Posted by Paul Bithorn on July 12, 2003 at 23:50:52:
Suffering from a bad case of the summer birding doldrums, Juan Villamil, Kevin Sarsfield, and I birded several South Florida sites in search of early fall migrants. Holeyland/Rotenberger W.M.A. on the Palm Beach/Broward County line produced one Smooth-billed Ani where the paved road ends on the south side of the canal. Heavy construction from the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (C.E.R.P.) is still in progress. Common Yellowthroats and Eastern Towhwees continue to sing.
The sod farms and flooded fields east of US 27 in Palm Beach County, south of South Bay, produced a half-dozen White Pelicans, a couple dozen hatch year Barn Swallows and Purple Martins congregating before their southerly migration. A Roseate Spoonbill was mixed in with all of the herons and egrets. Several Lesser Yellowlegs, Black-necked Stilts, Kildeer and a lone peep sp. were the only shorebirds present. Two Least Bitterns were seen at a rockpit off of SR 827. Seven Barn Owls were in the Red Cedars along the Miami Canal west of Ritta along with a group of Black-crowned Night Herons. Swallow-tailed Kites were in abundance around Lake Okeechobee along with a first year Bald Eagle.
After lunch at Sonny's BBQ we headed west to SR835 and then south on SR833 (Government Road). Several Sandhill Cranes, a lone Wood Stork and a Purple Gallinule were the best birds along the route. Cannon Hammock had White-eyed Vireos and a hatch year Carolina Wren. One of the Vireos made a call note I had never heard, very reminiscent of the wheep call of a Great-crested Flycatcher.
A couple of tasty Charleston Lagers served as our celebratory libation in honor of our first taste of the fall migration. Life is good............knowing Juan is on the road to recovery.