Green Cay / Wakodahatchee wetlands (1 Viewer)

[bulos]

Least Bittern at GC

Least Bittern at GC on Friday. Least Tern at Wako and Burrowing Owls in Davie.

 

[Zackiedawg]

Yesterday a quick visit to Wako on my way back from Palm Beach revealed the shallow waders in pretty good force. Two least bitterns, half-a-dozen stilts, at least 5 killdeer, and 2 solitary sandpipers. Also a few terns - I think least - hunting the back pond. Basilisks are really showing up in force, and iguanas are back too. Tricolor babies are now front and center, now that the GBH babies have mostly grown up and are leaving the nests or starting to self-provide. Egrets are in full nest and baby mode too.

 

[merryslug]

Least Bittern at GC on Friday. Least Tern at Wako and Burrowing Owls in Davie.

Darn you Paul! Every time I think I have a decent picture of a bird you and Justin come along and show me what they should really look like.

* shakes fist *

 

[Zackiedawg]

Here's that American bittern at Green Cay - I only had my wee camera with me that day, with a 135mm lens, but he was close enough to still get:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/134205494/original.jpg

This one I'm thinking was a solitary sandpiper - too big for a least, but could also be semi-palmeated?:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/134205568/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/134205565/original.jpg

I'm open to suggestions or confirmations!

 

[Andy Wraithmell]

Here's that American bittern at Green Cay - I only had my wee camera with me that day, with a 135mm lens, but he was close enough to still get:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/134205494/original.jpg

This one I'm thinking was a solitary sandpiper - too big for a least, but could also be semi-palmeated?:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/134205568/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/134205565/original.jpg

I'm open to suggestions or confirmations!

Great pictures. It is indeed a Solitary Sandpiper, good call!

 

[Zackiedawg]

Thank you for the confirm. I am getting a little more familiar with the sandpipers - I've only seen them a few months out of the year for the last few years and they can look pretty similar at first glance.

 

[bulos]

Least Bittern

It was raining off and on yesterday and cloudy which was good for Least Bittern. There was a pair in the reeds to ones right upon entering.

 

[Zackiedawg]

I saw the leasts over at Wako yesterday , right down the entrance boardwalk as you turn right, on your right. Not too bad spotting yesterday - at Wako, there was a nice limpkin right out in the open posing for photos, and a nice group of terns diving the back pond (I think they were leasts). Purple gallinules are starting to pop up in greater numbers too, and look like they might be nesting. At Green Cay, there's a little red-bellied woodpecker carving out his home in the lonely tree stump to the right of the main building - I heard him hammering away inside, then he'd poke his head out with a mouthful of wood chips and dump them, then yell at the sparrows circling him. Quite a few redstarts both by the front entrance and in the back tree canopy - I spotted at least 5, both male and female. Cardinals were in large presence there too. Sora as usual by the dozen. Black-bellied whistling ducks were there in force, also at Wako. And I believe a greater yellowlegs at Green Cay (couldn't tell if greater or not...need to look at the photos when I get the chance). Couple of grey catbirds. And at both parks, all of the regulars of course.

 

[bulos]

I should have said he ones I saw friday were at GC.

 

[bulos]

Least Bittern

Least Bittern quite lively at both places today (Friday 5/06/11)

 

[Zackiedawg]

Wakodahatchee on Saturday was experiencing a virtual takeover by small perching birds - I must say I've never seen the tree canopy area to the north end this saturated with perchers before. I have never seen quite so many American redstarts in one spot before - they've visited my yard in small handfuls - but at Wako there must have been 2 dozen of them, if not more. Among them were quite a few warblers - quite a few black & whites, and yellow-rumpeds...possibly some palms. A few mystery birds were mixed in too, which I need to go through my photos and see if any can be identified - several round chubby little birds were there, that might have been titmouses...and I saw one or two greyish patterned birds with a touch of yellow/orange underwing that I had no idea what they were, but when looking at photos of La Sagra's, they looked similar. There was also a bird with a fairly deep blue upper parts, and a ligth buff to white underbelly, that was a little smaller than purple martins, and was among the tree canopy with the others - I could not make out what this one was either. In the next few days, hopefully I'll be able to go through my photos and find out if any of them are IDable - I took some photos in horrible conditions that won't be for displaying or printing, but just for the sake of hopefully making identifications.

