Shiny Cowbirds

 Tuesday March 9th

On Saturday I had planned to do some early morning birding at Bunche Beach on Sunday because of a beneficial tide. I like to be there on a rising tide which was about 7:30 am.  But before heading out on Sunday, my plans changed. Elected to to drive the hour and a half out to the Sem-Chi Rice Plant in Palm Beach County. The location attracts a lot of blackbird species including wintering Yellow-headed Blackbirds. Sundays are probably the best day of the week to check out this location, because the plant will probably be closed. The access road can be very busy and dangerous for birders when the plant is operation.  

Got there about 8:30 am and got off to a good start with a trio Blue Grosbeaks. Lots of Brown-headed Cowbirds and Red-winged Blackbirds. Patrolled the road about four times looking for the yellow-headed blackbirds, but I didn't spot any today.  Weird, because several other birders reported them on eBird. So I'll have try again next Sunday.  But I was amazed to  spot a couple of male Shiny Cowbirds, that seemed to doing some kind of a head bobbing interaction. Noticed there was a least one female present as well. 

Just down the road, wetlands offered views of Gull-billed Terns, a Caspian Tern, Gray-headed Swamphens, Common Gallinules and American Coots

House Sparrow