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Posted by Angel & Mariel on 10:29:46 12/31/07
We woke up early this morning and headed out to Cutler Wetlands seeing that it was the last day of the year we could try for the Snow Goose and Yellow-headed Blackbird. Once we arrived at Cutler Wetlands we started searching for the famous Snow Goose we were starting to think didn't exist. While we were enjoying the usual birds still in search an immature Bald Eagle soared from the Dump Marsh into the SE corner of the Cutler Wetlands. As we were smiling observing the Eagle we heard a goose call out as it took off from an area it was concealed in the wetlands. With excitement we followed him with our binoculars! The Snow Goose does exist! We attempted to follow it in our car to find out the mysterious location it ventures to in the daylight hours but lost it flying in the distance.
With our first lifer of the day in the bag for the last day in 07 we headed towards Black Point to check the Marina & Jetty for any life or year birds. As soon as we arrived in the Marina area we spotted 2 Northern Flickers, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and a Red-bellied Woodpecker in the trees along the marina.
In the Marina there was one lone gull in the water that looked similar to a Laughing Gull but appeared a little different. It had a wider eye crescents, more of a hood patch and raised rump posture. We observed and photographed the gull and thought it maybe a Franklin's Gull but weren't a 100% sure. Then we moved on to walk the jetty and continue on our search. Along the jetty we spotted a Great Blue Heron, beautiful Snowy Egret, a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, a Belted Kingfisher, many DC Cormorants and several gulls. Towards the end of the jetty we found one Black-bellied Plover, Terns, Gulls and shorebirds in the distance.
On our walk back we scouted the marina in search for an American Crocodile we spotted a few months ago. In the waters to the right of the entrance we found a Crocodile basking in the sun almost completely out of the water! It looked awesome!! As we took several photographs of the croc, neighboring GB Heron and another Yellow-crowned Night-Heron a beautiful Short-tailed Hawk soared overhead. With the great treat of the ST Hawk we decided to drive the park once more before searching for the Yellow-headed Blackbird by the Dump Marsh. Good thing we did because we saw a very dark hawk size bird perched at the top of a tree and immediately stopped. We were able to get fairly good distance to snap a decent photo and take some video of this amazing looking dark morph Short-tailed Hawk!
Our birding radar was on mark today so we headed over to the Dump Marsh area optomisticly in hopes of finding that Yellow-headed Blackbird. We spotted a group of Brown-headed Cowbird on the lines and stopped to check them out...To our surprise right there perched was the Yellow-headed Blackbird we had searched for on many days with no luck. What a treat! The Snow Goose and Yellow-headed Blackbird lifers and a beautiful perched ST Hawk all in the same morning!
After we confirm if the gull is a Frankin's Gull or not we might me able to add our last lifer of the year...
All in all it was an amazing morning birding the last day in 2007. Many other species were seen and listed below...
Snow Goose
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Short-tailed Hawk
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-shouldered Hawk
Osprey
American Kestrel
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
Roseate Spoonbill
Great Egret
Cattle Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Green Heron
Tricolored Heron
White Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Wood Stork
White Pelican
Brown Pelican
Anhinga
Double-crested Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
Loggerhead Shrike
possible Franklin's Gull?
Ring-billed Gull
Laughing Gull
Herring Gull
Royal Tern
Black-bellied Plover
Dowitchers
Green-winged Teal
Blue-winged Teal
American Coot
Common Moorhen
Mottled Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Northern Shoveler
American Wigeon
Brown-headed Cowbird
Northern Flicker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Sapsucker
Northern Mockingbird
Blue Jay
Northern Cardinal
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Red-winged Blackbird
Savannah Sparrow
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Boat-tailed Grackle
Common Grackle
European Starling
Mourning Dove
Rock Dove
Happy New Years to all! Cheers to a new year of great birding!!!
Nature is Awesome!
Angel & Mariel
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