Re: BNP Snorkeling Next Week

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Posted by Jeff Weber on 09:15:27 05/16/05

In Reply to: Re: Key Largo Bird Walk posted by Joe Barros

Thanks, Joe, for plugging the snorkeling trip at Biscayne NP on Saturday, May 21. As it turns out , I will be up in Alaska and thus must miss it, but Brian Rapoza and Linda Weber will be on hand to escort aspiring fish-watchers. Plan to join them for a different kind of wildlife observation experience. No sharks . . . we promise.

Jeff Weber

: We had a great TAS Key Largo Birdwalk yesterday birding upper Key Largo as we counted individual birds for the International Migratory Bird Count. Fourteen plus people including a number of new birders, a Brit, Rock Jetty, Trey (and his sure shot camera) and the infamous Paul Life is Good Bithorn participated and enjoying our prolonged Spring-like weather.
:
:
:
: In Florida City we had Starlings, Boat-tailed grackles, House sparrows, Mocking birds, Collard doves a White-winged dove, but did not locate a common myna until we returned. Our first stop was Alabama Jacks looking unsuccessfully for the Cuban race of the yellow warbler. We did find a few Prairie warblers, Grey kingbirds, Magnificent frigatebirds and two Brown-headed cowbirds.
:
:
:
: Crossing over the toll bridge and into Monroe County we stopped and continued our search for yellow warblers. No sight or sound of yellows but we were treated to a beautiful Prairie warbler in song and added two Northern waterthrushes.
:
:
:
: We continued to the Crocodile Lakes Refuge where we added a number of waders.
:
:
:
: At the three-way stop we enjoyed the blooming wild tamarinds, spicewood and fruiting paradise tree and poisonwood as a Reddish Egret danced about in Dispatch Slew. Two Roseate Spoonbills surprised us with a wonderful view as they took wing and Tri-colored Herons flew in and out of the slew. Three least terns tore across the sky leaving Joe, from England, wishing he had a better view at this desired life bird.
:
:
:
: We moved on to Carysfort Circle and Carysfort (a Back Country Permit is required off the main road) where we added Common yellowthroat, White-eyed vireo, Black-whiskered vireo, Ground dove, Wilson s, Semi-palmated and Black-bellied Plover, Ruddy turnstone, Kildeer, Great white heron, and much better views of the Least terns for Joe.
:
:
:
: Onward to the Cagney Johnson Key Largo Botanical Site where flying across the road Paul saw a Pileated woodpecker and Trey a cuckoo that he later identified as a Yellow-billed. Here we had flowering Jamaica dogwood, Willow bustic and Lancewood. I noticed that the stalks of the flowering panicles of the lancewood were red in color rather than green as shown in Roger Hammer s books on Wildflowers of the Florida Keys . I will need to ask Roger about this variation. Within this magnificent hammock we had excellent views of numerous Black-whiskered vireos singing and carrying nesting material. Also seen were White-eyed vireos, American redstart, a female Black-throated blue warbler, a Cape May warbler and a Spotted sandpiper.
:
:
:
: Now well past noon and not only being hungry but thirsty we headed to the Buzzard s Roost Restaurant whose gracious staff accommodated our large party in their comfortable screened patio. There we enjoyed conch fritters, jerked dolphin (and yellowtail), and schooners of Key West Pale Ale as we overlooked the waterway and happily recounted the day and reminisced about our favorite rock and roll bands and concerts, Humble Pie U2, Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, Iggy Pop, and Stranger.
:
:
:
: Thank you to all who attended TAS's final birdwalk of the season. Thank you to Jim Duquesnal for helping me with the Back Country Permit. And thank you to Trey for the quick post and the wonderful pictures. Talk about bringing the birdwalk walk home with you. How wonderful to have "instant replay" on the TAS walks.
:
:
:
: Remember that we do have a snorkling trip next week with Brian Rapoza and Jeff & Linda Webber.
:
: Joe
:
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: : I wanted to post some of my photos and thank Joe for a great tour of the area and a lot of interesting information about the plant life.
: :
: : Also I would like to applaud you for your Black Whiskered Vireo Call , it worked so well.
: :
: : Trey
: :
: : BTW: The Mangrove Cuckoo I thought I saw, the photos didn't confirm what I saw. When I was able to look closely, there was some yellow on the top bill and there doesn't seem to be a dark mask. My eyes were playing tricks on me along with wishful thinking.
: :
: : Oh well, next time...
:

