Florida Trip Report- Part Two

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Posted by Alex Harper on 09:31:50 06/19/05

In Reply to: Florida Trip Report- Part One posted by Alex Harper

Here is Andy's "part two".

Tuesday was our earliest start because we were headed to Everglades. Since we got out fifteen minutes later than planned we did not have time to stop for Chuck-will's-widow. I saw one on the drive down, but nobody else was familiar with them and could not ID it. The mosquitoes were really bad at West Lake, so we decided to go to Snake Bight. Erik Enbody and I walked all of the way to the end and were surprised when there was lots of pink on the mudflats. Too bad they were all Spoonbills and no Flamingos. Other birds of note out there were Clapper Rail, American Avocet, White Pelican, and Black-whiskered Vireo. When we got back to the van we learned that the rest of the group had seen two Mangrove Cuckoos fly over the park road as they were getting the mosquitoes out of the van. We drove down the road and located one sitting in a tree near one they had seen earlier. These were the best views I had ever had. After getting a Shiny Cowbird in Flamingo we went back to the hotel in Florida City. Instead of going for the Yellow Warbler on Card Sound Road we just took US 1 down to the keys. This paid off since we located a pair of Snail Kites flying over the marsh on the west side of the road. Later in the trip we would see five kites along the road. Down in the Keys our only stop was for Roseate Tern where we watched them chase the Least Terns around for food. Since this was not very exciting for Jim's family we left after a while and headed towards Key West. We rested at the hotel for a few hours then Erik and I decided to walk to the airport since the group was still getting ready. I did not realize how long the walk was, but we made it to the airport at the same time as the group that drove. We waited for a long time, but did not find any Antillean Nighthawks. I knew we could get them in Marathon, so I was not very worried. A cop pulled up as it was getting dark and told us it was time to leave. As we were leaving a Short-eared Owl flew across the road.
We did not do much birding the next day so we would be rested for the trip from Florida City to Marathon and back. We did see a few Roseate Terns over the Seven Mile Bridge, and were pleased with close looks at Reddish Egret and Black-necked Stilt at the Wild Bird Center in Key Largo. At six o'clock the next morning only four of us made the trip down towards Marathon to pick up the nighthawks. We stopped for the Snail Kites on the way down and saw at least five between mile marker 120 and 116. When we pulled up to the airport a nighthawk flew by, then another. After about fifteen minutes we had seen seven nighthawks, all silent. They put on a good show for about twenty minutes before the first one gave its pitty-pit-pit call. The birds called until nine o'clock.
I am not sure if we actually saw any birds on Thursday morning, but most of the group got their life Chuck-will's-widow, King Rail, and Seaside Sparrow in the Everglades. There were several Chuck's along the road, we picked up the rails while waiting for Seaside Sparrows on the road to Royal Palm, and the Sparrows were singing just past the turn to Mahogany Hammock. We did find a road kill Common Nighthawk and Chuck-will's-widow. Our only stop on the ride back to Brevard County was for Purple Gallinule at the old Masked Duck pond in Pembroke Pines. The first gallinule we saw was a young one. It did not take long to locate two adults, and we also saw Purple Swamphen and a Common Moorhen nest. When we got to Titusville it was raining, so the only bird we had a chance at was Scrub-Jay. We found two birds on SR 3 on Merritt Island NWR.
Friday morning we found Painted Buntings in the Groves in northern Brevard. There were two females along Hammock Road. After I left the group they saw Gull-billed Tern, Clapper Rail, and Wilson's Plover in Jacksonville. They also got Swainson's Warbler today in Georgia and are heading back to Michigan tomorrow.

Andy Bankert
ravenboy@cfl.rr.com
Melbourne Beach, FL

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Comments:	: Here is Andy's "part two". : : : Tuesday was our earliest start because we were headed to Everglades. Since we got out fifteen minutes later than planned we did not have time to stop for Chuck-will's-widow. I saw one on the drive down, but nobody else was familiar with them and could not ID it. The mosquitoes were really bad at West Lake, so we decided to go to Snake Bight. Erik Enbody and I walked all of the way to the end and were surprised when there was lots of pink on the mudflats. Too bad they were all Spoonbills and no Flamingos. Other birds of note out there were Clapper Rail, American Avocet, White Pelican, and Black-whiskered Vireo. When we got back to the van we learned that the rest of the group had seen two Mangrove Cuckoos fly over the park road as they were getting the mosquitoes out of the van. We drove down the road and located one sitting in a tree near one they had seen earlier. These were the best views I had ever had. After getting a Shiny Cowbird in Flamingo we went back to the hotel in Florida City. Instead of going for the Yellow Warbler on Card Sound Road we just took US 1 down to the keys. This paid off since we located a pair of Snail Kites flying over the marsh on the west side of the road. Later in the trip we would see five kites along the road. Down in the Keys our only stop was for Roseate Tern where we watched them chase the Least Terns around for food. Since this was not very exciting for Jim's family we left after a while and headed towards Key West. We rested at the hotel for a few hours then Erik and I decided to walk to the airport since the group was still getting ready. I did not realize how long the walk was, but we made it to the airport at the same time as the group that drove. We waited for a long time, but did not find any Antillean Nighthawks. I knew we could get them in Marathon, so I was not very worried. A cop pulled up as it was getting dark and told us it was time to leave. As we were leaving a Short-eared Owl flew across the road. : We did not do much birding the next day so we would be rested for the trip from Florida City to Marathon and back. We did see a few Roseate Terns over the Seven Mile Bridge, and were pleased with close looks at Reddish Egret and Black-necked Stilt at the Wild Bird Center in Key Largo. At six o'clock the next morning only four of us made the trip down towards Marathon to pick up the nighthawks. We stopped for the Snail Kites on the way down and saw at least five between mile marker 120 and 116. When we pulled up to the airport a nighthawk flew by, then another. After about fifteen minutes we had seen seven nighthawks, all silent. They put on a good show for about twenty minutes before the first one gave its pitty-pit-pit call. The birds called until nine o'clock. : I am not sure if we actually saw any birds on Thursday morning, but most of the group got their life Chuck-will's-widow, King Rail, and Seaside Sparrow in the Everglades. There were several Chuck's along the road, we picked up the rails while waiting for Seaside Sparrows on the road to Royal Palm, and the Sparrows were singing just past the turn to Mahogany Hammock. We did find a road kill Common Nighthawk and Chuck-will's-widow. Our only stop on the ride back to Brevard County was for Purple Gallinule at the old Masked Duck pond in Pembroke Pines. The first gallinule we saw was a young one. It did not take long to locate two adults, and we also saw Purple Swamphen and a Common Moorhen nest. When we got to Titusville it was raining, so the only bird we had a chance at was Scrub-Jay. We found two birds on SR 3 on Merritt Island NWR. : Friday morning we found Painted Buntings in the Groves in northern Brevard. There were two females along Hammock Road. After I left the group they saw Gull-billed Tern, Clapper Rail, and Wilson's Plover in Jacksonville. They also got Swainson's Warbler today in Georgia and are heading back to Michigan tomorrow. : : Andy Bankert : ravenboy@cfl.rr.com : Melbourne Beach, FL :
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