[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]
Posted by Alex Harper on 20:18:14 10/26/14
Earlier today, Bill and Nancy Framboise reported a Bahama Swallow at Long Key State Park seen on 10/25. Rangel Diaz informed me of the report while I was attempting to relocate a Northern Wheatear photographed on 10/24 at Long Key (which has not been refound). I gave the fellow hawkwatchers at Curry Hammock State Park a heads up to check the swallows thoroughly, which is eleven miles down US-1 closer to Marathon.
I joined up with the hawkwatch around noon, where we were observing high numbers of raptors and vultures moving through. At about 2:30, excitement would ensue once Kerry Ross yelled "Bahama Swallow" while simultaneously drawing his camera towards the sky overhead. All the hawkwatchers and visitors (including a group from University of Miami) got looks at a stunning Bahama Swallow foraging over the platform. The bird would make passes directly overhead, but it wouldn't be long until it was clear there were TWO Bahama Swallows here - one adult and one juvenile. A few Barn and several Northern Rough-winged Swallows were in loose association with these two birds.
The birds disappeared to the north for 10-15 minutes before we had another sighting of at least two birds at the hawkwatch, and we would see the birds on and off as we continued counting raptors streaming south overhead. At 4:00, a mixed group of swallows entered the campground and began foraging. We were able to determine that there were at least three Bahama Swallows seen from the campground at once, and we speculated there could be a fourth. We left the site at 4:25, and at 5:00 Larry Manfredi called me to let me know he had at least one Bahama over the day use area of Curry Hammock.
With one reported at Long Key State Park on 10/25, at least three at Curry Hammock State Park, and one apparently photographed at Bill Baggs Cape Florida today (?), there is already an astounding number of this very rare vagrant to North America in the region. Cape Florida and Curry Hammock are about 85-90 miles away from each other. There is almost surely a relationship with this event and the strong storm that extended from the Caribbean Sea through much of the Caribbean and South Florida.
The Florida Keys Hawkwatch is located in the camprground of Curry Hammock State Park. Visitors can park in the day use area and walk into the campground and join us. Along with the Bahama Swallows, we counted 36 Northern Harriers, 119 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 55 Cooper's Hawks, 786 Broad-winged Hawks, 61 American Kestrels, 15 Peregrine Falcons, 1 Short-tailed Hawk and 6 Swainson's Hawks among 3,833 Turkey Vultures.
Photos and a report will be up on our webpage soon!
http://floridakeyshawkwatch.wordpress.com/
Alex Harper
Long Key
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]