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South Florida Birding (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter merryslug
- Start date
Okay, another bird ID question. Every once in a while I see this large black soaring bird with a a fat white tail/rump bar. I only see it in flight, way up there usually. It will beat its wings 4 or 5 times and then just glide. While its neck is certainly not long enough to be a water bird it just does seem a little longer than the usual hawk's. The wings are very broad and held flat, no dihedral. I see it in the area of Military and Atlantic in Delray so it's a bit southeast of Wako. Unfortunately I'm never close enough to see the color of the legs etc.
At first I thought I was seeing the BE again but this guy is all black except for the tail band.
At first I thought I was seeing the BE again but this guy is all black except for the tail band.
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
Snail Kite?
bulos
Bulos
Yes snail Kite is my guess too although there would be no reason to mistake it for anything but a raptor.
Zackiedawg
Well-known member
I'm thinking too a kite would really seem to look very raptorish, with short neck - I'd be surprised if it looked like anything else - and they aren't particularly large either compared to other raptors.
Here's an outside guess, based on your location - anhinga? I know that should seem obvious - but in flight, sometimes they don't look notably like a waterbird - they don't always fly with their necks fully extended, they have very straight wings, they do present with a very obvious tail barring/band in flight, especially at high altitude, they are large, unlike waders they have short legs which tuck in while flying so they don't present with legs trailing like waders do, and they are quite likely in the area you mention.
I only say this because I have often confused them initially with something else when in flight - from a great height or distance, they don't become apparent as an anhinga until they are lower or directly above, when I can finally make out a bit more head detail and see the narrower pointy head and neck. The large black body and the barred tail have caught my peripheral vision many times and made me think some form of raptor or vulture.
I looked for that danged bird again today but didn't see it.
I definitely have seen some kind of waterbird flying around that isn't a duck or heron, etc. I'm just so used to seeing the anhinga up close that I'm not sure I've ever seen it from underneath at a distance. And I'm not even sure if the bird I'm questioning is this same water bird-which probably is an anhinga-just seen from a different perspective.
Someone told me Black hawks have the white patch.
The only time I've knowingly seen a snail kite was at the Audubon rehab place in Maitland. He actually might be a bit too small to be the mystery bird. And the wings almost look like 2 huge popsicle sticks in flight.
I hope to see another mysterious bird that I saw on a wire on lake Ida Rd today. A bunch of collared doves ( I think??they were the small ones?) were perched close together on the wire. Right in with them was a white bird more than twice the size of the doves. It was not an egret or ibis from what I could see. The doves were really checking this bird out. Its feathers were very fluffy . It had a relatively large head and short neck, but I couldn't really see the shape of its beak as I was driving. I was thinking escaped pet bird or something. It had a short tail though.But who knows, it could've been a crunched up egret with short legs.
It would be neat to add "albino hawk" to the list but I'll just keep looking.
I definitely appreciate the crazy bunch of ibis I often see perched on powerpoles and wires in the morning. Gives me a chuckle.
I definitely have seen some kind of waterbird flying around that isn't a duck or heron, etc. I'm just so used to seeing the anhinga up close that I'm not sure I've ever seen it from underneath at a distance. And I'm not even sure if the bird I'm questioning is this same water bird-which probably is an anhinga-just seen from a different perspective.
Someone told me Black hawks have the white patch.
The only time I've knowingly seen a snail kite was at the Audubon rehab place in Maitland. He actually might be a bit too small to be the mystery bird. And the wings almost look like 2 huge popsicle sticks in flight.
I hope to see another mysterious bird that I saw on a wire on lake Ida Rd today. A bunch of collared doves ( I think??they were the small ones?) were perched close together on the wire. Right in with them was a white bird more than twice the size of the doves. It was not an egret or ibis from what I could see. The doves were really checking this bird out. Its feathers were very fluffy . It had a relatively large head and short neck, but I couldn't really see the shape of its beak as I was driving. I was thinking escaped pet bird or something. It had a short tail though.But who knows, it could've been a crunched up egret with short legs.
It would be neat to add "albino hawk" to the list but I'll just keep looking.
I definitely appreciate the crazy bunch of ibis I often see perched on powerpoles and wires in the morning. Gives me a chuckle.
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Zackiedawg
Well-known member
If there's a chance the bird wasn't black, but just LOOKED black because of the lighting against the bright sky, it sounds like you might be describing a northern harrier. Those are quite common around Wako/Green Cay, and they are large raptors with a very well defined white band near the body that does take up a large portion of the tail. There are several resident harriers at Green Cay year-round.
I don't have any shots that show the underbelly view - this is about the only one I've got that shows the distinct tail band:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/119807024/original.jpg
Most of my harrier shots are more head-on, females, spread wings, or perched, all which you can't see the white band at all - so even though this is blurry and cropped, it is the closest I have of the male harrier at Green Cay where the white banded tail can be seen.
I don't have any shots that show the underbelly view - this is about the only one I've got that shows the distinct tail band:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/119807024/original.jpg
Most of my harrier shots are more head-on, females, spread wings, or perched, all which you can't see the white band at all - so even though this is blurry and cropped, it is the closest I have of the male harrier at Green Cay where the white banded tail can be seen.
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I saw a few harriers on my route a few months ago. The bird I see has a shorter tail with a lot more white.
Although I know it's impossible, the only thing it looks like is a black hawk. It really is possible that I see the longer necked bird (I shouldn't say long necked really. Maybe just more slender than a RTH?) soaring and think it's the same as the other bird because the wings are similar. The 2 times I saw the bird in question a little closer the tail is what caught my eye. I instantly thought black bird, white tail = eagle, which of course it isn't with the black head and only partly white tail. Could it just be some migratory freak?
