Posted by Paul Bithorn on March 27, 2004 at 22:57:13:
Seven birders took part in Tropical Audubon Society's field trip to Shark Valley and Loop Road on Saturday, March 27, 2004. Co-led by my dear friend and birder extraordinaire, Juan Villamil, we had a memorable day with 80 species seen or heard. A breezy day made the birding quite comfortable as threatening rains never materialized. Seven species of warblers were seen including:
Magnolia Warbler
Palm Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Northern Parula
Black & White
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Waterthrush
As Juan and I waited for birders to arrive at the Doc Thomas House, home of the Tropical Audubon Society in South Miami, we heard an unusual screeching sound coming from the dead Slash Pine on the property. It turned out to be a beautiful Moustached Parakeet (Psittacula alexandri), a lifer for both of us. It flew off and returned in time for John Boyd to get a couple of digital photos of this Asian species that ranges from India to Indonesia. John has promised to post them on the TAS website. Fortunately, this species is pictured in Susan Epps “Parrots of South Florida,” making for a quick id. A male Merlin flew into the same tree with a female House Sparrow in his talons and proceeded to de-feather and devour the weaver finch.
Our first stop was the L-334 South Florida Water Management District structure just west of the Miccosukee Casino on the Tamiami Trail (US 41). A male and female Snail Kite flew directly over us as they hunted for apple snails in Area 3B, the Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area. A Swamp Sparrow was also in the area.
We proceeded to L-333, further west, and spotted a pair of Mottled Ducks, Wood Storks and Glossy Ibis. A King Rail was heard.
Purple Gallinules were in good numbers at Shark Valley, and on the boardwalk trail we found a Peninsula Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus). The beautiful Sweetbays (Magnolia virginiana) were in full flower. A flyover of a Black-necked Stilt and a Roseate Spoonbill was an unexpected treat and Sora and Least Bittern were heard.
The Pinecrest area of Loop Road had a nice mixed flock of warblers, vireos and flycatchers with Blue Headed and Red-eyed Vireo, Magnolia Warbler and Great-crested Flycatchers being the highlights. A Swallow-tailed Kite flew over us as we headed west on Loop Road.
Sweetwater Strand, further up the Loop towards Monroe Station, had another mixed flock with breeding Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Tufted Titmice and Northern Parulas being the highlights. This beautiful slough in Monroe County is the southernmost breeding range for these four species.
While heading back to the Doc Thomas House the lure of the old Miller Drive Parrot Roost (Pranty-pg. 222 (map)and pg. 227) sucked us into its vortex. We drove the neighborhood with the windows down and found several White-crowned Pigeons, White-winged Doves, four Swallow-tailed Kites and three Blue and Yellow Macaws, but the highlight was a large flock of roosting Red-crowned, White-fronted, Lilac-crowned, Orange-winged and Blue-fronted at the corner of S.W. 64th Street and S.W. 62nd Avenue, where they landed on the power-lines and adjacent Australian Pines. Approximately 50 to 60 Red-masked Parakeets joined in the cacophony of sound.
Life is good............ as Juan and I hoisted a celebratory libation of St. Pauli Girl to a great day of birding.