Birding/ Bird watching in Florida, USA



Bird watching in Florida - Day 1

Explore the State Highway #9336 going from Florida City to Flamingo Visitor Center where the highway ends. I will visit the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center is at the Homestead entrance.

Royal Palm Visitor Center to have a look at the Pine Island Trails:
• Anhinga Trail

• Gumbo Limbo Trail

• Long Pine Key Trails

• Pinelands Trail

• Pahayokee Overlook

• Mahogany Hammock Trail


I will make two stops (if time permits) driving back to my hotel “Best Western Gateway to the Keys”
• Frog Pond Area ("Lucky Hammock") also an eBird hotspot

• Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area also an eBird hotspot


Wednesday 29th of March 2023 and I woke up at 1 thirty and I could not fall asleep again. So, I had 2 cups of teas and a little Mozzarella before I left the hotel at 6 o'clock.

I will explore the State Highway #9336 going from Florida City and it ends at the Flamingo Visitor Center where I will have to boat tours on the 31st of March.

Royal Palm State Park was established in 1916 and later became the nucleus for Everglades National Park. The original plan was to have two boat tours at Flamingo Visitor Center.

These tours were cancelled so I swap the first and third day so I will spend the first day at Royal Palm Visitor Center to have a look at the Pine Island Trails.

Everglades National Park: Main Entrance

The preeminent birding destination of South Florida, with many hotspots and some of the most abundant wading bird populations in the U.S. First, stop at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center for maps/ checklists; check native plants here for hummingbirds.

Next, stop at the Royal Palm Visitor Center, where two excellent trails begin. The Anhinga Trail is a photographer’s paradise, with stunning views of herons (American bitterns on occasion) and purple gallinules.

I will visit the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center is at the Homestead entrance not far away from my hotel.

Royal Palm Information Station have a series of popular walking trails, the Pine Island Trails, begins only a short drive from the visitor center. PDF file about the Pine Island Trails HERE

• Anhinga Trail

• Gumbo Limbo Trail

• Long Pine Key Trails

• Pinelands Trail

• Pahayokee Overlook

• Mahogany Hammock Trail


The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail

Birding/ Bird watching in Florida, USA
Time to leave for bird watching

I left my room at 5 thirty and I drove towards the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center and of course, it was closed. The gate to the national park was open and I showed the receipt for the entry fee that I had paid online. It was pitch dark and I asked the girl what time the sun came up.

She brought out the phone to check and I told her that it was not necessary, just about what time it became day light for photography. She thought it might be day light around 7 and I said thank you and I entered the Everglades.

Birding/ Bird watching at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Everglades National Park

Birding/ Bird watching at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Everglades National Park


My plan is to start at Royal Palm Information Station to check out the two trails there. It was still dark when I arrived and I left to drive around until there was enough light for pictures.

It was foggy and the visibility was poor at times, but it was beautiful when the day light started to break. A foggy landscape, but I hope the sun come up to clear the fog so I can start looking for birds. The reason for me to be here.

Birding/ Bird watching at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Driving around waiting for day light at Everglades National Park

Birding/ Bird watching at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Driving around waiting for day light at Everglades National Park

Birding/ Bird watching at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Driving around waiting for day light at Everglades National Park

Birding/ Bird watching at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Driving around waiting for day light at Everglades National Park

Birding/ Bird watching at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Back at Royal Palm Information Station

Birding/ Bird watching at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
This is the two trails I will explore here

Birding/ Bird watching at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Be careful

Coming back to Royal Palm Information Station and the sun was starting to come up, but it was still foggy. Two guys unloading camera equipment and it turns out that they are from National Geographic to make a film about alligators.

I was getting out from the car and I heard a bird, and it was very close. When I stepped out, I discovered one Fish Crow sitting 2 meters in front of the car. I made a record with my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder.

Fish Crow

Listen to the Fish Crow

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my ZOOM H5

The bird sitting 2 meters from me and show no signs of being scared.

Thanks to lockbreeze926 at birdforum for help with the ID


www.xeno-canto.org

There was a Great Blue Heron and two Anhingas right away, 2 birds I had never seen before, but it was not possible to get any good pictures due to fog and the poor light.

Anhinga Trail

(WALK) The Anhinga Trail is one of the premiere wetland trails in the National Park Service. It winds through Taylor Slough and the sawgrass prairie. It offers excellent nature viewing experiences year-round, but especially during the winter or the dry season. During the dry season, the alligators and the anhingas are breeding and a shrinking Taylor Slough concentrates the wildlife. You can explore this trail on your own or with a ranger-led program.

