Posted by C.J. Grimes on January 20, 2001 at 19:19:54:
A mystery bird was reported to me at the Flamingo visitor center around 2:30pm today by Karen Metz, visiting Everglades NP from Colorado. After a couple of attempts to get a look at it, Brian Ettling and I were able to identify it as a male Yellow-faced Grassquit (Tiaris olivacea). Brian saw the bird several times between 4:45 and 5:30pm and when i arrived at 5:30 we were able to re-locate it by its very high-pitched chip note.
It was seen at Eco Pond in Everglades National Park, about 1/2 way around the loop near a cement bridge over the pond outlet. (This is where the Song Sparrow was seen on the CBC). It feeds on the ground next to the trail but it is easily flushed into the brazlian pepper bushes.
The bird is warbler-sized, and rather dull except for its striking facial pattern. The head is dark with bright yellow-orange eyebrow stripes, a yellow chin and throat, and the color flares out to the sides of the throat. Looking head-on at the bird one gets the impression of a bright yellow X across the face. The breast is black, but the underparts are a pale gray. The upperparts are a dull olive with a tinge of yellowish-green in good light.
I will be there tomorrow (Sunday) from 7-9am and I'll give an update by noon.
In the same area today were: Song Sparrow, Clapper Rail, Painted Bunting, Lesser Nighthawks, Chuck-wills Widow,Sora, and Swamp Sparrow.
Brian saw the Bullock's Orioles today near the cottages between 9 and 10 am, and the Flamingos were reported yesterday.
CJ Grimes, Park Ranger
Everglades National Park - Flamingo District