csanchez7's 2008 list (1 Viewer)

[csanchez7]

I am a beginning birder, just having started seriously this year to pay attention to all the species around me. However, I have always been interested in birds and nature in general -- I guess bird watching was eventually inevitable as a hobby! My goal for this year is to at least hit 100. No trips outside of South Florida are currently planned.

FEBRUARY:

Kendall Neighborhood Park/Lake (2/11/08)
1) Muscovy Duck
2) Mallard
3) Pied-billed Grebe
4) American Coot
5) Common Moorhen
6) Cattle Egret
7) White Ibis
8) Herring Gull
9) Osprey
10) Eurasian Collared Dove
11) Mourning Dove
12) Red-bellied Woodpecker
13) Northern Mockingbird
14) Loggerhead Shrike
15) Palm Warbler
16) Boat-tailed Grackle
17) European Starling
18) Eastern Phoebe
A.D. Barnes Park (2/17/08)
19) Turkey Vulture
20) Black Vulture
21) Belted Kingfisher
22) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
23) Northern Cardinal
24) Common Grackle
25) Tricolored Heron
Kendall Neighborhood Park/Lake (2/21/08)
26) Blue Jay
Mattheson Hammocks Park (2/23/08)
27) Brown Pelican
28) Double-crested Cormorant
29) Semipalmated Plover
30) Ruddy Turnstone
31) Ring-billed Gull
32) Laughing Gull
33) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
34) Fish Crow
35) Black and White Warbler
West Kendall Shopping Center Parking Lot (2/28/08)
36) Common Myna
37) House Sparrow
38) Monk Parakeet
39) Feral Pigeon

 

[csanchez7]

MARCH:

Everglades National Park -- Chekika Campground (3/1/08)
40) Great Blue Heron
41) Great Egret
42) Red-shouldered Hawk
43) American Kestrel
44) Yellow-rumped Warbler
Horse Country Neighborhood (3/12/08)
45) White-crowned Pigeon
Kendall Neighborhood Park/Lake (3/14/08)
46) Wood Stork
47) Black-crowned Night-Heron
48) Ring-necked Duck
49) Red-winged Blackbird
Mattheson Hammocks Park (3/29/08)
50) Royal Tern
51) Least Sandpiper
52) Little Blue Heron
53) Green Heron
54) Snowy Egret
55) Pine Warbler
56) Anhinga

 

[csanchez7]

Went to A.D. Barnes Park this afternoon to see if I could spot out the passing migrant warblers. There was almost zero activity walking into the hardwood hammock portion of the park. However, while I was walking toward the exit I managed to spot two migrant species. It's better than nothing!
A.D. Barnes Park (5/1/08):
57) Ovenbird
58) Blackpoll Warbler

 

[csanchez7]

After spending the afternoon at Everglades National Park, I managed to find 27 different species, 10 of which are new to my year list. My first new bird was found near the Flamingo Visitor Center, feeding as a tight flock in recently mowed grass (Brown-headed Cowbird). The second and third were also found in the Flamingo parking lot (Great Crested Flycatcher, Merlin). The fourth at Eco Pond (Black-necked Stilt). The fifth, sixth, and seventh at Mzarek Pond (Blue-winged Teal, Greater Yellowlegs, Roseate Spoonbill). The seventh at Paurotis Pond (Gray Kingbird). The eighth (American Crow) was found throughout the park in very large numbers. A Swallow-tailed Kite was seen just before entering ENP, flying low to the ground over a field (tenth).
Everglades National Park -- Ernest Coe Visitor Center to Flamingo (5/2/08)
59) Swallow-tailed Kite
60) Brown-headed Cowbird
61) Great Crested Flycatcher
62) Black-necked Stilt
63) Merlin
64) Blue-winged Teal
65) Greater Yellowlegs
66) Roseate Spoonbill
67) Gray Kingbird
68) American Crow

 

[csanchez7]

