TOM'S HOME PAGE AUSTRALIA Oct/Nov 2008 NEWFOUNDLAND July 2008 OAXACA March 2008 SOUTH AFRICA Sept/Oct 2008 ECUADOR Feb 2008
Andy and Marilyn arrived in Key West early and transferred from their nearby hotel early on the 20th. Next to arrive were Tom and Billie and then Robin, Mary Ellen, Patty and Marilyn who had driven from Miami that day. Tom bumped into most of the group checking in to the hotel between 2 and 2:30pm. After getting keys and getting settled we met in the lobby at 3pm sharp and were soon headed out to maximize our only birding time in Key West proper.
Our first stop was the nearby Tropical (Botanical) Gardens on Stock Island. We spent about an hour and a half walking the trails inside and outside the garden. Highlights of the time here included scope views of a pair of Gray Kingbirds (seen and heard), a wonderful study of Eastern Wood Pewee in the scope (and heard), lots of Indigo Buntings, a young Broad-winged Hawk (scope views perched), a flyover female Frigatebird, all of the group seeing Northern Waterthrush feeding on the muddy edge of a pond, a half dozen warbler species including several Hooded, and Summer and Scarlet Tanagers.
Next we headed to the southwest corner of the island to the Key West Indigenous Park. Although the park was closed there was easy access through a construction site. This site was more open and it was a much better setting for the group. Right away as we entered the park, we spotted a dark phase Short-tailed Hawk flying away from us. Most of the group got on the bird but the view was shorter than hoped. This clearly was a ‘BVD’ (better view desired).
We did several loops of the park adding new birds steadily. Highlights of the trip were a good look at Black-whiskered Vireo, both tanagers, Blue Grosbeak, Blackpoll, Worm-eating (seen by about half the group), Prothonotary, and Hooded Warblers (superb views), several male Scarlet Tanagers, White-crowned Pigeon (seen by only a few), several perched Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Bald Eagle, and Orchard and Baltimore Orioles. As we exited the park, Andy spotted a perched raptor which turned out to be a dark morph Short-tailed Hawk. We all enjoyed scope views of this scarce bird – a real treat to see one perched!
Next we headed to Fort Zachary Taylor State Park (with some directional help from some local gents). This was another lively site and here we soon had scope views of several Yellow-billed Cuckoos. A walk along the ridge here brought us to a fruiting fig tree. Toms calling here netted good views of Red-eyed Vireo, Hooded, Tennessee, Northern Parula, American Redstart and Ovenbird, plus many more Catbirds. At a tree at the east end of the park (a tip from a local birder sent us there) we added at least three Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, both orioles again, Scarlet Tanagers, several warbler species and at least five Eastern Kingbirds. We looped back north adding a flock of Bobolinks in the grassy field nearby, and then a single Upland Sandpiper seen in the scope by about half the group before it flew. A nearby Osprey nest with an almost full group pair of chicks provided a stunning view in the scope. Before we made it back to the car we rounded out the tour with scope views of a Great White Heron at close range and then a stunning adult Peregrine Falcon flying right overhead.
With this colourful array of songbirds we decided it was time to head towards the Key West Airport to search for our next quarry – Antillean Nighthawk. Once on the north side of the airport we pulled over and began to scan. Tom played the tape of the Antillean song so everyone would know what it sounded like. Right away we spotted a nighthawk heading our way. Tom played the tape again and the nighthawk headed low over of the nearby scrub passing north of us before giving a tell tale call – Antillean Nighthawk! About two minutes later Tom spotted the bird passing back to the south again and we again tried the tape. It called once more briefly and then flew almost directly at us passing within a hundred feet and flying low providing good views. All of the group got good views of this often tough specialty. Buoyed on by this success we headed back to the Holiday Inn and after freshening up we met at the hotel restaurant for dinner and to the group checklist. All in all a wonderful start to the trip with several really tough birds and an excellent selection of colourful migrants.
The group met at the van at 6:50 am this morning and we were soon on our way to the Margaret Street dock in Key West to board the Yankee Freedom II. This is the high speed catamaran that offers day trips to the Dry Tortugas. We arrived at the dock shortly after 7 and after waiting a bit to get our boarding passes, we boarded. Tom had given us instructions to head for the shaded portion of the top deck and we were able to get good seats there. After stowing our gear there we headed down below to get some breakfast (the trip includes a continental breakfast). Tom spotted several White-crowned Pigeons perched a long way off, but with the scope the view was diagnostic. Unfortunately not everyone was back from the breakfast line before they flew.
