January 30, 2014

My first trip was a quick and dirty stop at the Royal Palm section of Everglades National Park. I spent 1 hour and 15 minutes there and saw 18 species. I chose this location because I knew it would give me a new confirmed breeding species for Dade county: Anhingas. On a previous trip a few weeks ago, I had already seen babies hatched. No such luck this trip, but there were plenty of moms sitting on plenty of nests!

Female Anhinga on a nest with the male behind her.

It is still a little early in the year for most birds to be breeding, but here are a few of the other sights to see at this amazing place. I HIGHLY recommend that you visit on your own; preferably when you have several hours to spare.

One of several American kestrels sitting on the telephone wires on the road to the Park.

Wood storks. Listed as an endangered species in 1984, but recently there have been proposals to downlist them to threatened.

Tricolored Heron.

Eastern Phoebe.

Green Heron. Probably my best photo of the trip. This was my first photographic outing so hopefully I get better as time goes on.

Purple Gallinule.

American Alligator. I was surprised to see any activity from them since it was a cooler, gray day.

Great Blue Heron.

Pied-billed Grebe, non-breeding plumage.

Red-shouldered Hawk.

There seemed to be hundreds of black vultures there that morning. The park provides the tarps to protect cars from damage. The vultures will eat rubber.

Species seen but not pictured: Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, American Crow, Northern Mockingbird, Common Yellowthroat.


Post-script: I thought the confirmed Anhinga nests (outside their safe dates [safe dates are when migration is assumed to be over and breeding is underway]) would be the only significant finding on this trip, but it turns out Eastern Phoebes weren't really documented ANYWHERE in Florida in the first Atlas. Hopefully I can find a nest this season, but I'm not anticipating much success with me and Passerines (songbirds).