ENP Weekend (Flamingos), Interesting Ani Behavior, PHOTOS

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Posted by Steve Collins on 12:20:15 02/15/05

Sorry for the belated post. Last thursday, Bruce Christensen emailed me suggesting heading to South Florida to look for Flamingos & Anis. It takes very little to convince me to drop everything and go birding. What's more, my infinitely understanding and kind wife had the weekend off, so the three of us headed down to Flamingo.
--
Quick summary:
Cave Swallows (mixed flock at Flamingo)
Flamingos in Snake Bight
Lesser Nighthawk & Whippoorwill along Research Rd
Both Anis at the Ft Laud Airport (grooming each other)
--
On Saturday morning, the hoped-for Flamingos at the visitors center were not to be seen. However, in front of the visitors center we found ~30 Cave Swallows among the Trees & Purple Martins. These birds appeared to be the Mexican race. However, Bruce and I found at least two birds that surely were the Caribbean race (much more color on the throat, rump, etc).

We then headed down Snake Bight Trail. No Flamingos. However, the mudflats did contain
Wundemann's Heron
Least Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Dunlin
Semipalmated Plover
Wilsons Plover
Black-bellied Plover
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet, Killdeer, and some distant Marbled Godwits

We were determined. We rented a canoe. We paddled close to shore heading east until we got stuck in the shallows. We turned around and tried going around Joe Kemp Key on its other side. We were rewarded with a Spotted Sandpiper, surely that was worth the entire trip, right? Far to the east of Joe Kemp key we saw a group of birds among the horizon-haze containing some pink ones. We paddled until we saw they were Roseate Spoonbills. But even further out - what is that? Something pink, and tall this time! We paddled on. Once we got closer, what was this creature on the hazy horizon? A guy in a pink shirt standing on a boat.

We decided to head to Lucky Hammock to look for Lesser Nighthawks. While waiting, we ran into Paul Bithorn and Juan. The sun set. We waited. Nothing. Two distant nighthawks flew over the pines and then dissappeared. A Great Horned Owl sat on one of the distant pines. Paul & Juan weren't finished birding, so neither were we. We drove with them to Royal Palm and found 2 Whiporwills. At the Royal Palm parking lot we tried for owls, Paul fascinated us with his dead-on imitation of a sick Barred Owl, but only had one very distant and quiet response. Here we ran into Drew Fulton, who accomanied us on our now 3-car (occassionally side-by-side) highbeam armada along Research Rd. We found Lesser Nighthawk. Then another bird on the road. It ran from one side of the road to the other. Then ran around in a tight circle. Awfully strange behavior for a Nighthawk. Burrowing Owl!

Dinner at the Florida City Applebees by 9:30pm. Can you now comprehend how infinitely understanding and kind my wife is?

Paul, Juan, and Drew armed us with some very important information. __Flamingos are only viewable at Snake Bight at extreme high tide__ The next high tide was 6:30am Sunday. Back to Snake Bight! We charged down the trail while the sun was rising. And at the end of the trail, far, far into Florida Bay, we had our life Greater Flamingos! I think we earned these birds. 36 birds in this flock. A good scope is a necessity. In case anyone is interested in seeing what the view of Flamingos looks like from the end of Snake Bight trail, I posted photos here:

http://plaza.ufl.edu/dcollins/Flamingo

A group of avocets was also foraging on the nearby mudflat.

Later, our attempt for Short-tailed Hawk or White-tailed Kite along Research rd was not fruitful.

However, the Anis at the Fort Lauderdale airport were just waiting for us! We found them in the Greenbelt Park around 1:30pm. Photos are posted here:

http://plaza.ufl.edu/dcollins/Anis

2 Smooth Billed, and 1 Groove-billed. I found it very interesting that the Groove-billed groomed one of the Smooth-billed, and later we saw the Smooth-billed return the favor by grooming the neck of the Groove-billed. What can I say, but these birds are cute.

So biggest thanks to my wife, thanks to Bruce, thanks to Paul, Juan and Drew, and thanks to the birds! 2 life-birds and 2 state birds. A successful trip!

