Florida Birding Escape March 13-19, 2018

Transcription

1 208 South Great Road Lincoln, Massachusetts tel fax Florida Birding Escape March 13-19, 2018 Hugo Viana Earl Orf Steve Byland Arlene Ripley Leaders: Strickland Wheelock Kathy Seymour Tia Pinney

2 Escape the long winter with a memorable week of birding in central and south Florida. This is an ideal time to visit with large concentrations of wading birds in breeding plumage, 20 species of wintering warblers, large flocks of wintering shorebirds, singing Bachman's Sparrow and Mangrove Cuckoo, and good chances for Short-tailed Hawk and Snail Kite. We will sample everything from beaches, mudflats, wetlands, mangroves, and cypress swamp to pine flatwoods, sawgrass prairie and oak scrub, focusing on Florida specialties and exotics. A good variety of colorful wading birds will be omnipresent no matter where we are White and Glossy Ibis, Tricolored and Little Blue Herons, Black and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, Wood Stork, Cattle Egret, etc. Other target species include Snowy and Wilson s Plovers, Limpkin, Purple Gallinule, Roseate Spoonbill, Florida Scrub-Jay, White-crowned Pigeon, Painted Bunting, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Yellow-Throated Warbler, and many exotics in the Miami area. Day 1, Tuesday, March 13 We will meet midday at the Orlando International Airport. From here we will head to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, 140,000 acres of coastal dunes, saltwater marshes, freshwater impoundments, oak scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks on the Atlantic Coast. Painted Buntings in striking red, blue and green hang out in the lush vegetation near the Visitor Center feeders. Black Point Wildlife Drive provides easy access to both salt and fresh water impoundments with large concentrations of waterfowl along with Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill, Reddish Egret and other wading birds, shorebirds, terns and gulls. A highlight here will be a walk through rare oak scrub habitat, home to one of only three remaining strong hold populations of the threatened, endemic Florida Scrub-Jay. After an impressive introduction to Florida s abundant sub-tropical flora and fauna, we will head to our lodging in Lakeland. Night in Lakeland Day 2, Wednesday, March 14 Our first stop today is the Circle B Bar Reserve, a former cattle ranch that restoration efforts have transformed into one of the best inland birding spots in central Florida. Trails through freshwater marsh, hardwood swamp, oak hammocks, and along the lakeshore showcase a truly impressive number and variety of wintering water birds and Florida specialties. Possibilities here include Snail Kite, Crested Caracara, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, both whistling-ducks, Purple Swamphen, Limpkin, King Rail, Purple Gallinule, Sandhill Crane, both bitterns, Sedge Wren and much more. After an exciting morning, we will head toward Tampa Bay and the Gulf Coast. Monk and Nanday Parakeets are widespread in the St. Petersburg area, with the added possibility of Short-tailed Hawk and Swallow-tailed Kite soaring overhead. At the very tip of the peninsula, 5 interconnected keys make up Fort De Soto Park, renowned as a hot spot for migrants and for wintering shore and water birds. Extensive shoreline attracts large numbers of

