February +37 for a total of 343 Species
Three Weeks in Key Largo and One Week in Michigan
The Perfect Combo for a monthly total of 135 Species and 8 Lifers
Three Weeks in Key Largo and One Week in Michigan
The Perfect Combo for a monthly total of 135 Species and 8 Lifers
We own timeshare weeks at the Florida Bay Club in Key Largo and February is the perfect time to visit. The Black and Yellow-crowned Nigh Herons squawk at each other at night and the resident Great White Heron owns the boardwalk all day. The winds were blowing too hard to take the boat out fishing for several days, so my husband and I made several trips up to the mainland for birds. eBird was useful for hitting hotspots, but birders that we met along our hikes were particularly helpful. One man whose personalized license plate was "Nemo" helped in the Everglades and gave us several tips for birds including a Vermillion Flycatcher and Lesser Nighthawks. We walked Snake Bight Trail and saw several species including a distant resident flock of American Flamingos and a surprising sighting of a Clapper Rail that was darting around at the end of the trail. We also visited Key Biscayne National Park, a new national park to add to our growing list. I missed the Mangrove Cuckoo that a ranger said had been seen just a day before, but hopefully I will get it there in April.
Although we've owned weeks at the Florida Bay Club for over twenty years, until this year we had never been to the Dagny Johnson Hammock. What an amazing place with an interesting history. I am looking forward to returning to bird the many paved trails in April, when I'm certain it will be birdy. The elusive White Crowned Pigeons are regulars at the park and our timeshare property.
Although we've owned weeks at the Florida Bay Club for over twenty years, until this year we had never been to the Dagny Johnson Hammock. What an amazing place with an interesting history. I am looking forward to returning to bird the many paved trails in April, when I'm certain it will be birdy. The elusive White Crowned Pigeons are regulars at the park and our timeshare property.
The fishing wasn't great, but we caught enough to share with fellow owners and to feed ourselves. While out deep sea fishing we saw one Masked Booby and several Gannets. The Magnificent Frigatebirds were our guides to good fishing spots. Bird activity (terns and frigates) usually means large fish or dolphin are feeding on schools of bait fish and the birds hover above for scraps. Magnificent Frigatebirds are notorious thieves and often chase and rob each other. Several times I have thrown back an undersized snapper and had a Frigatebird swoop down out of nowhere to pick the fish off the surface. When they come that close, you really get an appreciation for their immense size.
Cold. It was cold. But on the bright side, it was still birdy for wintering waterfowl. Lake St. Clair is in my back yard, but it was completely frozen. There are nearby areas where the lake doesn't freeze and everything congregates, and they are my favorite winter birding spots. The only birds at home were Dark-eyed Juncos and daily flyovers of Bald Eagles.
Nearby is Lake St. Clair Metropark, the place where I started my birding habit back in 1977. The park has a nice Nature Center, but unfortunately it lost most of its Cottonwood trees to age and flooding around four years ago. This past fall they came in and cut down many of the dead trees fearing they would fall over on someone. It was startling to return there and see open sky where there used to be forest. Additionally, one of the best spots for songbirds is closed due to a pair of nesting Bald Eagles. Despite those setbacks, the park remains active with birds. I watched a pair of Red-tailed Hawks building a nest and calling to each other. A pair of Black-Capped Chickadees followed me around and landed really close. It occurred to me that someone might have taught them to hand feed and sure enough, I held out my empty gloved hand and they landed on it. The park does not want people hand feeding, but the chickadees didn't get the memo.
Another great spot with open water where all the birds congregate is Harley Ensign Memorial Boat Launch. I braved the cold a few times and scoped the thousands of waterfowl including Long-tailed Ducks, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, and many other species of ducks. The Snow Buntings I've seen there in previous years right in the parking lot proved elusive. I am predicting them to be my nemesis bird for this big year.
Nearby is Lake St. Clair Metropark, the place where I started my birding habit back in 1977. The park has a nice Nature Center, but unfortunately it lost most of its Cottonwood trees to age and flooding around four years ago. This past fall they came in and cut down many of the dead trees fearing they would fall over on someone. It was startling to return there and see open sky where there used to be forest. Additionally, one of the best spots for songbirds is closed due to a pair of nesting Bald Eagles. Despite those setbacks, the park remains active with birds. I watched a pair of Red-tailed Hawks building a nest and calling to each other. A pair of Black-Capped Chickadees followed me around and landed really close. It occurred to me that someone might have taught them to hand feed and sure enough, I held out my empty gloved hand and they landed on it. The park does not want people hand feeding, but the chickadees didn't get the memo.
Another great spot with open water where all the birds congregate is Harley Ensign Memorial Boat Launch. I braved the cold a few times and scoped the thousands of waterfowl including Long-tailed Ducks, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, and many other species of ducks. The Snow Buntings I've seen there in previous years right in the parking lot proved elusive. I am predicting them to be my nemesis bird for this big year.
