Posted by John Boyd on April 28, 2018 at 19:20:28
A good number of birders joined my Matheson Hammock Walk this morning. A flock of Cedar Waxwings was present near the south parking lot. Later, we estimated about 75 waxwings were present. We also saw a pair of cardinals mating as the group gathered. We started by walking through the oaks east of Old Cutler. As we did, we heard Indian Peafowl, one person spotted a White-crowned Pigeon, a Yellow-crowned Night Heron flew by, and we found some warblers, first a group containing Redstart, Blackpoll, and Black-and-white, and then a Common Yellowthroat in the mangroves. A second group added Northern Parula and a pair of Black-throated Blue Warblers. The only other migrant was Gray Catbird. At some point, some parakeets were heard, which sounded to me like Red-masked. We circled back to the parking lot and across the street. More of the same warblers were seen on the service road, as was a Magnolia. A Painted Bunting was singing, but we did not see it. We continued to the end of the service road, then by the house and looped around almost to the canal before returning on the nature trail. We found a flock there, which may have been part of the same flock on the service road. Many of us managed to see the Magnolia at this point. We then returned across Old Cutler and headed toward the cars. However, there was one more flock before we got back. It included our 8th warbler species, Worm-eating Warbler. We ended shortly before 11am.