SATURDAY AT LA CHUA

Today I headed out to the La Chua Trail on the prairie to try and get some decent photos of the vermilion flycatcher which has been seen the past few weeks near the observation platform.  At the parking lot I ran into the Ewing family and as we made our way to the prairie we ran into Felicia, and then Rex, Jennifer, and a few other birders.  As a small group, we started searching for sparrows near the barn and were rewarded with a Lincoln's sparrow which popped up into a laurel cherry.  A song sparrow, a calling white-crowned, and some savannahs were also present.

Soras were calling all throughout the trail it seemed.  It's been a real pleasure being able to hear all the sora which have been out there for the last month or so.  To be able to hear so many calling at once just adds another dimension to the prairie.

(Sora at edge of freshwater marsh)

There were a lot of white ibis on the trail today, along with decent numbers of glossy ibis.  We all searched for the Le Conte's which had been seen recently on the latter portion of the trail, but to no avail.  The female vermilion flycatcher was present along what I call King Rail Trail (although I suppose it's more commonly referred to as Alligator Point).  She was seen in the late morning and early afternoon.

(Female vermilion flycatcher near observation platform)

 
A female merlin was also spotted a bit north of the observation platform foraging overhead.  A small flock of gadwall were also observed in Alachua lake, along with some possible pintails.  Blue-winged teal were also on-hand.  Approximately 200-300 ducks were spotted in the early afternoon closer to Persimmon Point, but were too far away to allow for proper identification.  All said, 53 species were observed today at La Chua.

(Pied-billed grebe swimming along)

(Green heron foraging in dense undergrowth at water's edge)