Some Epic Florida Wetlands
Wood Storks are such prehistoric looking creatures
For my last post on birding around Miami, Florida, I wanted to present two amazing places that need a visit, the Wakodahatchee and Green Cay Wetlands. I have seen the Wood Stork many times but I really wanted to study them up close. These two places not only did the trick but also offered many other amazing views of other species on that better-views-desired list. 
lifer Gray-headed Swamphen
These wetlands are about an hour and some odd minutes north from the southern point of Miami. However, I spent a whole morning and afternoon there so it was worth the drive and worth the birding. Both places have an extensive network of boardwalks that are strategically placed throughout the wetlands.
As I arrived at Wakodahatchee, I noticed right at the entrance a rookery of Wood Storks building nests!!!! They flew inches above my head. I've seen them flyover or from a distance but never this close!
I have heard some people talk about how ugly they think these birds are. When I see them, I think about dinosaurs and Egyptian Gods. They look prehistoric. It was quite a treat to watch these birds up close.
It was quite busy at Wakodahatchee on the boardwalk but I found spaces where I could count smaller birds away from people. Tourists, birders and non-birders alike, marveled at this HUGE alligator off the boardwalk. There were actually quite a few gators in the wetlands but not quite that size! Instead I was fixated on the Gray-headed Swamphen, which was a lifer, and the many Purple Gallinules! Talk about PURPLE! Both species are striking!
I had never seen baby Anhingas before(below). This was a treat. They are such beautiful birds. My report for "Wako" is here.
After finding a whopping 56 species at Wako, I was off to the Green Cay Wetlands. It's just a few miles away from Wakodahatchee. It was here that I got to see a lot of other great species up close like the Limpkin. I saw my lifer last year in Panama but through a scope. This year, I had one zip past me on the boardwalk.
I think this place was my favorite because there weren't as many people here and it was quiet. It was a great place to connect with the wildlife. And during my walks, I ran into Pedro Lastra who I first met back in Trinidad!!!! It was wonderful seeing him. He was there to capture images of the bobcats living in these wetlands.
I continued onwards taking it all in. I needed that mental health break. When I am birding, all the stress and anxiety from my job disappears. This year has been even worse for teachers across the US. The stress has taken a toll and we are losing talented people to the great retirement and also due to low salaries. On top of that, teachers are not supported by their schools or district OR feel that they are not supported by their schools or district. And they leave the profession putting a strain on the ones who remain. I am not optimistic about the future of public schools. I feel like I am the last of my kind. People will lie and say, "Oh you're exaggerating." But they aren't teachers. They don't see it like we do. I believed in this profession and I still do. But it's not valued anymore like it was when I first began back in the 90's. When parents begin to care, change will happen. But for now, I have to survive and the way I do it is by planning forced vacation days into my work schedule to let me get my mental balance back in check.
LIMPKIN!!!!!!
I'm glad my friend Homer Gardin recommended these places. Absolutely. Gorgeous.
Sexy Glossy Ibis, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Palm Warblers, Roseate Spoonbills, Purple Martins and other incredible birds were everywhere around the boardwalk! Even a Chuck-will's-widow!
Glossy Ibis
When I first arrived, I found this Red-shouldered Hawk hunting! It got a snake. To see this raptor out in the open was a treat! There are a few here in Arizona but they can be tricky to observe in the wild as they like to fly between branches and leaves.
I thought I smiled on this pic but it was a bit humid. It did sprinkle a little but as the morning went on, the sun came out for a bit....as did more people.
The report for the Green Cay Wetlands is here. Thanks to Homer for his guidance and friendship. If you do visit the Miami area, you need to stop at these wetlands. In the future, I will make another trek to the Keys in spring when Gray Kingbirds and Antillean Nighthawks arrive. This trip was about birding and finding a few lifers, hanging out with Homer, having some yummy Cuban food and escaping reality for a bit. I was well rested after that trip.
I am currently working on several more projects for the end of this year and into next. I have never been more focused in my life on things like I am now. We'll meet up again in May when we do a little fun detective work up in the Pacific Northwest where I will join Khanh Tranh as we play detectives and look for new owl locations. Along the way, we'll check to see if the grouse are out on their leks displaying. I especially love grouse and quail. In fact, I love chicken birds. Rails are cool. And maybe we'll see if the Tufted Puffins are back. Until next time....
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