Posted by Paul Bithorn on February 05, 2001 at 17:07:33:
Bruce Purdy and I closely studied the Tropical/Couch's Kingbird with a KOWA scope on the left side of the boardwalk leaving the parking lot at Mahogany Hammock in E.N.P. on Saturday, February 3. It was in close proximity to 2 Western Kingbirds for excellent comparative analysis. It fed for an hour on Paurotis Palm fruit and every time it would fly back to an exposed perch on a dead snag and return to the palm it would call out a single brit and repeat it intermittently four or five times. It actually reminded me of the Ash-throated's call at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton. It was totally different than the twittering call of the Tropical Kingbird. Experienced birders from Ohio and Tennessee along with David Cutler from Philadelphia (was there earlier in the day with Bruce) agreed that it was unlike calls they had heard from Tropical's they had seen in the Southwest U.S. and Costa Rica. Someone with the proper equipment should attempt to record it. The bird certainly fits a Couch's Kingbird in all respects,i.e. notched tail, dark gray mask and the diagnostic call note. Please feel free to add your two cents worth. Also I went to Camp Owaissa Bauer on Saturday morning (Alpha Omega Church security let me bird) looking for the Warbling/Bell's Vireo. I heard a weird loud scold note on the nature trail mimicking the Screech Owl but could never locate the bird. You might want to take a look during the week when their are no campers. Check with the Park Manager first. A tape of the 2 Vireo's calls would probably be useful. Stop and check it out on the way to the Yellow-faced Grassquit at Eco Pond. I will be well worth the effort.