[Zackiedawg]

That's the one. Whether it's a legit 'wurdemann's', or some kind of partial wurdemann's (a wurdemann's itself is sort of a mix between a great blue and a white morph) - this 'wurdemann's' doesn't have an all-white head, but does have a lot of white, with faded face colors and the white plume...so it does not quite match with normal great blue herons nor exactly with a wurdemann's. Some type of morph or mix-breed seems likely - either way, that's the one - and she's got at least two chicks in the nest.

[Pat MS]

Thanks. Now the problem of where to enter it in my bird Journal, which doesn't recognise it as a species or even a subspecies. Nor does iBird Pro.

[Zackiedawg]

A quick update on Wakodahatchee - the past few weeks, there have been a huge number of wood storks nesting in the park - something highly unusual and not regular to Wakodahatchee in the past. What's really unusual is that it isn't a few pairs, but dozens of them, mostly congretating on one island. There are easily 20 nesting pairs, and upwards of 50-60 wood storks throughout the park grounds.

The black-necked stilts are also back in town at Wakodahatchee, and mating has been occuring, so nest-building is not likely far behind. Some tricolor herons and great egrets are now nesting at Wakodahatchee, green herons should be nearing birth, and great blue herons & anhingas are pretty well all nursing young and should be moving out in the next month or so.

[Zackiedawg]

Guess I'll keep updating this thread through the summer, as I sound like the only person visiting these parks this time of year!

Green Cay yesterday (4/15/12) had good regular birds present - lots of nesting red-winged blackbirds including a few with chicks hatched already, purple martins, tree swallows, northern rough-wingeds still continue in large numbers, cattle & great egrets, little blue, great blue, green, and tricolor herons, northern harriers, osprey, red-shouldered hawks, purple gallinules, sora, wood storks all regular, least bitterns fairly easy to spot, including at least one with a nest, and 3 visible white eggs, alligators present in good numbers including several patches of babies, ducks & moorhens have chicks in good numbers. Painted buntings continue in at least two spots, and blue-headed vireos continue, along with grackles and fish crows. Downy and red-bellied woodpeckers are in good numbers throughout. Palm and yellow-rumped warblers are still spottable. Bobcats continue to be frequent and nearly daily spottings - yesterday one of the cubs was sleeping just 15 feet off the boardwalk for much of the day, giving some nice face closeup opportunities. Didn't make it to Wako this weekend - will have to check it out next weekend.

[Sydsmythe]

Thanks Justin. I've been doing an experimental (haha) bike/trirail commute so I haven't hit these spots in months. But now that it's light out later i should be able to get over there ..would love to see the bobcats!!

[Zackiedawg]

Here's a shot of the bobcat, staring right into my lens:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/imag...31357/original

[Sydsmythe]

Wow.

[bobsofpa]

A large flock of Cedar Waxwings arrived at Green Cay about 5:00 pm today, Apr 20. The light was so bad with the approaching storm that I did not even take one photograph.

[Zackiedawg]

Sunday at Green Cay, dodged the rainstorms that came through in 3 small waves and found some very good activity throughout.
Upon entering, lots of least terns were fishng the main lake - at least a dozen, maybe more.
Purple martins are still in strong abundance, as are tree and rough-winged swallows.
A lone Cape May warbler was spotted at the alligator pond, but he wouldn't let me get a shot of him...a prairie warbler was nearby.
Painted buntings continue at the front entrance and one of the inner feeders.
Lots of red-winged blackbirds have chicks, many already leaving the nests.
Surprising numbers of least bitterns in the open - counted at least 6, including one nested pair with eggs. Sora as well continue to be in the open in abundance along the back stretch.
Grey catbirds - several pairs - were in the chickee hut canopy, along with downy and red-bellied woodpeckers.
I photographed one warbler there that I'm not 100% on - I'll need to get it uploaded and post to confirm - it seemed unusually dark for a palm, and didn't noticeably do any tail wagging.
Green heron juveniles are in several places - same at Wakodahatchee - lots of them nested this past few months.
Solitary sandpiper standing in the duckweed among the grackles.
Purple gallinules in good abundance.
Female common yellowthroats were seen in the north cypress canopy, along with a few black and white warblers.

[Zackiedawg]

UPDATE on the unknown warbler, which I posted over on the ID forums: It was a northern waterthrush...not only the first time I've seen one of those at Green Cay, but the first time I've seen one of those, period! Love getting new birds checked off the list.

[Zackiedawg]

Wakodahatchee yesterday, dodging through the raindrops, yielded great sightings and shots of blackpoll warblers - at least 4 or 5 - that seemed to have been migrating through. They were in the tree canopy at the north end. A few other common warblers were also nearby - but the blackpolls stood out.

[Zackiedawg]

Blackpoll warbler photo, for confirm:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/imag...3/original.jpg

[Sydsmythe]

Have you noticed any Screech owls nesting at either place? I haven't been to either lately.