Trail Length: 0.8 miles (1200 meters) round trip

This self-guiding trail winds through a sawgrass marsh, where you may see alligators, turtles, anhingas, herons, egrets, and many other birds, especially during the winter. This is one the most popular trails in the park because of its abundance of wildlife

From https://www.nps.gov/

I leave the information center behind and I start to walk along the Anhinga Trail and it is a gorgeous area. No good light for bird pictures, but it was beautiful with the fog over the wetlands. And it was very noisy from the animals in the wetlands.

Alligators did some noises and fish were splashing and of course, birds singing in the bushes.

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Alligator

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Great Blue Heron

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
I get out on the Anhinga Trail

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Alligator

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Leaving the information center behind

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Anhinga Trail

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Anhinga Trail

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Anhinga Trail

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Anhinga Trail

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Anhinga Trail

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Anhinga Trail

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Anhinga Trail

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Waiting for the sun to clear the fog

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA

Anhinga, Anhinga anhinga
Anhinga

Anhinga, Anhinga anhinga
Female Anhinga

Anhinga, Anhinga
Anhinga

Palm Warbler
Palm Warbler
Thanks to lgonz1008 on birdforum for ID

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Great Blue Heron


Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Great Blue Heron

Listen to the Grey Catbird

Remarks from the Recordist

No clue what bird it was, but it sounded like a cat.

Going on the Gumbo Limbo Trail and there was only one bird picture on the info board, Grey Catbird and I knew that this was the one


www.xeno-canto.org

I got a video of the Great Blue Heron and I continued towards the visitor center. I thought I heard a cat in the reeds, of course, I understood that it was not a cat. I made a recording of the bird and I spotted the bird and I got a couple of useless pictures.

I spotted two Purple Gallinules and I made another sound recording and I got a couple of pictures.


Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus
Purple Gallinule

Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus
Purple Gallinule

Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus
Purple Gallinule

Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus
Purple Gallinule

Listen to the Purple Gallinule

Remarks from the Recordist

2 birds, one adult feeding and one juvenile looking for food along the water


www.xeno-canto.org

Green Heron
Green Heron

Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, Feral Pigeon, Columba livia
Feral Pigeon

eBird

eBird Report


Everglades NP--Anhinga Trail, Miami-Dade, Florida, US
Mar 29, 2023 07:04 - 08:33
Protocol: Traveling
1.34 kilometer(s)
8 species (+1 other taxa)

Purple Gallinule 3  Two birds, one adult feeding and one juvenile looking for food along the water
Anhinga 5
Great Blue Heron 3
white egret sp. 2  Fly over at distance so no proper ID
Green Heron 2
White Ibis 1
Fish Crow 1
Grey Catbird 1  No clue what bird it was, but it sounded like a cat. Going on the Gumbo Limbo Trail and there was only one bird picture on the info board, Grey Catbird and I knew that this was the one

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S132116939

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Birding/ Bird watching on Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Today's track on the Anhinga Trail

I turn off my eBird app and I walk back to the information center. I sit down to relax for a bit before I take off to the Gumbo Limbo Trail. The center opens at 9 o'clock and I see the staff coming to open the shop 10 minutes before 9.

Gumbo Limbo Trail

(WALK) This self-guiding, paved trail meanders through a shaded, jungle-like hammock of gumbo limbo trees (Bursera simaruba), royal palms (Roystonea elata), ferns, and air plants.

Trail Length: 0.4 miles (600 meters) round trip

From https://www.nps.gov/

I enter the trail and there is a picture of a Grey Catbird on the information board at the entrance to the trail. So, thanks to this only bird picture I could ID the bird I had seen and heard back on the Anhinga Trail.

The Gumbo Limbo Trail is going through the forest and I only see one bird, a Northern Cardinal. This is a beautiful red bird but the pictures leave a lot to wish for as the bird was sitting in the foliage. But I gave it my best try.

I managed to ID the bird as a Northern Cardinal when I was back at my hotel using my National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America
But there was a lot of insects that wanted to eat me and I was in a hurry to get back to the information center and the A/C in the car.

