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Showing posts from March, 2016

Bronzed Cowbird at Newton Park, 3/17/2016

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Bronzed Cowbird On March 16, three Bronzed Cowbirds were reported at Newton Park by Lake Apopka in Orange County.  I drove out there early the next morning to see if I could find them.  They were still there and very cooperative. There are two bridges right near the parking area, and the birds seemed to like the trees and grass between the two bridges. The moved around a fair amount, but they were pretty easy to find. Bronzed Cowbird I believe they are still there--at least someone reported them there yesterday.

Swallow-tailed Kite at Wirz Park

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Swallow-tailed Kite This month eBird is encouraging birders try new places this month. Their challenge for this month is to visit 15 new locations this month.  I thought that sounded like a good challenge and set my sights on finding some new places to visit.  Wirz Park is on my way home, and it's already listed as a hotspot on eBird, but I've never been there before. It was the hotspot with the lowest total in Seminole Co. (16 species). I wasn't expecting much when I visited. However, I was very pleasantly surprised.  It's a nice-looking park, and there was a nature loop that includes a boardwalk and a trail that follows a stream. If you walk the loop and walk around the park itself, you'll walk about a mile. In my one visit on March 15 I recorded 37 species for eBird, raising the total for the hotspot up to 43. I think there's a fair amount of potential here, and it may even be a decent place to look for migrants over the next month or two. Highlights