
Downy Woodpecker,
Palm Warbler,
Tri-colored Heron,
30. American Coot,
Snowy Egret,
Turkey Vulture,
Limpkin,
White Pelican,
Brown, Pelican,
Pied-billed Grebe,
Bald Eagle,
White Ibis,
Pileated Woodpecker,
40. White-eyed Vireo,
N. Harrier,
Carolina Wren,
Rock Dove,
Black-crowned Night Heron,
House Sparrow,
Ring-billed Gull,
Robin,
Blue Jay,
Tree Swallow,
50. Red-winged Blackbird,
Swamp Sparrow,
American Bittern,
Common Yellowthroat,
Common Grackle,
Forster’s Tern
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker,
Orange-crowned Warbler
Green Heron.
Purple Gallinule,
60. Ground Dove,
Blue-winged Teal,
Fish Crow,
Yellow-throated Warbler,
Bonaparte’s Gull,
Black & White Warbler,
Pine Warbler,
Northern Shoveler,
Ring-necked Duck,
Least Sandpiper,
70. Kestrel,
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and Blair Audubon - Jan. 25, 2023
Hope you get to go here someday!
Who can resist going to this magnificent place. I can tell you for a fact I will go there every chance I can. It is a long drive, but only 1.5 hours and no city traffic. Once again, our host and Sanctuary Guru Sally Stein did not let us down. She brought her assistant Kayla along and it was a delight to meet her. I am always encouraged when the young folks show up for birding and other conservation activities. I believe the bird of the day was either a beautiful Redstart darting around, or maybe the Yellow-crowned Night Heron, or maybe yet the Black-Throated Green warbler.
Corkscrew – Jan. 2023
Species List by Dale Knapp – 57 Species
Osprey
Boat-tailed Grackle
Double-crested Cormorant
Kestrel
Cattle Egret
American Crow
Anhinga
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Wood Stork
Crested Caracara
Red-shouldered Hawk
Black Vulture
Mourning Dove
White Ibis
Snowy Egret
Blue Jay
Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Mockingbird
Sandhill Crane
House sparrow
Rock Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
Turkey Vulture
Little Blue Heron
Pied-billed Grebe
Meadowlark
Loggerhead Shrike
Tree Swallow
Robin
Common Grackle
Cardinal
Catbird
Painted Bunting
Yellow-Rump Warbler
Pileated Woodpecker
Pine Warbler
Eastern Phoebe
American Redstart
Blue Gray Gnatcatcher
White-eyed Vireo
Carolina Wren
Black-crowned Night Heron
Tri-colored Heron
Bald Eagle
Muscovy Duck
Least Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Blue-headed Vireo
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black and White Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
White-winged Dove
Avon Park Air Force Range Jan 11, 2023
Such a beautiful day for birding!
I hope you get a chance to go with us on a trip and the day turns out to be as special as this one was. Thank you Patrick Blake for taking us around the Range to view our 60 species. A great day!
Species List - Thank you Dale Knapp
Swamp Sparrow - Cardinal - Savannah Sparrow - American Crow - Red-shouldered Hawk - Northern Mockingbird - Mourning Dove - White Winged Dove - White Ibis - Mottled Duck - Common Gallinule - Boat-tailed Grackle - Red-bellied Woodpecker - Red-winged Blackbird - Wood Stork - Cattle Egret - Great Egret - Black & White Warbler - Palm Warbler - Tufted Titmouse - Tri-colored Heron - Wild Turkey - Sandhill Crane - White-eyed Vireo - Pileated Woodpecker - Ground Dove - Kestrel - Blue Jay - Eastern Bluebird - Turkey Vulture - Black Vulture - Anhinga - Blue/Gray Gnatcatcher - Pine Warbler - Scrub Jay - Eastern Towhee - Robin - Great Blue Heron - Ring-Billed Gull - Black-crowned Night Heron - Eurasian Collared Dove - D. Cr. Cormorant - Kingfisher - Little Blue Heron - Snowy Egret - Common Grackle - Blue-headed Vireo =- Pied-billed Grebe - Great Crested Flycatcher - Common Yellowthroat - Least Sand[iper - Yellow throated warbler - Wastern Phoebe - Eastern Meadowlark - Killdeer - Carolina Wren - Yellow-rumped Warbler - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Catbird - Brown-headed Nuthatch
Fort De Soto - Pinellas County - 69 Species
Ten active birders went to Fort De Soto for our Annual Bird-A-Thon
Species List Fort De Soto, April 9, 2022 – Thank You, Dale Knapp for keeping the lists.
