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Posted by Karen & Phyllis Mansfield on 20:36:35 07/06/11
Dear TAS Birders,
Mom and I made a trip to southern Florida to find a few life birds(for me). This list serve was super helpful and we have a great deal of gratitude the TAS birding community!
We left Cocoa Beach at 3:30 AM. Our first stop was at the Black Point Marina at Cutler Bay. That little corner was very active. There were Gray Kingbirds, Red-bellied Woodpeckers and a Great Crested Flycatcher. The Mangrove Cuckoos began calling at 7 AM and came out into the open. There were two.
Next we drove to the University of Miami in Coral Gables. We found the bookstore and began searching the trees. I noticed a ficus heavily covered with fruit. While searching this tree I saw a male and female Oriole fly into the foliage. They were impossible to locate and after 20 minutes we gave up. As mom and I were walking to the parking lot we saw the female fly past our car. Then the male came onto the scene. He hung out in the parking lot giving us excellent looks.
After the Bookstore we drove to the Hialeah Toys 'r' Us looking for cowbirds for which we came up bust.
At Dagny Johnson Botanical State Park we found a singing Black-whiskered Vireo near the nature trail, trail head. There were more Mangrove Cuckoo, and many White-crowned Pigeons.
Next, we drove to Marathon, Key Largo to visit the Marathon Airport at Dusk for the Antillean Nighthawk. Just before 8 PM we heard and saw one bird flying over the runway. We saw at least 4 birds, probably more. They were fun to watch as they would fly about, chase one another and then land in the grassy strip between the runways.
Last of all we visited the Everglades National Park in search of the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow. We heard a few singing along the main road, just past the turn off for Mahogany Hammock. It took almost two hours (in full body armor) to find a bird perched up, and singing on a stalk of grass. We were able to get the scope on this bird and check the field marks.
We found most of our target species thanks to your help.
With Gratitude,
Karen & Phyllis Mansfield
Chicago/Cocoa Beach
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