3 shorebirds, terns and gulls including Wilson s, Snowy and Piping Plovers, Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Western Sandpiper, Red Knot, Caspian, Royal and Sandwich Terns and Lesser Black-backed Gull. Hardwood hammocks provide cover for wintering and migrant warblers including Yellow-throated, Palm, Prothonotary, Orange-crowned, Hooded and Worm-eating. Against a backdrop of pristine white sand beaches and lush green woodlands surrounded by turquoise waters, this could legitimately be called birding paradise. In the late afternoon we will head to Fort Myers, stopping for some birding en route if time permits. Night in Ft. Myers Day 3, Thursday, March 15 We will depart early for Babcock/Webb Wildlife Management Area, one of the largest expanses of undeveloped pine flatwoods in Southwest Florida, to look for pine flatwoods specialties - Brown-headed Nuthatch, Bachman s Sparrow, and the federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker. Early morning is the best time to see the woodpeckers on their roost trees, which are clearly marked. Normally elusive Bachman s Sparrows are easier to view at this time of year- when they are actively singing. Other possibilities are Northern Bobwhite, Eastern Meadowlark, and impressive flocks of wintering Palm, Pine and Yellowrumped Warblers. Leaving the pinewoods behind, we will head toward Sanibel Island and a different birding universe. Magnificent Frigatebirds and Brown Pelicans soar overhead joined by countless terns and gulls. Our primary destination is widely renowned birding hotspot J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 6,400 acres of mangrove forest, seagrass beds, cordgrass marsh, and subtropical hardwood hammocks. We will travel the wildlife drive, where impoundments offer outstanding views of Anhinga, Roseate Spoonbill, Mottled Duck, pelicans, herons, egrets, ibis, shorebirds and alligators. With extensive tracts of mangrove forest, we also have a chance of encountering the elusive Mangrove Cuckoo if we are lucky. The balance of the day will be spent at other hotspots in the Fort Myers area, concentrating on any missing target species, especially Gulf Coast shorebird specialties like Wilson s and Snowy Plovers and Long-billed Curlew. Choices abound, from cypress swamp and freshwater marsh to sandy beaches, mudflats and mangrove forest. Night in Ft. Myers Day 4, Friday, March 16 Today we will explore Naples and then bird our way across the peninsula via the Tamiami Trail, looking for localized target species and exploring the Everglades ecosystem. Bronzed Cowbird and Rose-ringed Parakeet can be found at parks in Naples. Tigertail Beach on Marco Island has both barrier beach and a tidal lagoon which provide excellent chances to locate any shorebirds targets that have eluded us.

4 Heading east the Tamiami Trail bisects a mosaic of state and federal land protecting over 3 million acres of cypress swamp, sawgrass prairie, pine flatwoods, subtropical hardwood hammocks, and waterways. Herons, egrets and ibis line the drainage canals along the roadway. The possibility of Short-tailed Hawk and Snail Kite should keep us alert, and there is always a (very small) chance of winning the wildlife sighting lottery with an endangered Florida Panther. We will stop at Shark Valley Visitor Center, at the northern border of Everglades National Park, where Snail Kite and Limpkin can sometimes be seen from the short trails around the visitor center. We will arrive in the greater Miami area in the late afternoon. This sprawling urban metropolis is home to many species of parrots, parakeets and other exotic escapees that have been able to establish stable breeding populations due to the tropical climate and vegetation. A good number are countable by the ABA, including Red whiskered Bulbul, Common Myna, White-winged and Monk Parakeets, Muscovy Duck, Egyptian Goose and Spot-breasted Oriole. Other species have sizable and growing populations that may qualify them for species status in the not too distant future, such as Mitred, Red-masked and Yellow-chevroned Parakeets, and Orange-winged Parrot. Countable or not, viewing and hearing parrots and macaws in the wild makes you feel like you travelled to an exciting, remote tropical destination. We will explore known hotspots for these species before heading to our lodging. Night in Florida City Day 5, Saturday, March 17 Today we will explore the Everglades National Park, 1.5 million acres of a complex ecosystem found nowhere else in the world. Along the way we will look for Common Myna, Scissortailed Flycatcher, and Western Kingbird perched on utility wires, and Short-tailed Hawk soaring overhead. We will walk the boardwalk of the famous Anhinga Trail observing many species of waders and marsh birds while Swallow-tailed Kites glide above us. We will bird the pine forest for species like Brown-headed Nuthatch and Yellow-throated Warbler; sawgrass prairie for the endemic Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow; and the rookery at Paurotis Pond for nesting Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill, White Ibis and a variety of other herons and egrets. Finally, in Flamingo, our primary targets are White-crowned Pigeon and the highly localized Shiny Cowbird which hangs out around the visitor center. A wide variety of shorebirds, waders and terns can be seen in the bright aqua waters of Florida Bay. Manatees and American Crocodile hang out near the boat docks. Our return trip to Florida City gives us another chance for anything we missed on the way in. In the afternoon, we will head toward Biscayne Bay south of Miami, where a number of preserves near the coast allow exploration of mangrove forest, hardwood hammock, wetlands and urban parkland. We will seek out Mangrove Cuckoo, White-crowned Pigeon, West Indies Cave Swallow, shorebirds, warblers and exotics. Night in Florida City