This beautiful Bird on the right is a Scarlet Tanager
Kestrel
White Ibis
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Mourning Dove
American Crow
Black Vulture
Mottled Duck
Boat-tailed Grackle
Cardinal
Bald Eagle
Cattle Egret
White-winged Dove
Turkey Vulture
Pileated Woodpecker
Meadowlark
Mockingbird
Caracara
Swallow-tailed Kite
Great Egret
Wild Turkey
Sandhill Crane
Red-shouldered Hawk
Starling
Eurasian-collared Dove
Laughing Gull
Glossy Ibis
Great Blue Heron
Osprey
Tri-colored Heron
D/C Cormorant
Common Grackle
Brown Pelican
Ring-billed Gull
Royal Tern
Rock Dove
Blue Jay
Forster’s Tern
Ruddy Turnstone
Barn Swallow
Willet
Sandwich Tern
Snowy Egret
Orchard Oriole
Catbird
Semipalmated Plover
Palm Warbler
Black & White Warbler
Great Crested Flycatcher
Scarlet Tanager
Fish Crow
Black-hooded Parakeet
Prairie Warbler
Dowitcher
Kingfisher
Dunlin
Sanderling
Little Blue Heron
Wilson’s Plover
Wood Stork
House Sparrow
Chimney Swift
Downy Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Prothonotary Warbler
Ground Dove
Eastern Kingbird
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
Anhinga
Least Tern
Venus Loop and Avon Park Airforce Range
March 17, 2022 aand March 31, 2022
Two beautiful trips this March, 2022. First was the Venus Loop with Dr. Gray and then the Avon Park Airforce Range led by Patrick Blake a true Bird Nerd. For photos check out our facebook page Highlands Audubon Group. Brenda posted some wonderful photos. Thank you again Dale Knapp for keeping the species lists.
Species List – Venus Loop with Dr. Gray – March 17, 2022
Osprey - Black & White Warbler - American Crow - Tufted Titmouse - Mourning Dove - Great Egret . Ring-billed Gulll - Swallow-tailed Kite - Mockingbird - Loggerhead Shrike - White Ibis - Red-winged Blackbird - Boat-tailed Grackle - Carolina Wren - House Sparrow - Black-crowned Night Heron - Kestrel - Anhinga - E. Towhee - Snowy Egret - Cardinal - Little Blue Heron - Eur. Collared Dove Purple Gallinule - Eastern Phoebe - Limpkin - Palm Warbler - Sandhill Crane - Red-bellied Woodpecker - Wild Turkey - Caracara - Tree Swallow - Cattle Egret - Red-headed Woodpecker Eastern Meadowlark - Wood Stork - Gr. Crested Flycatche - Glossy Ibis - Red-shouldered Hawk Lesser Yellowlegs - Turkey Vulture - Greater Yellowlegs - Parula Warbler - Northern Flicker - Great Blue Heron - Blue Gray Gnatcatcher - D/C Cormorant - Yellow-throat Vireo - Blue Jay Downey Woodpecker - Tri-colored Heron - White-winged Dove - Pileated Woodpecker Starling - Catbird - Fish Crow - Green Heron - Common Yellow-throat - Common Grackle - Kingfisher - Black Vulture - Ground Dove - White-eyed Vireo - Scrub Jay
Species List Avon Park Airforce Range with Patrick Blake March 31, 2022
Black-bellied whistling Ducks - Anhinga - Cardinal - Blue/Gray Gnatcatcher - Caracara - Pine Warbler - Am. Crow - Scrub Jay - Red-shouldered Hawk - E. Towhee - Northern Mockingbird - Cedar Waxwing - Mourning Dove - Great Blue Heron - Swallow-tailed Kite - Roseate Spoonbill - White Ibis - Black-crowned Night Heron - Limpkin - White Pelican - Common Gallinule - D. Cr. Cormorant - Boat-tailed Grackle - Kingfisher - Red-bellied Woodpecker - Little Blue Heron - Red-winged Blackbird - Snowy Egret - Osprey - Common Grackle - Cattle Egret - Wood Duck - Great Egret - Parula Warbler - Black & White Warbler - Great Crested Flycatcher - Palm Warbler - Common Yellowthroat - Tufted Titmouse - Fish Crow - Tri-colored Heron - King Rail - Wild Turkey - Eastern Phoebe - Sandhill Crane - Eastern Meadowlark - White-eyed Vireo - Bachman’s Sparrow - Pileated Woodpecker - Eastern Kingbird - Ground Dove - Yellow-throat Vireo - Red-headed Woodpecker - Bald Eagle - Blue Jay - Catbird - Eastern Bluebird - Shrike - Turkey Vulture - Black Vulture
Celery Fields Feb. 23, 2022
Great Day
Today was an extraordinary day. Our small group of nine saw 72 species. This ties our reord from a few years ago.
