Posted by Andy Kratter on October 28, 2015 at 01:46:11
Just got an eBird alert of a Northern Wheatear at the south end of Lower Matecumbe Key (map https://www.google.com:443/maps/search/24.8450441,-80.7479453/@24.8450441,-80.7479453,13z/data=!4m2!2m1!4b1). There is an identifiable photo with the eBird report (http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25572213) today at 530 PM. The observer, Simon Priestnall from the UK, wrote: Comments: "Female on rocks below parking lot. Watched and photographed for 10mins. Very familiar with this species in UK and recognized immediately. Preened then started feeding, digging in soil beneath palms the very southern tip of the Key, immediately next to the parking lot. Was still present when we left. Seemed in good health. Unusually confiding compared with Wheatears in UK which made us think it is a Canadian/Greenland bird as we would never have got this close (approx 2m) of a European bird. Photos from back of camera. Better quality when back in UK and can download."