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Posted by David Simpson on 20:18:48 08/03/04
In Reply to: Palm Beach Sod Farms - 8/1 posted by Rock Jetty
Hi Folks,
I ran three Big Days in four days from 29 July to 01 Aug. I birded the Palm Beach Sod Farms on all four days, concentrating on the US 27 and CR 827 (Bolles Canal.)
On 29 Jul, I found an immature Bald eagle at the barn owl spot. There was one Barn owl roosting on the northeast corner of the stand and a couple Yellow warblers.
Several pairs of Fulvous whistling-ducks were in the field on the east side of Miami Canal and north side of Bolles Canal. A few Fulvous ducks were still present in the field a mile west of US 27 along 827.
Kings Ranch hosted at least one Upland sandpiper in the northernmost sod field. On a Big Day, you don't waste time looking for duplicates.
The flooded field just south of Kings Ranch hosted Gull-billed and Black terns along with Roseate spoonbills. There was one Black-bellied whistling duck as well.
I picked up Solitary, Stilt, and Pectoral sandpipers at the Microwave Tower. I have yet to see an Upland at this traditional spot this year. Final score: 148 species, 701.2 miles.
Jul 30, I hit the fields briefly in the early afternoon. I only checked the Kings Ranch and Microwave Tower. There were three Upland sandpipers in the southernmost sod field at the Kings Ranch and three coots in the flooded field south of the ranch. The coots would not register on any of the three Big Days. Solitary sandpiper was again present at the Microwave Tower along with lots of Pectoral sandpipers and Lesser yellowlegs.
Jul 31 I ran a Big Day from Port Bouganvilla (sp?) in Key Largo to Tall Timbers Research Station north of Tallahasee. After missing both the Black-whiskered vireo and Mangrove cuckoo (both found the previous day ca. 0830) I ran through the 'cane fields again. I found most of the same species as two days before. No eagles or coots this time. Yellow warblers at the Barn Owl spot.
Final Score : 131 species, 660.8 miles.
01 Aug, I ran from Tall Timbers to The Cave Swallow Spot and back to Rockledge via the 'cane fields. I skipped the Bolles Canal and Barn Owl Spot in the daylight, preferring to bank the time and get the owls and whistling ducks at night. I had 20 Barn owls at night, but no whistling ducks. I had picked up Black-bellied at Myakka City earlier in the day, but Fulvous was a no-show today. The rain was nearby but it did not affect me too much. I missed Upland sandpiper. There were so many yellowlegs and Pectoral sandpipers at the Kings Ranch that I could not check them all out within the time constraints of a Big Day. Black tern and Gull-billed terns were at the field south of Kings Ranch. I did not get Spotted sandpiper at the Microwave tower as I had yesterday, but I got Solitary for the fourth day in a row. Final Score: 137 species (weather cost me several species this day) 777.7 miles at midnight.
Now, I'm back at work. I'll try to get a full story out on the listserves later this week.
David Simpson
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