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Rare bird news for Florida (1 Viewer)

I just checked out floridahummingbirds.net. Photo of Cuban Emerald looks similar, and they have been found here. But of course it could just be the lighting of your photo.If its a Cuban Emerald that site would like to know ;)

Just a thought. We'll wait for the experts!
 
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It is a Ruby-throated Hummingbird -- NOT a Cuban Emerald. There are no accepted Cuban Emerald records for Florida.

Justin, how did you eliminate Mourning Warbler? Connecticut Warbler does not tend to migrate down the peninsula in autumn migration (they are much more common in the spring) as their fall migration route takes them more easterly from New England straight down the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. It can happen, though. Another bird that would fit your description is Nashville Warbler.

Carlos
 
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Darn, I wanted Justin to have a bit of birding fame.

How could you tell the difference?

There are just too many birds...

Now that I enlarged justin's photo it does look like the chest is lighter thaN the Emerald. And he looks chubby just because his feathers are puffed out.
 
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A male Western Tanager was spotted in Polk County at Peace River Hammock today.

A Selasphorus Hummingbird (Rufous or Allen's) was spotted visiting a feeder in Nassau County today. Rufous Hummingbird is an annual visitor to Florida and winters in small numbers. Allen's Hummingbird is much rarer.

There has been no news regarding the Inca Dove since the 14th.
 
Justin, how did you eliminate Mourning Warbler? Connecticut Warbler does not tend to migrate down the peninsula in autumn migration (they are much more common in the spring) as their fall migration route takes them more easterly from New England straight down the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. It can happen, though. Another bird that would fit your description is Nashville Warbler.

I'm going to pull up the Mourning warbler photos and data and give it a really good look - and compare it to the Connecticut. But I've never heard of the Nashvilles down here - and from what I hear, they are much smaller than the Connecticut. This one was foraging around on the ground, and the head, neck, and throat right to the breast were all one continuous grey hood - and a fairly distinguished white eye ring, with a yellow chest that extended all the way to the underside of the tail. It looked a bit large for a typical warbler - when I first spotted it, I saw only the head and eyering, and a bit of the yellow chest - I was thinking something between a white eyed vireo or a painted bunting female - when it finally became more clear, the grey hood was obvious, as well as the olive back and wings. I followed it around with my lens, but so many branches were between me and it that I had to switch to manual focus, cranked up to ISO3200 it was still dark, and I never could get it to come out in the open. I finally lost it when it moved too far back in the tree canopy - that section is boardwalk, so I couldn't pursue.

Thanks for the hummingbird ID - I suspected it might be a ruby-throated - as I've heard that their red throat can be sometimes unnoticeable, and can even look black when the light doesn't hit it from the right angle...but I know so little about them and tried looking up a few in the bird pages. It's my first hummingbird photo, and only one of a handful of times I've spotted one down in South Florida. Obviously that's not a 'keeper' photo - that's mega-cropped and artificially brightened about 2 stops in post to try to help ID it.
 
Justin,

We get Nashville Warblers down here with regularity during autumn migration -- I have seen more Nashvilles than Connecticuts, actually. Your description though sounds like it was an Oporornis.

You should be able to get plenty of chances to photograph Ruby-throated Hummingbird. They are actually a very common winter resident -- at least down here in Miami-Dade. There are parks here that can have up to 15-20 individuals when the orchid trees begin to flower in the late autumn. Another one to look out for here is Rufous Hummingbird. All the other species are much rarer.

Carlos
 
I'm going to pull up the Mourning warbler photos and data and give it a really good look - and compare it to the Connecticut. But I've never heard of the Nashvilles down here - and from what I hear, they are much smaller than the Connecticut. This one was foraging around on the ground, and the head, neck, and throat right to the breast were all one continuous grey hood - and a fairly distinguished white eye ring, with a yellow chest that extended all the way to the underside of the tail. It looked a bit large for a typical warbler - when I first spotted it, I saw only the head and eyering, and a bit of the yellow chest - I was thinking something between a white eyed vireo or a painted bunting female - when it finally became more clear, the grey hood was obvious, as well as the olive back and wings. I followed it around with my lens, but so many branches were between me and it that I had to switch to manual focus, cranked up to ISO3200 it was still dark, and I never could get it to come out in the open. I finally lost it when it moved too far back in the tree canopy - that section is boardwalk, so I couldn't pursue.

