Common Myna

Time was running out for our big year so we made several state trips including the Florida Keys. The first trip was back to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive to look for Fulvous Whistling-Duck and a Brown Booby that had been reported frequently since 10/19/2015. We left the house at 6:00 a.m. to make the most of the day and spent three hours on the wildlife drive netting 49 species including 7 Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, Sora, Bald Eagle and a King Rail. No luck on the Brown Booby so we decided to head for Merritt Island to search for seabirds.

At Playlinda Beach on the Canaveral National Seashore we did a seabird watch in high wind and light rain. We found our target bird Northern Gannet along with Black Scoter and a Cory’s Shearwater. We were extremely happy to see a Northern Gannet in the lower 48 for our big year. We didn’t include the thousands we saw in Newfoundland earlier in the year so this was an important find. As we were leaving there was an American Bittern standing beside the road and a Florida Scrub-Jay by the pay station. We drove to Peacock’s Pocket in the Merritt Island NWR for reported Nelson’s and Saltmarsh Sparrows. Three sparrows were briefly seen in the high wind but could not be identified. Overall a good twelve hour birding day.

On Thanksgiving Day we birded  Joe’s Creek Greenway Park before having our holiday meal with family. An out of range Bell’s Vireo had been reported at the park and several fellow birders were also looking. This park was new to us and we found seventeen species; nothing exciting but lot’s of Palm Warblers. While we didn’t see the Bell’s Vireo that day, Sharon went back before work on Monday and found it.

On Friday we planned to meet at Teakdecking Systems to head for the Florida Keys for the holiday weekend. On the way down, Sharon stopped at Felts Audubon Preserve in hopes of adding Painted Bunting to her year list. Felt’s Preserve has feeders and a blind to watch the birds and is the most reliable place for Painted Bunting.

Leaving Sarasota, we made the four hour drive to Florida City which is known as the Gateway to the Keys. For dinner that night we picked the Schnebly Redland’s Winery and Brewery, one of the top wineries in the U.S. The night time atmosphere in the outdoor garden is very cool with live music and the food in the Redlander restaurant is first class. The menu changes daily and any of the seafood choices, especially the fresh fish is what we would highly recommend.

Our target bird for Florida City was the Common Myna. This bird has a reputation for hanging out at fast food joints and gas stations. Recently they had been seen at McDonalds. KFC and RaceTrac. After a short search Saturday morning we found the Common Myna at the Mobil Gas Station on the ground with 12 Monk Parakeets.

Our first stop driving south down US 1 was the Key Largo Hammocks State Park. The site was originally slated to become a huge condominium development and was saved by a group of conservationists in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. While hiking the trails we found a variety of herons and warblers along with Gray Catbirds and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. Afterward we made the drive to Marathon on the Overseas Highway and enjoyed the view of clear blue water that the Keys are so known for. We made several stops along the way to scope the power lines and towers hoping to find a Brown Booby or two and had no luck, but did see many Brown Pelicans and Double-crested Cormorant. At another stop on Duck Key we searched for the White-crowned Pigeon which was our new target bird, but were unsuccessful.

Arriving in Marathon we check into our room at Captain Pip’s Hideaway where past guests include Ernest Hemingway, Elizabeth Taylor and Jimmy Hoffa. We relaxed awhile and enjoyed an amazing waterfront view of a mangrove island that is a rookery for Pelicans and other birds. After lunch we drove across the Seven Mile Bridge to Big Pine Key still looking for the White-crowned Pigeon without success, but did come across several of our favorite animals, the little Key deer. These animals are protected and there are signs everywhere reminding drivers to slow down especially at night to avoid running into one. Next stop was Boca Chica Beach which intersects the runway to the Naval Air Station and found Magnificent Frigatebird and Black Skimmer with the usual shorebirds. Be aware that on this beach you will more than likely come across some nude sunbathers letting it all fly.

Key West itself was our final stop where we met up with the president of Sharon’s company, Mike Graff.  Mallory Square is a Key West tradition at sunset, enjoyed daily by hundreds of people, so we had a cool drink with our friends while watching the big orange ball fall slowly over the horizon. A perfect ending to a perfect day in the southernmost place in the U.S.

In the morning heading back to the mainland we stopped at Curry Hammock Park and while Sharon looked for the elusive pigeon, Mike snorkeled along the rocks at the inlet to  see some colorful reef fish where two small Barracuda got his full attention. Just across US 1 we saw four Cave Swallows darting gracefully above an open field.  Back in Tavernier we checked out the Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center where one of the locals had just dropped off a sick Cormorant that she found stranded on the road side. We have tremendous respect for the work these people do to help injured seabirds.

There were reports of a Western Spindalis being seen at Markham Park in Sunrise, so of course we had to check it out. This is a rare bird for Florida and lots of other birders were there to find it too. It was seen earlier in the day and although we did not find it we did see a nice group of six Spot-breasted Orioles. We certainly did not get all of our target birds this weekend and that’s okay because this is what keeps us interested in bird watching. Besides, spending two days in the Florida Keys is something we feel fortunate to be able to do and the birding part makes it even more special.

 

Next up: Colorado Winter Birding

Trip : Total Species: 93 Year Birds:  5  Life Birds: 0

2015 : Year Birds: 499   Life Birds: 78

Here’s the list: 2015 Bird List