Posted by Jeff on May 05, 2003 at 23:24:51:
In Reply to: Florida RBA 03/28/03 RED-LEGGED HONEYCREEPER & LA SAGRA'S FLYCATCHER posted by Brian Ahern on March 28, 2003 at 15:01:04:
This male Red-Legged Honeycreeper is most likely an escaped exotic, a there is an exotic bird importer that lives in the area where this bird has been observed. Be on the lookout for other expotic passerines, as I understand that a few have escaped recently.
: MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
: A male RED-LEGGED HONEYCREEPER was first found on Tuesday 25th on Boca Chita Key by a park ranger Toby Obenauer, and then was relocated on Thursday 27th by a group of south Florida birders. When you arrive on the Island take the Bay side trail or west side over a wooden footbridge. Look and listen in the Green Buttonwood tree on your left just over the bridge, if no luck here look for a Seagrape tree on the left side of the trail, not far from the Green Buttonwood tree. There is a small fruiting Strangler Fig tree growing here as well. The bird was eating this fruiton Thursday. Behind this tree back several yards is another flowering Seagrape that was good for the bird. If no luck here continue down the trail until you find another Seagrape tree right next to the trail. This is the tree it was found in on Tuesday. Photos, videotape and audiotape of the bird were taken to document this potential first North American record. 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. Boca Chita Key is an island just north of Elliot Key; unfortunately there are no tour boats to the key so birders will have to make their own arrangements to get there for the time being. Also there is no fresh drinking water. If arrangements can be made to ferry birders to the island in an organized way an update will be posted ASAP. There is also a boat that does Snorkel trips near by that might be able to take birders over. Directions: From the Florida Turnpike heading south take exit 6 (Speedway Blvd.) go south on Speedway Blvd. to S.W. 328 st. (Canal Street). Go east or left here and follow it to the end, make a left at a little fork in the road and look for the sign for Biscayne National Park. Park in the parking lot and go upstairs to the concessions booth and start inquiring about taking birders over, Phone # 305-230-1100 (P. Bithorn & all). Delorme p. 119
: Photo link: http://www.southfloridabirding.com/Red-legged-Honey-Creeper1.jpg