CANADA & USA TRIP continued
Day 21 – 1.10.19 Tuesday
It didn’t rain.
It stayed misty and damp all night, but it didn’t rain.
So at 6.30 I boiled a couple of eggs and while they boiled started breaking camp. Eggs eaten I was on the road by 8.
I filled up with fuel in Custer @ $2.89/gal - $33 in.
I was heading directly east towards Sioux Falls as a potential destination, but first I took a diversion to Deadwood. It added an hour or so to my journey, but being a huge fan of the program I couldn’t resist. The drive to Deadwood was on a two-lane road through mountains and forests, great scenery, while the temperature dropped to 31F or, basically, 0C.
My diversion proved fatal. Not for me, thank Christ, I’ve had enough trouble with hire cars this year, but for an American Robin which foolishly tried to outrun my front bumper giving me no chance whatsoever of avoiding it’s untimely end. I went back and picked him up – pretty little thing, unfortunate end.
Deadwood didn’t look like it does in the series. Surprise! The rain was actually freezing on my windscreen as I entered town and so I only stopped to use the facilities at the visitor’s center (visitor’s centers always have restrooms), had a quick smoke then moved on. Lots of place names reminiscent of those cowboy and Indian days, even saw a Bullock’s Hotel, although in the series Bullock was the sheriff, not a hotelier.
The town council obviously got it wrong.
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| Custer, South Dakota to Deadwood, South Dakota |
I hit Highway 90 and settled in for a long boring ride towards Sioux Falls at (a completely legal and safe) 80 m/hr (130k/hr) for 656 kms and 5 and half hours.
It was a boring drive. Flat grasslands and wheat, but here and there small wetland ponds along the roadside with some ducks or Coots maybe on them, and, later in the afternoon, flocks of Blackbird sp over and in the reed beds. I also drove under a huge (~300?) flock of small gulls. I’m thinking they were probably Franklin’s but couldn’t stop on the highway to check. Several raptors flew over the road and the passing fields but again, on my own, who knows? Probably Red-tailed Hawks for the most part and one juvenile Bald or possibly Golden Eagle.
I saw more birds on that drive than I had seen in the past ten days in total.
I stopped off at Mackers in Chamberlain at 14.15 for a much needed break, internet, coffee and smoke after 5 hours behind the wheel, having driven clear across South Dakota and not seen one other sign for Mackers since leaving the Rapid City area at 10.00. I was a bit knackered but after pancakes and coffee etc and updating my blog headed on east, filling up with fuel again @ $2.69/gal, $29 in.
I passed Sioux Falls and ended up 30 ks or so further on at Luverne in Minnesota and a Super 8 hotel for $58 including breakfast and shaky wifi at 18.00.
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| Deadwood, South Dakota to Luverne, Minnesota |
A microwave meal, coffee, shower and shave and I felt like a new man.
Trip List (USA) – 52 Lifers (total) – 11 birds, (+9 Mammals) New NA – 9 (+4 Mammals)
Day 22 – 2.10.19 Wednesday
Another day, another interstate.
I slept well and was up and about by 6.30. I more or less packed, then went downstairs for breakfast. It was pretty shit.
I made a waffle, but the plastic cutlery was so weak I couldn’t cut it, so used my Opinel instead. The coffee machine was half out of order. Half – because the decaff part worked, but the real coffee didn’t. Jesus Christ. The yogurts were OK, but then management had no part in that.
Not sure I’ll use Super 8 again. I guess you get what you pay for.
I was on the road by 7.45 into a grey, dull, wet morning.
It went OK – for the first two hours, after which I stopped for fuel (@$2.59, $33 in) and a smoke and got some cheap, lousy coffee. Then it started to rain and continued – not too bad, but a pain for traffic management. The scenery changed to small hills and trees and farms – and corn.
Lots of corn.
More corn than one could imagine.
Corn to fill a billion cornflakes boxes and still have enough to feed Afghanistan.
I crossed the state line into Iowa and continued south, stopping two hours later a little short of Cedar Rapids? in Waterloo for a Mackers coffee and internet.
I looked at where I might end up tonight as it was only midday and decided on a spot near a town called Princeton. The Dixon Waterfowl Refuge had some good birds listed and some seen recently were very worthwhile.
It was only 3 and a half more hours and I felt pretty good.
However, when I started off again it really started to rain and I mean RAIN.
It was horrific and very dangerous. The road surface couldn’t drain quickly enough. The trucks were doing more than the 70m/hr posted limit and spray? Spray like you’ve never seen. I don’t think I have ever driven in rain like this before, despite driving in tropical downpours and certainly not surrounded by trucks all doing 125 kms/hr.
I clung on and managed to keep the car on the road and out from under the trucks. I’ve seen enough of the undersides of trucks to last me a lifetime and didn’t intend repeating the exercise, but it was really, really hairy.
That lasted about an hour and half.
Finally the rain eased and I turned off the highway and stopped for another coffee and smoke (6 hours driving at this stage, 3 smokes, 3 coffees.)
Then another hour and half to Hennepin, roughly near the proposed birding spot. I was thinking if it was any good, I’d bird for a couple of hours in the morning before heading on. I just wanted to see the place that afternoon to see if it was worthwhile. However, I couldn’t find the spot initially and was low on fuel. Hennepin had a population of 750 and no petrol station or motels, in fact nothing but a collection of what looked like farm buildings – they were probably full of corn, just waiting to be corn-flaked.
The closest fuel was in Princeton, (pop 7,500) 30 kms away so I drove back there, filled up with fuel (@$2.58, $32 in), then found an Econolodge to stay for the night. It was pretty grotty even at $76 and the ‘high speed internet’ was total crap.
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| Luverne, Minnesota to Princeton, Illinois |
Birds? Nada, really. I did see some overflying through the rain, but nothing to speak of. I DID see several dead Raccoons and, I believe, American Badgers, along the road, plus one deer hammered in the middle of the road. It’d be nice to see some ‘Coons and Badgers alive.
I drove across the road, literally, to Mackers fort dinner. I know it sounds pathetic but after driving in the rain for 7 + hours I didn’t have the energy or the interest to go looking for anywhere else and the internet was so bad in the Econolodge I wanted to look up the birding site directions just in case tomorrow was good.
Trip List (USA) – 52 Lifers (total) – 11 birds, (+9 Mammals) New NA – 9 (+4 Mammals)
Day 23 – 3.10.19 Thursday
I was up at 6.30 after a restless night during which it rained heavily and another electrical storm passed over. It had stopped raining around 3am, but everything was soaking wet outside. I had the complimentary breakfast which was a bit average, but did have boiled eggs and toast. During breakfast some long-haired individual insisted on telling me how bad his life was, how he’d lost his job, his boss pulled a gun on him, he was made to walk the plank in the US navy (? really ?), his friends didn’t want to know him…... I’m not surprised. I didn’t particularly want to know him either…….
I headed out into a bleak, grey, wet, misty, windy morning to do the best I could bird-wise.
Arrived at Sue & Les Dixon’s Wildfowl Refuge which was a good looking wetland with a larger than normal expanse of water due to the rain, grass and reed beds, backed by deciduous forest. I scoped the duck from the observation tower then walked along a boardwalk through the grass/reed stuff to another carpark where I scoped the birds again.
There were plenty of duck mainly Northern Shoveler and Northern Pintail with a few Lesser Scaup, American Wigeon, Ring-necked and Ruddy Duck. Mute Swans were my personal highlight, given they were my first in USA, hundreds of Canada Geese and American Coots, Ring-billed Gulls and Blue-winged Teal. A few, mainly juvenile, Bald Eagles and Turkey Vultures soared overhead, and American White Pelicans were in large numbers.
It was a good spot – but the weather was shit. A thin rain-like mist and a strong wind from the northwest (in my face) made it difficult. The light was shit too so details were hard to establish. I did pick out a number of Pied-billed Grebes as well.
As I scoped another birder turned up. Turned out he was the guy who had put the lists on E-bird in the last two days – the ones that had encouraged me to come – Scott Harp. We chatted for about a half an hour – he was very informative and friendly. He pointed out a Glossy/White-faced Ibis that had been hanging around for a while, apparently. Either species would be very rare in this location, but no-one has been able to decide which it was – for my money I’d say it was a Glossy Ibis, but then again, what do I know. The difference is in the colour of the eye and the thing was 300 meters away at least – impossible at that range in those conditions. While we chatted a Downy Woodpecker blew in to a nearby tree and American Goldfinches flicked around.
I walked the Seep trail along the wetland edge through the trees, but all I saw was a Northern Flicker and a Belted Kingfisher. The wind was just horrendous for passerines which was disappointing.
Back at the carpark Scott now had two Ibises, but no definite ID.
I had to go, even thought the sun was now shining, so hit the road at about 11.
My journey took me past Chicago which I had already figured as being challenging. It always is around cities when you don’t know where you’re going.
It was, as I expected, a f…….g nightmare. Three or four lanes, everyone doing at least 70 m/hr (120 k/hr), changing lanes, turning off, dodging in and out of the lumbering trucks. There were several ‘spaghetti’ type junctions and I made two mistakes taking the wrong road. It was frustrating, but being alone and trying to decide which of the three choices was right I struggled a bit. It just meant getting off at the next exit and going back again and my female friend on MapsMe did her best and remained very patient, but it was still annoying and quite stressful.
I eventually managed to get clear on Interstate 94 and headed northeast. I had decided my destination would be Holland on Lake Michigan. There were several good looking birding spots around the town and I figured I’d spend a day checking them out – and see a Great Lake into the bargain.
I reached Holland around 4 and headed down to the ‘lakeshore’ on the southside of the inlet from the lake, only to discover that there was little access to the lakeshore itself, certainly at this point, as it was completely dominated by big rich, f..k off houses.
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| Princeton, Illinois to Holland, Michigan via Indiana |
I had lost another hour transitioning from Central time to Eastern Coast time. That’s it now until I leave Florida, but it meant it was getting on and I needed to decide whether to camp or motel it. It was cold – more from the wind than the actual temperature and I stopped off at a Mackers for internet access. I booked a room for two nights on-line at a Microtel for $47 per night as a special. It was quite a nice place, modern and fresh.
It was, as I said, $47 per night…..plus TAX. This tax thing is really annoying. You get a price quote on ANYTHING, even a Macker’s coffee and then there’s the tax added. I keep forgetting it.
This morning I decided I’d use up some of my accumulated change and have a blueberry muffin at Mackers. So I spent 10 minutes working out the exact cost - $1.79 – in small change. Dimes (10c), quarters (25c), 5 cents and pennies and handed it over with an apology and could she check it, please? It was right! Well done, Mr Reid.
But the tax added another 14 cents so I had to scrounge around again and find that in the remaining coinage.
The hotel should, in theory, have cost $94, but was, in fact, $100 and something due to the bleedin’ tax. I don’t understand why they can’t give you an actual figure. They KNOW what the tax is. Surely it doesn’t change? I know it’s a state tax, so that varies from state to state, but surely each individual business would KNOW what their tax commitment was? Actually the only thing that doesn’t have unexpected added tax is fuel. What it says on the pump is what you pay. Other than that everything else has this unexpected addition – well, its unexpected to me, cause I keep forgetting about it…….
Not that I’m mad or angry or anything! Just an observation on life in the states.
Trip List (USA) – 64 Lifers (total) – 11 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA – 9 (+4 Mammals)
Day 24 – 4.10.19 Friday
I woke to sun and no rain. I actually woke around 6, but fell asleep again and didn’t get up till nearly 8. Mind you, dawn was at 7.45 so……
I had the usual boiled eggs, coffee and yogurt and, this morning, a toasted bagel cause there wasn’t any bread supplied in the complimentary breakfast.
I had done some research on the area and picked three locations that all had in excess of 200 species listed.
The first was the Holland State Park on the north point of the inlet from Lake Michigan and I drove to Ottawa Beach first to see my first Great Lake. It was pretty much the same as the sea with small waves, no horizon as such and a sandy beach. It wasn’t very exciting.
There were several hundred Gulls on the beach and breakwater, 85% of them were Ring-billed Gulls with a good number of American Herring Gulls present and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls.
I drove around for a while trying to find somewhere to park so I could walk the park. Everywhere was ‘No Parking’ and it appeared I’d need a ‘Recreation Pass’ to park within the park boundaries. That was $9 and I was, naturally, very reluctant to pay nine bucks for a couple of hours birding. I asked at the Park HQ and the chick directed me to a 2 hours-free parking zone nearby which was much better.
Just as well really ‘cause I walked through the park and it was almost completely dead.
Almost I say, but I did get a couple of lifers – in fact they were virtually the only birds I saw, apart from my old new friend the Black-capped Chickadee (1).
The first lifer was Blue Jay and I saw about 30 of them in flocks flying around calling. Not exactly a ‘rare’ bird, but once again, a tick is a tick.
The second goodie was again an ‘easy’ bird – Eastern Phoebe, which I saw fairly briefly at the campsite as I exited the forest.
I left the area and headed for my second destination – Upper Macatawa Natural Area, inland from the lake, about 20 minutes away. I parked up, free, and walked out along a pavement looking for the lakes described on the map. However, the ‘natural’ (grassy) tracks that would have taken me within sight of the water were flooded due to the recent rain so that didn’t work out. I don’t think there was much on the water anyway as I saw no ducks in flight and none apparent on the bits of water I could see.