[Zackiedawg]

Not in the past month or so. The one screetch that had been living at Green Cay near the Chickee hut unfortunately either moved out or had to flee when the owl box fell (I don't know if it left before the box fell or after). They relocated the box about 40 feet away on another tree, but it's been quiet since then.

[Zackiedawg]

Summer update -

Since noone seems to go to Green Cay or Wako during the summer, I'll keep posting the activity there - I usually make it every weekend, unless I'm away - I've been there the past two weekends and activity remains decent for summer.

Roseated spoonbills are definitely in town at Green Cay - numbers vary from 10-20 of them, and though they often like to stay in the center away from the boardwalks, they usually foray to spots near the boardwalk or do nice flyovers, making them a reliable sighting. Least bitterns also remain very populous at both parks, with more at Green Cay including several new family groups and several more nesting. Stilts have babies at both parks, as do red-winged blackbirds. Purple gallinules have been mating at Wako, so babies should be following soon. Killdeer have returned to Green Cay. Brown thrashers have been popping around Green Cay's tree canopy at the pond, black-crowned night herons, and all the usual herons and egrets are abundant. Monk parakeets over at Wako seem to have hatched lately at the power pole by the entrance, as noisy groups of 3-4 juveniles have been chasing around the adults throughout the park. Red-shouldered hawks are sticking around at both parks. A hill myna buzzed by me at Green Cay last weekend - I didn't even know what it was until I got some ID help - not a usual sighting for Green Cay. Here's the June sighting list for Green Cay and Wako so far:

Muscovy duck
Monk Parakeet
Least Tern
Common grackle
European Starling
Tricolor heron
Little blue heron
Great blue heron
Green heron
Great egret
Cattle egret
Limpkin
Anhinga
Double-crested cormorant
Wood stork
Roseated spoonbill
Red-shouldered hawk
Black vulture
Osprey
Red-winged blackbird
Northern mockingbird
Blue jay
Boat-tailed grackle
Fish crow
White-winged dove
Mourning dove
Collared dove
Northern cardinal
Red-bellied woodpecker
Downy woodpecker
Mottled duck
Black-bellied whistling duck
Black-necked stilt
Purple gallinule
Common moorhen
American coot
Least bittern
Black-crowned night heron
Purple martin
Chimney swift
Northern rough-winged swallow
White ibis
Glossy ibis
Palm warbler
Egyptian goose
Turkey vulture
Brown thrasher
Cooper's hawk
Killdeer
Solitary sandpiper
Snowy egret

[Zackiedawg]

July update for the two parks: This is 'least bittern' summer - there are dozens of the things at both locations combined. Wakodahatchee has at least 3 flittering about, mostly around the south island pavilion. Green Cay has a dozen, maybe more - with at least 3 family groups - one family of two adults and 4 chicks (now grown), and another nesting pair sitting on the eggs as of this past weekend...plus plenty of individuals throughout the park.

Also at Green Cay, the roseated spoonbills are sticking around again - looks like they've become permanent summer residents over the past two summers now.

At Green Cay, I spotted a pair of lovely yellow-throated warblers in the tree canopy section at the west end of the park - got some good closeup shots of them. Also a cooper's hawk has been hanging around the past few weeks, along with one red-shouldered hawk - don't usually get to see them around there in the summer. Black necked stilts have nested well at both parks this summer, though this past weekend most are moving on with the chicks now grown and flying - there are still a few black-necked stilts hanging around Wakodahatchee this past weekend. The wood stork nests are starting to thin a bit - though many still have large grown chicks in the nests still feeding off mom and dad - they should be getting to flying and independent age soon.

All the usual herons, egrets, moorhens, grackles, coots, etc are around in good number in both places. The nice thing is that both Wako and Green Cay are nearly empty most of the day now through the summer - as far as people go - so it's quiet and fairly private if you're willing to go birding in the heat and humidity! I've been going every weekend, and still getting good photos and good sightings.

[Zackiedawg]

Green Cay update for August:

Briefly saw some least sandpipers in late July, but the water levels have since risen and they left. Spoonbills continue to be present all summer long. Least bittern nests are all grown up and moved out - 4-6 bitterns can still be reliably spotted there throughout the park. Pied-billed grebes have returned as of Saturday the 11th - haven't seen them since spring...about 1/2 dozen of them were there. Also present - a pair of belted kingfishers, male and female...the male was sitting on the east end dead tree stump. Ospreys and hawks continue. The adult female bobcat was roaming around the entrance by the bike racks when I arrived Saturday - I was the only person there for the first few hours, and she spooked when I got closer. Red-bellied woodpecker female has made a nest in the palm tree stump to the left of the building (the one that the anhingas like to sit atop)...her hole faces the boardwalk, and you get great views of the baby woodpeckers sticking their heads out of the hole when she arrives with food.

