St. Lucie Audubon Society

Painted Bunting by Hart Rufe

FEB. 26, 2011, SLAS FIELD TRIP REPORT

COMER HOME, HACKBERRY HAMMOCK, ST. LUCIE COUNTY

            On Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011, twenty participants enjoyed the hospitality of Allie and Sam Comer at their residence in western St Lucie County. The Comers host large numbers of both Painted and Indigo Buntings at their home each winter and very graciously make it available to the Society as a fund raiser to view the birds.  

The viewers were divided into two groups, with one group viewing the buntings from a blind by the Comer’s home, while Sam Comer led the other group on a tour of their beautiful property where the following list of birds was seen.  

After an hour or so the groups changed places so that each group had a full opportunity to share both experiences. The day was spectacular and the buntings were fully cooperative. 

Submitted by Hart Rufe

  • Great Blue Heron
  • Sandhill Crane
  • Mourning Dove
  • Catbird
  • Barred Owl
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Carolina Wren
  • Red-shouldered Hawk
  • Meadowlark
  • Northern Mockingbird
  • Yellow-crowned Night Heron
  • Blue Jay
  • Blue-gray Gnat-catcher
  • Pileated Woodpecker
  • Common Yellow throat
  • Common Grackle
  • Anhinga
  • American Robin
  • American Kestrel
  • Tree Swallow
  • Sharp-shinned Hawk
  • Purple Martin
  • Loggerhead Shrike
  • Great-crested Flycatcher
  • Killdeer
  • Red Bellied Woodpecker
  • Red-tailed Hawk
  • Northern Blue Parula
  • Indigo Bunting

Photos by Kevin Postal (Click thumbnails for larger versions)

Female & male Indigo Buntings

Black Vulture

Gray Catbird

Red-shouldered Hawk

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Dew-drenched spider web