I walked back to the carpark and headed the other way through a wooded area alongside a flooded creek.
It was very quiet and I decided to head somewhere else. As I walked back to the car I noticed several Cedar Waxwings in a deadish tree on the other side of the creek. I scoped them to be sure of ID, then a thought occurred to me. If THEY are feeding on something in the creeper on the tree then maybe something else will show up to eat the same stuff? So I waited and very quickly my amazing field craft skills proved worthy.
First up, several American Robins, then another lifer – White-throated Sparrow, nice!
Shortly after that a bird I have wanted to see for evah, even though its not super exciting or, indeed, rare, but I’ve loved the name since school days – Yellow-bellied Sapsucker! Yahhoo!!
Not long after that a male Red-bellied Woodpecker stopped in a tree nearby, better and better! Then a Nashville Warbler put in a brief appearance in the plants low down on the river bank and two Northern Cardinals and a few American Goldfinches passed by.
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| Male Red-bellied Woodpecker |
I noticed a caterpillar on the path and couldn't resist it - commonly known as Wooly Bear it is, in fact, an Isabella Tiger Moth Pyrrharctia isabella caterpillar.
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| Isabella Tiger Moth Pyrrharctia isabella |
I waited longer, but things seemed to have quietened down so I left and drove to another section of the park to try and get to open water, but the tracks there were even more flooded so I gave up on the Upper Macatawa Natural Area and headed, instead for Mackers and a coffee to go with my smuggled in cheese sandwich.
I fueled up ($2.48/gal, $32 in) and headed for my next destination – Saugatuck Dunes State Park 30 minutes away. I should have known – State Park = parking fees. Once again I was supposed to pay a $9 fee for a Recreation Pass, but it was on a self-registration honour system and I have never made any claims to be honourable so I took a chance, parked up and walked in.
This place, despite, as I said, having a bird list of >200 species was dead as. I saw 1 female Red-bellied Woodpecker and that was, literally, it.
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| Female Red-bellied Woodpecker |
I walked through the park to the ‘beach’ – still feels funny calling it that at a lake, but it was sand dunes and a sandy beach, just like an ocean. God, how naïve I sound!
Anyway. I got away with the parking thing and, dishonourably holding my head in shame, headed out looking for somewhere else to bird as it was only 15.30 and I figured I had three hours of daylight left. I was super keen now, having bagged a number of lifers, of course, and it was just bloody great to be actually birding and SEEING SOME BIRDS!
I finally found a place after a couple of false starts. Van Raalte Farm (Park) thing. It was a public park with free (!!) parking and I wandered the tracks there through overgrown brambles and a low deciduous canopy alongside a small creek. I think it was an old farm area, cause there were apple and cheery trees with fruit still on them and a very mixed flora which, of course, gets the birds in. I kinda wished I’d started here this morning – about 400 meters from ‘home’.
Nothing much to start with – a flock of American Robins, and a few White-throated Sparrows. Then I went off track for a short distance and came across a couple of American Tree Sparrows. While sort of watching them another bird appeared – Black-throated Green Warbler. Yahho!! Beautiful bird – as most NA warblers are. Of course, the camera was in the car….
Again, not a major rarity, but the important thing for me was – it (and the Nashville earlier in the day) were both still in full plumage and were still HERE. Which suggests that 1. Not all the warblers have gone and 2. some, at least, are still in breeding plumage. I was a bit concerned that I might have missed all the warblers, especially given the lack of birds in general over the past two weeks. I’m feeling a little more optimistic now.
I celebrated with a T-bone steak in Denny’s – the most expensive item on the menu @ $15, including two sides and ‘dinner’ bread. Not bad value actually, I’ll probably do it again.
Then it was back ‘home’, a shower and bed, happy with my 7-lifer day.
Trip List (USA) – 77 Lifers (total) – 18 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA – 10 (+4 Mammals)
Day 25 – 5.10.19 Saturday
I was up at 6.30, packed and had breakfast by 7.30. Then I hit the road again. 808 kms, 7 and half hours.
The weather was cloudy, then sunny and it wasn’t a hard drive. Not much to report on most of it apart from seeing a large number of Turkey Vultures and a few Bald Eagles over the road – and a huge number of dead Raccoons, must have been more than 50, I reckon.
I stopped three times, twice for coffee and a smoke and once for fuel near Cleveland in Ohio. It took ages, mainly because the people filling their cars were in no hurry whatsoever and I had to wait to get a pump. ($2.49/gal, $32 in)
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| Holland, Michigan to Buffalo, New York State, via northern Ohio and western Pennsylvania |
I had decided to stop outside Buffalo to check the weather and make a decision re accommodation – i.e. rain and I’d motel it, dry and I might camp. I also wanted to check on how to see Niagara Falls, cost, transport etc.
I pulled into a service area 20 miles short of Buffalo and headed to MacDonalds for wifi access. As I walked in I noticed a counter to my left that advertised information about the Falls. Why not, I thought?
And so I met Dotty.
Dotty was 70+, I reckon, and gave me a full rundown on what I could expect to see from the American side of the Falls, as opposed to the Canadian. She was so helpful I let her talk me into two nights in the Cinderella Motel on Grand Island for $75 US a night and a tour-guide-led trip to see the Falls the next day. The bus would pick me up from the motel at 8 and deposit me back afterwards – cost $105. It was all so easy I agreed. I would have had to pay $105 anyway to get the boat ride etc, which I wanted to do, and although the motel was maybe a little more expensive than I had planned – what the hell, I’m only here once and it does make it all very easy.
I thanked her and headed out, arriving 45 minutes later at Cinderella’s at 18.00, 10 hours after leaving Holland, where the room key was in the room, the door open and some paperwork for me to complete as the ‘two sisters who ran it were gone home for the night’ (per Dotty).
The motel was a typical movie-style motel, just one long row of rooms with carparks out the front facing the road, but clean, not too dated and the microwave provided enough heat to warm a can of soup to go with my cheese sandwiches for dinner.
So that was it really! Done and dusted! Nothing to arrange, nothing more to do except lie back and enjoy it, as the actress said, blah blah blah.
Trip List (USA) – 77 Lifers (total) – 18 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA – 10 (+4 Mammals)
Day 26 – 6.10.19 Sunday
I slept well and woke to rain – again. I was glad I had made the decision to stay in a motel, rather than camp. I had coffee and oats and then waited at the reception building for the tour bus to arrive at 8, which it did. Rickie the 60 year old New York, Italian heritage driver/tour guide was quite entertaining and knew everything there was to know about the falls. His accent and language was exactly the way its portrayed in the movies.
We picked up a few other people ending up with 22 in total, including a baby and two young boys. Half of the group were home grown American tourists, all older than me and the other half appeared to speak only Spanish, although they looked ‘American’ as well, all younger.
We arrived at Niagara Falls around 9.15 and started at the Bridal Veil Falls, a lookout point at the top of the American side of the complex. It was pretty impressive, although not as high as I had imagined there was a lot of water going over the edge.
I wandered around a bit hoping to follow Mr D’s example and find a Hooded Merganser at the top of the falls, but although I checked everywhere there was no sign. I did have an American Black Duck, which, although not as exciting, led me to a bit of a quandary.
I had this bird ‘ticked’ from a possible sighting in Ireland sometime in the 70s. I don’t remember seeing it at all so after some personal debate decided to call it a lifer today. Maybe Mr H can remember the occasion back then? Anyway, I got some photos and moved on.
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| American Black Duck |
There were a couple of thousand Gulls around - mostly Ring-billed with some American Herring Gulls.
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| Ring-billed Gull |
We then went through a ticket gate and watched a movie about the falls, then down in an elevator to the boardwalk at the base. There we were supplied with a pair of sandals and a yellow poncho – neither of which I bothered to wear, trusting my Berghaus Gortex jacket and leggings, which worked perfectly. My Zamberlain boots too, kept my feet dry, despite me getting absolutely soaked on the Hurricane Deck, where you stand almost under the waterfall. Needless to say I kept the sandals and poncho as souvenirs. (I’m starting to sound like I’m being sponsored to wear these clothes).
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| The Hurricane Deck |
I got back upstairs and was directed to the lookout point over the Canadian end of things. 90% of the water goes over these falls, only 10% over the American side. There was a rainbow in the spray thanks to the weak sunlight now breaking through.
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| Canadian end of Niagara Falls |
Next it was into town and a souvenir shop with coffee and a roadside stand with hot dogs - after the family with the kids finally got back 20 mins late to the bus. I could live with that, but what irritated me most was there was no apology whatsoever. I thought that was pretty dam rude, but, of course, said nothing.
I had a $3.50 (+ 50 cent tip) hot dog and mustard and a $2 coffee, then it was off to the Maid of the Mist tour where we were again supplied with a poncho – this time in bright pink.
I think I was only one of two people on the boat NOT wearing pink.
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| The American falls from the Maid of the Mist |
I had always wanted to go on this boat and it was exactly the way I had imagined it (or seen it somewhere, maybe?) Very, very wet from spray, luckily all fresh water, right in close to the falling water itself, especially to the Canadian falls. It didn’t last very long - maybe 30 minutes? Then the tour was finished.
On reflection I could have done it cheaper, but being picked up at the motel, no hassle finding parking or ‘where to go?’ and having others around to share comments was worthwhile. The weather had picked up during the morning – the rain had held off, but as Rickie dropped me ‘home’, it started to rain again.
I had coffee, then the rain stopped and I headed out to Buckhorn Island State Park, 5 minutes down the road at the north end of Grand Island. I had researched the area on E-Bird and this place showed some promise with a good list and recent records of several warblers.
I walked around a track from the East end, looking for stuff in the very thick undergrowth. It was pretty dead, but then it was after 15.30, grey and damp, cloudy, rain threatening – not a good day or time of day.
I did find a couple of groups of birds – Yellow-rumped Warbler (2), White-breasted Nuthatch (2), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (2) and, finally, reasonable, if brief, views of a single Golden-crowned Kinglet. I also had a couple of Blue Jays and a single Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, White-crowned and White-throated Sparrows. But that was about it in total. I ended up with a long (45 minute) bird-less walk back to the car.
Back ‘home’ I heated a can of spaghetti and (4) meatballs for dinner and settled in for the evening.
Trip List (USA) – 81 Lifers (total) – 20 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA – 10 (+4 Mammals)
Day 27 – 7.10.19 Monday
I was up again at 6.30, ate and packed and left the motel at 7.30. Another dismal, wet morning. I had a 7.5 hour/768 km drive ahead of me. It was hell on wheels till 14.00. Rain, mist, trucks, spray – quite stressful and, more importantly, through country (New York and Pennsylvania States) that looked really nice – hills and valleys, trees and rivers - but thanks to the shitty weather I saw nothing of.
Just after 2, however, it brightened, the sky cleared and the sun broke through. I’d obviously out run the rain – for the timing being anyway, he said, pessimistically.
I stopped at a Mackers and had a couple of bacon & egg McMuffins and checked the weather channel. It wasn’t good news. The rain was predicted to last for at least the next 10 days, all the way down the coast to at least North Carolina. I had thought, maybe, I could divert somewhere and sit it out or drive behind it or something, but the front carrying the rain was pushing up from the southwest and it didn’t look great from tomorrow on. It did look like the pelagic on 18th might still go ahead as the winds were relatively light, but I’d have to wait and see.
I’m really over this f…..g rain. I did see on weather.com that Montana had now got 4 foot of snow and it was a ‘record breaking’ storm I had escaped from – so I guess THAT was good news.
So, past Philadelphia where I made two errors in navigation and increased the toll cost a little, I ended up driving through a, shall we say, ‘run down’ part of the city which wasn’t in the tourist guide. I expected to be offered drugs or even carjacked, but got through unscathed and back on the Atlantic City Expressway. My tolls for the day were a total of $15 or thereabouts in amounts ranging from 50 cents to $9.30 individually.
I didn’t get to my destination – Cape May – until almost 18.00. Ten and a half hours after leaving Niagara. I headed to a Mackers again to get wifi access, then searched for somewhere to stay.
I was, again, in two minds. Should I camp it or motel it? With rain predicted for the next three days that I thought I’d be here, I decided, in my wisdom, to motel it and found a cheap place (the Shelton Motel) in Rio Grande (an area, not a place) a few ks off the ‘island’ that is Cape May. It was certainly cheap. Stank of smoke, wifi didn’t work and place looked dodgy enough for me not to want to leave anything in the room. However, it was a bed, it was clean (apart from the smell) and as cheap as I could make it - $189 US for three nights. I turned the air con on full blast and forced open the window to try to clear the smell. I might need to buy a spray. I mean I smoke myself of course, but not inside and really that concept is no longer a reality. It really does stink the place up.
However, hopefully I’ll be out most of the days I’m here and not forced to hang around in my room.
Birds for the day? Nothing worth talking about, the weather was just too shit to see anything but the tailpipe of the vehicle in front of me – when I could see it through the spray.
I am in fact about 5 days ahead of schedule. I hadn’t originally planned to be here until 12th. So, once I get wifi I’ll explore possibilities to fill the time until the 18th. Washington DC is on the list for a day out, but maybe somewhere in the Appalachians for a few days birding?
I just want to get some decent weather and some freaking birds!!
