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Posted by Nancy Freedman on 15:51:27 03/21/09
18 birders joined me on a spectacular trip. At Wakodahatchee we had a Limpkin on top of a tree and another flying over in the parking lot before the walk. 38 Black-bellied whistling ducks were flying around. The water was super high due to all the rain PB County has received, the islands were flooded. The marsh rabbits are back! We had 3 Black-hooded parakeets fly over as well as a Royal Tern. And then there was that American Bittern. The Martin houses are full. But the best was yet to come - a male and female Least Bittern checking out nesting sites and then yet another Male Least Bittern - all in high breeding plumage. To top that off, we actually saw 2 baby Eurasian Collared Doves drinking crop milk from their mother - something I had never seen before. Oh and three Purple Gallinules.
At Green Cay we had 15 more Black-bellied Whistling Ducks. 3 Limpkins here, two sparring and another calling loudly. Then the rain came - we were soaked and stuck under a chickee for about 20 minutes. But then it cleared and we went on to see the Screech Owl in the pine tree 10 feet off the boardwalk, apparently he's been in the same spot for 3 weeks. There was an American Wigeon and four Sora; one up close and very personal. Two snipe were also seen.
At Okeeheelee we had lunch on the steps of the Nature Center. There were numerous female Painted Buntings and one male. Two Sand Hill Cranes greeted us at the entrance to the Nature Center. We dipped on the Wood Ducks. But went on to see a two day old Sandhill Crane in a pond out by the golf course. Brian corralled a gopher tortoise for the youngsters to see.
All this including lots of the expected. A real treat for me and I hope for everyone else as well. Murphy's trying to type something but I won't let him. That's all folks!
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