Thanks for the hummingbird ID - I suspected it might be a ruby-throated - as I've heard that their red throat can be sometimes unnoticeable, and can even look black when the light doesn't hit it from the right angle...but I know so little about them and tried looking up a few in the bird pages. It's my first hummingbird photo, and only one of a handful of times I've spotted one down in South Florida. Obviously that's not a 'keeper' photo - that's mega-cropped and artificially brightened about 2 stops in post to try to help ID it.

How big was it? Have you considered Yellow-breasted Chat?
 
The Inca Dove did put in an appearance yesterday around 10 am. The bird was frequenting feeders in a yard on the NE corner of East 4th Street and Gulf Beach Road.

A male Wilson's Warbler was found in Baker County yesterday.
 
How big was it? Have you considered Yellow-breasted Chat?

I just pulled up the yellow-breated chat for a look, but it doesn't look quite right - the belly and underside of tail look white, and he seems to have more of a white streak or mask around the eyes - the one I saw was all grey headed except an eye-ring just around the eye...and the underside was yellow right to the end of the tail's underside.

Size-wise, it looked a bit larger than a painted bunting female or pine warbler...a bit larger than the B&W warbler which was in the same area at the same time. I wish there was some way to get out there and try to spot it again, but I won't have the chance again until Saturday.
 
An amazing total of 45 Black-capped Petrels were observed during a Pelagic off the east coast on Sunday, which constituted the single highest day count for this species off the Florida coast. Other highlights included a juvenile Sabine's Gull and 10 Red-necked Phalaropes. For a full trip report click here.

Elsewhere, an adult Masked Booby was located at Fort De Soto County Park in Pinellas County, a rare occurrence in Florida away from the keys. Click here for a picture.
 
Carlos, do you mean Hong Kong orchid--bauhinia blakeana--I hope so as planted one a few months ago.
I just ordered some campsis radicans-trumpet vine. I had some of that at my last house and it definitely drew a few hummers.
 
Yes, Sydsmythe. I know Hong Kong Orchid isn't native, but it really attracts hummingbirds when in bloom during the winter months.

Carlos
 
Mute Swan is not countable in Florida... just another one of those feral exotics, like Egyptian Goose, Purple Swamphen, Hill Myna, Mitred Parakeet, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Nutmeg Mannikin...

Carlos
 
A stunning male Broad-billed Hummingbird was banded in Sheila Klink's Eastpoint yard today. This is only the 3rd record of BBHU to be banded in Florida. The other 2 birds both wintered in the yards they were banded in, so hopefully this bird will stay a while. The bird is located at 20 8th street in Eastpoint. From highway 98 turn north on 8th street and it is the 4th house on the right. The bird is hanging out at the two feeders on the shed behind the house. Click here to see the pictures!
 
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Oh...sure - right after my hummingbird is shot down as a common ruby-throat, someone else goes and spots a rare one! ;)

BTW - I went hunting for my Connecticut warbler again at Green Cay, but the weather was horrible yesterday. I spent an hour or so searching the forest in medium rain, then had to bail out for shelter when the lightning started getting close and the rain picked up to 'heavy'. After sitting in a metal gazebo built on the water with a nearing electrical storm, hiding my camera gear from the downpour, the rain finally let up enough to let me head back through the tree canopy and around the boardwalk to my car in a light drizzle - the lightning storm passed close by but not directly overhead. Unfortunately, no sign of the connecticut.
 
Justin,

Those guys up in the panhandle/North Florida always get interesting hummingbirds every winter! We don't get nearly as many rare hummers as they do.

Carlos
 
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