Posted by Brian Ahern on January 31, 2003 at 16:50:46:
RBA
* Florida
* Statewide
* Date January 31, 2003
* FLFL0301.31
-Birds mentioned:
GREATER FLAMINGO
Greater White-fronted Goose
Long-tailed Duck
COMMON EIDER
Short-tailed Hawk
Gull-billed Tern
Mangrove Cuckoo
SHORT-EARED OWL
Vermilion Flycatcher
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Nashville Warbler
Henslow’s Sparrow
HARRIS’S SPARROW**
White-crowned Sparrow
LINCOLN’S SPARROW
LAPLAND LONGSPUR
RUSTY BLACKBIRD
BREWER’S BLACKBIRD
**This is a review species in Florida. Any details of 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 01/31/03. This report is sponsored by FLORIDA NATURE TOURS, which offers tours to the Dry Tortugas, South Florida, private guiding and a special Pelagic Trip off of 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
The VERMILION FLYCATCHER is still present at the Ft. Walton Beach spray fields (A. Knothe). DeLorme p. 44; Pranty p. 51/52
LEON COUNTY
At Crowder Landing three GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were found on Lake Jackson in Tallahassee on Saturday 25th (E. Woodruff). DeLorme p. 50; Pranty p. 69
Three BREWER’S BLACKBIRDS and two WINTER WRENS were found at the Black Swamp Nature Preserve on Wednesday 29th. Directions: Start at the junction of CR 263 (Capital Circle Southwest) and CR 373 (Springhill Rd.), east of the main Tallahassee airport. See DeLorme p 50 or Pranty (Springhill Road sewage treatment facility). Go north on CR 373 1.4 miles to jct. with Orange Ave at first light. Go left (west) on Orange 0.8 miles to crossing power lines with sign on right (Florida State Un. Nursery) and a small water treatment plant of brick on the left. Go left and park beyond the plant. Walk past the green BSNP sign and go around the gate. Walk on the path south 200 yards where path makes a turn east. The path leads 150 yards (east) to a power line and on the way there is a culvert. The Brewer's were about 30 feet to the left in the woods but also like the marsh to the right (2 breeding plumage males and a non breeding male with some buff on head, nape and upper back). 2 Winter Wrens were nearby (seen and heard) and the blackbirds also called (J. Cavanagh) DeLorme p. 50; Pranty p. 69
FRANKLIN COUNTY
Along Bottoms Rd. in Panacea a SHORT-EARED OWL has been seen soaring over the marsh just before dusk from 5:30 to 6:20pm (J. Murphy, A. Knothe & all).
WAKULLA COUNTY
At St. Marks NWR the two LONG-TAILED DUCKS are still at Picnic Pond and the VERMILION FLYCATCHER continues to be seen (T. Curtis). A HENSLOW’S SPARROW was found along the north arm of the double dikes bordering Stoney Bayou Pool. The bird posed in some shrubs about half way out on Sunday 26th. RUSTY BLACKBIRDS are still being seen in the swamp by the first bridge. Two HENSLOW’S SPARROWS were found on the “helispot field” (B. Bergstrom). DeLorme p. 50; Pranty p. 76
A juvenile WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW is still at Mash Island Park. It has moved across the canal to the road that runs back to the fishing pier (S.P. McCool).
NASSAU COUNTY
An LONG-TAILED DUCK was seen off of the Ft. Clinch pier in Fernandina Beach on Sunday 26th It was out around a white marker with the letter 'B' on it (D. Reed). DeLorme p. 41; Pranty p. 100
DUVAL COUNTY
The LAPLAND LONGSPUR was seen again Sunday 26th. It was in the dunes between the old parking lot (where it had previously been staying) and the jetty. It was in the company of numerous sparrows (B. Ritcher). DeLorme p. 58; Pranty p. 102
SEMINOLE COUNTY
The HARRIS’S SPARROW is still being seen at the Marina Isles fish camp on the north side of highway 46 just east of the bridge over Lake Jessup/St Johns River. Please stay on the small dirt road and do not go near the mobile homes. Birders are also encouraged to go into the general store to make a “purchase” and obtain permission. The bird seems fond of the grassy area to the west side of the parking lot in front of the River Hilton houseboat, but has been found in several other locations. It is usually seen feeding in the company of Savannah Sparrows and Palm Warblers (J. Ault & all). DeLorme p. 80
BREVARD COUNTY
The COMMON EIDER is still being seen at Jetty Park. It has been found close to the jetty where it swims and feeds near the bases of the boulders between the concrete boardwalk and the jetty less than fifty feet away (J. Puschock). DeLorme p. 88; Pranty p. 176
HERNANDO COUNTY
On Sunday 26th a GULL-BILLED TERN was seen on the beach at Pine Island (M. Gardler & all).
DeLorme p. 76; Pranty p. 112
PASCO COUNTY
On Tuesday 28th, a NASHVILLE WARBLER was found in the "Oriole Hedge", a 200 foot long Cape Honeysuckle in Colonial Hills just off Moog Rd and US Hwy 19. Directions; US Hwy 19 to Moog Rd east to Grand, north to Dove Rd left then right on Drew Lane. Please be very discreet as this is private property (K. Tracey). It has been seen several times since. DeLorme p. 82
PINELLAS COUNTY
A GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET is still being seen at Walsingham Park near shelter # 6 (I. Hernandez). Delorme p. 90
SARASOTA COUNTY
Two LINCOLN’S, WHITE-CROWNED and Field Sparrows are still being seen on Center Road, right behind the hill at the Celery Fields. Please park at the recommended parking area on the left (west) side of Center Road, about halfway down the road from Palmer. There is an old foundation(s) of a building here. This is where you should park. Walk north a little ways - there is a shallow ditch perpendicular to the road. The ditch has a white pipe in the middle of it. Most of the sparrows have been either on the ground in the ditch or in the bushes just behind (north side) the ditch. But they flit all the way over to the trees and bushes at the north end of the parking slabs. DO NOT park or walk on the property (including the driveway) of the property owner on the east side of Center Rd (V. Lucas, J. Gaetzi, & all). Directions: 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 DeLorme p. 97; Pranty p. 140
PALM BEACH COUNTY
On Monday 27th, a dark morph SHORT-TAILED HAWK was seen flying among vultures about 1/4 mile before the refuge entrance to Lox Rd. (M. Reid). Directions to the south entrance of Loxahatchee: follow Loxahatchee Rd. west from US-441 until you get to the end. The intersection of 441 and Lox Rd. is right at the Palm Beach/Broward county line. DeLorme p. 108; Pranty p. 205
MONROE COUNTY
At Everglades NP the GREATER FLAMINGO was seen again on the mud flats opposite the visitor’s center at Flamingo. It was seen at high tide at high noon on Saturday 25th. The park rangers have noted that it’s been in the same area for the past three days (P. Bithorn). Four other GREATER FLAMINGOS were found at the end of Christian Point Trail on Saturday 25th (S. Siegel). On Wednesday 29th a MANGROVE CUCKOO was seen along Bear Lake Trail (D. Ervin). DeLorme p. 121; 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