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Posted by Jeff Weber on 06:09:21 02/03/08
I was joined by Michael Stout, Gary & Jocelyn Robinson, and Naomi Kibe yesterday morning for the TAS Birdwalk in Everglades National Park.
On the way into the park at dawn, I had a Northern Harrier flying parallel to 9336 near Aerojet Rd., as well as a perched light-morph Short-tailed Hawk.
At the Coe Visitor Center, the Great-horned Owl chick was peering anxiously over the edge of the next, waiting for Mama to return with breakfast. Mom was perched in the pines to the west, and then she flew into another pine behind the parking lot. Crows discovered her there, diving at and generally harassing the owl. Mama got mad and started hissing and lunging at the crows as they came near. It was fascinating to watch this little drama, but we left in the middle of it, not wanting to see her finally grab and disassemble a crow. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was working the tree below the owl nest, by the way.
Next stop was Anhinga Trail, where alligators were clearly the stars of the day. Two gators swimming side-by-side in synchronous fashion was the first sign that love was in the air. Farther down the trail, we were watching a beefy 12-footer raise its snout and tail from the water when it suddenly did a resounding head slap that made everyone on the boardwalk jump. That set off a chorus of bellowing by alligators all over the pond. Several were lined up in a row next to the walk bellowing back and forth, gular pouches inflated, with water drops jumping like popcorn all around them. This went on for a good 20 minutes.
Next stop was the big hill behind Gate 15, where we immediately sighted a group of six Hooded Mergansers. Scanning the big cypresses to the south, we found an adult Bald Eagle perched. A Peregrine Falcon swooped across the pond on the north side, sending the Yellowlegs into a panic, then landed on the shore, affording us great scope views. Later, two more Peregrines showed up and landed near each other on the opposite shore. We were surprised to find two Snail Kites (male and female) working the ponds, as I rarely see them south of Tamiami Trail. We also got good scope looks at an American Bittern in the grass below the mound. Caspian Terns and Blue-winged Teals were also there.
Paurotis Pond yielded several Roseate Spoonbills, along with Wood Storks and all the regulars. Flamingo was pretty quiet; there was a Black-necked Stilt at Eco Pond. The big American Crocodile with the lacerated face was there, across from the marina. A ranger told me that the croc had been injured by a boat prop, but seemed to be doing fine, despite its injuries.
A stop at Mahogany Hammock yielded a nesting Barred Owl, final treat of the day.
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