Green Cay / Wakodahatchee wetlands (1 Viewer)

[Zackiedawg]

I saw into a few of the redwinged nests too - one very close at Wako to the north past the heron island...the female was hunkered down on the nest giving me the evil eye.

I was also at Wako yesterday...saw both redstarts and least bitterns. Also, very cute purple gallinule chicks - mom was jumping up on reeds and walking down until the reed dropped to the ground so the chicks could feed off the seeds. Sat and watched her go back up and walk down 4 different reeds - very smart.

I didn't see any fulvous at wako yesterday - must have missed him or he left before I got there. There were quite a few black-bellied whistlers, but no fulvous.

Baby alligators are grown up a bit too - several feet long now, but still with the black and yellow coloring.

Chased down some yellow-rumped warblers mixed in with the redstarts. According to my ID help thread, Carlos identified one of my 'mystery' birds last week as a blackpoll warbler - first one of those I've ever seen...he was in that crazy glut of birds at Wako in the tree canopy last week.

 

[Sydsmythe]

Saw the purple gallinule nest close to the boardwalk at Wako today. Chicks are starting to come out a bit, but the parents still bringing reeds to the nest. One of the parents gave a wonderful bathing and preening display. I've really never seen purple gallinules do anything but walk around till now.

Then a moorhen tried to raid the nest and there was a big to-do. I thought i saw another baby gallinule on the other side of the boardwalk but couldn't really tell.

Now there are 2 extra-friendly cormorants there. Funny how they just sit on the rail and watch the birds too. And 2 b-b whistling ducks stayed on the rail when I stood next to them. So cute.

 

[Zackiedawg]

I think someone has tied those cormorants to the rail. They've been sitting there on that boardwalk rail, just down from the gallinule babies, and do NOT move no matter how close you get, or how many people pass by them. I've always seen birds willing to sit on the rail as you pass them, but these things are either comatose or tied down!:

http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/134205540/original.jpg

 

[Sydsmythe]

I also get a kick out of the YCNH at Sportsmen's Park. If you sit on the bench near the boat launch, he'll just hop up and sit with you like you're old friends. Hopefully a friend with a fish, of course.

 

[bulos]

I also get a kick out of the YCNH at Sportsmen's Park. If you sit on the bench near the boat launch, he'll just hop up and sit with you like you're old friends. Hopefully a friend with a fish, of course.

Where is Sportsmen's Park Syd?

 

[Sydsmythe]

Sportsmen's park is on Ocean Ave and the Intracoastal in Lantana. It's the part on the south side by the boat launch and restaurants.
Further east on the north side is Lantana Nature Preserve. It's a small place but they say there are YCNHs there too down by the mangroves.
Lots of herons, pelicans, gullls and other fish moochers hang out here.

Sportsmen's park is basically a parking lot with benches around the water. You go there to take the drift boat or fish. Or get drunk at Old Key Lime House

 

[bulos]

Sportsmen's park is on Ocean Ave and the Intracoastal in Lantana. It's the part on the south side by the boat launch and restaurants.
Further east on the north side is Lantana Nature Preserve. It's a small place but they say there are YCNHs there too down by the mangroves.
Lots of herons, pelicans, gullls and other fish moochers hang out here.

Sportsmen's park is basically a parking lot with benches around the water. You go there to take the drift boat or fish. Or get drunk at Old Key Lime House

Ok then let's get drunk at Old Key Lime House. TY

 

[bulos]

Ftd

This fulvous Tree duck was shot at Wacko on Wednesday,

 

[Zackiedawg]

I hope they stick around this weekend - I wouldn't mind seeing them.

 

[bulos]

Sportsmen's park is on Ocean Ave and the Intracoastal in Lantana. It's the part on the south side by the boat launch and restaurants.
Further east on the north side is Lantana Nature Preserve. It's a small place but they say there are YCNHs there too down by the mangroves.
Lots of herons, pelicans, gullls and other fish moochers hang out here.

Sportsmen's park is basically a parking lot with benches around the water. You go there to take the drift boat or fish. Or get drunk at Old Key Lime House

Went there Friday Syd and got this at the preserve.

 

[merryslug]

Yeah I need a better look at the Fulvous. I wasn't paying enough attention the first time (thought it was another Black-bellied). It wasn't until I looked at the pics that I realized.


Also (and I don't think this will be a surprise to the regulars) at Wako a gator is buiding her nest right next to the paved back part of the pathway. And I do mean right next to...", as in, you could reach out and touch her if the wire mesh weren't there (and you were dumb enough). Apparently she's done this several years in a row at least.

 

[Zackiedawg]

Yeah, I even pointed her out to some unregular visitors who were upset Saturday at having not seen a gator yet - I ran into them right in tha tree canopy, so I showed them the nest-builder. She is indeed RIGHT there!

 

[bulos]

There was an article in the Sun-Sentinel about Green Cay and other PBC nature facilities being in dire financial straits. The were saying the nature centers will probably close. "Budget cuts threaten to close or scale back operations at Palm Beach County's three nature centers"

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/20..._budget-cuts-centers-palm-beach-county-budget

 

[Zackiedawg]

That would be unfortunate to hear - though I must be totally honest that I've never actually gone in the nature centers myself - I always just hit the boardwalks. Still, we need such places to teach and interest kids, and keep the support for such natural areas.