Participated in the Chekika-Shark Valley portion of the North American Migration Bird Count. Unfortunately, by this time, most of the migrants have moved on, and our group didn't get too many migrants. Still, however, I managed to get seven new birds onto my year list!
Everglades National Park -- Chekika Unit, Shark Valley, also Big Cypress National Preserve (5/10/08)
69) Eastern Meadowlark
70) Common Nighthawk
71) White-tailed Kite
72) White-eyed Vireo
73) Red-eyed Vireo
74) Barred Owl
75) Eastern Kingbird

 

[csanchez7]

Birded Bill Baggs State Park on Key Biscayne late in the morning and early afternoon. Not the best time to be out birding, but still productive. Seven more new species to my year list:
Bill Baggs State Park (5/14/08)
76) Common Ground-dove
77) American Redstart
78) Chimney Swift
79) Connecticut Warbler
80) Bobolink
81) Common Yellowthroat
82) Magnificent Frigatebird

 

[csanchez7]

Birded with the local Audubon Society into Big Cypress Preserve, again, hoping to see a Pileated Woodpecker among other birds. No Pileated Woodpecker, but did manage to add six more species to my year list. The most exciting birds on this trip included close-up views of Barred Owl, which perched only a couple feet from the edge of the road. Also, we had a King Rail cross the road and join another rail in a bathing and preening session out in plain sight. A Prothonotary Warbler posed on a low branch on a cypress tree out in the open, which was another real treat. At Kirby Storter Boardwalk, Eastern Bluebirds were present in the parking lot. On the boardwalk, a pair of Northern Parula was observed busily feeding their chicks, and a Carolina Wren was seen foraging down a cypress tree. It then proceeded to fly right under the boardwalk.
Big Cypress National Preserve (5/17/08)
83) Killdeer
84) King Rail
85) Prothonotary Warbler
86) Eastern Bluebird
87) Northern Parula
88) Carolina Wren

Carlos

 

[csanchez7]

Green Cay and Wakodahatchee Wetlands, May 19, 2008 (amazing birding at both of these locations!)
89) Glossy Ibis
90) Spotted Sandpiper
91) Mottled Duck
92) Limpkin
93) Least Tern
94) Purple Martin
95) Purple Gallinule
96) Solitary Sandpiper
97) Sora
98) Black-bellied Whistling-duck
Green Cay and Wakodahatchee Wetlands (5/24/08)
99) White-winged Dove
100) Brown Thrasher

Another excellent morning of birding at both of these locations. Between these two birding hotspots, I have almost more species than I have seen in all the times I've been to Everglades National Park. I heartily recommend going to both of these spots for anyone visiting South Florida, guaranteeing great looks at such locals as Purple Gallinule and Limpkin. Plus, Wakodahatchee has rookery islands brimming with young Anhingas, Great Blue Herons, and Tricolored Herons. Not to be missed!

 

[csanchez7]

Loxahatchee is a little north of the Green Cay/Wakodahatchee Wetlands. It features a boardwalk running through some old, Spanish moss covered cypress trees. The forest was absolutely overrun with woodpeckers, mostly Red-bellied Woodpeckers. I also saw my first Downy and Pileated Woodpeckers of the year. The Pileated Woodpeckers are spectacular birds. Later, I walked around the impoundments. Most of the wildlife is identical to that found in Green Cay/Wakodahatchee. However, I did find a couple of birds that I did not see there. I saw a lone Sandhill Crane foraging in the first impoundment. In the second impoundment, I saw a Snail Kite soaring around a small cypress tree.

Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge (5/27/08)
101) Downy Woodpecker
102) Pileated Woodpecker
103) Sandhill Crane
104) Snail Kite

A few days later, I went to Cutler Wetlands, which is much closer to where I live. I saw many great birds, although I did not see much variety of shorebirds today. It had rained heavily earlier and water levels were beginning to rise -- too high for shorebirds. However, I did see a lone American White Pelican which had yet to migrate. Also, I saw Cave Swallows flying over the marsh along with Purple Martins. A lone American Avocet was seen feeding in the center of the marsh. Another beautiful bird -- and it was in breeding plumage, too!