We left the dock on schedule at 8 am and were soon heading towards Fort Jefferson. The trip across was a little bumpy for the last 45 minutes, with highlights being several Loggerhead Turtles, two or three Northern Gannets and two Brown Boobies. As we arrived at the Fort around 10:30 am there were thousands of both Brown Noddies and Sooty Terns. As soon as we docked our first stop was to scope Bush Key for land views of the terns. They were distant but we did get decent views. Overhead there were also many Magnificent Frigatebirds soaring. They were a constant sight.
We tried to scope the noddies on the old coaling docks but were kicked out unceremoniously by a rude and uppity park ranger. This was the first of several encounters with several rude and unprofessional park staff. They spouted some nonsense about us being in a 'dangerous area' (apparently standing under the only shaded platform on perfectly flat concrete was more dangerous that walking out to the beach on chunks of broken coral and cactus). The stupidity of some of these policies never ceases to amaze. It was obvious this was about the convenience of park staff and not about visitor safety. Unfortunately the staff member didn't have the integrity to admit this. Down on the beach we were unable to pick out the recently observed Black Noddy so we headed inside the fort to search for migrants.
Minus a half hour break for lunch on the boat, the majority of our time was spent inside the fort. Why? Because there was a superb selection of migrants here and the viewing was phenomenal. Almost all the birds present were feeding in the open grass. This included many Ovenbirds, Northern Waterthrushes, Kentucky Warbler, Hooded Warblers, Worm-eating Warbler, two Dickcissels (males), several Gray-cheeked Thrushes, Swainson’s Thrush, Wood Thrush, Bobolinks, dozens of Catbirds and Palm Warblers, at least thirty Indigo Buntings and half a dozen Blue Grosbeaks! It was a unique experience to scan the open grassy interior with a scope picking out warblers, thrushes and other normally skulky species. In addition most of these species eventually came into the fountain to drink.
In addition to the ground foragers we also got good views of at least twenty Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Blackpoll, Parula, Tennessee and Prairie Warblers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and several vireos. Raptors also provided some highlights with the most notable being a Short-eared Owl (Caribbean race) and at least three Merlins (seen catching birds on two occasions). Other less expected predators were a flock of Cattle Egrets that likely caught up to a few songbirds. We found at least two Kentucky Warblers and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo that had been killed or expired recently.
Around 1:30 pm we headed up to the first level of the fort which was shaded and cool and a welcome relief from the intense heat of the central grassy courtyard. From here Tom scoped Bush key in hopes of finding the Black Noddy. It took almost 45 minutes but he finally found the bird. Unfortunately only two or three of the group got to see it in the scope before it flew left out of sight.
After a great day on the Tortugas we boarded the boat and left the dock shortly before 3 pm. The captain made a swing by Hospital Key so we could get decent views of some of the Masked Boobies that nest on the sandy island (the only nesting colony in North America). Several pairs flew up and around showing off quite well. It was a nice finale to the trip. For most of the return journey the crew sat and relaxed in the pleasant warm afternoon.
We arrived at Key West dock at 5:30 pm and after dropping off our daypacks we walked to nearby Turtle Kraals for dinner. It was a bit bumpy on the return journey so Tom at least was happy to sit on solid ground and have a good meal. We returned to the Holiday Inn around 7:30 am and met shortly after by the pool to do the days list. Everyone had plenty of sun and fresh air today and were happy to retire to bed early.
We met at the hotel lobby at 6 am this morning with our luggage. Our first run at packing the van went well and we were on the road heading up the keys by 6:08 am. We drove directly to Marathon Key stopping for breakfast at the Pig (?) around 7 am. Here we had a great meal to start the day. Before boarding the van we added our first Common Myna of the trip.
A short distance west of the restaurant we stopped at the Marathon Government Centre to search for Roseate Tern, a few pairs of which nest on the roof here with a large colony of Least Terns. There were many Least Terns noisly courting overhead. After about five minutes suddenly a pair of Roseates flew low overhead courting and calling vigorously! It was a great bird to start the day.
From here we drove pretty much directly to Key Largo. One brief stop was made for a group of perched White-crowned Pigeons which allowed everyone scope views. At Key Largo we first checked the public access portion of the botanical reserve. Highlights were a large group of about ten Cape May Warblers, several Blackpolls, a Worm-eating, a Prothonotary, several Redstarts, two Black-throated Blue Warblers, Ovenbirds, and scope views of a singing Black-whiskered Vireo. It was getting hot so we soon headed to the backcountry portion of the reserve to search for the elusive Mangrove Cuckoo. Despite a solid effort we couldn’t turn up the cuckoo but Tom and Andy got a brief view of a light phase Short-tailed Hawk, and we had a decent selection of songbirds here the best of which was a calling Acadian Flycatcher.