Species List - Thank you Dale Knapp
Ring Billed Gull - American Crow - Boat-tailed Grackle - White Ibis - Mourning Dove - Common Grackle - Mockingbird - Osprey - Limpkin - Red-bellied Woodpecker - Crested Caracara - Great Egret - Wood Stork - Red-winged Blackbird - Eastern Meadowlark Kingfisher - Kestrel - Red-shouldered
Hawk - Anhinga - Sandhill Crane - Black Vulture - Starling - Cattle Egret - Double Crested Cormorant - Loggerhead Shrike - Bald Eagle Great Blue-heron - Muscovy Duck - Blue Jay - Turkey Vulture - Little-blue Heron - Black-crowned Night Heron - Purple Martin - Mottled Duck -Tri-colored Heron
Species List Continued
Lesser Scaup - Pied-billed Grebe - Palm Warbler - Cardinal - Yellow-rump Warbler - Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Ring-necked Duck - Ground Dove - Common Moorhen - Purple Gallinule - GreenHeron - Blue-winged Teal - Snowy Egret - Glossy Ibis - Eastern Phoebe - House Sparrow - Tree Swallow - Brown-headed Cowbird - Catbird - Pileated Woodpecker - Eurasian Collared Dove - Rock Dove - Blue-headed Vireo - American Coot - Laughing Gull - Barn Swallow - Wild Turkey - White-eyed Vireo - Swallow-tailed Kite - Roseate Spoonbill - White Pelican - Caspian Tern - Fish Crow - Eastern Bluebird - Northern Harrier - Swamp Sparrow - Swamp Hen
Highlands Hammock State Park 02-12-2022
A beautiful Florida Day - Little Humidity - temps in the 70's
The photo above was taken at the end of a most pleasant day birding in Highlands Hammock State Park. The weather was spectacular as was the opportunity to see so many birds. We here at Highlands Audubon are proud that our pavillion is being used by so may visitors to the park. As you know we built it in honor of the Beck Sisters. You really must take a day and visit the Park and this very well built pavillion.
Once again thank you Dale Knapp for our species list. 42 diverse species is a good day birding.
Inside the Park:
Red-bellied Woodpecker
American Crow
Northern Cardinal
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Blue Jay
Red-shouldered Hawk
White-eyed Vireo
Catbird
Mourning Dove
Ground Dove
Pine Warbler
Barred Owl
Great Crested Flycatcher
Pileated Woodpecker
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Phoebe
Northern Parula Warbler
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird
Black Vulture
Blue Gray Gnatcatcher
Palm Warbler
Turkey Vulture
Cedar Waxwing
Black & White Warbler
Great Egret
Yellow throated Warbler
Robin
Red-winged Blackbird
Tufted Titmouse
American Goldfinch
White Ibis
Carolina Wren
Sandhill Crane
Blackburnian Warbler
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Tree Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Kestrel
Rufous sided Towhee
Red-headed Woodpecker
Chipping Sparrow
In Route:
Crested Caracara
Ring-billed Gull
Mockingbird
House Sparrow
Great Blue Heron
Learn More
You can visit us on our facebook page to see the many photos taken in the park. Highlands Audubon -
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary January, 2022
Our Small Group
We all enjoyed this outing even though the sanctuary was operating wiith limited staff and Covid 19 protocals were in place.
Black-throated Green Warbler
This beautiful little warbler was our bird of the day. Most of us counted it as a lifer.
