Posted by Joe Barros on May 08, 2016 at 14:02:42
The TAS North Key Largo trip started early yesterday this morning with 21 birders meeting in Florida City. Common Nighthawks greeted the group before we set off for our first stop at Alabama Jacks and the Card Sound Road & Bridge area. Immediately on our arrival we noted scores of warblers crossing through the mangrove islands and along the causeway. As we worked the edges we found an American Redstart, a Prairie Warbler, and a Northern Waterthush but the masses of warblers on the move were Blackpoll Warblers! The activity was extraordinary. Also of note were the Bobolinks who were feeding along the grass at close distance. Yellow Warblers were heard singing along the causeway but not seen until John located one that hung around long enough for the group to view before retreating back across the sound. Along the way we added many of the expected species through Crocodile Lakes Wildlife Refuge. At Purplewing Trail, part of Dagney Johnson State Park (permit required) we had more Blackpoll Warblers and a couple of Yellow-billed Cuckoos flying across the road. On the trail we immediately found a few birds working the trail/road a Northern Waterthrush, American Redstart, and a far away thrush that remained unidentified (John?). The highlight of the walk was Connecticut Warbler that was kicked up by the group, stayed along the road briefly but then walked into the hammock and disappeared. It was re-located once, twice, and a third time but only glimpses to a few. Heading to lunch we stopped at Carysfort Circle where we added Cape May Warblers, Palm Warblers, and Indigo Buntings. Butterflies were noted throughout the trip with Linda Evans pointing out many of the highlights like the Florida Purplewing, Mangrove Buckeyes, & Mangove Skippers. At the Buzzard’s Roost, our traditional lunch stop, we were attentively served, all 19 of us, a delicious fare and a most refreshing Sweetwater Extra Pale Ale. Thank you all who joined Linda and me for our end of the season TAS bird walk. We look forward to seeing you at our next bird walk. Joe jfbarros eBird Checklist Summary for: May 7, 2016 Number of Checklists: 6 Number of Taxa: 48 Checklists included in this summary: (1): Florida City Date: May 7, 2016, 6:45 AM (2): Homestead-Card Sound Rd Date: May 7, 2016, 7:00 AM (3): Card Sound Road & Bridge area Date: May 7, 2016, 7:10 AM (4): Key Largo-Crocodile Lake Wildlife Refuge Date: May 7, 2016, 9:15 AM (5): FL-Key Largo - Purple wing Trail Date: May 7, 2016, 9:40 AM (6): Carysfort Circle Date: May 7, 2016, 12:11 PM 1 Magnificent Frigatebird -- (4) 6 Double-crested Cormorant -- (3),(4) 3 Anhinga -- (3) 2 Great Egret -- (3) 1 Tricolored Heron -- (4) 1 Green Heron -- (2) 3 Roseate Spoonbill -- (3) 3 Turkey Vulture -- (3),(6) 2 Osprey -- (4) 6 Black-necked Stilt -- (3),(4) 1 Spotted Sandpiper -- (3) 6 Laughing Gull -- (3) 3 Royal Tern -- (3) 2 White-crowned Pigeon -- (3) 1 Eurasian Collared-Dove -- (6) 8 Mourning Dove -- (1),(2) 2 Yellow-billed Cuckoo -- (5) 2 Common Nighthawk -- (1) 2 Chimney Swift -- (3) 3 Red-bellied Woodpecker -- (5),(6) 5 Great Crested Flycatcher -- (3),(6) 3 Gray Kingbird -- (1),(3) 6 White-eyed Vireo -- (5),(6) 1 Black-whiskered Vireo -- (5) 2 Blue Jay -- (6) 1 Fish Crow -- (1) 1 Gray-cheeked Thrush -- (5) 1 Swainson's Thrush -- (5) 4 Northern Mockingbird -- (1),(2) 2 European Starling -- (3) 2 Common Myna -- (1) 2 Northern Waterthrush -- (3),(5) 1 Connecticut Warbler -- (5) 1 Common Yellowthroat -- (6) 4 American Redstart -- (3),(5) 3 Cape May Warbler -- (6) 2 Yellow Warbler -- (3) 75 Blackpoll Warbler -- (3),(5) 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler -- (6) 3 Palm Warbler -- (6) 2 Prairie Warbler -- (3) 6 Northern Cardinal -- (5),(6) 5 Indigo Bunting -- (6) 19 Bobolink -- (3),(4),(6) 2 Red-winged Blackbird -- (4) 10 Common Grackle -- (1),(3) 4 Boat-tailed Grackle -- (1) 6 Brown-headed Cowbird -- (3),(4) Butterflies Mangrove Skipper Cassius Blue Giant Swallowtail Florida Purplewing Southern Whites (many) Longwing Julia Zebra Longwing Large Orange Sulpher This trip summary was created using the eBird app for iPhone and iPad. See eBird for more information. Joe Jose Francisco Barros, DDS Sent from my iPhone