Posted by Brian Ahern on December 20, 2002 at 16:34:37:
RBA
* Florida
* Statewide
* Date December 20, 2002
* FLFL0212.20
-Birds mentioned:
TRUMPTER SWAN**
Snow Goose
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
EURASIAN WIGEON
COMMON EIDER
Long-tailed Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Short-tailed Hawk
Long-billed Curlew
Pomarine Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Vermilion Flycatcher
BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Brown Creeper
Wilson’s Warbler
Clay-colored Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
“Slate-colored” Junco
**This is a review species in FL. Details of any sightings should be sent to the FOS Records Committee at the address given at the end of this report.
Hotline: FLORIDA RARE BIRD REPORT
to report e-mail: BrianAhern@aol.com
compiler: Brian Ahern
transcriber: Same
This is Brian Ahern reporting the Florida Rare Bird Alert for 12/20/02. This report is sponsored by FLORIDA NATURE TOURS, which offers tours to the Dry Tortugas, South Florida, private guiding, and a special Pelagic Trip of off Ponce Inlet on May 17th. For information go to http://www.floridanaturetours.com or call 407-363-1360. Reports are followed by coordinates from the DeLorme Florida Atlas & Gazetteer and the page number of Bill Pranty's ABA guide "A Birder's Guide to Florida" when possible.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
On Friday 13th, the four TRUMPTER SWANS were still present at Rocky Bayou. Go north on Range Road, 2nd stoplight east of Rocky Bayou Bridge. Just past the school turn left into Parkwood Estates and tell the gate guard you came to see the swans. They should not need a name of a resident, but if they do Mr. and Mrs. Groundwater gave permission to use theirs. Go to the stop sign; turn right and park in front of the vacant lot. Walk towards the water until you see the swans. If they are not there, go right to the lake crossing for a broader view of the lake. If you see them turn right and park just beyond the 15 mph sign briefly. On the way out, approach the gate slowly, and it will open. The only other place we have seen them recently is on a mud bar at the north end of Rocky Bayou. Cross the bridge and turn right at the third street. Continue straight through the Huntington subdivision and turn right into Huntington Circle. Park by the Island and look over the fence from the wide driveway on the left (D. Ware) DeLorme p. 28
LEON COUNTY
On Monday 16th in Tallahassee, along Grove Park Dr. in Southwood, just on the north side of Shumard Oak a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was found mixed in with a flock of about 100 Chipping Sparrows (R. Lengacher). DeLorme p. 50
FRANKLIN COUNTY
On Sunday 15th one WHITE-WINGED, 3 SURF, & 2 BLACK SCOTERS were seen at “Mud Cove” (almost a half mile before KOA) at Alligator Point (K. Nelson & J. Dozier). DeLorme p. 61; Pranty p. 73
A “SLATE-COLORED“ JUNCO has been seen occasionally coming to a feeder at Jack Dozier’s house in Alligator Point over the past week. Please contact him at jdozier@nettally.com for the latest update. DeLorme p. 61
WAKULLA COUNTY
At St. Marks NWR a BROWN CREEPER was found on Friday 13th. The Creeper was in the oaks at the parking area for Picnic Pond (K. Nelson & J. Dozier). A LARK SPARROW was at the last turnoff before the headquarters pond on Sunday 15th (T. Curtis). The VERMILION FLYCATCHER was seen right at the head of the dike at Stoney Bayou on Sunday 15th and two COMMON GOLDENEYE were present in the morning also at Stoney Bayou (J. Dozier & K. Nelson). On Tuesday 17th one LONG-TAILED DUCK was seen at Picnic Pond (J. Murphy). DeLorme p. 50; Pranty p. 76
DUVAL COUNTY
A sea watch off of 16th ave. south in Jacksonville on Saturday 14th produced at least 5 POMARINE JAEGERS & 10 BLACK SCOTERS. On Monday 15th a PARASITIC JAEGER was seen (N. Wamer). DeLorme p. 58
BREVARD COUNTY
At Merritt Island NWR a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was found around marker # 6, along Blackpoint Drive on Sunday 15th (T. Rodriguez). On Monday 16th a blue morph SNOW GOOSE was also seen around marker #6 (J. Chapman). On Thursday 19th a LONG-BILLED CURLEW was found behind (north?) the pump house on Pumphouse Road (K. Allie). There have been no sightings of the EURASIAN WIGEON this week. DeLorme p. 81/82; Pranty p. 176