Trip List (USA) – 81 Lifers (total) – 20 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA – 10 (+4 Mammals)
Day 28 – 8.10.19 Tuesday
I got up and out by 8, having quietly poached a couple of eggs on my stove in my room.
As the internet had not worked at the motel I went to Starbucks 200m down the road and had a coffee and logged on to research birding hotspots in Cape May. Hence I arrived at the Raptor Watch Point at Cape May Point itself.
I found a few others on site – about 50 birders in total, with an average age greater than mine, I reckon. There were also 4 representatives of the Cape May Bird Observatory, Audubon society there giving advice and lending scopes and bins to all and sundry.
I decided this was a good place to be as with at least a few ‘professional’ eyes on the skies, I wouldn’t miss much and I wouldn’t have any doubts about identification.
In front of the viewing platform there was a shallow pond, somewhat similar to Buckley’s Hole on Bribie Island, but bigger. There were, literally, thousands of Tree Swallows circling above, and drinking from, the lake. Over a hundred Canada Geese, similar number of Northern Mallard and among all this – 1 Wood Duck (new for USA), American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Blue-winged Teal, Gadwall, 2 American Black Duck and 1 Eurasian Wigeon. The latter a real vagrant that I would have traded for a Hooded Merganser in a heartbeat, but there ya are. A good tick on my USA list, but not a lifer, of course. My first Snowy Egret of the trip showed up along with a couple of Greater Yellowlegs and a few other bits and pieces.
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| Eurasian Wigeon |
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| Snowy Egret |
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| A very very small part of the Tree Swallow flock |
In the skies above over the course of the next three hours there was minimal migration due to the easterly winds – apparently north westerlies were required - but we did have a couple of Western Ospreys, several Bald Eagles, a Peregrine Falcon, a Merlin, a Sharp-shinned Hawk and a Cooper’s Hawk put in a couple of appearances. I had been hoping for Broad-winged Hawk, but dipped out today. A pair of Northern Mockingbirds jumped around noisily in the hedgerow in front of the platform, but other than those I didn’t see any passerines.
 |
| Northern Mockingbird |
I introduced myself to one of the Audubon team and when I told her where I was from, it turned out she had been one of the team researching Red-backed Fairy Wrens in Samsonvale, just outside Brisbane! Small freaking world – again.
She gave me some advice on where I might find some passerines and so I left the raptor watch and headed off, firstly to Lily Lake beside the Cape May Bird Obs headquarters. I walked around the lake looking for passerines, but saw bugger all, except a Spotted Sandpiper on the lake itself, 1 Blue Jay and a pair of flyover Northern Cardinals. The wind was really screwing things up, but at least it wasn’t raining.
I checked out the Obs shop, then headed off to Higbee Beach and Wildfowl Reserve. I wandered around there for about an hour and a half and saw no passerines at all. It was dead. I did see a pair of Cooper’s Hawks and found a new butterfly – Common Buckeye Junonia coenia.
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| Common Buckeye Junonia coenia |
The girl I had spoken to had also suggested a seawatch point at Avalon, 30 minutes north on the east side of the peninsula. I was pretty keen and headed off that way around 14.30, as nothing seemed to be working for me on the passerine front.
I spent an hour looking for the ‘pier with the shack on the end, near 8th street’ – but never found it. Avalon was a ghost town. Obviously a summer retreat for people with money, lots of nice houses with no one in them, the place was deserted and everything closed up. A police car followed me for a while but lost interest.
It was pretty frustrating and looking at E-Bird later I realised I’d been very, very close to the seawatch point, but just hadn’t seen it. I did see a couple of flocks of Western Sandpipers and one Arctic Skua offshore and driving along the coast I came to Stone Haven – a similar place to Avalon and similarly empty, but in the Stone Haven Bird Sanctuary I found 3 sparrows that I determined were Swamp Sparrows to finish off the day.
I headed home, stopping off at Walmart on the way to get some money out and buy a few groceries. I also got a couple of microwave meals to have in my motel room.
Not a total loss of a day, but frustrating none the less. The weather was still grey and gloomy and the wind was a pain in the ass, however, it had remained dry and one lifer, 3 new North American birds and a new butterfly were worthwhile.
Day 28 - 8.10.19
| |||
Cape May Raptor Watchpoint
| |||
1
|
16
|
Canada Goose
|
150
|
2
|
18
|
Mute Swan
|
80
|
3
|
21
|
Peregrine Falcon
|
1
|
4
|
25
|
Wood Duck
|
1
|
5
|
29
|
Blue-winged Teal
|
20
|
6
|
31
|
Northern Shoveler
|
10
|
7
|
32
|
Gadwall
|
20
|
8
|
34
|
Eurasian Wigeon
|
1
|
9
|
35
|
American Wigeon
|
20
|
10
|
39
|
Northern Mallard
|
100
|
11
|
41
|
American Black Duck
|
2
|
12
|
44
|
Northern Pintail
|
10
|
13
|
109
|
Pied-billed Grebe
|
1
|
14
|
302
|
Greater Yellowlegs
|
2
|
15
|
364
|
Great Black-backed Gull
|
2
|
16
|
378
|
Caspian Tern
|
2
|
17
|
397
|
Great Northern Diver
|
1
|
18
|
491
|
Great Blue Heron
|
3
|
19
|
493
|
Great Egret
|
1
|
20
|
498
|
Snowy Egret
|
1
|
21
|
516
|
Turkey Vulture
|
3
|
22
|
517
|
Western Osprey
|
2
|
23
|
530
|
Sharp-shinned Hawk
|
1
|
24
|
531
|
Cooper's Hawk
|
1
|
25
|
534
|
Bald Eagle
|
4
|
26
|
583
|
Belted Kingfisher
|
1
|
27
|
616
|
Merlin
|
1
|
28
|
745
|
Tree Swallow
|
2000
|
29
|
876
|
Northern Mockingbird
|
2
|
Trip List (USA) – 96 Lifers (total) – 21 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA – 14 (+4 Mammals)
Day 29 – 9.10.19 Wednesday
Finally – a day to remember.
I was up and out by 7.30 and headed for the Raptor Lookout at Cape May Point. Another grey, cloudy morning, but it wasn’t raining and that had to be a bonus.
On a bit of a whim I decided to stop off at the South Cape May Meadows, a spot I had noted the previous day in passing, but because it was so windy and quite exposed had passed up.
I parked up and headed out along the gravelly trail. It was a low lying, swampy area and, thankfully, the wind had dropped in strength overnight.
A few Northern Mockingbirds played along the hedgerow to my left and while establishing their identity I noticed the tail end of a much darker bird vanishing into the thicket – pretty sure it was a Gray Catbird. Almost immediately afterwards a couple of warblers higher in the branches caught my eye and turned out to be Cape May Warblers.
A good start?
As I moved further on I saw a single birder on the track ahead of me. When I got to her we started chatting and Lesley turned out to be a Londoner on her last day at Cape Way. I spent the rest of the day with her, birding different areas and having her identification skills put to my best use. She was lovely – a few years older than me - but her eyes and ears in much better condition than mine and, having being a regular visitor to Cape May, she knew all the spots and where the best birds were. It was an absolute pleasure sharing her company and her advice and information were invaluable. We also shared similar views on life in general and she enjoyed a smoke, so we got on like a cigarette on fire.
Back to the birding.
The first birds I saw after meeting Lesley were, surprising to me but apparently common on the east coast, Pectoral Sandpipers. There were also Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpipers, 3 Soras, a Common Gallinule, 2 Kildeer and I found my own first American Golden Plover (1). She also confirmed for me my identification of Swamp Sparrow.
 |
| Sora |
 |
| Common Gallinule |
 |
| American Golden Plover |
We hung there for an hour or so, then it started to spit rain so we headed back to the cars. As we did a flock of 6 birds flew over and landed nearby – Bobolink, perched up nicely in the phragmite. I followed Lesley to a beachside café and as we sat and drank our coffees under shelter we watched Great Black-backed and American Herring Gulls on the beach, along with a number of Laughing Gulls (my first in NA) and three Royal Terns flew past.
Then we headed for the Cape May Bird Observatory where I had been yesterday. I hadn’t realised there was a garden behind the building open to the public and we wandered in there and around the edges of the trees outside for a couple of hours while warblers came thick and fast.
First up - Black-throated Blue Warbler, Then Northern Parulas, Cape May Warblers, Black and White Warblers, dozens of Yellow-rumped Warblers and American Redstart. It was full on when the flocks arrived. They seemed to be flying a circuit and everything would be quiet for 10 minutes, then birds were everywhere and we were kept frantically busy trying to identify each and call it if it was something different. Naturally I wasn’t doing much calling and I also missed a couple of things.
At one stage a Carolina Wren put in an appearance in the hedgerow opposite the observatory entrance – it was almost in my hand and such a little stunner. Oh to see all lifers this well!
 |
| Carolina Wren |
When we felt we had exhausted the birds currently present, we headed off in Lesley’s car (cause I’m a terrible passenger, she told me) to Stone Haven, just south of Avalaon where I had been yesterday.
Driving around and stopping off at different locations we had American Oystercatchers (~20), Royal Tern, Forster’s Tern, Caspian Tern, Western Sandpiper (~50), Sanderling (~50), Willet (~60), Long-billed Dowitcher (1), Grey (or Black-bellied) Plover (~100) and coming back along the road 5 or 6 Common Grackles.
 |
| American Oystercatcher |
Then back to Lesley’s for a coffee and a sit down, before heading back to my car and the Cape May Observatory area again. More warblers – all the previous plus Magnolia, Palm and Blackpoll and much to my relief and delight, at last, Red-eyed Vireo.
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| Black and White Warbler |
 |
| Blackpoll Warbler |
 |
| Palm Warbler |
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| Magnolia Warbler |
Finally at 18.00 we both decided to call it a day and headed off agreeing to meet the next morning. I was knackered. I’d spent a lot of time standing and had had nothing to eat since breakfast and only two coffees all day. But what a day. I had also met a birder from Florida who insisted on giving me his phone number and telling me to call him when I was in the Jacksonville area so he could take me birding. Another birder gave me advice on locations north of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco – and suggested strongly that I head west after Florida through Texas and Arizona rather than my planned route through Oklahoma and Colorado. I had been thinking along those lines myself, due to the weather, so will need to review my plan/timetable with that advice in mind.
A 16 Lifer day!
Trip List (USA)–124 Lifers (total)–37 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–17 (+4 Mammals)
Day 30 – 10.10.19 Thursday
I met Lesley at Higbee Beach at 7.15 as arranged. It was a cool morning which warmed to a hot day out of the wind. Started a little cloudy clearing to blue skies after 9am, but the wind persisted which made birding a little difficult.
We walked the fields with a number of other birders scattered around but didn’t see much. I managed to ID a Red-eyed Vireo, there were a number of Yellow-rumped Warblers and these were just about everywhere all day. We also had a couple of Blue Jays, a Common Yellowthroat, a brief Black and White Warbler, a couple of distant Palm Warblers and 4 Northern Flickers, but the dominant bird of the area were the Sharp-shinned Hawks. There was almost always one overhead and they came and went so it was difficult to estimate numbers, but I’d reckon, conservatively, at least 6 birds in that one area. Hence the warblers and other stuff were very quiet.
 |
| Blue Jay |
After Higbee we headed to the Raptor Watchpoint as Lesley wanted to say goodbye to people there. We went for a walk around the lake and I finally got great views of a sitting Gray Catbird, 2 in fact. Again plenty of Yellow-rumped, bushes just dripping with them at times.
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| Gray Catbird |
Other birders told us they had had an Indigo Bunting just up the track, we failed to find it, but did find an American Bittern – which was really a better bird and no one else had seen it.
 |
| American Bittern |
Round the corner 5 minutes later and another lifer for moi – a Solitary Sandpiper living up to its name on a small pond all alone. Nice one!
 |
| Solitary Sandpiper |
A Black-throated Blue Warbler showed well, but in a really dark spot – as they do – and filming it was not very successful.
 |
| Black-throated Blue Warbler |
Back at the Raptor Watchpoint I waited while Lesley said her farewells then we parted company – her to the airport, me for a coffee at the beach and Laughing Gulls on the sand.
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| Laughing Gull - adult |
 |
| Laughing Gull - imm |
As it was now after midday and the warbler scene was quiet I chose to head up to Stone Harbour again.
I picked up a Tricoloured Heron while looking unsuccessfully for Little Blue and then parked up and walked out to Stone Harbour Point.
There was a large flock of small waders running in and out of the small waves - ~300 Sanderling, ~20 Dunlin, ~50 Least Sandpipers, 1Ruddy turnstone and ~10 Western Sands. I had been looking for Piping Plover but they weren’t to be seen. I wandered around the dune tracks for a while, but saw little apart from the masses of Monarchs and Common Buckeyes.
Back towards Cape May and Mackers for coffee and apple pies and internet access to check weather predictions and look at places to go between Washington DC and Hatteras. It was surprisingly difficult to find a place in that area that had a good list on E Bird and I was left thinking I might stay on in Cape May for yet another couple of days as the birds were there and the weather looked good.
I went to Walmart again and bought coffee, sugar, gas and a t-shirt for myself. Then back to the Cape May Bird Obs for a late afternoon warbler fest, I hoped.
