Posted by Alex Harper on April 26, 2017 at 20:14:30
Apologies for late report, but I figured a late report of a possible Bahama Mockingbird is not a priority as you all seem to have options right now with finding that species. Forrest Rowland and I heard what we both felt was almost certainly a Bahama Mockingbird singing just west of the Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park lighthouse. There is a small sandy path that runs from the extreme SW corner of the park and wraps down and around towards the light house, and this is where we heard and unsuccessfully looked for the bird. If approaching from the lighthouse, walk west past the old cabin and wooden dinghies, through the gate and onto the path. Walk along the green chain link fence and right before it begins to gently curve towards the NW is where we heard the bird (about 175-200 meters west of lighthouse). Alternatively, you could enter the hammock using the subtle forested path just west of the dinghies and have the fence to your left. The bird was singing from within this hammock. Forrest and I were sifting through the impressive number of warblers when a Mimid began singing in the said area. We both turned to each other independently said it sounded like a Bahama Mockingbird; much more thrasher-like than Gray Catbird and Northern Mockingbird, with longer pauses between phrases than Northern Mockingbird. Song harsher than Northern Mockingbird and certainly less "sing songy" than catbird. Forrest has far more experience than me with singing Bahama Mockingbirds from recent trips to Cuba; I've only heard them on occasion in South FL and through recordings. Along with this bird that may just haunt us was a Mangrove Cuckoo in the hammock near the dinghies, Black-whiskered Vireos, White-crowned Pigeons, Baltimore Oriole, Blue and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Gray-cheeked and Swainson's Thrushes, Bobolinks, Painted and Indigo Buntings, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, oh and hundreds of warblers including a sharp male Magnolia, male Blue-winged and Swainson's. More birds were likely to be added, but the fleet of birders losing their minds in the park evacuated once the Fork-tailed Flycatcher at Crandon was refound. The highlight of the day for me was watching birders coming out of the woodwork and arriving at Crandon around within minutes of each other and running into Crandon Gardens, watching Nico bomb a corner on his bike with binoculars already out, and seeing Toe run a four flat in office attire towards the bird as everyone highfived and filled their camera memory cards. Go team, Alex