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Green Cay / Wakodahatchee wetlands (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter merryslug
- Start date
Zackiedawg
Well-known member
I was prepared to correct you on the 2nd duck - but in looking up to find out what a 'tree duck' was, I found that it seems to be an alternate older name for the black-bellied whistling duck and fulvous whistling duck. Interesting the things you learn!
I've always known that particular duck as a black-bellied whistling duck.
bulos
Bulos
And I also call Yellow-rumped warblers Myrtle...............I'm old so sue me!
Zackiedawg
Well-known member
Are your 'Wilson's snipe' called 'common snipe' too? 
Actually, I'm familiar with myrtle, but I always used it in quotes, as in Yellow-Rumped 'Myrtle' warbler.
I'm not exactly a whippersnapper myself, dag blammit.
Actually, I'm familiar with myrtle, but I always used it in quotes, as in Yellow-Rumped 'Myrtle' warbler.
I'm not exactly a whippersnapper myself, dag blammit.
bulos
Bulos
Are your 'Wilson's snipe' called 'common snipe' too?
Actually, I'm familiar with myrtle, but I always used it in quotes, as in Yellow-Rumped 'Myrtle' warbler.
I'm not exactly a whippersnapper myself, dag blammit.
Absolutely Common Snipe!
bulos
Bulos
Yes you are correct Carlos. as I understand this is a relatively recent re-classification. I am more of a photographer that likes to shoot birds rather than a bird watcher that likes to take pictures.
merryslug
Well-known member
* brain asplodes *
Zackiedawg
Well-known member
Well I'll be there regardless...but if the hunt is going to occur in the early AM, I won't be there! I'm more of a nooner guy for getting out there - I get up at 10am on weekends, and like to have coffee, read the paper, and relax in the morning.
I was at both parks Saturday...no Virginia rail for me. probably 2 dozen sora at Green Cay along the back row, and I spent a LOT of time looking for rails. Wako - same thing - went down the whole back row so slowly I was growing moss - several hours to no avail - lots of regular sora again...no Virginia.
Stilts are back in serious force though - Green Cay had a flock of what must have been 20 of them, and half-a-dozen at Wako too. And I spotted at least two least bitterns at Wako.
And while palm and yellow-rumped warblers seem to be everywhere now, there are also now at least 4 black-and-white warblers at Green Cay and two at Wako...and at Wakodahatchee I saw at least 10 prarie warblers - most I've ever seen there at once.
I was at both parks Saturday...no Virginia rail for me. probably 2 dozen sora at Green Cay along the back row, and I spent a LOT of time looking for rails. Wako - same thing - went down the whole back row so slowly I was growing moss - several hours to no avail - lots of regular sora again...no Virginia.
Stilts are back in serious force though - Green Cay had a flock of what must have been 20 of them, and half-a-dozen at Wako too. And I spotted at least two least bitterns at Wako.
And while palm and yellow-rumped warblers seem to be everywhere now, there are also now at least 4 black-and-white warblers at Green Cay and two at Wako...and at Wakodahatchee I saw at least 10 prarie warblers - most I've ever seen there at once.
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bulos
Bulos
Where exactly?
Zackiedawg
Well-known member
The least bitterns were on the back right breeding island, under all the egrets and ibises. One had what might have been a nest on the right side of the island, and there were two who were alternately flying back and forth from that island to the far island, and over to the levee by the boardwalk. All visible from that gazebo, where I was sitting a while to photograph the egrets as they flew.
Went to Wako in the pouring rain after work today. Except for 2 people hiding under one of the shelters, I was the only one there.
Saw a purple gallinule.
But the real treat was way in the back.
For about 10 minutes I was entertained by 2 lLeast Terns.
They hovered and dived quite close to me several times--so fascinating. And they definitely got their share of fish.
Then they took off east.
Saw a purple gallinule.
But the real treat was way in the back.
For about 10 minutes I was entertained by 2 lLeast Terns.
They hovered and dived quite close to me several times--so fascinating. And they definitely got their share of fish.
Then they took off east.
Zackiedawg
Well-known member
Most likely I'll be there, as usual. I usually hit Green Cay first, around 12-1, walk through then hed over to Wako around 3-4...and close out there.
