Cuckoos in Bear Lake, Dead Ani

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Posted by Toe on 20:57:20 04/23/05

Is is with mixed feelings that I post this message. Today, Rock Jetty and I went to ENP to get a handful of target birds. We began south of Mahogany Hammock where we got Rock's life Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow. We saw and heard at least 3 birds, but the looks were not as good as you would want for a life bird. The birds were somewhat far and seen through some early-morning fog. We then went to Flamingo where some birders from Minnesota located the Shiny Cowbird. This was a life bird for me and year bird for Rock, and the looks were fantastic. We then went to Bear Lake road in search of Mangrove Cuckoo. About 1/2 mile into the road, we parked and quickly heard one. We "called" it in with our best attempt at a cuckoo call, which Rock does pretty good but I sound like I am in desperate need of CPR or something. We heard a second cuckoo calling from the opposite side of the canal. The first cuckoo flew over the road and over the water to the east where the second bird had been calling. The Minnesota couple (sorry, I forgot their names) had joined us and we collectively located the bird in the trees just across the canal. We got descent looks, but as was the case with Rock's Seaside Sparrow, not the best looks you want for a life bird (for me). Rock and I called it quits after this. A life M. Cuckoo and Shiny Cowbird would normally call for celebratory libations, but:

The sad part of the story is that while in Ft. DeSoto on Wednesday, my friend Webb from Louisiana, who was in Miami at the time, called me to find out where to find the anis. He was in town with a friend who needed the Smooth-billed as a life bird. I told them how to get to the ones at the Ft. Lauderdale airport by parking at the greenway and scanning the hedge next to perimeter road. He called me back that same afternoon. He did find the anis, two in fact, but the first one was dead on perimeter road. He couldn't tell whether is was a Groove-billed or Smooth-billed. He later located a single live Smooth-billed nearby. Considering how infrequent Ani sightings have become, I regret the loss of even a single bird, and if it's the Groove-billed, we may have just lost the only one in South Florida that we know of. It's sad.

Toe

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Re: Cuckoos in Bear Lake, Dead Ani - Rick & Jeanne Specht 21:21:01 04/26/05 (0)

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Comments:	: Is is with mixed feelings that I post this message. Today, Rock Jetty and I went to ENP to get a handful of target birds. We began south of Mahogany Hammock where we got Rock's life Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow. We saw and heard at least 3 birds, but the looks were not as good as you would want for a life bird. The birds were somewhat far and seen through some early-morning fog. We then went to Flamingo where some birders from Minnesota located the Shiny Cowbird. This was a life bird for me and year bird for Rock, and the looks were fantastic. We then went to Bear Lake road in search of Mangrove Cuckoo. About 1/2 mile into the road, we parked and quickly heard one. We "called" it in with our best attempt at a cuckoo call, which Rock does pretty good but I sound like I am in desperate need of CPR or something. We heard a second cuckoo calling from the opposite side of the canal. The first cuckoo flew over the road and over the water to the east where the second bird had been calling. The Minnesota couple (sorry, I forgot their names) had joined us and we collectively located the bird in the trees just across the canal. We got descent looks, but as was the case with Rock's Seaside Sparrow, not the best looks you want for a life bird (for me). Rock and I called it quits after this. A life M. Cuckoo and Shiny Cowbird would normally call for celebratory libations, but: : : The sad part of the story is that while in Ft. DeSoto on Wednesday, my friend Webb from Louisiana, who was in Miami at the time, called me to find out where to find the anis. He was in town with a friend who needed the Smooth-billed as a life bird. I told them how to get to the ones at the Ft. Lauderdale airport by parking at the greenway and scanning the hedge next to perimeter road. He called me back that same afternoon. He did find the anis, two in fact, but the first one was dead on perimeter road. He couldn't tell whether is was a Groove-billed or Smooth-billed. He later located a single live Smooth-billed nearby. Considering how infrequent Ani sightings have become, I regret the loss of even a single bird, and if it's the Groove-billed, we may have just lost the only one in South Florida that we know of. It's sad. : : Toe
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