 

[Sydsmythe]

I think last year the bookkeeper ? secretary? at Okeeheelee cut down her hours but still worked almost 2 months without salary, IIRC.

Definitely off topic...I've got at least 20 atala butterflies in my back courtyard. I can see them swarming around from my bedroom window, landing on the wall, landing on the window..so cute! I must be doing something right.

 

[merryslug]

That's fabulous Syd! Aren't they endangered?


Went to Wako on Saturday - even the creeks have dried up. Now all the action is in either the big ponds or the canal out back by the paved section (saw several Roseate Spoonbills as well as a juvenile Nlack-crowned Night Heron there, along with the "regulars").

ps and a Basilisk lizard was hanging out by the parking lot.

 

[Zackiedawg]

I was at Wako Saturday after Gumbo Limbo - stopped by for a couple-hour walkthrough. It is awfully dry now, but there were some nice sightings. The least bittern couple was all over the place, and they've got babies! They're actually not so small - one of the youngsters was hanging out in the open and let me get some shots - looked almost like a fullgrown adult, except for the peach-fuzz on the head. The purple gallinule babies were still there, along with the stilt babies in the front pond, which also let me get some good shots of them - stilt chicks have to be one of the cutest baby birds. Along with baby moorhens, baby tricolors, baby cattle egrets, and baby alligators, it's definitely baby time out there!

 

[Sydsmythe]

Yes, the atala was almost extinct. I put 4 coontie plants in the front yard about 3 weeks ago. I'm not sure why they're hovering around back here.
And I just saw 2 large black butterflies...have to ID those now too.


Hmm I'll have to check out all those babies today. If I can stop watching these butterflies!

Now add 4 monarchs.


Large black butterflies I think are black swallowtails.

Now I just have to wait for the idiot neighbor behind me to complain that my yard is infested with bugs.

 

[Sydsmythe]

Paul-hi to your wife and the heck with you

Update on sad gator situation: the gator was no longer there, but the damned stick was. Another woman waited for the park ranger with me. Of course it was too late for anything but I'm still going to report it tomorrow. Seeing that stick there made me ill.I still think I should've done something.

Anyway, after all that I forgot to ask about a bird i saw at GC. I have seen American bitterns....I think..and know I've seen Least Bitterns. How big is an American compared to, say, a green heron? I googled photos but can't find one like this guy. Having one facing forward might help.

At first I thought was an American, but then I thought it was too big, with way too much white. Also, aren't they gone till winter? Instead of being streaked and mottled, this bird was white and had brownish splotches that looked like someone dabbed him with a paint brush. It attacked a moorhen. He was just standing in the open area looking up at the boardwalk and seemed more aggressive than skittish. Of course no photo as my phone was dead. I stood there for quite some time hoping someone could id him, but except for the gator molester and his girlfriend there was no one around. And as usual I forgot to look for things like leg color, eye area etc. I don't recall an American being this large or having white anywhere but chest, throat....

In any case I'm going back there tomorrow so I'll check. With my little camera. He was probably just a big fat AB!!!

Okay...how about big fat immature BCNH. After doing more research , that's the closest . he was also out and about at the right time. Knew it wasn't AB

 

[bulos]

Diane it was really cool tht you guys met. I wish I had known what that idiot was doing I would have "talked" to him. Is this the bird you saw? Yes this is a big fat immature BCNH! BTW I planted all kinds of butterfly plants and the past two years my yard is like Atalasr Us I mean they are all over the place a couple of times every summer. Their crysalis and larvae seem to like certain fern type plants.

Paul-hi to your wife and the heck with you

Update on sad gator situation: the gator was no longer there, but the damned stick was. Another woman waited for the park ranger with me. Of course it was too late for anything but I'm still going to report it tomorrow. Seeing that stick there made me ill.I still think I should've done something.

Anyway, after all that I forgot to ask about a bird i saw at GC. I have seen American bitterns....I think..and know I've seen Least Bitterns. How big is an American compared to, say, a green heron? I googled photos but can't find one like this guy. Having one facing forward might help.

At first I thought was an American, but then I thought it was too big, with way too much white. Also, aren't they gone till winter? Instead of being streaked and mottled, this bird was white and had brownish splotches that looked like someone dabbed him with a paint brush. It attacked a moorhen. He was just standing in the open area looking up at the boardwalk and seemed more aggressive than skittish. Of course no photo as my phone was dead. I stood there for quite some time hoping someone could id him, but except for the gator molester and his girlfriend there was no one around. And as usual I forgot to look for things like leg color, eye area etc. I don't recall an American being this large or having white anywhere but chest, throat....

In any case I'm going back there tomorrow so I'll check. With my little camera. He was probably just a big fat AB!!!

Okay...how about big fat immature BCNH. After doing more research , that's the closest . he was also out and about at the right time. Knew it wasn't AB