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Posted by Alex Harper on 19:23:24 02/11/07
Toe, Trey and I made the long journey up to Orange County to see the Hammond's Flycatcher being seen at this small prerve east of Orlando. We arrived at about 6:30, and the birds were just starting to wake up. Almost immediatly, I heard an American Woodcock calling from the pine flatwoods, and a different bird flew right over us in the parking area. What a way to start the day! Only a few minutes later, I heard two Bachman's Sparrows were heard singing as well. It would have been a life bird for the two T's, but they either did not hear them or decided not to count a heard only.
Also seen on the long walk to the Hammond's locale:
Red-tailed Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Tree Swallow
Brown-headed Nuthatch- common
House Wren
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler- including one individual of the eastern race
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
American Goldfinch
There were also two or three good candidates for Bachman's Sparrow that escaped better looks when they flushed.
The habitat that the Hammond's was in was very different from the Slash Pine, Palmetto, and Wire Grass we had just walked through. Now we were in a lush, flooded forest. Andrew Boyle from Orlando found the bird after about thirty minutes just north of the bridge on the east side of the creek. Everyone there got looks at this second (?) state record. Also seen in the area:
Barred Owl
Pileated Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Cedar Waxwing
American Goldfinch
There was a Golden-crowned Kinglet reported from Hal Scott last weekend, but I did not find out about that until after we left. Perhaps we would have stayed longer if we knew...
We then headed south to Three Lakes Wildlife Management area around Kissimmee and St. Cloud. We checked almost every cattle pasture and pond along the way, and came up with Hooded Mergansers and Wild Turkey by doing so, along with more of the same.
A drive up Joe Overstreet Road produced a Whooping Crane, as well as Bald Eagles, Sandhill Cranes, and Savannah Sparrows. At Lake Kissimmee, there were plenty of waders, including two more Whooping Cranes and three Limpkins. A raft of Ring-necked Ducks and a few Lesser Scaup were seen far out on the lake, a Herring Gull was hanging out with the Ring-billed Gulls and Forster's Terns, and a Cave Swallow was mixed in with the large group of Trees. We then proceeded to the hunting camp at Three Lakes. Here we had an unexpected Carolina Chickadee, more Brown-headed Nuthatches, Eastern Bluebirds, Pine Warblers, and Savannah and Chipping Sparrows. Unable to come up with a good woodpecker or Bachman's Sparrow, we went to where we had Bachman's last year at the main entrance. Despite a long walk around good habitat, we could not find a Bachman's Sparrow. There were a couple eastern Palm Warblers, as well as more nuthatches and bluebirds, but nothing else really. A White-tailed Kite was seen hunting a bit to the west of the parking area there. We went back to the camp, only to find an adult Bald Eagle feeding on a carcass and more of the same. On the way back to Miami, we saw plenty more Wild Turkey and a lot of American Robins.
Eighty-six species were seen or heard by my count.
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