In Search Of Miami Parakeets

The lush tropical vegetation in the Miami area is very conducive for large numbers and a great variety of parakeets and parrots that can be readily observed visually and audibly.

The Mitred Parakeet above (image 1) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

On 12 March I made a trip to Miami with the company of Frank Constantin, Suzanne Lanthier and Réal Jauvin, all visiting from Quebec. Our first stop was the Baptist Hospital of Miami offering a pair of Egyptian Geese as the first bird species seen. Mitred Parakeets could be heard overhead. There were in excess of 70 in a single flock before breaking up into smaller groups.

The Egyptian Goose above (image 2) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The Graylag Goose (domestic type) above (image 3) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The Swan Goose (domestic type) above (image 4) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The Egyptian Goose above (image 5) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The Rock Dove above (image 6) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

After photographing other species of birds at hand we followed the call of the Mitred Parakeets to the west side of the property. The parakeets were obviously very wary of the presence of an American Kestrel. At one point the parakeets took refuge in a berry laden tree before once again taking flight to keep a distance from the kestrel's approach of them.

The Egyptian Goose above (image 7) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

Réal Jauvin, Francois Constantin and Suzanne Lanthier (l-r) above (image 8) were photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The Fish Crow with nesting material above (image 9) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove above (image 10) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The Mitred Parakeet above (image 11) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

Our next stop was the University of Miami where we were asked to leave by campus security as we did not have authorization to visit. A call of parakeets could be heard where we had parked, but they were not seen thus remaining unidentified. We next visited A. D. Barnes Park which was nearly completely devoid of birds save a pair of Black Vultures, a Northern Mockingbird, a Mourning Dove and a Blue Jay.

The Mitred Parakeet above (image 12) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The American Kestrel above (image 13) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The Mitred Parakeet above (image 14) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The Mitred Parakeet above (image 15) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The Mitred Parakeet above (image 16) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

Castellow Hammock Park was our next stop with hopes of photographing the Buff-bellied Hummingbird that was discovered by Colorado birder Connie Kogler. Word quickly got out about the rare to Florida hummingbird with eBird reports first appearing on 2 January. This was my second attempt to photograph the Buff-bellied Hummingbird, and was only fortunate enough to definitively see and hear it on this trip.

The Mitred Parakeet above (image 17) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The Mitred Parakeet above (image 18) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The Mitred Parakeet above (image 19) was photographed at Baptist Hospital of Miami in March 2016.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird above (image 20) was photographed at Castellow Hammock Park in March 2016.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird above (image 21) was photographed at Castellow Hammock Park in March 2016.

In the company of the Buff-bellied Hummingbird were no less than four Ruby-throated Hummingbirds which favored the depths of an approximately 15 foot tall by 35 foot wide Chinese hat plant. Again a parakeet was heard, but not seen. A White-winged Dove was a pleasure to find as I had not photographed this species in quite some time.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird above (image 22) was photographed at Castellow Hammock Park in March 2016.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird above (image 23) was photographed at Castellow Hammock Park in March 2016.

The White-winged Dove above (image 24) was photographed at Castellow Hammock Park in March 2016.

The Palm Warbler above (image 25) was photographed at Castellow Hammock Park in March 2016.

The Northern Cardinal above (image 26) was photographed at Castellow Hammock Park in March 2016.

Onward in the direction of home we made a brief stop at the Shark Valley Visitor Center where the water level was very high in the canals due to January's rainfall. The expected wading birds were absent as a result.

The Mourning Dove above (image 27) was photographed at Castellow Hammock Park in March 2016.

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The Ruby-throated Hummingbird above (image 28) was photographed at Castellow Hammock Park in March 2016.

Siesta Key Beach In Late Winter

Recognized as one of the best beaches in the world (#16 in a 2013 poll) Siesta Key Beach has undergone a $21 million renovation of its parking lot, landscaping, and concession facility with the addition of other amenities.

