One Bird, One Day at a Time

I wish I could honestly report I had seen, photographed and counted a White-crowned Pigeon.  I really do.  I might, in fact, have watched two of them fly right over my head yesterday, in A.D. Barns Park in the suburbs of Miami.  But I got no picture and just a quick look through my binoculars.  That is not to say, I haven't seen anything.  Two birds, two days.  Well, more if you count the ABA uncountable Hill Myna, and various parakeets, none of which were the sought after White-winged Parakeet.

On Sunday, returning from the Everglads, I stopped at Larry Manfredi's home in Homestead and we sat in his back yard and watched Shiny Cowbirds, both male and female, cavorting amongst his bushes.  Larry has been so nice to me, even though we never did get to go out birding, officially.  He alerted me to the Fork-tailed Flycatcher and was nice enough to have me to his home.  Hopefully I can repay the favor and hire him for a day of birding south Florida sometime.

Yesterday, once again searching for a few last birds before heading back to Tampa and on to Louisiana, I was again in A.D. Barns Park when I woman, ran up to me, nearly out of breath, to announce Spot-breasted Orioles had just been seen nearby.  She asked, "Are you looking for the Spot-breasted Oriole?"  "Wow!" I said, "How did you know that?"  Somehow she knew I was a birder.  Perhaps it was the vest and funny hat?  How lucky am I, sometimes?  She directed me to an empty field and within minutes two Spot-breasted Orioles shot right by me, not 5 feet from my nose, and vanished into some trees on the other side of a fence.  I then hoped they would reappear for a photo and yes, they did oblige me.

Though I didn't get the Red-whiskered Bulbul,(it's just not around now), and I was too late for the Black-whiskered Vireo, and I have just been in the right places at the wrong time for the White-crowned Pigeon, I can't complain.  I've added 4 birds in 5 days and still have 4 days in Louisiana and a couple of days in Texas left before I head home again.

Once again, I am grateful to the kindness of strangers and can't thank the birding community enough for all the help I have received as continue my quest for 600.