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Posted by Alex Harper on 11:56:03 12/27/08
I birded Everglades National Park this morning in hopes of a few noctural birds and one of the Brown-crested Flycatcatchers Robin Diaz found not too long ago.
I arrived at about 5:00 am. Least Bitterns and Limpkin could be heard at Taylor Slough between the turn for Research Road and Anhinga Trail. An Eastern Screech-Owl flew out in front of the car further down near the buildings on Research Road. A Barn Owl was sitting on the road in the grassy area at the end of the road.
I birded the eastern terminus of Research Road for about thirty minutes. Barely anything at all actually. Just a few catbirds. I drive along the grassy area of Research Road yielded Northern Harriers, Palm Warblers, and Savannah Sparrows. No White-tailed Kite.
I then headed over to Royal Palm. I walked the Old Ingraham Trail and found two Great-crested Flycatchers, a Northern Parula, Magnolia, Yellow-throated, and Black-throated Green Warblers. A Hermit Thrush was a nice bonus. No target flycatcher though. A stroll around Anhinga Trail would surely give some time for the flycatcher to show up again. The trail had more European and East Asian tourists than birds, but its still nice to see people enjoying a beautiful morning in the Everglades. I walked back to Old Ingraham, adding a dark morph Short-tailed Hawk to the day list. And finally, west of the Gumbo Limbo and Old Ingraham Highway intersection, I spotted my ABA Brown-crested Flycatcher (I saw several in Costa Rica before Christmas). Finally. I have dipped on this bird at least ten times.
I played traffic director for a a Snapping Turtle crossing near the vistor center and headed to Lucky Hammock. Somewhat windy, and quiet by 10:00, I added Peregrine Falcon and Sandhill Crane to the day list. No Yellow-headed Blackbird could be found among the cowbirds at the C111 canal.
The Tropical Kingbird was at it's usual spot at Dump Marsh. I must have seen at least three hundred of these guys in Costa Rica. Cutler Wetlands lacked any gulls, but the same ducks and shorebirds could be seen taking their mid-day siestas.
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