Swaro CLs: Beach Birding

Decided to take a picnic at the beach in Lake Worth yesterday and found some dark skies.  But the low light didn't stop my birding.  Within minutes I had 1 Black Tern and 7 Gull-billed Tern in sight.  After the terns I spied a few Rock Pigeons hanging around the pier and 1 lone Brown Pelican.

I brought my tester Swaro CLs for the birding and found over 20 Ruddy Turnstones in breeding plumage down the beach.  Mixed in the flock were 2 Sanderling.  It's been a few months since I've seen this beach birds near the shore.

I've been continuing to modify and make the test product pair of Swarovski CLs like my own.  A few things that had to change were a switch from the neck strap provided to a more traditional birding rig.  I don't actually wear it the proper way, if there is a proper way.  I usually sling it across my body like a heavy bag and off I go.  I like the stretchy material of the "birding bra." 

The other adjustment that I HAD to make was doing something about those top eye-cups.  I don't mind the two flap down caps but that top cap was driving me nuts.  I felt like it was always impeding my view or irritating me by rubbing against my skin.  So I have rigged a very inexpensive solution.  I may be the only birder using a $900 pair of binoculars that have the top eye-cups attached with a rubber-band but guess what?  It gives me a lot more flexibility and I love that the cups dangle out of my way.  I thought about doing some tie straps type of thing but I like how the cups dangle low with the rubber-band.  I guess I'll give this a try for a few more all day birding trips but so far (the past couple of weeks) I've been happy with the solution!

Book Review: Birds of the West Indies

Birds of the West Indies by Norman Arlott is a concise 240 page book that is considered an illustrated checklist by Princeton University Press.  What I found is that this little volume is more than a checklist but almost as grand as a full fledged field guide. The text was superb and provided many insights on the species and the plates are certainly colorful.  I especially like that the whole West Indies is covered.  As a travelor of the Carribean, this will be the perfect tome to keep in a bird bag as one island hops. 

With every great book there are a few setbacks and I could only find two with this one.  A personal pet peeve of mine is when the range maps are not found within the text and plates.  I know that this is an illustrated checklist and not a real field guide so this can be forgiven.  The other setback doesn't affect me personally but I will admit that the text is VERY small.  This volume packs a lot of punch and to include all the juicy tidbits the author decided to keep the font size little and the information big.  I am a fan of this and it's hardly fair to call it a setback but for some it may be an issue.

If you're planning a trip to the West Indies I would highly recommend adding this book to your library.  I think it would be the perfect addition in the field and small enough to fit in any travel bag.  I wish I had it on my last trip to Puerto Rico but I'm sure that I'll be back to the West Indies soon enough and this little guide will be going along with me for the ride.  

Princeton University Press has a whole line of Illustrated Checklists that cover diverse regions of the world if you're interested. 

This review copy was provided by Princeton University Press.  All photos taken from the PUP website.

Mother Gator Protects Her Young

This was taken by a visitor to my nature center last week. You can watch the mother gator helping babies hatch out of the nest at the beginning then see the drama that unfolds as a Green Heron tries to make a hathling gator a snack.

Don't miss the little baby turtle hatching in the middle of the video. A Red-bellied Slider laid her eggs in the alligator nest and they hatched on the same day!

Hundreds of Spoonbills and Waders

This post somehow became lost in all my recent travels.  It's the second half of my birding day in late July.  To read about the first part of the day scroll down to the Swaro CL Test Drive post or click the link.

After Kim and I were done with our morning of fun we headed for the Everglades Agricultural Area near Belle Glade.  From Lake Okeechobee to the Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge and South towards Miami their are agricultural fields that mostly plant sugar cane and rice.  In August they flood many of these fields after harvesting the plants and this creates the perfect conditions for migrating shorebirds.

For our first main stop of the day we headed down Gator Blvd outside of Belle Glade and found a nice field full of waders.  I know we were on the hunt for shorebirds but this was worth stopping for, check out the photos below to get a glimpse of the action!

The fields were full of Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Black-necked Stilts, and many small peeps.

My count was 124 for Roseate Spoonbills (a personal best) and over 250 Wood Storks.  Yes, quite literally the fields were pink and white.  I have never seen such a huge flock of waders.  Usually I reserve my shorebirding in Western Palm Beach for mid to late August but this late July experience proved worthy of the drive.

