Today we'd like to introduce you to some bird photography by ecologist Susan Harrison. Her caption is indented and you can click on her photo to enlarge it. (And send yours.)
Dry Tortugas and the dangers of migration
Dry Tortugas is located at the westernmost tip of the Florida Keys, only about 100 miles from the mainland. These small sandy islands, or cays, are uninhabited but essential for bird life. They support breeding colonies of several rare seabirds and are the North American landing site for many spring-migrating songbirds.
Dry Tortugas National Park was established to protect these birds, and only one island is accessible to human visitors. That island is Garden Cay, which supports Fort Jefferson. The island is a huge, crumbling complex whose construction began in 1846 and was abandoned in 1906. This fort was used as a prison during the Civil War. , a quarantine station, and a coal base, but the war-torn exterior is an illusion. For some reason, engineers at the time did not realize that iron fittings exposed to salt water would swell and tear brick walls apart.
Fort Jefferson:
Wandering around the fort grounds in late April, bird migrants can be seen resting on the seagrape shrubs (Kokkoroba Ubifera) and buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) drink trees and drink in the small brick birdbaths that provide the only water for miles around.
Palm Warbler, Setophaga palmalum:
Cape May Warbler, Setophaga tigrinum:
black pole warbler, Setophaga striatum:
oven bird, Seiurus Atrocapilla:
yellow-billed cuckoo, Coxus americanus:
purple gallinule, Porfirio Martinka:
However, this fort is hardly a safe haven for weary travelers. Bird-eating raptors were constantly circling the property, and we witnessed several unlucky songbirds being captured.
Merlin, Falco Columbarius:
A sharply shining hawk, Ascites striatum:
Antilles short-eared owl, Asio flameus domingensis, Caribbean subspecies:
Finally, here are three species of birds found only in the southernmost part of the United States, Florida. I saw the first one in Garden Cay, but I've seen them all in Key West.
gray kingbird, Tyrannus dominicensis:
Goshawk, Buteobrachyurus:
Giant pigeon, Patazioenas leucocephala:
