South Florida Birding (3 Viewers)

[merryslug]

The Green Cay/Wako thread seems to be expanding to encompass other birding spots (that's a good thing!), so I thought we could maybe have a thread for the area in general.


Friday I hit Loxahatchee on a whim. At first there was not much to see -- no Kites, and the blind that was set up on the marsh trail appears to have burned.

BUT - a couple of Red shouldered hawks (Florida subspecies) sitting very close along the canal along the edge of the marsh trail. They were not shy at all and I got several pictures. Once I stopped looking for "big" birds, I noticed quite a few warblers as well, including Prairie, Yellow-rumped, and Yellow-throated in the trees in the parking area for the marsh trail.


Then Saturday I took a chance and drove the 2 hours to Viera Wetlands. At first I thought I'd see nothing but the usual waders, but was treated almost immediately by Ring-necked Ducks, Mergansers (just females right now), so many coots that they seemed to carpet the ground, and a great view of a Bald Eagle having dinner.

I ran into a very nice birder there who told me that the male Hooded Margansers were there in December, but she hasn't seen them in a while .

 

[merryslug]

Okeeheelee - finally (for me) this place lives up to its reputation as a birding hotspot.

This past weekend I went there twice - saw more Painted Buntings than you could shake a stick at (okay maybe you could if you really had to) - at least 6 females and two males. Also an Indigo Bunting, still in non-breeding plumage but still impressive. He's a new bird for me!

Also two other new birds for me - Gray Catbird and Dickcissel, although I need to confirm the Dickcissel on the ID board. Also neat finds - Cardinal, Blue Jay, and Common Ground Dove amongst the Mourning/Collared Doves and Red winged Blackbirds.


I recommend anytime from 2-5:30, depending on how much shade your camera can handle. And frankly I think if you sit there for a while at any given hour you'll get lucky.

 

[BirdingDoc]

Loxahatchee bird walks

... I hit Loxahatchee on a whim. At first there was not much to see -- no Kites, and the blind that was set up on the marsh trail appears to have burned.

I spent most of January and February in the Boca Raton area, and visited Loxahatchee (and Wakodahatchee and Green Cay) frequently. While Loxahatchee may not be as spectacular as Wakodahatchee (and requires longer walks, as well as an entrance fee), it is a must-see.

I found that Loxahatchee is best early in the morning. I settled on Wednesday mornings at 7:30 AM, as that is when a bird walk is held. The avian knowledge of several of the US Fish and Wildlife volunteers was excellent, and they knew where to look for the owls and other special birds. One morning, I spent a delightful hour watching a Limpkin feed an apple snail to her two newly-hatched chicks.

I should have stayed in Florida longer. Winter back in Canada is no fun.

Charles (BirdingDoc)

 

[bulos]

After not having done so for quite a few years since I was away so much of the time I just last week started putting out white millet. early this morning there was a male Painted Bunting and again later in the day hiding in the wild coffee. When I moved into my East Davie home 23 years ago they were always here then after a lot of local "development" they disappeared. I built a rather large in ground bird bath with a little water fall on a timer when I first moved in here and it pays off. In the past few days there have been a few species of warbler, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Mockingbirds, Blue Jays, 3 species of dove and I'm sure I've missed a bunch since I don't stay glued to my kitchen window. This is an old pic of the bath. In past years I've had hawks, egrets, herons, it's amazing how well water works down here.

 

[merryslug]

Oh nice! Pretty too.

I'll have to look into a cheap birdbath.

 

[merryslug]

This weekend:

Friday - Drove out to the Sem Chi Rice plant between WPB and Belle Glade. There was a HUGE flock of Red-winged blackbirds = in the large Norfolk Island Pines in the front of the property, on the silos, and on the pile of ? behind the silos. It looked like Hitchcock's The Birds. I spent a good long time with binocs and thought I went home with nothing, but later looking at photos I did find a female Yellow-headed blackbird. It was wayyyyyyyyy up on top of the silo, so my pictures are worth nothing but an id. I do hope to go back soon and see more. I did also get a giggle out of a Kestrel swooping over the flocks and scattering them every which way.

