Florida Birds and Yellow Rail question

Andy Rabin (andyrab@wam.umd.edu)
Sun, 28 Mar 1999 18:09:35 -0500 

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    Back in October, Joe Halpin posted a message to MDOsprey requesting =
info about finding birds in south Florida. I saved his message and a few =
responses that were given because I knew I'd eventually make it down =
there (my and my wife's families live down there).  Well, I just got =
back from a week long stay in FL and wanted to thank Joe, Norm Saunders =
and Marcia Watson-Whitmyre for their input.  The birding was great!


    It wasn't a birding trip per se, and most of my birdwatching was =
done in the company of my non-birding ("Haven't you looked at that bird =
long enough, Andy?") loved ones, but I was lucky enough to see plenty of =
cool birds, including 10 or so lifers (some of which are seen in MD =
regularly, but only by those who are not as 'land-lubberish' as I am).


    Highlights included: Spot-breasted Orioles, Smooth-billed Ani, =
Purple Gallinules, Sandhill Crane, Sora, Yellow Rail (see note below), =
Loggerhead Shrikes, White Winged-doves, Black-necked Stilts, Merlin, =
Tricolored Herons, Glossy Ibis, Great White Heron and Magnificent =
Frigatebirds.  Maybe I was fortunate or maybe the birds were just too =
hot and tired to move, but I got great looks at most of the birds; they =
were quite cooperative.=20
   =20
    I won't bore you with the details of the 'hunt' for each bird, but =
if anyone's planning to go there soon, feel free to e-mail me and I'll =
tell you what I can about finding them (including a spot where a =
Smooth-billed Ani is building a nest in Loxahatchee).  By far, the best =
places I visited were Loxahatchee and Wakodahatchee (the Huntley Meadows =
of Florida), both in the Boynton Area.  Another pleasant surprise, not =
mentioned in any of the above-mentioned e-mail postings, is the Wild =
Bird Center in Key Largo.  They have plenty of (non-countable) captive =
rehabilitating birds which easily maintain the interest of non-birding =
spouses and parents alike.  It is located near the beach where plenty of =
wading birds and Black-necked Stilts were hanging out.  While I was =
there, I also picked up a guide to birding in the Keys for $2.  I didn't =
get to use it, but plan to the next time I visit.  It contains fairly =
detailed directions to birdy spots in the Keys and where to find certain =
species of birds.

(about the Yellow Rail)
    I'm almost positive the bird I saw was a Yellow Rail, but would like =
others' input.  I saw the bird at Wakodahatchee.  It was in shallow =
water, generally acting in the same way rails do.  There was a Sora =
nearby, so a size comparison was easy.  It was noticeably smaller and =
thinner than the Sora. Its bill was also smaller.  It was running in and =
out of the tall vegetation there, so I didn't get great looks at much =
else on the bird.  The one thing that I did notice was a bold cinnamon =
colored eyebrow.  I know this isn't much information on which to base an =
ID, but if anyone knows anything about whether this is a likely place to =
find a Yellow Rail or if there is another similar looking bird that I =
might have confused with the rail, I'd appreciate the help.

    Thanks again to those who inadvertently helped me on my trip.  =
Florida is still too damn hot, but I can't wait to get back there again =
for another (more intensive) birding vacation.  And if what I saw down =
there is any indication of what we're to see in the coming months, there =
will be no shortage of Palm or Prarie Warblers in our future.


Still sunburned,

Andy Rabin
Gaithersburg, MD
andyrab@wam.umd.edu


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    Back in October, Joe Halpin posted a message to = MDOsprey=20 requesting info about finding birds in south Florida. I saved his = message and a=20 few responses that were given because I knew I'd eventually make it down = there=20 (my and my wife's families live down there).  Well, I just got back = from a=20 week long stay in FL and wanted to thank Joe, Norm Saunders and Marcia=20 Watson-Whitmyre for their input.  The birding was great!
 
    It wasn't a birding trip per se, and most of my=20 birdwatching was done in the company of my non-birding ("Haven't = you looked=20 at that bird long enough, Andy?") loved ones, but I was lucky = enough to see=20 plenty of cool birds, including 10 or so lifers (some of which are seen = in MD=20 regularly, but only by those who are not as 'land-lubberish' as I = am).
 
    Highlights included: Spot-breasted Orioles,=20 Smooth-billed Ani, Purple Gallinules, Sandhill Crane, Sora, Yellow Rail = (see=20 note below), Loggerhead Shrikes, White Winged-doves, Black-necked = Stilts,=20 Merlin, Tricolored Herons, Glossy Ibis, Great White Heron and = Magnificent=20 Frigatebirds.  Maybe I was fortunate or maybe the birds were just = too hot=20 and tired to move, but I got great looks at most of the birds; they were = quite=20 cooperative.
   
    I won't bore you with the details of the 'hunt' = for each=20 bird, but if anyone's planning to go there soon, feel free to e-mail me = and I'll=20 tell you what I can about finding them (including a spot where a = Smooth-billed=20 Ani is building a nest in Loxahatchee).  By far, the best places I = visited=20 were Loxahatchee and Wakodahatchee (the Huntley Meadows of Florida), = both in the=20 Boynton Area.  Another pleasant surprise, not mentioned in any of = the=20 above-mentioned e-mail postings, is the Wild Bird Center in Key = Largo. =20 They have plenty of (non-countable) captive rehabilitating birds which = easily=20 maintain the interest of non-birding spouses and parents alike.  It = is=20 located near the beach where plenty of wading birds and Black-necked = Stilts were=20 hanging out.  While I was there, I also picked up a guide to = birding in the=20 Keys for $2.  I didn't get to use it, but plan to the next time I=20 visit.  It contains fairly detailed directions to birdy spots in = the Keys=20 and where to find certain species of birds.

(about the Yellow=20 Rail)
    I'm almost positive the bird I saw was a = Yellow=20 Rail, but would like others' input.  I saw the bird at = Wakodahatchee. =20 It was in shallow water, generally acting in the same way rails = do.  There=20 was a Sora nearby, so a size comparison was easy.  It was = noticeably=20 smaller and thinner than the Sora. Its bill was also smaller.  It = was=20 running in and out of the tall vegetation there, so I didn't get great = looks at=20 much else on the bird.  The one thing that I did notice was a bold = cinnamon=20 colored eyebrow.  I know this isn't much information on which to = base an=20 ID, but if anyone knows anything about whether this is a likely place to = find a=20 Yellow Rail or if there is another similar looking bird that I might = have=20 confused with the rail, I'd appreciate the = help.

   =20 Thanks again to those who inadvertently helped me on my trip.  = Florida is=20 still too damn hot, but I can't wait to get back there again for another = (more=20 intensive) birding vacation.  And if what I saw down there is any=20 indication of what we're to see in the coming months, there will be no = shortage=20 of Palm or Prarie Warblers in our future.
 
Still sunburned,
 
Andy Rabin
Gaithersburg, MD
andyrab@wam.umd.edu
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