Green Cay / Wakodahatchee wetlands (4 Viewers)

[merryslug]

I went to Green Cay Wetlands this morning, tallying about 40 species including Virginia Rail near the gazebo on the northwest corner of the reserve.

There were also several Yellow-headed Blackbirds at the Sem Chi Rice Plant just off C880 near STA-1W.

Carlos

Carlos - the Virginia Rail is at Green Cay? I'd heard it was at Wako. Now I'm confused.

 

[csanchez7]

merryslug, Virginia Rail is a regular wintering species in the southern half of the peninsula...there can always be more than one around.

Carlos

 

[merryslug]

LOL good point. I guess what I was asking was had it been spotted recently at Green Cay as well (ie making sure you weren't thinking of one place but typed the other).

 

[merryslug]

And since I'm hassling you Is there a particular spot at the rice plant? My coworker and I pass that fairly frequently, and she and I both would love to see a Yellow-headed Blackbird!

 

[csanchez7]

merryslug, the Yellow-headed Blackbirds are mixed in with the large flock of Red-winged Blackbirds right behind the silos. You can't miss the massive, roving cloud of blackbirds circulating in plague like numbers around the mounds of rice husks. You will need a scope, though, and a bit of patience (took about an hour for us).

Carlos

 

[bulos]

Paul,

In the W Palm Beach area, if you take the Beeline Hwy NW out of town there are almost always a couple of cranes along the road between here and Indiantown, just cruising the swales.

I'm usually only travelling that road mornings and late afternoons, but I almost always see them unless it's high summer.

Oh I'm liking you more and more Sluggo:

 

[bulos]

LOL good point. I guess what I was asking was had it been spotted recently at Green Cay as well (ie making sure you weren't thinking of one place but typed the other).

I have found that where there are Sora other rails are possible...two good spots for Sora (and rails in general following my logic) would be GC and WAK both places in the back. If you go right at the 1st fork in the boards at Wak the end of that stretch before it turns left is also a good spot.

 

[merryslug]

Oh I'm liking you more and more Sluggo:

Oh yay I'm so glad you found them! And fantastic pictures too :t:

 

[bulos]

I've seen Sandhill cranes at Okeeheelee 5 or 6 times. Except for one time when I saw 3 on the trail I have seen them to the right of the Nature Center hanging out under the big tree. It's usually a groupf of 5.

I went there yesterday no cranes but I got some good bunting pics and later on following Merrysluggs advice I got some good SH Crane pics on the Beeline.(posted here too)

 

[Zackiedawg]

Paul...when did you catch the buntings at OK...and are they fairly reliable now? I've already gotten plenty of the painteds at Green Cay, but wouldn't mind catching some Indigo shots - the two times I've tried Okeeheelee I was bust - couldn't even find one bird to photograph...found out I was off season (April/May). I might make a stop if they're fairly reliable now - morning or afternoon, or both?

 

[merryslug]

Stunning bunting shots! Good grief, did they line up for you?? I am torn between jealousy and admiration :t:

 

[bulos]

Paul...when did you catch the buntings at OK...and are they fairly reliable now? I've already gotten plenty of the painteds at Green Cay, but wouldn't mind catching some Indigo shots - the two times I've tried Okeeheelee I was bust - couldn't even find one bird to photograph...found out I was off season (April/May). I might make a stop if they're fairly reliable now - morning or afternoon, or both?

Yesterday. Generally the best time for buntings down here is mid winter the colder the better. I was there in the late AM-early noon.

 

[bulos]

Stunning bunting shots! Good grief, did they line up for you?? I am torn between jealousy and admiration :t:

Thanks but they are really not all that I had to PS them. A perfect image is perfect in it's RAW form but I'm glad you like these.

 

[Sydsmythe]

Baby herons at Wako were adorable today. Play fighting while Mom looked on proudly.

Met a very friendly cormorant today too. Another inch and I could've touched him.
Hope that doesn't mean he is unhealthy.
The little green heron was in the nest but I couldn't see if anything was happening there.

We have several peafowl behind our office. We found an egg under an oak tree where the leaves are piled quite densely as the area is never raked.
One of the males has been displaying like crazy lately. Gorgeous.

Great photos bulos!

 

[bulos]

Baby herons at Wako were adorable today. Play fighting while Mom looked on proudly.

Met a very friendly cormorant today too. Another inch and I could've touched him.
Hope that doesn't mean he is unhealthy.
The little green heron was in the nest but I couldn't see if anything was happening there.

We have several peafowl behind our office. We found an egg under an oak tree where the leaves are piled quite densely as the area is never raked.
One of the males has been displaying like crazy lately. Gorgeous.

Great photos bulos!

Tuesday

 

[Sydsmythe]

Blaaah..got called in to work. No Hypoluxo Scrub for me today!

 

[bulos]

Blaaah..got called in to work. No Hypoluxo Scrub for me today!

"neither rain nor sleet nor dark of night.........."

 

[bulos]

Stunning bunting shots! Good grief, did they line up for you?? I am torn between jealousy and admiration :t:

Sluggo, I worked in commercial photography for 20 years or so shooting everything from jewelry to pots and pans and people; still-lifes is the best teacher for composition and lighting. I had some great teachers.

 

[Sydsmythe]

"neither rain nor sleet nor dark of night.........."

There's one in every crowd :egghead:

 

[bulos]

There's one in every crowd :egghead:

Yup