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Posted by John Boyd on 11:43:23 09/23/12
About 15 birders joined me for the today's TAS walk at Matheson Hammock. We started the day with White Ibis by the pond, a Pied-billed Grebe, and a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron that ended up perched in a tree overlooking the parking lot. There were obviously other birds around, and people were wandering around checking for warblers before everyone had arrived.
We did our standard route, rambling through the oaks from the north parking lot to the south lot, then across the street and west along the service road to the dog park area. We continued on to what now seems like "Matheson Marsh", just short of the canal, then returned along the nature trail to the north lot.
We ended up with 13 warbler species for the day, including a Swainson's Warbler seen off the nature trail. Warblers seen were Ovenbird, Worm-eating, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white, Swainson's, Tennessee, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Cape May Warbler, Northern Parula, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Prairie Warbler. Except for the Tennesee, which was in a ficus near the north parking lot, all were encountered more than once. Some were encountered many times (e.g. Ovenbirds).
As we walked thorough the oaks, three White-crowned Pigeons repeatedly flew overhead. A Yellow-throated Vireo sang. A Red-shouldered Hawk was chased by a couple of other hawks, probably Coopers. At least two Downy Woodpeckers were present, as was a green Scarlet Tanager, a Veery, and a number of Swainson's Thrushes. Most of the Swainson's Thrushes were moving through the trees near the south lot.
The service road didn't yield much new. After we got out into the open, we saw a Belted Kingfisher. We continued toward the canal in hopes of Blue Grosbeaks. Athough there were there yesterday, we didn't find any today. We did find 4 Orange-winged Amazon-Parrots, a number of Eastern Kingbirds,and our only White-eyed Vireo for the day.
The Bell's Vireo continues at the west end of the nature trail, just west of the rocks that you must step over. We got a nice comparison between a Veery and Swainson's Thrush there. Both were feeding on the Schefflera. Before we left, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo gave everyone present a great look. At this point we got word that Paul had found a Swainson's Warbler. We headed down the trail to see it. It had moved off to the side, but those who walked into the woods managed to see it.
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