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Posted by Susan Schneider on 14:49:49 05/11/05
I scouted the northwestern portion of my NAMC territory this
morning and enjoyed the waders, the raptors, the marsh rabbits,
the dragonflies--all the expected bounty of the season. But it's
the unexpected that often puts the icing on the cake of a field
trip, and nature was generous with me today. At the NE section
of the Taylor WMA (entrance off Krome just S of Okeechobee), I
was greeted by a bird I had searched for unsuccessfully last
year: a Least Bittern, flying briefly above the marsh. A short
time later, two called on opposite sides of the road. One flew
up and perched in characteristic fashion, one foot on one stalk,
the other foot on another--great close views! And yet another
showed itself later in the morning in another location. What a
bonanza! But where was this species last year?? Other species
that I missed last year: a large flock of Glossy Ibises, two
flyover Black-necked Stilts, and a female Brown-headed Cowbird,
apparently all on her own. Always a thrill was the thrice-
repeated wild cry of a Limpkin, another unexpected bonus. I left
the WMA very pleased in late morning, but the best was yet to
come!
Across Krome is a public access road bordering a canal and a
melaleuca stand. Woodpeckers were all over the melaleucas, and
while I was watching them, I heard from behind me a very human
sigh. I turned in astonishment to see my life Manatee, 20 feet
away!!! Wow. It gave me great looks as it surfaced repeatedly
before swimming off. But was this kind of far from the ocean and
late in the season for them? Find your way to the sea, my
friend, and thank you.
I was still in a heightened state when, a few minutes later, I
heard what sure sounded like the "fee-bee, fee-bay" song of a
Carolina chickadee! (And I've heard plenty of them!) No mimics
were about, but unfortunately, the bird did not call again. I
will spend some time searching at this spot on count day; thanks
to the Barnes bird, I know that I might not have been
hallucinating.
Hope some of these birds stick around for Saturday! Good luck to
all the NAMC participants.
Good birding, Susan
Double-crested Cormorant
Anhinga
Least Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
White Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
King Rail (heard)
Common Moorhen
Limpkin (heard)
Killdeer
Black-necked Stilt
Forster's Tern
Least Tern
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Common Ground-Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Swallow species
Blue Jay
Carolina Chickadee! (heard)
Carolina Wren
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Boat-tailed Grackle
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Sparrow
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