Posted by Paul on January 20, 2003 at 16:49:37:
A large group from Broward spent the long weekend at Flamingo and did some serious birding in the company of Sonny Bass and Kayla Michael. Brown-headed Cowbird were present in large flocks at Lucky Hammock. By the way, the footpath into the Hammock is fast becoming a highway. One of the members of the group almost ran over the Burmese Python 2 miles out from Flamingo. The snake is real, very large, and appears at night probably getting warmth from the highway. The single Flamingo was the talk of the table and most everyone got a good sighting. At Eco-pond the white eyed vireo was shoulder height on the ramp and a easy camera shot. Several in the group got good photo ops. Painted bunings were present Sunday and Monday as were Least Flycatchers and Grasshopper sparrow. The white morph Great Blue perched nightly in a Tamarind tree between building R-S in the cabin area. Red-shoulderd hawks were omni-present and the osprey dueled daily with bald eagles. Anhinga nests were counted at three at the namesake. Also present was an immature black crested night heron...it was very difficult to make out. The camoflouge was perfect. Short tailed hawks sailed over Eco-pond on Monday morning as did the Roseatte Spoonbills. Eastern phoebes appeared several times at Anhinga trail and many took close in positions for great pictures.
Robins were massing in great numbers at the Research center. The general flight direction was northward. For sure the swallows were also massing as the tree swallow show was a car stopper. They wheeled and dipped in the pine area westerly from the Royal Palm entrance.
Deer are just abundant in the fields by the R.C. airport. As are many Killdeer (now isn't that appropriate?)
Several strange events: the blustery wind and cold temperatures sent many birds to the ground. Palm warblers just sat on the dirt in many places and wouldn't move as did several cardinals. Our guess was drawing warmth from the stone and staying away from the wind. Temperature Sunday morning was 39 and wind was about 20 mph. Second event; tree snails were more abundant than I have seen them decades. Everywhere we looked on the "old Ingraham" highway trailway through the Oak Grove we found them, as well as scores of palm, prairie, and pine warblers. Yellow-rumped were very numerous. Catbirds were quiet on calling but busy working very low feeding patterns, especially around eco-pond. People just noticed bushes moving and went to look inside and invariable it was catbirds.
But the very best part of the trip, by far, except for the commraderie, was the eastern bluebird that sat in the Satinleaf tree by the toll booth for 5 minutes while it was photographed six ways to Sunday. That picture will be posted in several days.