There was no one else there and, initially, only a very few Yellow-rumped Warblers. In the garden I had a female Black-throated Blue at my feet, then back out on the road a male Black-throated Blue, several Northern Parulas and at least one Magnolia Warbler.
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| Female Black-throated Blue Warbler |
 |
| Male Black-throated Blue Warbler |
 |
| Northern Parula |
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| Yellow-rumped Warbler |
I was scratching my head, taking dozens of photographs and pondering the field guide trying to work out what was what when one of the guys from the Obs shop closed up and came to his car. He asked me if I needed any help and then stood with me and helped me confirm the ID of several of the current flock of warblers overhead. While we did this, a Carolina Chickadee dropped in. The first Chickadee I had seen at Cape May.
 |
| Carolina Chickadee |
I asked him about birding south of Washington and he suggested another raptor count spot with warblers. He pulled out a map and showed me where it was and I thought it sounded like a good place to go before the pelagic, so will be considering that. It was very decent of him and I thanked him profusely, of course, he also told me that Cape May is considered the best spot for warblers in the Autumn, I had always thought it was the spot to be in Spring, so obviously I had planned well, if inadvertently.
So what’s new?
Trip List (USA)–131 Lifers (total)–40 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–17 (+4 Mammals)
Day 31 – 11.10.19 Thursday
I started the morning at 7.15 at Higbee again. The guy I’d spoken to the evening before had suggested it would be a good morning for warblers.
It wasn’t, but I wasn’t alone in thinking it might be. There were two groups of about 15 birders each being led by guides – local guides I thought – plus a handful of other birders, some of whom I recognized, but all of whom ignored me. I think I was invisible.
It was a slow two and half hours, but I did get two more lifers.
I was just filming a Red-eyed Vireo when a female birder walked past me and asked me if I’d seen the two Brown Thrashers back up the track? I hadn’t, but I walked back 20 meters and corrected that mistake.
 |
| Red-eyed Vireo |
 |
| Brown Thrasher |
I saw a load of Northern Flickers and 2 Eastern Meadowlarks fly overhead, a Carolina Chickadee, a Northern Parula, a handful of Yellow-rumped Warblers and a stack of Sharp-shinned Hawks (~25) along with a lesser, but still impressive, number of Cooper’s Hawks (~15) There were up to 6 or 8 birds visible at any one time and, I assume, the same ones just kept coming around, if not I could have tripled that number – amazing stuff. I also had Swamp and Chipping Sparrows in the grass to keep me confused.
Further on up the track I saw 3 or possibly 4 separate Eastern Phoebes and then latched onto an Eastern Wood Pewee that one of the members of one of the groups had quietly told me had been seen. Another birder had seen a Blue-headed Vireo, but despite an extensive search I couldn’t find it.
 |
| Eastern Phoebe |
I headed on to the South Meadows and walked in to find the area a little more flooded than last time and therefore less small waders. However, among the Northern Mallard I counted what I believe were 5 American Black Ducks and a few Green-winged Teal - which I have probably seen here before, but have forgotten to clarify ID or whatever.
I was looking at 3 Dowitchers trying to decide if they were Long or Short-billed and I asked a passing birder for his opinion. He wasn’t sure, but we agreed in the end to go with Long-billed. Before he had walked away I saw a smaller wader which I didn’t recognize and I asked his opinion on it too – Semipalmated Sandpiper I was happy to record. Good scope views but too far for photos.
The American Golden Plover was still on-site, looking lonely, as were both Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpipers. Scanning the edge of the reeds a Sora stuck its head out for a second or two, before turning its black and white striped ass and running away.
 |
| Lesser Yellowlegs |
I walked to the far end of the swamp where there was a hide of sorts and, while in there, found a Wilson’s Snipe in the nearby reed bed. It wasn’t a long view and mostly from behind, but good enough for me.
Another lifer I hadn’t been sure I’d get.
I was pretty knackered by now and although the wind was cold, the sun had been warm, my back was aching from bending over the scope and I was trying to decide what to do in the next few days. Should I stay or should I go? Seems to be my constant question.
Cutting a long story short, after an internet session in Mackers supported by a large non-fat, hot Latte, I decided to stay for another two days. The birds were here, I had got to know the place, there was every chance I’d see more lifers AND if I went somewhere else before Hatteras I would have to drive an extra day. So back to my smelly motel room for a look at the maps spread out on the bed. I had also found out that the ROAD into Hatteras was closed – most likely due to the storm a few weeks ago – so assuming the pelagic is still a goer, I’ll have to get a ferry across . I was also considering getting a ferry from Cape May to Delaware to cut the driving down a bit. So I had researched all those details and was prepared now to spend another two nights in Cape May.
Around 16.00 I was back at the Raptor Watchpoint and then walked the track I had walked with Lesley yesterday (the Bittern/Solitary Sand track). It was dead apart from a few Yellow-rumped Warblers. No Bittern and the empty Solitary Sand pond was almost dried up.
I got to the CMBO (Cape May Bird Obs) at about 17.15, stayed for 5 minutes - there were no birders or birds in sight – and headed ‘home’ to book another two nights, have dinner and get an early bed in preparation for a big day again tomorrow.
Trip List (USA)–138 Lifers (total)–44 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–17 (+4 Mammals)
Day 32 – 12.10.19 Saturday
Once again I started at Higbee – after quietly frying two eggs in my room without setting off the fire alarm.
It was very quiet warbler-wise, just a few Yellow-rumped and one Palm Warbler. However I did get to see a female American Redstart quite well, if a little distantly, which completed my part view/tick on Wednesday and finally eased my embarrassment when everyone seemed to know I needed to see one.
I wandered the fields for two hours enjoying the LACK OF WIND ! and sunshine. Just seeing Gray Catbirds, Brown Thrashers, Carolina Chickadees, Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, Eastern Phoebes and Carolina Wrens without the pressure was nice. The Hawks were much reduced in number, probably linked to the lack of warblers, I would imagine. One Sharp-shinned swooped so low, after a Phoebe I think, it nearly took my head off.
I did see an imm Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - no red on it anywhere – which gave me pause and left me wondering until I had it confirmed by a second one in the CMBO garden later. A perched up Merlin sat well for photos too. I also saw my first confirmed Savannah Sparrow of the trip. (although I think I’ve probably seen them, but not ID’d them fully)
 |
| Merlin |
 |
| Northern Cardinal |
One of the other birders told me that at 10am CMBO usually went off so I made a point of being there then.
It wasn’t really ‘goin’ off’ mainly cause there just weren’t that many warblers around, but there were a large number of Yellow-rumped, a few Black-throated Blue females, one Black and White, a Northern Parula and Ruby-crowned Kinglets.
I also got my first lifer of the day when a Yellow-billed Cuckoo landed in the crown of a tree overhead and through the leaves I got to see most of the bird, including the name plate – the yellow bill. Another birder showed us a picture he had just taken claiming it as a Bay-breasted Warbler, but I don’t think anyone else found it. During my visit I saw quite a few Carolina Chickadees, several Carolina Wrens and the second Yellow-bellied Sapsucker I mentioned, plus a Downy Woodpecker and a pair of House Finches.
Around 11.30 it was quite warm (22C) and things seemed to be quieting down so I headed for Mackers internet and coffee and booked the ferry from Cape May to Lewes for 8.30 on Monday morning. I also booked camping in Washington for two nights and emailed them re my interest in a night tour on Monday night. I might not stay for two nights – its an expensive campsite and if I see everything I want to see for $50 on Monday night……
I also emailed my contact for the Hatteras pelagic just checking on access to Hatteras itself, whether it was going ahead and accommodation. Kate replied very quickly – and I’m glad she did, because the ferry I was planning on taking from way down south is not operating due to storm damage at the island end. The road in from the north should be open by Wednesday – and anyway that’s the only way in at the moment so she saved me a lot of frustrating, unnecessary driving.
I went ‘home’, had a sandwich and watched the last episode of Godless from Netflix.
At 3 I thought I’d head out again and do the Meadows. On the way I went to Walmart (again) and got two packets of Dramamine ($3.80 for 8 tablets in each) and another $20 phone credit.
I walked out the track sort of thinking I was wasting my time, as it all seemed very similar to previous days without anything radically different.
Thankfully, I was wrong.
Another birder met me on the track and pointed out my second lifer of the day – Baird’s Sandpiper. I must admit I’d probably have struggled identifying it so was very happy that it was handed to me on a plate. I know I say I don’t want birds pointed out like that, but this species would always leave me wondering if I was right or wrong, so, happy days!
He also mentioned he had heard a Virginia Rail calling back down the track so, after everyone had moved on, I used a little playback (quietly) and a bird jumped up out of the reeds flew a few meters and dropped out of sight again. Not a very satisfactory view at all, but I’ll take what I can get and hope for a better one next time.
I also managed to get another Savannah Sparrow on film.
 |
| Savannah Sparrow |
By the time this was all done it was almost 18.00, the light was going and I felt I’d done enough so headed home once again.
Trip List (USA)–142 Lifers (total)–47 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–17 (+4 Mammals)
Day 33 – 13.10.19 Sunday
Another day, another start at Higbee. It was pretty quiet again, apart from the flocks of warbler sp flying overhead which no one near me could identify. The wind had swung to the northwest and the birds that had come down the peninsula overnight, apparently, don’t like to cross the water to Delaware so they fly back north. Go figure. There were hundreds of them flying high overhead in groups of less than 10, but almost continually – at least for the first hour, then they seemed to thin out. Very few of them were landing, however, and those that were all seemed to be either Yellow-rumped or Palm Warblers.
There were a bigger number of Eastern Phoebes around the trees and I saw about 15 Northern Flickers, a Chipping Sparrow, a Savannah Sparrow and a couple of Brown Thrashers and that was it in two hours.
Brown Thrasher video:
I also had what I believe was another Magnolia Warbler.
 |
| Magnolia Warbler |
I went to the CMBO and hung there for a while, but it was very quiet, just a few Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and one Cape May Warbler. I also had about 15 Black-crowned Night Herons fly in to roost on Lily Lake.
 |
| Cape May Warbler |
Thinking there must be something exciting somewhere and I was missing it, I left and headed to the Meadows. It seemed like something was going on when I saw a group of birders all clustered together peering through scopes and bins. Oh Good, I thought, what is it?
I heard ‘Clapper Rail’ and how its tail looked white and quickly set up my scope and started scanning the far reed edge. I saw a Gallinule and said ‘is it anywhere near the Gallinule?’
A blank look and then ‘There’s a Gallinule there’?
Uhhhhh yeah! It’s the big blue-grey thing that apparently you all think is a Clapper Rail.
Jesus wept.
Moving right along.
There wasn’t much else around, apart from one beautiful Wood Duck, looking like a Japanese toy, Kildeer, American Golden Plover, Least Sandpipers, Green-winged Teal, American Black Duck, Pectoral Sandpipers, etc. (Look at me! Nothing much else around!!)
 |
| Pectoral Sandpiper |
Pectoral Sandpiper video:
I left and headed north towards Avalon, stopping at Mackers for internet and coffee.
I arrived a bit after 13.00 and found the seawatch point. It was a wooden shack on the beach. No height and all sight to the south blocked by large earth moving machinery used to clean the beach. Luckily everything was coming from the north.
There were several people there including two Audubon/Cape May volunteers doing the counting. They were counting everything including the flocks of CarmorANTs (the way they pronounce it, emphasizing the ‘ant’ bit).
I stood, along with everyone else, and started scoping. Over the next two hours we had flocks of Scoter, mainly Surf with a few Black, 2 very distant Northern Gannets, 3 Royal Terns, 1 Caspian Tern , 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and a flock of Scaup sp that splashed down before we could ID them definitively. There were Atlantic Bottle-nosed Dolphins continuously in sight just the other side of the stone ‘pier’.
It was interesting – and I added a few birds to my North American list – but nothing outstanding and, by all accounts, a pretty normal Avalon seawatch.
I drove down to Stone Harbour afterwards and walked out to the point. There were 13 Sanderling on the beach, but nothing else.
Back then all the way to CMBO for a last ditch attempt to finish the day with a lifer.
The only person there was a guy I had seen before who was packing up his car and I said ‘Pretty quiet eh?’
‘Yeah’ he said, ‘nothing happening’.
I noticed a movement in a tree in front of his car and there was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in clear view sat up for photos, video, the whole shebang. Brilliant!
 |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo |
Yellow-billed Cuckoo video:
The guy was happy to have that as a finish to his day and left.
I hung around for half an hour or so and found two Black and White Warblers, a Northern Parula and a couple of Ruby-crowned Kinglets.I also had two Winter Wrens to add a fourth species to my NA list today – but otherwise it was a lifer-less day.
(Reflective note: I always thought that Winter Wren in NA was the same as in Europe, but the European one is Troglodytes troglodytes while the American one is Troglodytes hiemalis, so it would appear I DID get a lifer today – by default. Oh well.)
I retreated to Mackers for dinner to save myself driving all the way ‘home’ and back, ‘cause I thought I’d take a spotlighting walk at Higbee and eating at Mackers would save me time and effort.
I stayed there till 7 and when I came out again it was raining. However, I headed down to Higbee, parked up and walked the first field in the light rain. I saw nothing and was pretty knackered after another 12 hour day so gave it away and headed ‘home’.