 

[bulos]

shooting Least Bittern

While shooting Least Bittern Monday at Wako I noticed that the area below the eyes was glowing red when he called. At first I thought it was the bright sunlight from behind him but I noticed it was happening regardless of his position to the sun. Anyone else ever see this? This is an image from the shoot and the reddish hue is clearly evident.

 

[merryslug]

Seriously, where are you seeing these LBs? I've gone to both places numerous times lately and nothing.


BUT
At Green Cay there are TONS of Redstarts in the entryway area before you get to the nature center. Also saw some B&W Warblers and maybe a Black-throated Blue.

 

[Zackiedawg]

There are even more redstarts at Wako! And actually, the black throated blue is possibly one of the birds I saw over at Wako too that I couldn't identify - I hadn't thought of that one at the time, but it's a good possibility.

The LBs I've seen over at Wako have been in two places: one as you first come in down the boardwalk and turn right, on the right side, in the reeds about 20 feet to the right...I see those two fairly frequently...and in the back stretch, just at the northern gazebo in that 'pond' to the southwest of the gazebo. I haven't seen the LBs at green Cay - only the American...so hopefully Bulos can help on those ones.

 

[bulos]

There are even more redstarts at Wako! And actually, the black throated blue is possibly one of the birds I saw over at Wako too that I couldn't identify - I hadn't thought of that one at the time, but it's a good possibility.

The LBs I've seen over at Wako have been in two places: one as you first come in down the boardwalk and turn right, on the right side, in the reeds about 20 feet to the right...I see those two fairly frequently...and in the back stretch, just at the northern gazebo in that 'pond' to the southwest of the gazebo. I haven't seen the LBs at green Cay - only the American...so hopefully Bulos can help on those ones.

OK as to the warblers it is the fires and smoke that is probably pushing them more to the coast. A few years ago when we had bad fires in the glades my yard in Davie was like Warblers r Us for a few days. I have seen the LB in all the areas of both GC and W that have lots of Flagstaff and tall grass. The best showing by far was Monday at GC from that first pond on your right to about 100 or 200 feet past the gazeebo. There were at least 4 pairs displaying, calling and in general acting like sex crazed animals. Lo and behold my trip there yesterday and that portion was quiet but I saw and heard a few in the south end in the back ......Koo koo koo koo.....

 

[merryslug]

Okay the Black-throated Blue Warblers at GC have been verified.

 

[merryslug]

OK as to the warblers it is the fires and smoke that is probably pushing them more to the coast. A few years ago when we had bad fires in the glades my yard in Davie was like Warblers r Us for a few days. I have seen the LB in all the areas of both GC and W that have lots of Flagstaff and tall grass. The best showing by far was Monday at GC from that first pond on your right to about 100 or 200 feet past the gazeebo. There were at least 4 pairs displaying, calling and in general acting like sex crazed animals. Lo and behold my trip there yesterday and that portion was quiet but I saw and heard a few in the south end in the back ......Koo koo koo koo.....

What time of day did you see them displaying like that?

 

[bulos]

What time of day did you see them displaying like that?

2-7pm appx but only Monday wed was D E A D

 

[Sydsmythe]

In spite of the moms' threats I saw down into 2 red-winged blackbird nests yesterday. One had 2 hatchlings with those beaks wide open, the other had 3 little blue eggs.

There was a very interesting group at the back pond. Roseate Spoonbill, wood stork, 2 stilts and a purple gallinule hanging out together. Then the spoonbill took off and circled the area, (I'd never seen one fly before so it was a treat) and then landed on his own small patch of reeds, making a scene that looked every bit like some vintage Florida flamingo print. Would have been a nice photo.

 

[merryslug]

I hit Wako yesterday - no Redstarts or Bitterns but I did get a treat, a Fulvous Whistling Duck near the entrance. Probably everyone else has seen a ton of them, but it's a new bird for me