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Birding Brevard: More Tips on Hard-to-Identify Birds

By Dave Freeland

(Continued from the March Limpkin)

Tern-Billed Gull

Okay, okay, it's Gull-billed Tern. Just a little joke.

This is another species -- like Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Tern, Black Tern and Eastern Willet -- that simply aren't found often, if at all, in North America in winter.

Gull-billed Tern at a distance looks a lot like Forster's Tern in size, but it feeds in a distinctly different manner. Gull-billed Tern is a "skimmer," not a "diver" like Forster's. So if your distant, mid-sized tern splashes into the water in search of food, it's not a Gull-billed. It's a Forster's (or a Common, Roseate or Arctic perhaps). Gull-billed Terns swoop down to the surface and reach for food without diving in.

More on "Peeps"

Before we leave the tiny sandpipers altogether, you're probably waiting for an ID tip other than Semipals aren't in Florida in winter. Here's one that most experienced birders know:

Semipalmated Sandpiper feeds mostly on the mud, while Western Sandpiper feeds mostly in shallow water. So a flock of Westerns will be spotted wading in a tidal pool or with its "knees wet," while a flock of Semipals stick to the dirt. This isn't a hard-and-fast field mark, but it's a darned good start at identification of the dark-legged "peeps."

What other identification tips do you have to share? Forward them to me via e-mail at vgswallow@cfl.rr.com.

Bird of the Month: Lots of interesting birds have been showing up recently, but I think first prize goes to the Long-tailed Duck that has been frequenting the Indian River Lagoon. One was seen in the Banana River near Port Canaveral on the Cocoa CBC, then it (or a different bird) was in the Indian River off Pineda Causeway in late January, then one appeared on a sandbar in the Banana off Port Canaveral in early February. This beautiful bird, which most of us grew up with as Oldsquaw, is always a treat to see.

Where to Go: It's not too late to catch the last of the wintering waterfowl at marshy spots like Viera Wetlands or Merritt Island NWR, but if you've got a Monday or Thursday free, try the Goodwin WMA opposite Stick Marsh on the Brevard-Indian River County line. It's open to vehicles just those two days each week, but you can take the long walk in or ride a bike on other days. This marsh is Brevard's most reliable place for Fulvous Whistling-Duck.