By now it was after noon, so we headed north to historic Homestead for lunch at a small Mexican restaurant. Everyone enjoyed the meal here and we even had some musical entertainment. Our next stop was the Cutler Ridge colony of Cave Swallows. At the nesting colony we obtained decent in flight views of the swallows, plus several family groups of Muscovy Ducks, and yet another fly over dark phase Short-tailed Hawk!
We arrived at the Baymont Inn Miami Airport West around 3:30 pm and checked into our rooms. After a brief break we met at the van at 4:15 pm and headed south to Kendall airport. Here we had great looks at a Burrowing Owl (sedentary Florida population), many Eastern Meadowlarks, and our first Loggerhead Shrikes. Our last series of stops took us to Baptist Hospital, and several residential neighbourhoods in Kendall. This didn’t add much to the list except a large group of Mitred Parakeets. We had dinner at Tony Romas and arrived back at the hotel around 9 pm.
We met in the lobby at 6am for the continental breakfast and then by 6:30am we were in the van and heading north towards Markham Park west of Fort Lauderdale. We arrived at the park around 7:30 am and drove directly over to the levee.
As we walked to the top of the levee we were greeted by a fantastic sight. In front of us lay the glades and hundreds of egrets, herons and other waterbirds concentrated on several small areas of remaining water. It was a true spectacle. The dominant species were Great and Snowy Egrets and White Ibis. But among this group were mixed in a few Roseate Spoonbills, Great Blue Herons, at least twenty Glossy Ibis, Little Blue and Tricolored Herons, Common Moorhens, Coots and many other waterbirds.
Two of our target species were Purple Swamphen and Snail Kite. Although the water had dried up quite a bit since Tom’s scouting trip a few days earlier, there was still one male Snail Kite present. We managed to get great scope views of him perched below us on a matt of cattails. Across the open mudflats and marsh were several dozen Purple Swamphens. Just like that we had our two target birds in the bag. Other waterbirds here were American White Pelicans, Wood Storks, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and Solitary Sandpiper.
From here we fought the morning traffic into the city, making our next stop along Old Griffin Road to search for anis. We didn’t find any but nearby we had great looks at several pairs of Monk Parakeets and a gorgeous pair of Spot-breasted Orioles. Our next stop was Evergreen Cemetery where we found at least a dozen other birders searching for the reported Western Spindalis. We spent almost an hour here working over several stranger figs and a flowering hibiscus. There were lots of migrants here including Blue-winged, Cape May, Black-throated Blue and Prothontary Warblers, but no sign of the target bird for either us or the others present.
Next we headed north about a half hour to Wakodahatchee wetlands in Delray. Everyone loved this wonderful spot. There were lots of birds and the views were superb. In addition many of the waterbirds were nesting in close proximity to the boardwalk. The highlights included three baby Least Bitterns (and one adult for some), Purple Gallinules, a very co-operative Sora and two Limpkins. The group was pulled away from here to our next stop at Green Cay wetlands. At this spot we mostly checked out the feeders as we had seen the key waterbirds at Wakodahatchee. At Green Cay we all managed to see a roosting Common Nighthawk, a single Bronzed and Brown-headed Cowbird, and a few of us also saw a single Shiny Cowbird (all saw it take off).
We headed north on Hagen Ranch road to the Flakowitz deli for lunch. Everyone rated this popular spot quite highly. We then made a brief return stop at Green Cay (again seeing the Bronzed Cowbird and Nighthawk) before heading south to Evergreen Cemetery and Old Griffin Road again. We spent several hours working these areas but only added our first Yellow Warbler, and none of the targets. We returned to the hotel by 7:30pm with everyone who was still hungry opting for take out tonight.
Another 6 am meet at the van this morning. We drove to the nearby Dennys which was closed due to ‘equipment difficulties’ so instead headed south about forty minutes on the turnpike to Homestead and the Denny’s there. We had a decent breakfast and headed south on Card Sound road. At the toll bridge we got several ‘Florida’ Prairie Warblers, a flock of ten Northern Gannets and a male Scarlet Tanager. From here we headed to post the Key Largo botanical reserve which was our target destination for the morning. Again we were going to try for Mangrove Cuckoo, with hopefully a different result.
Heading along the old road the conditions were cooler and more still this morning, and both were more favourable for finding the cuckoo. However the number of migrants was reduced today. Still we found Palm, Prairie, Black-throated Blue, Hooded and Ovenbird on our walk. There was a brief moment of excitement when a cuckoo appeared and then dashed across the road. However, it turned out to be a Yellow-billed.