-Steve Collins
Gainesville, FL

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Comments:	: Sorry for the belated post. Last thursday, Bruce Christensen emailed me suggesting heading to South Florida to look for Flamingos & Anis. It takes very little to convince me to drop everything and go birding. What's more, my infinitely understanding and kind wife had the weekend off, so the three of us headed down to Flamingo. : -- : Quick summary: : Cave Swallows (mixed flock at Flamingo) : Flamingos in Snake Bight : Lesser Nighthawk & Whippoorwill along Research Rd : Both Anis at the Ft Laud Airport (grooming each other) : -- : On Saturday morning, the hoped-for Flamingos at the visitors center were not to be seen. However, in front of the visitors center we found ~30 Cave Swallows among the Trees & Purple Martins. These birds appeared to be the Mexican race. However, Bruce and I found at least two birds that surely were the Caribbean race (much more color on the throat, rump, etc). : : We then headed down Snake Bight Trail. No Flamingos. However, the mudflats did contain : Wundemann's Heron : Least Sandpiper : Western Sandpiper : Dunlin : Semipalmated Plover : Wilsons Plover : Black-bellied Plover : Greater Yellowlegs : Willet, Killdeer, and some distant Marbled Godwits : : We were determined. We rented a canoe. We paddled close to shore heading east until we got stuck in the shallows. We turned around and tried going around Joe Kemp Key on its other side. We were rewarded with a Spotted Sandpiper, surely that was worth the entire trip, right? Far to the east of Joe Kemp key we saw a group of birds among the horizon-haze containing some pink ones. We paddled until we saw they were Roseate Spoonbills. But even further out - what is that? Something pink, and tall this time! We paddled on. Once we got closer, what was this creature on the hazy horizon? A guy in a pink shirt standing on a boat. : : We decided to head to Lucky Hammock to look for Lesser Nighthawks. While waiting, we ran into Paul Bithorn and Juan. The sun set. We waited. Nothing. Two distant nighthawks flew over the pines and then dissappeared. A Great Horned Owl sat on one of the distant pines. Paul & Juan weren't finished birding, so neither were we. We drove with them to Royal Palm and found 2 Whiporwills. At the Royal Palm parking lot we tried for owls, Paul fascinated us with his dead-on imitation of a sick Barred Owl, but only had one very distant and quiet response. Here we ran into Drew Fulton, who accomanied us on our now 3-car (occassionally side-by-side) highbeam armada along Research Rd. We found Lesser Nighthawk. Then another bird on the road. It ran from one side of the road to the other. Then ran around in a tight circle. Awfully strange behavior for a Nighthawk. Burrowing Owl! : : Dinner at the Florida City Applebees by 9:30pm. Can you now comprehend how infinitely understanding and kind my wife is? : : Paul, Juan, and Drew armed us with some very important information. __Flamingos are only viewable at Snake Bight at extreme high tide__ The next high tide was 6:30am Sunday. Back to Snake Bight! We charged down the trail while the sun was rising. And at the end of the trail, far, far into Florida Bay, we had our life Greater Flamingos! I think we earned these birds. 36 birds in this flock. A good scope is a necessity. In case anyone is interested in seeing what the view of Flamingos looks like from the end of Snake Bight trail, I posted photos here: : : http://plaza.ufl.edu/dcollins/Flamingo : : A group of avocets was also foraging on the nearby mudflat. : : Later, our attempt for Short-tailed Hawk or White-tailed Kite along Research rd was not fruitful. : : However, the Anis at the Fort Lauderdale airport were just waiting for us! We found them in the Greenbelt Park around 1:30pm. Photos are posted here: : : http://plaza.ufl.edu/dcollins/Anis : : 2 Smooth Billed, and 1 Groove-billed. I found it very interesting that the Groove-billed groomed one of the Smooth-billed, and later we saw the Smooth-billed return the favor by grooming the neck of the Groove-billed. What can I say, but these birds are cute. : : So biggest thanks to my wife, thanks to Bruce, thanks to Paul, Juan and Drew, and thanks to the birds! 2 life-birds and 2 state birds. A successful trip! : : -Steve Collins : Gainesville, FL
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