In Boca when I got home, there was a very large group of 20 or so common nighthawks circling the skies above my backyard, around 5pm...first time I've ever seen them.

[Zackiedawg]

For those who visit Green Cay during winter and miss out on all the summer action: time to head back if you want to see early migrators! September has started with a bang as the migration has hit the park nicely so far. I went on Saturday afternoon around 2-4pm, and hit very good numbers around the chickee hut and at the front entrance, with a few first-time birds for me. Spotted on Saturday included: prothonotary warbler, prairie warbler, pine warbler, worm-eating warbler, yellow-throated warbler, northern parula, american redstart, and black and white warbler. Headed over this morning as I had the day off, and spotted: worm-eating warbler, prothonotary warbler, blue-grey gnatcatcher, red-eyed vireo, northern parula, yellow-throated warbler, magnolia warbler, ovenbird, brown thrasher - multiples of many of these. Also spotted a yellow-crowned night heron at the pond, not as frequently seen there as the black-crowned...lots of whistling ducks with babies, downy and red-bellied woodpeckers, cooper's hawk, red-shouldered hawk, osprey, and all the regular and usual waders too.

[Zackiedawg]

September action continuing, with some excellent migration activity. This has turned out to be the best fall I've ever had in Green Cay for warblers and other perchers. Following up last week's Saturday and Monday action, both of which were excellent, I headed back again Saturday afternoon around 1pm and went right to the chickee hut area which is where the action was last week. Sure enough, many of the same birds were spotted again this week: prothonotary warbler, prairie warbler, worm-eating warbler, yellow-throated warbler, northern parula, american redstart
blue-grey gnatcatcher, red-eyed vireo, brown thrasher. In the cypress canopy to the west end of the park, more prairie warblers were hanging out, mixed in with northern parulas. And one mystery bird that may have been a Connecticut warbler was bouncing around on the ground in that area. On the way out of the park, near the bike racks, I spotted two hummingbirds (ruby-throated), which are always nice to see there. Lots and lots of barn swallows are buzzing around the skies all over Palm Beach county - dozens were over my house yesterday while I was in the pool. And pods of common nighthawks have been circling around too, with a group over my house 3 weekends in a row.

[smyrna]

Hi - I'm a birder from England and I spent a very enjoyable morning at Green Cay back in May. I would just like to say what a fantastic reserve it is and would love it as my ' local patch ' you are very lucky !! I saw most of the birds you listed and got some cracking photos during my visit. When I get chance I will post some here.

Cheers - Phil

[Zackiedawg]

Great to hear Phil - it is quite a richly diversified local little pond, isn't it?! Hope you get the chance to visit down here again too - I look forward to your photos in our local area.

[merryslug]

I am currently working every day, so I don't get out to bird as much. But I think I need to find a way to get to GC to try for the Prothonotary - I would love to add that bird to my life list.

[Zackiedawg]

Hopefully another prothonotary might be among the migrators still there...but otherwise bad news: On Saturday in the early afternoon, I found the whole chickee hut area to be nearly dead - just a couple worm-eating warblers and a redstart or two way over by the east side, and a few cardinals. Near the west side where all the action has been, it was eerily quiet...until I noticed why. A cooper's hawk (who has been buzzing that area a lot the past few weeks) was sitting prominently on a branch with a bright yellow bird in its talons...as far as I know, that was the prothonotary everyone's been seeing (unless there were two).

If indeed he was the only one, then this may be my last photo of him - I thank him for giving me quite a lovely pose for this shot:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/imag...25762/original

[Zackiedawg]

Got back to Green Cay and Wako yesterday, after missing the previous weekend for being out of town. Overall migration activity is lower, but also changing around a bit with a few winter 'regulars' returning...

Of the migrators seen in the previous month, I spotted worm-eating warblers, northern parulas, blue-grey gnatcatchers, and a probable yellow-throated warbler...not many others of the small birds.

However, I did notice the return of the blue-winged teals and the sora rails...both in fairly good numbers at Green Cay, and the teals out in force at Wakodahatchee. At Wako, there were several belted kingfishers flying around, and also two sora there. At Green Cay, I spotted two least bitterns, so they haven't left town yet.

Also a wonderful non-bird viewing at Green Cay - the now omnipresent bobcats made a wonderful out-in-the-open appearance for me Saturday - first, I saw the momma cat about 20 feet out in the woods near the entrance of the restrooms...and while watching and photographing her, heard russling close by and saw one of her cubs pop out not 10 feet away...then the other came out of the brush and joined her, so the three were sitting in a clearing watching me, and rubbing eachother, before finally moving off along the shore of the water. The cubs are fairly well grown now, about 2/3 her size...they probably will be off on their own soon.

[Zackiedawg]

One of my shots of the bobcats at Green Cay - I know it's not a bird, but thought some of you who go there might enjoy it anyway!