The fourth Wood Stork survey flight of the 2024 nesting season was conducted on Tuesday, March 5. Lenore Island (in the Caloosahatchee River) and BC-29 (west of State Road 29, north of Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge) exhibited the only Wood Stork nesting activity out of the three colony sites in Southwest Florida that have been active in recent years. While Wood Stork nesting was observed at both colonies, most of the wading birds at BC-29 were Great Egrets and Cattle Egrets, with some Roseate Spoonbills. No wading bird nesting activity was observed at the historic Corkscrew colony.
Due to the unusually rainy dry season, water levels are high throughout the system so aquatic prey densities remain low. As El Niño weather patterns weaken and water levels begin to fall, foraging conditions should improve for Wood Storks and other wading birds and we expect nesting numbers may increase.
The next survey flight is scheduled for early April. |
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