I was so excited about this trip, I woke up at 4:45 and was on the road a few minutes after 5:00, arriving at Royal Palm by 7:30 a.m., shortly after sunrise. First, I walked the Anhinga Trail – fittingly enough, an Anhinga was also one of my first birds of the day. Saw several birds here, including a really close-up sighting – 3 feet – of a Great Blue Heron in the pond at the head of Anhinga Trail.
On the Gumbo Limbo Trail, I spotted my first-ever White-crowned Pigeon up in the top of a tree just past the bridge. Seemed shy, but sat still while several of us all had a good look. On this trail, I also heard a Great-crested Flycatcher, but wasn’t able to spot the bird.
Back in the car, I headed down the 40-or-so-mile-highway toward Flamingo, through the aptly-named “River of Grass.” It was incredible to realize that what looks like a prairie is actually an enormous expanse of wetland! Actually, my first impression was of the Savannah – what I imagine parts of Africa would look like, but filled with Great Egret stalking prey. I also spotted some Black Vulture in a tree, and a soaring Bald Eagle.
At the Pa-Hay-Okee Overlook, I saw a Red-shouldered Hawk and a Green Heron. I also heard a couple of distinctive vocalizations that I have not been able to ID: A single whistled note like half of a bobwhite call. There was also a 2-note high-pitched swallowing sound.
I saw Pied-billed Grebe – always a favorite – at Paurotis Pond, and then I headed to Flamingo. In town, Laughing Gull tried to steal my lunch as I watched an American Alligator in the marina. Both California Brown and American White Pelican were present – a flock of at least 30 White Pelicans flew overhead at one point. I also saw a large flock of Black Skimmer, and I was thrilled to spot three American Crocodile, with very distinctive teeth! I was interested to learn that Flamingo used to be a pirate city, a century or two ago. Now, it’s just a hotel and concession stand, but it’s exciting to think of it back in swashbuckling times!
I took a backwater boat tour on The Pelican, which goes a fair ways down one of the rivers which leads into the marina. It was a great ride – in addition to the birds I saw, I learned about mangroves and many other plant species. I saw my first Spotted Sandpiper, along with Belted Kingfisher, Snowy Egret and White Ibis. Another of my special sightings of the day was this American Manatee – a juvenile, judging by the size. We saw the manatee while moving above what seemed to be an eel grass bed. Although we were fairly close, we didn’t really get a very good look – the animal stayed pretty much submerged the entire time we were nearby, so all we saw was an expanse of brown skin. Still, l was excited to see this endangered and uncommon species! I also spotted a Short-tailed Hawk as it flew overhead (and was congratulated on my spotting skills).
After the boat tour, I visited Eco Pond, where I had another memorable sighting. The trees in the center of the pond were filled with roosting herons and ibis, and I was taking a leisurely stroll around the perimeter of the pond when I looked down to find myself face-to-face at a distance of about 5 feet with a large (6-7’) alligator. It was disconcerting and a little bit scary, as I realized it could literally eat me for lunch, but also wonderful and fascinating. The alligator was napping with straw laying across its snout, so I felt fairly safe. There was a small split-rail fence between us, but I’m certain it wouldn’t have stopped any self-respecting alligator. (Good thing it wasn’t hungry haha). When I realized that I might potentially be in some danger, I stepped up on a nearby park bench so I could view the alligator from above. But almost immediately, I realized this this bench also wasn’t likely to stop a hungry alligator, so I went along on my way. At any rate, this was a fantastic sighting, one that I’ve remembered clearly (and a story told at parties) for years.
It was time for me to start heading north, but I did have a few more stops to make before leaving the Everglades. At Nine-mile Pond I saw Double-crested Cormorant, and when I made another stop at Paurotis Pond, I was able to watch cormorants and various herons roost in the trees as they prepared for night to fall.
My last stop was Mahogany Hammock. This area is absolutely beautiful, with exotic, tropical plants galore. I heard several birds here that I wasn’t able to spot, including a Barred Owl. From this spot, I stayed to watch the sun set over the Everglades – one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever witnessed in my life – brilliant colors, palm trees silhouetted against the pink and purple. Truly awe-some. What an enjoyable day, although I wish I could have had more time there – a week, perhaps, to canoe the backwaters! I love these glades . . . there really is nothing else to compare!
Species List
Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga leucogaster), Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura septentrionalis), Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias wardi), White-crowned Pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala), Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas ignota), Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica), Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis floridanus), Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura carolinensis), Rock Dove (Columba livia f. domestica), American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos pascuus), Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus), Great Egret (Ardea alba egretta), Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus atratus), Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus), Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus extimus), Green Heron (Butorides virescens virescens), Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps podiceps), Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla), American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), Atlantic Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis carolinensis), American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger niger), American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), Wood Stork (Mycteria americana), Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius), Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon), American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus albus), Snowy Egret (Egretta thula thula), American Manatee (Trichechus manatus), Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus fuliginosus), American Coot (Fulica americana americana), Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata cachinnans), Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor ruficollis), Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis ibis), American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum floridanum), Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus floridanus), Yellow-shafted Flicker (Colaptes auratus auratus), Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos polyglottos), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea caerulea), Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major westoni), Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius), Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna), Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor), Barred Owl (Strix varia georgica)
Let me know what you think!