I inquired on this newsgroup several weeks ago on the status of Ding Darling
since the hurricane.  There were no replies from anyone who had been there
recently.  The Ding Darling NWR website is not really very up to date and
helpful either.  I did get there this week and was pleasantly surprised.
While the damage is very apparent in the mangroves where the upper level is
largely gone, the trees and bushes have largely replaced the leaves blown
off by the storm.  The refuge road shows no damage.  A  prime  concern is
the opportunity for  invasive plants to take hold with the tree canopy
opened up.

Turning to the wildlife, we spotted Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Anhinga,
Cormorant, Osprey, Roseate Spoonbill, White and Brown Pelican, Black Crowned
Night Heron, Yellow Crowned Night Heron, Great Blue Heron, Ibis, Tricolor
Heron, Wood Stork and Little Blue Heron.  The Osprey were gathering nesting
material.  Wood Stork do not appear to be ready to nest, which is
supposedly late according to one refuge volunteer.  Also saw large Alligator
(10 to 12 ft). The refuge is not abiding with the recent Sanibel Island
ruling to remove any alligator over 4 feet long.   I don't have a list on
the shore birds, but there were many.  Roseate Spoonbills were numerous.

I also went to Corkscrew Swamp where there is no apparent effect from  the
hurricanes.  Our one day list there has 28 species; spare me copying the
details.  It was good.  Red Shoulder Hawks are starting to build nests.
Water is high, which is not good for Wood Stork nesting.  I got  some good
close up images of  a Water Moccasin and Alligator.  Best sighting was a
Painted Bunting at a feeder on the left trail as you leave the center.  No
photo in this case since I will not take an image with a feeder in it.

Finally, we tried to locate some Burrowing Owls in Cape Coral.  Our friends
who live there had researched for us and found little activity; it might be
early for them to nest.  We drove by over 20 sites and only saw one bird; it
was very skittish.  But, on the final evening I did find two at a burrow.
My advice is to drive around residential areas looking for the four white
stakes that the city (or someone) puts up around burrows to protect them
from mowing and such.  They are usually in vacant building lots.  The
unmowed weeds is a give away to the burrow.  There are usually two wood
perches (crosses, really)  inside the little plot  which is on the order of
7 feet on a side.

Hope this is useful.

PSsquare