Cutler Wetlands (5/30/08)
105) American White Pelican
106) Cave Swallow
107) American Avocet

 

[csanchez7]

A very hot day at Matheson Hammock Park, a coastal park featuring mostly coastal beach and mangrove habitat. It was a slow day for birding, producing only a couple of gulls, a Magnificent Frigatebird, a Brown Pelican, and a couple dozen Double-crested Cormorants. As far as land birds go, there were many Blue Jays, Boat-tailed Grackles, Mourning Doves, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and Northern Mockingbirds. Only one new year bird for the list.
Matheson Hammock Park (6/1/08)
108) Prairie Warbler

Three days later, I decided to visit another coastal/marine habitat, but this time on the other side of the peninsula (west coast). Rather than mangrove and coarse sand beaches, Tigertail Beach on Marco Island features fine, sugary sand with an extensive dune system and extensive mud flats during low tide. This type of habitat is a shorebird magnet and comprised the bulk of my birding at this jewel of a beach. This is the place for viewing shorebirds in south Florida.
Tigertail Beach, Marco Island (6/4/08)
109) Reddish Egret
110) Black Skimmer
111) Willet
112) Semipalmated Sandpiper
113) Wilson's Plover
114) Black-bellied Plover
115) Short-billed Dowitcher

 

[csanchez7]

Today, I drove all the way up to Lake Kissimmee State Park to see all the birds we normally do not get in South Florida. The results were mixed. I missed out on Bald Eagle, Crested Caracara, Wood Duck, and Wild Turkey. Amusingly, I did manage to see all the smaller passerine target species on my list. The highlight of the trip was a trio of Sandhill Cranes, two parents with a half-grown chick right on the side of the park road. A Northern Bobwhite scuttling across the road in front of my car was very nice, too.
Lake Kissimmee State Park (6/26/08)
116) Eastern Towhee
117) Summer Tanager
118) Tufted Titmouse
119) Florida Scrub-jay
120) Yellow-billed Cuckoo
121) Northern Bobwhite

Afterwards, I stopped at Green Cay and Wakodahatchee Wetlands. They never disappoint. Limpkins, Purple Gallinules, Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, Anhingas, and every heron/egret (except Reddish Egret and YC Night-heron). The Wood Storks were perched along the boardwalks. The Purple Gallinules, also on the boardwalk, were watching me just a foot away while I watched Mottled Ducks, White-winged Doves, and Least Terns. Got to see White Ibis, Cattle Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Tricolored Herons, Great and Snowy Egrets begin to roost on the pond apple islands at Wakodahatchee Wetlands. Black-bellied Whistling-ducks and Glossy Ibis were also present. Another lifer for the list.
Green Cay and Wakodahatchee Wetlands (6/26/08)
122) Least Bittern

The next day, I decided to try my luck with the exotics of my neighborhood. Kendall Baptist Hospital is only about fifteen minutes away by car, but I had never actually tried birding this location. There were a fair number of Muscovy Ducks, White Ibis, Green Herons, European Starling, Fish Crow, Northern Mockingbird...the usual variety of my area. A plus was a White-crowned Pigeon feeding on fruit in a strangler fig tree. I got three year birds today out of this short trip -- three different species of parakeet that seem to be established in the area.
Kendall -- Baptist Hospital Area (6/27/08)
123) Red-masked Parakeet
124) Mitred Parakeet
125) White-winged Parakeet

The day after that, I stopped by at Matheson Hammocks during low tide. A Yellow-crowned Night-heron was walking along the grass near the main parking lot eating a fiddler crab -- what luck! Later on, a pair of Hill Mynas were found in the hardwood hammock area near the main entrance to the park.
Matheson Hammock Park (6/28/08)
126) Yellow-crowned Night-heron
127) Hill Myna

 

[csanchez7]

I was in Venezuela visiting family from July 7 to July 22, 2008. I managed to do a little bit of birding during the two weeks I was there. However, I got no where near as many species as I would have liked to have seen.

My first day of birding was on July 12 at Parque del Este in Caracas. This city park is located in one of the better neighborhoods of Caracas. The park is used heavily by the people of the city, and the birds are very accustomed to being surrounded by lots of people. I enjoyed this location and think it is a great introduction point to birding in Venezuela to familiarize oneself with a lot of the more common species.
Parque del Este, Caracas (7/12/08)
128) Scaled Dove
129) Ruddy Ground-dove
130) Saffron Finch
131) Bare-eyed Thrush
132) Great Kiskadee
133) Shiny Cowbird
134) Blue-gray Tanager
135) Carib Grackle
136) Gray-breasted Martin
137) Grayish Saltator
138) Copper-rumped Hummingbird
139) Red-crowned Woodpecker
140) Chestnut-fronted Macaw
141) Masked Yellowthroat
142) Tropical Kingbird
143) Orange-chinned Parakeet
144) Rusty-margined Flycatcher
145) Stripe-backed Wren
146) Yellow Oriole
147) Cattle Tyrant

 

[csanchez7]

My second and third days of birding were spent at Rancho Grande Biological Station at Henri Pittier National Park. I basically spent one afternoon and one early morning, birding mainly around the building's terrace and surrounding area. Do NOT visit this place in July like I did -- it is the most unproductive time of the year for birding since it is the peak of the rainy season. The weather was very cool and wet with on and off rain around the clock. Irregardless of the weather and thriller movie-like aspect of the building, I saw the most beautiful and exciting birds of the trip at this location. I will definitely come back to do a more thorough visit of this location in the future.

Henri Pittier National Park - Rancho Grande (7/14/08)
148) Russet-backed Oropendola
149) Golden Tanager
150) Silver-beaked Tanager
151) Blood-eared Parakeet
152) Pale-breasted Thrush
153) Orange-bellied Euphonia
154) Green Honeycreeper
155) Black-headed Tanager
156) Bay-headed Tanager
157) Masked Tityra
158) Cinnamon Flycatcher
159) Swallow Tanager
160) Palm Tanager
161) Golden-crowned Flycatcher

Henri Pittier National Park - Rancho Grande (7/15/08)
162) Crested Spinetail
163) Gray-headed Tanager
164) Long-tailed Slyph
165) Black-hooded Thrush
166) Slate-throated Redstart
167) Golden-olive Woodpecker
168) Plain-brown Woodcreeper
169) Dusky-capped Flycatcher
170) Violet-fronted Brilliant

 

[csanchez7]

My fourth day of birding was spent at La Macanilla, a moist foothill forest, which is considerably drier and warmer than Rancho Grande at Henri Pittier. My grandparents, Italian immigrants, built there home in this area which was originally extensive and beautiful forest habitat. Now, it is rapidly being turned over into agricultural land and much of the forest is being clear cut.

La Macanilla, Estado Vargas (7/17/08)
171) Crested Oropendola
172) Smooth-billed Ani
173) House Wren
174) Squirrel Cuckoo
175) Southern Rough-winged Swallow
176) Green Jay
177) White-tipped Dove
178) Black-throated Mango
179) Lesser Goldfinch
180) Yellow-bellied Seedeater
181) Common Tody-flycatcher
182) Streaked Flycatcher
183) Rufous-tailed Jacamar
184) Stripe-throated Hermit
185) Social Flycatcher
186) Green-rumped Parrotlet
187) Bananaquit

On my fifth and last day of birding, I decided to spend a couple hours at the Botanic Gardens of the Universidad Central of Caracas. Most of the birds found were the same as those found at Parque del Este with a few exceptions. There were three completely new birds added to my list.

Jardin Botanico, Caracas (7/19/08)

188) Yellow-bellied Elaenia
189) Black-faced Grassquit
190) Yellow-rumped Cacique

 

[csanchez7]

I spent a little over an hour today at Cutler Wetlands. Migration is definitely underway here in South Florida, as a good variety of shorebirds were present at this migration stop. American Avocet, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitcher, Black-necked Stilt, and "peeps"/"stints" which were way too far to idenfiy with my binoculars. One new bird for the year list:

Cutler Wetlands (7/30/08)
191) Lesser Yellowlegs

 

[csanchez7]

What a difference a couple months of rain makes to this portion of the Everglades from bone dry prairie to extensive shallow marshland. Birds are also very different, with lower numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds and no Eastern Meadowlarks found. On the other hand, Loggerhead Shrike and Northern Mockingbird were abundant. There were also several Great Egrets and Green Heron. FOTS Belted Kingfisher and Barn Swallows!

Everglades National Park -- Chekika Unit (8/3/08)
192) Barn Swallow

The following day, I tried a second visit to Cutler Wetlands. Water levels had gone up because of recent heavy rains. There were many of the usual birds present, yet far fewer numbers of migrant shorebirds. The highlight was a flock of a dozen Wood Storks -- new to me in this location. While I was about to leave, shorebirds and gulls suddenly took flight in earnest and the cause was quickly apparent. A low flying, stealthy Cooper's Hawk was hunting the shorebirds. Year bird!

Cutler Wetlands (8/4/08)
193) Cooper's Hawk

Stopped by Kendall-Tamiami Airport early in the morning for a sole purpose -- to see Burrowing Owls. I got to see a pair of them looking around from between a pair of marked cones. Also of interest was the very high number of Barn Swallows passing through on migration.

Kendall-Tamiami Airport (8/13/08)
194) Burrowing Owl

Stopped by A.D. Barnes Park to look for early migrants, and I wasn't disappointed. Many Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, several Red-eyed Vireos, and a Yellow-throated Warbler. Also, four Hill Mynas were seen in the southeast portion of the park.

A.D. Barnes Park (8/16/08)
195) Yellow-throated Warbler

 

[csanchez7]

Went to Crandon Park Beach early afternoon to see what the storm (Tropical Storm Fay) blew in. It was still quite windy with distant squalls, so the birding was very quick. However, it was very productive as I saw American Avocet, nearly a hundred Royal Tern, Magnificent Frigatebird, Black Skimmer, Black-bellied Plover, and many more! Many new year/life birds.

Crandon Park Beach (8/19/08)
196) Lesser Black-backed Gull
197) Gull-billed Tern
198) Sanderling
199) Long-billed Dowitcher
200) Piping Plover
201) Egyptian Goose
202) Pectoral Sandpiper

I went birding with a local birder today to several areas in southern Miami-Dade county. We first stopped at The Annex, which is very near the main entrance to Everglades National Park. Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Northern Parula, Great Crested Flycatcher, Loggerhead Shrike, and Barn Swallow were among the many birds seen, including five Bald Eagles and two female Orchard Orioles.

The Annex (8/20/08)
203) Bald Eagle
204) Orchard Oriole

Afterwards, we went into Everglades National Park and drove all the way to Flamingo. In less than two hours, we counted over 50 species of bird at this spot including American White Pelican, Osprey, Belted Kingfisher, Reddish Egret, Black Skimmer, Roseate Spoonbill, Magnificent Frigatebird, Swallow-tailed Kite (large kettle of over 40 birds heading south), Brown-headed Cowbird, and more. There were also many species of shorebird at this location.

Everglades National Park (8/20/08)
205) White-rumped Sandpiper
206) Dunlin
207) Western Sandpiper
208) Caspian Tern
209) Black-whiskered Vireo

Finally, we went to the Homestead Agricultural Area to pick up the vagrant Horned Lark that has been seen for the past two weeks in that area. Other birds seen here included many Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, and Pectoral Sandpiper.

