Posted by Bill Boeringer on June 01, 2016 at 00:40:00
A good group of 7 participated in a "Toelagic" birding trip on Memorial Day, with fair skies and calm seas. After passing Elliot Key our first stop was Pacific Reef Lighthouse, where we found an immature Brown Booby among the frigatebirds. We headed out until we found a weed line at about 500 feet, and picked up a half dozen or so Audubon's Shearwaters along with a good number of Sooty Terns. After exhausting the area, we continued out and found another weed line about 1900 feet, but little was happening at that depth. Heading back in, we came across a number of Bridled Terns, eventually finding a small flock of Audubon's Shearwaters along with a distant and fleeting Cory's Shearwater. Soon after, we had the bird of the day, a beautiful breeding plumaged Red-necked Phalarope that sat briefly in the water for some good looks. Continuing the search, and after a couple of far-from-shore Glossy Ibis flying by, we eventually came across a small flock of mixed Sooty and Bridled Terns, joined by a Brown Noddy and another Brown Booby. As we headed back in, we found another Cory's Shearwater that sat on the water for close looks before taking off. In between birds, we saw both Atlantic Bottlenose and Spotted Dolphin, and a huge Green Turtle floating on the surface. Celebratory libations ( I picked up 2 county birds on the trip, the noddy and the phalarope) were modest as we were all exhausted, but we enjoyed a Rica, a local wheat beer from Concrete Beach. Thanks again to Toe for a great trip! Hopefully Trey will post some photos, including the phalarope.