Posted by Bill Boeringer on October 21, 2019 at 01:06:34
On the heels of a great week of migrants for those who could get out, about 18 persons or so came out to enjoy mid-October birding, the best time to be out in Miami, and they were not disappointed. While we did not see some of the reported rarities from this past week, we saw quite a few warblers, ending up with 17 species for the day, the last being a male Hooded Warbler behind the boardwalk. The day started with a Cockatiel calling incessantly as we made our way into area between the parking lot and the lake, where we found quite a few of the day's species, including a Chestnut-sided and Black-throated Green Warbler at Homeless Hammock, 3 vireo species, and a dueling Merlin and Kestrel overhead. At the end of the lake we found a male Painted Bunting and an Indigo Bunting. On the nature trails we had several Scarlet Tanagers, and Brandon spotted a Veery that refused to come out for anyone else. The LAC buildings had Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Eastern Wood-Pewee. Two Spot-breasted Orioles lit up the firebush outside the Nature Center offices, putting on a great show for photographers. At the end, I had counted 51 species, and several other species were seen or heard by others. Thanks everyone for coming out! The day list: Muscovy Duck 3 White-crowned Pigeon 1 Eurasian Collared-Dove 5 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Common Gallinule 1 Great Egret 2 Green Heron 1 White Ibis 25 Turkey Vulture 3 Cooper's Hawk 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Downy Woodpecker 1 American Kestrel 1 Merlin 1 Cockatiel 1 Yellow-chevroned Parakeet 12 Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 White-eyed Vireo 2 Yellow-throated Vireo 2 Red-eyed Vireo 5 Blue Jay 8 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 9 European Starling 6 Gray Catbird 5 Northern Mockingbird 6 Swainson's Thrush 1 Veery 1 Spot-breasted Oriole 2 Red-winged Blackbird 2 Common Grackle 1 Ovenbird 3 Black-and-white Warbler 3 Tennessee Warbler 6 Common Yellowthroat 1 Hooded Warbler 1 American Redstart 11 Cape May Warbler 1 Northern Parula 10 Magnolia Warbler 1 Bay-breasted Warbler 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler 15 Palm Warbler 1 Pine Warbler 1 Yellow-throated Warbler 1 Prairie Warbler 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Scarlet Tanager 4 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3 Indigo Bunting 2 Painted Bunting 1