South Florida III
A pair of Monk Parakeets at Brian Piccolo Park in Cooper City, FL Nikon Z8 with Z100400 mm lens at 400mm 1/640 secs f/7.1 ISO 90
Our next two stops were at habitats quite different from the two wetlands visited this morning. These locations are urban, nestled in the heart of city highways and development. The first is a recreation area known as Brian Piccolo Park. Brian Piccolo Park, located in Cooper City, Florida, is a vibrant green space of over 100 acres featuring well-maintained sports fields and picnic areas. The park is particularly known for its facilities dedicated to sports, including softball and soccer fields, as well as a running track and a children's playground. Along the north side of the park, a wide swath is cut through by a power line right-of-way. The power lines have proven to be attractive to a colony of Monk parakeets which nest on the towers and can be found perching along the lines. The parakeets seen above were two of a large group seen perched or flying overhead, announcing themselves with their loud squawks.
While the parakeets are indeed beautiful birds to watch and fun to observe flying overhead with a raucous chatter, the featured act is the presence of Burrowing owls throughout the park. Amazingly, these owls have made their homes in the middle of a large conglomerate of play fields, a skate park, and picnic grounds. Small areas between all these fields are marked off with “crime scene tape” and the human visitors to the park seem to respect the boundaries. Out west, the Burrowing owls primarily take over existing burrows made by animals like Prairie dogs and ground squirrels. Here in Florida, Burrowing owls may indeed choose to use the existing burrows of gopher tortoises or armadillos, but they often excavate their own nesting sites as well. The two seen in the image above were actively digging out a new burrow, and as I watched and photographed the two, one disappeared into the burrow and began throwing sand out of the burrow entrance.
Our next destination was another urban setting, the Miami Kendall Baptist Hospital grounds. For years now, a population of Mitred parakeets have made the hospital their home. Mitred parakeets, also known as Mitred conures, are vibrant, medium-sized parrots native to the subtropical regions of South America, particularly in Peru and Ecuador. These birds are characterized by their striking green plumage, with a prominent red forehead and distinct yellow and blue markings on their wings and tail. Social and intelligent, Mitred parakeets thrive in flocks, exhibiting playful behaviors that make them popular among avian enthusiasts. They have a varied diet consisting primarily of fruits, seeds, and nuts, and their vocalizations range from soft whistles to loud squawks. Kendall Baptist Hospital and a few other places in Miami-Dade County are some of the few places where feral populations can be found in the United States. After seeing a number of flocks flying overhead, we were able to track down two which were amorously involved with one another. It is spring after all.
Other birds of interest at the hospital included Egyptian geese, Muscovy ducks, and a Helmeted guineafowl. The helmeted guineafowl is a distinctive bird native to Africa, easily recognized by its striking gray plumage and unique helmet-like crown on its head. Known for their lively behavior, these birds are often found in small flocks, foraging on the ground for seeds, insects, and other small invertebrates. Their adaptability to various habitats, including savannas, forests, and grasslands, makes them a resilient species in the face of environmental changes. Many of these birds we see in Florida are considered to be “semi-feral”, roaming freely but not considered to be truly wild. Nonetheless, the bird made for an interesting addition to our “unofficial” trip-list.
Helmeted guineafowl roaming the grounds of Miami’s Kendall Baptist Hospital.
We ended the day at our lodgings in Homestead, FL. Again, we were in a busy urban environment where were able to find some interesting species right in the parking lot. The “default dove” was the Eurasian collared dove, its call being quite distinctive and different from the Mourning dove most of hear more commonly. The other bird of interest was the Common myna. The common myna (Acridotheres tristis) is a medium-sized bird, easily recognizable by its brown body, yellow wing patches, and distinctive bright yellow eye patch. Native to South Asia, this adaptable species has successfully established populations in various regions around the world, including the Middle East, parts of Africa and here in the United States. The bird's ability to thrive in human-altered environments has made it a common sight across diverse habitats, showcasing its resilience and adaptability.
And so we conclude our first day in Southern Florida. It’s been a long day with some long distance driving, but we have accomplished what we set out to do. We have been able to find and record a nice number of South Florida “specialties”, birds found in only a few regions of North America. Tomorrow, we will be heading down to the Everglades in search of more tropical avian species. Just another day in paradise.
