FORK IN THE ROAD

This post has everything to do with finding the fork in the road.  Well to be correct, it's really about finding about a fork-tailed flycatcher (Tyrannus savana) in the road.  Well, alongside the road to be more specific.  Actually, to be more accurate, it was found perched on the overhead power lines.  Truthfully, the aforementioned fork-tailed flycatcher was really splitting time between the power lines and the adjacent disturbed field full of alive and decaying thistle (Cirsium sp.), dog fennel (Eupatorium capillifolium), and bluestem (Andropogon sp.) at the Lake Apopka North Shore Restoration Area (LANSRA) - Jones Avenue Basin.  But whose going to get nit-picky when you're dealing with a fork-tailed flycatcher?  Not me.

Fork-tailed flycatcher perched on power line.  Note the shorter tail feather length which likely indicates an immature individual.

After I got back to the office late Wednesday night from a long day of field work, I was checking on some email and was waiting for some documents to download.  I decided I'd check eBird and BirdBrains to see if anything interesting had been sighted in the state.  Lo and behold, a fork-tailed flycatcher had been seen and photographed at LANSRA.  Well this stoked my internal fires to say the least.

2013 has been the unofficial Year of the Tyrannidae for me.  It started on January 1, observing the ash-throated flycatchers (Myiarchus cinerascens) along the Cones Dike trail at Paynes Prairie.  It just continued form there, as I spent nearly the next 4 months down in extreme south Florida and was treated to a panoply of Tyrannidae members, most of which I have mentioned in previous posts this year.  So there was no doubt in my mind I was going find this bird.  I was even fortunate to be going near the area for work 2 days later, so I thought this was going to be incredibly advantageous schedule-wise.  Then came the posts about how the bird had been sighted in a restricted area normally off-limits to the public, and that access had only been granted the first day only.  My hopes were dimming.  Then finally the posts came on Friday the St. John's River Water Management District (SJRWMD) staff had been incredibly kind enough to let birders into the restricted area just to see the flycatcher.  It was all I needed.  I knew where I was going to be Saturday morning...LANSRA.

As the weather patterns have been keeping true to the age old rhythms of afternoon/early evening rain showers this summer in Florida, I knew I had to get out somewhat early to catch sight of this bird.  So there I was walking down the restricted road when I saw a group of birders concentrated in one location - they must be watching the fork-tailed, I thought to myself.  So I ambled down the road and about halfway down I ran into what else, but a couple of Gainesville birders who came to see the flycatcher.  We exchanged pleasantries and they told me where it had been seen.  I finished moseying to the spot and there it was perched on the power lines stretched out between the old, wooden, creosote soaked utility poles.

Notice the yellow crown patch, a seldom seen feature

Wing displayed as taking off in flight

It appeared to be an immature based on the somewhat duller overall plumage coloration, as well as the black tail feathers were not fully grown out as in an adult.  It was incredible to finally see this bird to say the least.  I watched it with a couple of other extremely nice birders for a short while.  As they left, it flew off into the adjacent disturbed field.  I decided I was going to crouch down under some of the thicker roadside vegetation, so as not to disturb the flycatcher when it came back, and possibly just get some great time to observe its habits.  No sooner had I stepped towards the vegetation, and a bustle of rapid movement and a low, piercing squeal rang out.  I looked by my feet and I saw a red rat (or corn to some) snake (Pantherophis guttatus guttatus) had just caught and was constricting a hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus).  I called the other birders back thinking they may find this scene interesting (you don't get to see this everyday), and we watched the corn snake loosen its jaw hinges and begin to devour its prey. Absolutely fascinating. 

Adult red rat (aka corn) snake constricting a hispid cotton rat

With jaws unhinged, it begins to devour its prey

Shortly after this, the birders left and I was on my own with the flycatcher.  I probably watched it for 45 minutes.  I watched it successfully hawk for insects, get harassed by a mockingbird, and flit to and fro between the thistle-dominated field and the overhead power lines.  I truly enjoy getting to observe the habits and behaviors of species.  I find it helps me identify them easier in the future and also gain a clearer understanding of what truly drives the species to do what it does and where it does it.  It was a truly glorious day.  I couldn't believe my good fortune at being able to watch this bird in Orange County, Florida when it should in all rights be in Texas or Mexico chasing after a myriad of different insects.  You have to love these immature birds who (for some reason - food sources, weather conditions, etc.) end up in places they don't typically belong.  Manna from heaven indeed!

