Posted by John Boyd on January 25, 2004 at 06:43:06:
It took us a little over an hour to travel from the Doc Thomas House to Wakodahatchee, and we arrived there at about 7:45 where we met the rest of the group. As we exited the turnpike we found a flock of Ring-necked in a retention pond. We saw most of the usual birds around Wakodahatchee, including some stunning Purple Gallinules, 5 Sora, Limpkin, and most of the usual Ardeidae. Least Bittern was missed. We found 1 Wilson's Snipe, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, and Mottled Duck. Purple Martins and few Tree Swallows were found, as were numerous Northern Rough-winged Swallows.
There were two surprise birds at Wakodahatchee. The frist was a female northern Yellow Warbler. The blank face and yellow undertail (not just coverts) left no doubt as to its identity. This is the third year in a row that I have seen a Yellow Warbler in Palm Beach county in January (the other two were at Belle Glade and the end of Loxahatchee Road at the south end of the refuge).
The other surprise bird was American Goldfinch!
On the way to Loxahatchee, we stopped briefly at El Cubano groceries to check for the White-necked Raven that Larry Manfredi had previously reported, but all we could find was a soaring Broad-winged Hawk.
At Loxahatchee, the boardwalk was very quiet, but the path between the visitor's center and marsh lot more than made up for it. We found several warbler species including Black-throated Green, Pine, Prairie, Black-and-white, and Yellow-throated as well as Blue-headed and White-eyed Vireos. We also got a flyover light morph Short-tailed Hawk. The marsh itself added Wigeon to our list and gave us good views of Wood Stork. Several sandpipers were present including both Yellowlegs, Least Sandpipers, and Dowitcher sp. (this time of year, if they don't call, we can't call 'em). When we reached the far side of the marsh we heard a probable Sedge Wren calling, but were unable to locate it. Upon our return to the marsh parking lot we found a Sapsucker. That seems to be a reliable location for sapsucker as we seem to find it there every year.
A couple of participants suggested trying the nature center at Okeeheelee Park, and that's exactly where we went next. After lunch, we found both Painted and Indigo Buntings at the feeders. Although it is not an unusual bird in winter, all were pleased to see the male Painted Buntings. A Brown Thrasher was also present.
After that we turned for home. On the way we made one last stop for Purple Swamphen at Pembrooke Pines. We found 4 at the wetland by the library. The first 2 were in perfect lighting and I've never seen them looking so gorgeous before. For those that don't know, the swamphens are escaped or released birds. They are "Gray-headed" Purple Swamphens that originates in South Asia.
We ended the day with 82 species, 1 fewer than last year (i.e., we missed Least Bittern). The list follows.
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Anhinga
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
White Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Wood Stork
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Muscovy Duck
American Wigeon
Mottled Duck
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Red-shouldered Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Short-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Sora
Purple Swamphen
Purple Gallinule
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Limpkin
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
Dowitcher sp.
Wilson's Snipe
Ring-billed Gull
Forster's Tern
Rock Dove
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Monk Parakeet
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Loggerhead Shrike
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Blue Jay
Fish Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Carolina Wren
Sedge Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Yellow Warbler
Myrtle Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Painted Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
American Goldfinch