Here I am, trying to get as many birds as I can in as few days as are left, and I end up on a stakeout. I spent two hours last night watching for the Antillean Palm-swift where it has been appearing on Marathon Key, and got nothing. Got a room, spent the night, and was back at it at 7:30 this morning. The guy from Key Largo was already there. The couple from Nebraska showed up a little later. At 9:40, the swift appeared! Year bird. Life bird. Antillean Palm-swift. It is a rare bird; not often seen in the U.S . It lives in the Caribbean:
Swifts are really fast and erratic flyers. No way I could get a good shot as it screamed past at hyper-speed, but Harold from Key West did and was kind enough to forward a photo.
I love that about birding; instant community. Thank you, Harold!
Worked my way back up The Keys.
Saw some great scenery,
The Keys always make me think about Hemingway.
Had a close encounter of the manatee kind. Saw what looked like a couple boulders partly exposed in the boat basin at the Deering Estate. There aren’t supposed to be boulders in a boat basin. Walked over to investigate and the boulder in front saw me, blew out through her nose,
…and swirled away.
The smaller one behind followed. Mama manatee and her calf.
Didn’t add any more year birds to the list.
Done for the day, headed north back toward Ft Lauderdale on Interstate 75, driving attentively but still scanning for birds too, I glanced to the right from an overpass and there amongst a bunch of wading birds standing next to a canal, 15 wood storks! I’ve been looking for that bird for four days! A drive-by year bird!
Headed home tomorrow am. The year bird count by day for this trip: 8,3,2,2. In that order. The year-list stands at 465. 35 short.
Here is a video Judy just sent me of the puppies playing.
Henry is safe on the couch; Jesse can’t get up there yet.
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