by: Deb
Fall birding in the Dry Tortugas has been outstanding. More bird watchers should take advantage of the excellent sightings in the Dry Tortugas in the Fall. Just about every trip this Fall yielded a good bird or more. Not as dramatic as Spring migration, this Fall has been consistently active with rains grounding numerous unusual sightings. Read the rest of this entry »
Bridled tern egg at the Dry Tortugas.
Thunderstorms and early morning downpours bring a deluge of birds to the Dry Tortugas National Park. Fall migration is well underway and these early morning storms bring to the ground an interesting array of birds. Read the rest of this entry »
Debra Hess
Yankee Freedom II Naturalist
For the past three years in a cooperative effort from the National Park Service (NPS) and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Roseate tern decoys and a taped recording of these terns are set up on Long Key in the Dry Tortugas National Park. Read the rest of this entry »
Debra Hess
Yankee Freedom II Naturalist
The northeast coaling docksat the Dry Tortugas National Park have been yeilding daily sightings of Black Noddy Terns. Read the rest of this entry »
Debra Hess
Yankee Freedom II Naturalist
I recently spent four days in the Dry Tortugas volunteering on Sooty Tern research. These are highlights of my trip: Read the rest of this entry »
The second official sighting in the United States of the Loggerhead Kingbird was made in the Dry Tortugas March 22, 2008!
I was born in New York in 1955. I attended Penn State University, where I played field hockey goalie. I graduated in 1976 with a B.S. in Environmental Science specializing in Marine Science.
My passions in life include bird watching, fishing and nature in general. My husband, Glenn, and I reside in Alaska during the summer and commercial fish for stone crab in the Keys in the winter. I have been a part time seasonal CAST member on the Yankee Freedom for eight years and a resident of the Florida Keys for 30 years.
Debra Hess
Yankee Freedom II Naturalist
Warblers are starting their northbound spring treks and bird watching activity is increasing dramatically in the Dry Tortugas National Park. The last week in February brought our first Ruby Throated Hummingbird of 2008, with many more to follow. Several Northern Parula Warblers, Blue Grey Gnatcatchers, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Palm Warblers have been seen. Herons and egrets are moving north. Numerous Black-bellied Plovers and even a Belted Kingfisher were observed the first two days of March. We also sighted a Yellow Throated Warbler and a Cape May Warbler.
Read the rest of this entry »
Debra Hess
Yankee Freedom II Naturalist
Recent excitement about the annual arrival of Sooty Terns for the 2008 breeding season were realized on Wednesday, January 30, 2008. The arrival of the Yankee Freedom II to Dry Tortugas National Park docks that Wednesday coincided with a sky darkened by thousands of Sooty Terns, swooping over Bush Key, and calling enthusiastically in mating bliss. The birds commence egg laying immediately, and by early February chicks should hatch and adult parents will scramble in a fish catching frenzy to feed the chicks.
Debra Hess
Yankee Freedom II Naturalist
Winter season has arrived and Northern Gannets have been the highlight of our boat rides aboard the Yankee Freedom II. These large sea birds with white plumage and black wing tips have been peppering the seas surrounding the Marquesas Islands catching bait fish. Gannets are migratory sea birds usually found in the coastal regions of the North Atlantic. Many gannets (especially young birds) winter in the Gulf of Mexico.
