Friday, February 20, 2015

Everglades - East to West




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

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Spring is in the air!!

Limpkin - check that tongue


Yes, Spring is in the air - at least in South Florida it is.  Limpkins are calling - trying to attract a mate; robins are gathering, waiting for the snow to disappear up north; cardinals and mockingbirds sing their familiar territorial calls.
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Large Soft-shell Turtle



We spent a day with friends birding near Boynton Beach at the Green Cay and Wakodahatchee Wetlands area sharing God's creation together.
Purple Gallinule





  The rarest find was the Yellow-headed Blackbird that was way out of range.  Must have followed the Red-winged Blackbirds south for the winter.


Spent another day at the Jetty of Ft. Pierce and that rare Red Knot in winter plumage was still hanging out with the Ruddy Turnstones.


This Royal Tern was trying to impress someone (probably not us) with his crest as high as possible.
Gulf Fritillary 



We spent some time walking the grounds of the PSL Botanical Gardens.  Some beautiful plants that volunteers are caring for.  Not everything is labeled yet so we could use some help with identification on this succulent and the orchids farther down.
Rare Mangrove Skipper





A pair of Ospreys were very busy selecting the appropriate tree and bring in the branches and Spanish mosses.
















Pileated Woodpecker - outstanding crest

Yellow-throated Warbler




Cattle Egret strolling the sidewalk





We leave for the Everglades Area tomorrow.  Looking forward to the more tropical birds in the south - but hope the mosquitoes are far and few between.


God's blessing to all,
Love & Prayers,   Ida & Ty