Green Cay / Wakodahatchee wetlands (1 Viewer)

Cervus · Feb 15, 2012

Well, I was at Wako for an hour this morning but never saw any Neotropics. Pretty bummed about that, because it's a bit of a drive for me to get down there from Jupiter.

On the plus side, later in the morning at Green Cay we sighted 3 bobcats! They were right at the entrance near the nature center, directly across from the restrooms. They looked young, like juveniles, and one had a rat in its mouth. All three ran off quickly but two returned a few minutes later, peeping through the palmettos. I'm not good at judging distances, but they didn't come any closer than the sprinkler pole that's in the bushes there.

I only had a point-and-shoot camera, but here's a pic:

http://i44.tinypic.com/35jw08y.jpg

Zackiedawg · Feb 15, 2012

The bobcat family has been there for 3 or 4 weeks now. I have very bad luck with them, mostly because I don't get over there until early to mid afternoons, and they seem to be most prevalent in the mornings. But virtually every time I go, there are people talking about seeing them that morning.

The neotropics have traditionally been in the tree islands when you turn clockwise (left) at the circle boardwalk and go over the first levee, on your left. There are two islands, and the neotropics have been spotted mostly on the first of the two islands. When I saw them, they were on the left front side of the island. Too bad on not seeing them - I've had the same happen to me many a time - driving somewhere to see something and having no luck. Life in the birding world!

Cervus · Feb 16, 2012

I've never been to these sites in the afternoon; I always go in the morning. Perhaps next time I'll try to get there mid-afternoon and stay until closing.

By the way, where did you see the Baltimore Oriole?

merryslug · Feb 16, 2012

I have the same problem with the Bobcats. It's a "life goal" of mine to see one in the wild, but despite my many visits, I'm always there apparently the day after the were right by the boardwalk lol. I'll keep trying though!

I need to try for the Neotropic again, but I've now got a weekend job and that puts a damper on when and how long I can now bird.

Zackiedawg · Feb 16, 2012

The baltimore oriole (and in fact the Cape May, downy, cowbird, and parula too) was just past the chickee hut going counter-clockwise - about 15 feet past the chickee hut, the boardwalk cricks to the left about 15 degrees. I was facing to my right just at that bend (looking in the opposite direction of the chickee hut). I saw all those birds in that one area. I've also spotted a cooper's hawk there frequently...and a lot of the 'regular' warblers.

The afternoon is surprisingly good especially for warblers and waders and raptor action. Most folks go in the morning, and they get to see the bobcats I never seem to find, but I never have a shortage of sightings there. BTW - another 50 feet or so counter-clockwise from that point, the owl box has been inhabited by a screech for about a month and a half.

Zackiedawg · Feb 21, 2012

Weekend update (Feb 18-20) - Green Cay continues to be a raptor hot spot - extremely reliable encounters with red-shouldered hawk, cooper's hawk, and northern harrier. The cooper's hawk hunting around the front entrance has been there every single visit I've made in the past 3 weeks...usually sitting just 5-10 feet off the boardwalk without a care for the people. The northern harrier pair has been successfully hunting throughout the grounds - easily spotted soaring around looking for a meal, or their location given away by the huge flocks of birds scattering into the air, which means one of them has swept down for an attack. Of course, osprey continue as well.

Passerines have been very good at Green Cay - continued spottings this weekend of northern parula, prairie warblers, blue-headed and white-eyed vireos, black-and-white warblers, and the regular warblers in vast numbers. Also spotted were ruby-throated hummingbirds at the west end cypress canopy.

Sora continue in truly amazing numbers - dozens of them. Also once again spotted two least bitterns, and two American bitterns. Quite a few purple gallinule as well now - at least 6 along the long backstretch. An otter has been there the past few weekends too, for those who like to see things other than birds...along with the bobcat family that was spotted again on Monday near the entrance.

Wakodahatchee was a little quieter - the usuals are all there but not too much exotic or rare. On Saturday, all the herons and egrets were reliable, green herons are nesting now and present in substantial numbers, GBH babies are all squawking, purple gallinule and sora are present, egyptian geese popped in, black-crowned night herons are there, didn't see the neotropics this time, and kingfishers continue to stick around.

Jaybrams · Feb 23, 2012

Saw a sharp-shinned hawk at Green Cay in the back bushy area on Monday.

bulos · Feb 24, 2012

Recent shots

These are from the last few week at wak and GC

bulos · Feb 24, 2012

a couple more

a couple more

Pat MS · Feb 26, 2012

Can anyone tell me whether some of the birds at Green Cay have had their wings clipped? I have a picture of a Wood Stork, taken in the last couple of weeks. It has it's wings spread and there seem to be some flight feathers missing.

Thanks

Pat

Zackiedawg · Feb 26, 2012

In general, I'd say no - the site is not a captive site and the birds are naturally occurring, however it's not out of the realm of possibility for a research bird from another location to have popped in to Green Cay. I've occasionally seen a banded/tagged bird there, mixed in with the others.

More likely, he was just missing feathers from a fight - the woodstorks can really throttle eachother when they fight, and I've seen great chunks of feathers torn out of their wings. It's rather surprising how well they can still fly with a fair number of missing feathers causing gaping holes in their wings!

Last week I watched two of them really fighting hard, for about 90 seconds...it was pretty violent looking.

Pat MS · Feb 27, 2012

Here's the bird in question - what do you think?

Pat

Zackiedawg · Feb 27, 2012

It might be a fighting incident...he seems to have some roughness along the white downy edge as well - like he's been in some scraps. I wouldn't expect anyone to 'tag' the bird by removing a key wing feather like that (though maybe some do). I've mostly seen leg banding done around here.

Cervus · Feb 28, 2012

I've got experience in wildlife biology and field techniques; I've never heard of anyone clipping the wings of a wild bird for research purposes. I think it may be illegal. Wood Storks are an endangered species, so they'd be banded if they were part of a population study. Additionally, zoos and aviaries do not release clipped birds into the wild.

This picture shows a bird that's likely lost a feather to molt, and it hasn't grown back yet. Because of their importance to flight, wing and tail feathers are molted one at a time instead of all at once. I commonly see soaring vultures or raptors that are missing a flight feather; one molted feather at a time doesn't affect the bird's flight ability too much, and molt is necessary to keep the feathers healthy.

It's possible the stork lost a feather in a fight, but my guess would be that he's molting and hasn't grown the feather back yet.

Pat MS · Mar 9, 2012

Just checking whether this bird that I photographed at Green Cay on 9 February is the Wurdemann's Heron that I head so much about? It was next to the Boardwalk.

Thanks

Pat

Zackiedawg · Mar 9, 2012

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 · Mar 9, 2012

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 · Mar 21, 2012

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 · Apr 16, 2012

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 · Apr 17, 2012

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!!

Green Cay / Wakodahatchee wetlands (1 Viewer)

Member

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

Bulos

Attachments

Bulos

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread