Today was basically a travel day from Texas to Florida. The overnight rain continued as I headed to the Laredo Airport for my flight to Fort Lauderdale, FL via Houston. I arrived in Fort Lauderdale around sunset, got my Chevy Cobalt rental from Enterprise, and drove the 2-1/2 hours up I-95 to my motel in Palm Bay.
February 4, 2010
I left the motel and drove the short distance up I-95 to the Viera Wetlands, getting there around sunrise. Because of the heavy rains that had occurred a few days before I arrived, the dike roads around the impoundments were closed to vehicles. So, I started walking the half-mile or so down the dike to Cell #4 to search for the male Masked Duck that had been there for over a month. Partway down, a Loggerhead Shrike perched in a tree along the dike.
Then, I very slowly walked right past a Limpkin standing on the dike road.
Eventually, the bird flew into its more natural habitat.
White Ibis also provided great looks at close range.
Cell #4 held Blue-winged Teal.
One of many Common Moorhens worked the edges of the vegetation.
One of three American Bitterns posed for a photo.
A pair of Sandhill Cranes were sporadically calling while building their nest.
Evenutally, more birders started filing into the area and, after about two hours, someone spotted the prize duck diving among a few American Coots. The Masked Duck was another 'lifer'. Its black head, eye ring, pale blue bill, and chestnut-colored body were unmistakable.
While we were watching the duck, an adult Bald Eagle circled overhead.
The impoundments also held Hooded Merganser, Glossy Ibis, Great Egret, Tricolored Heron, and Belted Kingfisher, which was the fourth species of kingfisher for the trip.
Around lunchtime, I left Viera and motored all the way back down I-95 to Pelican Harbor in Miami. There, I was very lucky to get to see and photograph the sub-adult Red-footed Booby that was sporadically visiting the harbor.
I continued down US-1 and took the Rickenbacker Causeway down to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne. There was only a little over an hour of light left when I got to the area where the La Sagra's Flycatcher had been spending most of its time. I saw very few birds there before sunset came, so I headed back up to my motel in Coral Springs.
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