I finished up my photos from this weekend last night, but haven't uploaded them yet - they're on my home computer so I'll not have them until tonight...I got decent photos of all of the spottings except the least bitterns, which I couldn't get a decent sharp shot of as I usually spotted them after they were flying and too late to track and focus so low to the water. I finally got a decent face shot of a prairie warbler - my first usable shot, actually. And I got a very nice B&W warbler shot - all my previous shots are always pinned against the trunk of a tree upside down in the shadows at ISO1600...this time I got him sitting pretty on a branch.
BTW - there's an excellent green heron nest at Wako, just past the right-ride gazebo where the bitterns were...she's low on a branch over the water, very visible from the boardwalk. I noticed her last weekend because she was making more noise than I've ever heard a green heron make - screaming her head off...when I looked in, she was on a branch below the nest, and standing directly ON the nest was a tricolor heron. 3 light blue eggs were clearly visible. The tricolor occasionally yelled back at the green, then looked at the eggs several times, before deciding to fly off...the green was able to calm down and hop back up to her nest - rearranged and checked her 3 eggs, and settled back down on top of them.
I finished up my photos from this weekend last night, but haven't uploaded them yet - they're on my home computer so I'll not have them until tonight...I got decent photos of all of the spottings except the least bitterns, which I couldn't get a decent sharp shot of as I usually spotted them after they were flying and too late to track and focus so low to the water. I finally got a decent face shot of a prairie warbler - my first usable shot, actually. And I got a very nice B&W warbler shot - all my previous shots are always pinned against the trunk of a tree upside down in the shadows at ISO1600...this time I got him sitting pretty on a branch.
BTW - there's an excellent green heron nest at Wako, just past the right-ride gazebo where the bitterns were...she's low on a branch over the water, very visible from the boardwalk. I noticed her last weekend because she was making more noise than I've ever heard a green heron make - screaming her head off...when I looked in, she was on a branch below the nest, and standing directly ON the nest was a tricolor heron. 3 light blue eggs were clearly visible. The tricolor occasionally yelled back at the green, then looked at the eggs several times, before deciding to fly off...the green was able to calm down and hop back up to her nest - rearranged and checked her 3 eggs, and settled back down on top of them.
bulos
Bulos
Yup I was there in the rain Monday and the least was hunting the reeds at the western tip of the island and then flew west into the reeds right were it bends to the right.
Zackiedawg
Well-known member
Yep...I just wish he either came closer, or came out more in the open...I like getting shots of them, and didn't get anything worthwhile this last time.
I should be able to get more prairies next time too, now that I know where they all are...here's one I got where he was a bit blocked by the leaf, but still at least got the face to confirm an ID:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/133529245/original
The black and white warbler posed nicely for a change...it was only for 1/2 second but I snapped the frame at the right time:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/133529241/original
And here's that green-backed heron with her eggs:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/133529255/original
And the wettest I've seen a black-crowned night heron get - he was actually sitting nearly up to his neck in the water to cool off...occasionally giving himself a little shake bath:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/133529248/original
I should be able to get more prairies next time too, now that I know where they all are...here's one I got where he was a bit blocked by the leaf, but still at least got the face to confirm an ID:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/133529245/original
The black and white warbler posed nicely for a change...it was only for 1/2 second but I snapped the frame at the right time:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/133529241/original
And here's that green-backed heron with her eggs:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/133529255/original
And the wettest I've seen a black-crowned night heron get - he was actually sitting nearly up to his neck in the water to cool off...occasionally giving himself a little shake bath:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/133529248/original
merryslug
Well-known member
Hit both this weekend.
Other than the "usuals," I saw a Redstart at GC, and the Least Bittern at Wako. I'm pretty sure I know where the LB nest is now - he/she flew from one of the islands over to a particular bulrush stand and, after letting me snap one crappy pic, dropped down into it and disappeared. A little while later a Grackle came over and made a big fuss, and you could see movement in the bulrush clump, but eventually the Grackle went away and things died down. I'll go back and stake it out next weekend.
Other than the "usuals," I saw a Redstart at GC, and the Least Bittern at Wako. I'm pretty sure I know where the LB nest is now - he/she flew from one of the islands over to a particular bulrush stand and, after letting me snap one crappy pic, dropped down into it and disappeared. A little while later a Grackle came over and made a big fuss, and you could see movement in the bulrush clump, but eventually the Grackle went away and things died down. I'll go back and stake it out next weekend
.
