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Posted by Kurt Gaskill on 20:59:21 02/23/07
TAS Birders,
Cheryl and I birded several locations mainly in South Florida for the first time from 17 to 21 Feb. The lowlight of the trip was missing the Western Spindallis at the Ft Lauderdale cemetary site (as the other dozen birders present can attest) but we did note a Spotted Oriole. We found 139 species but only a few highlights to impart; I am using the abundance table in B. Pranty's Guide to separate out Rare but regular species as well as include a few specialties that are of general interest. Sightings spreadsheet available upon request.
Greater Scaup - 2 males off the Melbourne Beach causeway 21 Feb mixed in with ca. 200 LSSC
Magnificent Frigatebird - 4 at the ABC islands off Marcos Is at dusk 19 Feb (thanks to Vince!)
Swallow-tailed Kite near Royal Hammock, Everglades NP 19 Feb, viewed from between the entrance station and the turnoff to Royal Hammock from the vicinity of the two concrete bridges
Peregrine Falcon at Lucky Hammock 19 Feb
Great Black-backed Gulls (5) at Ft Pierce including 2 adults 20 Feb
Yellow-cheveroned Parakeet (2) at Matheson Hammock 18 Feb in the first parking area; only representatives I found in the Miami area
Burrowing Owl (2) at C. McAuliffe School - other nearby locations were empty.
hummingbird sp at TNC Corkscrew 20 Feb
empidonax sp at TNC Corkscrew 20 Feb, calling "whit" 6-8 times, at 1-2 second intervals, in young Willows on the boardwalk leg that leads to the raised platform, never seen; Least Flycatcher was my first thought, but I have heard hatch-year Willows make the same call at natal sites in August in Virginia. The call was not "liquid" enough to make it an Acadian (listed in the checklist) - maybe there are other possibilities?
Western Kingbird (2) and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (3) on Collier Co CR858 near Hendry Co border 20 Feb - on wires near cattle field save for one WEKI that was a wire bird about a mile north. I forgot to look for the Vermillion. By the way, a Great Road with very little traffic, Sandhill Cranes several miles up near cattle field/wetland ditch.
Cave Swallow - one spotted at traditional bridge site near Miami 18 Feb; the cold front came through upon arrival and I was unable to find more as everything went to cover!
RC Kinglet - at TNC Corkscrew 20 Feb
Hermit Thrush - one at Matheson Hammock 18 Feb
Northern Waterthrush - one off the Anhinga Trail, ENP 18 Feb
Painted Bunting - one off Collier CR 858 on my way to the flycatcher spot plus one at Hobe NWR nature trail 21 Feb
Rusty Blackbirds - several mixed in hidden blackbird flock off the backside of the ECO Pond trail at ENP 19 Feb - I tried getting closer but the footing was "mushy"; I could hear Rusty, Red-winged, and Common Grackle from the woods.
Shiny Cowbird - 4 flew past us at Lucky Hammock, 19 Feb
Spot-breasted Oriole - Ft Lauderdale cemetary, near the Kendall Baptist Hospital, and singing near Kenwood School.
Seven Great Crested Flycatchers were tallied for the trip: at Bill Baggs, Anhinga Trail start, ECO Pond, Big Cypress and TNC Corkscrew. About half were singing.
Also, I did a moving transect count on Tamiami Rd from Krome to Collier Roads. It keeps you awake! One stop at the Miccosukee Restaurant to nail the Snail Kite (which, it turned out, was not needed). I tried to total all the birds spotted at 50+mph (no, I was not driving). The totals for the ca. 2 hr trip follow (37 species):
Mottled Duck 1
DC Cormorant 127
Anhinga 20
Great Blue Heron 12
Great Egret 12
Snowy Egret 217 (may include white Little Blues)
Little Blue Heron 1
Tricolored Heron 5
Cattle Egret 3
White Ibis 11
Wood Stork 4
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 76
Osprey 4
Snail Kite 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Short-tailed Hawk 1
American Kestrel 5
Common Moorhen 10
American Coot 3
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Ring-billed Gull 3
E. Collared Dove 1
Mourning Dove 2
Belted Kingfisher 13
Pileated WP 1
Loggerhead Shrike 1
American Crow 6
Tree Swallow 114
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
No. Mockingbird 6
E. Starling 46
Yellow-rumped Warbler 16 (yes, undercounted!)
Yellow-throated Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 1
No. Cardinal 1
Boat-tailed Grackle 28
Thanks for all the help!
Kurt Gaskill
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