5 Day 6, Sunday, March 18 This morning will start at Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park, which protects the largest remaining tract of West Indian tropical hardwood hammock in the country. It is one of the best places to track down the elusive Mangrove Cuckoo, along with White-crowned Pigeon, and, if we are lucky, early migrating Black-whiskered Vireo and Gray Kingbird. Other possibilities for the morning are Matheson Hammock Park or Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park where varied habitats attract both Florida specialties and neo-tropical migrants. In the afternoon we will head north to Ft. Lauderdale, another urban area where escaped exotic birds thrive. In fact, ABA countable species like Spot-breasted Oriole, and Whitewinged, Nanday and Monk Parakeets are now easier to find here than in Miami. We will visit several hotspots for these species. If we have not had any Burrowing Owls yet, we will visit Brian Piccolo Park, where marked burrows make them easy to find. Night in Boca Raton Day 7, Monday, April 19 On our last morning, we will visit Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay, successful water reclamation projects that have created thriving wetlands. Boardwalks through the wetlands offer up-close views and great photographic opportunities of Florida s charismatic wading birds - egrets, ibis, herons, whistling-ducks, Anhinga, Purple Gallinule, Least Bittern, Limpkin, etc. Feeders attract Painted Bunting and other songbirds. And, last but not least, you will have the opportunity to pick up a souvenir or two in the visitor center gift shop. What a perfect way to end an amazing week exploring beaches, mudflats, marsh, wetland impoundments, oak scrub, pinewoods, cypress swamp, tropical hardwood hammocks, mangrove forest, sawgrass prairie, and urban areas - each with a rich variety of bird life! We will fly out of Fort Lauderdale around midday.

6 Please note: This is a natural history field trip we will rise early every morning and be active all day. Participants should be able to be to walk at least one mile and be on your feet for one to two hours. While we attempt to be true to our itinerary, all scheduled events are subject to change depending on the weather and other considerations. Fees: Member $1860; Non-member $2230 Single Room Supplement - $500 Deposit - $250 due with registration; final payment due by January 12, 2018 Fee covers all ground transportation, lodging and entrance fees. Participants are responsible for personal supplies, snacks and meals. Cancellation Policy: Cancellations must be made in writing or by , and are effective upon receipt. Cancellations received up to 6 months prior to departure will be refunded in full. For cancellations less than 6 months prior to departure, the deposit is not refundable. Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure; no refunds are available for cancellations less than 60 days prior to departure. However, if we are able to fill your spot, a partial refund may be possible. Flights: DO NOT book your flight until we have given you the flight information for the trip leaders. We ask that you schedule your flight to arrive no later than one half hour after the trip leaders, and for your return flight not to depart earlier than that of the trip leaders. Please provide us with your flight details. Trip Insurance: If you cancel for any reason, the cancellation policy will apply. If you wish to purchase trip cancellation insurance, you can search for policies at

7 Registration Form Florida Birding Escape 2018 To register by mail, please fill out the form below and mail it to: Adult Program Registrar 208 South Great Road Lincoln, MA For more information or to register by phone, please contact: Kathy Seymour, Birding Tour Leader 208 South Great Road Lincoln, MA Name(s) Member no. Address Telephone Daytime Evening Cell address Would you like to receive our monthly Birders Connection? Yes No I would like to join Mass Audubon: Family $65 Individual $48 Single Room Requested: Yes No Please note single supplement fee. Deposit Enclosed: Visa/Mastercard/Discover/American Express: Exp. date / Payment by check is greatly appreciated, and enables us to use more of our funds for programming. Please make your check payable to Mass Audubon. Thank you!

