On Saturday, September 12, twenty birders joined TAS Field Trip Coordinator Brian Rapoza for a full day of birding in the Islamorada area of the Florida Keys. Most of the group met up at the Cracker Barrel in Florida City, while the rest joined us at our first birding stop, at Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park. Our first thirteen birds of the trip were found during our exploration of the park’s trails and historic quarries, including White-crowned Pigeon, Gray Kingbird, Yellow-throated Vireo, Ovenbird, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow-throated Warbler and Prairie Warbler.
Our next stop was at Long Key State Park, where we encountered twenty species, including Common Ground-Dove, Black-bellied Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher, Willet, Least Sandpiper, Royal Tern, Magnificent Frigatebird, Great Egret, Osprey, Barn Swallow and Northern Waterthrush. Since the park’s Golden Orb Nature Trail and Boardwalk are currently closed due to ongoing renovations, our birding was limited to the park’s former campground area.
We next visited Curry Hammock State Park, where we had lunch in the picnic area, then explored the adjacent beach, which we found to be teeming with shorebirds of ten different species: Semipalmated Plover, Piping Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher, Spotted Sandpiper, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper and Semipalmated Sandpiper. We then visited the Florida Keys Hawkwatch platform in the park’s campground, where we were greeted by Mariah Hyrniewich and Luis Gles, who were preparing the platform for the kickoff of this year’s counting season on September 15. While visiting with Mariah and Luis, Turkey Vulture and Belted Kingfisher were added to our day list.
Our final stop of the day was on Grassy Key, where we found a large flock of Blue-winged Teal, as well as a Black-necked Stilt. A total of forty species were recorded at our four stops; all are listed in this eBird trip report.