Good November Birding

I was late getting to St. Marks NWR this morning and didn’t start walking out the Double Dikes until 6:30 am. Then, I got distracted by the morning flight of herons, egrets and ibis coming off the big roost on East River Pool and the sun was rising by the time I reached the Stony Bayou II North levee.

There’s an area of pine forest on the North side of the levee with a thick stand of cabbage palms underneath. I heard what sounded like breaking branches and watched something black falling from one of the cabbage palms. It landed with a loud thump and then got up and ran off. 

It was a Black Bear.

The bear may have been sleeping in the tree and fell out of bed. More likely it was eating palm berries and slipped. It wasn’t a graceful landing.

I continued with my plan to walk around Stony Bayou II to check for ducks. Because of my late start I had the rising sun in my face as I walked East. Otherwise, it was a good morning for a walk. Tree Swallows were flying low across the marsh. Swamp Sparrows were flitting in the shrubs along the levee edge and Marsh Wrens were trilling.

I found the ducks I was looking for in the Southeast corner. There were Gadwall, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Hooded Merganser and Ruddy Duck. Later, I would find American Wigeons and a Canvasback in with the Redheads on Lighthouse Pool. I decided to forego Mounds Pool III, which is likely where I would have found any teal, Pintail and Shovelers on the refuge. 

The walk around Stony Bayou II is about five miles and provides a good birding opportunity for the effort. I added American Bittern and Peregrine Falcon to my list before I got back to my car. This route is good any time of year, but in the cooler months it has less of a death march feel, even if you’re carrying a scope.

If you decide to try it, watch for falling bears.