I made a cup of coffee and sat outside to have a smoke. The woman from the unit next door came out and hung around having a great old conversation with herself. I think she’s a drunk cause I couldn’t understand a word she said, but it all sounded very interesting.
I finished my smoke, went inside and double-locked the door.
Trip List (USA)–149 Lifers (total)–48 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–21 (+5 Mammals)
Day 34 – 14.10.19 Monday
I left the Smelly Shelton at 7 and headed for the ferry. I was getting it across Delaware Bay to save a long drive north round the top of the bay. It probably would have been cheaper to drive, but I like ferries and it seemed like a better idea. Cost = $US38.
Filled up with fuel - $2.47, $24 in.
It all went very well and I relaxed with a crap coffee for an hour and a half. There was nothing to see apart from Laughing Gulls and the bay was very calm.
Drove across Delaware Island from Lewes to finally cross a bridge over Chesapeake Bay – or part of it anyway.
I got to Washington around 13.30 and checked in, having pre-booked the $60 US very expensive Cheery Hill campsite. It was a really nice campsite though and there were no other ‘campers’, although there were the usual hundreds of humungous RVs around. One of the reasons I booked THIS campsite was because it was closest to Washington and they had a night tour of the city to see the sights. Unfortunately the tour was fully booked so, on their advice, I headed into the city alone. I had bought a Smartrip card for $15 which gave me 24 hour – or at least till midnight – access to all buses and trains in the area.
 |
| Campsite Cherry Hill Washington DC |
I got the bus at the campsite at 15.20 and arrived at the metro station 25 minutes later, the train arrived and I stepped out onto Pennsylvania Ave at 16.00.
There followed a 10 km walk at high speed trying to see everything before I had to get the train back.
I saw:
The Smithsonian
The Trumps temporary residence (White House)
The Washington Memorial
The Vietnam Memorial
The Reflecting Pool
The Lincoln Memorial and
Walked across the Memorial Bridge to have a quick look at Arlington.
I did want to see the Pentagon and the Capitol building but just ran out of time.
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| The Smithsonian |
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| Donald's temporary residence |
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| Washington Memorial |
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| Washington Memorial & Reflecting Pool (from Lincoln Memorial) |
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| Lincoln Memorial |
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| Vietnam Wall |
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| Memorial Bridge |
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| Arlington |
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| Trump's International Hotel |
Back at the Metro station (Archives) my train was delayed because of an ‘Unauthorised person’ on the track somewhere. I think they got hammered cause they mentioned ‘medical personnel were in attendance’.
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| Metro - Washington DC |
Got back to the bus stop at 19.55, having missed the 19.40 bus. The next one was at 20.40 and I was pretty knackered, but had no choice but to wait – along with several others going my way.
That bus never arrived and it was after 21.30 before we finally got a no 83 back to the caravan park arriving at 22.00.
Me and public transport just don’t work. That’s it.
I grabbed a sandwich and crashed.
Trip List (USA)–149 Lifers (total)–48 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–21 (+5 Mammals)
Day 35 – 15.10.19 Tuesday
Up at 7, having slept OK. Had fired eggs for breakfast and a hot shower before breaking camp and heading south. Mapsme told me it was a 5 and half hour drive to Hatteras Island, but I didn’t get there till 17.00. I don’t know why. I only stopped once for a coffee and Southwest Salad with grilled chicken at Mackers for about 30 minutes. I also got fuel ($2.25, $22 in) and a few groceries at, where else? - Wal-Mart - and withdrew some more cash ($400)
Anyway, the road to Hatteras was open, although there was a bit of sand here and there and some shallow (sea) water, which I drove carefully through. I found a campsite in Rodanthe. I had been hoping to camp in the National Park, but the sites were miles away from Hatteras so I paid $34 for one night only, on the advice of the owner as tomorrow was predicted to be a dreadfully wet and possibly windy day. I set up camp appropriately with that in mind.
Basically no birds but did see a number of Common Grackles at roadside and Brown Pelicans overhead along the coast road. There’s not much to it, sea on one side, flat beach, a line of sand dunes, the two lane road and water on the other – in places the peninsula, or line of islands joined by bridges, is only a couple of hundred meters wide. Its no wonder these places get trashed in a cyclone, a good set of waves would wash right over the top.
Trip List (USA)–150 Lifers (total)–48 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–21 (+5 Mammals)
Day 36 – 16.10.19 Wednesday
At the halfway point on the trip – 36 days down (including Canada), 5 weeks left to go.
To date I have driven 5,684 miles or 9,470 Kms, by my reckoning.
I was up at 7, when the rain was predicted to start but didn’t.
It started at 7.30 and rained on and off all day.
For a while, initially, it looked like my tent would get flooded. The canopy took the worst of it, but the water built up and started to pool.
However, it eased off and the water soaked away for the most part.
I cooked some breakfast, had a shower, sat in the car and read and watched some Netflix download. Then, as the weather seemed to break a bit I drove the 50 odd kms to Hatteras and found the dock and the boat and then the nearest campsite with plans to move the next day in preparation for the pelagic on Friday. The road was partially flooded in places and everyone was taking it easy – well most people, there were the usual wankers who don’t seem to realise the dangers, but on the whole it was a slow, pedantic drive with several stops to negotiate the flooding –all fresh water now, of course. It is predicted to be sunny for the next 48 hours at least so I wasn’t too worried about the weather. Kate had advised me that the pelagic was still a goer so the expected winds and weather can’t be too bad.
Birds were few and far between – what with the rain an’ all, but I did stop at one point to look at some Common Grackles and Boat-tailed Grackles along the road. I later had the latter in the campsite too.
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| Boat-tailed Grackle |
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| Common Grackle |
Boat-tailed Grackle video:
When I rebooked for a second night there was a different woman on the counter and she insisted on charging me $38 (as opposed to the $34 last night) because quote ‘you’re getting electricity and water’ Water? WATER? What campsite doesn’t give you water? Christ almighty.
When I rebooked for a second night there was a different woman on the counter and she insisted on charging me $38 (as opposed to the $34 last night) because quote ‘you’re getting electricity and water’ Water? WATER? What campsite doesn’t give you water? Christ almighty.
Anyway, as I had ‘stolen’ electricity the previous night to charge my stuff, I didn’t argue and just paid up. I’ll be gone from here tomorrow anyway. So much for southern hospitality.
It stopped raining around 4 and got windy – as it always does after rain. It blew therough the night but I was well sheltered and suffered no consequence.
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| Campsite @ Ocean Waves |
I went down the road and treated myself to a plate of ribs and a beer ($25US) which were awesome.
Trip List (USA)–151 Lifers (total)–49 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–21 (+5 Mammals)
Day 37 – 17.10.19 Thursday
The day dawned bright and clear and sunny – as promised by the weather forecast – but still very windy. Had breakfast and headed out to bird Pea Island. There were a number of duck on the large lagoon, but I couldn’t hold the scope steady enough in the wind to ID them. I did see a Tricoloured Heron and a few other bits and pieces.
I met a guy leading a group who was very friendly and we chatted birds for a while, then he told me of a potential Lark Sparrow at the Visitor’s Centre 1 mile up the road so I packed up and headed there. I didn’t find the LS, but did see more Tricoloured Herons and very briefly oneLittle Blue Heron. Unfortunately it flew before I could get a photo, but I was very happy to see it, having looked for it for some time.
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| Tricoloured Heron |
I headed back to camp and broke camp over a cup of coffee and left the site at midday.
Drove down towards Hatteras itself and decided to check a National Park campsite at Frisco, 15 minutes from the pelagic boat. It was excellent so I claimed a site and re-erected the tent. Wish I’d been here yesterday, it only cost $14 a night, but no internet or even phone signal. Water and flush toilets of course, plus cold showers!
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| Campsite @ Frisco NP |
I couldn’t pay the $28 because there was no self-registration, except to say which site you were on. It said I had to pay by 9am the next day, but I wouldn’t be here then, until late afternoon so was a bit concerned.
I went for a walk along a boardwalk to the beach – expecting an empty stretch of sand. Hah! It was like Moreton Island on a holiday weekend. 4WDs and fishermen everywhere. I could see a few shorebirds scattered here and there but wasn’t confident of my target species at all. However, I sat down and scoped the closest three birds – 2 Sanderling and my target – a Piping Plover Yahhooo!! Dodging the cars I got some close up views and video – great little bird, love the ambidextrous foot action.
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| Piping Plover (and Sanderling for comparison) |
Piping Plover video:
I went back to camp and then headed out to end up at the Cape Hatteras lighthouse and beach. Dozens more 4WDs and fisherfolk almost shoulder to shoulder along the beach. I chatted to one dude from Virginia and we talked fishing for half an hour or so.
I went back to camp and then headed out to end up at the Cape Hatteras lighthouse and beach. Dozens more 4WDs and fisherfolk almost shoulder to shoulder along the beach. I chatted to one dude from Virginia and we talked fishing for half an hour or so.
I headed home stopping off at Buxton Woods, a sheltered area of trees and a single Yellow-rumped Warbler that seemed to have the place to itself. I also stopped off at the campsite near the lighthouse where I lucked onto a ranger and explained my predicament re Frisco, he said he’d send a txt to the camp host and say I’d pay him on Saturday morning before I left.
Then home, dinner and a short spotlighting walk in which I saw a Rabbit – it looked like a european rabbit, but they don’t seem to occur here so don’t know what it was.
Trip List (USA)–153 Lifers (total)–51 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–21 (+5 Mammals)
Day 38 – 18.10.19 Friday
Pelagic day, at last. I was up at 5, ate and on the dock by 6. I met Kate – the woman I had been inncontact with over the months and we were joined by a total party of 12 birders on a boat 65ft long, very stable, plenty of seating and with Kate, another guide Kyle and the skipper/owner Brian, also a birder we set off. Watched Brown Pelicans diving for fish and passing groups of Black Skimmers on the way out of the ‘inlet’ as they call it, until we hit the open ocean and headed for the Gulf Stream off the shelf. I had taken a Dramamine and took another one after we left and started to feel a bit dozy in the sun so I took a No-Doze which counteracted the sleepiness imposed by the Dramamine and I was really good for the rest of the day, although at least three passengers were seasick.
Kate, Kyle and Brian wore headsets and communicated via those and a tannoy Brian used to tell us where to look. It was hard to understand what he said, but the others called the birds well and made sure everyone saw everything. With only 9 active birders on board (3 being incapacitated) it was pretty easy to stay in touch with everything.
It took about two and half hours to get to the shelf. On the way we stopped for a flock of about 60 Cory’s Shearwaters and one Great Shearwater feeding over a school of small Tuna.
Once we reached the shelf Kate set up a burley trail and we started seeing Black-capped Petrels almost immediately. They were to stay with us for the next 4 hours providing brilliant viewing as they soared around the boat and feed in the slick. Several times Audubon’s Shearwaters were called but I failed to get on to them until finally a couple came closer to the boat and I saw them – although not very well, but good enough. There were Great Shearwaters around the slick all day as well with the occasional Cory’s coming in to feed.
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| Black-capped Petrel |
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| Great Shearwater |
The only other birds we saw were Wilson’s Storm Petrels – about 10 views I guess, maybe the same birds? not sure – and one Pomarine Skua that came almost within touching distance.
We started back just after 2pm and it was 6.30pm when we finally docked – a long day!
I headed home, desperate for coffee and a meal and sorted through 975 photos, first cull, down to 190. There were a lot of pictures of empty ocean and unidentifiable blurs.
NOTE: Talking to Kyle I realised that the Grackles I had been ‘advised’ were Common, were in fact, (and to be honest I had suspected) Boat-tailed and the birds I had tentatively identified as Rusty Blackbirds were in fact Common Grackles. A minor note for most people, I guess, but important to me. So I will need to change my notes and details in previous posts. Just to keep the record straight!
Trip List (USA)–160 Lifers (total)–53 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
Day 39 – 19.10.19 Saturday
Woke up at 5 to hear two Great Horned Owls calling some distance away. I was tempted to go look for them, but didn’t want to disturb other campers in the predawn, chilly dark so made coffee and talked world cup rugby with Kerrod in Brisbane.
After dawn broke I packed up and left the site at 8.15. While I had breakfast ect I had a Northern Parula and a Yellow-rumped Warbler in the campsite.
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| Northern Parula |
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| Yellow-rumped Warbler |
I stopped off at the kiosk at the entrance to pay the fee for the two nights. The wardens didn’t reduce the cost because of my America is Beautiful card – I had assume they would – so the camping cost me $28 a night, which I was a little disappointed with, but anyway…
I drove back towards Nag’s Hd and stopped first at the Visitor’s Centre at Pea Island where I’d had the Little Blue Heron two days previous. I didn’t see it again, but got a brief, but adequate view of a Black-billed Cuckoo that flew in, landed for long enough for me to get the bins on it then flew again and disappeared. I caught a glimpse of a red eye and the bill appeared all black. It was very quick but I was 100% certain – and the red eye (eye-ring, in fact) confirmed it, Yellow-billed have yellow eye rings. Brilliant!!
Just afterwards I met another American birder, Phil, and in our following discussion he told me of a location in Florida that he said I had to visit. He was a really nice guy and we ended up up the road together looking, unsuccessfully, for a White-rumped Sand that had been seen two days previous. While he and I talked on the Visitor Centre boardwalk, three people from yesterday’s pelagic walked up to us and one of them, a Texan woman, had also just seen a Black-billed Cuckoo, which made me feel 110% certain.
