Smooth-billed Ani Big Pine Key and other sightings


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]


Posted by Larry Manfredi on 08:45:23 07/09/10

My son Philip and I went down to Big Pine Key for some birding. We looked for any roosting Anillean Nighthawks but could not find any.

We found a very lonely and shy Smooth-billed Ani at Cactus Hammock located on Long Beach road just south of the Big Pine Key fishing lodge and camping. We were never able to get very close to the bird as it was very, very shy. Perhaps it is a new arrival, a Common Grackle chased it for a bit. We also saw a Lyside Sulphur butterfly which is not a common species.

Over the weekend we did some early evening until late night Everglades driving for snakes etc. We had at least four or five Barn Owls as well a couple of Barred Owls. Chuck-will's-widow and Common Nighthawks were also present.

We had few species of Snake:
Cottonmouth
Brown Water Snake
Mangrove Salt Marsh Snake (red morph)
Eastern Garter Snake
Yellow Rat Snake

Larry Manfredi
Homestead, FL
E-mail: birderlm@bellsouth.net
http://www.southfloridabirding.com



Follow Ups:



Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail:
Subject:
Comments:
Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]