Florida 2009 – Exotics and Wetlands

In late April 2009 I led a 9-day tour of South Florida and the Dry Tortugas for the 12th time. This is the first of eight blog reports of that trip.

It was a pack first day as we began in Miami with an assortment of psittacids. Red-masked and Mitred Parakeet proved to be an ID challenge, and both countable birds, Monk (above) and White-winged Parakeet were found at their nest sites. Another target exotic, the Spot-breasted Oriole (below) performed nicely for the group perching in the same tree as I had it in last year.

The West Palm Beach water treatment wetlands are terrific places to view many species up close. A walk along the busy boardwalk at Wakodahatchee (above) produced Green and Tri-colored Heron’s on the nest, Anhinga and Great Blue Herons babies aggressively begged for food, Least Bittern’s flying across open stretches of water only to disappear into the bulrush, and courting male Least Tern’s offered fish to potential mates. Breeding season was well underway!

Birds weren’t the only fauna, as anoles, turtles, alligators and green iguanas (above) basked in the sun and marsh rabbits munched on the short grass. Flying over the impoundment was a Red-shouldered Hawk with a snake dangling from its talons.

Green Cay is a larger wetland and consequently the birds are spread out. Moorhens were very evident feeding their fuzzy chicks (above) and young Mottled Ducks trailed their parents through the duckweed. A lone Wood Stork (below) elevated one wing to create shade over the water making it easier to hunt and a Glossy Ibis hunted in a more traditional manner. On the hammocks a feeding station attracted Blue Jays, Boat-tailed Grackles, White-winged Doves and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks!

Soon after seeing a Limpkin walking along one of the canals that radiate from Loxahatchee we watched a male Snail Kite successfully catch an apple snail and take it to a branch where it could feed. A second bird, a female, was located on the opposite side of the field. To complete our day we watched four Burrowing Owls (below) continuously on the lookout for any passing insects that they could turn into a meal.

Next…..Central Florida