Jaeger
Tours and Wyncote Audubon
Society
Dry Tortugas and South Florida Field Trip
April 19-26, 1999
Adrian Binns and Kevin Karlson as leaders
Report written by Martin Selzer
19-Apr-99
Bert and Karl showed up in Flourtown at 10:40AM and we headed off to the airport.
We checked in about noon after leaving the car; had some lunch and waited for
our plane. We boarded, took off and landed essentially on time. Found our luggage
and waited for Adrian and the rest of the group to pick us up. We only had to
wait about 10 minutes and we were off birding. Since we still had to pick up
John who arrived at 5:30PM, we headed off to Miami Springs from 4:30-6:00PM.
Highlights were Monk Parakeets and Eurasian Collared Doves. We also started
the butterfly list with Zebra Longwings and Ruddy Daggerwings. After picking
John up, we headed to Florida City with a stop at SW 216th Street for "West
Indian" race of Cave Swallows. After checking into the motel, we headed
into Homestead for dinner with Kevin and his group at a Mexican restaurant.
After dinner, we took a run into Everglades National Park (ENP) to play with
the Q-beam. We spotted several opossums, raccoons and one armadillo. We heard
several Chuck-Will-Widows and two Great Horned Owls. We called it a day around
10:30PM.
20-Apr-99
Set the alarm at 6AM, so we could eat, load up the van and get on the road by
7AM. We headed to ENP to search for a Brown-crested Flycatcher that was reported
to be hanging around the research station. We dipped out on it but did get an
Eastern Screech Owl to answer to Bert's whistles. We stayed in the park only
till 8AM but did have a nice Solitary Sandpiper and 5 Black-necked Stilts in
the pond by visitor center. Next we cruised the agricultural fields just outside
the park entrance from 8-9AM for kingbirds, cowbirds and doves. We found several
Loggerhead Shrikes, Gray Kingbird, two Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, a Western
Kingbird, various doves including Common Ground Doves but no cowbirds. We concentrated
in the area of SW 212th and 384th Streets (?). At 9:15 we headed south toward
the Keys via Card Sound Road and the Mahogany Hammocks in the north end of Key
Largo. At the first stop, we had lots of warblers and a pair of Mangrove Cuckoos,
Julia and Giant Swallowtail butterflies. At the second hammock we had another
Mangrove Cuckoo and locked the keys in the van. Fortunately, Karl was able to
pop a window and we only lost about 10 minutes of time. The third hammock was
the Key Largo Botanical Gardens. Around noon we picked up sandwiches at a supermarket
and then stopped and the Key Largo Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center. There we
had our first Frigatebirds and 3 Roseate Spoonbills. We were then off to Key
West, where we birded Fort Zachary Taylor State Park and had at least 100 warblers.
At the restrooms, we had an extremely cooperative Black-whiskered Vireo. After
spending 2 great hours birding the park, we headed to the Key West Hospital
for Antillean Nighthawks. At the corner of Simonton and Truman Streets in downtown
Key West, we had White-crowned Pigeons sitting on the telephone wires. After
yelling at us to get out of the van, Adrian realized he was right by a small
parking lot so he pulled in and we all got the pigeons. While waiting for dusk
and the nighthawks, we did our checklists and had a few beers. We dipped on
the nighthawk and after picking up some chicken for dinner headed to the Yankee
Freedom. Bert, Karl and I shared an 8 "bed" cabin with 3 other guys,
a water drip and a sense of adventure. Crawled into bed around 11:30ish and
felt us pull out of the dock around midnight.
21-Apr-99
Had a fair nights sleep and woke up around 6AM, as we said over coffee as we
approached Fort Jefferson, "I've have better nights sleep and I've had
worse nights sleep". We had pancakes and bacon for breakfast and watched
as the sun came up over Garden Key. As we tied up at the dock, Paul Lehman came
out onto the dock and greeted us. The Yankee Capts then tied up along side of
us and Shawneen Finnegan waved hello from her deck. They were leading the WINGS
Shuttle. It was almost like a morning at Higbee's Beach except there you don't
have thousands and thousands of Sooty Terns and Brown Noddies circling around
you. As we were disembarking, Paul came out of the fort to tell everyone that
there was an "Arawak" Short-eared Owl in one of the trees in the Parade
Grounds. According to Adrian, this race will soon be granted species status.
It is a much more tawny owl with heavier streaking on the breast. Besides the
owl there was lots of bird activity between a good number of passerines, the
frigatebirds and the terns and noddies. We birded in small groups around the
fort from about 7-noon. We checked all the trees, the fountain, the coaling
docks and campground numerous times. At the newer coaling dock was a 1st year
Roseate Tern. It was noticeably smaller than the Sandwich Terns next to it,
had a carpal bar, a pale upper wing and white trailing edge to the secondaries.
Fortunately it was a little restless and would periodically raise its wings.