After looking for the White-rumped Sand I headed on north, passing my turn off at Nag’s Head and, stupidly really as it turned out, on up to a place called Duck, 30 minutes further up the Outer Banks. Stupidly because I was working on info received yesterday re a ‘boardwalk that was good for warblers’ I had no other info and there was no way I was ever going to find a boardwalk along 20 miles of houses, shops, beaches, bush. Really dumb!
Heading back I spotted a Wal-Mart and couldn’t resist buying eggs, yogurts, vegies, Orios and chocolate. Then went to Mackers and charged the laptop again, sorted some photos and wrote up my blog entry for yesterday, checked my emails and generally sorted shit out. (I also filled up with fuel - $2.58/gal, $32 in)
Then it was back on the road again around 13.00, arriving finally at 17.00, at Oyster Point Campsite in Croatan National Forest. (345 kms)
It took me a while to find the campsite – I had to use Maps on my phone in the end as Maps Me just didn’t recognize it. I wasn’t overly surprised. It was down a one mile unsealed track and very basic – but in return only cost $5 a night – half price thanks to my America is freaking Beautiful card. How come THEY take it and National Parks won’t? There was water and a single toilet block that looks like a drop toilet – but what more does one want for two nights? My phone told me a thunderstorm and rain was expected nearby (the closet point I could get a weather forecast for, about 10 miles away) and possible rain for the next 24 hours so I set up the canopy with that in mind.
I cooked dinner in occasional drops of rain, under the canopy just for comfort and crashed around 9.
Trip List (USA)–162 Lifers (total)–54 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
Day 40 – 20.10.19 Sunday
I am SO over this rain.
I woke at midnight as light rain started.
And again at 2 when it got heavier.
I lay awake monitoring the tent and canopy over the next 4 hours. The canopy took the worst of the sometimes very heavy rain and the tent stood up to it well, but it did start to get quite damp and it wasn’t getting any better.
On my phone the rain was predicted to last till nightfall. I figured all I would do would be sit it out then pack up and leave the next day. Might as well drive today, if that was the case, as birding was impossible and….it was predicted to get windy after midday as well.
So, decision made, I packed up and was leaving the campground by 7.30. The roads were semi flooded – and that had been the other concern. The area was very low-lying and I could see temporary flooding being a real issue.
I headed to the nearest Mackers and settled in for pancakes and coffee and a review of the future weather pattern looking south….
Not good. Rain almost every day right down to the Everglades over the next 10 days.
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| Croatan campsite just before i broke camp |
I set off south and the rain stopped. The day turned into a drier afternoon the further I got along the road.
I stopped at a Mackers about 50 kms short of Myrtle Beach, just north of Huntington Beach State Park where I had, originally, planned to camp. I wasn’t going to camp so I went on-line and booked a room at the Waikiki Village – a Retro Motel – in Myrtle Beach and headed there.
It was not too bad. The décor was a bit so so, but comfortable, clean, secure and friendly in the middle of a seemingly never-ending Gold Coast-like strip of shops, cafes, restaurants, water parks and beach stuff that went on for miles and miles and miles.
I paid the $120 for two nights and asked about laundry facilities? They didn’t have any but I was welcome to use those at another ‘sister’ hotel just down the road. I stripped off, showered, shaved, changed and headed down the road to wash all my dirty stuff for $2.75 in the laundry at the other place.
Then it was back to the Waikiki to hang my tent in the shower and the canopy over the balcony rail to dry - and a night in researching stuff and places in Florida.
Trip List (USA)–162 Lifers (total)–54 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
Day 41 – 21.10.19 Monday
At last, a perfect day. Possibly the first one since leaving Australia? Sunny, calm, bright, clear skies, no rain. I don’t know what happened the weather forecast, but every time I stay in a motel expecting bad weather – it turns out good. Must be a message in that somewhere, but I’m too tired to think of it now.
Huntington Beach State Park, 30 minutes south of Myrtle Beach, had a very impressive list in excess of 300 species, including a heap of stuff I wanted. A recent bird lister on eBird had achieved 78 species. I managed only 48, but got some good stuff along the way.
I filled up with fuel @ $2.19/gal, $28 in and arrived on site to pay my $5 entry fee to the State Park.
One crosses a causeway 100 meters into the park and I got my first lifer for the day before parking – Wood Stork, once seen, quickly forgotten, pretty boring just standing around as Storks do. I parked up and walked back to the causeway and got my second lifer of the day – White Ibis. A bit more exciting, and a more attractive bird than the Australian version with its red bill and legs.
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| Wood Stork |
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| White Ibis |
I heard a Clapper Rail, probably about 100 meters away, so didn’t try playback there. I tried at several spots later but got no response and, as I haven’t seen one yet, didn’t tick it.
There was a mixed flock of waders on the low-tide exposed mud beside the causeway – well, 2 species anyway. Semi-palmated Plovers and what I believe were Semi-palmated Sandpipers.
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| Semi-palmated Sandpiper NOTE - I'VE HAD ADVISE THAT THESE LOOK MORE LIKE WHITE-RUMPED SANDS. I DON'T CLAIM TO BE ANY SORT OF EXPERT SO WOULD BE HAPPY FOR OPINIONS OR ADVICE |
A few Tricoloured Herons, Cattle, Great and Snowy Egrets completed the scene.
I walked up to a nearby boardwalk seeing a few Carolina Wrens, Carolina Chickadees, Eastern Phoebes and one Eastern Wood Pewee on the way. There were heaps of Northern Cardinals and they persisted all day in the bush.
Back at the car I drove to the Gift Shoppe and asked about a map of the park. The old guy was very helpful and I headed out with some understanding of where to go next – maybe.
I walked a trail from the car park at the gift shop – Kerrigan Nature trail – and had a Hairy Woodpecker and Pine Siskins. I also had a Least Flycatcher – although it took me a while to work it out.
Again back at the car I drove to find the Sandpiper Lake Track and walked that. It wandered along and around the edge of a lagoon/lake and ended up near the northern beach.
In truth it was very quiet and tough birding really. Maybe because it was late in the morning? However, I did find two Tufted Titmouse, a pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Brown Thrashers and had a poor view of a Pine Warbler.
I walked out to the beach but turned back due to the fact there were dozens of people walking, fishing, sun bathing and generally doing the beach thang. Not a bird in sight.
Walking back to the car along the road I found an American Redstart (female), a Northern Parula (again) and a Blue-headed Vireo which made me happy as I’d missed it twice in Cape May. I like Vireos.
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| Blue-headed Vireo |
It was about 13.30 now and I was starting to feel the pinch so back to the Gift Shop and a cup of lousy coffee later I decided I’d check the causeway again in the hopes of seeing a decent Little Blue Heron. The tide was back in by now and there was very little to see, except a single Little Blue Heron.
Am I good or what?
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| Little Blue Heron |
As I walked back a single sparrow flew and landed just out of sight. It took about 10 minutes before it finally flew clear and landed on a nearby reed bed where I got great scope views of a Nelson’s Sparrow. I thought at the time it was a Saltmarsh but the photos showed it as Nelson’s so I settled for that. I know that sounds contradictory – “great views, but’ - but they do look very similar.
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| Nelson's Sparrow |
I decided I’d go somewhere else and try for Red-cockaded Woodpecker and Brown-headed Nuthatch at a nearby woodland area called Brookgreen. There were recent reports of both, but when I got there it was like driving into Windsor Castle and they wanted $18 to start with so I U-turned and drove away. I mean there was no guarantee and it was like 2 o’clock in the afternoon – the chances were pretty skinny at the best.
I drove round for a while trying to find a patch of suitable, accessible woodland without any success and settled for a haircut at a genuine Barber’s shop for $11 (+ $4 tip – look at me! Giving away money) I reckon he did an excellent job and deserved a tip.
Then I went looking for a place to eat.
I ended up taking a side road down towards Murrell’s Inlet and stopped, on an impulse, at a slightly down-at-heel looking joint called the Riverside Café. I had a large cheese-burger and fries and a Bud and ate the free peanuts while throwing the shells on the floor with all the other shells. Quite the place - $15 for the meal (+ a tip which I’m not going to reveal here).
Then back to Huntington Beach State Park and free entry now, cause I paid $5 for the day. I walked the Sandpiper trail again as dusk descended hoping for night birds but only saw a Red-eyed Vireo before dusk actually descended. Then I heard a pair of Great Horned Owlscalling, but didn’t try to chase them down 150 meters or so through thick bush. I played back a couple of other birds but got no responses.
That was it. 12 hours after leaving I got home and sorted through 570 photos.
Not a bad day – I had expected the weather to be worse and the birds maybe to be better? But still I guess I can’t complain at least it didn’t freaking rain. There’s a thunderstorm predicted here tomorrow so I’m going to drive south.
Trip List (USA)–171 Lifers (total)–61 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
Day 42 – 22.10.19 Tuesday
I was up at 6.30 and away just before 8. I had a long drive ahead of me – 700 odd ks – so wanted to get on the road.
It was a lovely day of course, dry, clear, sunny patches and the drive went well, down through Charleston, South Carolina – literally through – past Savannah, Georgia and then forked off from outside Jacksonville to finally arrive at a reserve near Gainesville in Florida. I stopped twice during the 8 hour drive – both at Mackers for coffee. At the second stop I had Common and Boat-tailed Grackles in the car park almost at my feet – can definitely tell the difference now!
The weather was good – except at Jacksonville when it absolutely bucketed down for about 15 minutes. It was, again, really hairy. Windscreen wipers going flat out, hardly able to see out to follow the truck 30 meters ahead of me at about 100 k/hr. Just hanging on, hoping the car wouldn’t leave the road. Further on I really REALLY needed a piss, so finally found a dirt road, pulled in just as the rain caught up. But I couldn’t be stopped and got a bit wet relieving that necessary ‘itch’. Back in the car and down the road at 80 m/hr and 15 minutes later – “Where’s my glasses?’ Search the front seats – nothing. No option, but to turn back and find the pit stop. 13 miles back and search the ground – nothing. Search the front seats again – nothing. Did I open the back door to get my jacket when it was raining? Yes. Apparently as my glasses were on the floor in the back…. Jesus wept. A 50 km round trip and half an hour lost….
I found Paynes Prairie Reserve State Park and the Puc Puggly campsite. Yeah I know, weird eh?
It was weird too when I got there because it was after 17.00, still 24 degrees and 82% humidity. Like being back home in February. (It had hit 88F or 32C during the drive)
I set up camp in a semi-tropical almost rain forest setting, sandy ground, palm trees and the like. Saw a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and a noisy Pileated Woodpecker visited the trees overhead. I didn’t have a lot of time before dark but went for a walk anyway down to the lake – about 10 minutes from camp.
I had just turned away from the lake edge and a bird flew from one tree to the next just above my head – then perched up and looked down at me.
FAR OUT!!
Barred Owl.
Wow!
Crippling views as it tore into a kill and calmly kept an eye on me wandering around below, steaming with excitement. Finally. My first owl of the trip – first owl seen anyway. And one I had looked for and hoped for and, honestly, expected to have seen by now.
Brilliant. I know some of you will understand how excited I was.
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| Barred Owl
Barred Owl video:
https://youtu.be/T8linJ-8R1k |
I returned to camp and set about making dinner – chopped up fresh vegies and a can of roast beef made up a stew. The mossies were HORRENDOUS. Most of you will know they don’t normally affect me too badly, but they were swarming and sooooo annoying, in my eyes, my mouth, myb hair, my ears. Their bites don’t hurt or irritate me luckily, but they were just everywhere, so once I’d eaten I retired to the car and made a phone call, sorted my photos and wrote up my notes.
Trip List (USA)–172 Lifers (total)–62 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
Day 43 – 23.10.19 Wednesday
So I went to bed around 9.30 and spent a few minutes killing the few mosquitoes that came to bed with me, then settled down.
I woke at 2am.
I was shaking, mainly from the waist down. I wasn’t hot, nor was I cold. My calves and thighs were aching and I couldn’t get comfortable.
I rolled and stretched and tossed and turned until 4am.
My first thought was Dengue – but dismissed that as I didn’t think it came on that fast.
Then I was thinking what had I eaten? But I wasn’t feeling sick so that wasn’t the issue.
I was shaking like when I had an infection in hospital after the bike crash and they’d treated me with serious antibiotics pumped straight into my neck – but maybe not quite as bad and, again, I had no temperature, in fact if anything I was cold.
It finally occurred to me, as I went back through the day that it might be a lack of fluid. Water more specifically. I’d only stopped for two coffees and had one for breakfast and a couple when I had arrived – but other than that I’d had no liquid all day. Those of you who know me, know I hate water and never drink it, but this was different and I was quite worried.
So I got dressed, abandoned the tent to the mossies, got fresh water from the car and drank 4 large mugs over the next 20 minutes, then I walked up and down in the dark trying to ease the cramping in my legs. The shaking stopped after about 10 minutes so I figured I was on the right track. By 5am my legs had eased. No water had come back out. I was literally falling asleep on my feet, so got into the car and put the passenger seat back and – fell asleep. When I woke again at 6 I was fine. Knackered, but not in any pain - apart from the normal shit anyway.