Birding/ Bird watching on Gumbo Limbo Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Entrance to the Gumbo Limbo Trail

Birding/ Bird watching on Gumbo Limbo Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Gumbo Limbo Trail

Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, Redbird, Common Cardinal, Red Cardinal, Cardinal
Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, Redbird, Common Cardinal, Red Cardinal, Cardinal
Northern Cardinal

Birding/ Bird watching on Gumbo Limbo Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Gumbo Limbo Trail

Birding/ Bird watching on Gumbo Limbo Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Gumbo Limbo Trail

eBird

eBird Report


Everglades NP--Gumbo-Limbo Trail, Miami-Dade, Florida, US
Mar 29, 2023 08:41 - 09:05
Protocol: Traveling
0.71 kilometer(s)
1 species

Northern Cardinal 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S132116900

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Birding/ Bird watching on Gumbo Limbo Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Today's track on the Gumbo Limbo Trail

Long Pine Key Trails

(HIKE) This trail offers visitors the opportunity to explore pine rockland, prairie and tropical hardwood hammock habitats. This trail runs west from Long Pine Key campground to Pine Glades Lake along the main park road.

Trail Length: Over 22 miles (35 km) of connecting trails. Well, I will not walk for 35km in the blazing sunshine, but I will check it out.

Connecting trails through the Pinelands run 7 miles (11 km) west from the Long Pine Key campground to Pine Glades Lake along the main park road.

From https://www.nps.gov/

I continued towards Flamingo Visitors Centre and I turned off the main road to check out the Long Pine Key Campground. There is a lake and I discovered a trail starting at the parking area. But I started with a mozzarella cheese before I got out of the car.

There was a lot of birds in the area and I go down to the lake to have a look. I am soon back to the parking as there was no birds at the lake.

Long Pine Key Lake
Long Pine Key Lake

But there is full action at the parking. There are some threes with berries that the Mockingbird is eating. On the other side of the road, we have the White-eyed Vireo waiting for the Mocking birds to leave the trees. The White-eyed Vireo is flying across the road to the berries.

It doesn’t take long before the Mockingbirds come to chase away the White-eyed Vireo.

Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos
Northern Mockingbird

Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos
Northern Mockingbird

Listen to the Common Grackle

Remarks from the Recordist

Black bird and even though it was quite far away I could see that it looked like the bird spitted out the sound. But I didn't know the ID.

My first day ever bird watching in USA so all the birds were new to me. Thanks to Bobby Wilcox for the ID.

See forum thread: https://xeno-canto.org/forum/topic/54899


www.xeno-canto.org

Listen to the Blue Jay

Remarks from the Recordist

The bird was very far away and it looked to be light in colour

My first day ever bird watching in USA so all the birds were new to me. Thanks to Bobby Wilcox at Xeno-Canto for the ID

Blue Jay is the primary bird. There's also a Carolina Wren in the background (first at 0:05), a Northern Flicker at 0:23, Great Crested Flycatcher at 0:36, amongst other things.

Xeno-Canto forum thread: https://xeno-canto.org/forum/topic/54900


www.xeno-canto.org

Listen to the White-eyed Vireo

Remarks from the Recordist

Seems to me like two birds, one singing all the time and one rattling sound

My first day ever bird watching in USA so all the birds were new to me so thanks to Bobby Wilcox at Xeno-Canto for ID.

Xeno-Canto forum thread: https://xeno-canto.org/forum/topic/54901


www.xeno-canto.org

Listen to the White-eyed Vireo

Remarks from the Recordist

To me it sounds like 3 different birds

My first day ever bird watching in USA so all the birds were new to me. Thanks to Bobby Wilcox at Xeno-Canto for ID

White-eyed Vireo is the prominent bird. There's a Red-bellied Woodpecker at 0:09 and 0:25. There is a very brief Northern Cardinal at 0:16. I think the trill at 0:06, 0:19 and 0:41 is perhaps Palm Warbler, but not 100% sure. There's another one in the background that repeats throughout (heard clearly at 0:10) that I'm not sure about either, perhaps Common Grackle.

See forum thread: https://xeno-canto.org/forum/topic/54902


www.xeno-canto.org

Three in one hiking trail

This 0.8 mile (1200 meter) loop offers a fantastic glimpse of the majesty and complexity of life in the park. Slight elevation changes raise roots and rocks from the river of grass, framing parallel Pine Rockland, Hardwood Hammock, and Sawgrass Prairie habitats for visitors to explore. The trail begins at the south end of the picnic area and is not wheelchair accessible.

