Kendall CBC - Black Point Area - 12/24/05

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Posted by Paul Bithorn on 23:14:37 12/25/05

Juan Villamil and I had an excellent day of birding on the 2005 Kendall Christmas Bird Count held on Saturday, December 24, 2005.

A picture perfect day, with temperatures reaching a mild 80 degrees,we began our day at 6:30 a.m, at the Cutler Wetlands. Wood Storks, Northern Shovelers, Mottled Ducks, an immature Broad-Winged Hawk and an immature Bald Eagle were amongst the highlights. An estimated flock of (6000) Common Grackles was quite a spectacle as they left their morning roost northeast of the wetlands.

Next stop - Dump Marsh - with (4) Gadwalls and White Pelicans being the best birds seen there.

The Miami-Dade Sewage Treatment Plant - malodorous to some, but perfume to a plumbers olfactory senses - produced scads of gulls including Laughing, Ring-billed, Herring, Lesser Black-backed, Great-Black-backed and a single winter plumaged Franklin's Gull. Bonaparte's Gulls - a regular in winter here - were conspicuous in their absence. A pair of Common Mynas hung with the multitudes of European Starlings and Brown-headed Cowbirds.

Black Point produced a couple of uncommon species, with (5) Horned Grebes and (2) female Buffleheads seen feeding in Biscayne Bay on the north side of the jetty.A Red-breasted Merganser was feeding amongst them. The bay waters were like glass and the dead calm seas offered us great scope views from the end of the jetty. A pair of Great-crested Flycatchers were seen on the hike out but no luck seeing the possible Ash-throated Flycatcher found by Trey and Toe that very same day. Ruddy Turnstones, Willet, Spotted Sandpiper and a couple of Yellow-crowned Night Herons were also seen.

A swing back to the wetlands produced (2) American Avocets, an adult Bald Eagle along with (2) immatures, a dark Short-tailed Hawk and a Cooper's Hawk.

Seventy-two species was a decent total for a day spent in and around a sewage treatment plant, a garbage dump (Mt.Trashmore) and a dumpy marsh. Life is good................and may everyone have a Happy Holiday season and a healthy and prosperous New Year!

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Comments:	: Juan Villamil and I had an excellent day of birding on the 2005 Kendall Christmas Bird Count held on Saturday, December 24, 2005. : : A picture perfect day, with temperatures reaching a mild 80 degrees,we began our day at 6:30 a.m, at the Cutler Wetlands. Wood Storks, Northern Shovelers, Mottled Ducks, an immature Broad-Winged Hawk and an immature Bald Eagle were amongst the highlights. An estimated flock of (6000) Common Grackles was quite a spectacle as they left their morning roost northeast of the wetlands. : : Next stop - Dump Marsh - with (4) Gadwalls and White Pelicans being the best birds seen there. : : The Miami-Dade Sewage Treatment Plant - malodorous to some, but perfume to a plumbers olfactory senses - produced scads of gulls including Laughing, Ring-billed, Herring, Lesser Black-backed, Great-Black-backed and a single winter plumaged Franklin's Gull. Bonaparte's Gulls - a regular in winter here - were conspicuous in their absence. A pair of Common Mynas hung with the multitudes of European Starlings and Brown-headed Cowbirds. : : Black Point produced a couple of uncommon species, with (5) Horned Grebes and (2) female Buffleheads seen feeding in Biscayne Bay on the north side of the jetty.A Red-breasted Merganser was feeding amongst them. The bay waters were like glass and the dead calm seas offered us great scope views from the end of the jetty. A pair of Great-crested Flycatchers were seen on the hike out but no luck seeing the possible Ash-throated Flycatcher found by Trey and Toe that very same day. Ruddy Turnstones, Willet, Spotted Sandpiper and a couple of Yellow-crowned Night Herons were also seen. : : A swing back to the wetlands produced (2) American Avocets, an adult Bald Eagle along with (2) immatures, a dark Short-tailed Hawk and a Cooper's Hawk. : : Seventy-two species was a decent total for a day spent in and around a sewage treatment plant, a garbage dump (Mt.Trashmore) and a dumpy marsh. Life is good................and may everyone have a Happy Holiday season and a healthy and prosperous New Year!
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