A couple of visits to local birding hot spots Fort Zach and the Key West Botanical Garden yielded several new species for 2026 as the spring migration hit its peak here this week.

This Magnolia Warbler was showing off the spider larvae it had found.

While this Hooded Warbler stopped its hunt for bugs just long enough to pose for this portrait.

This Swainson's Thrush was also searching for its next meal.  

Toss in Northern Yellow Warbler, Veery, Chimney Swift, Scarlet Tanager and Bay-breasted Warbler and the 2026 count now stands at 236.

We are set to spend most of next week with Grandson Henry at Walt Disney World and may hit a couple of birding locations on our way to and from Orlando.  The following week, we are headed to West Virginia where we should be able to push the 2026 total toward 300.

Henry and I have been putting together a penny collection.  It's like collecting baseball cards only a lot cheaper.  What we don't keep for our collection goes back to the bank.  Henry presents his dollar bill at both the bank and at Publix and is rewarded with two rolls of pennies.  We have done this routine enough now that he talks to everyone at the bank during each visit.  Why not, he knows all of them by name and they all know him. One loan officer at the bank gave Henry her plastic crab pencil holder on our last visit.  The crab is now a regular guest on our penny-hunting bike rides through the neighborhood.  And the ladies at the customer service counter at Publix no longer need to ask what Henry wants as he approaches with this dollar.  They just get two rolls of pennies ready for him.  

Henry also had the opportunity to save a box turtle this week that showed up in our yard.  We dropped it off in the lush vegetation of the Key West Botanical Garden... a much more suitable place for a turtle than our yard.  Today, Henry helped Grandma take a days-old chick to the wildlife rescue center.  It had somehow become separated from its mother hen and ended up in our yard.  Each day is a wonderment for the little fellow.

Our 1,100 mile, 3-day sprint across Texas has come and gone.  The birding was okay, not great.  The weather was marginal at best which made the birding okay, not great.  

At Lost Maples State Park we did get our two target birds as the drizzle moved in... the Black-capped Vireo...

... and the Golden-cheeked Warbler.

In the Davis Mountains, we found this pair of Canyon Towhees...

... and, this Curve-billed Thrasher.  It was much obliged for the orange I placed on a fence in hopes of attracting some orioles.  It did the trick last year but alas, no orioles this year.

It was all downhill from there as the rain set in on Friday.  All downhill except for the 2,000 foot climb to Boot Spring high in the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park the next day.  We started our 10-mile hike at dawn with just enough light to see the trail.  It was a brisk 46 degrees and fog was pouring over the rim of the canyon and down its sides.

We were serenaded up the trail by Rufous-crowned Sparrows, Spotted Towhees and Canyon Wrens.  Mexican Jays and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers also added to the ruckus.  Otherwise, it was up, up, up.

Although we were a couple of weeks early for the spring cactus bloom, this one was already giving passers-by a show. 

Unfortunately, our efforts were not rewarded with a Colima Warbler sighting.  The best look of the day was probably this Tarantula that my son found along the trail.

Another bright spot was finding this Western Screech Owl snoozing in a thicket the previous day at Dugout Wells in Big Bend National Park.

We saw this group of White-faced Ibis standing in the Rio Grande River with Mexico behind them.  Although they were standing closer to Mexico than Texas, I added them to my Texas count because I was standing in Texas.

So, you win some, you lose some.  After completing our hike, we did the 410 mile drive from Big Bend to San Antonio to catch our flight home the next morning.  While we did not take time to stop in Langtry, Texas to visit Judge Roy Bean's place, we did stop for Texas brisket and banana puddin' at Rudy's in Del Rio.

I did manage to add 67 new species for 2026 bringing the YTD total to 229. Given the weather conditions and our rapid pace, this was actually a pretty good number.

A quick evening run to Fort Zach yesterday yielded a Bobolink although my primary goal was the Short-eared Owl that had been reported in there in the morning.   Several local birders and I stayed until we were politely kicked out of the park at dusk but alas, no owl.

I visited the Key West Botanical Garden this morning in search of a Sora and a Purple Gallinule.  I had no luck on the gallinule but I did find the Sora foraging in the leaves around a freshwater pond where the tannins of the constantly falling leaves have brewed it to a murky, dark brown color.  This small rail, or crake, has a body about the size of a softball.  How many times have you read the word, "crake" in your life?  It's at least twice now.

This Green Heron was sporting his crest while hunting on another pond.

The Bobolink and Sora brought my YTD bird species count to 161.  I'm hoping to move it well above 200 over the next few days as we head to Texas tomorrow.  We may be headed for some immoderate weather so, we will see.

Things were more subdued on the birding front this morning at Fort Zach.  But, the American Redstarts were still plentiful and active.

I also got my first opportunity to photograph an Ovenbird this year.  Their name is derived from the shape of its nest.

A quick visit to the Key West Botanical Garden yielded this Worm-eating Warbler.

And another Chuck-Wills-Widow.

I stopped by the house to pick up Henry and we headed for the beach near the Boca Chica Naval Air Station.  In addition to picking up a grocery bag full of trash while walking down the beach - Henry loves picking up trash on the beach - we managed to spot this Wilson's Plover...

... And some Short-billed Dowitchers roosting with some Ruddy Turnstones on the fresh piles of sargassum grasses that have washed ashore over the past couple of days.  That stuff will be stinking up the beach shortly unless the next storm pulls it back out to sea.

