Ql a*i H fa suw Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 41, No. 4 November 2013 Pages 107-144 FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Founded 1972 OFFICERS President: Dave Goodwin, 807 Woodcarver Lane, Brandon, FL 33510. E-mail: Dave. Goodwin@aol.com Vice President: Marianne Korosy, 2021 Oak View Lane, Palm Harbor, FL 34683. E-mail: mkorosy@gmail.com Secretary: Brian Ahern, 629 Gail Ave., Temple Terrace, FL 33617. E-mail: brianahern@ aol.com Treasurer: John Murphy, 766 Alligator Drive, Alligator Point, FL 32346. E-mail: southmoonunder@mchsi.com Editor, Florida Field Naturalist: Scott Robinson, Florida Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: srobinson@flmnh.ufl.edu Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2014 Erik Haney, 1015 14th Ave. North, St. Petersburg, FL 33705. E-mail: eskyrimh® TAMPABAY.RR.com Gregory Schrott, Archbold Biological Station, P.O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862. E-mail: gschrott@archbold-station.org Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2015 R. Todd Engstrom, 309 Carr Lane, Tallahassee, FL 32312. E-mail: engstrom@bio.fsu.edu Karl Miller, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 1105 SW Williston Road, Gainesville, FL 32601. E-mail: karl.miller@m5rfwc.c0m Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2016 Mary Dowdell, 5209 Culbreath Road, Brooksville, FL 34601. E-mail: Mary.Dowdell@ myfwc.com Paul Miller, Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, 33104 NW 192nd Ave., Okeechobee, FL 34972. E-mail: Paul.Miller@dep.state.fl.us Honorary Members Samuel A. Grimes 1979; Helen G. Cruickshank 1980; Oliver L. Austin, Jr. 1982 Pierce Brodkorb 1982; William B. Robertson, Jr. 1992; Glen E. Woolfenden 1994 Ted Below 1999; Fred E. Lohrer 2009 All persons interested in Florida’s natural history, especially its abundant bird life, are invited to join the Florida Ornithological Society by writing to the Treasurer. 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The Florida Ornithological Society web site is at www.fosbirds.org THIS PUBLICATION IS PRINTED ON NEUTRAL PH PAPER Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 41, No. 4 November 2013 Pages 107-144 Florida Field Naturalist 41(4):107-116, 2013. FIRST RECORD OF ROSEATE SPOONBILL ( Platalea ajaja) NESTING IN POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA Ann B. Hodgson1 and Ann F. Paul2 Resource Designs Inc., Natural Resource Research & Planning, P O. Box 311, Brooksville, Florida 34605 2 Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries, Audubon Florida, 410 S. Ware Blvd., Suite 702, Tampa, Florida 33619 Abstract. — The plume-hunting trade and disturbance at wading bird colonies con- tributed to the widespread extirpation of Florida’s Roseate Spoonbill (. Platalea ajaja) population by the 1930s. The population has increased in the past eighty years to re-establish about 1,400 pairs statewide, with about 60% of the population in the Ev- erglades drainage basin (29% in Florida Bay, 18% in the Shark River Slough estuaries, and 14% in the Water Conservation Areas), 20% of the population nesting in 11 colo- nies in the Tampa Bay region of west-central Florida, 17% in the Indian River Lagoon, and 3% at a few other small colonies. Spoonbills nest typically in estuaries, although they also nest on the estuarine interface in the Everglades, and at a few freshwater locations in the Everglades and elsewhere. They are strong fliers and Audubon’s band- ing studies since 2003 show that Florida Bay and Tampa Bay populations can disperse widely after breeding. Spoonbills forage commonly at freshwater sites as much as 30- 40 km inland from coastal nesting colonies. Although the origin is unknown of the first two pairs that nested 65 km inland at Lake Somerset, Polk County, Florida, in 2008, a spoonbill banded at the Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary in coastal Hillsborough County nested at Lake Somerset in 2009, confirming the nexus between Tampa Bay and the inland peninsula. The number of spoonbill nests averaged 4.4 (SD = 1.8, N = 6) an- nually from 2008 through 2013. To enhance annual nesting success at this colony, we recommend establishing an “idle speed no wake” buffer around the islands in Lake Somerset year-around as they are also winter night roosts, and adherence by “nature” photographers to the North American Nature Photography Association and American Birding Association