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Posted by John Boyd on 12:04:52 03/07/10
About 25 birders assembled at 7:30 at the Coe Visitor's center. Some of the group saw our first Blue-headed Vireo and Yellow-throated Warbler of the day as we gathered there. Myrtle Warblers were also present in numbers.
Our first stop was Lucky Hammock, where we found the expected Harriers and Palm Warblers. A Northen Parula was also working the calm (south) side of the hammock, and a number of Gray Catbirds were present. Overall, activity was fairly low, and we headed back toward the park. But first, we had to check on a distant perched hawk. Even from the road it was distant, but it proved to be an immature Swainson's Hawk. We also got point-blank looks at a Great Crested Flycatcher along the roadside.
Once in the park, we headed to Anhinga Trail. The vulture problem at the parking lot continues. The park has taken some measures to discourage the Black Vultures from roosting there, but they seem ineffective. A number of people had attached plastic bags to their cars to keep the vultures off. I don't know if it works, but I only saw the vultures on cars without the bags.
Hoping that the Black Vultures would leave our cars alone, we walked over to the pond by the visitor's center. Black-crowned Night-Heron and Purple Gallinule were quickly spotted at the pond. A small flock of warblers worked the corner of the pond near the building, and we were able to add American Redstart and Common Yellowthroat to our total, as well as giving people another chance at Parula and Yellow-throated Warbler (not to mention the ubiquitous Myrtles).
Out on the trail we saw more waders, including Wood Storks, as we headed down to the Ani area. A few of us got a glimpse at the Smooth-billed Ani, but most did not see it. Since it's been seen more in late in the day, we planned to return in the afternoon. We looped around the trail, seeing plenty of alligators, nesting Anhingas, and more herons and egrets. A Mottled Duck flyby was a bit of a surprise. Eventually the vultures started getting up. Before long a dark morph Short-tailed Hawk as seen. Purples Martins also appeared high overhead at that point. We didn't have a chance to look at them though as one of the group spotted one, then two, then three, Swallow-tailed Kites. As we looped back toward the main path, an American Bittern was found a short distance off the boardwalk. A waterthrush shot by a couple of us as we were returning to the visitor's center. Based on the single call it gave, it was a Louisiana.
After returning to the visitor's center, we walked the Gumbo Limbo trail. It was fairly quiet, with some catbirds. We got back in the cars and drove over to the hammock near Hidden Lake (straight past the stop sign on Research Road). It was very quiet, and the La Sagra's was not seen.
We then drove out Research Road, adding Pine Warbler, Eastern Bluebird, and Eastern Meadowlark. More Swallow-tailed Kites were seen, as were Northern Harriers. By then it was already lunchtime, and we went to the Long Pine Key picnic area to eat.
After lunch, we visited Mahogany Hammock. It is often very quiet there, but sometimes rewards us with a nice flock or two. Today, it was full of catbirds rummaging around on the forest floor. Not only were there catbirds, but also good numbers of Brown Thrashers and a few Ovenbirds. A Prairie Warbler appeared near the beginning of the boardwalk. I had heard there were owlets in the big mahogany tree. When we got there, we looked up, and there they were! Two baby Barred Owls out sleeping on a branch. Good looks were had by all. We continued around the loop, noticing warblers as we went. Black-and-white was added to our total, now at 11. One or two people saw White-crowned Pigeon and several saw Pileated Woodpecker Repeats of Yellow-throated and Parula, as well as several Ovenbirds, made sure these were seen by all. Two adult Barred Owls were heard as we finished the loop. One was spotted and we headed over to see it. This ranked as one of my best trips to Mahogany Hammock.
A couple of Roseate Spoonbills were sitting in the trees across Paurotis Pond, but overall it was quiet there. West Lake was even quieter, and after finishing the boardwalk we headed on to Mrazek Pond.
A young Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was out in front of the pond. Several Blue-winged Teal made a delayed appearance. Then we continued to Flamingo. The tide was well on it's way in, but some of the larger birds were still at the submerged sandbar. Besides both pelicans, we found 3 each species of tern and gull, including a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Some Black skimmers were present, and eventually flew around a bit. An immature Bald Eagle was seen from near the marina store, as were the two resident Rock Pigeons.
We made a quick visit to Eco Pond. A few Brown-headed Cowbirds were in a tree alongside the road on the way there. The highlights at Eco Pond included Prairie and Yellow-throated Warblers. By then, we had just enough time to get back to Anhinga trail to try for the Ani again, so off we went!
Some of us made a beeline for the platform where the ani has been seen, but it was not there. We waited a bit, amusing ourselves by looking at a Northen Waterthrush (our 12th warbler species of the day), when Brian came up with word that the Ani was being seen from the paved trail closer to the visitor's center. Pretty soon all of us were watching the Smooth-billed Ani as it foraged in the vegetation along the near side of the ditch. Eventually we (and it) went back to the end, just in time to see some Snail Kites come in to roost. One female stayed out in the open and everyone still with the group got to see it.
By now it was late in the day, and the sun was setting, but several of us decided to make another visit to Lucky Hammock. We were rewarded by a Common Barn-Owl that flew over the fields and at least a couple of Whip-poor-will's hunting from perches high and low at the hammock itself. A great end to a great day of birding!
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