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The Backyard & Beyond - June 2003 |
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Nine members of VAS went to southern Florida on a VAS Fund Raiser Trip lead by Arden & myself along with Wilson Cady. We were gone 11 days and saw 144 countable species. You need a sense of humor to go on these trips since we have a blast joking. One evening 8 of us went out looking for Chuck-will's Widow and heard them right away on a dirt road outside the Everglades. We turned the headlights of both vans on the field but shortly a game warden came to check us out. He had just caught a guy poaching deer a couple nights before in the same spot. We were only birding but he went along with a joke to take back to the other 4 members of our group that we had been arrested for birding without a permit at night! |
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Fake arrest |
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Flyway Articles |
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Everyone got at least 3 Life Species (ones we had never seen before). We birded southern Florida including the Everglades, the Keys and Corkscrew Swamp (a super Audubon Center). Some Florida species seen included: Florida Scrub-Jay, Greater Flamingo, Mangrove Cuckoo, Antillean Nighthawk, Gray Kingbird, Black-whiskered Vireo, Snail Kite, Roseate Tern, White-crowned Pigeon, Wood Stork, Swallow-tailed Kite, Limpkin, White-winged Parakeet, Shiny Cowbird , Red-whiskered Bulbul and Spot-breasted Oriole. |
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CLICK HERE |
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Mangrove Cuckoo |
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We've had quite an education in Mallard Pond Dating & Mating for the past month of so. We have a small man-made pond & stream. A pair of Mallards flew in to use it and eat seed from the ground feeders. When we returned from Florida we figured they would be gone but they were still coming regularly. The two began using the pond for mating. One day I saw the male then looked for the female but when I spotted her, I also saw her mate by her side. Woe! We had a second male. I wondered what effect this might have on "our" pair. It wasn't long before I found out. Water was splashing about one day as the ducks were thrashing all over and I soon realized it was the bachelor male trying to mate and Mr. Mallard was franticly trying to keep him away from Mrs. Mallard. Another time the Bachelor was looking through all the plants and bushes, I assume looking for Mrs. Mallard but he didn't find her. She seems to be setting now and only comes in occasionally to eat, drink & bath. The males get a long fine if she isn't here. |
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