guidelines. In the Western Hemisphere, the Roseate Spoonbill ( Platalea ajaja ) occurs presently in breeding groups in Gulf coast states (Texas, Louisiana, and Florida) of the United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America (Dumas 2000). In the U.S., the majority of the population breeds in Texas, with smaller populations 107 108 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST in Louisiana and Florida. Fragmented records confirm that large populations of spoonbills bred through the 1800s as far north as Tampa Bay on the Gulf coast, Brevard County on the east coast, and in the interior at Lake Okeechobee (Howell 1932, Allen 1942, Bjork and Powell 1996). The numbers of spoonbills and their nesting sites were greatly reduced by the 1880s, and continued to decline through the early 20th century as they were extirpated from most of their breeding range by plume hunting, the sale of wings as fans (Audubon [1879] 1945), and disturbance at nesting colonies. By the early 1930s, spoonbills nested in small numbers (6-8 pairs) at a few sites (e.g., Cuthbert Lake, Lane River, Shark River, and Charlotte Harbor) (Allen 1942) and at Bottle Key in Florida Bay By 1935, Allen (1963) thought Bottle Key was the only remaining active colony, with only 15 pairs, in Florida. From 1938 to 1941, only 20 to 25 pairs nested at Bottle Key, and possibly a few on Little Patricio Island in Charlotte Harbor (Ogden 1978). By the 1948-49 nesting season, 100 nesting pairs were noted in ten colonies protected by National Audubon Society wardens in Florida Bay (Allen 1963). Florida Bay was added to Everglades National Park this year, thereby providing full protection from hunting and disturbance and, by 1978-79, 1,254 pairs nested in 18 colonies (Powell and Bjork 1989). The first recent nesting record on Florida’s central Gulf coast was in 1974, when one pair nested at the Richard T. Paul Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary (27° 50’ 49.08" N, 82° 24’ 57.17" W) in Hillsborough Bay (Dunstan 1976). While the Alafia Bank has been the largest nesting colony of spoonbills in the Tampa Bay area, spoonbills also have nested at 11 colonies 20-100 km distant from the Alafia Bank in Tampa Bay, Clearwater Harbor and St. Joseph Sound, and Sarasota Bay since 1974 (Hodgson et al. 2006, Hodgson and Paul 2010). Spoonbills re- established nesting on the Atlantic coast in Brevard County in 1987 (Smith and Breininger 1988), and at least three nesting colonies presently occur in the Indian River Lagoon (Smith and Breininger 1988; R. T. Paul, unpublished data; J. Lorenz and ABH, unpublished data). The coastal sites are small (1-5 ha) islands with red, black, and white mangrove canopies ( Rhizophora mangle , Avicennia germinans , and Laguncularia racemosa, respectively), often mixed with coastal hammock hardwoods and palms or invasive exotic trees (primarily Brazilian pepper Schinus terebinthifolius). Most currently active sites in central Florida are dredged spoil material islands in the Intracoastal Waterway and other navigable channels. While spoonbills commonly nested on coastal islands and fed predominantly in coastal freshwater habitats, they also bred at several freshwater sites (Phelps 1914, Bent 1926, Nicholson 1929, Hancock et al. 1993). Hodgson and Paul — Spoonbill Nesting in Polk Co. 109 A small spoonbill colony was found in the central freshwater Everglades in spring 1992 (Bancroft and Sawicki 1995); they also nested inland in Loxahatchee and WCA 3 A in 1992 (Hoffman et al. 1994; Frederick and Towles 1995; Ricardo Zambrano, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, personal communication), and spoonbills now nest commonly in the WCAs. Spoonbills have also nested at the freshwater locations of Gatorland in Orange County since the 2000s, and St. Augustine Alligator Farm in St. Johns County since 2010 (G. Anderson, St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park, personal communication, 22 January 2013). In 2008, we observed the first record of Roseate Spoonbills nesting at a freshwater lake in central Polk County; here, we document the nesting record and describe the colony site. Study Area Lake Somerset, Lakeland . — Polk County has many phosphate pit lakes excavated during the long history of phosphate mining in the “Roneyard” area of central Florida. In Lakeland, the Lake Somerset complex has north (40 ha) and south (30 ha) (28° O' 11.32" N, 81° 55' 52.02" W) lakes, joined