8 Checklist - Florida Birding Escape 2018 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Short-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl Carolina Wren Fulvous Whistling-Duck Red-tailed Hawk Burrowing Owl Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Canada Goose King Rail Barred Owl Red-whiskered Bulbul Egyptian Goose Clapper Rail Chuck-will's-widow Ruby-crowned Kinglet Muscovy Duck Sora Ruby-throated Hummingbird Eastern Bluebird Wood Duck Purple Gallinule Belted Kingfisher Hermit Thrush American Wigeon Gray-headed Swamphen Red-headed Woodpecker American Robin Mallard Common Gallinule Red-bellied Woodpecker Gray Catbird Mottled Duck American Coot Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Brown Thrasher Blue-winged Teal Limpkin Downy Woodpecker Northern Mockingbird Northern Shoveler Sandhill Crane Red-cockaded Woodpecker Common Hill Myna Green-winged Teal Black-necked Stilt Northern Flicker European Starling Redhead American Avocet Pileated Woodpecker Common Myna Ring-necked Duck American Oystercatcher Crested Caracara Cedar Waxwing Lesser Scaup Black-bellied Plover American Kestrel Ovenbird Bufflehead Snowy Plover Peregrine Falcon Worm-eating Warbler Hooded Merganser Wilson's Plover Rose-ringed Parakeet Louisiana Waterthrush Red-breasted Merganser Semipalmated Plover Monk Parakeet Northern Waterthrush Northern Bobwhite Piping Plover White-winged Parakeet Black-and-white Warbler Wild Turkey Killdeer Yellow-chevroned Parakeet Prothonotary Warbler Common Loon Whimbrel Red-crowned Parrot Orange-crowned Warbler Pied-billed Grebe Long-billed Curlew Orange-winged Parrot Common Yellowthroat Wood Stork Marbled Godwit Nanday Parakeet Hooded Warbler Magnificent Frigatebird Ruddy Turnstone Blue-and-yellow Macaw Northern Parula Double-crested Cormorant Red Knot Chestnut-fronted Macaw Palm Warbler Anhinga Sanderling Blue-crowned Parakeet Pine Warbler American White Pelican Dunlin Mitred Parakeet Yellow-rumped Warbler Brown Pelican Least Sandpiper Red-masked Parakeet Yellow-throated Warbler American Bittern Western Sandpiper Eastern Phoebe Prairie Warbler Least Bittern Short-billed Dowitcher Great Crested Flycatcher Bachman's Sparrow Great Blue Heron Long-billed Dowitcher Western Kingbird Grasshopper Sparrow Great Egret Wilson's Snipe Gray Kingbird Seaside Sparrow Snowy Egret Spotted Sandpiper Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Chipping Sparrow Little Blue Heron Greater Yellowlegs Loggerhead Shrike Savannah Sparrow Tricolored Heron Willet White-eyed Vireo Song Sparrow Reddish Egret Lesser Yellowlegs Yellow-throated Vireo Swamp Sparrow Cattle Egret Bonaparte's Gull Blue-headed Vireo Eastern Towhee Green Heron Laughing Gull Black-whiskered Vireo Northern Cardinal Black-crowned Night-Heron Ring-billed Gull Blue Jay Indigo Bunting Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Herring Gull Florida Scrub-Jay Painted Bunting White Ibis Lesser Black-backed Gull American Crow Red-winged Blackbird Glossy Ibis Caspian Tern Fish Crow Eastern Meadowlark Roseate Spoonbill Forster's Tern N. Rough-winged Swallow Common Grackle Black Vulture Royal Tern Purple Martin Boat-tailed Grackle Turkey Vulture Sandwich Tern Tree Swallow Shiny Cowbird Osprey Black Skimmer Barn Swallow Bronzed Cowbird Swallow-tailed Kite Rock Pigeon Cave Swallow Brown-headed Cowbird Snail Kite White-crowned Pigeon Carolina Chickadee Spot-breasted Oriole Northern Harrier Eurasian Collared-Dove Tufted Titmouse House Finch Sharp-shinned Hawk Common Ground-Dove Brown-headed Nuthatch American Goldfinch Cooper's Hawk White-winged Dove House Wren House Sparrow Bald Eagle Mourning Dove Sedge Wren Red-shouldered Hawk Mangrove Cuckoo Marsh Wren