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Posted by Larry Manfredi on 18:17:50 01/21/07
I am passing this information along for birders who may be going to the Everglades, Gil Ewing from California passed on this information to me:
The reason I am writing is to pass along some meager information on a couple of bird sightings that may or may not be of local interest in south Florida. You would know if it is worth passing along to someone.
First, at Everglades NP, there remains a very interesting flock of seedeating birds off the Coastal Prairie Trail within the Bayshore Loop. This flock contained 3 Dickcissels (all 3 are immatures/females, seen at one time together), 2 Painted buntings, 5 Indigo buntings, 3 White-crowned sparrows (1 adult and 2 immatures), & 7 (!) Clay-colored sparrows (5 of which were seen at one time in one small bush; I managed to photograph 4 of them with a dickcissel), along with more common species of sparrows. These were spotted on 1/18 at ~5PM.
I also got a transient glimpse, which i cannot call for sure, of a bird which struck me as being a possible *"LARK BUNTING"* (streaky grayish-brown sparrow-like bird with a white patch on the greater wing coverts). Perhaps someone else birding there might be on the lookout for that one.
I failed to see any Lesser nighthawk or Vermilion flycatcher in Flamingo, but there were a Least flycatcher and 2 Orange-crowned warblers at Eco Pond.
Of potential minor interest, a flock of 9 (!)Scissor-tailed flycatchers was seen at Key West, on the opposite side of the road from the airport at the large grassy mound. A Broad-winged hawk was at Indigenous Park. Short-tailed hawk was at Big Coppit Key.
At Loxahatchee NWR, at the visitor's center, many sapsuckers and Red-bellied woodpeckers were being attracted to a fruiting fig tree, and a Hairy woodpecker was seen well, closeby on a cypress. A Great horned owl is nesting there now, also.
I have put the Lark Bunting in upper case letters to let others know. I will be in Everglades National Park tomorrow, I hope that I can get to the Coastal Prairie trail to check out the above sighting. Of course if I see anything I will report back.
Larry Manfredi
Homestead, FL.
E-mail: birderlm@bellsouth.net
http:www.southfloridabirding.com
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