Winter in Florida
22 Jan -25
Feb 2006
by
Henry Detwiler
During a five-week DOD Class at Patrick AFB, I spent my weekends and a
couple of evenings searching out what birds I could find in this diverse
state.
158
species--bird list is at the bottom of the page
Click on
thumbnail pictures for full-sized photos. 
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The Everglades is synonymous with Florida, so early one Saturday I
headed south. I was sidetracked by Loxahatchee NWR, where I
watched a perched Snail Kite, lots of shorebirds, a
telephone-pole-nesting Pileated Woodpecker, and a hungry
Limpkin. One of the local birders showed me this Great
Horned Owl on a nest, no doubt incubating eggs.
Great Horned Owl
Loxahatchee NWR |
Limpkin
Loxahatchee NWR |
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A couple of elegant dragonflies and butterflies added to the diversity.
This Seaside Dragonlet was a first for me--but then I've only started "oding"
since moving to Phoenix. The cypress swamp boardwalk made a nice
walk in the early morning, but only produced two birds: Carolina
Wren & Red-shouldered Hawk.
Seaside Dragonlet,
Loxahatchee NWR
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Gulf Fritillary
Loxahatchee NWR |
A side trip to Ft Lauderdale failed to net me the Smooth-billed Ani,
but I was able to add the Purple Swamphen at the library pond.
There were lots of parrots in the Kendall area, but no obvious bulbuls
or orioles. I spent the night at Homestead AFB, and left very
early the next morning for the Everglades. At Royal Hammock,
Barred Owls serenaded me from the woods while I watched alligator eyes
shining in my spotlight.
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Little Blue Heron
Everglades
National Park
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As the dawn began to brighten, more birds began to stir, and I saw
waders of all kinds: cormorants, herons, egrets, and
anhingas. Along the Gumbo Limbo Trail I ran into a small
flock of warblers, including Northern Parula, Black & White, and
American Redstart. |
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Sunset, Patrick AFB
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Anhinga, Everglades
National Park
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The Anhinga Trail was
hopping with both tourists and birds by the time I returned to it.
On one of the boardwalk overlooks a dozen photographers were huddled
together in a ball, their long lenses protruding like so many quills
of a porcupine. |
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I myself concentrated on the birds feeding within meters of the
walkway. Little Blue Heron, Wood Storks, and Anhingas fed
unperturbed, stalking fish and crustaceans, even as I stalked them
for that "perfect" shot. On one section of the trail a small
flock of Black Vultures hopped along the boardwalk railing, posing
for any and all who wished to take their picture.
Wood Stork, Everglades |
Black Vulture
Everglades National Park
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Next to another portion of the trail,
this Wood Stork stirred up the water with its foot, dislodging
tasty morsels from the murky bottom. We get these storks at
the Salton Sea, too, but never ever this trusting and
camera-friendly
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Wood Stork, Everglades
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Painted Bunting
Everglades National Park |
When I finally tore myself away from this birder's wonderland, I
headed farther into the Glades. At one of the hammocks I
scored with a Black-throated Blue Warbler, and on the trail to
Flamingo Bay found both Prairie Warbler and Painted Bunting.
Prairie Warbler, Everglades
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Hurricane damage had closed off 90% of the Flamingo Bay recreation area,
so at noon I started on the long ride "home" to Patrick AFB.
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Brown Pelicans at Sunset, Patrick AFB
Back to Page 1, Merritt NWR & Cocoa Beach |
