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Posted by Alex on 22:32:41 05/23/07
Andy Bankert and I birded from mid-day to dusk on Tuesday the 22. He picked me up from my house in Miami Shores and we made our way to a very windy Bill Baggs/Cape Florida State Park. We were hoping for Hairy Woodpecker (at least I was), Bahama Mockingbird, and Connecticut Warbler. We did not see the first two, but found a Connecticut Warbler along the pond trail. There were also Black-throated Blue and Blackpoll Warblers, at least fifteen American Redstarts, Common Yellowthroats, and two Northern Waterthrushes around. A possible Sooty Tern could be seen from shore in Andy's scope, but it was way out there.
On the way down to the Keys, we saw two juvenile Northern Gannets sitting on Florida Bay very close to US-1.
We searched a few areas in Key Largo and Tavernier, with not much to show for it. There were the usual White-crowned Pigeons and Gray Kingbirds, as well as a likely Shiny Cowbird on Key Largo. A female Indigo Bunting at a feeder was a surprise. Andy also spotted another Connecticut Warbler around the Green Turtle Inn.
At the Governent Center in Marathon, we searched for Roseate Terns. It took nearly thirty minutes to actually spot a pair fly briefly over us and land. There were also Common Mmynas here. Mynas were seen at several locations on several keys. I also found a dead Connecticut Warbler along building, though a good distance from the windows. Tower kill or cat victim I guess... We picked it up and Andy is going to try to get it into the right hands.
We did some exploring around Boot Key, with only an American Redstart to show for it, and then headed back to Marathon Airport. At 7:40, I spotted a nighthawk heading north fron the southern end of the airport. It finally called: Antillean.
We ate at Chilly Willie's, somewhere south of Tavernier. The only liberations used in celebration were non-alcoholic. Soda and water did the trick. Some of the best wings I've ever had, too.
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