Monday, March 7, 2016

Yellow Chevroned Parakeet

Tuesday March 1st

Zenaida Dove photographed By Tammy McQuade
at Long Key SP on February 26th
An ABA Code 5 bird called a Zenaida Dove, a Caribbean bird, has been very consistently reported at Long Key State Park Park down in the Florida Keys. Today, Bob Pelkey and I traveled the four hour drive from Ft Myers arriving at 8 o'clock as the park was opening. 

We located the staked-out spot  that the dove is known to frequent. We shared the spot with a fella named Mark from Atlanta who was making his second attempt to see the bird, because he had dipped on it a couple of days before. A nice couple from Oregon were also waiting patiently.  By noon Bob and I gave up and left the park. Heard from later from Mark that he  had again dipped on the bird,  even though he had stayed until dark.
No Zenaida Dove seen by us today, but there were Hermit Crab races going on.

We next left the Keys and headed to Lucky Hammock/ the Annex sight on Aerojet  Road, outside the entrance to Everglades National Park. You never know exactly what to expect when visiting here. In the past it has been a great spot to watch raptors. We saw none today. One target we expected was a Brown-crested Flycatcher observed by friends a few weeks ago. The best we got was to hear its call. That counts but isn't as satisfying as getting a photo. Some birds we did see included Great Crested Flycatchers, Tree Swallows, Northern Flicker, Painted Bunting, Northern Parula, Blue-headed and White-eyed Vireos, Common Ground Doves, a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and Western Kingbird. Bob spotted an unidentifiable oriole. Don't know if it was a Spot-breasted or Baltimore Oriole.
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher near Lucky Hammock

Western Kingbird near Lucky Hammock


White-winged Dove
With day-light waning we next visited the nearby Castellow Hammock Park seeking the also reliable, but rare to Florida, Buff-breasted Hummingbird. I had seen the species back in November in south Texas, but for Bob it would be a lifer. We stayed until dark and could occasionally hear the bird, but it never appeared in front of us. We did see a couple of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, plus an Ovenbird, Northern Parulas, Palm, Black-and-white,  & Yellow-rumped Warblers, heard a calling Common Hill Myna.  Also White-wing, Eurasian Collared and Mourning Doves. The star as a lone Yellow Chevroned Parakeet sitting in a tree above the butterfly garden

Yellow Chevroned Parakeet seen at Castellow Hammock Park

1 comment:

  1. I wish I had a pic of that oriole, Tom. It was a fun trip. Not to be made in one day again for sure. Your photography has greatly improved in enhancing your blog. I'm not sure the Yellow-chevroned Parakeet was the bird seen at Miami U. I think the species may have been a lifer for me at Castellow Hammock Park. Don't forget to figure out how the video feature works.

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