Trail Length: 0.8 miles (1200 meters) round trip

From https://www.nps.gov/

I made a couple of recordings on the parking and on the trail. Some of the birds can only be heard and not seen, but thanks to Bobby Wilcox at Xeno-Canto for ID. The first bird I see on the trail is a Northern Flicker sitting on the ground.

By the time my camera was ready the bird took off. I spotted one Blue Jay, ID thanks to the sound recording. I discovered the Northern Flicker again, now sitting on a tree trunk.


Northern Flicker, Common Flicker, Colaptes auratus

Birding/ Bird watching on Three in one hiking trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Lizard

Birding/ Bird watching on Three in one hiking trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Three in one hiking trail

Birding/ Bird watching on Three in one hiking trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Three in one hiking trail

Birding/ Bird watching on Three in one hiking trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Three in one hiking trail

Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos
Northern Mockingbird

Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos
Northern Mockingbird

Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos
Turkey Vulture, ID by the wing pattern

Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos
Northern Mockingbird

eBird

eBird Report


Everglades NP--Mosier Hammock Trail, Miami-Dade, Florida, US
Mar 29, 2023 09:58 - 10:37
Protocol: Traveling
0.91 kilometer(s)
10 species

Turkey Vulture 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
White-eyed Vireo 1  Seems to me like two birds, one singing all the time and one rattling sound

My first day ever bird watching in USA so all the birds were new to me so thanks to Bobby Wilcox at Xeno-Canto for ID.

Xeno-Canto forum thread: https://xeno-canto.org/forum/topic/54901

Blue Jay 1  The bird was very far away and it looked to be light in colour

My first day ever bird watching in USA so all the birds were new to me. Thanks to Bobby Wilcox at Xeno-Canto for the ID

Blue Jay is the primary bird. There's also a Carolina Wren in the background (first at 0:05), a Northern Flicker at 0:23, Great Crested Flycatcher at 0:36, amongst other things.

Xeno-Canto forum thread: https://xeno-canto.org/forum/topic/54900

Carolina Wren 1  Heard only. Thanks to Bobby Wilcox at Xeno-Canto for this ID. Blue Jay is the primary bird. There's also a Carolina Wren in the background (first at 0:05), a Northern Flicker at 0:23, Great Crested Flycatcher at 0:36, amongst other things.

Listen to the Blue Jay recording. Xeno-Canto forum thread: https://xeno-canto.org/forum/topic/54900

Northern Mockingbird 7
Common Grackle 1  Black bird and even though it was quite far away I could see that it looked like the bird spitted out the sound. But I didn't know the ID.

My first day ever bird watching in USA so all the birds were new to me. Thanks to Bobby Wilcox for the ID.

See forum thread: https://xeno-canto.org/forum/topic/54899

Northern Cardinal 2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S132154550

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Birding/ Bird watching on the Three in one hiking trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Today's track on the Three in one hiking trail

I left the Long Pine Key Campground and I decided to drive all the way to the end of the highway at Flamingo Visitor Center and I will stop at the trail on the way trying to do as many as possible today.

The first trail I pass is the Pinelands Trail on the right-hand side of the road. I stop at the parking and I get up on the trail. I meet a French couple coming back from the trail and I ask if they had seen any birds. And no, they had not seen any birds.

Pinelands Trail

(HIKE) This short, paved loop trail is 2 miles west of the Long Pine Key turnoff on the main park road. It traverses pine rockland habitat. The pinelands are the most diverse habitat in the Everglades, consisting of an open South Florida slash pine forest with an understory of subtropical plants. Wheelchair accessible.

Trail Length: 0.4 miles (650 meters) round trip

This trail loops through a forest of pines, palmettos, and wildflowers.

From https://www.nps.gov/

I got out on the trail and it was a beautiful walk. But it was getting very hot and I did not see any birds. I could hear one or two birds but I never saw any of them.

Birding/ Bird watching on the Pinelands Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Pinelands Trail

Birding/ Bird watching on the Pinelands Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Pinelands Trail

Birding/ Bird watching on the Pinelands Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Pinelands Trail

I was back at the parking and just as I was getting in to the car, I could see one bird in the trees. It was a Yellow-throated Warbler and I turned on my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder. I got 2 recordings but as I was recording the song, I discovered that it was a Northern Cardinal singing.

