Florida RBA 04 April 2003

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Posted by Brian Ahern on April 05, 2003 at 09:13:30:

RBA
* Florida
* Statewide
* Date April 4, 2003
* FLFL0304.04

-Birds mentioned:
Black Scoter
Surf Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Short-tailed Hawk
Upland Sandpiper
Long-billed Curlew
SLATY-BACKED GULL**
Gull-billed Tern
ROSEATE TERN
Smooth-billed Ani
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Yellow-breasted Chat
GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE**
Lark Sparrow
BRONZED COWBIRD

**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

Note: Due to there only being 24 hours in a day and being that most of those yesterday were spent at Ft. DeSoto, the RBA is a day late. Sorry if this causes any inconveniences.

This is Brian Ahern reporting the Florida Rare Bird Alert for 04/04/03. 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.

FRANKLIN COUNTY
On Sunday 30th two UPLAND SANDPIPERS were seen at the Apalachicola Municipal Airport. Make a beeline from the terminal building to the weather station; they were in the grass nearer the latter and flew once and called (B. Bergstrom). DeLorme p. 60; Pranty p. 59

LEON COUNTY
The adult male SURF SCOTER was still present on Friday in the ponds near the plant buildings at the Springhill Road Sewage Treatment Facility in Tallahassee (K. MacVicar). DeLorme p. 50; Pranty p. 69

WAKULLA COUNTY
A female LONG-TAILED DUCK is still present at Picnic Pond at St. Marks NWR (H. Hooper). DeLorme p. 50; Pranty p. 76

DUVAL COUNTY
A LONG-BILLED CURLEW was seen at Huguenot Park in Jacksonville on Saturday 29th. The bird was on the east side of the lagoon on the sand flats frequented by shorebirds. The curlew was feeding in the shallows along the shoreline and occasionally preening. The time was late afternoon and the tide was incoming. Also present in the same area were two GULL-BILLED TERNS and one ROSEATE TERN (B. Richter). DeLorme p. 58; Pranty p. 102

PINELLAS COUNTY
The GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE at Honeymoon Island SRA was again seen over this past weekend. After paying the $4 entry fee, follow the main park road to the north. When you come to the turn to the picnic area, continue straight. After this point, the road will curve to the left. Watch for a service road going to the right. This is the area where the bird is. Turn right at the first right turn and park your vehicle in the big parking lot. Proceed on foot back to the previously mentioned service road. From the service road you will see some scrub and brush on the left hand side, there are three tall thin wooden poles stuck in the ground, the Towhee was found in around this area and sang up in the middle of the leafless bush just to the right of the three poles. However the bird could also be in the thick grass & brush on both sides of the service road. It is very secretive staying on the ground or in the dense low scrubs. Its song is a bubbly warble and it gives a call somewhat like a catbird. A tape of it’s call can be helpful in locating this bird, however it has been reported that this technique has been abused in the area recently. Since this is now fast becoming a heavy birded area, tape playing should be kept to a minimum and not left running for lengths of time. PLEASE DO NOT OVER USE A TAPE!! Normally it only takes less than a minute of hearing a taped call for the bird to respond. A suggestion was made that as many birders as possible arrive when the gate opens, and the group get together at the towhee patch and then play the tape together so that there will be minimal disturbance. This is only the second record of this species for Florida!! (R. Smart, R. Smith & all). On Sunday 30th two BLACK SCOTERS were seen flying just 30-40 yards from shore, from the bathhouse tunnel (R. & L. Smith). DeLorme p. 90; Pranty p. 121

At Ft. DeSoto Park a LARK SPARROW was seen in the fort/gulf pier area on Friday 28th. The Lark Sparrow was around the large circle of fig and palm trees directly behind the bathroom; however it was not seen the day after (J. Geatzi & L. Atherton). DeLorme p. 90; Pranty p. 126

HIGHLANDS COUNTY
One dark morph SHORT-TAILED HAWK was seen Tuesday 1st at the end of Bluff Hammock Road near Lorida (Hwy 98). It seems to favor the Save Our Rivers hammock south of the parking lot, coming from that direction and drifting north over the hammock and floodplain east of the parking lot with Black and Turkey Vultures (L. & B. Cooper). DeLorme p. 100

LEE COUNTY
Earlier this the week two SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHERS were seen by the school on Sanibel Island (M. Brady). DeLorme p. 110

COLLIER COUNTY
At least 18 BRONZED COWBIRDS are still being seen at Eagle Lakes Community Park in Naples. On Sunday 30th They were sitting on top of the chain linked fence, just in back of the bathroom up by the central pond and also along the back fence of the baseball diamond adjacent to the parking area (M. Gonsalo, V. Lucas & all). To reach the park from I-75, take exit 101, go south on CR 951 (Collier Blvd.) @ 8 miles to US 41 (Tamiami Trail), then west @ 1 mile to the park which will be on the right (north side of US 41) DeLorme p. 111

PALM BEACH COUNTY
At least one SMOOTH-BILLED ANI was seen along Lox Rd at Loxahatchee on Monday 31st. (M. Reid). DeLorme p. 108/109; Pranty p. 211

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
On Sunday 30th at Bill Baggs Cape State Park a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was seen (R. Diaz). DeLorme p. 119; Pranty p. 222

MONROE COUNTY
On Sunday 30th the SLATY-BACKED GULL was seen on Higgs Beach in Kest West (S. White & A. Bankert). DeLorme p. 127; Pranty p. 258