A 1st year male COMMON EIDER was first found on Saturday 14th at Port’s End Park. It then swam across the barge canal to the marina next to the park. This is the fifth eider to show up at Port Canaveral. Some of the birds before stayed for almost a year. Directions to Port's End Park: Take the new entrance into Port Canaveral from the east end of SR528. Take your first left upon entering the park and your first left after that. Follow the road and look for the park on your right. If the bird isn't there, you can make your way east along the canal and check wherever you can get a look at the water (D. Click). The Eider was seen again on Wednesday 18th at The Grill and Tiki Bar Restaurant were it was feeding around the pilings (S. Linney). DeLorme p. 88
SARASOTA COUNTY
67 BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS were seen in the vicinity of Ackerman Pond and the Celery Fields on Saturday 13th. Take Fruitville Road (exit 39 from I -75), just east of the overpass. Make the first right (Coburn Rd) as you head east on Fruitville from I-75. You will pass Ackerman Park (a small lake) on your right. The area across from the park is the northern part of the celery fields. Continue straight to the intersection with Palmer Rd and make a left. Both sides of this road, up to the gazebo are the celery fields (B. & M. Dunson & all). Early evening seems to be the best time to view them in large numbers. DeLorme p. 97; Pranty p. 140
OKEECHOBEE COUNTY
A single SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was first observed on CR 724 approx. 3 miles west of US Hwy 441 on Saturday 13th. The bird was sitting on the top strand of a barbed wire fence. The bird was seen again on Sunday, just east of the fish farm on the south side of the road. A citrus grove is located on the north side of the road and another grove is west of the site (C. Tucker & P. Small) DeLorme p. 101
LEE COUNTY
The female SURF SCOTER is still being seen from Bodwitch Point looking east into Estero Pass (V. Lucas). DeLorme p. 110; Pranty p. 191
COLLIER COUNTY
A male EURASIAN WIGEON was found at Eagle Lakes Park in Naples on Thursday 19th. The bird is located on the western side of the west pond. It is with a group of American Wigeons. There is a berm around the pond and the duck was located where the paved berm veers off towards an apartment complex. There is a map of the site on the following website http://www.co.collier.fl.us/natresources/wildlife/elakes.htm Looking at the map the bird is located where the P labeling pond A is. The park is located on South US 41 1-2 miles north of CR951 (D. Suitor). DeLorme p. 111
HENDRY COUNTY
The male VERMILION FLYCATCHER is still wintering on Government Rd. about 14.8 miles north of I-75 Exit 49. It was on the SW side of the road at a metal gate to a pasture with a sign reading "MJR ... No Trespassing." A light morph SHORT-TAILED HAWK was also in the area (J. & C. Shelly & B. Boeringer). DeLorme p. 113
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
A male WILSON’S WARLBER was found on Tuesday 17th at A.D. Barnes Park. It was seen along with seven other species of warblers (J. Rosenfield & M. Wheeler). DeLorme p. 118; Pranty p. 222
Two BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHERS were found on the Long Pine Key CBC in Everglades National Park on Wednesday 18th. The birds were found in the hardwood hammock adjacent to the picnic area on Long Pine Key. Take the Long Pine Key Campground road (a few miles after the turnoff to Gumbo Limbo/Anhinga Trail) and continue past the entrance to the campground and you will enter the picnic area. At the end of this short road is a hardwood hammock and the birds were chasing each other throughout this wooded area (W. George). DeLorme p. 122; Pranty p. 234
Good Birding!
Documentation of rarities for FL Ornithological Society Records
Committee should be sent to:
FOSRC, c/o Archbold Biological Station, PO Box 2057,
Lake Placid FL 33862.
Website: http://www.fosbirds.org/
Florida Rare Bird Alert Mail-list: To subscribe go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FLRBA
Florida Birding website: http://www.javaswift.com/floridabirds/
FLORIDABIRDS-L website: http://bkpass.tripod.com/floridabirds.htm
For more information on Florida bird sightings, locations, and
discussion please visit the following archives:
Statewide sightings/discussion listserv:
BIRDBRAINS: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html
FLABIRDING: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FlaBirding/
FLORIDABIRDS-L: http://www.lists.ufl.edu/archives/floridabirds-l.html
Regional sightings/discussion listservs:
North Florida: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nflbirds/
East Florida: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Eastbirders/
Southwest Florida: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SWFLBirdline/
Southeast Florida: http://tropicalaudubon.org/tasboard/index.html
Brian Ahern
Tampa, FL.
BrianAhern@aol.com