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Posted by Toe on 18:25:45 04/13/08
This morning, 172 intrepid birders from 66 countries and 5 continents joined me in an extreme birding treck through birding sites in Cutler Bay. We tallied 296 species, including Rufous-sided Broadbill, White-eared Tailorbird, and Steller's Sea Eagle.....
OK, enough of that, now to the real walk. We had a great crowd of 15 or 16 birders. I'm not too sure about the exact number, but I hope someone's not going "Hey, he forgot me!" Sorry, I was running on 3 hours of sleep. We began at Sadowski where the highligts included a male Painted Bunting, Chimney Swifts and Purple Martins overhead, and 6 warbler species, including two Magnolias. One magnolia was spectacular in full breeding plumage - booyah!
Our next stop was Black Point marina and jetty, where we saw Semipalmated Plovers, Least Sandpipers, and a Ruddy Turnstone on the jetty, and a Red-breasted Merganser resting on a rock. A Spotted Sandpiper was briefly seen by a few, and a Cooper's Hawk was circling way above a kettle of Vultures. As we drove out we was a 12 Crocodile sunning near the lock on the canal.
Our last stop was Cutler Wetlands. Water levels are high due to last week's rains, so shorebird numbers are low. Hopefully the water will come down for the spring shorebirds in the next few weeks. We did see 3 Roseate Spoonbills, White Pelicans, Blue-winged Teal, Mottled Duck, various waders, Black-necked Stilts, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, a flying flock of Least Sandpipers, Least Terns, a lone Cave Swallow, Red-breasted Merganser, Northern Harrier, Killdeer, and 9 spotted Spotted Sandpipers (not a typo) by the lake on the east side of 87 Ave. There were also 5 Savannah Sparrows in the retention ditch between 97 Ave and the lake. I'm sure I forgot birds seen (the 3-hour sleep thing). I haven't slept yet, so I have no idea what I'm typing right now. The Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre, in a Trappist Glass, doesn't help the cognitive powers, but man it's good!
Thanks to all who came out this morning.
Cheers!
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