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Posted by Vince Lucas on 22:51:27 01/31/05
I spent the weekend (non-birding) in Ft. Lauderdale visiting sick friends :^( BTW, they get Spot-breasted Orioles in their yard -- nice :^) On the way back to Naples today, I decided to take the "back way" off of I-75, heading north on Government Rd. aka Snake Rd. aka C.R. 833 which goes through the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation. BTW, the state will soon begin "straightening" this road in the near future per an article in today's Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. What that means is anyone's guess.
Nothing much to note on the Broward County side of this highway except to note a Sora in the canal near the cattle pens a few miles north of the service plaza -- where one can usually see Crested Caracara and other birds. I didn't see a caracara at this spot but I did see one further on feeding on a dead raccoon while some impatient Black Vultures waited their turn.
In Hendry County further north along the same road, I stopped near where, in previous years, the Vermilion Flycatcher had been seen. No VEFL, but I did find a beautiful Scissor-tailed Flycatcher with some of the longest tails I've ever seen -- easily a foot long or more! To find this locale, look for a small placard on the barb wired fence (east side of road) that reads "FD 29". There are other placards consecutively marked FD 30, FD 31 etc. The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was hawking insects from the fence directly across Government Rd. (west side) from FD 29. This is precisely 4/10ths mile south of a gated ranch with the name of "JUMPER" in huge letters. Can't be missed. . . .
Other birds of note seen along C.R. 833 were five Painted Buntings (1 male & 4 females) at the small canal directly across the highway from "FD 31". There is another cowpen/corral here with ample parking so it is easy to find.
From C.R. 833 I went west on C.R. 832 at Devil's Garden/Alvah's Alley. I saw the largest flock of American Robins I've ever seen in Florida (estimated at 4000-5000 birds) near this intersection. What a sight (and sound)! The Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest area produced more Crested Caracara, Sandhill Crane, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Glossy Ibis, a flyover flock of 23 American White Pelicans, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, and most all other "expected" waders and shorebirds including Lesser Yellowlegs, Killdeer and Least Sandpipers.
A stop at the White's feeders in Alva failed to produce either the female Rose-breated Grosbeak or the Baltimore Oriole. I did see the Barred Owl sleeping in the Live Oak on the property further down Commander Nelson Ct. (I think that's the name of the street).
No Red-headed Woodpeckers were seen on Parkinson Rd. Nor could I find one at Caloosahatchee Regional Park. Maybe the time of day was wrong. . . .
However, the Alva Cemetary was hopping in the late afternoon. In about 45 minutes of birding there, I had the following:
Northern Parula
Prairie Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Cedar Waxwing (flock of 15 or so)
American Robin (flock of 30+)
Chipping Sparrow (flock of 8-10)
Blue-headed Vireo
Eastern Phoebe
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Northern Cardinal
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-shouldered Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
Cattle Egret
Tree Swallow
Blue Jay
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
Gray Catbird
I could not locate any Florida Scrub-Jays at the Babcock Ranch Property at the intersection of S.R. 78 & S.R. 31. Has anyone seen any of these birds there in recent months? What a shame that the Babcock Ranch is going to be sold (to developers?) if the State does not come up with something like $450 million to purchase this largest privately held land holding in the entire state. What a loss this will be. Let's hope the state does the right thing. . . .
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