Rare bird news for Florida (1 Viewer)

A Say's Phoebe has returned for its 4th consecutive winter in Lake County. This obliging individual can be found in a horse paddock along Ranch Road in Astatula.

A male Masked Duck was found at the botanical gardens on Stock Island in the Keys.

The Tropical/Couch's Kingbird was not seen today at Lucky Hammock.

5 Greater White-fronted Geese and a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher were spotted by John Murphy at Bald Point.

2 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are present at Fort De Soto County Park.

Cold front approaching from the west plus rain all over the state from this tropical low should produce a glut of scarce and rare birds this week.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is an annual winter resident in the southern half of the state of Florida. Hate to be the devil's advocate, but I am not sure it qualifies as a rarity over other uncommon migrants being seen such as Bay-breasted Warbler and Philadelphia Vireo!

Carlos

csanchez7 said:

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is an annual winter resident in the southern half of the state of Florida. Hate to be the devil's advocate, but I am not sure it qualifies as a rarity over other uncommon migrants being seen such as Bay-breasted Warbler and Philadelphia Vireo!

Carlos

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I couldn't agree more but Scissor-tails are not as common up here as they are down there. Devil's Advocate! Stop being so damn picky! I'm gonna start calling you Mr Fussy Pants if you're not careful! I'll remind you of this when y'all start going loopy over a Brown Creeper or Dark-eyed Junco.

What I need to do is change the title of the thread to Rare and Uncommon Bird news for Florida.

Maybe we should start a migration thread that covers uncommon migrants like the species you mentioned. We should also probably come up with a list of species we consider rare enough to include on this thread. How about that?

An adult male Black-headed Grosbeak was spotted by Russ Titus at Evergreen Cemetry in Fort Lauderdale today. Black-headed Grosbeak is an scarce annual visitor to Florida, mostly in the fall. There are records of overwintering birds, usually seen visiting bird feeders.

As Carlos hinted at in a previous post, there have been unusually high numbers of Philadelphia Vireos and Bay-breasted Warblers in South Florida the last couple of days. Such species are usually much scarcer during fall migration. The weather conditions certainly helped their arrival to our shores.

Called into work and took my personal holiday which will allow me to head to the panhandle coast tomorrow. Hopefully the cold front will bring me something to post about on here!

The male Masked Duck continues at Key West Botanical Garden on Stock Island in the Keys. Masked Duck is a review species in FL.

A 1st winter Franklin's Gull was found on the beach, just north of the north jetty, at Ponce Inlet by Michael Brothers today. Franklin's Gull is an annual visitor to Florida, sometimes in good numbers. I once had 12 at St Marks NWR!

Uncommon migrants such as Philadelphia Vireo, Golden-winged Warbler and Bay-breasted Warbler continue to be found throughout the state. I had a single adult, of the latter, this morning on St George Island, my first fall record on the island of that species. In the panhandle they are typically more common in Spring.

I'm not sure if this is thought of as rare, but it is a migrant. An immmature Magnolia Warbler along one of the bike/walking trails at FishHawk, Lithia, today.

Ignore me if it's common as anything while migrating

Azzy,

Magnolia Warbler is an uncommon migrant in both spring and fall through peninsular Florida (I will not speak for Andrew... those panhandle folk and their birds are quite different). In fact, it is regular in winter in small numbers in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. I actually just saw one today while chasing something else...

KIRTLAND'S WARBLER seen today at Richardson's Park in Broward county, Florida. For directions, please look here:

http://www.tropicalaudubon.org/tasboard/messages/59292.html

Carlos

csanchez7 said:

Azzy,

Magnolia Warbler is an uncommon migrant in both spring and fall through peninsular Florida (I will not speak for Andrew... those panhandle folk and their birds are quite different). In fact, it is regular in winter in small numbers in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. I actually just saw one today while chasing something else...

KIRTLAND'S WARBLER seen today at Richardson's Park in Broward county, Florida. For directions, please look here:

http://www.tropicalaudubon.org/tasboard/messages/59292.html

Carlos

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Magnolia Warbler is a regular migrant in the Panhandle in both spring and fall. They can appear in big numbers at the coastal migrant traps in spring. Rare? No Spectacular? Yes! Keep the reports coming Azzy.

