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Posted by Paul Bithorn on 15:44:09 03/01/09
With my good friends Jim Kushlan and former Maryland State Senator Gerald Winegrad in tow, we made our annual South Florida birding jaunt on Saturday, February 28, 2009. The weather was picture perfect, with temperatures in the mid-70 s and a light breeze. Our first stop was Kendall/Baptist, where we found a pair of Red-whiskered Bulbuls, several White-crowned Pigeons, Monk Parakeets and a flock of Mitred Parakeets. Cutler Wetlands was next with a pair of American Avocets being our best birds. The Tropical Kingbird remains at Dump Marsh, where we also found a Sora Rail, a nesting Northern Flicker, Yellow Warbler and Savannah Sparrow. A short stop at the Annex produced a Barred Owl and we were soon off to Flamingo to catch the low tide at 12:48 a.m. A quick stop at Paurotis Pond rewarded us with several Roseate Spoonbills and a large colony of nesting Wood Storks. The flats at Flamingo held a large flock of Black Skimmers, several Caspian and Royal Terns, Willets, Short-billed Dowitchers and a Black- bellied Plover, as a few White Pelicans herded fish nearby. The mangroves behind the visitor s center had a nice mixed flock of passerines, including Blue-grey Gnatcatchers, Blue-headed Vireo, Yellow-throated, Black-and-White, Prairie, Palm, and Prairie Warblers. Ospreys are nesting everywhere, many with fledglings on the nest. We were observing a single Chipping Sparrow in a Strangler Fig in the median on the way to Eco Pond, when a second sparrow flew in. Upon careful study, it proved to be a Clay-colored Sparrow. It had a slighter build than the Chippie and finally turned around exposing a brown rump. Eco Pond had several Black-necked Stilts, Least Sandpipers and a Roseate Spoonbill. The Flamingo Marina harbored five American Crocodiles, including Gumby. A Louisiana Waterthrush was found during a quick stop at Mrazek Pond, but the birds of the day were four Swallow-tailed Kites just past Snake Bight Trail. We stopped at Anhinga Trail where Black-crowned Night-herons were in abundance, as was a single Purple Gallinule. A Northern Waterthrush was spotted feeding nearby several basking alligators. We drove Research Road, where Pine Warblers are singing away in the pine woods. A White-tailed Kite, Eastern Meadowlarks and a Northern Harrier were spotted on the drive out to the Missile Base. A final tally of 102 species capped off a great day of birding. Life is good . with Pilsener Urquell, the Czech namesake of pilsener beers, serving as our celebratory libation.
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