Mind you I haven’t stopped pissing all morning.
And I still hate water.
But I’ll make a point of drinking it more regularly now.
I started breakfast at 7 but it took me a while to get going and, in fact, I was pretty knackered all day, but its amazing what you can achieve on 4 hours sleep.
I went for a walk from camp down to the lake again, but it was very quiet until I found a tree dripping with American Redstarts. At least 6 females and my first male. Apart from that only one brief Red-bellied Woodpecker then back to camp and I drove out to the gate to pay my camping fees. $20 a night. That was it. Amazing value. I booked three nights.
Drove on out to the sort of causeway where there was an observation walkway and deck. Immediately I had my first lifer of the day – not really a biggie as it looks so like a Australian Darter – Anhinga. While I was looking at it and starting to line it up for photos, another bird flew in and landed nearby – a Limpkin. I had three altogether and the Anhinga pissed off before I could film it. I did see others later, but none as close as the first one.
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| Anhinga |
A large raptor flew past and it had a white rump. Northern Harrier was my first impression, but it didn’t fly like a harrier – more like a slow eagle. Snail Kite! There were in fact at least 4 flying around, mostly distantly. So, three lifers in 5 minutes? Not bad going.
I left there after a while and drove to the western entrance of Sweetwater Wetlands – a dead end street with parking easily available. At the main entrance there was a car park and a cost of $5 – here it was free.
I walked in expecting great stuff, but was disappointed. After an hour and a half I saw one Eastern Phoebe. It appeared dead, (not the Phoebe, the place) Back near the car however, a couple of birds moved through overhead – a Tufted Titmouse and a Downy Woodpecker. By now I was really f….d and decided to just sit against a tree and see what happened.
What followed was a good hour.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, American Redstart, 2 Yellow-throated Warblers, 2 Red-eyed Vireos, a White-eyed Vireo, Carolina Chickadee, Northern Cardinals and a Prairie Warbler. Obviously the thing to do is just sit and wait and the birds come to you.
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| Yellow-throated Warbler - not very good, but these things are difficult! |
I was in dire need of a decent coffee by now so found the nearest Mackers and spent an hour or so updating my blog and checking emails ect.
Feeling a bit stronger I went to Wal-Mart and got a few things – gas, bananas, kitchen paper and a recharge for my phone. I also went to the bank and withdrew some more cash.
Then I headed for a trail into the swampy area of Payne’s Prairie from 15th SE street – the La Chua Trail. A good decision.
I didn’t see any new birds, but the Limpkins were almost within touching distance and I saw at least 8 more Snail Kites, a Little Blue Heron, Anhingas and my fist Alligator – only two babies, but still…
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| Baby Alligator |
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| Limpkin - left my shadow in to show how close it was |
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| Limpkin
Limpkin video:
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| Snail Kite |
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| Snail Kites |
I also saw a couple of American Redstarts and at least one other warbler I failed to get onto properly, but it looked like something new and a pair of Great Horned Owls were calling while still full daylight.
Headed back to camp intending to eat and spotlight. I was in the middle of the former when an Eastern Screech Owl called some distance away. I played for it, but it didn’t respond. As soon as I’d finished dinner I went for a walk but failed to find anything. I think I’ll need to be out and about right on dusk tomorrow night as after dusk they seem to all go quiet.
I wrote my notes, sorted my photos, had a shower and crashed.
Trip List (USA)–178 Lifers (total)–68 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
Day 44 – 24.10.19 Thursday
I was up again at 7 and headed out after breakfast on a long walk that lasted till 13.30. I walked trails in Payne’s Preserve but didn’t connect with a lot of stuff – and nothing new.
I didn’t see anyone else in the almost 6 hours of birding and walking and the bush was pretty thick and sort of wild looking – but I’m not sure how ‘managed’ its been.
I ran into a couple of small ‘bird-waves’ – the first included a Black and White Warbler which was nice and the second, significant, one, a similar mixture to the previous day at Sweetwater – Downy Woodpecker, American Redstart, Tufted Titmouse, Yellow-throated Warblerand White-eyed Vireo - which was interesting. I did see, and took photos of, another bird which tentatively might be Yellow-throated Vireo but the jury is still out. I also saw lots of Red-bellied and Pileated Woodpeckers.
I ended up at Chacala Pond hoping for duck, but not a skerrick on the water. I played for Sedge Wren and had call back, but, as I did, a movement in the grass revealed a warbler and by the time I identified that as a Common Yellowthroat (my first for the trip), the wrens had departed.
I got back to camp pretty knackered – it was about 24C and 70% humidity and I’d walked 10 kms - so had a rest and checked my photos to try to gain some wisdom on the unknown bird, without success. After 3 I headed out to the main swamp/lake area where the observation walkway was and crossed the busy, 4 lane, 60 miles/hr, highway to scope the opposite side of the road which was more overgrown and held some promise – there was nowhere to stop on that side and no access from any other direction.
I saw a heap of Common Gallinules, 1 Pied-billed Grebe, several Anhingas and a single duck that could have been a Mottled Duck. I was a bit hesitant to claim it, but a Mallard on its own would be highly unusual and they are not supposed to come this far south, according to the range maps. It was a fair way away and I couldn’t see as much detail as I’d have liked but potentially it was what I think it was.
I flushed a couple of Limpkins as I walked back to the car and saw a couple of distant Snail Kites hunting over the reed beds.
Once again back at camp I sat for a short while then headed out to owl.
I had heard Eastern Screech Owl calling near my campsite the previous night, but they sounded like they were in the immediate area of a colony of RVs - one end of the camping area seems to have attracted a lot more people and that was where they seemed to be calling from. I figured I’d
try somewhere more quiet and chose the carpark near the lake. I sat through dusk till it was dark, but heard nothing and got no response to playback so retired for the evening. A little bit of a frustrating day, but nice birds all the same and, once again, it didn’t rain and there was no wind - which on this trip was a bonus!
Trip List (USA)–179 Lifers (total)–68 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
Day 45 – 25.10.19 Friday
I was up at 6.30, had breakfast and left by 7.45. I forgot to take a photo of the site with the tent up – for the first time on the trip – so just took a photo of the site.
I had a 5.5 hour drive and 5000 kms to go to my next destination so didn’t push it too hard – unfortunately. I stopped for a couple of coffees and spent an hour in a Mackers somewhere. I also looked up recent records of Florida Scrub Jay and found one near Titusville/Orlando at Cocoa Dump. So I turned off for the 5 minute drive and spent 15 or 20 looking for a bird – didn’t find it in the spitting rain and carried on. Into some very heavy showers that had me hanging ion for dear life at 70 MPH again.
I filled up with fuel twice - $2.39 $27 in and $2.36 $28 in.
When I reached the Fort Lauderdale area the traffic ground to a stop – there’d been a crash a few miles ahead and it took over an hour to get past it. Then there was a broken down car in the Express lane at Miami and long story short I was running very late getting into the Everglades National Park. I booted down the access road aiming for the very far end – Flamingo campsite – arriving just after dark to locate a campsite in an open exposed campground in a strong easterly wind and spitting rain. I got the canopy and tent up behind a tree while slapping myself stupid by the hordes of mosquitoes determined to have my blood. I ate a very quick meal and crashed – or tried to. It was 27c and 80% humidity and I was sweating like the proverbial pig.
Trip List (USA)–179 Lifers (total)–68 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
Day 46 – 26.10.19 Saturday
Rain had been forecast and between the wind, the sweat and the incipient rain, that never really happened, along with the bloody mossies in the tent, it was an uncomfortable, tiring night with only about 4 hours sleep - again.
I woke at 5 and lay, damp and bloody and heard a Lesser Nighthawk calling outside so got up. But didn’t see it. In Cape May Lesley had given me a small can of insect repellent ‘because I’d need it in Florida’. I was thankful to use it, although I hate the stuff, but it did ease my suffering somewhat. I had a sleepy, grumpy breakfast and headed out to bird.
Then things improved.
While finishing breakfast 3 Roseate Spoonbills flew over and when I walked up to the shoreline a Yellow-crowned Night Heron stealthily slunk off, reminded me of Beach Stone Curlew a bit.
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| Yellow-crowned Night Heron |
Yellow-crowned Night Heron video:
Among the few waders – Semipalmated Plovers, Least and Western Sandpipers, a Willet and several Ruddy Turnstones – I found a Wilson’s Plover. That cheered me up no end.
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| Wilson's Plover |
Meanwhile Black and Turkey Vultures walked and flew around at close range and among the crows I identified, at last, several Fish Crows. I was pretty sure I’d heard them over the last week or so, but hadn’t been confident of ID – now I was.
Back to camp and a reviving coffee then off down another track – the Coastal Prairie track. Several Palm Warblers flitted ahead and a single Tennessee Warbler in a tree. I picked up a few more bits and pieces on the track ending with a rather distant, but definitely identified Mottled Duck.
Along the way several Red-shouldered Hawks perched up very confidingly and back at camp again, an adult landed in the tree in front of me – brilliant viewing.
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| Red-shouldered Hawk |
Red-shouldered Hawk videos:
In the tree overhead at camp a number of American Redstarts spent the day, joined on occasion by Palm Warblers and once a Prairie Warbler. Pileated Woodpeckers visited nearby trees almost constantly and the Vultures did their thing all around. White Ibis flew overhead and a flock fed about 100 meters away all day.
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| American Redstart |
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| Prairie Warbler |
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| Black Vulture |
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| Turkey Vulture |
I had a shower – hot water available in the toilet block – and relaxed in the breeze and shade as it was 31C and very humid.
After a light lunch and several coffees, waiting while my laptop, phone and camera battery charged in the toilet block electric razor outlet – I headed out again. This time in the car to the Marina, about 2 miles away, where there was reputed to be a store. There was, but they had no milk so I bought some coffee mate, a bag of ice and a can of insect repellent and stole 12 little creamers from their coffee stand. Well one of the assistants told me to take some cause there was no milk so…. I put half the bag of ice in the esky and asked them if I could leave the other half in their freezer for tomorrow – no problem.
I went to the visitor center and spoke to the ranger on duty and she suggested Eco Pond as a possible Roseate Spoonbill roost. As it was now high tide I decided to try.
There were two birds there, one very close.
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| Roseate Spoonbill |
Then I went back to the Marina for a massive cup of ice cold Coke – my first soft drink this trip.
I thought I’d check the shoreline again before heading back to camp and so drove down that end of the camping area. To my complete surprise there was a HUGE flock of waders and terns sitting in the saltpans behind the beach.
It was such a small area and they were packed in. I reckoned on 1000 Willets, 150 Marbled Godwits, 250 Short-billed Dowitchers, 15 American Avocets, a few Grey Plover, 100 Least Sandpipers, 30 Semipalmated Plovers, Dunlin, Ruddy Turnstones, Western Sandpipers, Caspian Terns, Laughing Gulls and, for me best of all – approx 300 Black Skimmers. Absolutely stunning birds – I’ve seen them before but never this close or in these numbers. I spent an hour or so going through the flocks as best I could, but they were so tightly packed and I had minimal elevation I was sure I missed stuff. Maybe tomorrow? It certainly helped bump up the trip list.
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| Black Skimmer (and Laughing Gulls) |
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| Black Skimmers |
Wader flock video:
Back at camp I made a couple of phone calls while waiting for dusk. It was till stinking hot but the breeze, shade and repellent made life a lot more comfortable.
Just as dusk fell 2 Lesser Nighthawks flew around overhead – brilliant to see. I walked away from the main camp and played several tunes, but only got response to Eastern Screech Owl and one flew in briefly to see what the fuss was all about. It wasn’t a great view at all, but a good way to end a great day despite the mossies, heat, humidity and exhaustion.
Trip List (USA)–192 Lifers (total)–75 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
Day 47 – 27.10.19 Sunday
I was up before dawn and out with the Lesser Nighthawks still circling madly overhead – and not that far overhead at times. Jesus, they’re a crazy bird – it’d be great to be able fly like that I reckon.
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| Campsite @ Flamingo, Everglades |
After breakfast I headed up to the beach front again and checked the waders – much the same as yesterday.
I drove back along the main road for about 10 ks to a track called Snake Bight and started in on the 1.8 mile/2.6 km walk. The track was the most overgrown, tangled unmaintained wreck of a track it has ever been my displeasure to walk. Basically a low berm surrounded by flooded mangroves, mostly dead ones, that headed straight down to a promised boardwalk at the ocean end. I never got that far, giving up and heading back after about 2 and half hours walking, stumbling in 30 degree heat and high humidity. Luckily the mossies weren’t too bad, but I’d had enough and didn’t bother with last bit. There were mysterious splashes and movement in the water alongside the track and a couple of ‘gator slides’ I reckon where something had pulled itself out of the water on one side and slid into the water on the other – but I saw no sign of anything except White, Ibis, Anhingas and herons flying away in alarm.
I saw a few birds along the track – and had a bit of luck. Thee Black and White Warblers, 3 White-eyed Vireos, several American Redstarts including my second male, a pair of Black-throated Blue Warblers, Common Yellowthroat, a juvenilia male Black-headed Grosbeak that gave me pause for 'thought' and a few birds I couldn’t identify.
I’m getting really over this warblers-in-the-fall bit.
