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Posted by Brennan Mulrooney on 17:56:34 02/28/06
While returning yesterday (27 Feb) from a work trip to Lake Ingraham ENP, the Audubon Spoonbill Crew spotted a Prairie Warbler building a nest in a black mangrove at the entrance to the Flamingo Marina.
The only reference to nest dates that I can find are on the breeding bird atlas website which says that they begin breeding in mid-May. Is that accurate? Anybody else ever see birds on nests this early?
Then today while returning from a work trip to Sandy Key ENP (where there was one Eurasian Collared-Dove, the second I've ever seen there) we had a weird sighting at Rabbit Key Cut, which is basically in the middle of Florida Bay. We were sitting looking at a shorebird flock and I was trying to digiscope Semipalmated Sandpipers from the boat (not easy) when the whole flock, plus gulls and terns flushed off the bank and went swirling off. I looked up from the scope, expecting to see a peregrine, only to be dumbfounded to be looking at a Rock Pigeon! Apparently the birds were as suprised as I was. The Pigeon thought about landing on the bank then circled a couple of times and flew off. Only then did the shorebirds settle back down.
I'll post the Semi pics if any came out.
Brennan Mulrooney
Key Largo, FL
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