On Friday Snake Bight Trail had Swainson's Thrush, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Parula, Blue Grosbeak, along with a lot of Northern Waterthrushes and mosquitoes. At the end of the trail a small group of Willets, Least and Western Sandpipers, and Short-billed Dowitchers wandered around the flats below the boardwalk. To see over the mangroves at the end I stood up on the railing and was rewarded with four pink dots what were larger than the Great Egret they were standing next to. By balancing the scope on the railing I was able to confirm that the birds were Greater Flamingos.
The night birding in Flamingo was rather entertaining with many Chuck-will's-widows, both Barred and Barn Owls, Black-bellied Plover, Bobolink, a few warblers, and a good thrush movement including about 50 Veeries, 10 Swainson's, and 2 Gray-cheeked.
In the daylight hours, the T loop of the campground held 10 Baltimore and 3 Orchard Orioles, Eastern and Gray Kingbirds, and Yellow, Yellow-throated, and Cape May Warblers. Eco Pond had American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Solitary Sandpiper, American White Pelican, Prairie Warbler, and Blue-winged Teal. A good fruiting tree near the visitor center attracted Cape May, Yellow-throated and Palm Warbler, Black-whiskered Vireo, Baltimore and Orchard Oriole, Eastern Kingbird, Blue Grosbeak, and Indigo Bunting. I did not hang around too long since the bugs were really bothersome and I was really looking forward to birding the keys.
A quick stop by Lucky Hammock had my first Trail's (probably Alder) Flycatcher, Parula, Prothonotary Warbler, and Yellow-breasted Chat of the day. I spent some time looking for a scolding bird that sounded like a non-White-eyed Vireo. Hoping that it would be my first Bell's of the year I sat around and never got looks at the thing other than movement in the bushes. Hopefully I will get that bird on my year list at some point.
North Key Largo had a lot of Ovenbirds and Chuck-will's-widows but not much else. The same was true about the Green Turtle, but I also found Black-throated Blue Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Common Yellowthroat, and Palm Warbler. A really good fruiting tree on Boot Key had Magnolia, Cape May, Redstart, and Black-throated Blue Warbler. The Marathon Airport had no shorebirds. |
