Posted by Paul Bithorn on March 03, 2002 at 18:14:06:
After birding Lucky Hammock for three hours, commencing at 7:00 a.m., Brian Rapoza, Bill Boeringer, Jill Rosenfield and yours truly decided to search for the Mangrove Cuckoos heard earlier in the week by David LaPuma and Michelle Davis at West Lake in Everglades National Park.
We found Park Ranger, C.J.Grimes, just finishing up a birdwalk upon our arrival about 100 yards up the boardwalk. He reported that he had heard and seen Mangrove Cuckoos around 10:00 a.m.in the large Strangler Fig (Ficus aurea) at the beginning of the boardwalk. While enjoying some friendly banter a Cuckoo called within 20 yards of where we stood. Another Cuckoo responded and we quietly approached the area where the birds were calling. We got great looks at one of the birds about thirty feet away. We lost the bird but it reappeared about 15 minutes later,feeding on caterpillars (Mangrove Buckeyes?), again on the east side of the boardwalk and again providing great looks. Please do not play tapes as it is illegal in the Park. If this is a breeding pair, they may stick around through the breeding season and can be enjoyed by many more birders. An adult male and first year male American Redstart, Black and White Warbler and singing Prairie were also along the boardwalk. An endangered American Crocodile, American Wigeons, White Pelicans and a Caspian Tern were seen in West Lake.
Lucky Hammock had Bell's Vireo, Wilson's Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, along with Indigo and Painted Buntings. Ten warbler species were seen altogether. Life is good............especially when seeing the curiously beautiful Mangrove Cuckoo!