I surely miss my American Kestrel "boyfriend". Both he and the smaller male are gone. There was a female as well, and I wonder if she is part of the nesting pair of SE kestrels that nested a half mile away.
Either I'm completely nuts or my experiences with that crazy bird defied coincidence.
Although I know it's impossible, the only thing it looks like is a black hawk. It really is possible that I see the longer necked bird (I shouldn't say long necked really. Maybe just more slender than a RTH?) soaring and think it's the same as the other bird because the wings are similar. The 2 times I saw the bird in question a little closer the tail is what caught my eye. I instantly thought black bird, white tail = eagle, which of course it isn't with the black head and only partly white tail. Could it just be some migratory freak?
I surely miss my American Kestrel "boyfriend". Both he and the smaller male are gone. There was a female as well, and I wonder if she is part of the nesting pair of SE kestrels that nested a half mile away.
Either I'm completely nuts or my experiences with that crazy bird defied coincidence.
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Zackiedawg
Well-known member
Carlos - I was figuring all of these spottings were occurring over the past winter - that's why I mentioned the harrier possibility.
But i guess it'll have to remain a mystery bird for the time being. If you think there's a chance to snap a shot next time you see it - even with a P&S or cell camera, give it a go - just by shape and wing position we might be able to get it ID'd at least in the right general family.
But i guess it'll have to remain a mystery bird for the time being. If you think there's a chance to snap a shot next time you see it - even with a P&S or cell camera, give it a go - just by shape and wing position we might be able to get it ID'd at least in the right general family.
Since i am really a novice birder I'll leave it as this: I've been seeing 2 different birds, and one happens to be a large snail kite. 
I got off work a little early today and drove around looking for a soaring slender neck bird like the one I've been seeing (not necessarily with white tail...aaaahhh)
I did see one near Miklitary and Lake Ida . He was heading southeast. I'm going to say anhinga since he was heading towards my office, and there has been an anhinga there lately. We have quite a group now. Hundreds of grackles, many ibis, RSH, and 4 peahens, one peacock.
We're hoping for a visit from some whistling ducks as the back lot floods.
I really look forward to seeing a snail kite again. Such an elegant bird.
I got off work a little early today and drove around looking for a soaring slender neck bird like the one I've been seeing (not necessarily with white tail...aaaahhh)
I did see one near Miklitary and Lake Ida . He was heading southeast. I'm going to say anhinga since he was heading towards my office, and there has been an anhinga there lately. We have quite a group now. Hundreds of grackles, many ibis, RSH, and 4 peahens, one peacock.
We're hoping for a visit from some whistling ducks as the back lot floods.
I really look forward to seeing a snail kite again. Such an elegant bird.
We saw/heard a pileated woodpecker during our mangrove planting at Juno Dunes.He was quite active, flying around, doing carpentry work, and calling.
The real treat came later. As we walked to the intracoastal area I saw one on a dead slash pine. Within a few seconds he was joined by 4 others, 3 in that tree and one on the oak next to it. What a racket. The one bird was really huge.
Saw several limpkin at ARM yesterday. Also a GBH was having a terrible time trying to eat a large fish. He had it up on the levee too, it was pretty funny.
Gators everywhere, with many babies visible in the impoundments. One adult was particularly active back there. He/she chased a juvenile out of the area--I'd never seen 2 gators move so fast. The adult kept rearing its head up, going in circles, going up and down the bank...very neurotic reptile. It was probably a female with a nest, but it was hard to tell.
It got a bit dark early due to the rain, and I saw a GHO while walking to the car.
The real treat came later. As we walked to the intracoastal area I saw one on a dead slash pine. Within a few seconds he was joined by 4 others, 3 in that tree and one on the oak next to it. What a racket. The one bird was really huge.
Saw several limpkin at ARM yesterday. Also a GBH was having a terrible time trying to eat a large fish. He had it up on the levee too, it was pretty funny.
Gators everywhere, with many babies visible in the impoundments. One adult was particularly active back there. He/she chased a juvenile out of the area--I'd never seen 2 gators move so fast. The adult kept rearing its head up, going in circles, going up and down the bank...very neurotic reptile. It was probably a female with a nest, but it was hard to tell.
It got a bit dark early due to the rain, and I saw a GHO while walking to the car.
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bulos
Bulos
Juno Dunes???
Yup. Juno Dunes, west side. Way at the back there's a boardwalk overlooking the intracoastal entrance. They were in the trees between the observation tower and that area.
And unfortunately, I was wrong about the scrub jays there. According to the site steward only one is left there. But Jupiter Ridge is another story. When you get up to Ski Beach they follow you around.
And unfortunately, I was wrong about the scrub jays there. According to the site steward only one is left there. But Jupiter Ridge is another story. When you get up to Ski Beach they follow you around.
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bulos
Bulos
Where are these places?
I've been to Jupiter Ridge several times, but haven't yet seen scrub jays there. When I lived here 15 years ago, a reliable population could be found near Jonathan Dickensen State Park on the Martin County line, but I haven't seen or heard of them there in years.
At work today in West Palm Beach, I saw a pair of parrots that looked like Yellow-Crowned Amazons (definite yellow on head, rather bulky body, and short tail) but wthout binocs I couldn't make a positive ID.
At work today in West Palm Beach, I saw a pair of parrots that looked like Yellow-Crowned Amazons (definite yellow on head, rather bulky body, and short tail) but wthout binocs I couldn't make a positive ID.
