Wilson's Snipe

After work this morning I decided to head over to Six-Mile Cypress Slough to look for warblers. Passed a Bald Eagle resting atop an FP&L high-power stanchion.

I sometimes check in at the rest stop adjacent to I-75 on Daniels Road, as some of the property back there is very marshy.  Can be good for waders and shore birds at times. Figured that I might locate a Wilson's Snipe today. It was not too wet, and I did find a pair of snipe along with three Killdeers. As I got out of the car to get a better look, I observed a flock of about 50 Cedar Waxwings whirling around nearby trees. Seems that they could not decide what to do. As I am watching the waxwings a large brown bird comes flying by, being mobbed by several grackles. It was a Great Horned Owl. Cool!! So you never know what you'll find when birding. Without moving a step, had the snipes, waxwings and the owl.

Did stop over at Six-Mile Cypress.  The parking lot was not very birdy, but the the streach up by the pavillion yielded some activity with lots of Blue Gray Gnatcatchers and Yellow-Rumped Warblers.  Found a few Palm Warblers and a couple of Black & White Warblers and a Northern Parula  too. A Yellow-Bellied Sap Sucker came in as did a Hairy Woodpecker.  The Hairy Woodpecker is not very common in this area of Florida, but a small colony does still hold its own at Six-Mile Cypress. Did not stay very long and as I was heading out, spotted a soaring Short-Tailed Hawk.
The hawk was my best sighting of the day, or maybe it was the owl. Think it is a tie. This is also the third day without spotting any robins. Guess they maybe moving northward.  The palm and yellow-rumped warblers should be disappearing in a few weeks as well. The American kestrels, gray catbirds, belted kingfishers and  house wrens will be gone soon too.