We left Port St. Lucie in heavy rains stopping at Brian Piccolo Park in Cooper City finding three pairs of very wet Burrowing Owls shaking off the rain and stretching their wings over their holes.
As the rain stopped, a flock of Monk Parakeets landed right next to the RV by the parking lot.
Our next stop south was Kendall where we found a noisy flock of Mitred Parakeets. This neighborhood is north of the Baptist Hospital where we successfully searched for Red-Whiskered Bulbuls who didn't stick around long enough for a photo.
 |
| Bee on Apple Rose Blossom |
We stayed at Miami-Everglades RV Resort for a week, located in the agricultural area north of Homestead. The park was an Avocado and Mango Plantation once and had many interesting flora and fauna.
 |
| Apple Rose Fruit |
 |
| Sausage Tree Blossom |
 |
| Spiny-backed Orbweaver |
 |
| Eastern Fence Lizard |
 |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull |
We birded the urban Miami area early one morning and then drove to Key Biscayne. At Crandon Park on the Atlantic Ocean were hundreds of shorebirds. We found the rare Snowy Plover, Piping and Semipalmated Plovers, Black-bellied Plovers and Sanderlings, Dunlins and Dowitchers before the beach combers and dog walkers scattered the birds.
 |
| Iguana at former zoo area |
 |
| Green-eyed Double-crested Cormorant |
We spent four days exploring the Southeastern Everglades from Royal Palm to Flamingo. One day was spent with friends Art & Betsy Cavanaugh finding 65 species of birds and many other unique creatures.
 |
| Black Skimmer - bill close-up |
 |
| Great Southern White Butterfly |
 |
| Nickerbean |
 |
| Cotton Stainer AKA Red Bug |
 |
| Red-shouldered Hawk |
 |
| Wood Stork reflection |
 |
| Red (walking) Mangrove |
 |
| Beach Morning Glory |
 |
| Black-necked Stilt |
 |
| Osprey with lunch |
 |
| Brown Pelican |
We drove across the Florida peninsula on the Tamiami Trail and are now on Chokolaskee Island for the week. We've walked most of the island and found 52 species of birds - the most unique being the Brown-crested Flycatcher.
 |
| Brown-crested Flycatcher |
We've taken two day trips from here to the Big Cypress Swamp, Fakahatchee Strand Nature Preserve, drove through the Florida Panther Preserve, Collier-Seminole State Park, Brigg's National Wildlife Refuge where we found this lost Semipalmated Plover on the boardwalk railing.
As with most of the rest of the east, we are also experiencing the polar plunge. Hit 34 degrees this morning but the sun is warming things up fast.
We are enjoying beautiful sunsets daily over the Ten Thousand Islands of the western Everglades.
Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann
