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Rare bird news for Florida (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Andy Wraithmell
- Start date
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
Wow! They certainly are much more common down your way Carlos! I expect sightings will increase throughout the state as I assume they are now breeding in your area?
The Yellow-green Vireo is still present today, and the Tropical Kingbird has been present throughout the past week. See previous posts for directions.
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
The Red-footed Booby first seen on May 4th was sighted again on pelagic off Key Biscayne, on Sunday 12th. A Leach's Storm-petrel was also seen on the trip.
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
been very quiet on the rarity front in the sunshine state recently but 2 Bell's Vireos were found today in Blountstown, which is in Calhoun County in the panhandle.
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
Not sure if Smooth-billed Ani merits a mention on the rare bird thread BUT they are slowly but surely disappearing from South Florida AND there has been very little in the way of rarities to report recently.
A Canadian birder reported seeing a Smooth-billed Ani on 9th July near Miami airport in the vicinity of the Doubletree Hotel.
I shall endeavor to report Smooth-billed Ani sightings on this thread but you may also want to check the Tropical Audubon Bird Board, an excellent resource for birders visiting South-East Florida.
A Canadian birder reported seeing a Smooth-billed Ani on 9th July near Miami airport in the vicinity of the Doubletree Hotel.
I shall endeavor to report Smooth-billed Ani sightings on this thread but you may also want to check the Tropical Audubon Bird Board, an excellent resource for birders visiting South-East Florida.
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
That's really sad Carlos. Last one's I saw were near Ft. Lauderdale Airport along Griffin Rd (I think that was the name of the street). Saw several there in March 2007.
I never have gotten a conclusive theory as to why they've disappeared as a breeding species. Nest predation from exotic reptiles has to have had an effect on them.
Most of the exotic reptiles here in South Florida are from Latin America, where Smooth-billed Ani is abundant. I do not think has anything to do with nest predation from exotic reptiles or even habitat loss, as they deal with almost any kind of scrubby habitat in their usual haunts. I think it might have to do a lot with spraying for insects, which they do throughout suburban Miami-Dade and even in the Everglades.
Carlos
Carlos
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
I'm sure the use of pesticides shoulders a lot of the blame. Damn shame!
2Wild&CrazyBirders
New member
Several factors have been hypothesized as for the reasons why the Smooth-billed Ani population has declined in FL. It now seems that not only one factor is to blame but perhaps a combination of factors. This combination of both natural and unnatural factors including hurricanes, freezes, floods, droughts, as well as human alteration of the environment such as pesticide usage in agricultural lands. These factors all play a role in the disappearance of SBAN in FL. Unfortunately for the species it may no longer be established in South FL.
Smooth-billed Ani population grew exponentially into the early 1970's with 1,146 individuals tallied on the 1971-72 Christmas Bird Count. Compare that to just ten years later when CBC data shows only 219 SBAN recorded during the 1981-82 CBC. The species numbers continued to decline rapidly with only 63 individuals counted during the 1991-92 CBC. Another ten years later and only 15 birds were counted, fast forward to 2011 and they are all but gone. The last two CBC's have turned out 0 individuals during the count! Presently reports of SBAN seem to be that of stragglers or vagrants such as this new report of a bird near the Miami International Airport.
Angel & Mariel
Smooth-billed Ani population grew exponentially into the early 1970's with 1,146 individuals tallied on the 1971-72 Christmas Bird Count. Compare that to just ten years later when CBC data shows only 219 SBAN recorded during the 1981-82 CBC. The species numbers continued to decline rapidly with only 63 individuals counted during the 1991-92 CBC. Another ten years later and only 15 birds were counted, fast forward to 2011 and they are all but gone. The last two CBC's have turned out 0 individuals during the count! Presently reports of SBAN seem to be that of stragglers or vagrants such as this new report of a bird near the Miami International Airport.
Angel & Mariel
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
Thanks for the input guys.
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
The pelagic out of Volusia County yesterday produced 2 White-tailed Tropicbirds and a Black-capped Petrel.
I will be posting my own report on the pelagic tomorrow on my blog, which will include photographs. Here is trip organizer, Michael Brothers, report.
Pelagic Trip Report
July 30, 2011
Yesterday, July 30, our pelagic trip partnership with the AOU and the Marine
Science Center led 69 people out to the Gulf Stream and beyond. We departed Ponce de Leon Inlet and journeyed out 90 miles in amazingly calm seas. The conditions made for an easy trip for the passengers and helped make close viewing of some species possible.
Highlights of the trip included 2 2nd-year White-tailed Tropicbirds (very
similar birds that had some minor differences in their plumage that I believe
shows that they are different individuals), a Black-capped Petrel, Leach’s,
Band-rumped, and lots of Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, Bridled, Sooty and Brown
Noddy Terns, Many Audubon’s Shearwaters and a smaller number of Cory’s
Shearwaters. Some surprises included a Solitary Sandpiper at 70 miles out and a Yellow-throated Warbler at 35 miles out, and a lost Little Blue Heron.
