Shingle Creek Trail

[xfkirsten]

I kept noticing a sign nearby for the Everglades Trail Nature Site "Shingle Creek Trail," right down the street. So I headed over there today for a bit of hiking and birding... and by a bit, I mean I walked about 7-8 miles round trip (took about 3.5 hours). :P And it was WELL worth it! A great diversity of birds, and great photo ops - right in

Comments

[christ_chexx_4u]

you went out TODAY?? dude it was FREEZING today!! and srsly, gators are SCARY. *shudder* i guarantee you i would have run screaming.

also, you being a bird person, have you seen the scary-ass egyptian goose @ the poly? HATE that thing.

[xfkirsten]

Yup! I was bundled up... t-shirt, with a sweatshirt over that, with a jacket over that. :P I was cold until I walked for 8 miles, then I was warm. :P

No! I haven't! I'll have to look for him.

[christ_chexx_4u]

hes EVIL. he scares children and attacks the families of ducks that we have. just listen for a loud, obnoxious honking sound - thats him. apparently there are a few of them, left over from discovery island, but i dont know where the others are - this one just started coming around about a month ago.

[xfkirsten]

LMAO! They're not native birds to begin with anyways. Egyptian geese are an introduced species. :P I'll have to go look for him! (That would be another lifer ;))

[calusa]

Awesome!!

I have a little downy that pays my suet feeder a visit a few times a week.. sometimes his chirps wake me up.

I saw a Sandhill Crane last week!!!

... at the Lowry Park Zoo. doesn't count. =/

[xfkirsten]

I'm moving to a more permanent apartment soon, and one of my first priorities is getting a feeder or two up. :p Haven't decided exactly what yet, but I'm leaning towards a seed tube feeder and a suet feeder.

You need to come play here again! I've seen them around Hunter's Creek (where I live) several times now!

[calusa]

I shall! As soon as I get home from Hawaii, if no jobs are working out... I'll be traveling again! =D

[xfkirsten]

Yaaaaay! Now's a good time to come to Florida - the winter migrants have arrived! ;)

[princealia]

unknown warbler sounds funny XD

[xfkirsten]

It is! XD

[servalcat]

Your photo albums are more fun than the Nature Channel! ;-)

[xfkirsten]

Thank ya! ;)

[miwasatoshi]

Your mystery bird is ... another Palm Warbler. I kid you not, they really are that variable. Note the rusty cap and the yellow undertail coverts. This is, by the way, an Eastern Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum hypochrysea), far more colorful than the Western Palm Warblers (D. p. palmarum) that also winter here.

Incidentally, I'd get one lifer from your gallery: North American River Otter!

[xfkirsten]

That's kind of what I was thinking. That rich yellow breast really threw me, though! I really need to pick up a copy of the Sibley guide that's got all the different warbler plumages.

Hee! I used to see them quite often around Seattle. I love watching them!