August Avian Migrants At The EAA: Part II

After a very rewarding stop at one of Florida's Everglades Agricultural Area flooded fields on the west side of U.S. Highway 27, Tom Obrock and I continued our travel south toward the King Ranch sod fields.

The American White Pelican above (image 1) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

A good view of several bird species was possible at a much closer range than that seen earlier in the day after an overshoot of the ranch as we went as far south as the towers.

The Green Heron above (image 2) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Black-necked Stilt above (image 3) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Roseate Spoonbill above (image 4) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Roseate Spoonbill above (image 5) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Black-bellied Whistling-Duck above (image 6) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

Our arrival at King Ranch offered a similar impression I have had on my previous visits to this venue. I was challenged greatly to get even a diagnostic shot of the wildlife.

The Black-bellied Whistling-Duck above (image 7) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Lesser Yellowlegs above (image 8) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Black-necked Stilt above (image 9) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Gull-billed Tern above (image 10) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (County Road 880) in August 2015.

The Gull-billed Tern above (image 11) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (County Road 880) in August 2015.

After a brief stop at King Ranch we continued on toward Brown's Farm Road. More flooded fields south of County Road 880 about halfway toward Six Mile Bend from Belle Glade were enticing to investigate along the way.

The Cliff Swallow above (image 12) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (County Road 880) in August 2015.

The Black Tern above (image 13) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (County Road 880) in August 2015.

The Stilt Sandpiper above (image 14) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (County Road 880) in August 2015.

The Black Tern above (image 15) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (County Road 880) in August 2015.

The Black Tern above (image 16) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (County Road 880) in August 2015.

It was in this area southeast of Belle Glade that I was sure we would see at least one Wilson's Phalarope. With the absence of the bird, Tom noted that Vince McGrath would have put us onto the phalarope, among others.

The Semipalmated Sandpiper above (image 17) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

The Common Nighthawk above (image 18) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

The primarily Glossy Ibis above (image 19) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

The Glossy Ibis above (image 20) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

The mixed shorebirds above (image 21) were photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

Our final stop of the day along Brown's Farm Road was particularly rewarding with thousands of birds in an area more than a square mile divided by accommodating intersecting roads.

The Boat-tailed Grackle above (image 22) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

The Pectoral Sandpiper above (image 23) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

The Green Heron above (image 24) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

The Boat-tailed Grackle above (image 25) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

The Short-billed Dowitcher above (image 26) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

Although the venues along Brown's Farm Road are typically the furthest visited on this trip, I would favor arrival to them at sunrise with perhaps more birds to see that otherwise will have moved on in the late morning hours.

The American Avocet above (image 27) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

The American Avocet above (image 28) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

The American Avocet above (image 29) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

The 4 August EAA trip this year was a little early for Upland Sandpiper which Tom advised me was reported on 16 August.

The Solitary Sandpiper above (image 30) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

The Wood Stork above (image 31) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Brown's Farm Road) in August 2015.

Please also see August Avian Migrants At The EAA: Part I
Please also see Cooper's Hawk vs. Swallow-tailed Kite

August Avian Migrants At The EAA: Part I

An early August 2015 trip to the Everglades Agricultural Area while traveling with Tom Obrock was rewarding for wildlife observation as expected.

The Barn Swallow above (image 1) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Miami Canal Road) in August 2015.

A handful of species seen along Miami Canal Road, Bolles Canal Road, and U.S. Highway 27 (the first leg of the journey) are highlighted in part one of this article. Barn Owl was a target species along Miami Canal Road though was missed.

The Red-winged Blackbird with prey above (image 2) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Miami Canal Road) in August 2015.

The Common Nighthawk above (image 3) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Bolles Canal Road) in August 2015.

The Double-crested Cormorant above (image 4) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Bolles Canal Road) in August 2015.

The Double-crested Cormorant above (image 5) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Bolles Canal Road) in August 2015.

The Common Nighthawk above (image 6) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Bolles Canal Road) in August 2015.

The Common Nighthawk above (image 7) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Bolles Canal Road) in August 2015.

The Common Nighthawk above (image 8) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Bolles Canal Road) in August 2015.

Insects including dragonflies, biting flies and mosquitoes were very prolific at the cypress stand on Miami Canal Road. The uncomfortable ones were not encountered for the remainder of the trip. Beware of fire ants anywhere in the southeastern United States, however.

The Common Nighthawk above (image 9) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Bolles Canal Road) in August 2015.

The Common Nighthawk above (image 10) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Bolles Canal Road) in August 2015.

The Bobcat above (image 11) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Bolles Canal Road) in August 2015.

The Purple Gallinule above (image 12) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Bolles Canal Road) in August 2015.

The Black Tern above (image 13) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Black Tern above (image 14) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Black Tern above (image 15) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

Significant space on the camera's memory card was used for documentation of a pair of Common Nighthawk seen along Bolles Canal Road. While traveling toward U.S. Highway 27 southwest of Belle Glade, Tom caught sight of a Bobcat which seemed to have an interest in us perhaps more than we had of it.

The Black Tern with prey above (image 16) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Glossy Ibis above (image 17) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Glossy Ibis above (image 18) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Black Tern above (image 19) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Gull-billed Tern above (image 20) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Gull-billed Tern above (image 21) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Gull-billed Tern above (image 22) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

A flooded field was encountered along U.S. Highway 27 on our way to the King Ranch sod farm offering good conditions for a decent number of birds resting and refueling for their survival. On occasion Black Terns and Gull-billed Terns made very close approaches here.

The Gull-billed Tern above (image 23) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Gull-billed Tern above (image 24) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Black Tern above (image 25) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Black Tern above (image 26) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Black Tern above (image 27) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Black Tern above (image 28) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Black-necked Stilt above (image 29) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

It needs to be noted that we determined that County Road 700 was a bust for observations. Valuable observation time should not be devoted to this road, especially north of Florida State Road 80.

The Lesser Yellowlegs above (image 30) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The American White Pelican above (image 31) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Snowy Egret above (image 32) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

The Black-bellied Whistling-Duck above (image 32) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

Be sure to investigate Tom Obrock's report for another perspective with additional details from this Everglades Agricultural Area trip.

The White Peacock Butterfly above (image 33) was photographed at the Everglades Agricultural Area (U.S. Highway 27) in August 2015.

Please also see August Avian Migrants At The EAA: Part II
Please also see Cooper's Hawk vs. Swallow-tailed Kite