The fields were littered birds and a few shorebirds were mixed in as well such as Short-billed Dowitcher, Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, and Semipalmated Sandpiper. 

We checked out the fields further along Gator Blvd and found some Black Terns and Least Terns flying.  In the field was a few White Pelicans and Glossy Ibis as well.  It was a nice day of birding and one I won't forget anytime soon!

We stopped near this dilapidated building on CR880 to look for swallows.  We found a Red-tailed Hawk instead.

Alligator Babies!

I counted 28 baby gators in all but I'll be out later today to see if I spy a few more. This video shows you the bank of the alligator hole hours after the babies all hatched.

Mother Alligator Excavates the Nest

As the sound of little baby alligator grunts came from the nest the mother climbed into the pile and starting digging out the young hatchlings. Eggs littered the pond and the sizable nest started to crumble.

Baby Alligators Hatch at Green Cay

Tuesday morning brought us the birth of over 28 baby alligators at Green Cay.  We've been watching the young mother all summer keep diligent watch over her nest.  I guessed that the nest would hatch on August 15th but the date slowly crept by and the visitors of Green Cay starting keeping nest watch.  Each morning people would walk by to inspect the nest and wait for the arrival of the new babies.  Now we don't have to wait any longer because it looks like all the newborns have found their way to the water.

With each baby alligator grunt the mother gator would climb up into the nest and scoop out handfuls of dirt and debris.  Little gators climbed out beneath the surface.  The process must have started in the night because dozens of baby alligators were already lining the bank of the water.

The babies seem to be more in the water today but staying close to mom.  A Green Heron already came in for an inspection but was met with the mother leaping out of the water 4 times to shoo the heron away.  I am looking forward to watch the events unfold as the mother is strained to keep all her young alive.  Mother alligators stay with their young up to 2 years to protect the babies from predators such as birds, raccoons, and other larger alligators.  Tomorrow I'll have a video or two of the alligator hatching process! 

Michigan Back to Florida

We had an excellent camping trip near Lake Michigan. And it's been a non-stop party since I got back to Florida but tomorrow I'll have a great post up about the alligators that are hatching at Green Cay today.

Michigan

Sunset near our campground

Skywatch Friday: Green Cay

Blue skies over the Green Cay Wetlands in Boynton Beach, FL.

Swaro CL Test Drive

With my new Swarovski CLs in hand I decided that an all day field test was in order.  Since it's shorebird season I figured a good place to start was in Western Palm Beach County, FL.  This area is known for shorebirds starting in August but shorebirds are easy to spot any time of day so for my first CL test drive I thought going to a new park would be the best way to start the day.

Kimmie met me at 6AM and we headed west to Dupuis Wildlife Management Area.  Along the way we saw some typical Florida landscapes like fields of cows and stands of pines.  Most people think of South Florida as a highly developed area that encroaches on the Everglades but if you're in the central part of the state above the Everglades you will find lots of agricultural land that has a very Central Florida feel. 

Once in the park we started our bird list.  For the most part the place was pretty quiet but we did have nice looks of Downy Woodpeckers and Red-shouldered Hawks.  The CLs were performing well in the early day light.  I had nice crisp views in the low light areas.  One minor annoyance for me with the binoculars were all the lense covers.  So I removed the top covers altogether.  This allowed much faster use as we were in and out of the car.

The Ocean to Land section of the Florida Trail runs right through Dupuis WMA.  The orange blazes were easy to spot as it crossed the road.

The best of the morning was an Eastern Towhee.  Now I know what you must think, a towhee is a common yard bird but in South Florida, this isn't true.  To see things like towhees and Carolina Wrens you must head out into the more quiet areas of wildlife management areas. 

One of the best parts of the park was an area of prescribed burn.  I loved the contrast of browns and greens near the road.  This practice had recently been implemented and parts of the park had that nice smoky taste in the air.  I scoped the pines but saw little more than some Common Ground-doves.

The driving road dead-ended at a small pond.  With my new CLs I had great looks at a mating frenzy of dragonflies.  The shorelines were swarming with these winged animals and it was a nice sight to find at this bird less area.  The CLs did well focusing close as the dragonfiles darted around me.

