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Posted by Paul Bithorn on 11:01:01 10/28/07
Ten birders participated in Tropical Audubon Society's annual fall field trip to Shark Valley and Loop Road on Saturday, October 27, 2007. The birding was quite comfortable thanks to overcast skies and a light breeze.
Sixty-seven species were seen including eleven species of warblers including Northern Parula, Black-throated Green, Black-Throated Blue, Prairie, Pine, Palm, Northern Waterthrush, Black & White, American Redstart, Ovenbird and Common Yellowthroat.
Our first stop was the S-334 South Florida Water Management District structure just west of the Miccosukee Casino on the Tamiami Trail (US 41). The highlight was a Snail Kite that flew about 50-yards in front of us and perched nearby. This endangered species has been difficult to locate along the Trail with such high water levels in the Glades. Perhaps some divine intervention by our late friend, Juan Villamil. A Pair of Mottled Ducks Rough-winged and Barn Swallows and Loggerhead Shrike were also seen.Our next stop was Water Control Structure S-333 in Area 3B, the Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area. A heard King Rail, Eastern Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike and a House Wren were also in the area.
At Shark Valley, a Merlin,Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Great-crested Flycatcher, Carolina Wren, several warblers and Indigo Bunting were seen, but we were unable to locate any Marsh Wrens.
The tree canopy in the Pinecrest area of Loop Road is slowly recovering its lost canopy caused by the winds of Hurricane Wilma, which struck two years ago. A pair of calling Barred Owls, Pileated Woodpecker, Black-throated Green and Black-throated Blue Warblers, Louisiana Waterthrush and a large cluster of Orthalicus floridanus tree snails were the highlights for this traditional stop.
The Pine Rocklands, west of Pinecrest, produced a pair of Pine Warblers, Northern Flicker and Downy Woodpeckers.
Our last stop was Sweetwater Strand, site of many of Clyde Butcher's classic black and white prints.The slough was very quiet bird-wise, but a five-foot alligator missing a hind-foot piqued our curiosity as to the probable cause of the missing appendage.
A couple Southern Black Racers-one a five-footer- and a feeding white-tailed Deer were also seen as we completed the Loop. Road conditions were pretty good, the mosquitos were veritably non-existent,the deerflies were few and far between and the company was pretty darn good.
Last, but not least, a pair of Limpkins were spotted on top of a Sabal Palm on the drive back to Miami. Unfortunately, we were in an area where we could could not stop or turn around.A Northern Harrier was seen near the Glades Shooting Range.
Life is good...............in spite of no signs of the Skunk Ape, although Arthur Sissman walking well off into the distance at Shark Valley did strike fear into the hearts of some small children biking with their parents.
P.S. If you are interested in water issues and the freshwater crisis in Florida, read Cynthia Barnetts; Mirage; Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S. I am not sure, but I sense that the University of Florida grad and Gainesville resident is a birder.
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