I worked my way back to the observation deck where I found the Cuban Pewee actively feeding about 15 feet to the right of it! Probably since I was all alone, it seemed unconcerned with me while I was getting these nice photos.
I spent the next hour or so looking for the Black-faced Grassquit that was also being seen there, but it had only been sporadically reported the past few days, so I decided to head for the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden since they are only open from 10 AM to 4 PM. I did the 40-minute drive, getting there right as they opened. As I slowly walked around the courtyard, boardwalk, and trails, I saw Gray Catbird, Ovenbird, and Palm Warbler. As I was returning to the courtyard, I noticed another birder pointing a camera into the tree above Marker #6. I searched and found the Red-legged Thrush, but I could only see the reddish legs and the dark throat patch through the leaves before the bird flew back into thicker vegetation. I waited a while, hoping that it would return, but it didn't. Eventually, I decided to walk the trails in the direction that it left, but I couldn't find it. Back at the courtyard, I met two birders from Ohio. Around noon, a bird flew into the top of a palm tree in the center of the courtyard. After getting a better angle, I found the bird near the top of the palm and got the others on it.
It worked its way over to the back of the tree above Marker #3, just inside the entranceway, where it perched at the same spot for well over an hour. It was pretty much in the open, but if you didn't know where to look, it was easy to miss.
With good views and fairly good photos 'in the bag', I decided to do another walk around the grounds. At the eastern edge of the property that adjoins the golf course, I found a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher perched on a wire, which was an nice surprise.
I headed back to the courtyard and the thrush was still perched in the same spot. Around 2:00, the bird worked its way over to the same tree above Marker #6 and was feeding on its yellow-orange fruits. That's where I managed to get these nice photos of it.
Thrilled with the thrush show, I drove into Key West and stopped at the Wendy's to get something to eat and celebrate with a chocolate Frosty. In the parking lot, I saw the ubiquitous Eurasian Collared-Dove and a few Common Mynas.
I headed back up The Keys and realized that I would have very little time left in the day if I returned to the "Blue Hole", so I decided instead to drive the shorter distance to Sammy Creek Landing on Sugarloaf Key where an American Flamingo was being reported. When I got there, I looked to the east-southeast an easily picked out the unmistakable pink bird, although it was definitely a good distance away.
While there, a Sandwich Tern, a couple Royal Terns, a Black-bellied Plover, an Osprey, and several Brown Pelicans flew by. Also there in the channel was a Little Blue Heron among a group of White Ibis. A Magnificent Frigatebird glided past just after sunset.
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