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

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Comments:
: RBA : * Florida : * Statewide : * Date April 4, 2003 : * FLFL0304.04 : -Birds mentioned: : Black Scoter : Surf Scoter : Long-tailed Duck : Short-tailed Hawk : Upland Sandpiper : Long-billed Curlew : SLATY-BACKED GULL** : Gull-billed Tern : ROSEATE TERN : Smooth-billed Ani : Scissor-tailed Flycatcher : Yellow-breasted Chat : GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE** : Lark Sparrow : BRONZED COWBIRD : **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 : Note: Due to there only being 24 hours in a day and being that most of those yesterday were spent at Ft. DeSoto, the RBA is a day late. Sorry if this causes any inconveniences. : This is Brian Ahern reporting the Florida Rare Bird Alert for 04/04/03. 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. : FRANKLIN COUNTY : On Sunday 30th two UPLAND SANDPIPERS were seen at the Apalachicola Municipal Airport. Make a beeline from the terminal building to the weather station; they were in the grass nearer the latter and flew once and called (B. Bergstrom). DeLorme p. 60; Pranty p. 59 : LEON COUNTY : The adult male SURF SCOTER was still present on Friday in the ponds near the plant buildings at the Springhill Road Sewage Treatment Facility in Tallahassee (K. MacVicar). DeLorme p. 50; Pranty p. 69 : WAKULLA COUNTY : A female LONG-TAILED DUCK is still present at Picnic Pond at St. Marks NWR (H. Hooper). DeLorme p. 50; Pranty p. 76 : DUVAL COUNTY : A LONG-BILLED CURLEW was seen at Huguenot Park in Jacksonville on Saturday 29th. The bird was on the east side of the lagoon on the sand flats frequented by shorebirds. The curlew was feeding in the shallows along the shoreline and occasionally preening. The time was late afternoon and the tide was incoming. Also present in the same area were two GULL-BILLED TERNS and one ROSEATE TERN (B. Richter). DeLorme p. 58; Pranty p. 102 : PINELLAS COUNTY : The GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE at Honeymoon Island SRA was again seen over this past weekend. After paying the $4 entry fee, follow the main park road to the north. When you come to the turn to the picnic area, continue straight. After this point, the road will curve to the left. Watch for a service road going to the right. This is the area where the bird is. Turn right at the first right turn and park your vehicle in the big parking lot. Proceed on foot back to the previously mentioned service road. From the service road you will see some scrub and brush on the left hand side, there are three tall thin wooden poles stuck in the ground, the Towhee was found in around this area and sang up in the middle of the leafless bush just to the right of the three poles. However the bird could also be in the thick grass & brush on both sides of the service road. It is very secretive staying on the ground or in the dense low scrubs. Its song is a bubbly warble and it gives a call somewhat like a catbird. A tape of it’s call can be helpful in locating this bird, however it has been reported that this technique has been abused in the area recently. Since this is now fast becoming a heavy birded area, tape playing should be kept to a minimum and not left running for lengths of time. PLEASE DO NOT OVER USE A TAPE!! Normally it only takes less than a minute of hearing a taped call for the bird to respond. A suggestion was made that as many birders as possible arrive when the gate opens, and the group get together at the towhee patch and then play the tape together so that there will be minimal disturbance. This is only the second record of this species for Florida!! (R. Smart, R. Smith & all). On Sunday 30th two BLACK SCOTERS were seen flying just 30-40 yards from shore, from the bathhouse tunnel (R. & L. Smith). DeLorme p. 90; Pranty p. 121 : At Ft. DeSoto Park a LARK SPARROW was seen in the fort/gulf pier area on Friday 28th. The Lark Sparrow was around the large circle of fig and palm trees directly behind the bathroom; however it was not seen the day after (J. Geatzi & L. Atherton). DeLorme p. 90; Pranty p. 126 : HIGHLANDS COUNTY : One dark morph SHORT-TAILED HAWK was seen Tuesday 1st at the end of Bluff Hammock Road near Lorida (Hwy 98). It seems to favor the Save Our Rivers hammock south of the parking lot, coming from that direction and drifting north over the hammock and floodplain east of the parking lot with Black and Turkey Vultures (L. & B. Cooper). DeLorme p. 100 : LEE COUNTY : Earlier this the week two SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHERS were seen by the school on Sanibel Island (M. Brady). DeLorme p. 110 : COLLIER COUNTY : At least 18 BRONZED COWBIRDS are still being seen at Eagle Lakes Community Park in Naples. On Sunday 30th They were sitting on top of the chain linked fence, just in back of the bathroom up by the central pond and also along the back fence of the baseball diamond adjacent to the parking area (M. Gonsalo, V. Lucas & all). To reach the park from I-75, take exit 101, go south on CR 951 (Collier Blvd.) @ 8 miles to US 41 (Tamiami Trail), then west @ 1 mile to the park which will be on the right (north side of US 41) DeLorme p. 111 : PALM BEACH COUNTY : At least one SMOOTH-BILLED ANI was seen along Lox Rd at Loxahatchee on Monday 31st. (M. Reid). DeLorme p. 108/109; Pranty p. 211 : MIAMI-DADE COUNTY : On Sunday 30th at Bill Baggs Cape State Park a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was seen (R. Diaz). DeLorme p. 119; Pranty p. 222 : MONROE COUNTY : On Sunday 30th the SLATY-BACKED GULL was seen on Higgs Beach in Kest West (S. White & A. Bankert). DeLorme p. 127; Pranty p. 258 : 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

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