Saturday - Wellington wetlands (new place off Flying Cow Road). What a nice, huge wetland! When the trees grow it will be wonderful, but right now they are all too small to provide any shade and I baked out there in the sun. I wish they had made it a drive-through like Viera Wetlands - in the summer this will be a no-go for walking, though the trails are nice. I did add two new birds - Canvasbacks and Savannah Sparrows. I got reports of Ringed-necked Ducks as well as Pintails, though I did not see them.

If you go, go all the way to the viewing tower. Most of the ducks were in that general area.

 

[Zackiedawg]

Wako saturday appears to have a pair of green-winged teals nesting. I need to head back to verify, but as far as I know that would be a first to have them nesting in Wako. Two American Bitterns still hanging out over at Wako too, along with continuing Virginia rail sightings by everyone but me.

Black necked stilts coming back at Wako - a few weeks ago it was just one, then Saturday, two. Over at Green Cay, a couple more. Season is just coming on for them. I've also been spotting several kildeer buzzing around at Wako, so they're coming back too.

 

[merryslug]

There is a nesting pair of Coopers Hawks at AD Barnes. They like the woods behind the trailer at the nature center.

Got much better views of the Yellow-headed Blackbirds at Sem Chi Rice Plant this weekend. It may sound obvious, but wait until 5pm to look. I went from seeing 2 all afternoon, to seeing them all over. They mix with the RW Blackbirds on the pile of rice behind the silos.

Also went back to Welllington wetlands ("Peaceful Waters"?) off Flying Cow Road (I just love that name). No Canvasbacks this time but Limpkins and Palm Warblers out the wazoo. Also saw more Savannah Sparrows, a Yellow throated Warbler, and a Snail Kite made an appearance. While it's always nice to see a Snail Kite, it makes me nervous because the place is just chock-full of the bad, exotic Apple Snails .

 

[merryslug]

Also saw a Ovenbird (my first!) and an unknown hummingbird (in front of the nature center) at AD Barnes.

 

[merryslug]

Okeeheelee yesterday -

At least 4 male Painted Buntings and 2 male Indigo Buntings (one of which is almost to his full mating plummage).

Distracted by a Pileated Woodpecker hanging out in the open in the parking lot. And on the way out, two gopher tortoises passed by each other and a gorgeous, good sized corn snake getting warmth from the pavement. I was worried he'd get run over so I shooed him into the grass. He probably went right back .

Also may have seen the Dickcissel again - got to look closer at the pictures.

 

[bulos]

Any cranes?

 

[Zackiedawg]

American Bittern was back at Wakodahatchee today - got a few shots of him in the reeds just past the first levee to the right circe before the gazebo. May have gotten a prairie warbler at Green Cay, but need to check the photos. And the green heron with the nest over at Wakodahatchee who had 3 eggs last Saturday was rumored to have lost 1 egg to an invader bird sometime during the week, but I had a good zoom closeup today when she got up and there were clearly 4 (FOUR) eggs in there. So she's either added 1, or 2, eggs over this past week.

 

[merryslug]

After you left Justin there was another high-drama show down with the Tricolored Heron. She threw the female greenie off the nest, pushed the eggs around a little, then eventually flew off.

I know I'm anthropomorphizing it, but the Green Heron's screams were heart-wrenching. Mr. Greenie flew back but didn't do much except watch.

Apparently no eggs were actually harmed in the to-do.

 

[merryslug]

Any cranes?

I didn't see any but really didn't leave the parking lot/feeder area.

And yes, it's confirmed the Dickcissel is still there. May have seen one at Green Cay as well.



eta: the GC bird was a 1st summer RW Blackbird. The Okeeheelee bird is still a Dickcissel.

