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Posted by Paul on 19:33:31 08/08/04
An early morning tour of Wakodahatchee produced just one solitary blue-gray gnatcatcher and a common yellowthroat in the migration list. but, boy do they have baby moorhens, and purple gallinules. The alligator flag is now 2-4 feet higher than the boardwalk so visitors get to watch the moorhens and Purple gallinules feeding on seeds at almost shoulder level and very up close. Bitterns are also about in large numbers but mottled ducks are sparse and no blue winged teal. The Great blues are all out of the nest and about the water bins feeding. The anhingas continue to build nests and many chicks are still developing. A black bellied whistling duck (pair) was seen and photographed. Handsome ducks! A parent is feeding three tri-color sub-adults and they are always in a feeding frenzy on the south side of the walk area. Some hawks were seen overhead but far to high for ident without binocs. Few insects, light breeze, many frogs, fewer joggers, and many old friend photogs were about. But oh the heat......
'Tis a puzzlement that Dade has so many migrants yet they don't seem to be appearing yet at Wakodahatchee. One inhibitor may be that the water bins are now clogged with vegetation; bull rush, pickeral weed, alligator, and duck weed so thick that the grackles can almost walk upon it.
The sell this day was the joy of watching young gallinules edging along branches to get seeds of alligator flag then falling down as the branch bent and broke under their weight. Worth a two hour visit.
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