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Posted by Brian Rapoza . . . for Roberto Torres . . . for Joe Barros on 08:52:16 05/04/08
Ten birders joined me for yesterday's carpool trip to the Keys. We met at the Burger King in Florida City, where we saw Common Myna and our first Gray Kingbird of the day. At the village of Card Sound, we heard several Cuban Yellow Warblers, but saw none. Prairie Warblers were both heard and seen. Magnificent Frigatebirds were over Card Sound Road. Along Carysfort Circle, off CR 905, we saw Indigo Buntings and a Blue Grosbeak, plus our first Cape May and Blackpoll Warblers of the day. Carolina Wren was heard. At Key Largo Hammocks State Botanical Site, we found a Gray-cheeked Thrush, and added Northern Parula, Black-throated Blue, American Redstart, Ovenbird and Common Yellowthroat to our warbler list. White-eyed Vireo was heard and seen, but Black-whiskered Vireo was only heard. Yellow-billed Cuckoo was heard, but Mangrove Cuckoo, seen earlier in the morning by other birders, was neither heard nor seen by members of our group. White-crowned Pigeon was seen over nearby Loquat Road.
After lunch at the Buzzard Roost, six birders joined me for a trip extension to Marathon. We made several stops along the way. Black-necked Stilts were at Florida Keys Wild Bird Center. Birds being rehabilitated there included Brown Booby, Cooper's, Red-shouldered, Broad-winged and Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestral, Peregrine Falcon and Barn, Eastern Screech, Great Horned and Barred Owl. We found a Magnolia Warbler at Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park; Black-whiskered Vireo was again heard but not seen. A brief stop at the Hurricane Monument on Islamorada produced Gray Kingbird and a few already-tallied warblers. More Magnificent Frigatebirds were seen overhead along the Overseas Highway. At Long Key State Park, we finally saw a Black-whiskered Vireo; we also added Palm Warbler and Northern Waterthrush (heard only) to our warbler list. At Marathon Government Center, we couldn't turn any of the Least Terns into Roseates. At dusk at Marathon Airport, we heard and saw at least one Antillean Nighthawk among the Commons.
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