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| Common Yellowthroat |
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| Black-headed Grosbeak |
Most likely Hermit Thrush.
On the way back I wasn’t taking any prisoners, just plowing along keen to get the ordeal over, BUT I managed to pick up a pair of Painted Finches and got great views, but no photos, of the male, which made the morning all worthwhile. Stunning little bird.
I was knackered and headed back to the Marina for a huge Coke hit and to pick up the rest of my ice.
Then back to camp and a shower and washing clothes and spending the afternoon doing bugger all.
I listened for owls ect through dusk while enjoying the aerial antics of the Common Nighthawks - at the time I assumed they were Lesser Nighthawks as I believed I had heard one before dawn, however, Mr H questioned me and on checking the range maps found that Lesser would be almost an impossibility given their range does not extend east beyond New Mexico so Common they had to be. What called in the morning I have no idea.
I walked down the field a bit after dark, played Eastern Screech Owl, got a response and managed to spotlight a single bird.
I walked down the field a bit after dark, played Eastern Screech Owl, got a response and managed to spotlight a single bird.
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| Eastern Screech Owl (prob juvenile) |
Then it was back home, dinner, a phone call and bed.
Trip List (USA)–196 Lifers (total)– 76 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
Day 48 – 28.10.19 Monday
Once again up at 6.30 and on the road just before 8. I reached the entrance gate of the park an hour later – it’s a big park, even at 55 mph.
I hit a Mackers as soon as I reached civilization and had breakfast, internet and updating there. On a side note – I’ve noticed all the Mackers lately have had no available power outlets for customers. Maybe its just Florida? But certainly further north most I went to had power available to charge my stuff.
Anyway, headed south at 11 and eventually reached Key West, at the end of the chain of islands around 13.30, stopping only once, on a whim, for coffee at Baby’s Coffee, the most southerly coffee grinders apparently. It was a good coffee.
I found another Mackers, snuck in and used their internet without purchasing anything and identified a potential campsite. It was a pretty limited choice. I chose Leo’s Camping and arrived there to be offered a ‘primitive’ (i.e. no electrical connection) site at $60 US per night! Jesus, Mary and Joseph. $100 Aus per night for a patch of ground that was all coral gravel that I had to borrow a peg hammer to get the pegs in? Mind you the showers were good, the WiFi was quick and had a password for a change (which, possibly naively, makes me think its more secure) and there’s a place to sit and type this and charge my stuff without using the bathroom outlets.
I wish that when Americans visit Australia they should have to pay for stuff like this at this cost – a special American Price.
When I got to my site there was a ‘visitor’ sitting under my table. I asked him what he thought he was doing, but left him alone when he ignored me. Later he hopped into the water and swim away – pretty cool. American or Green Iguana Iguana iguana.
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| Campsite Iguana (American Iguana Iguana iguana) |
Anyway I checked E Bird and found that there were two locations worth visiting in the immediate area – Fort Zachary State Park, which I had already targeted – and Charles ‘Sonny’ McCoy’s Indigenous Park.
The latter was closest so, it now being nearly 17.00, I having spent the afternoon sitting in the shade out of the 32C heat and humidity, I headed there.
I couldn’t get in as it happened. Apparently the entrance is through the ‘Key West Wildlife’ place and it was closed at 5. So I headed for Fort Zachary SP.
Being a State Park, of course, there was an entrance fee - $4.50. (Another good idea for visiting American tourists – make them PAY!) and although I only had an hour before it closed at sundown, I paid it.
I wandered around among the beach goers packing up to go home, under the passing Black Hawk helicopters servicing the massive Naval Base next door – and saw a few bits and pieces in the fading light.
I got one definite lifer – a full-blown male Hooded Warbler which was brilliant. I also had a female Blackpoll Warbler and a male Black-throated Blue Warbler among the others I couldn’t identify positively. I also had what I believe was a Scarlet Tanager. I submitted the photo to Florida Rare Birds and Birding FB page with an apology (cause its not necessarily a rarity) and a request for help -
and got replies almost immediately, including one from Nikolas in Brisbane (!), confirming it as a Scarlet Tanager.
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| Scarlet Tanager (pretty shit photo, but it had me going for a while) |
Then headed home, picking up milk, bread and ice on the way. Cooked dinner, made a phone call and crashed.
Trip List (USA)–198 Lifers (total)– 79 birds (+9 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
Day 49 – 29.10.19 Tuesday
I was back at the fort just after opening at 8. It had spit rain a couple of times through the 28C degree /80% humidity night, but all was well.
The first bird I saw was what I took to be a Cooper’s Hawk perched up, but on seeing the photos is a Broad-winged Hawk – which I saw later in the day as shall be revealed. In my defence it didn’t hang around long and I assumed it was a Cooper’s….not much of a defense really….
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| Broad-winged Hawk |
Anyway, the second bird I saw was an Eastern Wood Pewee, which of course sent me into an orgy of photo taking before I decided what it was. I include a photo here cause it looked so nice, if its NOT an EWP – pls let me know.
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| Eastern Wood Pewee (I hope....) |
The third bird I saw (this is it, I promise) was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo perched up nicely. I took some photos but won’t repeat myself.
After that it was a morning of walking slowly around trying to identify Warblers. Quite frustrating for part, but simple in others, where I was kicking the Palm Warblers out of the way and trying to ignore all the American Redstarts. The birds I did manage to ID included Northern Parula, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Grosbeak (1 female), Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Grey Catbird and Prairie Warbler. Yeah, I know, all the easy ones, but the place was dripping in Redstarts and I saw at least 3 males. They were very distracting.
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| Black and White Warbler - the very divil to get on film |
B&W Warbler video:
While this was going on at least three Merlins and a couple of (genuine) Cooper’s Hawks hunted overhead and through the trees shutting everything down at times.
I also came across what I thought was a Hermit Thrush, but is in fact an Ovenbird There were at least 4 of them all acting like uptight Wrens, running around with their tails cocked. They didn’t seem particularly stressed, but I thought it strange all the same.
Ovenbird video:
Speaking of tails – this curly-tailed Lizard looked intriguing too.
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| Lizard sp as yet unidentified |
I finally wandered out onto the grassy area towards the shoreline and saw three people standing with huge lens on cameras mounted on tripods. Turned out they were taking photos of and noting the passing raptors. Not an official thing I don’t think, just three friends doing their thing.
While standing with them and annoying them for an hour or so I had Broad-winged Hawk pointed out to me passing overhead in comparison to a nearby Cooper’s and a Magnificent Frigatebird put in a semi-distant appearance which I was happy with. There were several American Kestrels and they had had a Short-tailed Hawk the previous day. They were very experienced and gave me some tips and hints.
When I left them alone, finally - I think they packed up early to get away – they made some comments about looking for warblers and so I retired to the trees and put them in action – and had limited but happy success in a Blackburnian Warbler.
They also suggested walking along the shoreline and looking for Wurdemann’s Heron – a cross between a Great White Heron subsp and a Great Blue Heron. I think I found one – it’s the white head?
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| Wurdemann's Heron? |
Along the rocks I saw a couple of those giant American Iguanas. How would you like to go swimming with this guy, Linc? He wouldn’t fit in your collecting box!!
Iguana video:
I had a hot dog and Coke for ‘lunch’ and tried again but things seemed to have quietened down so I decided to head home, charge everything up and have a rest after 5 solid hours.
I headed out at 17.00 again. I had a tip-off from a woman I had met at Hatteras re Mangrove Cuckoo on a Key, 20 minutes back up the road. ‘Just go to the end of Sugarloaf and play – they just popup’.
I went there, played, but nothing popped up – probably some time since they’d been here. I did however, have my first RACCOON, so the trip wasn’t entirely wasted. Just trotting across the road in front of me like a four legged hunchback, but enough.
I went home again, had dinner and crashed early. The heat and the constant go-go are draining me at the moment.
Trip List (USA)–205 Lifers (total)– 83 birds (+10 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
Day 50 – 30.10.19 Wednesday
It was predicted to rain at 4am. If it did I didn’t hear it, but it did rain just after 5, which was a bit of a pain as I wanted the tent and canopy to be dry for the packing. However, I got up at 6, ate some oats boiled eggs and bread and butter and packed up immediately afterwards. I was on the road by 7.30.
It was a 700 km, 7 hour drive to my next destination and I wanted to get going ASAP.
I reached the Homestead area at the end of the Keys around 10 and booked into a Mackers for coffee and a break.
Then back on the road again heading almost directly north – after I by-passed Miami again. It wasn’t too bad – certainly nowhere near as bad as the southern journey had been and I made relatively good time. I ended up on a Highway, not an interstate, possibly because I had programmed MapsMe to avoid toll roads. I don’t know if it made the difference – certainly not in time or distance, according to the outcomes – but the highway was frustrating to drive. Loads of traffic lights and local drivers hogging the outside lane for miles because they wanted to turn left somewhere up ahead. Usually drivers pull over to the right – its almost an obsession on the interstates – but on the highways its not the same.
So, cursing and swearing I gradually made my way up through central Florida, stopping once around 13.30 for a burger and coffee at Mackers again, cause its just simple in all respects. Its not that I have a craving fondness for the food – although the southwestern salad isn’t bad and I should have had that – but as I have explained before – its just easy, quick, clean, parking is always available and the toilets are good.
I hit the Orlando area around 15.30 and followed the directions round the edge of the city to rock up at 17.00 at Magnolia Park beside Lake Apopka where I camped for two night at, get THIS - $17.25 per night with free electrical connection, hot showers, flush toilets and the walk I wanted to do started across the road.
I set up, had a coffee and wandered across the road for a quick look as dusk descended. The park is overrun with Eastern Grey Squirrels and I did see, briefly, a Red-shouldered Hawk and an Eastern Phoebe, but nothing else before dark.
Trip List (USA)–205 Lifers (total)– 83 birds (+10 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
Day 51 – 31.10.19 Thursday
A restless night followed by a frustrating day.
The goomba in the tent next to mine – there were about 10 other empty sites, but the manager put me beside this dickhead – played his TV in his tent all freaking night. It was so clear I could hear what was being said. So after breakfast as I headed out to walk the Lake Apopka Loop Trail I stopped off at the office and asked to change my site. They agreed so long as I was moved by midday. Not sure why the rush as its Thursday and its not exactly busy, but anyway that was fine.
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| Campsite (1) - Magnolias Park, Lake Apopka |
The Lake Apopka Loop Trail is about 9 MILES long and most of it is driveable. But I thought I’d walk the part near the campsite as it wasn’t the driveable part.
It had ‘dropped’ to 24C around 4am but was starting to heat up again to 28C by 8am. I walked about 2ks probably, for about 1.5 hours anyway, then turned back. I did see a lot of birds - hundreds of Red-winged Blackbirds, Anhingas and Palm Warblers dominated with about 10 or 12 Common Yellowthroats, mostly unmarked, It was an excellent habitat for King Rail and Sedge Wren, Purple Gallinule and maybe both Bitterns. But despite extensive playback ( for the first two sp), I saw none. Heaps of Common Gallinule, but otherwise nada, which was annoying given the list I had seen posted just a few days ago. I did have one Prairie Warbler and a couple of Northern Parulas, but even the warbler scene was not very exciting.
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| Prairie Warbler |
The highlight of the morning walk was a full grown American Alligator, at last. About 4 feet long maybe? And two or three juveniles nearby.
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| American Alligator |
Alligator video:
Back at camp I moved the tent and re-located without drama then went to drive the rest of the Loop in air-conditioned comfort.
Or I would have if it had been open.
Apparently the Wildlife Drive along the lake shore is only open ‘Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Federal Holidays’
WTF? Who closes a wildlife drive?
Jesus Mary & Joseph – well, you can imagine my reaction….
Re-think, re-plan.
I looked to see if I could find a way down to the lake somewhere else.
Nope. It was surrounded by private property and or inaccessible but I spent two hours trying to find a way in finally giving up and going to Mackers for lunch (southwest salad & Coke) and internet. Then Wal Mart for necessary supplies and at 14.30 off to Wekiwa Springs State Park where I had found recent listings for my three target species. Florida Scrub Jay – last chance – Red-headed Woodpecker – seem to keep missing it – and Brown-headed Nuthatch, just in range.
It took me about an hour and a half to drive there and it looked GREAT – sandy ground, pines and mixed woodland around a little lake with no one else around. $4 entry fee and I was happy to bird for two hours ………..with rapidly fading optimism and vanishing hope as I saw F All.
Well, F All apart from bleeding Blue Gray Gnatcatchers, Red-bellied bloody Woodpeckers, a Downy and a Hairy Woodpecker and a few unidentifiable yellow things in the freaking trees that are JUST DOING MY HEAD IN, but I think they were Yellow-rumped and probably Prairie Warblers. Never sight nor sound of any of the targets despite blasting the woods with their calls and putting up with hordes of flesh-eating mosquitoes until I almost cried.
I had to resign myself and admit defeat as far as the Scrub Jay was concerned and headed home to a cooling shower, dinner and a re-vitalising phone call.
As tomorrow is Friday I’ll be able to drive the Loop Drive before I head off to my next destination. Ha Ha they thought they had me!!
Trip List (USA)–207 Lifers (total)– 83 birds (+10 Mammals) New NA–25 (+5 Mammals)