Sadly, the Navy is in the process of burying an area of fresh-water ponds and gravel beds near the beach where Antillean Nighthawks, Roseate Terns and other shorebirds nest during the summer.  Sometimes there just isn't enough tarmac.

Another trip to Fort Zach and another batch of photos.  Bird photography is similar to golf.  You play a good round but you know you can do better.   In yesterday's post I showed a Blackpoll Warbler.  The photo was okay but, today's shot was better.

The same could be said of today's Black and White Warbler.

There is one area near the fort where the birds congregate to take baths.  So, the easiest thing to do is to sit down and wait for the birds to come to you.  This Cape May Warbler was happy to oblige.

And, this Black-whiskered Vireo.  The thin black stripe on its neck gives the appearance of a black whisker.  Thus the name. This is a species that you don't really see outside of the Keys.  It is more heavily concentrated in Cuba, the Bahamas and other parts of the Caribbean.

It is always worm and bug hunting time for the warblers as they refuel to continue their northbound journeys.  This Cape May Warbler was in search of its next meal.

And, this American Redstart.  No, Trump did not rename this bird. It's been an American Redstart for years.

If he finds out there are species with names like Mexican Duck, Mexican Jay, and Mexican Whip-poor-will, he might insist on renaming those, although it's likely any number of activist judges will be ready to call such an idea illegal and unconstitutional.

This Northern Parula Warbler was also inspecting every limb for a quick bite.

And, yes, the American Redstart found its meal.

Today's new species for 2026 was a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  She was looking too rough for a nice portrait.  She either started her migration in poor shape or the flyover to Key West was a rough one.  The YTD count has crept to 158.  It should easily jump past 200 when we head to West Texas next week.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Henry and his Grandma have been helping the monarch caterpillars survive the wasp attacks.  Here, Henry gets to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

Fort Zach was dripping with warblers this morning.  A storm front to the north last night forced them to sit down on Key West, temporarily interrupting their northward migration.  As such, they were in full worm-hunting mode including this Swainson's Warbler...

The ever-present Palm Warbler...

The Cape May Warbler...

And, Blackpoll Warbler.

Not to be confused with the Blackpoll Warbler, this Black and White Warbler came to a fork in a tree.  So, he took it.

This Black-throated Blue Warbler took a break to survey the sea grapes for its next catch.

Other warblers on display this morning included Prairie Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, American Restart, Blue-winged Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Worm-eating Warbler and Northern Parula.

Other notable species today included this White-crowned Pigeon.  Although this species is more widely found in Cuba, the Bahamas and other Caribbean locales, it is a common site in Key West.

The resident Gray Catbirds were as busy looking for worms as the warblers.

This migrating Chuck-Wills Widow was sleeping the day away in plain sight.  These birds are active at night and typically tough to spot during the day, let alone get a photo.

And, finally, this Yellow-billed Cuckoo also stopped for the day before continuing its migration north.

Two days ago, Fort Zach was all but bird-less.  It's amazing how the weather impacts whether the birds stop or simply fly over to the mainland on their migration.

A visit to Fort Zach this morning yielded three more birds for 2026 bringing my YTD total to 151.  Sounds nice except last year I finished April at 362.  Of course, I have not been to Minnesota, West Virginia, New Jersey, Arizona or Texas this year.  So, that pretty much explains the difference.

After picking up an Indigo Bunting and this Black-whiskered Vireo...

I found a tree littered with warblers.  Like this Black-throated Blue Warbler, they were hunting for very small worms among the Jamaican Dogwood blossoms.

The Palm Warblers were everywhere.  This one was also busy hunting before taking a break from the feeding frenzy.

Previously, I noted how Henry and I take long walks most days.  We usually do 2 to 4 miles each day with him riding his tricycle and me steering him safely out of harm's way.  And, that we typically find discarded coins during our outings.  Here, Henry displays the coins that put us at $100.00 found in 2026 as of April 8.  We started keeping track this year just out of curiosity but, I'd estimate we have found at least $250 since we started our walks.

I do not understand why people in Key West hate money so much.  Yesterday, we found $3.95 on our walks.  Oh well, Henry and OG's piggy banks appreciate the deposits.

Spring has officially sprung in Key West with the return of the Gray Kingbirds...

... and the Least Terns.

We have been seeing some early arrivals over the past few weeks but, we're ready for the big migration push to start in earnest any day.

Upon hearing the news of Tiger Woods' recent mishap, the boys spent an afternoon trying to answer the question, "How could anyone possibly roll a vehicle in a flat state like Florida?"

We celebrated OG's 2nd birthday Disney style at the end of March.  Henry's negotiations to replace OG's birthday with a birthday of his own ultimately failed.  OG enjoyed the park unabated as Disney officials promised not to kick him out of the park on his birthday.

Henry got over the whole birthday swap ordeal with his first bite of birthday cake and a new batch OG's toys ready to be plundered.  Henry wanted to trade his July birthday for OG's March birthday.  And, of course, trade back again in July.  Cake and toys were really Henry's end-game all along.

Back in Key West, the man cubs had a good time coloring Easter eggs.  When the eggs ran out, Henry decided it would be a good idea to make his hands look like colored eggs.

It's time to complete some spring projects before we head to Texas at the end of April for a whirlwind, Texas-sized birding excursion that will see us cover more than 1,000 miles in three days.  I'm sure my good friend Suzanne is shuddering to think of such folly.  But, when you're in a hurry, you're in a hurry.  We have three more trips planned for May and June after that.