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Posted by John Boyd on 12:52:56 03/13/11
Twenty or so birders joined me for Saturday's TAS trip to Everglades National Park. Many of the group showed up early at Lucky Hammock. We returned there after collecting the rest of the group at Coe Visitor's Center. Some Northern Flickers at a dead palm tree were the highlight at Coe. The Brown-crested Flycatcher remains at Lucky Hammock. One member of the group reported seeing a Yellow-headed Blackbird among the cowbirds and blackbirds on the new canal bank. Unfortunately, we were unable to relocate it. A Barn Swallow went by as we searched for the blackbird.
We then headed into the park, with our first stop at Royal Palm. As we walked Anhinga Trail, we noticed several Purple Gallinules out and about. A dark morph Short-tailed Hawk provided distant views. A Glossy Ibis was a bit of a surprise. Other than that, it was the usual waders. Unlike January, American Bittern was hard to find. Nonetheless, we managed to find one as we walked back toward the buildings.
We then walked down the Old Ingraham Highway to the pond at the intersection with the Gumbo Limbo Trail. The previously reported Louisiana Waterthrush was quite cooperative, giving us all lenghty views. It was still there when we took the Gumbo Limbo Trail back to the parking lot. As we preparted to leave, the first Swallow-tailed Kite of the day swooped over the parking lot.
Research Road was next. Most of the group got Eastern Bluebird as we drove out the road. We stopped at the building on the north side and quickly located a Western Kingbird. As we walked around, we also spotted a Myiarchus on the eastern edge of the field. It turned out to be another Brown-crested! This reminded me that I had seen my life Brown-crested in about the same spot in April 1999.
We continued to the end of the road near the old Nike missile base. A bird in a bush along the fence appeared to be a Shiny Cowbird. Unfortunately, it disappeared before most of the group could see it, and could not be found again.
By now it was getting close to lunch time, so we made our over to the picnic area in Long Pine Key. Unlike the last couple of Everglades trips, birds were continually calling as we ate: Downy Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatches, Eastern Bluebirds, Palm and Pine Warblers, Eastern Towhere, and others.
The next stop was Mahogany Hammock. It's not been birdy there this winter, and today was no exception. It wasn't completely dead: White-crowned Pigeons were seen by some, and at least two of us got a quick look at a Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
Paurotis Pond had a good number of Wood Storks, and a few Roseate Spoonbills. Paul also discovered a flat tire due to a screw. A couple of people stayed with him to help while the rest of us continued down the road. A quick stop at Nine-mile Pond could have been skipped. A number of ducks remain at West Lake. They were mostly Blue-winged Teal, with about a dozen Shovelers, and two Green-winged Teal. Like Mahogany, the boardwalk was quiet, as it has been this winter (where were their warbler flocks?).
More of both teal were at Mrazek Pond, giving much better looks than at West Lake. We headed on to the Flamingo Visitor's Center, where we scoped the sand bar from right next to the finally reopened Buttonwood Cafe. A huge-appearing Lesser Black-backed Gull caused some debate, but in the end, we couldn't make it anything else. I have to mention here that I think some people have been over-interpreting the bill size of some young LBB Gulls in Florida. Our adult summer gull was a nice example of an LBB Gull with a fairly robust beak.
We finished the day at Echo Pond, which has some Black-necked Stilts and Lesser Yellowlegs. Some Roseate Spoonbills were hiding in back of the island. Paul was back in action, and reported that they were no shorebirds by the campground, so we called it a day. I know of 89 species seen or heard by group members during the trip.
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Pied-billed Grebe
Wood Stork
Double-crested Cormorant
Anhinga
American White Pelican
Brown Pelican
American Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
White Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Roseate Spoonbill
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Swallow-tailed Kite
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-shouldered Hawk
Short-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Purple Gallinule
Common Gallinule
American Coot
Black-necked Stilt
Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs
Short-billed Dowitcher
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Caspian Tern
Royal Tern
Black Skimmer
Rock Pigeon
White-crowned Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Common Ground-Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Brown-crested Flycatcher
Western Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Northern Parula
Myrtle Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
Shiny Cowbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Sparrow
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