We also found some very interesting cetaceans. We found a group of four whales that appeared to be one of the beaked whales, possibly Blainvillle’s Beaked Whale at the edge of a 2,400 foot deep canyon. Later, out at about 90 miles, we found two whales that may have been either the Dwarf Sperm Whales or Pygmy Sperm Whales.
Here is a preliminary list of the species we found:
White-tailed Tropicbird 2
Cory’s Shearwater 12
Audubon’s Shearwater 19
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel 120
Leach’s Storm-Petrel 2
Band-Rumped Storm-Petrel 3
Black-capped Petrel 1
Bridled Tern 4
Sooty Tern 18
Brown Noddy 1
Common Tern 1
Black Tern 2
Sandwich Tern 12
Red-necked Phalarope 1
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Sandpiper sp. 2
Laughing Gull 2
Barn Swallow 1
Yellow-throated Warbler 1
I will be posting my own report on the pelagic tomorrow on my blog, which will include photographs. Here is trip organizer, Michael Brothers, report.
Pelagic Trip Report
July 30, 2011
Yesterday, July 30, our pelagic trip partnership with the AOU and the Marine
Science Center led 69 people out to the Gulf Stream and beyond. We departed Ponce de Leon Inlet and journeyed out 90 miles in amazingly calm seas. The conditions made for an easy trip for the passengers and helped make close viewing of some species possible.
Highlights of the trip included 2 2nd-year White-tailed Tropicbirds (very
similar birds that had some minor differences in their plumage that I believe
shows that they are different individuals), a Black-capped Petrel, Leach’s,
Band-rumped, and lots of Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, Bridled, Sooty and Brown
Noddy Terns, Many Audubon’s Shearwaters and a smaller number of Cory’s
Shearwaters. Some surprises included a Solitary Sandpiper at 70 miles out and a Yellow-throated Warbler at 35 miles out, and a lost Little Blue Heron.
We also found some very interesting cetaceans. We found a group of four whales that appeared to be one of the beaked whales, possibly Blainvillle’s Beaked Whale at the edge of a 2,400 foot deep canyon. Later, out at about 90 miles, we found two whales that may have been either the Dwarf Sperm Whales or Pygmy Sperm Whales.
Here is a preliminary list of the species we found:
White-tailed Tropicbird 2
Cory’s Shearwater 12
Audubon’s Shearwater 19
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel 120
Leach’s Storm-Petrel 2
Band-Rumped Storm-Petrel 3
Black-capped Petrel 1
Bridled Tern 4
Sooty Tern 18
Brown Noddy 1
Common Tern 1
Black Tern 2
Sandwich Tern 12
Red-necked Phalarope 1
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Sandpiper sp. 2
Laughing Gull 2
Barn Swallow 1
Yellow-throated Warbler 1
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
An adult White-tailed Tropicbird was found by Roy Morris while he was fishing the gulf 30 miles west of Anna Maria Island, Manatee County today.
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
A Thick-billed Vireo was found in Miami at Matheson Hammock Park today. Bird was seen in the service road on the west side of Old Cutler Rd. just as the trail opens up to a clearing.
Carlos Sanchez (nice one mate!) found this awesome bird, here are some photographs.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46546816@N04/6015412106/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46546816@N04/6014860807/in/photostream
another picture can be found here as well as some comments
http://www.tropicalaudubon.org/tasboard/messages/54555.html
Carlos Sanchez (nice one mate!) found this awesome bird, here are some photographs.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46546816@N04/6015412106/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46546816@N04/6014860807/in/photostream
another picture can be found here as well as some comments
http://www.tropicalaudubon.org/tasboard/messages/54555.html
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
Hey Azzy, here is a link to the official state list and review (rare) species are indicated on the list. Hope that helps.
http://fosbirds.org/official-florida-state-bird-list
with that being said, there are certain species that merit mention on this thread mostly because they show up infrequently but are not considered mega rare and are not subsequently reviewed by the FOS rare birds committee. Species such as Hudsonian Godwit, Black-legged Kittiwake, Glaucous Gull, Calliope Hummingbird, La Sagra's Flycatcher, Lapland Longspur and Black-throated Gray Warbler, to name a few, would merit mention but they are not mega rare.
The Birdlife of Florida by Henry Stevenson would also give you an insight into the status and distribution of Florida's birds.
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Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
Thick-billed Vireo was seen again today at Matheson Hammock. Thick-billed Vireo is a review species in Florida.
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
The Thick-billed Vireo was still present this morning at Matheson Hammock.
Andy Wraithmell
aka Limeybirder
A Greater Flamingo was spotted by kayakers near Snake Bight Trail, Everglades NP on August 1st.
Azzy
Well-known member
Thank you for the info.
I had looked at that list but couldn't see any listings of species being rare. Looking at the PDF list again, there's species with the * symbol next to them that it lists need to be reported to the FOSRC, does that mean that they are the rare birds for florida?Similar threads