Species List
Thank you Dale Knapp
55 Species...A Good Day
Red-shouldered Hawk Rock Dove
Cardinal Black-crowned Nigh Heron
Caracara Red-bellied Woodpecker
Great Egret Eastern Phoebe
Kestrel Pileated Woodpecker
Turkey Vulture Merlin
Osprey White-eyed Vireo
Black Vulture Black and White Warbler
Cattle Egret Pine Warbler
Anhinga Black-throated Green Warbler
Boat-tailed Grackle Blue-headed Vireo
Mourning Dove Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Ring-billed Gull Carolina Wren
Tree Swallow Great Crested Flycatcher
American Crow Tufted Titmouse
White Ibis Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Great Blue Heron Common Yellowthroat
Kingfisher Limpkin
Wood Stork Bald Eagle
Mockingbird Palm Warbler
Little Blue Heron Catbird
Snowy Egret Red-winged Blsckbird
D/C Cormorant Green Heron
Wild Turkey Eurasian Collared Dove
Eastern Meadowlark Common Gallinule
Starling Tri-colored Heron
House Sparrow Sandhill Crane
Wilson's Snipe
Circle B Bar, January, 2022
Ten members traveled to Circle B Bar Ranch Reserve to try and beat our last visit (two years ago) bird species count of sixty-one. It was the perfect day for birding with no wind to speak of, lovely temperatures, and few folks on the trails. Alas, we only had fifty species.
This Northern Cardinal was very cooperative when approached. It was as if he wanted his photo taken.
It took a lot of patience to get this photo. The Phobe just didn't want his handsome face on film. He must be in "Witness Protection".
Thank you Dale Knapp for the species list:
I understand that raccoons are not birds but they sure are fun to watch. That is how things go at Circle B Bar. You never know what you will see.
Thank you Dale Knapp for the species list:
Thank you Dale Knapp for the species list:
Like I said...You never know what you will see there. This boar hog spent over an hour rooting near us.
Thank you Dale Knapp for the species list:
Thank you Dale Knapp for the species list:
Thank you Dale Knapp for the species list:
Scrub Pens Road, Landfill, and Eco Park Dec. 2, 2021
Nine members ventured out on a beautiful December Florida Day to visit Scrub Pens Road, the Landfill, and Eco Park in Spring Lake. Scrub Pens Road is a ranch road off of Arbuckle Road. When the water is present so are the birds. Our first stop revealed this beautiful white pelican.
Scrub Pens Road Species List Dec. 2, 2021 (56)
Crested Caracara
Snowy Egret
Tree Swallow
Sandhill Crane
Wood Stork
Mottled Duck
Great Blue Heron
Tri-color Heron
White Pelican
Red-shoulder Hawk
Glossy Ibis
White Ibis
Common Snipe
Eastern Phoebe
Killdeer
Northern Harrier
Little Blue Heron
Eastern Meadowlark
Great Egret
Green Heron
Palm Warbler
Greater Yellow les
Lesser Yellow legs
Cattle Egret
Long billed Dowitcher
Starli
This immature bald eagle will soon be as magnificent as the two previous photos of mature eagles. Bald eaglesdo not get the bright yellow beak, dark brown feathers, and white head and tail until they are about 4.5 years old.
Platt Branch Thursday, November 18, 2021 Thank you Jimmy Brogdon for the amazing photos.
Myakka River State Park November 11, 2021 Veteran's Day
Veterans Day at the Park was perfect weather, small group, and 59 species of birds observed. Our good friend, photographer, and chapter member Jimmy Brogdon spent the night before and met us at the entrance when we arrived. The photos are all his...Thank you Jimmy. We tried hard but could not find the 60th species. Oh well, that gives us a reason to return next year.
Myakka - Species List provided by Dale Knapp
Little Blue Heron...Tree Swallow...Boat-tailed Grackle...Kingfisher...Great Blue Heron...Mockingbird...Kestrel...Sandhill Crane...Osprey...Cattle Egret...L Shrike...Common Crow...Blac Vulture...Red Shoulder Hawk...Eastern Meadowlark...Great Egret...Great Crested Flycatcher...Mourning Dove...Common Gallinule...Anhinga...Double Crested Cormorant...Eurasian Collared Dove...Mottled Duck...Red-winged Blackbird...Wood Stork...Turkey Vulture...Caracara...White Ibis...Blue Jay...Common Grackle... Pied-billed Grebe…Catbird…Glossy Ibis…Black Crowned Night Heron…Carolina Wren…Snowy Egret…Black Neck Stilt…Lesser Yelowlegs…Killdeer…Limpkin…Wild Turkey…Blue-wing Teal…Roseate Spoonbill…Blue-gray Gnatcatcher…Yellow-throated Warbler…Pileated Woodpecker…Palm Warbler…Tri-colored Heron…Eastern Phoebe…Common Yellowthroat…Greater Yellowlegs...Least Sandpiper…Green Heron…Pine Warbler…Bald Eagle…Dowitcher…Black-bellied Whistling Duck…Muscovy Duck…Starling…
