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Posted by Toe & Trey on 21:33:18 12/29/12
This morning we did the Coastal Prairie Trail section of the Coot Bay CBC. We arrived at the C Loop around 6:30 and spotted our first bird in the campground, a Screech Owl. We walked the hammock portion of the trial in twilight and found a Short-eared Owl as soon as we reached the open prairie. Walking a little north into the prairie from the sign to the Bayshore TraiL, we were treated to calling Black Rails at dawn. They did more than one call, including the "kee-kee-do" and growl calls. We had no less than 6 individuals calling, with one probably no more than 15 feet from us. Despite our patience and new perfect motionless, we could not see them.
We then went back and birded the hammock and Cotton Pickers Camp, which in other years has been very productive. This morning it was pretty dead. We then headed into the open prairie in search of sparrows. The walking is becoming tougher, with the saltwort growing higher and thicker, and today the open areas to the north were mushier than last year. I would sink if I stopped. After almost being swallowed up by Snake Bight, I don't take any chances with Everglades mud. Also, I'm getting too old for this! Still, we managed to ID 7 Nelson's and 2 Saltmarsh Sparrows. Below is the complete list for the morning.
American White Pelican - 1
Great Egret - 6
White Ibis - 4
Turkey Vulture - 1
Osprey - 2
Bald Eagle - 1
Northern Harrier - 1
Red-shouldered Hawk - 2
American Kestrel - 1
BLACK RAIL - 6
Greater Yellowlegs - 1
Caspian Tern - 2
Common Ground-Dove - 2
Eastern Screech Owl - 1
SHORT-EARED OWL - 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2
Northern Flicker - 1
Pileated Woodpecker - 1
Eastern Phoebe - 4
Great Crested Flycatcher - 2
White-eyed Vireo - 2
American Crow - 6
Tree Swallow - 15
House Wren - 5
Sedge Wren - 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2
American Robin - 3
Gray Catbird - 18
Northern Parula - 1
Pine Warbler - 1
Prairie Warbler - 1
Palm Warbler - 80
Black-and-white Warbler - 2
Common Yellowthroat - 35
Savannah Sparrow - 47
NELSON'S SPARROW - 7
SALTMARSH SPARROW 2
Swamp Sparrow - 1
Northern Cardinal - 2
Red-winged Blackbird - 14
Eastern Meadowlark - 1
Common Grackle - 7
American Goldfinch - 1
43 species, 286 individuals
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