[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]
Posted by Alex Harper on 18:55:49 03/19/05
Today was such a beautiful day, we just had to get out to the beach. Where better to go than Crandon? A Herring Gull was on the first bridge after crossing the toll booth, a Lesser Black-backed Gull was seen on (is it Powell Bridge?) the largest and the 2nd bridge, and an adult Black-crowned Night-heron was hanging around the docks at the Crandon Marina. Crandon itself was slow at mid-day, but I was able to get two Osprey, two frigatebirds, and a Northern Gannet out there with the scope. About five Lesser Black-backed Gulls were hanging around the north beach, and were pretty photogenic. No other terns around but Royal in full breeding plumage, and only three shorebird species: Spotted Sandpiper, Sanderlings, and 22 Piping Plovers. I was happy to see a male American Kestrel sitting on one of the many dead trees on the Bear Cut Preserve. Probably one of the last ones of the season. After a nice snorkel around in the water (only notable aquatic species was an Atlantic Stingray), it was off to the south enterance. At Crandon Gardens, warblers were around in pretty good numbers, and Blue-winged Teals can be seen in the eastern ponds. I had a good time waterfowl watching, and iguana searching, but the biggest surprise was a large American Crocodile in the first pond!
Back in the Shores, I had 7 warbler species, two Broad-winged Hawks, and a few others. Gotta go eat dinner, then look fo screech owls...
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]