South Florida Birding (4 Viewers)

[Zackiedawg]

Carlos,
I saw the possible fork-tailed on Saturday (Nov 5), around 3pm. I was pulling back down the dirt road from the levee parking lot on the left, back to the main road, and it flew over the trees just on the other side of the main road from me (approx. from the vicinity of the cypress trails, headed over the RV/overflow parking lot, towards the boat ramps). It was a good 60-70 feet ahead and I was looking through my windshield - no photo opp at all, and hard to get a firm ID, other than the unusually long tailfeathers trailing behind.

BTW - I received ID help from this board's ID section that the possible kingbird was actually a loggerhead shrike (thanks Carlos), so strike the gray kingbird sighting!

Here's some of the raptor gatherings at Green Cay...first, the merlin:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/139427308/original

http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/139427310/original

http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/139427312/original

The beautiful red-shoulders that chased her off:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/139427316/original

http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/139427315/original

http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/139427314/original

One of the kestrels staying far above in the sky:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/139427303/original

And the obligatory osprey shot:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/139424094/original

And the Loxahatchee loggerhead shrike:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/139424098/original

 

[merryslug]

There was a logged report (refuge log) on the 5th, stating it was seen in the SE corner of C7 by one of the staff, who also got a photo. So it at least stayed that long.

I did a cursory search yesterday but was mostly distracted by the butterfly garden and didn't spend a lot of time at the impoundments.

 

[Sydsmythe]

Great shots, Justin! As usual I'm jealous.

I've got to get out there soon.

Carlos, do any gray kingbirds stay here ? I suppose not. The adorable bunch that was in downtown West Palm is long gone.

 

[csanchez7]

Gray Kingbirds sometimes linger, but they clear out for the most part. by the end of October. We start seeing them again in late March/early April -- something to look forward to...

However, winter time is the best time for birding in South Florida in terms of diversity -- most of our birds are either here or about to arrive at this time of year!

Carlos

 

[Zackiedawg]

It's getting pretty reliable around here. I stopped by Daggerwing yesterday on reports a kestrel was hanging out there - indeed it was - very easy to find and presented itself for lovely photographs - that makes at least 3 weeks it's been there. I also spotted blue-grey gnatcatchers and a pair of osprey there.

Went next to Green Cay - the usuals, though I didn't catch the merlin this time. I did however see a northern harrier - and he had gotten himself a meal - he had a bird pinned on the levee on the west side (left). Mottleds, herons, egrets, etc - and several sora have returned too.

Then I went to Wakodahatchee, which was finally reopened. The birds didn't mind the shutdown - it was active. Snowys, greats, & cattle; little blue, great blue, tricolor; gallinules - several immature; anhingas & cormorants; a kingfisher, a red-shouldered hawk, ospreys, white winged doves, black-crowned night heron (male and female), black-bellied whistling ducks, mottled ducks, blue winged teals, roseated spoonbill, glossy & white ibis, palm & yellow-rumped warblers. Staying to dusk, the numbers of ibis were scary - at least numbering in the thousands...along with quite a few egrets & anhingas & cormorants. Several small, unidentified little birds buzzed around that didn't look like warblers, but unfortunately no shots.

 

[merryslug]

Had a great day birding, including several lifers for me. Went to the C111 canal pump station and saw the immature Vermillion Flycatcher that's been hanging out there this week. My friend saw the second one, so there are still 2. I can only hope they stay all winter - I would LOVE to see them come into their full color!

Also stopped by Castellow Hammock and got (eventually) a female Rufous Hummingbird. Also picked up Ruby-throated Hummingbirds which were technically lifers for me as well.

Along the way - Western Kingbird a possible Vesper Sparrow, and improved pics of Eastern Pheobe, Eastern Flycatcher (must verify), and a Kestrel who decided to land near the car.

 

[merryslug]

I meant Eastern Kingbird (not "Flycatcher"), but it doesn't really matter since it turned out to be another Pheobe. Those darm E Kingbirds are eluding me, despite everyone else in the world seeing them all over the darn place.

