On Saturday, February 1st, twenty-two birders joined Larry Manfredi for a hike along the L31-W Canal, which forms the eastern border of Everglades National Park near the park’s Homestead entrance. The morning began very foggy, but that didn’t stop Larry from finding the immature male Vermilion Flycatcher that has been present just north of FL 9336 for the past few weeks. This was the first of eight different flycatcher species seen along the canal. Our first Scissor-tailed Flycatchers were seen on the power lines along FL 9336 just east of the canal. Two different Least Flycatchers, as well as Eastern Phoebes and a Great Crested Flycatcher, were found as we hiked north along the east side of the canal. Where the canal bends to the west, about 1.25 miles north of our starting point, we spotted a Tropical Kingbird. On the power lines about a half mile west of the bend, we found a Cassin’s Kingbird among Western Kingbirds and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers.
Other birds encountered during the hike included Common Ground-Dove, Sharp-shinned, Red-shouldered and Short-tailed Hawks, Belted Kingfisher, Tree Swallow, Sedge Wren (heard only), American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Grasshopper and Savannah Sparrows, Painted Bunting and Yellow Warbler. A total of 53 different species were tallied during the hike. With the exception of Painted Bunting, a “sensitive species” that eBird hides from public view during the winter months, all species are listed in the eBird checklist that Larry compiled for the hike.
Cassin’s Kingbird. Photo by Brian Rapoza