Its not everyday you get to frame an eastern kingbird and a fork-tailed flycatcher in one shot

Besides the fork-tailed, there were multitudes of fascinating birds to behold.  An eastern kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus), yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus), barred owl (Strix varia), a pair of glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) and blue grosbeaks (Passerina caerulea), along with several indigo buntings (Passerina cyanea), ground doves (Columbina passerina), and swallow-tailed kites (Elanoides forficatus) were out and about to be observed.  The other highlights of the day were seen and heard by the aforementioned Gainesville birders.  They were lucky to add an early fall migrant, a yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia) and what was likely an escaped caged bird, a female pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura).  I thought it was quite interesting that this wydah also happened to be in the same location as the flycatcher, seeing as the male of the species has tail feathers whose length would give an adult fork-tailed a run for its money.  Unfortunately I was unable to relocate the bird, but it appears they were able to take useable photos to accurately ID the individual.  What an odd day and location for these two species to be observe.  But I guess that's life for you.  You can never predict when and where something will occur.  It's these surprises which keep life interesting and a great adventure!

Immature eastern kingbird

A yellow-billed cuckoo with caterpillar prey

Male indigo bunting

Ground dove perched on power lines

Swallow-tailed kite soaring and foraging overhead

Adult green heron

Immature boat-tailed grackles

HERE COMES THE RAIN

It's pretty much been a return to normalcy throughout the state this year regarding the daily summer rains.  In fact, the last week or two has seen quite a deluge of precipitation.  Certainly it's a huge deal, as it is helping to recharge the aquifer and abate the long-term drought.  However, it does put a damper on how often one gets out to bird.

Yesterday it was a mix of rain and overcast weather, but it seemed to let up in the early evening.  Upon checking the weather radar, it appeared most of the rain had subsided for the day, or at least the next few hours.  So I decided it might be a decent chance to go bird the prairie and check out what wading birds and other species may be lurking about before bedding down for the night.

The weather continued to be overcast, but it seemed the rains would be held in-check while I went for a walk along the trail system.  I had brought my camera along with its waterproof case, but I decided to leave it in the truck because I didn't feel like lugging it around and it was probably not going to rain on me.   Big mistake on my part.

Some of the "wild" horses foraging near the barn

For a long while, the weather was nice and cool, with a light breeze.  Some of the horses were foraging around the barn.  Birds were out and singing and calling all around.  The typical wading birds were out foraging (great blue heron, great egret, snowy egret, etc.), as an osprey was tearing apart a fish for dinner above the sink, and several male indigo buntings and blue grosbeaks were out singing their hearts out.  Even a mother orchard oriole was bringing a caterpillar meal to her 2 young fledglings just off the trail where red-winged blackbirds had made their nests and reared their young this year.

Adult female orchard oriole with juvenile

Adult male blue grosbeak belting out a tune for the ladies

I figured since the weather was looking fine I would head down to the observation platform and see what was present.  A few minutes later I noticed the sky was turning pretty dark on the east and south ends of the prairie, and I could see rain coming down.  I still chanced it, figuring I may just have enough time to get to the platform for a couple of minutes and make it back before the rains hit.  Another big mistake on my part.  I didn't even reach the platform when the rains unleashed.

I ran as fast as I could to the platform to stand under it for shelter from the storm.  Right where the short trail begins prior to the platform, I scared a king rail off the trail and into prairie as I was running full steam ahead.  I made it to the platform and all the equipment was dry so far.  I thought it might pass over quickly, but I was wrong yet again.  With no end in sight of the rain and lightning and thunder now making an appearance (with me just standing under a nice magnet for the lightning to boot), I decided to make a run for it.  I wrapped up the camera and binoculars under my shirt and made a mad dash for the parking lot.  I ran non-stop all the way to the boardwalk by the sink.  Along the way, about halfway to the boardwalk, I accidentally chased off a pair of adult king rails.  Apparently this species enjoys popping out on the trails near nightfall when it is pouring down rain.  I made it to the covered part of the boardwalk, rested a minute and then headed for the barn.  Again, I rested there for a minute to catch my breath.  It was still coming down in buckets, so I decided to just run for the truck.