There were incredible numbers of Cape May Warblers, Indigo Buntings and Palm
Warblers around the fort. We boarded the Yankee Freedom (YF) at noon for lunch
and sailed over to Loggerhead Key. The WINGS group had lots of birds on Loggerhead
from the front that had come through 2 days earlier so off we went. After having
a little trouble with the outboard engine on the skiff, we all finally got onto
the Key. There still were lots of birds on the key and we birded on the key
from 1:45-4:00. We had one large Peregrine, 3-4 Merlins, Orchard Orioles of
both sexes and all ages and lots of warblers including a Cerulean (which I didn't
see) and Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian and Yellow-throated (which I did see).
We also had a Lark Sparrow, which was a Tortugas first for Kevin after 160+
days on the islands. All told I had 19 species of warbler for the day. Back
at Garden Key, I took a skiff ride around Bush and Long Keys till 7pm. Had a
sit down dinner on the YF, sat around talking till bedtime. Unfortunately, we
still had the drip at our cabin's door.
22-Apr-9
I didn't sleep as well this night. I couldn't get comfortable and the drip was
going full steam. I decided to just get up and grab a quick shower. Billy was
starting breakfast and he told me it was 5, so into the shower I jumped. I was
able to get off a few layers of dirt at least and just about everyone else was
asleep so that even though I conserved water, I didn't feel that someone was
waiting for me to get out of the way. Breakfast was French Toast, sausage and
fruit. We spent the morning on Garden Key and there were noticeably fewer birds
around. They made it off on the easterly winds that were blowing. Still had
no luck with the Upland Sandpiper that most everyone else was managing to see
but we did have a Chuck-Wills-Widow sleeping in one of the windows and a male
Dicksissel. Around noon, we boarded the YF again and started to check all the
buoys for Brown Booby. We had no luck on the first buoy but had 6 on the 2nd
buoy we got checked. They allowed us to get pretty close before flying off.
We then headed backed to Garden Key and birded till 4:30PM when we headed off
to Hospital Key to have wine and cheese with the Masked Boobies. By the time
we headed in for dinner, about 26 had come in to roost. Dinner was a hot dog/hamburger
barbecue. Just as dinner was winding down, an Antillean Nighthawk flew overhead
and called repeatedly while flying in and around the fort. The moat walk was
fun. We found 1 nurse shark, lots of spiny lobsters, sea cucumbers, sea anemones,
1 parrot fish and other stuff. Talked until midnight before going to sleep.
The good news was the drip was gone and I was tired.
23-Apr-9
I slept less than the night before; although the drip was gone, Karl was snoring
and I had to go to the head. So I got up and went into the cabin around 4AM.
Slept a little more on the benches around the tables and snuck in another shower.
Although you don't get very clean soaping up with salt water, you still remove
some of the crude that was built up. I then killed time watching fish come into
the light that was shining aft. This included at least two Tarpon feeding on
the smaller fish. Billy started breakfast around 5:30 and we again watched the
sun rise over Garden Key as we ate our pancakes. We finally docked at the fort
at 7:45 and birded on the island for one hour before setting back to Key West.
Bert, Karl and I finally had the Uppie at the old coaling docks. The Fieldguides
group flushed it just as we got on it and we watched it fly over to Bush Key.
We headed back to Key West at 9:15. As we were leaving the dock, I heard and
saw another Antillean Nighthawk overhead. What a great send off! We took the
deep-water route back in hopes of Bridled Terns and Audubon's Shearwaters. The
first good birds we had were Masked Boobies and Northern Gannets. Along the
way we also had one very large Green Sea Turtle, 3 Loggerhead Turtles and a
great Common Dolphin show. Several were surfing in the wake. We came up on two
shrimp boats and found an adult light phase Pomarine Jaeger, harassing the terns
following the shrimpers. We also had a mini-hawk watch with a sharpie, harrier
and osprey. About two hours out of Garden Key, in about 265 feet of water, we
started coming up on groups of 10-15 Bridled Terns. Several came in nice and
close in wonderful light. We then came upon a group of 20-25 Audubon's Shearwaters.
Great looks at both species left us all very satisfied as we had lunch. The
ride in after that was rather quiet but it was a beautiful day on the water.
As we reached the channel markers for Key West, we found 3 adult Roseate Terns
on one marker. We docked at 4:15PM, had a Bald Eagle soaring overhead as we
loaded the van and pulled out of the parking lot at 4:30PM. This was the most
concentrate effort we had to move quickly. We made a couple of stops along the
way north for reddish, Reddish Egret (no luck), one stop for Key Deer (one adult
and one fawn) and then stopped in Marathon for Burrowing Owls. We found a family
of four on the 16th Fairway. Dinner was at the Cracked Conch in Marathon before
driving on to Florida City for a nice, long hot shower.