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Comments:	: Thanks, Joe, for plugging the snorkeling trip at Biscayne NP on Saturday, May 21. As it turns out , I will be up in Alaska and thus must miss it, but Brian Rapoza and Linda Weber will be on hand to escort aspiring fish-watchers. Plan to join them for a different kind of wildlife observation experience. No sharks . . . we promise. : : Jeff Weber : : : We had a great TAS Key Largo Birdwalk yesterday birding upper Key Largo as we counted individual birds for the International Migratory Bird Count. Fourteen plus people including a number of new birders, a Brit, Rock Jetty, Trey (and his sure shot camera) and the infamous Paul Life is Good Bithorn participated and enjoying our prolonged Spring-like weather. : : : : : : : : In Florida City we had Starlings, Boat-tailed grackles, House sparrows, Mocking birds, Collard doves a White-winged dove, but did not locate a common myna until we returned. Our first stop was Alabama Jacks looking unsuccessfully for the Cuban race of the yellow warbler. We did find a few Prairie warblers, Grey kingbirds, Magnificent frigatebirds and two Brown-headed cowbirds. : : : : : : : : Crossing over the toll bridge and into Monroe County we stopped and continued our search for yellow warblers. No sight or sound of yellows but we were treated to a beautiful Prairie warbler in song and added two Northern waterthrushes. : : : : : : : : We continued to the Crocodile Lakes Refuge where we added a number of waders. : : : : : : : : At the three-way stop we enjoyed the blooming wild tamarinds, spicewood and fruiting paradise tree and poisonwood as a Reddish Egret danced about in Dispatch Slew. Two Roseate Spoonbills surprised us with a wonderful view as they took wing and Tri-colored Herons flew in and out of the slew. Three least terns tore across the sky leaving Joe, from England, wishing he had a better view at this desired life bird. : : : : : : : : We moved on to Carysfort Circle and Carysfort (a Back Country Permit is required off the main road) where we added Common yellowthroat, White-eyed vireo, Black-whiskered vireo, Ground dove, Wilson s, Semi-palmated and Black-bellied Plover, Ruddy turnstone, Kildeer, Great white heron, and much better views of the Least terns for Joe. : : : : : : : : Onward to the Cagney Johnson Key Largo Botanical Site where flying across the road Paul saw a Pileated woodpecker and Trey a cuckoo that he later identified as a Yellow-billed. Here we had flowering Jamaica dogwood, Willow bustic and Lancewood. I noticed that the stalks of the flowering panicles of the lancewood were red in color rather than green as shown in Roger Hammer s books on Wildflowers of the Florida Keys . I will need to ask Roger about this variation. Within this magnificent hammock we had excellent views of numerous Black-whiskered vireos singing and carrying nesting material. Also seen were White-eyed vireos, American redstart, a female Black-throated blue warbler, a Cape May warbler and a Spotted sandpiper. : : : : : : : : Now well past noon and not only being hungry but thirsty we headed to the Buzzard s Roost Restaurant whose gracious staff accommodated our large party in their comfortable screened patio. There we enjoyed conch fritters, jerked dolphin (and yellowtail), and schooners of Key West Pale Ale as we overlooked the waterway and happily recounted the day and reminisced about our favorite rock and roll bands and concerts, Humble Pie U2, Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, Iggy Pop, and Stranger. : : : : : : : : Thank you to all who attended TAS's final birdwalk of the season. Thank you to Jim Duquesnal for helping me with the Back Country Permit. And thank you to Trey for the quick post and the wonderful pictures. Talk about bringing the birdwalk walk home with you. How wonderful to have "instant replay" on the TAS walks. : : : : : : : : Remember that we do have a snorkling trip next week with Brian Rapoza and Jeff & Linda Webber. : : : : Joe : : : : : : : I wanted to post some of my photos and thank Joe for a great tour of the area and a lot of interesting information about the plant life. : : : : : : Also I would like to applaud you for your Black Whiskered Vireo Call , it worked so well. : : : : : : Trey : : : : : : BTW: The Mangrove Cuckoo I thought I saw, the photos didn't confirm what I saw. When I was able to look closely, there was some yellow on the top bill and there doesn't seem to be a dark mask. My eyes were playing tricks on me along with wishful thinking. : : : : : : Oh well, next time... : : :
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