 

[Zackiedawg]

Me too. Phoebes, no problem - loggerhead shrikes were the ones that made me think I might have seen a type of kingbird last time, but not. As far as I know, I have yet to see one.

 

[csanchez7]

merryslug,

All the Eastern Kingbirds should have left by now, if it makes you feel any better. You can start looking for Eastern and Gray Kingbirds again in late March-April until the end of October.

Right now, Western Kingbird and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are the two to look out for -- and maybe even other vagrants such as Tropical Kingbird and Cassin's Kingbird.

Carlos

 

[merryslug]

On Lake Okeechobee just at the southwestern tip of the Kissimmee River mouth is a large group of Snail Kites - mostly juveniles - that have been hanging together for at least a month.

We approached them today via airboat and got pretty close. The exotic Apple Snails up there are plentiful and they were busy chowing down. They'd return to the general group to eat and called back and forth to each other. At one point we counted 13 Kites within view.

While it's sometimes difficult in the field to distinguish females from juvies, there were at least 2 mature males there as well. I'll try to post some pics tomorrow.

 

[merryslug]

Here's a few of the Snail Kite photos:

a few in flight

female

male

 

[merryslug]

Okay, pics are working now.

 

[Sydsmythe]

Those are great shots, merry. Do you get to the lake in the course of your work?

Every morning I see a couple of LWDD guys in the Publix parking lot with their little jon boat, getting ready for the day. Shoulda thought of doing that instead of working for the PO.

 

[merryslug]

Yeah I'm at the SFWMD and I do research on the lake. We used to go out there about twice a week, but now it's a lot less.

 

[Sydsmythe]

Have you read A Land Remembered? Pretty big tearjerker for me. ;(

 

[merryslug]

Not yet, i'll look it up

 

[Andy Wraithmell]

Have you read A Land Remembered? Pretty big tearjerker for me. ;(

One of THE greatest books ever written :t:

 

[Sydsmythe]

yes Andy, you are correct. For those who are unfamiliar with this, go to http://patricksmithonline.com

it should be required reading for anyone who is even thinking of moving to Florida! o

And it was great fun trying to figure out where they were as they moved through the state. I was usually correct

I got a kick out of the Lykes reference...Windell Lykes.

If you order the hardcover edition from the website you get the companion DVD.

 

[Andy Wraithmell]

yes Andy, you are correct. For those who are unfamiliar with this, go to http://patricksmithonline.com

it should be required reading for anyone who is even thinking of moving to Florida! o

And it was great fun trying to figure out where they were as they moved through the state. I was usually correct

I got a kick out of the Lykes reference...Windell Lykes.

If you order the hardcover edition from the website you get the companion DVD.

We were in Highlands County recently and drove by the Peace River. We talked about the book for a while and felt sad how Florida has changed

 

[Sydsmythe]

The other day I delivered mail in the Foxe Chase subdivision off of Germantown Rd in Delray. It's a good thing no one came out to chat because it would've been embarrassing...the tears were just coming down.
Aside from the huge houses, it is a virtually undisturbed ancient oak hammock, so dense in places that it is almost dark. This hammock once ran from Military east to about a block before the Intracoastal. Some of it was destroyed to build an orange grove (Bloods Hammock Groves), and then that grove was bought and became a housing development. Of course most of the rest of the hammock was destroyed and developed. Not only are the oaks in Foxe Chase enormous , the numerous palms are the tallest I've seen in any subdvision.
I get choked up there also because I once owned some property at the east end of the hammock. It had some incredibly tall palms and one of the largest oaks I'd ever seen. . I sold it when I thought i was going to leave Florida. So sorry i lost that place that I can't go near that neighborhood. I just know the developer leveled all of it so there is no more oak tree.
If you want to seee a remnant of this gorgeous hammock , you can go to Delray Oaks Natural Area. It is on the west side of Congress Av. by Germantown Rd.