Posted by Jim Duquesnel on March 13, 2002 at 19:24:18:
First on February 16, at approximately 4:00PM, again on February 22 (at noon), and most recently on March 9 (at 5PM), a solitary Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophagus ani) was seen in Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park.
The solitary bird was seen atop a thicket at Florida Keys Electric Pole number 228, on the east side of County Road 905. Notice the large concrete power poles along the east side of the highway are numbered sequentially, beginning at the Card Sound Bridge, and continuing south through Key Largo. Large numbers are stenciled onto each concrete pole, about head high, and usually facing the highway. Using these numbers as a reference can easily send someone to within 100 feet of any location along C-905 and the Overseas Highway.
Does anyone know how often Anis turn up in the Keys? Though I've seen plenty in south Dade, I don't recall ever seeing one here before, despite plenty of field time.