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Posted by Leo Miller on 17:31:07 12/07/09
I had an amazing birding day today. I was at Oscar Scherer SP this morning looking for Scrub Jays when I received two phone messages from Robin Diaz and Linda McCandless saying that an Ani was seen near Ft Lauderdale Airport. I found the Scrub Jays on the "A" trail, my ABA year bird #597. I arrived at the 800 building on Old Griffin Rd and immediately saw the Smooth-billed Ani (#598) south of the building sitting at the top of a short tree at the corner of NW 7th Ave and NW 3rd Terrace. I got very close and could easily see the smooth bill and enormous culmen ridge. Thanks Andy!
On my way down to Miami to the Bulbul location, I stopped at NW 42nd Ave (LeJeune Rd) and NW 7th St (location posted last year by Jeff Weber) and checked the Date Palms in front of the Herford Grill for White-winged Parakeets - BINGO! - a White-winged Parakeet (#599) was in one of the palm trees. It flew out giving me a great look at the white (and yellow) patterned wings.
After a short time walking around the area north of Baptist Hospital I heard the Bulbuls and saw 3 of them feeding on berries in the backyard of a house at the corner of SW 87th Court and SW 85th Terrace. Initially, they were hidden behind a tall hedge row and wooden gate on the west side of SW 87th Court, so I didn't see them until they flew up into the nearby tree. ABA Year Bird #600. I could not have done it without my FL birding friends - besides Linda and Robin, Brian Rapoza and Murray Gardler (who led me to a Bachman's Sparrow). Back to Chicago tomorrow with a big smile on my face.
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