by a shallow channel navigable by small boats when lake levels are up. Colonial waterbirds nest in the trees (live oaks Quercus lati folia, red maples Acer floridana , Brazilian pepper, and elderberry Sambucus canadensis) growing on the mounds of overburden forming islands in south Lake Somerset (Fig. 1). Methods The Lake Somerset colony was surveyed first in 2003 (Richard T. Paul [RTP], field notes). We have surveyed the nesting colony annually since 2006 by circling the linear islands in canoes or kayaks, and directly counting the nests and nestlings, which are usually visible through the foliage. Survey data were compiled and analyzed in Microsoft Excel (Data Analysis Tools). Results In 2003, the colonial waterbird nesting colony had 131 nests distributed among 11 species, and was dominated by Wood Storks ( Mycteria americana ), Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus ), Great Egrets ( Ardea alba), and Cattle Egrets (. Bubulcus ibis) (Table 1). A vibrant colony was present, comprised mostly of Anhingas C Anhinga anhinga), Cattle Egrets, other herons, White Ibis (. Eudocimus albus), and Wood Storks, from 2006 to 2013. Roseate Spoonbills appeared in 2008. From 2003 to 2013, annual mean nesting effort (all species) was 1,372.8 nests (SD = 641.8, N = 9). 110 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST ! Meters 0 25 50 100 150 200 N Figure 1. Locations of two Roseate Spoonbill nests in Lake Somerset, Polk County, Florida in 2008. First record of Roseate Spoonbill nesting.— The spring 2008 nesting season in west-central Florida was interrupted by heavy, cold rainfall in March as spoonbills were starting nest construction and many birds delayed nesting until April in response to the poor weather conditions in the early nesting season. 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Fearney) surveyed the nesting activity at Lake Somerset and observed one adult and two subadult spoonbills in the colony. The adult was in breeding condition, with a typical “carmine drip” on the secondaries, an orange tail, and a naked head skin tinged green with black patches stretching over the top of the head to the auricular patches. Both subadults had some carmine colored secondaries on their upper wings, but their heads and bodies were not as brightly colored as was the adult. May— 8 May - Two spoonbill nests were located in Brazilian pepper trees (H. Moulden and R. Munguia, field observations). A spoonbill in adult alternate plumage incubating at a stick platform and a mate standing near it were seen at the first nest. The second nest was two islands to the east. A possible third nest was never located and presumably failed early. June— 4 June - At least one spoonbill chick was seen on the first nest, which was in thick Brazilian pepper (H. Moulden, field observations). 8 June - The first spoonbill nest was re-located (ABH and AFP, field notes, with M. and C. Fearney). 15 June - Two spoonbill chicks were confirmed in this nest (H. Moulden and K. Cook, field observations). 20 June - Two vigorous stage II spoonbill chicks were seen in the first nest (Fig. 2). Two islands to the east, a very large stage IV pale pink chick with a downy white head was seen standing on the second nest (H. Moulden, K. and S. Cook, field observations). July 4 July - The two young spoonbills in the first nest were moving around the nest, and one adult spoonbill flew in and landed close to them. The single young spoonbill in the second nest was a branchling moving around actively in the bushes near its nest (H. Moulden, field observations). 9 July - A well-grown pale fledgling with fully developed primaries and tail feathers was seen standing on a branch away from the second nest late in the day (H. Moulden and K. Cook, field observations). All three young were observed flying, but remained in the area near their nest sites, and no adults were seen. 20 July - The two sibling branchlings remained close to their nest (H. Moulden, field observations). 25 July - One young spoonbill was flying around the colony (H. Moulden, field observations). 31 July - Only one young spoonbill was flying at the colony (H. Moulden, field observations). August — 10 August - Spoonbills were absent from the colony (H. Moulden, field observations). Discussion Spoonbills nest on many dredged spoil material islands with mangroves or Brazilian pepper trees in the Intracoastal Waterway and various bays along the coast (Dunstan 1976, Hodgson et al. 2006, Hodgson and Paul— Spoonbill Nesting in Polk Co. 113 Figure 2. Spoonbill chick (Stage II) on 20 June 2009 (photograph: Ken Cook). 