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Posted by Rick Schofield on 17:37:09 03/19/13
Three of us left the Delray area well before dawn on Monday, March 18 to try for the Thick-billed Vireo at Bill Bagg's.
As we were early we decided to stop at both Arthur Lamb Jr Rd and Virginia Key State Park Rd to check on the Great Black-Hawk. Dip and dip. :(
We then stopped at Crandon Park to check out the gulls, terns, and shorebirds on the beach. We didn't have much time (as we wanted to get to Bill Bagg's when it opened) but we picked up many of each -- Great and Lesser Black-backed, Herring, and Laughing Gulls; Royal Terns; Black-bellied Plover, Short-billed Dowitchers, and more that I've forgotten.
We got to Bill Bagg's shortly after it opened and went directly to the white gate near No Name Harbor where there were already four other birders. We were quickly -- but briefly -- joined by Angel who told us that he had heard the Thick-billed Vireo singing in a ficus to the right of the path and a Western Spindalis singing between the top of the hill of the nature trail and the No Name parking lot.
We spent quite some time near the white gate (walking up and down the road) and eventually heard the vireo -- first singing briefly, then giving its scold call many times in a sea grape tree a few yards closer to the main road from the gate. While no one in my party saw the bird, one of the other birders had a brief glimpse as it darted down from near the top of the sea grape into the brush below. We heard it scold one more time before we reluctantly gave up and walked the nature trail and bike path. Not a whole lot was seen -- Common Ground Doves and Great Crested Flycatcher being the best.
After lunch at the Lighthouse Cafe (mmmmm, chunks!), we decided to check out Matheson Hammock as the other two people had not been there before. On the way, we made a brief stop at the two above-mentioned roads on Virginia Key. Dip and SUCCESS! The Great Black-Hawk was perched in a snag just before the toll booth on Arthur Lamb Jr Rd. He stayed around for about 5 minutes before flying off to the north. But he gave great views beforehand allowing decent, though distant, photos.
Matheson yielded several warblers in the Live Oaks in the picnic area -- Northern Parula, Black-and-White, Palm, and Yellow-rumped. Not much was happening in the west part although a single Swallow-tailed Kite circled briefly and, just as we were about to cross Old Cutler Rd back into the Matheson parking lot, a Peregrine Falcon passed overhead.
So...
Dipped on Thick-billed Vireo (though heard) and Western Spindalis.
Made up for by Great Black-Hawk, Swallow-tailed Kite, and Peregrine Falcon.
Fine with me.
Rick
P.S. Thanks to Robin Diaz for the Great Black-Hawk locations.
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