The Herring Gull above (image 1) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

Siesta Key Beach is also host to sand sculpting events with the Siesta Key Crystal Classic International Sand Sculpting Festival taking place from 11-15 November 2016. This event utilizing near pure cool to the touch quartz sand precedes the 30th Annual American Sand Sculpting Championship at Fort Myers Beach from 18-27 November 2016.

The Royal Tern above (image 2) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Forster's Tern above (image 3) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Royal Tern above (image 4) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Red-breasted Merganser above (image 5) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Great Egret above (image 6) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Snowy Egret above (image 7) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Ring-billed Gull above (image 8) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Brown Pelican with prey above (image 9) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Brown Pelican above (image 10) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

A visit was made to Siesta Key Beach on 8 March with the company of wildlife photographer Frank Constantin visiting from Quebec. We arrived before sunrise and approached the beach from Access #5 under overcast conditions. There were a handful of beach combers along the inundated flats which regrettably between them caused the birds on hand to take flight before good observations could be made.

The Reddish Egret above (image 11) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Brown Pelican above (image 12) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Brown Pelican above (image 13) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Brown Pelican with Snowy Egret above (image 14) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Reddish Egret above (image 15) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Reddish Egret above (image 16) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Ring-billed Gull above (image 17) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Ring-billed Gull above (image 18) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Double-crested Cormorant above (image 19) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

Among the first birds observed and first photographed was a Herring Gull making a flyby into the southeasterly wind. I wasn't aware of the unusual characteristic of the gull in real time, but discovered the red coloration while reviewing the photo on the computer. I contacted Michael Brothers, Director of the Marine Science Center at Ponce Inlet, about the oddity. He advised me that he believed the gull likely got into some paint or dye (see image #1) at a landfill.

The Great Egret above (image 20) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Royal Tern above (image 21) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Ring-billed Gull above (image 22) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Royal Tern above (image 23) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Great Egret above (image 24) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Great Egret above (image 25) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Mottled Duck above (image 26) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Double-crested Cormorant above (image 27) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Ring-billed Gull above (image 28) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The cloud cover began to dissipate shortly after sunrise. Frank had gone to take a closer look at the wading birds congregating at the tidal pool where Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets, Little Blue Herons (all immature), Double-crested Cormorants, Red-breasted Mergansers, Brown Pelicans, and a Reddish Egret had arrived and were actively feeding in the shallow water.

The Ring-billed Gull with prey above (image 29) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The scene above (image 30) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The scene above (image 31) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Double-crested Cormorant above (image 32) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Great Egret above (image 33) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The juvenile Little Blue Heron above (image 34) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Red-breasted Merganser above (image 35) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Red-breasted Merganser above (image 36) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Red-breasted Merganser above (image 37) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

Other species would fly over the tidal pool as the morning progressed while a pair of Ring-billed Gulls engaged in an interesting behavior within the pool. A short while later, a solitary Mottled Duck came in for a water landing. A Royal Tern was present with a metal federal band clearly seen through its photo. Less than thirty feet in front of us a Great Egret mating dance occurred. The event was much too close to photograph, but amazing to observe.

The juvenile Little Blue Heron above (image 38) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Least Sandpiper above (image 39) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Osprey above (image 40) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The juvenile Little Blue Heron above (image 41) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Fish Crow above (image 42) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Wilson's Plover above (image 43) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Great Egret above (image 44) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Great Egret above (image 45) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Great Egret above (image 46) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

If you choose to visit this beautiful venue, be aware that the mud makes for extremely slippery conditions in places. I have found conditions to be considerably different from one visit to the next involving a change in the flats due to tidal forces or from a change in the water level in the tidal pool (lowest on this visit).

The Fish Crow above (image 47) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Forster's Tern above (image 48) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

So far my few visits to Siesta Key Beach have been sunrise visits. With an opportunity and energy I think it would be productive birding to walk along the beach closer to the residential buildings where vegetation offers refuge to local and migrant species throughout the day. Certainly an activity to be considered in cooler months of the year.

The Ring-billed Gull above (image 49) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

The Laughing Gull above (image 50) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.

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The Black Skimmer above (image 51) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in March 2016.