Hi all...........
The Saga of the fork-tailed Flycatcher or Why I deserve this bird.............
I started birding in Florida 12 years ago. At that time Wes Biggs told me that I had to get the Fork-tailed Flycatcher
.........it was a must for a Florida birder.
I first went on a chase for the thing to Marathon Key, got there bright and early the day after it was seen
.......Fork-tail's don't stay in Florida.
My next chase was to Arkansas with Wes on our way to California, the bird died in an ice storm before we got there.
Then a Fork-tail showed up at Loxahatchee NWR, I got there the next morning
........Fork-tail's don't stay in Florida.
I decided not to chase for a while, then one showed up at Zellwood. I had to go for this one, it was nice and close. Ken Laborde, Ralph Bird and I went for the bird
............Fork-tail's don't stay in Florida.
I took a trip to Sturgis South Dakota, with my cousin. To a biker rally, on the way back we stopped in Wisconsin to visit his daughter. Pam called me Sunday night with the news of the Fork-tail
..........I was just thrilled to hear that she had the bird (she never once even chased the darn thing).
I stewed over this for a while, then at 2:30 AM Monday morning I woke up my cousin, and said that we were making a mad dash for Florida. The only thing that he knows about birds, is that chickens taste good. We were on our way at 3AM, drove straight thru to Sarasota and arrived there at 3AM Tuesday morning, and then I drove straight to Viera.
Twenty-seven wonderful hours, wondering if the Fork-tail would still be there. After arriving at Viera, and sitting in my truck, waiting for daylight, a deputy came along and had to check me out and make sure that I wasn't wanted for anything
.........I don't think that I was.
Then at 8:25AM my quest for the fork-tail was over
.........and it sure was a great looking bird.
Worth all the trouble
..........Hell yes!!!!
Dick Novier
Palm Bay FL
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