Kites and Owls

It’s August at St. Marks NWR. The white water-lilies on the refuge’s pools, triggered by heat, open early in the day and close in late afternoon. Red-bellied Woodpeckers are defending the newly ripe fruits of grape, elderberry, swamp dogwood and peppervine. Pine hibiscus, partridge pea and wood sage are in bloom. It is hot, humid and buggy, but life goes on. 

A few days ago, I watched a pair of high-flying Mississippi Kites dive several hundred feet to attack a Great Horned Owl that I had flushed off a levee. They’re known for their aggressiveness towards these owls. The owl was a St. Marks resident. It is likely that it was born here and will spend its whole life on the refuge. Although some Mississippi Kites do nest on the refuge, they are only here in summer. This pair was probably just migrating through. Many early migrants, like Mississippi Kites, follow a circum-Gulf track. These kites will be moving West and then down through Central America to spend the winter in Paraguay or Argentina. 

The pace of Fall migration picks up in August. Migrant Yellow Warblers become more common. They can often be found in the tops of cabbage palms along Lighthouse Road. It’s also a time to look for other early migrating warblers too; Prairie, Black-and-white and Hooded, as well as, American Redstart and both Louisiana and Northern Waterthrush. A few of these species have already been reported at St. Marks. 

Shorebirds are continuing to move through the refuge. Pectoral Sandpipers are feeding along the edge of Stony Bayou and Black-bellied Plovers, still in breeding plumage, are about to arrive back from their High Arctic nesting grounds. Some of the plovers, and all of the Pectorals, will continue on and winter in South America. 

Late in the month, flocks of migrant Eastern Kingbirds, sometimes numbering in the hundreds, will spend the night in the refuge’s marshes. Just before sunrise, you can watch them rise up and fly East to follow the Florida peninsula South. Blue-winged Teal, the first of our wintering duck species, appear in August and the first of our winter eagles will arrive this month.   

It’s easy to see Northern species as they begin to migrate through. It can be difficult to notice migrants of species that nest locally, but any Blue-gray Gnatcatcher that you see now is a migrant. Our nesting gnatcatchers left a month ago. Migrant birds may be difficult to discern as they mix in with local birds. Great Egrets will be more common this month as egrets from further North start to move through. 

Birds aren’t the only ones migrating. August is also the beginning of the migration season for several species of dragonflies. The local populations of Green Darners and Black Saddlebags will swell this month as their Northern kin move through. 

It’s August. Come early before the heat sets in or come in late afternoon when rain breaks the stifling heat of midday. Bring water to hydrate and bug spray for the flies and mosquitos. Make shorter forays if you must.  

Life is already in progress at St. Marks NWR. Come down and be part of it.