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Posted by Joe Barros on 13:23:55 05/17/09
The TAS Key Largo Bird, Butterfly and Plant walk yesterday again did not fail to please. Twenty plus birders enjoyed birding upper Key Largo while many of our friends traveled north to see the Greater Sand Plover. Oh well, there is always tomorrow. We wish Brian good luck on ABA #700!
In Florida City we had Starlings, Boat-tailed Grackles, House Sparrows, Mockingbirds, Collard Doves, Common Myna and a Gray Kingbird. Our first stop was Alabama Jacks where headed to the mangroves & buttonwoods near the toll both. There the main group heard the Cuban race of the Yellow Warbler but as they approached the area the YEWA escaped and crossed the road allowing only a few of us a good look before he continued off across the waterway. Along the causeway we also had singing Prairie Warblers, Gray Kingbirds. Magnificent Frigatebirds, Royal Terns, Brown Pelicans, Laughing Gulls, Turkey Vultures, White-crowned Pigeons, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Brown-headed Cowbirds.
We continued to the Crocodile Lakes Refuge where we added double-crested cormorants, white ibis, reddish egret, Semi-palmated Plovers and Least Terns.
At the three-way stop we had White-eyed Vireo and Prairie Warblers singing. Unfortunately, the wetland of Dispatch Slew was absent of any birdlife.
We moved on to Carysfort Circle where we disturbed a red-shouldered hawk that flew off and called his mate who flew in calling. The wetland seemed dry and has more vegetation than previous years so not much was seen there.
Dynamite Trail (a Back Country Permit is required) was just that, DYNO-MITE! John & Nancy found a male Blackpoll Warbler at the entrance giving the group great looks. Another Blackpoll was seen along the trail as well as great looks at Great Crested flycatcher, White-eyed vireo, Black-whiskered vireos, and three Mangrove Cuckoos. MACU flew back and forth over the trail and posed for numerous pictures (see John s great picture in an earlier post). Of even greater significance was the sighting of a Schaus Swallow-tailed butterfly by Linda, Becky and Lisa. Also along the trail were Giant Swallow-tailed butterflies, Julias and Zebra Longwings.
With all our target birds in the bag we continued to Dagney Johnson Key Largo Botanical State Park where we added American redstart and more Black-whiskered Vireos and an unidentified cuckoo. We also heard an eastern Screech Owl and on the way out spotted and Mangrove Skipper feeding on the few flowering Jamaica Dogwoods seen. Throughout the trip the dryness of South Florida was evident. Many plants exhibited a large number of wilted and dried leaves. I did not notice as much flowering among the plants as in previous years although the scent of a flowering Hog Plum was breathtaking.
More than just thirsty we headed to the Buzzard s Roost Restaurant whose gracious staff accommodated our large party with fish dip, dolphin, yellowtail and hog snapper sandwiches, and schooners of Key West Pale Ale as we overlooked the waterway and thanks to Brian, toasted another fine year of TAS Fieldtrips. I am looking forward to next year.
Trip List
Magnificent Frigatebird
Double-crested Cormorant
Brown Pelican
Great White Heron
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Reddish Egret
Green Heron
White Ibis
Turkey Vulture
Red-shouldered Hawk
Semi-palmated Plover
Laughing Gull
Rock Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
Mourning Dove
Ground Dove
Mangrove Cuckoo
Screech Owl
Great Crested Flycatcher
Gray Kingbird
Blue Jay
Fish Crow
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Common Myna
White-eyed Vireo
Black-whiskered Vireo
Yellow Warbler, Cuban Race
Prairie Warbler
American Redstart
Blackpoll Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Sparrow
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