Gettin' Lucky at Alligator Lake

Alligator Lake

Bob Wallace recently speculated that with the rain that is passing through Florida right now, we might get some warblers stopping in North Florida during the next few days.  So we decided to head up to Alligator Lake in Columbia County this morning.  The woods around the lake should be a great warbler trap and it looked like the rain may stay just to the south of the park.  So maybe migrating birds would stop before reaching the storm?

We reached the park just after 8:00 and headed south toward the wooded trails.  That's when I had additional proof that it's better to be lucky than good.  I had to return to the car to get some rain gear, and in the process walked right under a resting Chuck-will's-widow.  It burst into flight just above my head, testing the health of my heart.  I was able to get a decent look at it in flight - no white patches in the tail, no "wrist bands" in the wings,  but definitely a nightjar, so in all probability it was a Chuck.

This Carolina Chickadee Was Very Curious About Us.

Eventually we decided to take the road less traveled.  The few times that I've birded this section of the park I've stayed on the Eagle Trail - about a mile long and close to the parking lot.  This time we decided to follow the Possum Trot Trail - about three miles skirting the edges of the park.  It was a good decision.  After crossing the footbridge we quickly encountered two feeding flocks, one just beyond the bridge and the other at the "T" that sends the trail along the edge of the canal.  We were excited to see a Tennessee, then a Redstart, then a Pine, and then an Ovenbird.  Moving on a little we were buzzed by a Magnolia, a Yellow-throated, a Black-and-White, and then ...

What's that?  Look!  Distinct eye line, white eyebrow, brown cap, plain underneath, olive brown above ... It was a Swainson's Warbler!!  I hadn't seen one of them in years, so this was a real treat.  The little guy gave us great looks for two or three minutes.  When we finally left that spot, the day was already guaranteed to be a great one.

We finished the walk with a couple of good finds including a Tricolored Heron (below, left) wading in a small stream, a Northern Waterthrush exploring a small swamp, and what we believe is an Acadian Flycatcher that was the only bird of the day that actually kept still!

Overall, it was a great day, I picked up 5 county lifers, and did I mention there was a Swainson's Warbler?? 

Tricolored Heron

Acadian Flycatcher, I think ...