I spotted one Mockingbird as well before I got in to the car.
Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos
Turkey Vulture, ID by the wing pattern

Red-bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus
Red-bellied Woodpecker
29 March 2023 - eBird hotspot: Everglades NP--Pinelands

Red-bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus
Red-bellied Woodpecker
29 March 2023 - eBird hotspot: Everglades NP--Pinelands

Red-bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus
Red-bellied Woodpecker
29 March 2023 - eBird hotspot: Everglades NP--Pinelands

Listen to the Northern Cardinal

Remarks from the Recordist

Singing in the bushes next to the car park. Same bird as in XC789396


www.xeno-canto.org

Listen to the Northern Cardinal

Remarks from the Recordist

Singing in the bushes next to the car park. Same bird as in XC789395


www.xeno-canto.org

eBird

eBird Report


Everglades NP--Pinelands, Miami-Dade, Florida, US
Mar 29, 2023 10:59 - 11:19
Protocol: Traveling
0.71 kilometer(s)
5 species

Turkey Vulture 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
Yellow-throated Warbler 1
Northern Cardinal 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S132154336

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Birding/ Bird watching on the Pinelands Trail at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Today's track on the Pinelands Trail

Pahayokee Overlook

(WALK) Be sure to bring your camera to this elevated wood boardwalk which leads to an overlook. This raised observation platform on this boardwalk loop provides sweeping vistas of the "river of grass." Wheelchair accessible.

Trail Length: 0.16 miles (260 m) round trip

A raised observation platform on this boardwalk loop provides sweeping vistas of the "river of grass."

From https://www.nps.gov/

I drove to the Pahayokee Overlook but I turned around again, too much people and it was darn hot so it would be a waste of time in the blazing sun. Too hot for the birds. Driving back towards the main road to Flamingo Visitor Center.

I spotted birds in the wetland and I stopped to have a look. And every stop is a new bird that I had never seen before and this time I spotted two Tricoloured Herons. I got a few pictures before I continued.

Tricoloured Heron, Egretta tricolor, Louisiana Heron
Tricoloured Heron

Tricoloured Heron, Egretta tricolor, Louisiana Heron
Tricoloured Heron

Tricoloured Heron, Egretta tricolor, Louisiana Heron
Tricoloured Heron

White Ibis, Eudocimus albus
White Ibis

Tricoloured Heron, Egretta tricolor, Louisiana Heron
Tricoloured Heron

Tricoloured Heron, Egretta tricolor, Louisiana Heron
Tricoloured Heron

Tricoloured Heron, Egretta tricolor, Louisiana Heron
Tricoloured Heron

eBird

eBird Report


Wetland next to the Pa-hay-okee Road, Miami-Dade, Florida, US
Mar 29, 2023 11:54
Protocol: Incidental
4 species

Great Blue Heron 1
Great White Egret 2
Tricoloured Heron 3
White Ibis 2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S132154421

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Reaching the main road and I turned right towards Flamingo Visitor Center. I am soon stopping along the road as there are many raptors soaring over the wetlands. I take a few pictures and when I was back at the hotel, I could ID the birds on the wing patterns. It was 6 Turkey Vultures and 2 American Black Vulture soaring high above the Turkey Vultures.

I continue towards the Flamingo Visitor Centre and I leave the road to go check out the Mahogany Hammock Trail. I will not walk the trail as it is too hot for any birds. I will come back here some other day and I just want to check out the area.

I stopped along the main road to check out some birds of prey. I had no clue on what it was but I got pictures of the wing patterns so I could ID the birds with my book when I am back at the hotel.

Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture, ID by the wing pattern

Turkey Vulture
American Black Vulture, ID by the wing pattern

The Turke Vultures are hunting pretty low but the American Black Vulture was soaring high above. I continued towards the Flamingo Visitor Centre at the end of the main road.

Paurotis Pond

Paurotis Pond is one of the traditional nesting sites located in the heart of Everglades National Park and is seasonally closed to protect Wood Storks and all nesting birds from human disturbance. The area was closed in January for the nesting season for Roseate Spoonbills, which tend to nest earlier than other birds.

The closure for nesting can vary in length from year to year, depending on bird behaviour.

Every winter "dry season," wading birds throughout the Everglades gather at traditional (and new) nesting sites in preparation for nest building. They form nesting colonies that often contain hundreds and even thousands of nesting birds.

Species nesting at Paurotis Pond include the Great Egret, White Ibis, Snowy Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, Tri-colored Heron, Little Blue Heron, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Great Blue Heron, and Anhinga.

