[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]
Posted by Joe Barros on 10:18:13 05/12/14
Ten birders joined me for the annual TAS Key Largo Bird, Butterfly, and Native Plant walk Saturday. We had a very slow day possibly due to the wind and dryness in Key Largo but a good time was had by all culminating with lunch at the Buzzard's Roost.
The day started with promise in Florida City we had many of the regular birds found in the South Florida urban environment with Common Myna and Chimney Swift heard overhead. We headed off to Alabama Jacks where Prairie Warblers & Black Whiskered Vireos were singing but none seen due to the strong wind blowing. No other warblers were found in the mangroves & buttonwoods along the causeway. A Gray Kingbird perched was over the road. Also flying in the area were White-crowned Pigeons, Red-winged Blackbirds, an Osprey, and Magnificent Frigatebirds.
At the Crocodile Lakes Refuge the water level was high. A Reddish Egret, Tricolored Heron, and several Green Blue Heron were seen. As we were planning our departure a Clapper Rail called but not seen. At the Crossroads a Grey Kingbird allowed nice looks while hunting.
With Linda Evens with us, she guided us down a different Key Largo locale, Purple-wing Trail, where Mangrove Cuckoo was recently reported. Entering the trail (a Back Country Permit is required) we were met by a pair of singing and hunting Black-whiskered Vireos that crossed back and forth over the trail allowing great looks. White-eyed Vireos joined the raucous along with a Common Yellowthroat. With the addition of a Red-bellied Woodpecker and an flyover of a White Ibis only regular White-eyed & Black-whiskered Vireos were sighted. Along the trail were, Julias and Zebra Longwings but of special interest were multiple Florida Purple-winged butterflies that would light along the trail allowing great views and photos. We did have a sighting of a large swallowtail that possibly could have been a Shaus Swallowtail but it moved quickly up the trail and disappeared.
We moved on to Carysfort Circle where again the wind was blowing and other than singing Prairie Warblers, a Red-bellied Woodpaecker, and Northern Cardinals with young not much else was seen. We did note a large patch of Balloon Vine and a Silver-banded Hairstreak was found.
Giant Swallow-tailed butterflies
At Dagney Johnson Key Largo Botanical State Park we found no new birds. We repeatedly tried for Mangrove Cuckoo but no luck.
We headed to lunch the Buzzard s Roost Restaurant not to drown our sorrows (Toe) but to celebrate a wonderful morning in the beautiful hammocks of Key Largo. I enjoyed a Fat Tire Amber Ale and fresh Yellowtail. Another fine year of TAS Fieldtrips. Thank you again to Brian and all the fieldtrip leaders and those who have participated in our yearlong calendar of events which continues with trips to the Pacific Northwest and Brazil in July.
Magnificent Frigatebird
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Reddish Egret
Green Heron
White Ibis
Turkey Vulture
Clapper Rail (heard)
Eurasian Collared Dove
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Great Crested Flycatcher
Gray Kingbird
Blue Jay
Fish Crow
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Common Myna
White-eyed Vireo
Black-whiskered Vireo
Prairie Warbler (Many heard singing)
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
Common Grackle
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]