 

[Zackiedawg]

Amazing trying to figure out what that tricolor is up to. He may be the same that damaged an egg previously. Can't tell if it's trying to kill off the green's nest, or wants the spot...or is just confused.

But that's what I got out of it too - I had never heard a green heron make such noise in my life, and it was truly a desperate, cringing noise.

 

[merryslug]

When I was at the Wellingont wetlands spot, I had reached the tower and was in mid-climb when I heard a HUGE hubbub.

A large flock of Coots were making a ruckus and chasing an alligator. I pulled out my binoculars and, sure enough, he was swimming off with something black in his mouth.

They chased him a good distance before getting distracted - I was impressed by the Coot-loyalty (and sorry I missed watching the attack).

 

[Sydsmythe]

Took a short walk around the Wellington wetlands today off Flying Cow. There were several Stilt families (is that the female doing all the yacking?) and a baby osprey.
On the way out i went south to Ousley Farms Rd and hung out with some Black Vultures. They were eating in the middle of the road and none of the wonderfully nature minded people who flew down that dirt road at a million miles an hour seemed to care. (Don't get me started on horse people. Sorry, the only ones I know are concerned about one species only....I'm sure there are other types of folks involved with horses....)So I stopped my car and moved that delicious dead possum off to the side. It made for an interesting encounter with the BVs. And I got a feather to remember them by.

Anyway, then down to Apoxee. It's very dry there. On my way out I heard some very diligent carpentry work going on. It took me a while to find the source, and I was rewarded. My first Pileated Woodpecker. I knew what they looked like but had no idea they were that huge. What a stunning bird. The was a red-belled about 2 yards away too.

Then I checked out the Winding Waters site at Haverhill and Dyer. It is not open to the public and is posted as a construction site with felony trespassing. It is going to be a lovely spot. There are a few trails at the adjoining park for horses and there's a model airplane park, but bird-wise it's not worth a trip because you can't go in.

A few blocks south of there I saw a monster RTH being chased by some little birds. Definitely the largest RTH I have ever seen.

When you get to the west end of Southern by at the Gateway to the Everglades sign....what is that? (dumb question I guess) I didn't have time to check it out today. It goes out
to Belle Glade, right? Any stops before that, is that what leads to the Slough and Corbett? And of course Lake O.
Also, is that little bridge to the left the start of 20 mile bend? I can't wait to go out there again. Some of the signs are confusing. Are they public access or just Water Mgmnt employee access? Road trip time!

 

[merryslug]

If I am thinking of the right spot, then yes that's "20 mile bend". Southern leads out to Belle Glade and Lake Okeechobee. The road with the bridge (if it's the one I'm thinking about) is where you can turn to a) go to part of Arthur R Marshall (not much to see from this point unless you have a kayak) and the turn to go to the SemChi Rice plant where there are Yellow-headed Blackbirds.

For Corbett I would head out the north end of WPB. Although I think you can connect with Seminole-Pratt to Northlake.

 

[Sydsmythe]

Thanks merryslug.
I looked at google maps and that helped too. The Slough is further east than I thought.

i bought my old Bronco from a guy in Loxahatchee. He was completely shocked that I didn't know where Seminole-Pratt is.
The only time I used to go west of Military was to deliver papers. Ha, 66 miles of driving for 90 papers. One of my customers was A.R.M. Back then there was nothing out there except farms and the water plant. it was great and spooky. Wish it could be like that again.

 

[Sydsmythe]

Saw 6 Sandhill Cranes wandering along the turnpike near Orlando

Also 5 or 6 female/immature wild turkeys feeding

Today a killdeer on the light post at McDonalds on Dixie in Lake Worth. That was pretty humorous.

They are restoring the wetlands/gardens at Mead Gardens in Winter Park. Most of the boardwalk has crumbled completely. We did however manage to see 2 Barred Owls there around 2 in the afternoon along Howell Creek which runs through there.
The Scenic Boat trip that leaves from downtown Winter park is nice too. It takes you through Lakes Osceola, Virginia, and Maitland.