One nesting species in particular really stands out among the others: the Wood Stork. In 2014, the Department of Interior announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had down-listed the Wood Stork from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), reflecting a highly successful conservation and recovery effort spanning three decades.

In recent years, Paurotis Pond has been the nesting site for approximately 400 pairs of nesting Wood Storks.

From https://www.nps.gov/

I continue south along the Main Park Road and I pass the Paurotis Pond. There are no trails, just for canoeing. I park the car and I spot two Grey Catbirds taking cover in the shadows in a bush. There were a group of about 20 White Ibis taking off.

There was a van with canoes on the roof stopping and two guys from Jacksonville came out to join me at the pick-nick table next to the pond. I had meet them earlier in the morning at the Anhinga Trail. We talked for a few minutes before they left.

Fish Crow
Fish Crow

Grey Catbird
Grey Catbird

Northern Mockingbird
Northern Mockingbird

eBird

eBird Report


Everglades NP--Paurotis Pond, Miami-Dade, Florida, US
Mar 29, 2023 12:22 PM - 12:46 PM
Protocol: Stationary
4 species

White Ibis 20  One group flushed
Fish Crow 1
Grey Catbird 2  Taking cover in the shadow in the bushes so no good pictures
Northern Mockingbird 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S132154163

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

I reach the Flamingo Visitor Centre and it start to rain. I spot 3 Cattle Egrets and 2 White Ibis foraging next to the road at the camping side. I drive up next to them to get some pictures and I had to be quick, it was raining in to the car as soon as I opened the window.

I had a couple of pictures before leaving for the visitor center. The visitor center was damaged by a hurricane so they have a small cottage on the parking as a provisional visitor center.

Eastern Cattle Egret, Bubulcus coromandus, นกยางควาย

Eastern Cattle Egret, Bubulcus coromandus, นกยางควาย
Eastern Cattle Egret / นกยางควาย

Eastern Cattle Egret, Bubulcus coromandus, นกยางควาย
Eastern Cattle Egret / นกยางควาย

White Ibis, Eudocimus albus
White Ibis

eBird

eBird Report


Everglades NP--Flamingo Camp Ground, Monroe, Florida, US
Mar 29, 2023 13:12 - 13:15
Protocol: Traveling
0.08 kilometer(s)
2 species

Cattle Egret 3
White Ibis 2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S132154500

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

I drive to the visitor centre and the girl inform me about an Osprey nest on the bridge at the Flamingo Marina. Fantastic, the nest was almost at eye level and the babies, well, almost fully grown by now as they were testing their wings in the nest, still not flying.

The bridge is also where people are coming to watch the American Crocodiles so there was a lot of people on the bridge, but the Ospreys did not care. One of the parents was in a tree 20 meters away watching the nest.


Bird watching at Flamingo Marina in the Everglades
It was not hard to find the Osprey nest

Bird watching at Flamingo Marina in the Everglades
It was not hard to find the Osprey nest

Osprey, Western Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, Sea Hawk, River Hawk, Fish Hawk, Fiskgjuse

Osprey, Western Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, Sea Hawk, River Hawk, Fish Hawk, Fiskgjuse
Western Osprey

Osprey, Western Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, Sea Hawk, River Hawk, Fish Hawk, Fiskgjuse
Western Osprey

Osprey, Western Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, Sea Hawk, River Hawk, Fish Hawk, Fiskgjuse
Baby Western Osprey

Osprey, Western Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, Sea Hawk, River Hawk, Fish Hawk, Fiskgjuse
Baby Western Osprey

Listen to the Osprey

Remarks from the Recordist

Ospreys have built a nest on the bridge so the babies are almost at an eye level.

2 babies in nest while one of the parents sitting in a tree next to the nest


www.xeno-canto.org

Bird watching at Flamingo Marina in the Everglades
Crocodile

Laughing Gull, Leucophaeus atricilla

Laughing Gull, Leucophaeus atricilla
Laughing Gull

Laughing Gull, Leucophaeus atricilla
Laughing Gull

Laughing Gull, Leucophaeus atricilla
Laughing Gull

Time is really passing quick and I decided to drive back to my hotel and I will make a stop at West Lake Trails. I had plans to visit this trail same day as I do the boat tours from the Flamingo Marina, but I will do it today and I can spend the time on something else when I'm ready with my boat tours.

