Posted by Paul Bithon on November 03, 2002 at 00:19:35:
The Tropical Audubon Society's field trip to Shark Valley and Loop Road on Saturday, November 2, 2002 was mighty fine. The cooler weather,low 80's with lower humidity, was a welcome respite from the August like weather we have been recently experiencing. Fourteen species of warblers were seen including:
Palm Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Pine Warbler
Northern Parula
Black-throated Blue Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Black & White
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-throated Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Other highlights included an American Bittern at Shark Valley, across from Otter Cave and nearby, a very cooperative King Rail walked passively across the road within 15 feet of the group. A coiled Pygmy Diamondback Rattlesnake was seen basking in the sun along the trail, while Marsh Rabbits nibbled on the tender shoots of Primrose Willow.An all black rabbit, different than the typical chocolate brown color, was interesting.
The Pinecrest area of Loop Road had a nice mixed flock of warblers, vireos and flycatchers. The omnipresent Liguus Tree Snails and Banded Tree Snails (Orthalicus floridensis) slugged along the limbs of Wild Tamarind trees in this beautiful West Indian hardwood hammock, where Al Capone once had a hunting camp for his band of bootleggers, that brought in booze from Cuba through Everglades City during the Prohibition era.
The pinelands along the Loop had flocks of Pine Warbler, Eastern Bluebird, Northen Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker and Downy Woodpecker and a pair of White-tailed Deer.
John Boyd and Nancy Friedman reported an immature White-throated Sparrow in the area of Sweetwater Slough further up the Loop towrds Monroe Station.
Birds seen along the Tamiami (Tampa-to-Miami) Trail included Snail Kite, at the old airboat site west of Shark Valley, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork, Limpkin, Broad-winged, Red-shouldered and Short-tailed Hawk Spotted Sandpiper and Common Myna.
Life is good...............living in a tropical paradise.