Magnolia Warbler is perhaps one of my favorite warblers, especially the males in spring plumage -- they are simply striking with those bold, black streaks on yellow! But I never met a warbler I didn't like.

I have never seen large numbers of Magnolias down here -- seeing 5 individuals in a day would be pretty good. Not like Black-throated Blue Warbler, Northern Parula, or Ovenbird which can be the dominant component of fallouts with numbers in the hundreds!

Carlos

Quite a day for rarities. Quality stuff.

As Carlos already mentioned a superb Kirtland's Warbler was found today by Russ Titus at Richardson Park in Broward County. It was seen near the tennis courts from the boardwalk. See the link in Carlos' post for directions. Even though they winter in the nearby Bahamas, Kirtland's Warbler is very rare in Florida and as a result are a review species. If you are able, go see this bird, there aren't many left! Picture here.

A Varied Thrush was found by Bob Duncan at Fort Pickens but was not seen again after 10am. Varied Thrush is a review species.

The Tropical/Couch's Kingbird was reported again from Lucky Hammock. Until this bird calls identification will be difficult at best. There isn't a verified record of Couch's Kingbird in Florida. Tropical Kingbird is a near annual visitor and is considered a review species.

A Black-throated Gray Warbler was found at Honeymoon Island SP by Charles Fisher. Picture here. This species is a near annual visitor to Florida and has wintered.

Another Franklin's Gull, a 1st winter, was found by Michael Brothers, at the same Ponce Inlet location as the one he found yesterday.

A Winter Wren was found in Gulf Breeze in the panhandle. Winter Wren is a common winter visitor to the panhandle but is rare south of Gainesville. I will be reporting all Winter Wrens this winter for birders who live outside the Panhandle/North Florida area.

A Philadelphia Vireo and a Clay-colored Sparrow were found at Fort De Soto today by Brian Ahern. Both are uncommon annual visitors to Florida, mostly during the fall.

For anyone who is interested follow this link to see some superb pictures, taken by Trey Mitchell, of migrants thyat graced South Florida during this weeks spectacular fallout.

csanchez7 said:

Magnolia Warbler is perhaps one of my favorite warblers, especially the males in spring plumage -- they are simply striking with those bold, black streaks on yellow! But I never met a warbler I didn't like.

I have never seen large numbers of Magnolias down here -- seeing 5 individuals in a day would be pretty good. Not like Black-throated Blue Warbler, Northern Parula, or Ovenbird which can be the dominant component of fallouts with numbers in the hundreds!

Carlos

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Black-throated Blues are uncommon up here and Ovenbirds are not as common as Magnolia. Fascinating differences in our regions.

They are all pretty awesome Carlos. I think Bay-breasted, Yellow-throated and Hooded are my favorite warblers.

Review Species For Florida

Here is the current list of species that are considered review species by the FOSRC (Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee). Of course any species that has not been recorded in Florida requires review by the committee also, before being accepted on to the official state list. All the species below have been recorded in the state at least once. Hopefully they'll all show up again!!!!
Note that Alder and Willow Flycatcher are review species even though both are reported on numerous occasions during fall migration! This is because such records have not been submitted to the committee for review.

Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii *
White-cheeked Pintail Anas bahamensis *
Green-winged Teal ('Common' Teal) Anas crecca crecca *
King Eider Somateria spectabilis *
Common Merganser Mergus merganser *
Masked Duck Nomonyx dominicus *
Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus *
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena *
Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis *
Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos *
Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis *
Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris *
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus *
Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus *
Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus *
Scarlet Ibis Eudocimus ruber *
Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis *
Zone-tailed Hawk Buteo albonotatus *
Ferruginous Hawk Buteo regalis *
Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus *
Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus *
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus *
Lesser Sand-Plover Charadrius mongolus *
Greater Sand-Plover Charadrius leschenaultii *
Mountain Plover Charadrius montanus *
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia *
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa *
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica *
Surfbird Aphriza virgata *
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata *
Gray-hooded Gull Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus *
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus *
Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus *
Belcher's Gull Larus belcheri *
Heermann's Gull Larus heermanni *
California Gull Larus californicus *
Herring Gull ('Vega' Gull) Larus argentatus vegae *
Thayer's Gull Larus thayeri *
Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus *
Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus *
Elegant Tern Thalasseus elegans *
South Polar Skua Stercorarius maccormicki *
Thick-billed Murre Uria lomvia *
Razorbill Alca torda *
Long-billed Murrelet Brachyramphus perdix *
Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus *
Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica *
Scaly-naped Pigeon Patagioenas squamosa *
Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata *
European Turtle-Dove Streptopelia turtur *
Zenaida Dove Zenaida aurita *
White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi *
Ruddy Quail-Dove Geotrygon montana *
Flammulated Owl Otus flammeolus *
Snowy Owl Bubo scandiaca *
Long-eared Owl Asio otus *
Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus *
White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris *
Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi *
White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis *
Antillean Palm-Swift Tachornis phoenicobia *
Broad-billed Hummingbird Cynanthus latirostris *
White-eared Hummingbird Hylocharis leucotis *
Bahama Woodstar Calliphlox evelynae *
Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna *
Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus *
Allen's Hummingbird Selasphorus sasin *
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons *
Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus *
Cuban Pewee Contopus caribaeus *
Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum *
Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii *
Hammond's Flycatcher Emidonax hammondii *
Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans *
Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya *
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher Myiodynastes luteiventris *
Piratic Flycatcher Legatus leucophaius *
Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus *
Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans *
Loggerhead Kingbird Tyrannus caudifasciatus *
Thick-billed Vireo Vireo crassirostris *
Yellow-green Vireo Vireo flavoviridis *
Cuban Martin Progne cryptoleuca *
Southern Martin Progne elegans *
Mangrove Swallow Tachycineta albilinea *
Bahama Swallow Tachycineta cyaneoviridis *
Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus *
Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii *
Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe *
Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides *
Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi *
Bicknell's Thrush Catharus bicknelli *
Red-legged Thrush Turdus plumbeus *
Varied Thrush Ixoreus naevius *
Sage Thrasher Oreoscoptes montanus *
Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre *
White Wagtail Motacilla alba *
Chestnut-collared Longspur Calcarius ornatus *
MacGillivray's Warbler Geothlypis tolmiei *
Kirtland's Warbler Setophaga kirtlandii *
Golden-cheeked Warbler Setophaga chrysoparia *
Yellow-faced Grassquit Tiaris olivaceus *
Black-faced Grassquit Tiaris bicolor *
Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus *
Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus *
American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea *
Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata *
Lark Bunting Calamospiza melanocorys *
Harris's Sparrow Zonotrichia querula *
Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla *
Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena *
Varied Bunting Passerina versicolor *
Tawny-shouldered Blackbird Agelaius humeralis *
Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta *
Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus *
Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii *
Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra *
Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea *

I will post a list of species considered rare, followed by a list of uncommon species worthy of mention on this thread. It will take a while and will require consultation but hopefully it will give bird forum members and visitors a good idea of the status of some of our more unusual species.

Andy Wraithmell said:

Magnolia Warbler is a regular migrant in the Panhandle in both spring and fall. They can appear in big numbers at the coastal migrant traps in spring. Rare? No Spectacular? Yes! Keep the reports coming Azzy.

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I'm afraid most of the birds I see are much too common to be posting about in here, but that doesn't make them any less exciting to see.

I'm looking forward to seeing the list of uncommon species, will certainly help people like me get a handle on things

The Kirtland's Warbler continues at Richardson Park in Broward County.

A Bananaquit was found at the lighthouse on Cape Florida. A Lincoln's Sparrow was also found by the same birders. Bananaquit is a near annual but rare visitor to South Florida. Lincoln's Sparrow is an uncommon fall migrant/winter resident.

A Greater White-fronted Goose was found by Larry Manfredi this morning. Not sure where exactly it is. Carlos maybe you could add some details, all I got off TAS bird board was a street. This species is an annual winter visitor to North Florida in small numbers but it is quite a rarity in S. FL.

3 White-faced Ibis were found on HQ Pond at St Marks NWR yesterday by Mark & Selena Kiser. WFIB are an annual visitor to the refuge, which is perhaps the best site in the state for them.

A Groove-billed Ani was found at Fort Pickens by birders searching for yesterdays Varied Thrush (no sign as of writing). Groove-billed Ani is a regular fall visitor, usually less than 5 each year. Some birds are long staying like the individual that wintered at Boyd Hill Preserve earlier this year.

