Posted by Blake Mathys on May 04, 2004 at 07:43:46:
In Reply to: RFI; Red Footed Booby posted by Jim on May 03, 2004 at 21:59:50:
I spent last weekend on the Tortugas; I saw the Red-footed Booby on, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and I assume it is still there. The bird is viewable from Garden Key, but a 60x scope is highly recommended to see it. We were able to get some very good looks with a Leica APO Televid 77 at 60x, late in the day when the lighting is better. The bird is present in the morning and possibly during the day, but the best time to view (the only time for any real identifying looks) is when it comes to roost for the night. It showed up at 6:30 to 7 p.m. the 2 nights we were there and stayed until morning. There is a possibility of seeing it during the day, but it is much less reliable and the views aren't very satisfactory, due to poor lighting/heat distortion. I would recommend camping and bringing a scope. Another option is to find someone out there with a boat to give you a ride over to where it is during the day. However, this is not a sure thing, as it leaves without notice. This actually happened to me...another group found a fellow willing to take us over there for $5 a piece; they saw the bird and came back. By the time we got over there, 30 minutes later, it was gone. It was roosting at the highest point on Long Key when we were there. Hope this helps.