We started the morning at Black Point Marina, looking for the Mangrove Cuckoo, and ran into some other birders there: Jan, other birder #1, Steve, Dave, Wes, Phoenix, Hannah, other birder #2.

Mangrove (sans cuckoo) at Black Point Marina

Butterfly, wings open

Butterfly, wings closed

A couple of young Yellow-crowned Night-Herons made an appearance.

Steve walked across the little bridge from the parking lot to the marina and found this cocky looking Green Heron stomping along the rocks at the edge of the water.

Green Heron

Back in the parking lot, a couple of Mourning Doves checked the gravel.

On the way into the marina, we noticed swallows around an overpass and stopped on the way out to look at them: Hannah, Phoenix and Jan

From the parking lot where we stopped, Steve hiked over to the overpass.

There were many Caribbean Cave Swallows flying around the overpass, but we only found a few nests on the side of the road from which we were looking.

Cave Swallows

Cave Swallows

Cave Swallows

Cave Swallows

In the median, a Royal Poinciana tree was blooming.

Royal Poinciana tree bloom

Royal Poinciana tree bloom

After the marina, we drove back into Florida City to an industrial warehouse to look for Mynas and found this curious lizard, the Redhead Agama.

Redhead Agama

As we were wandering the alley behind the warehouse, a fellow came up and told us there was a peacock in the parking lot next door.

We found a Mockingbird too.

And a young Mockingbird seemed to be testing his technique.

Another lizard

Lizard

We found Mynas at the warehouse property and in the apartment complex behind it.

Myna, scouting the perimeter of some apartments

Peacock on the grounds at the apartments

Myna

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, we had lunch at Rosita's Mexican restaurant before heading out into the Everglades National Park, where we came upon this pale Florida Red-shouldered Hawk.

Red-shouldered Hawk

We drove to Flamingo in the Everglades and worked our way back. At one of our southwesternmost stops, we found a single male Shiny Cowbird among a flock of Brown-headed Cowbirds.

Shiny Cowbird

Shiny Cowbird

There were several Gumbo-Limbo trees in the area.

At a marina and shop, we found the only Ring-billed Gull we saw.

An immature Little Blue Heron gazed in the water from the concrete pier.

Under our feet, this Laughing Gull looked for something to snack on.

Driving back east, we stopped at Mrazek Pond and Mary found these wine-colored flowers blooming.

Wine-colored wildflower

Jan, Hannah, Steve and Phoenix looked out over the pond.

Jane, Hannah and Steve at Mrazek Pond

Phoenix looked up a bird ID while Jan photographed birds.

There were a few Cattle Egrets perching in the mangrove branches.

Immature White Ibis flew into the pond.

Preening Anhinga

Double-crested Cormorant in Mrazek Pond

Dragonfly doing a headstand

Across the road from the pond, Dave, Hannah, Wes, Jan, Phoenix and Jane looked for a bird.

Hannah, Wes, Jan, Phoenix and Jane

Steve

And the bird turned out to be a Prairie Warbler.

Prairie Warbler in the mangrove across the road from Mrazek Pond

Dragonfly

Our next stop was Pinelands Trail, where Dave assured us our quarry would not fly away from us.

Yellow wildflowers with down-turned blossoms

Pines on the Pinelands Trail. Wes and Dave explained the trees were old, but not big in circumference because the limestone they grow in offers few nutrients.

Greenish-yellow wildflower

A spike-leaved plant--a thistle before its flower stalk appears?

This Acacia tree had small yellow flowers, green seed pods and big thorns.

Acacia

Yellow wildflower

Yellow wildflower

Blooming Sabal Palm

Sabal Palm bloom

The unfleeing quarry to which Dave alluded was Tree Snails.

Tree Snail

Tree Snail

Seeds on a branch

Tree Snail

Tree Snail

Tree Snail

Most of the snail shells were bigger than this one and most were on smooth tree bark, not on leaves.

Tree Snail

Grass seed head

Wood-boring bees were abundant at sitting station near the end of the trail.

At our next stop, we walked away from the road to a clearing in the pines.

Thistle along the path

Buds of thistle flowers about to bloom

Caterpillar

An Osprey flew over us.

Osprey banks to fly away

Female Red-bellied Flycatcher

Female Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker at a nest hole

Eastern Bell's Vireo with brighter yellow underneath

Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker

Pine Warbler with yellow spectacles

Pine Warbler

Pine Warbler

Male Downy Woodpecker

Pine Warbler again

Male Northern Cardinal

Porterweed flower

Aster-type flower

At Anhinga Trail, this Swallow-tailed Kite circled us a couple of times.

Swallow-tailed Kite, underside view

Swallow-tailed Kite, top view

Swallow-tailed Kite

Buttonbush flower

Dragonfly

Aster-type flower

Immature Eastern Lubber grasshopper

Cuban Brown Anole

Brown Anole

Adult Lubber grasshopper

Adult and immature Lubber grasshoppers

Adult Lubber grasshopper

Immature Lubber grasshopper

They were everywhere

How many lubbers can you find?

Male Cuban Brown Anole showing its dewlap

Fish in the water below the boardwalk at Anhinga Trail

Great Blue Heron stalking through the marsh

Green Heron

Adult Eastern Lubber grasshopper

Buttonbush flowers

This anole is regrowing its tail.

Anhinga

Great Egret

Epiphyte bloom

Epiphyte bloom

Epiphyte bloom and seeds

Epiphyte

Yellow-bellied Slider turtle

Immature Green Heron

You can see the green in this Green Heron that flew onto the rail of the boardwalk at Anhinga Trail.

Anhinga perched on the left with another on a nest in the trees on the right

Another young Green Heron

Green Heron

Great Blue Heron

Anhingas

You can see the "snake bird's" tail at the surface of the water.

It's nice when you see them going away.

Immature Green Heron

Green Heron

Green Heron

Dragonfly

Dragonfly

Brown Anole showing its dewlap

Great Blue Heron

Buttonbush flower

Swamp Apple blossoms, also called Alligator Apple because alligators eat the fruit

Wildflower

Clouds started building at the end of the day.

Clouds over Anhinga Trail, Everglades National Park, FL

Clouds over Mary and Anhinga Trail

Steve and Mary at the end of the day at Anhinga Trail

Clouds

Clouds

Great Blue Heron against the clouds at the end of the day over Anhinga Trail

Great Blue Heron heading for its nighttime roost

It's a little unsettling when it turns around and comes back in your direction--and perhaps an omen for the evening--a storm blew through while we were having dinner and the power went off at our hotel.