Once we left Dupuis WMA we decided to head south to the agricultural fields.  Along the way we took a small detour to Lake Okeechobee.  Now in my experience, the lake is a hard thing to see first hand.  I've driven to a few "lake" parks but mostly you see a canal that runs the border of the lake. But there is a small bridge north of Pahokee, FL that gives you an eagle eye view of the biggest lake in Florida. 

We took a drive up on the dyke and found ourselves looking at a small island.  This is the best Lake Okeechobee look I've ever had.  And thanks to my bins I was able to spot a large alligator cruising the bank.  The shot below was done by digibinning the gator through my CLs.  Not bad for long distance snapshot.  I was aided by resting my bins on the ledge of the car window.  With minimal hand shake it was a nice photo (not great, but identifiable).

With our lake views behind us we drove south through Pahokee.  For those that haven't seen the small rural areas of Palm Beach County you are in for a stark contrast to the rich affluent areas near the beach.  This area is dotted with Palm Trees very much like the wealthy Worth Avenue in Palm Beach but instead of designer shops you will find old abandoned school buses and small little bait and grocery shops. 

Kimmie and I stopped at a questionable gas station diner and ordered a plate of alligator nuggets, fried catfish, and fries.  I could hear the arteries clogging but the food wasn't bad.  The atmosphere was a bit too run-down to fully enjoy the meal but it was entertaining to say the least.

With meals consumed we headed to the shorebird areas near Belle Glade, Florida.  You will have to come back next week to get the full installment of birds seen.  For now I'll leave you with a photo of a typical field in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA).  This shot shows you the border of sod field and sugarcane field.  These are the primary crops that you can find in Western Palm Beach.

Lifer Moose

I hinted at my second lifer mammal of the Colorado trip in my last trip post: It's brown, it's big, and it has a bell.  The answer is my first MOOSE.  This is one of those iconic animals that I've been eagerly wanting to see.  Grand Lake, CO didn't disappoint.  We saw our first moose of the trip from the porch of the cabin at sunset.  The large bull sauntered across the yard of our neighbor across the river.  It had a nice pair of small antlers.  The next day we saw our second moose of the trip (captured in the video below).  It's a young male with two little stubs for antlers.

As for the bell, well this is a topic of debate.  The male will often soak it in urine so it must have something to do with territories or mating.  The bell is the flap of skin that hangs down beneath the moose's neck.

Miami Blue Butterfly: Is It Too Late?

It looks like the federal government is going to put an emergency action plan together for the rare Miami Blue butterfly.  Read the article here on the Palm Beach Post blog to get the full scoop.

I'm glad that some much needed protection is finally coming through for this species but I wonder if we waited too long.  From what I know the population is very sparse and restricted to select islands in the Florida Keys.  I hope that this measure isn't coming too late.

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel Family

Back to Colorado for some more tales of the West. One of the highlights of my recent trip was staying at the cabin in Grand Lake, FL. Tara, Kate, Emily, and I spent our time watching hummingbirds on the front porch, taking in the scenery, and spending some quality time cooking dinners and having drinks. It was a perfect vacation.

My time was even more enhanced by another little family that shared our space.  On our first day at the cabin I saw this mother Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel.  Being unfamiliar with things like this I mistakenly called her a chipmunk. I digibinned a shot of her and noticed that she was nursing young.  

The next day she was out in the open again but this time she had her three young babies with her.  They were about half her size and readily came to her when she came around.  We watched them play together, eat seeds, and seek adventure down the driveway.

This little ground squirrel family brought many happy moments to my trip and I think of them fondly when thoughts of Colorado pop into my head.  I am glad I had the chance to watch some family behavior and share a few moments with them.

The panoramic below is the view that this ground squirrel family has each sunset.  I've never wanted to live that low on the food chain but I must say, it seems like they have a nice life.  Tomorrow I hope you come back to see my second lifer mammal of the trip.  Here's a hint: it's big, it's brown, and it has a bell.  Guess in the comments if you know what it is.

*Oddly enough, this was not my first run in with a Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel but it was my first time experiencing a whole family.  Watching a family interact is much more memorable than seeing a few beg for handouts on a busy trail.

