Posted by Angel & Mariel on April 25, 2017 at 04:31:05
Hi all, Today (4/24) we had the chance to swing by AD Barnes before sunset where we found a nice variety of migrants around the park. Most numerous by far were BLACKPOLL and CAPE MAY WARBLERS. Homeless Hammock (SE corner of park) was slow with only a few Cape Mays scattered about. Along the pool parking area we followed a gang of jays that were mobbing something in a palm, we never saw what they were mobbing, but we suspect it could have been a Screech-Owl hidden in the dead palm fronds. We shifted our focus to the NW corner of the park and walked the paved nature trail starting with the elevated boardwalk. Here we found our first group of BLACKPOLL, mostly sharp-dressed males. AMERICAN REDSTART, NORTHERN PARULA, BTB and PRAIRIE WARBLER were also seen here. We walked the trail north towards the pineland where we saw no migrants, but did enjoy seeing a nesting COOPER'S HAWK. The birding got better as we reached the Sense of Wonder nature center, here we saw multiples of the above mentioned warbler species and where we ran into our first PALM WARBLERS of our walk, a PROTHONOTARY WARBLER was also seen here. OVENBIRDS were conspicuous alongside BTB Warblers in the small patch of habitat that you pass along your way to the cabins. WORM-EATING WARBLERS and numerous B&W WARBLERS were foraging in the figs around the cabins. INDIGO BUNTING and BLACKPOLL were also here. Walking along the canal on the north side of the park we ran into lots of PALM, CAPE MAY & BLACKPOLL WARBLERS moving northward, both flying overhead and moving through the trees along the sidewalk. We also saw two Blue-and-yellow Macaws fly over adding to the Purple Martins and Osprey we saw overhead while on our stroll. Spring in South Florida has been wonderfully productive this year. Congratulations to birders seeing all the great species that have been found lately. We hope these goodies stick around for many more birders. Enjoy the great birding :) Here is a link to the eBird checklist. http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36248620 Nature is Awesome Angel & Mariel