[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]
Posted by Paul Bithorn on 09:52:15 12/09/13
Eighteen birders joined co-leaders, Brian Rapoza, author of the excellent Falcon Guide; Birding Florida and Tropical Audubon Society s Field Trip Coordinator and Paul Bithorn for the Tropical Audubon Society's annual Exotics fieldtrip on Saturday, December 7, 2013. We met at 6:00 a.m. at the Doc Thomas House and before we could load our two passenger vans we had flyovers of two Egyptian Geese, and small flocks of Mitred and Yellow-chevroned Parakeets, which set the tone for a great day of birding. Our eclectic group of birders from such diverse locales as Great Britain, Toronto, Canada, Maryland, New Jersey, Port Charlotte, Fellsmere, West Palm Beach and Little Havana enjoyed Chamber of Commerce weather with sunny skies and light winds with temperatures barely reaching 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Before we could even make it to our first stop, we spotted a small flock of aratinga parakeets sitting atop a parapet wall on the roof of an office building at Sunset Drive and S.W. 60th Ave. in South Miami. The flock included nine Mitred (Aratinga mitrata) and three Red-masked parakeets (Aratinga erythrogenys). Heading south on S.W. 62nd Ave. we soon heard more aratingas, nearby. After a short drive around the block, we located the source of the screeching and found a flock of nine Red-masked Parakeets and a roosting male Common Peafowl (Pavo cristatus). The peacock looked larger than life, hidden in the tree canopy.
We continued driving the residential neighborhood in South Miami and spotted an adult White-crowned Pigeon, the first of three seen. We headed to the small lake across from Brewer Park and were greeted by a flyover of three Chestnut-fronted Macaws. One macaw soon returned and gave us scope views, as it fed on the cones of an Australian Pine (Casuarina equisetifolia). The smallest of our local macaws, at 16 to 18 inches, the white facial patch really stood out against the backdrop of pale green pine needles. Muscovy Ducks, Rock Pigeons, Eurasian Collared Doves, White-winged Doves and European Starlings were also in the hood .
While on the drive to the Matheson Hammock Dog Park, we came to a screeching halt as two Hill Mynas perched on a power-line on S.W. 67th Ave and S.W. 70th St. They were a little skittish due to a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks in the area. One perched nearby, in an Australian Pine, but everyone in the group was able to get good looks at the yellow wattles of the mynah. We soon turned east, just south of South Miami Middle School and spotted a dark buteo perched atop a Norfolk Island Pine.
Mistakenly thinking it was a Broad-winged Hawk, we soon discovered that the buteo was a juvenile male, dark morph Short-tailed Hawk, which is rarely seen perched in an urban environment and was a lifer for some in our group. While scoping the Short-tailed Hawk, three Orange-winged Parrots descended onto a nearby Australian Pine.
The dog park at Matheson Hammock offered scope views of Yellow-chevroned Parakeets (Brotogeris chirriri) atop the spire of a Cuban Royal Palm (Roystonea regia),as well as a flyover of six Orange-winged Parrots (Amazona amazonica). Both color morphs of Short-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, House Wren, Grey Catbird, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Cardinal, and Indigo and Painted Buntings were also in the area. Alas, we were unable to locate any Nutmeg Mannikins (Lonchura punctulata) in the invasive Burma Reed (Neyraudia reynaudiana).
Our next stop was the residential neighborhood across from Baptist Hospital, in search of the rare and elusive Red-whiskered Bulbul. A few of us spotted a pair that flew in front of my van, but we were unable to relocated them. Our birders were amazed at the number of Loggerhead Shrikes a threatened species in most of the areas where it breeds. If I had a dollar for every stop for a shrike, thinking it might be a bulbul. I d have like . twelve bucks! Our frustration turned into hunger pangs and we were soon wolfing down barbecued ribs, pulled pork sandwiches and Key Lime pie at Shorty s BBQ. House Sparrows were bathing in a puddle next to our vans. As soon as we left the parking lot we located several Mitred Parakeets in the Palms adjacent to the Datran Center. Our group reaffirmed the credo that; No two Mitred s are alike.
We headed back to the residential neighborhood known as Kendallwood, west of S.W. 87th Avenue, and after much persistence and dogged determination by our group, walking around a few blocks, Brian called on the radio that a Spot-breasted Oriole was being heard in an area where my group had heard one earlier, and despite the heard bird not being located, one of our birders found the Holy Grail , two Red-whiskered Bulbuls on a wire behind a residence. Our birders soon had excellent scope views of the birds, and were also afforded close-up photographs of this elusive species. The Bird of the Day was a lifebird for most of our birders.