Homestead Agricultural Area (8/20/08)
210) Horned Lark

 

[csanchez7]

Went to Marco Island -- Tigertail Beach with a fellow birder to see how shorebird migration is going here in Florida. We tallied 15 species of shorebird, 2 species of tern, Reddish Egret, and Black Skimmers among others in just a little over an hour of birding. Added four more birds to my year list!

Marco Island -- Tigertail Beach (8/24/08)
211) Sandwich Tern
212) Marbled Godwit
213) Red Knot
214) Whimbrel

Land birds are starting to pick up considerably in South Florida. A trip to A.D. Barnes Park in Miami in the afternoon produced a total of 7 different species of migrant warblers and even a Summer Tanager.

A.D. Barnes Park (8/25/08)
215) Worm-eating Warbler
216) Northern Waterthrush

Another attempt to see more migrant passerines in South Florida, this time in Matheson Hammock Park. There were fewer numbers of warblers and fewer variety than at A.D. Barnes. However, I still saw two new year birds!

Matheson Hammock (8/26/08)
217) Yellow-throated Vireo
218) Louisiana Waterthrush

Swainson's Warbler and Hooded Warbler were seen at Matheson Hammock on the 28th. Unfortunately, I could not find the secretive little birds despite spending a couple hours walking back and forth through the nature trail. During the afternoon, bird activity was very low overall. There were some nice birds, however, including seven Hill Mynas, White-crowned Pigeon, Chuck-will's-widow, Short-tailed Hawk, Northern Flicker, and a few of the more common warblers.

Matheson Hammock (8/28/08)
219) Northern Flicker
220) Chuck-will's-widow
221) Short-tailed Hawk

 

[csanchez7]

Today, I went along with the Tropical Audubon Society to the Palm Beach Everglades Agricultural Area. I had a great time and got a lot of lifer/year birds! I believe the bird of the day was a pair of Wilson's Phalaropes and an American Golden-plover. There were about 18 different shorebirds seen today out in the sod farms.

Palm Beach Everglades Agricultural Area (8/30/08)
222) Yellow Warbler
223) Black Tern
224) Upland Sandpiper
225) Northern Rough-winged Swallow
226) Stilt Sandpiper
227) American Golden-plover
228) Fulvous Whistling-duck
229) Wilson's Phalarope
230) Bank Swallow
231) Barn Owl

 

[csanchez7]

A morning stop at Matheson Hammock before class produced a great life warbler along the first puddle on the trail:

Matheson Hammock Park (9/4/08)
232) Kentucky Warbler

A trip Friday afternoon to Crandon Beach Park produced many shorebirds, terns, cormorants, and gulls. Among the Laughing and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, there was a very large Great Black-backed Gull!

Crandon Beach (9/5/08)
233) Great Black-backed Gull

A Tropical Audubon Society trip to Cutler Wetlands produced a couple Solitary Sandpipers, a small flock of Short-billed Dowitchers, many Mottled Ducks, Wood Stork, and various other birds. The best birds, however, were a small flock of Black-bellied Whistling-ducks and a first of season Northern Shoveler.

Cutler Wetlands (9/7/08)
234) Northern Shoveler

Whike Ike was doing its worst at Miami-Dade county, I decided to head down to Crandon Park Beach after class to see if any interesting terns or maybe even a jaegar had been pushed in toward the beach. Royal Terns, Least Terns, Laughing Gulls, and Black Skimmers made up the bulk of the seabirds. Black-bellied, Wilson's, Semipalmated, and Piping Plovers were also all present in high numbers, as well as Sanderling and Ruddy Turnstone. A few Sandwich Terns, Common Terns, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and Double-crested Cormorants, plus singles of Magnificent Frigatebird and Brown Pelican rounded out this seawatching excursion.

Crandon Park Beach (9/9/08)
235) Common Tern