Posted by Alex on June 13, 2003 at 21:27:00:
In Reply to: Key Largo posted by Felipe on June 13, 2003 at 19:38:38:
The Yellow Warblers are there. They may not look exactly like the ones you see in the field guides, they look more golden. They are easily seen in John Pennycamp State Park, Key Largo Hammocks Botanical Site and a area along the road and around a biker resteraunt called Alabama Jacks on Card Sound Road which is one of the two roads heading into the Keys from Florida City. Card Sound Road also has many Great Horned Owls at dusk along the tall trees. I would take Card Sound Road both going in and out of the Keys, as it produces the best birds. The other less birdier road is US-1. It can produce White Pelicans and Kingfishers in winter, but not much now. I highly reccomend Card Sound Road for the lighter hours for Yellow Warblers and the darker hours for Great Horned Owls. Note that the Yellow Warblers are going to be in mangroves along with the Prairie Warblers which are also yellow. You will probably see both warbler species. The resteraunt called Alabama Jacks is near the card sound bridge, so stop near that area along the road and "pish" or watch for these warblers. Clapper Rails may be around too. Card Sound Road has a toll, though. Onto Key Largo Hammocks Botanical Site has both warblers, Mangrove Cuckoo sometimes, and B.W. Vireos everywhere. John Pennycamp has all the birds in Key Largo Hammocks botanical site, too. As usual the White-crowned Pigeons will be around too. I would also look for your Ground Doves in areas of Sea Grapes. I have seen Blue-crowned Parakeets if you do not have them yet in the Ocean Reef Club area in North Key Largo. They breed there and are pretty common in the surrounding area. Almost all the gulls will be gone by now, but nesting Sandwich Terns may be around. Ssanderling and a couple other shorebirds may be around too.
If you have enough time, keep heading south into Tavernier Key. On the right eventually is a place I have been to called Keys Wild Bird Center. Upon entering the gravel parking lot, take the board walk with the Birds of prey and dove cages. Keep going and watch the area for "Wurdermanns's and Great White" Herons. They are both forms of the Graet Blue Heron. The commotion, hungry pelicans, and smell may be intimitating, but keep going and take a left at the cages towards the bay. You may also see some Turkey Vultures. Watch the mucky ponds for Roseate Spoonbills, Reddish Egrets, and nesting Black-necked Stilts. Even though alot of the birds are caged, there are alot of other wild birds hanging around for free meals. The spoonbills, reddish egrets, stilts will all be wild. Eventually along the board walk, the wood will be elevated to keep the nesting birds private. Look through the peek holes for the stilts. Oh yeah, if you do not have Snowy Egret, this is also a good spot. The other board walk may not be so productive. Look in the book store full of cats for the book called "A Birder's Guide to Florida" by Bill Pranty. It is the bes book of Florida birds you can find. Pay a little tip, too. They need all the tips they can get to keep feeding those birds. If you wanna keep going, a small church on the left a couple seconds from the bird center may hold spoonbills, reddish egrets and snowy egrets. That about does it for the area. It is alot to fit in a day where the main goal is fishing, but if you can try these spots.
Oh yeah, on the way to the keys along the turnpike around Homestead is a good spot for Cave Swallows. Near signs for a place called Black Point Park and a huge landfill of in the distance to the left are where the swallows nest. When you go over a canal and a road under you, look around for the swallows. I am pretty sure the cave swallows breed under the SW 216 exit. Watch around there for the swallows circling the turnpike near there, sometimes in large numbers. In Florida City look for Common Mynas along the road filled with fast food stations. Good luck. I gave alot of info to copy and past the info and print it out. Hope it helps.