Posted by Robin Diaz on January 12, 2016 at 01:07:09
This afternoon while showing Miriam Avello the restoration areas of Virginia Key, we ran into a large flock of warblers and other passerines. We tracked down warbled phrases from a small yellow bird that turned out to be a Yellow-fronted Canary. Larry Manfredi located and recorded a singing bird last November in Cape Florida but it was uncooperative. Today's bird was in the general area of Red Parking 3 on Arthur Lamb, Jr. Road. Also in the loose flock were (another!) Nashville Warbler, a more-than-usual yellow Orange-crowned Warbler and a bright yellow "Eastern" Palm Warbler. Yellow was this afternoon's theme! Just when we thought the excitement was over, a Merlin exploded out of the vegetation, nailing an unfortunate female Northern Cardinal.
We started the day on Crandon Beach, conducting a Piping Plover survey. There were 35 Piping Plovers (usually 40-42 are present), of which 9 were banded. Some of the birds are returning for multiple seasons. A Forster's Tern and Reddish Egret joined the shorebirds.
