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Posted by Vincent Lucas on 19:03:43 04/08/12
I spent most of Easter searching for signs of migration in the Fakahatchee S.P. & Big Cypress National Preserve. Locations in the latter included Dona Dr., Kirby Storter Boardwalk & Loop Rd. I saw a total of 60+ species, including 10 species of warblers. At the Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk and across USRte 41 from it in the Fakahatchee Strand S.P., I found a few notable species including my FOTS Chimney Swifts and migrating Barn Swallows. Warblers included Prairie, Northern Parula, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white, Common Yellowthroat & Hooded Warbler. A small flock of Cedar Waxwings was also present as were Common Ground-Dove and the other "expected" birds such as Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal, White-eyed Vireo, Great Crested Flycatcher, Pileated & Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Carolina Wren, Gray Catbird, Barred Owl (heard only), etc. At Carnestown (junction of USRte 41 & SR29) at the Marathon Station, the two Common Mynas were strutting around the parking lot. Along USRte 41 I saw an adult Bald Eagle, Eastern Meadowlarks (heard), several Swallow-tailed Kites, a lingering Belted Kingfisher and a flock of American White Pelicans. . At the Big Cypress National Preserve headquarters as well as the "snowbird" volunteer trailer park on Dona Dr., Purple Martins were busy in their condos. At Kirby Storter Boardwalk, more of the same birds were present with the addition of Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Palm Warbler and Downy Woodpecker. At beginning of Loop Rd. at Monroe Station (junction of USRte41 & Loop Rd.), two Eastern Kingbirds and another flock of Cedar Waxwings were perched in a Ficus tree in the nearby yard. On the Collier County portion of Loop Rd., I found a few more warblers including a male American Redstart, another Northern Waterthrush, Palm Warbler and Black-and-white. At Sweetwater Strand (Monroe County), I found mostly the same birds with the addition of a beautiful male Magnolia Warbler. Further down Loop Rd. at the Tree Snail Nature Trail in Pinecrest, I saw a beautiful male Black-throated Green Warbler in a mixed flock of birds with another Prairie Warbler, Northern Parula, Black-and-white, many Great Crested Flycatchers, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, etc. Further down Loop Rd. in Miami-Dade County (where is the county line here?), in a wetland by the side of the road, there were many waders including a half-dozen Roseate Spoonbills and several Wood Storks. A Purple Gallinule was also seen. All in all, a good day birding in the Big Cypress National Preserve!
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