I finally made it to the truck, where I had luckily kept some towels.  I quickly dried off a bit, and checked the equipment to see if it had made it through my stupidity.  Luckily everything was pretty dry and no damage seemed to have been incurred.  I dried off the equipment and headed for home.  So, the lesson learned is don't take anything for granted and don't assume anything, especially when you've lived in the state long enough to know the summer rains can be unpredictable.  So be prepared and don't slack off just because you don't feel like carrying the load.

A NEW KING IS CROWNED

It seemed it would be a fairly simple task to provide some commentary and/or updates during the June Challenge (JC) this year via this blog.  Apparently between working out of town and actually getting some time to bird when home, it proved a more difficult task seeing as it's the day after Independence Day and I'm just getting to writing about the JC.

A lack of severe weather (aka tropical storms) and a return to more typical water levels in the local wetland environs severely limited the number of rarities encountered this year, especially compared with the species last year's drought brought in for the JC.  However, some good finds at Newnan's kept it interesting.  Caspian, least, and forster's terns were identified on the lake, along with a greater yellowlegs and tree swallow.  In fact, except for backyards, the rarities were pretty much confined to Newnan's. 

Even though the rarities weren't abundant, it didn't diminish the challenge one iota.  I had a blast running around and checking places I sometimes forget to during the summer.  I followed a hot lead on a hairy woodpecker at LEAFS and was rewarded with observing a pair where the most recent prescribed burn occurred.  While there I was also fortunate to collect some solid BBA II data, such as fledgling pine warblers, eastern bluebirds, and brown-headed nuthatches.  I also ran into a recently killed scarlet kingsnake probably dropped by an american crow.  Certainly it's something you don't get to see by sitting indoors during June.

Juvenile eastern bluebird at LEAFS

Adult red-headed woodpecker at LEAFS

Brown-headed nuthatch in flight at LEAFS

Juvenile pine warbler foraging in recently burned portion of LEAFS

Over at Possum Creek I waited over 2 hours to see an adult yellow-crowned night heron, all the while questioning my sanity.  Thankfully there were two similar-minded individuals present who made passing the time quite a treat.  In fact, I had more fun waiting to see the bird and enjoying my company than actually seeing the bird.

Later in the month I decided to combine atlasing in one of my blocks with the JC at San Felasco SP, north of Millhopper Road.  I was fortunate to collect great breeding data on several species and also got great looks at hooded warblers, eastern wood-pewee's, red-eyed and yellow-throated vireos, northern bobwhite, numerous red-headed woodpeckers, and a cooper's hawk.

Adult male hooded warbler singing to attract a mate

Adult red-eyed vireo foraging at San Felasco SP

The JC even spurred a few of us out to Barr Hammock just for kicks to see what was present.  No rarities were present, but there certainly was a wealth of expected freshwater marsh and shrub marsh species present.  Getting out to some places you might forget about during the summer months is another one of the great attributes of the JC.  Heck, even checking out the super moon at the 441 observation platform in the prairie provided great looks at barn owl and black-crowned night heron. 

Yellow-billed cuckoo with insect prey in bill

Singing adult male blue grosbeak

Not a bird, but a luna moth drying its dew-laden wings in the early morning sun is always a superb sight to behold!

The last interesting bit of birding for me came on the second to last day of the JC.  In an attempt to gather a few last minute birds, I checked out the Newnan's Lake environs.  Even though I had heard no gulls or terns had been spotted earlier in the day, I figured since I was there I might as well check out Palm Point to see if anything had come in by chance.  After scanning the lakeshore for quite some time I decided to pack it in and head home.  Halfway to the parking lot I had looked up watching the vultures soaring overhead when one didn't look quite right.  It was smaller than the surrounding vultures, had upswept wingtips, and was hovering like a...short-tailed hawk!  Sure enough, I was looking up at a dark morph.  I got the word out as quick as possible, but only two people were able to make it out.  We watched the hawk intermittently from the parking area for nearly 2 hours as it soared, foraging overhead.  What a great species and high note to end my JC!

Sadly I missed out on the JC potluck party because I was yet again out of town for work, but I was elated to hear Jonathan Mays took home the trophy!  I couldn't believe his tally, especially given he missed quite a bit of the month being out of town himself.  Rex again showed his JC dominance with a strong second place finish.  I was surprised to find out I tied with Lloyd and Howard for third place - a great duo to be tied with indeed!  So there you have it, a new king of the JC was crowned this year.