Big smiles, high fives and fist bumps reminded me why I love this obsession of ours so much. Kudos to the residents in these neighborhoods, that we birders invade on a regular basis. Several of the residents come out of their homes to see what all of the fanfare is about and please remember to not trespass on their property, unless invited to do so, and be polite by and allowing them to look at the birds through your scopes and binoculars.
Once we got our feet back on the ground, we proceeded to the Grace Church of Kendall on the corner of S.W. 104th St. and S.W. 82nd Ave., where a whopping gaggle of Eighty-three Egyptian Geese greeted us. The dominant male of the gaggle stood out like a sore thumb, based on his large size and stunning colors. Bill Pranty is currently working on a scientific paper on this beautiful goose, which should be ABA countable in the foreseeable future. Muscovy ducks, as well as American Coots, Common Gallinules and Anhinga were also seen behind the church.
We made a quick stop at A.D. Barnes Park, hoping to see a Spot-breasted Oriole. No oriole, but Northen Parula, Yellow-rumped, Yellow-throated, Pine, Prairie, Palm and Black and White Warblers, along with three Summer Tanagers were seen feeding in the Strangler Figs (Ficus aurea) behind the pool.
We then headed to Dolphin Mall on N.W. 12th St., east of the Florida Turnpike, and we had little trouble finding five Purple Swamphens (Porphyrio porphyrio) in the westernmost lake. The Mall had no parking available and serendipitously, we were able to jump the curb and park in front of the Cypress trees within fifty yards of the birds. I was reminded that I promised to perform a salsa dance for our group if we saw the bulbul. I mimicked a trumpet to a familiar salsa tune and danced with my body rocking and hips swiveling as I slid across the grass. I wished I had brought my Panama Hat and a good cigar for full effect!
Ocean Bank in Little Havana was our next stop and as soon as soon as we parked, we could hear the chatter of the White-winged Parakeets (Brotogeris versicoloris). Unfortunately they were across the street in a large Bishopwood Tree (Bischofia javanica) and were well hidden in the tree canopy. Most of our group, cautiously crossed LeJeune Road (N.W. 42nd Ave.), and they were able to find the small parakeets in a used car parking lot, where the sound of loud salsa music could be heard. The lot was adjacent to the Latin American Cafe, where the delicious aroma of garlic-laced Cuban food wafted through the neighborhood. Despite the din of the traffic and honking horns - a Little Havana tradition for its impatient drivers - it was well worth the effort. Some of us that stayed behind were treated to three of the parakeets that flew into a nearby Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis). The rest of the group returned and shared in the merriment.
Five Monk Parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) were seen from the parking lot during a bathroom stop at the Village of Virginia Gardens Town Hall.
Our last stop was Truxton Drive in Miami Springs, between Hunting Lodge and Hammond Drive, where a Green Parakeet (Aratinga holochlora), perched on a Texas Sabal Palm (Sabal texana), when we had a fly-in of about twenty aratinga species parakeets descend in two Cuban Royal Palms, including: (5) Scarlet-fronted (Aratinga wagleri), (5) Crimson-fronted (Aratinga finschi), (5) Mitred, (1) Red-masked and (1) White-eyed Parakeets (Aratinga leucophtalmus). Our exotics total finished up at twenty-four, including twelve psittacids. Total species seen was seventy-one. Many thanks to our birders for a great day of birding and David Simpson for his assistance.
Life is good............................ exotic birding in exotic South Florida. Becks Octoberfest and a 22 ounce bomber of Cigar City Bolita Double Nut Brown Ale (Thanks John) from Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, a Double Northern English-style brown ale that has a complex malt forward character with notes of chocolate, toffee and hints of roasted nuts in the finish served as our celebratory libation. Bolita pairs up well with Palomilla Steak, Salsa Music, Cool Evenings and a good Cuban Cigar and weighs in at a healthy 8% ABV.
P.S. Robert Baumander, one of our birders and the Video Coordinator for the Toronto Blue Jays, flew in from Toronto to rack up his 609th and 610th ABA Lifers, Red-whiskered Bulbul and White-winged Parakeet. Check out his blog chronicling his success on our Exotics field trip titled: Lifers in South Florida on the ABA website, at http://just for the bird.blogspot.com//m=1. After seeing the movie the Big Year, he is on a quest to break the ABA record for most species seen in a year. Sandy Komito is now residing in South Florida and is a friend of TAS and is kind enough to help Robert with his quest. Robert posted some excellent photos on his blog and if any of our birders have any photos that they would like to share, please send them to Brian at brianrapoza@aol.com or me at pbithorn@plumbers519.com. and we will get them posted. Thanks in advance.
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]