[va-bird] South Florida Trip

Interested Birders,

    When I mentioned we were going to Florida to visit our son, Jeffrey, who 
is working in Everglades National Park, I had some requests for a trip report 
when we returned (we were in FL Jan. 15-21), so here it is.

    First, the weather.  Anyone going to Florida any time soon should pay 
close attention to weather reports, and take WARM clothes if low temperatures 
are predicted.  Last Saturday, we spent the day in Everglades National Park.  
The temperature was about 40 degrees F., and it was windy.  I wore my parka, 
gloves, and flannel-lined slacks, and I was glad I did.  However, I should 
say that we drove down to Key West and back the first 2 days, before the cold 
front came in, and I wore a T-shirt both days.  The last day before I came 
back, it had warmed up enough so that a windbraker, sweater, and long-sleeved 
shirt were enough to keep me warm!

    Now, for our best birds on the trip.  I didn't get any new birds, but  
Jeffrey got 3 Life Birds while he was with us.  Our best birds in the Keys 
were Magnificent Frigatebirds, which we saw from about Key Largo to Key West 
on both days.  

    Our other good birds were in or near the Everglades.  On Saturday, Jan. 
18, at Lucky Hammock, just outside the entrance (turn left by a sign for some 
school, I think, and go down to the clump of trees), which is said to be a 
local hotspot, we saw a pair of Painted Buntings (Jeffrey's first Life Bird). 
 

    After several stops, we drove down to Flamingo where we saw--a Flamingo!  
It was out on the sandbar in the middle of a flock of White Pelicans and 
Black Skimmers where it could be seen easily and well from the Visitor 
Center.  I saw the reddish-pink bird almost as soon as I got out of the car, 
but its head was tucked in.  Fortunately, other birders were there with 
scopes, and eventually we got good views of the whole bird (Jeffrey's second 
Lifer).  I was able to watch it from our table while we were eating lunch in 
the restaurant!  Jeffrey told me that they got 6-9 Flamingoes on a Christmas 
Count, but they had to go out in canoes to see them; they are not being seen 
from Snake Bite Trail this year.  He also told me they found one bird with a 
band and found out that it had been banded in Yucatan.  Our bird apparently 
was there all day, but Jeffrey was not aware of any reports of it being there 
since then.     

    Jeffrey's other Life Bird was a dark morph Short-tailed Hawk, which we 
saw from the beginning of the Anhinga Trail when we went back to the park on 
Monday, Jan. 20.  We saw it come up over the parking lot with a flock of 
Turkey Vultures about 10:00-10:15 am.  We also saw several Wood Storks both 
days, and most of the other usual birds one would expect to find in the 
Everglades.

Good birding to all, 

Val Kitchens
Arlington, VA
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