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Posted by Angel & Mariel on 00:44:57 10/01/11
A quick check for migrants in the morning proved to be rather slow. After only being able to find four warbler species and no other migrants, besides some fly over Bobolink we decided to give it a try later in the day. After paying attention to radar images we noted that birds were still aloft over the Atlantic heading south as of 11:30am. Knowing that these birds were starting to make the turn back to land, another check of our spots was in order. Watching the velocity radar images proved that birds were indeed making a turn to the SW and were flying in from West Palm Beach down to South Dade. The birding was about to change drastically.
Walking out of the building, a small flock of ~25 Palm Warbler were flying low overhead. More flight calls could be heard above as birds were flying in off the bay and into the Mangrove barrier habitat that surrounds the east and south side of campus. Many Northern Parula and Prairie Warblers were buzzing right overhead. Within five minutes the turnaround in numbers and species was incredible. First bird spotted was a bright male Prothonotary Warbler then a distant call of a Cuckoo stole the attention. While walking in the direction of the call it was clear that this rhythmic cu,cu,cu,cu call was not something we hear often down here. Movement in the tree gave away the birds location; it was then that the Cuckoo showed itself! After trying to get looks at the bird through the foliage the Cuckoo flushed out of the Fig and flew ~35 yards at eye level across an open field. This was a gift indeed, as the Cuckoo flew across the field the cold overall brown upperparts and the lack of extensive rufous on the primaries would mean that this is a Black-billed Cuckoo! The bird made it across the field and landed in a Royal Poinciana where the plain white underside was clear, the bill was all black, a creamy yellow orbital ring and the undertail was grayish with small whitish spots. The Cuckoo was not too happy with binocs pointed at it so it moved to another Poinciana with thick foliage where it disappeared.
With a great bird in the bag the attention was placed once again on the warblers that had been feeding just overhead in a large Ficus. While scanning through the feeding flock a bright yellow bird with dark wings that was blown off as the same Prothonotary until the bird flew out to another tree where it was clearly visible that this was not a Prothonotary but rather a Blue-winged Warbler! Other goodies were feeding along with this flock as it moved from tree to tree in a SE direction. After following the flock for about 100 yards the Black-billed Cuckoo came into view again as its call gave away its location once again. As we were looking at the Cuckoo just feet away there were also two Yellow-billed Cuckoos perched quietly. Three Cuckoos in the same tree! The Black-billed got tired of the stares again and took off flying into the Mangroves while the two Yellow-bills stayed perched. The black-billed got lost inside the Mangrove forest that is located on the south side of campus, an unidentified Empid was seen while trying to relocate the bird but it decided to stay silent.
Today was a testament as to how birds can materialize out of nowhere and how the early bird rule doesn t always work out as planned. In the early morning hours birds were still aloft and showed no signs of landing but rather continuing the flight right over the FL Straits. Even as this is written, birds are still flying over both the Atlantic and the Gulf! They have been flying since last night when they departed from the Panhandle and points north of the area as well as from the Carolinas and Georgia. Look out for more migrants in the morning as the front approaches over the course of the night.
Here is a list of what was seen today on campus, some got away but here goes nothing.
Black-billed Cuckoo - 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2
Eastern Kingbird 12
Downy Woodpecker 1
Red-eyed Vireo - 2
Swainson s Thrush 2
Thrush sp 1
Unidentified Empid 1
Gnatcatcher - 11
Blue-winged Warbler 1
Prothonotary Warbler 1
Swainson s Warbler - 1
Northern Parula - 18
Cape May Warbler - 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler - 12
Yellow-throated Warbler - 2
Prairie Warbler - 10
Palm Warbler - 35
Black-and-white Warbler - 9
American Redstart - 13
Worm-eating Warbler - 2
Ovenbird - 4
Northern Waterthrush - 2
Common Yellowthroat - 12
Summer Tanager 1
Tanager sp. 1
Blue Grosbeak - 2
Indigo Bunting 1
Bobolink ~35 flock overhead
Nature is Awesome
Angel & Mariel
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