A Lark Sparrow was found by Judy Fisher in Seminole County.

The previous report of a Townsend's Warbler at Fort De Soto was erroneous. The bird was later identified as a Blackburnian Warbler.

A female Rufous Hummingbird was found by Brian Rapoza at Castellow Hammock near the nature center. It was seen visiting a firebush. Rufous Hummingbird is an annual fall migrant and winter resident. A majority of records are from birds visiting feeders during the winter months, particularly in the Tallahassee area.

South Florida is on fire this week!

Rare Birds In Florida - Not Review Species

Here is a list of species that are considered rare in Florida but they are no longer review species as there have been enough well documented records.

Brant Branta bernicla
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera
Common Eider Somateria mollissima
Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus
Pacific Loon Gavia pacifica
White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
Yellow Rail Coturnicops noveboracensis
Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla
Sabine's Gull Xema sabini
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
Dovekie Alle alle
Key West Quail-Dove Geotrygon chrysia
Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani
Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris
Buff-bellied Hummingbird Amazilia yucatanensis
Calliope Hummingbird Stellula calliope
La Sagra's Flycatcher Myiarchus sagrae
Fork-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus savana
Bahama Mockingbird Mimus gundlachii
Black-throated Gray Warbler Setophaga nigrescens
Townsend's Warbler Setophaga townsendi
Bananaquit Coereba flaveola
Western Spindalis Spindalis zena
Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus

Obviously species such as Black and Yellow Rail are probably more common than we realize but given that they are very elusive, I feel they deserve mention as rare birds on the thread. Smooth-billed Ani was once much more common bird to see than they are now. This species will probably be extirpated within the next few years.

Uncommon Species Worthy Of Mention

Here is a list of species that are uncommon in Florida. Some of these species occur in large numbers in various parts of the state but are considered less common and even rare in other parts. Bronzed Cowbird is dirt common in South Florida but is recorded less than annually in the Panhandle and North. White-faced Ibis is an regular annual visitor to the big bend region but is rarer in the peninsula and in the south. Many of these following species are of similar status and this list is probably by no means exhaustive. Wherever possible a qualifier will be added to the report signifying the species' status for the area it was found in.

Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
Ross's Goose Chen rossii
American Black Duck Anas rubripes
Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis
Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata
Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
American Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber
Black-capped Petrel Pterodroma hasitata
Masked Booby Sula dactylatra
Brown Booby Sula leucogaster
Red-footed Booby Sula sula
White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi
White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus
Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni
Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus
Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica
Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii
Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
Franklin's Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan
Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus
Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii
Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus
Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis
Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri
Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus
Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris
Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus
Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus
Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus
Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii
Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus
Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis
Brown Creeper Certhia americana
Winter Wren Troglodytes hiemalis
Sprague's Pipit Anthus spragueii
Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus
Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera
Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla
Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis
Mourning Warbler Geothlypis philadelphia
Cerulean Warbler Setophaga cerulea
Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia
Bay-breasted Warbler Setophaga castanea
Canada Warbler Cardellina canadensis
Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla
Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida
Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus
Le Conte's Sparrow Ammodramus leconteii
Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca
Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis
Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus
Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus
Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis
Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus
Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus
Pine Siskin Spinus pinus


I have probably failed to mention a few species. Canvasback suddenly springs to mind. Very common in the right place in the panhandle (counts of up to 500 on Lake Seminole during winter) but very rare in the Keys. Such species will be reported should they occur.

Thanks for those lists, they'll certainly be a big help in determining what I should and shouldn't be posting in here. Though anything that I'm likely to be posting will most likely be coming from the 'uncommon' list Much appreciated though

Azzy said:

Thanks for those lists, they'll certainly be a big help in determining what I should and shouldn't be posting in here. Though anything that I'm likely to be posting will most likely be coming from the 'uncommon' list Much appreciated though

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You could always start your own thread(s) or blog for birds that don't make this thread.

Andy Wraithmell said:

You could always start your own thread(s) or blog for birds that don't make this thread.

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This is true, I believe I did start one, however I'm not sure great at keeping up with those Nevermind, just have to hope I get some rarities At least I'm not completely naive and I'm not posting in here about some amazing all red bird with a black mask that must surely be super rare...