[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]
Posted by Pau-the-other on 01:32:54 02/22/05
Our four day visit to ENP produced the same sightings already posted on this board but several events were of unusual interest. On all four days we sighted members of the TAS group on their "tours." It was good to see Paul L., Dee, and many of the visitors from England.
On Sunday we watched a male osprey attempt a "pickup" of a stick from a pile of tree trimming debris for nesting purposes in the green space south of the Flamingo Lodge. Problem was that the stick was a palm frond with the frond still attached. The bird swopped down grabbing what it thought was a single stick and emerged with an entire cabbage palm frond--a load beyond its ability. But it wasn't to be denied and dragged the frond for forty feet while barely able to maintain flight. The osprey finally recognized that it was either let go or down we go. Discretion being the better part of valor it released its load gained altitude circled and came right back to try again with the same result. Failing that it flew down to the shore line and grabed a claw full of seaweed....better something than nothing.
On the way back to Anhinga Trail on Sunday we were now so impressed with the numbers of catbirds that we counted just the ones we saw along the road. We stopped counting at 150 for just one mile of travel from Flamingo! Presuming that not all catbirds are roadside that makes for a very large number of catbirds in the ENP. A conversation with one of the PArk biologists confirmed that this is a very good year for catbirds. To prove the point, as we packed to leave today, one flew into the hotel room. At Anhinga Trail they were as present and habituated as the palm warblers. We photographed several around our feet.
The osprey nest by the cabins fell down along with part of the tree. Too bad for them. But better news on the osprey at the boat lift. They were observed feeding their chick (chicks). This is a difficult area to get a good view but we solved the problem by climbing some storage sheds to reduce the "angle" of view.
A boat trip to Snake Bight and Tin Can channel was as impressive a view as we have ever seen in the Park. Our expert guide poled us quietly up to the mud flats (low tide and a 15 mph nne wind made the event difficult): Virtually all species of shore birds were there but the most outstanding were several large flocks of Black Skimmers that wheeled and circled in the sky in a display that the Blue Angels would envy. Willets were abundant, white morphs were everywhere, and a fair number of reddish egrets practiced their dance steps. Roseate spoonbills were gathered in clusters of 3 to 30 and present as far as we could see. Flamingos can not be confirmed but a pink mass about 1 mile away had some promise that they were present also. The wind increased as we were attempting to move closer and the boat was very difficult to control with the waves and winds increasing so we terminated the trip earlier and returned to the marina. Flocks of Godwits and Wimbrels flew past us as we returned.
The marina itself was an interesting, albeit non-bird, story. The extreme low tide strong winds and other unknown events had driven mullet into the marina bay. Tarpon in great numbers were thrashing them and the commotion drew in white and brown pelicans. Suddenly a pod of porpoise appeared, one with a calf. They took on the tarpon and the mullet. The thrashing and splashing went on for thirty minutes with rolling tarpon, breeching porpoises, and leaping mullet. It drew everybody to the seawalls. As John Muir would say, "Look up, look down and around at the splendor....." And all right here in our back yard.
We left the Park monday late morning and bid our Vermillion adios. Sadly, our last stop (Shark Valley), was interrupted by a major collision with fatalities that happened about five minutes in front of our travel. Tamiami was thus closed and we were turned around just short of the Shark Valley entrance.
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]