Posted by David LaPuma on October 21, 2003 at 09:02:08:
Yesterday, during some recon birding in the South Florida Water Management District detention areas (previously referred to as Manfredi Marsh, Mandingo Marsh, Dead Body Marsh, and more frequently known as the 232 Wetlands) Rock Jetty and I came across a GROOVE-BILLED ANI perched and calling at the corner of one of the detention areas. The bird showed an obvious flat underside of the lower mandible as described by Sibley, and called exactly as Sibley describes. We watched the bird in the scope, under fading light, for fifteen minutes until it flew over some Brazilian Pepper into the yard of an abandoned house. We could not visually relocate the bird because of the dense vegetation, but it continued to call until we left at dark. The area is currently closed to the public, but the management has historically cast a blind eye to birders in the area. Currently I'm working on securing a date where birders can be legally allowed into the area to search for the bird, so it would likely benefit all of us if we didn't storm the gates. In the meantime, I'll post a map of the area with the location of the sighting incase anyone wants to park outside the gate and make the hike into the area AT THEIR OWN RISK. Map and directions will follow later this morning.
Cheers
David and Rock Jetty