Lifer Wilson's Phalarope

On August 3rd I headed out to the sod fields of Palm Beach County in search of a target bird.  I had seen reports of Wilson's Phalarope earlier in the day on the bird boards and I figured this was my best chance to find it before a potential storm hit over the weekend.  I left directly after work for CR 880 near Belle Glade, FL.

At the first flooded fields I found huge flocks of yellowlegs.  Mixed into the group were Least Sandpipers, Pectoral Sandpipers, and a huge group of Black Terns.  The photo above was taken by local birder, Trey Mitchell, on the same day but hours earlier.

I searched the flooded field over and over, stopping my car at intervals along the way and trying to stay out of traffic.  I finally gave up and decided to search some other areas.  I rounded the corner and there was a second flooded field.  Wouldn't you know it, the phalaropes were there all along!  I had been searching the wrong field. The three Wilson's Phalarope were busy feeding and gave me great looks as they spun around in search of food. 

This was a great Lifer and a County bird to boot!  The view was made better with my new Swaro CL binoculars.  The heat shimmer caused optimal viewing of the phalaropes to be limited but the great optics gave me my best view.  It was a great way to end the day, success in hand.  If you're interested in shorebird migration, the Everglades Agricultural Area in Palm Beach County, Florida is definitely where it's at right now.  Every time I go out there I find something new and exciting.

Lifer Marmot!

Another great lifer for the trip was found in Rocky Mountain National Park, a Marmot!  Up until this moment the closest I had been to a Marmot was when I once tried on a rain jacket with its namesake.  To say the least, I was far away from the actual.  This furry rodent like animal is closely related to squirrels and I must admit, much larger than I imagined.  This one tried to hide near the visitor center on Trail Ridge Road.  The winds were blasting off the mountain slopes and I couldn't help but feel like the poor guy was freezing.  But look at that huge, thick coat. These animals are made for high elevations and I was happy that I had such a great look at my first one. 

We left the Marmot gazing out over the Rocky Mountains.  I took a panoramic shot of the Marmot's view.  I must say, the scenery was breathtaking!  I am happy to add this to my mammal list and I hope I have many more looks at this huge ground squirrel.

Birding Colorado

On my first day in Boulder, Emily and I went to the Humane Society dog park to scope out some resident summer breeding species.  The trail here hugs the Boulder Creek and is very lush in summer.  We found a flock of Cedar Waxwings and a Yellow Warbler but we didn't make it down the trail very far.  The Boulder Creek was cresting the ridges and it flooded our path.  We reluctantly turned around and headed back towards downtown with 10 species on the morning.

We found the same thing at the Boulder City Library.  The river was full and we watched brave paddlers run the rapids under the city bridges.  We did find a nice Barn Swallow feeding 3 young by the library footbridge.  As we walked down the path we found a small Boy Scout pond that had a few Mallards and a Great Blue Heron. 

The best birds of mornings were a pair of Northern Flicker tending to their recent fledgling. We watched the parents forage on the ground near the pond. The young one always stayed close to their side and accepted each morsel of food with vigor. We left the birding after a few rain showers came down and headed home to pack for our trip to Grand Lake.  My last birds of the day were some Chimney Swifts flying over the Colorado Shakespeare Festival (we saw a outrageous rendition of The Comedy of Errors). 

On the way across Rocky Mountain National Forest and to Grand Lake we did take a few pit stops for birds.  The first stop was to the Fawnbrook Inn.  Located outside of Estes, this inn has several hummingbird feeders.  I merely jumped out of the car and found my lifer Broad-tailed Hummingbird on the nearest feeder.  Tree Swallows filled the air behind us and I was beginning to feel much better about the trips birding prospects.

After the Fawnbrook Inn we headed into the national park and decided to stop at a picnic area to eat our packed sandwiches.  As we were sitting at the table and I was drowning my lunch with a lifer beer, Maui Brewing Coconut Porter, I also saw another new bird!  My lifer Williamson's Sapsucker exploded from the trees and headed right towards us and up over our heads.  I scrambled to get my binoculars for another look but the bird was out of sight.  No mistaking it though and I happily added another bird to the trip.