We carried on down the trail farther than our first visit, hearing several Black-whiskered and White-eyed Vireos, and many Cardinals, but with our focus mostly still on the cuckoos. After walking almost a kilometre suddenly we heard a Mangrove Cuckoo calling just fifty metres away. A brief burst of tape and it flew overhead and put on a command performance. We never played the tape again but the cuckoo continued to sing and fly around over our heads providing great scope views. We noted that it had a small green katydid in its mouth and still managed to sing. Then another cuckoo called nearby, and suddenly appeared. We presumed this second bird to be a female and the first with the katydid (an offering of his fitness?) to be a male. Either way, they put on a superb showing and there were high fives all around. After this great sighting we returned to the van and made our way back to a gas station on Key Largo for a bathroom break.
Heading north our next stop was Kendall Baptist Hospital and environs to search for the bulbuls again. We made several driving loops of well known sites without success. After a brief stop at Matheson Hammock we headed back on Kendall to Tony Romas for lunch. Following this we returned to the Baymont at 2:15pm and took a break until 4pm.
At 4 we met at the van and headed directly north to search around the Ft. Lauderdale airport for the anis. Despite a valiant attempt we could not pick up this declining bird. Still we did add our first Common Ground Dove and our first Black-hooded Parakeets, plus the Spot-breasted Oriole in exactly the same spot. We returned to the hotel around 6:30 pm and then met in the lobby shortly after to walk to a nearby Italian restaurant. Enroute we added a good look at Monk Parakeet. This was followed by a great meal (voted the best of trip so far) and then a return to the hotel before 9 pm.
We met at the van shortly before 6 am this morning with our luggage. By 6:05 am we were all packed and on our way, heading a short distance down the road to Denny’s. This morning Tom confirmed that it was indeed open and we were soon seated. This Dennys was a bit slower than the one in Homestead and it took nearly an hour to order, eat, and get our bills paid. Nonetheless we were back on the road around 7am and heading north on the turnpike to 75 and then over to US 27 towards South Bay.
Enroute we stopped to view our first Yellow-crowned Night Heron (an adult) in a roadside ditch. Then some sod farm fields provided several Killdeer and distant Black-bellied Plovers. At road 827 we turned west and drove several miles to a small grove of Australian pine and cypress trees in a barren agricultural landscape. In the grove we found a nice selection of birds, including two Barn Owls (scope views), a young Red-shouldered Hawk, four Yellow-crowned Night Herons and a young Bald Eagle. Nearby in some flooded fields we added a Peregrine hunting shorebirds and two fly by Northern Harriers.
From here we headed to the Belle Glade Marina. We drove a loop road and then after a short walk returned to drive the walking path near the closed campground. The water levels were extremely low and we added hundreds of Common Moorhens, a number of Purple Swamphens, and a group of Black and Turkey Vultures feeding on rotting fish. Unfortunately we were not able to locate any anis.
After a bathroom break at the Walgreens, we headed west on 80 towards Fort Myers. We picked up some fine birds on the drive including a juvenile Crested Caracara (spotted by Robin), a pair of Sandhill Cranes (spotted by Andy), and a stunning Swallow-tailed Kite soaring low right over a grocery store parking lot in La Belle. After a gas stop we headed to the Chick-fil-a and Applebees on Hwy 41, where we split into two groups for lunch. After this we headed to the Country Inn arriving at 2:15pm. Unfortunately our rooms were not ready so we headed south to Fort Myers Beach.
On FMB we walked along the beach from the south end of the island. It was a most pleasant walk, with a steady on shore breeze. Highlights of our walk included Snowy and Wilson’s Plovers, nesting Least Terns, perched Sandwich, Royal and Common Terns, five Red Knots (some coming into breeding plumage), and at least three Northern Gannets (one rather moribund bobbing around the surf nearby). After this wonderful walk we headed north to our hotel near the causeway to Sanibel. We arrived there around 5:30 pm but it took until shortly after 6 pm before we all had our rooms. By 6:15 pm we were in the van (minus Patti who opted for a break) and heading across the causeway to Sanibel Island. We headed directly to Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge and spent the remaining sunlight on the driving tour. Highlights included a number of light and dark phase Reddish Egrets, hundreds of Willets, at least fifty Roseate Spoonbills, and many herons and egrets. From here we headed to the Lazy Flamingo for dinner. We returned to the Country Inn and suites shortly before 9 pm.
This morning we met downstairs at 5:50 am with our luggage and packed the van before taking the continental breakfast at the hotel that opened at 6 am. We had eaten and were on the road by 6:25 am. From the Country Inn we headed out to 75 and then south to the turnoff for Immokalee road, arriving at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary around 7:30 am. It was a nice calm, sunny and mild morning and there was lots of bird song.
We spent the next two hours walking the boardwalk trail around the mature cypress swamp. This is one of the most beautifully designed boardwalks in all of the continent. Aside from the gorgeous cypress forest, highlights of our walk included a perched Red-shouldered Hawk in the scope, a great mobbing response with Carolina Wrens, a pair of White-eyed Vireos, Prothonotary, Black and White, Parula, Redstart, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Tufted Titmouse, and a small area of open water where Little Blue Heron, Snowy and Great Egrets, Wood Storks and a single Black-crowned Night Heron fed actively on the concentration of fish (all the while dodging several large hungry alligators!).
At 9:25 am we left Corkscrew and drove north towards Rainey Slough. Enroute we spotted several more Caracaras and Sandhill Cranes. But the best pick up was when Marilyn spied a Florida Scrub Jay sitting on a roadside post. We backed up and got killer views of three or four jays, plus Eastern Towhee and Swallow-tailed Kite. We actually saw at least five kites on our drives today including one flying low over a shopping centre in La Belle. Unfortunately Rainey Slough was nearly bone dry so there were virtually no water birds.
Continuing north cross country we arrived in Lake Placid shortly after noon and took lunch there at the Hungry Heron. After this we continued on to Three Lakes WMA. First we birded the eastern portion. At our first stop we hit paydirt with fabulous views of singing perched Bachman’s Sparrows at close range (scope views), plus Brown-headed Nuthatch, Towhee and Pine Warblers. The next several hours were spent birding the east and western portions of the WMA for red-cockaded woodpecker without success. However we did find a great selection of birds including a wonderful responsive Barred Owl that hooted and flew in to put on quite a show. Another good sighting was a displaying Common Nighthawk.
We left the WMA at 7:25 pm and arrived in Titusville at 8:30 pm. After having dinner at Durangos (the Best Western hotel restaurant), we checked in to the Comfort Inn for our last night together.
This morning everyone organized their own breakfast at the IHOP across the road from the Comfort Inn (the CI continental did not start until 7 am). We met at the van around 6:45 am to pack up. We were soon on the road and heading north on 75 towards the Merritt Island NWR. We arrived at the entrance to Black Point Drive around 7:25 am and the conditions were good for viewing. The wildlife drive was extremely dry but we still managed to find a good selection of birds. Highlights of the drive included many familiar waterbirds, plus Savannah Sparrow, four Stilt Sandpipers, several ‘Calico’ (moulting from white to blue) Little Blue Herons, a first summer Bonaparte’s Gull, and Short-billed Dowitcher. From here we headed north to the Haulover Canal where we had a really nice encounter with a flock of about twenty five Cedar Waxwings, which stacked themselves tightly along some bare branches.
After a brief tour of Merritt we headed out to 75 via the northern route and then turned south towards Titusville. After a bathroom break at the rest stop we continued on to Blue Heron Water Treatment Plant on 50 west of Titusville. This was a birding drive along the bumpy dykes around the large vegetated lagoons. Highlights included zillions of Common Moorhens, four Ring-necked Ducks, a Caspian Tern, many nesting Anhingas, a single Crested Caracara and best of all a close by fully open American Bittern (spotted by Marilyn). One of the funniest moments of the trip was watching a Common Moorhen that was feeding slowly along a floating log. It soon reached an impasse when a large turtle was basking on the log and completely blocking its path. After some hesitation it tried to walk over the turtle and slipped backwards and fell! It repeated this twice more with no better success and eventually fell right into the water and swam around the turtle. We had a good laugh at the moorhens expense. The jovial nature of this event reflected the good humour of the group for the past week. All in all we tallied 196 species plus two forms including many fantastic birds. Highlights included the stunning pair of Mangrove Cuckoos, the great fall out on the Tortugas when all the warblers and other songbirds fed in the open, the courting pair of Roseate Terns, the crippling views of Bachman’s Sparrow, the fine views of four species of owls during daylight (including that sassy Barred Owl), the responsive Antillean Nighthawk and much more. Until our paths cross again I wish everyone safe travels and good birding!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE A FULL CHECKLIST FROM THIS TRIP PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL AT
THE ADDRESS BELOW.
You can contact me at (519) 825-9070 or peleetom@netcore.ca
TOM'S HOME PAGE AUSTRALIA Oct/Nov 2008 NEWFOUNDLAND July 2008 OAXACA March 2008 SOUTH AFRICA Sept/Oct 2008 ECUADOR Feb 2008