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Posted by Russ Martens on 15:33:37 09/01/13
In Reply to: TAS field trip to Belle Glade posted by David S.
Allow me to add my wholehearted endorsement of the highly enjoyable birding outing TAS led on August 31 to the Everglades Agricultural Area. Special thanks to Paul Bithorn for leading the trip; Kevin Sarsfield for leading a very impressive advance team to scout for birds ahead of the car caravan; Brian Rapoza for being so generous with his scope and birding skills; and to John Boyd and all of the above for the many helpful birding tips.
A very special highlight of the day was an adventuresome drive into what felt like no-man s land. As the caravan came to a dead end at the end of a long gravel road we thought that perhaps we had made a wrong turn somewhere and would have to backtrack. Instead, Paul led us into a beautiful open meadow with a large grouping of Bald Cedar and Australian Pine off to one side. As we approached the cluster of trees, out flew a Barn Owl with several others darting about inside the conifers.
As this excitement abated, we were entertained with an ensemble of birds dashing about the top of a large Bald Cypress: Prairie, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers.
And, don t forget, all the group had hoped for were shore birds.
Highlights of the lightly flooded fields that now predominate were: Black-bellied Plover (sod field), Semipalmated Plover, Solitary Sandpiper, Caspian Tern and, of course, the Wilson s Snipe and Upland Sandpiper that my wife and I left just a little too early to see.
Great job all around and a great day of birding.
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