24-Apr-99
Today's plan was to leave the motel at 7AM and bird the Kendall/Miami area first
thing for the specialty birds of the area. Our first stop was a construction
site that held a group of at least 8 Smooth-billed Anis. They were right where
they were supposed to be and this turned out to be an omen for the day. From
there we headed to the neighborhood around the Royal Palm Tennis Club and found
Red-whiskered Bulbul, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet and a pair of Spot-breasted
Orioles. The orioles where actually in the trees of the driveway to the tennis
club. Our next stop was a small nesting colony of Swallow-tailed Kites (about
3 nests). Just as we were loading the van up after watching two kites on nest,
about 5 started circling overhead as a mate came in with food for the bird on
the nest. These birds have to be one of the most gorgeous raptors in the world.
All of this before 9:30, when we headed to Key Biscayne and the Bill Baggs South
Florida State Recreation Area to find the Key West Quail-Dove and check out
a nice wetlands area for shorebirds. The quail-dove was right where it was supposed
to be and we got to put scopes on this sub-adult individual. We then went over
to the wetlands trail and found Wilson's, Semipalmated, and Black-bellied Plovers.
We were then off to Shark Valley for Snail Kites but since we had been ticking
off every target left and right without wasting anytime, Adrian took us to the
lake where the Purple Swamp Hens had been let loose. We stopped to pick up lunch
first and then checked out the swamp hens. Although they are native to Asia,
they didn't seem to mind being in South Florida. From there we went to scan
the Everglades from behind the as station on the Tamiami Trail just past the
turn-off to the Shark Valley entrance to ENP. The streaked continued as we had
lots of looks at male Snail Kites flying and perched and at least one female
perched. We then went to the Baptist Memorial Hospital in search of parakeets
and found Monk and White-winged Parakeets. Our last stop of the day was at Matheson
Hammock County Park. Besides crashing a wedding reception, we found Hill Mynas,
three Blue & Yellow Macaws and a pair of Yellow-chevroned Parakeets for
those people who missed them earlier in the day. After dinner we went into ENP
and Mahogany Hammock for Barred Owl (which we heard) and Black Rail (which we
didn't).
25-Apr-99
Today was our day in ENP. We were not focused on target species as much as target
habitats and places. Compared to some days, this report may seem brief, but
we covered a lot of ground and saw a lot of great birds especially all the long-legged
waders we found. We started at Long Pine campground, which was quiet except
for a Solitary Sandpiper and some Pine Warblers. Next was a stop at Paurotis
Pond, which had a huge, nesting colony of Wood Storks, Egrets and White Ibis.
Next were Nine-Mile Pond and a stop at the trailhead to Snake Bight Trail. Where
we got yet another Mangrove Cuckoo that everyone could now put on their life
lists. We then headed on to Flamingo where a walk around the lodge and cabins
ultimately results in 3 Shiny Cowbirds (2 males and 1 female). We had lunch
at the marina with stuff we had picked up earlier in the day and then walked
around Eco Pond. We stopped at Mzarek Pond, which was bone dry before going
to Royal Palm Hammock to walk the Anhinga and Gumbo-Limbo trails. Anhinga Trail
was loaded with birds and alligators. Lots of young Anhinga and Green Herons.
We also had an extremely cooperative Least Bittern and one Purple Gallinule.
It was a very relaxed yet rewarding day.
26-Apr-99
Got up, loaded the van and headed out at 7AM. We had three major stops planned
today. Wakodahatchee Water Treatment Facility for Purple Gallinules, rails,
and waders; Jonathan Dickinson State Park for Bachman's Sparrow and Florida
Scrub Jay; and Loxahatchee NWR because no trip to this part of Florida would
be complete without a trip to this refuge. Wakodahatchee was fantastic. Common
and Purple Gallinules; Least Bitterns; Tricolored Herons were everywhere. We
had one Sora and 2-3 Limpkins. We walked the boardwalk, which is a ½
mile loop and took about 90 minutes here. Great place. At the start of the boardwalk,
we ran into Cliff and Nancy who had visited the night before and were so impressed
that they came back before catching their plane. We then headed to Jonathan
Dickinson for Bachman's Sparrow and possibly Florida Scrub Jays along the roadside
wires. We picked up lunch before entering the park and got a wonderful look
at the sparrow before eating. It is an oxymoron to say you get a wonderful look
at such a drab bird but a lifer is a lifer. We then made another run along the
highway for Scrub Jay and as we were making yet another u-turn, the guy riding
shotgun (me) found one on the wire. We piled out of the van, fed the jay some
peanuts, took some pictures and then headed back to Miami via Loxahatchee. At
Loxahatchee we walked the boardwalk and did a forced march around most of the
impoundment. Besides a close-by Limpkin, and Common Gallinules, there wasn't
much around. I missed the Snipe that flew out of the channel. There were lots
of large colorful grasshoppers and some Queen butterflies. As we loaded back
into the van, 5 River Otters scurried across the road. We then head to Miami
but had to make one more u-turn as John had left his watch on the bench. After
picking that up, we headed to the airport where we arrived about 6 in plenty
of time to catch our plane. Got home around 11:30PM.