Because it was a little rainy I completely changed my plans for this day moving to Palm/Boynton Beach. I decided to go see if I could find the Ross’s Goose that had been in a nearby neighborhood for a few weeks.
Tarton Way, Cocoa, FL – I arrived in the neighborhood and realized that I was going to have to look between houses to the ponds in their backyard to see the bird. I circled once and was going back the other way when I passed a walker for the second time and felt compelled to explain that I was looking for a rare bird. He told me it was in his backyard – I said now, he said no he hadn’t seen it this morning.
That was disappointing, but I circled back around again and realized there was another pond on the other side of the road. A man up the road was signaling for me to come over, he told me to park in front of his driveway and come on back – the Ross’s Goose was behind his house. He escorted me to the backyard where another birder was already on the bird. Which wasn’t hard, it was a small pond. She gave me some advice about my next destination and I was on my way with a new Florida bird. Got to see a LOT of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks too.
Ross's Goose
Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Muscovy Duck & Ducklings
Joe Overstreet Rd. and Landing – was looking for a Whooping Crane that had been seen here on and off for the last few weeks. Lots of Sandhill Cranes and Cattle Egrets. On my way out I saw a Crested Caracara and thought, well that’s it. Only a few minutes later I saw the Whooping Crane – it’s a long road with lots of birds and well worth the trip to Osceola County.
Sandhill Crane
Northern Mockingbird
Bald Eagle (Turkey Vulture in foreground)
Pine Warbler
Savanah Sparrow
Eastern Meadowlark
Loggerhead Shrike
Red-shouldered Hawk
Crested Caracara
Whooping Crane (the white one) with Sandhill Crane
Fellsmere Grade Recreation Area – This took longer to get to than I thought it would and it was raining. I saw a total of 6 Crested Caracara on the way – Wow! I only had a few minutes to do the drive (which is only open on Thursdays and Sundays) and it took a long drive on a very muddy dirt road to get there but the wet Western Kingbird (rare and not previously reported) was my reward.
Crested Caracara
Limpkin
Western Kingbird
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