Spotted Sandpiper at Sweetwater Wetlands Park

If you’ve taken some nice photos during The June Challenge, please email them to Becky Enneis at raenneis@yahoo.com for the slide show she’s assembling for the June Challenge party (which, by the way, will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 1st).

Geoff Parks posted to Facebook (and Mike Manetz notified me) that a Spotted Sandpiper was in the sediment pond at Sweetwater Wetlands Park today. The sediment pond is the same place where Spotteds have been all winter. Leaving the little shelter/restroom area at the parking lot, go down the trail to the gate, and after going through the gate go left down the paved road. When it comes to a T, go left to the Sweetwater Branch outflow. This is the latest spring migrant ever recorded in Alachua County.

Ron Robinson found an active Orchard Oriole nest in the Newberry Cemetery the other day. Go in the main entrance, and … arrgh, Ron gave me exact directions and I wrote them down but now I can’t find them. Go up to the flagpole, maybe? Turn left, look for a headstone that says, “Carter,” and it’s hanging over that headstone. Unless I have it completely wrong. I’m positive about the Newberry Cemetery part, at least.

Chip Deutsch had a successful morning on the 12th: “This morning I headed to Cellon Creek Boulevard and the Hague Dairy, finding several species that I needed for my June Challenge list. Found quite a few Purple Martins at Cellon Creek, which was a treat. Two Eurasian Collared-Doves, too, as well as all of the other species that I had targeted for that site (except that the Northern Bobwhite, ever so close to the road, did not show itself). The most amazing sight was a congregation of more than 30 kites over an overgrown field on the NE side of the dairy: at least 10 Swallow-taileds and at least 23 Mississippi Kites!!! All swooping back and forth, it was really wild, quite a sight! There must have been many bugs in the air. Yet one of the benefits of the June Challenge, getting us sweating in nature, beyond just ticking off species.”

On the 12th, Barbara Shea and I met at Gum Root Swamp and walked the trail that parallels Hatchet Creek. We found Acadian Flycatcher, which I needed, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, which she needed, and right at the lakefront, Prothonotary Warbler, which both of us needed.

Does anyone have a reliable location for Pied-billed Grebe, Cooper’s, Broad-winged, Short-tailed Hawk, Hairy Woodpecker, or Gray Catbird? If so, let me know, and I’ll pass the word. Remember, although this is a competition, it’s a *friendly* competition. If you keep birds to yourself, you’re breaking one of the rules of the Challenge.