West Lake Trails

(WALK) This self-guided boardwalk trail wanders through a forest of white mangrove, black mangrove, red mangrove, and buttonwood trees to the edge of West Lake.

Trail Length: 0.5 miles (800 meters) round trip

From https://www.nps.gov/

There were many birds along the trail, but I could not see any of them. Just a very quick glimpse of one of them. But I made a recording with my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder to upload on Xeno-Canto for help with the ID.

Listen to the White-eyed Vireo

Remarks from the Recordist

Many of them singing in the mangrove. Only spotted one very quickly

Thanks to Bobby Wilcox at Xeno-Canto for help with the ID


www.xeno-canto.org

Birding/ Bird watching on the West Lake Trails at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Listening for birds on the West Lake Trails

Birding/ Bird watching on the West Lake Trails at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
West Lake Trails

Birding/ Bird watching on the West Lake Trails at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
West Lake Trails

Birding/ Bird watching on the West Lake Trails at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
West Lake Trails

I completed the trail through the mangrove and I went to the pic-nick, look out platform and I spotted a Great Egret and a Great Blue Heron. I spotted a group of birds far away out on the lake and it was a group with American Wigeons and Blue-winged Teals.

I left the platform and I walked back to the car and I ran in to a crow drinking water from a puddle next to the car.
Fish Crow

eBird

eBird Report


Everglades NP--West Lake, Miami-Dade, Florida, US
Mar 29, 2023 14:14 - 14:42
Protocol: Traveling
0.71 kilometer(s)
6 species

Blue-winged Teal 4  In a group with American Wigeons
American Wigeon 8  In a group with 4 Blue-winged Teals
Great Blue Heron 1  Attacking the white heron
Great White Egret 1
White-eyed Vireo X  Many of them singing in the mangrove. Only spotted one very quickly. Thanks to Bobby Wilcox at Xeno-Canto for help with the ID
Fish Crow 3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S132154031

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Birding/ Bird watching on the West Lake Trails at Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Today's track on the West Lake Trails

Rare Bird alert Sweden
Rare bird alert in Sweden

American Wigeon and Blue-winged Teal, we remember when I was chasing these two birds in Sweden back in February. Now I had a group of them in front of me, but way too far away for any good pictures.

I drove back to my hotel, Best Western Gateway to the Keys in Florida City and I had my dinner, green salad and ham together with a cup of tea.

I had planned to visit a few more places, but I had to cancel. I had been on the road for almost 12 hours so I went back home.

Maybe I have time to visit these spots some other day, but not tomorrow. I will leave for Key West early tomorrow morning. I will leave when it is dark and I will start birding in the south and go back north visiting different spots on the way back to Florida City.

Click HERE to find out if I find any exciting birds during my trip to Key West

eBird

eBird Trip Report

Since April 2023 eBird offer a new feature, to create Trip Reports. At least this is when I first heard of this feature and I have decided to make the eBird Trip Reports instead of my list of OBSERVED birds.

And of course, this also means that I will HAVE TO go back and do the same for my old birding adventures, WHEN I HAVE THE TIME!

Today's Trip Report: Bird watching in Southern Florida - Day 1 | Click HERE

Download | PDF

Lifers
Icons for lifers used in the eBird trip reports

eBirdSpecies lifer: First time that someone observes a species in their life

eBirdPhoto lifer: First time that someone photographs a species in their life

eBirdAudio lifer: First time that someone audio records a species in their life

Exotic species
Exotic species flags differentiate locally introduced species from native species.

eBirdNaturalized: Exotic population is self-sustaining, breeding in the wild, persisting for many years, and not maintained through ongoing releases (including vagrants from Naturalized populations). These count in official eBird totals and, where applicable, have been accepted by regional bird records committee(s).

eBirdProvisional: Either: 1) member of exotic population that is breeding in the wild, self-propagating, and has persisted for multiple years, but not yet Naturalized; 2) rarity of uncertain provenance, with natural vagrancy or captive provenance both considered plausible.

When applicable, eBird generally defers to bird records committees for records formally considered to be of "uncertain provenance". Provisional species count in official eBird totals.

eBirdEscapee: Exotic species known or suspected to be escaped or released, including those that have
bred but don't yet fulfill the criteria for Provisional. Escapee exotics do not count in official eBird totals.





       
                  
OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas

Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra

Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!

คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

Вы говорите по-русски? Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!

E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Flag of Skåne / Skånska flaggan Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.


                                       

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