Putting a New Spin(dalis) on a Baseball Analogy

Bananaquit at Bill Baggs State Park

I used to coach some youth baseball.  One of the things I told my kids was that if they made an out seven out of ten times, they would make the Hall of Fame.  Making an out twice in every three at bats would place you among the immortals of the game.  So failure isn't always bad, right?

Of course, I'm referring to my trip last week to Miami to chase three potential life birds (Bananaquit, Western Spindalis, and La Sagra's Flycatcher).  The Big Red Van left Gainesville at about 4:30 AM and arrived at Bill Baggs State Park on Key Biscayne at about 11:00  As I pulled up to the gate I was greeted by one of the most pleasant and helpful park rangers I've ever met.  Mariel Abreu told me where to look for the Bananaquit, at what times it had been present in the past, how to get to the other park on Virginia Key, and where those other birds were being seen.  Can you ask for anything else?  I don't think so. 

We got to the spot and learned that the Bananaquit had been seen earlier in the morning but not since then.  There were also a large number of birders walking the path and peering into the bushes.  Mariel had said that the bird had shown up late in the afternoon, so I decided to leave and chase the birds on Virginia Key.  First up was the La Sagra's on Sewage Plant Road.  As I got out of the car, I thought I heard the bird, but that was as close as I got.  We walked the length of the road, pished and pleaded, but the bird was a no-show.  However, despite the rain we did get a nice look at a dark Short-tailed Hawk.  Next it was on to the Bike Park and the chase for the Spindalis.  Using the map that Lynn Atherton had sent out, we walked all over the trails in the southeast part of the park.  Again we pished and pleaded to no avail.  So far, my batting average wasn't looking very good.

Broad-winged Hawk

It was getting late in the afternoon so I drove back to Bill Baggs.  This time we were alone on the path.  Mariel had said to make sure we should look on both sides of the path and beyond the pink ribbon that had served as the marker for where the Bananaquit had been seen.  We worked our way down the path, checking both sides for the flowers the bird was most likely to feed upon.  And there it was.  The Bananaquit is a gorgeous little bird, and I was blessed to be able to watch it for over 20 minutes getting killer looks over and over.  That kind of pleasure and joy is why I bird!  It was getting late, so after a fabulous pizza at Sir Pizza in Key Biscayne, I made my way to the hotel, checked in, and followed the Gator basketball game on my computer. 

On Friday morning we headed back to Virginia Key and tried again for the La Sagra's ... and failed.  I found the open field where some others have seen the bird and worked all around it, but there was no bird to be seen.  On to the Bike Park!  On the way there I pulled off the road to look at a Broad-winged Hawk.

After reading about the Spindalis's habits and habitat, we decided to work the strip between the beginner trail and the edge of the park opposite the water treatment facility.  After just a few minutes we encountered a feeding flock that included Gray Catbirds, Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers, Painted Buntings, and an Ovenbird.  And there among them was the Spindalis!  We got a quick but definitive look at the bird.  It was another lifer and some other very good birds!

In the parking lot I checked my county list and discovered that I was very close to 100 county birds.  I only had a few hours left before I had to leave, so after lunch (The Old Heidelberg Cafe ... fantastic!) I went back to Bill Baggs in the hopes of finding something new.  A Sanderling and a Lesser Black-backed Gull got me to 98, but that's where it ended.  I couldn't wait any longer and hope to reach Gainesville while I was still awake (the preferred mode of consciousness for drivers). 

I got home around 10:00 PM feeling very satisfied.  I was two for three and a .667 batting average.  Is there a birding Hall of Fame? 

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Painted Bunting