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Posted by Alex Harper on 09:38:45 03/28/05
About ten birders joined Juan Vilamil Saturday morning, 3/26, in search of, well, anything. We left the Doc Thomas House a little after 7:00, and a few of us saw and heard the only Cedar Waxwings of the day. Along the Palmetto heading towards Tamiami (Tampa-to-Miami), a Merlin flew west to east. Our first stops were to two different entrances to Francis S. Taylor WMA, one just west of the casino, and one closer towards Shark Valley. We parked across the levee north of the canal on the Tamiami Trail, and quickly found our first few waders (including a small congregation of Black-crowned Night-herons), our only coots of the day, Purple Gallinule, and a photogenic Swamp Sparrow. A big surprise was a Cockatial which perched on the pump station. After about twenty minutes of driving, we arrived at out next stop at FSTWMA. Not much going on here but a couple of Mottled Ducks, Wood Storks, and a Red-shouldered Hawk. It was still early, and we realized it was going to be a hot day. A Roseate Spoonbill was seen as we approached the Shark Valley entrance, aswell as an unidentified raptor that is still bothering me. This bird was far up and no color was visible. It was soaring with a couple vultures. Whats bugging me is it had a fairly long, thin tail, and narrow pointed wings. It's wings were not bent back at the wrist like a kite or falcon. The only thing I could think of, especially since it was large, is a Swainson's Hawk. It is obviously still a little to iffy to call it anything.
After arriving at Shark Valley, it was even hotter. A quick restroom break, and we were off. Well at least Nancy Freedman and I were. We were already at the Otter Caves when the rest of the group was still near the visitor center. We had the usual waders, a couple Purple Gallinules, both night-herons, a Prairie Warbler, and we heard a Chipping Sparrow which everyone else saw. The bird of the day was White-eyed Vireo. They were everywhere! By this time the temperature, with humidity, was easily in the 90's, so Nancy and I headed back down to the visitor center to stock up on water and stand under the a.c..
We decided to walk through the Bobcat Trail, which was not productive except for a juvenile and parent King Rail which were below us under the boardwalk. Great looks. The rest of the group caught up to attempt to see the rails, but only a few of them got to hear the juvenile calling from in the sawgrass. After lunch and a walk up the road between The Trail and the parking lot only got us Northern Waterthrush, and a few of us some Painted Buntings. Loop Road was our next stop. Pinecrest was an interesting spot. Not only did it have some very "interesting" people around, but the habitat was good for species at the southern tip of their range: Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Tufted Titmouse, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. We had all four of these species at this location, as well as Barn Swallow, Swallow-tailed Kite, Eastern Screech-owl, Carolina Wren, Northern Flicker, and Downy Woodpecker. We said our good byes to a couple members of our group here, and slowly headed towards Sweetwater Strand. We made a couple stops along the way, none eventful at all. About an hour later, we made it to Sweetwater Strand. This spot was one of the prettiest places I have been to in Florida, and it was fun to sit down and relax before our search for a Prothonotary Warbler. Tufted Titmice, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and Northern Parulas were singing, the clear water was full of fish (Mayan Siclids, mollies, killifish, bass, sunfish, etc, right Raul?), a couple newts, and gators. I ventured off to look for The Warbler, but only heard two hissing sounds coming from a couple dozen yards away. All of us decided they could only be juvenile Barred Owls, and I consulted Sibley's and these owls give the same hissing call we heard. Our last stop after a restroom break was Kirby Storter along the Trail. Three Eastern Bluebirds stole the show, a Pine Warbler, and a mixed flock at the end of the boardwalk included Blue-headed Vireo, Black-and-white Warbler, Tufted Titmouse, and a couple that got away.
On our way back to the Doc Thomas House, we started getting the last day birds we should have gotten earlier, such as Purple Martin, House Sparrow, Muscovy, and dare I say, Mourning Dove! Hill Mynas greeted us at the DTH, and we all left home probably a little dehidrated. Besides the heat, it was not too bad...
Thanks Juan for leading the trip and Raul for all the knowledge passed on about the Everglades.
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