Posted by Paul Bithorn on March 27, 2003 at 13:41:52:
A group of South Florida birders, including Larry Manfredi, Robin Diaz, Mickey Wheeler, Jill Rosenfield, Bruce Purdy, Wayne Forsythe (down from Hendersonville, N.C.) and yours truly, took a ride out there at 7:30 a.m. this morning with Manuel Diaz in an attempt to relocate the bird. After about a half-hour boat ride we arrived on Boca Chita Key, an island just north of Elliot Key, where the first record of La Sagra’s Flycatcher was found in December of 1982. The key is 8 to 9 miles offshore.
We were joined by Toby Obenauer and assisted him in doing a bird survey. A Wilson’s Snipe, Wilson’s Plovers, American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Chuck-wills-widow and Yellow-throated Vireo were some of the better birds seen. Serendipitously, Larry discovered that he had the “Birds of Cuba” tape in his backpack. We approached the large Sea Grape tree where Toby had seen the bird, which is a short distance heading south on the nature trail on the west side of the key. Larry played the tape and the bird immediately flew into view. The bird constantly gave its weak nasal note, chaa, which is suggestive of a gnatcatcher.
Photos, videotape and audiotape of this little jewel will document this potential first North American record. Larry will post some of the photos later. The bird’s range includes the island of Cuba, where it could have been blown in from due to the strong southeasterly winds which have occurred throughout the month of March. There were no bands on the bird and it was in perfect alternate plumage. It seemed to favor the two large Sea Grapes in the area and appeared wild in nature while hopping and creeping amongst the limbs.
Moet & Chandon Champagne (no French bashing please) served as our celebratory libation. This will be number 400 in Florida for me pending the review of this and several other first record birds by the FOS Records Committee. Now I know how Roger Maris felt with the asterisk on his 61st homer. There are no tour boats to the key so you will have to be creative to get out there. I am fairly certain that Larry Manfredi will devise a plan to get birders out there. Incidentally, there are no bathroom facilities or drinking water on the key. Life is good........... even if you have *’s on some of your birds.