Lower Keys fallout

[Jim.Edwards@furman.edu]

Jane Chew and I were on the Dry Tortugas in early May and were the
beneficiaries/victims of the strong and constant east wind mentioned in
some recent posts.  Yes, the fallout was remarkable: we had huge numbers of
Cape Mays (50+ in one day), Black-throated Blues, Palms, Prairies, American
Redstarts, and Common Yellowthroats, mixed with Ovenbirds, Worm-eating
Warblers, and the like.  We even had a ground-roosting female Antillean
Nighthawk on Garden Key that we could study at length.  (The species was
identified, relying on Sibley, by the length of the primaries on the
resting bird: they didn't even reach the tip of the tail, much less extend
beyond it, as with Commons.  Certain plumage features ruled out Lesser
Nighthawk, which has occured there on rare occasions.)

Sad as it is to reflect on what such fallouts mean to the birds themselves,
it was nevertheless inspiring to see them struggling across the sea, flying
low to the water to use the waves to shield themselves.  Several hitched
rides on our boat, both going and coming.  Surely this sort of wind has
blown innumerable times and still the birds are here; it is the horrifying
loss and degradation of habitat caused by us humans that might soon tip the
balance against them.   The east wind we cannot control; the destruction of
forests and wetlands we can.

If anyone is considering a trip to the Tortugas, I would strongly recommend
it.

Jim Edwards
jim.edwards@furman.edu