114 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Hodgson and Paul 2010), thus, while the inland location of the spoil islands at Lake Somerset was unique, the substrate was not. Spoonbills are well known to be strong fliers and Audubon’s recent banding study, and satellite transmitter returns from Florida Bay, have shown that adults may disperse seasonally (Lorenz et al. 2002, 2008). In 2008, it was not possible to know the origin of the two pairs that nested at Lake Somerset. In 2009, at least one spoonbill (5H, banded as a stage IV nestling at the Alafia Bank in 2006) nested at Lake Somerset (Fig. 3). Several other spoonbills banded at the Alafia Bank have appeared also since 2009. While preparing this report, we learned that two pairs nested in a small colony at Circle Bar B Reserve on the shoreline of Lake Hancock (27° 58’ 53.54" N, 81° 51' 16.08" W) about 10 km east of Lake Somerset in spring 2006, but the nesting attempts failed (R. Munguia, personal communication, 12 October 2012). Although spoonbills usually begin egg-laying in March with hatching in mid- April in central Florida (Lorenz et al. 2008; FCIS, unpublished data), in 2008 many spoonbills in the region initiated nesting later, and the nesting chronology at Lake Somerset was comparable to other central Florida colonies. Management recommendations. -—This colony is generally undisturbed by activities at the private residences on the lake shores (L. Blessing, personal communication, 2006, 2012, 2013). The greatest disturbances have been from nature photographers approaching nests too closely and fishermen trolling next to the islands. The City of Lakeland, which owns the north lake and co-owns the south lake with a private landowner, recently designated the islands a bird sanctuary, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission posted them in 2013. To enhance annual nesting success at this colony, we recommend establishing an “idle speed no wake” buffer around the islands year-around as they are also winter night roosts, and adherence by “nature” photographers to ethical guidelines. Lake Somerset is important as a large, persistent, inland colony of Florida’s charismatic wading bird species. The Wood Stork colony, particularly, is one of the largest nesting groups in central Florida. Acknowledgments We thank Herman Moulden, Reinier Munguia, and Ken and Stacy Cook for their field observations and photographs. Colleen and Mike Feamey (2006-2013) and Mark L. Rachal (2011) assisted with field surveys. Matthew C. Smith prepared the map. Lillian Blessing has been a diligent advocate for the colony's protection and an effective spokesperson with the City of Lakeland. Comments by Peter Frederick and Jerry Lorenz improved the manu- script. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Coastal Program and private donations funded Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuary annual surveys. Florida Coastal Is- lands Sanctuaries field notes are retained at the program’s office in Tampa, Florida. Hodgson and Paul— Spoonbill Nesting in Polk Co. 115 Figure 3. Roseate Spoonbill 5H, banded at the Richard T. Paul Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary in 2006. Literature Cited Allen, R. P. 1942. The Roseate Spoonbill. National Audubon Society Research Report #2, National Audubon Society, New York. Allen, R. P. 1963. The Present Status of the Roseate Spoonbill, a Summary of Events 1943-1963. Unpublished report. National Audubon Society, Tavernier, Florida. Audubon, J. J. [1879] 1945. Three Floridian episodes. Tequesta 5:52-68. Reprinted from The Life of J. J. Audubon, the Naturalist. G. P. Putnam Sons, New York. Bancroft, G. T., and R. J. Sawickl 1995. The Distribution and Abundance of Wading Birds Relative to Hydrologic Patterns in the Water Conservation Areas of the Ever- glades: Final Report. National Audubon Society, Tavernier, Florida. 116 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Bent, A. C. 1926. Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds. U.S. National Museum Bulletin 135. Bjork, R. B., and G. V. N. Powell. 1996. Roseate Spoonbill. Pages 295-308 in Rare and Endangered Biota of Florida, Vol. V, Birds (J. A. Rodgers, H. W. Kale II, and H. Smith, Eds.). University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Dumas, J. V. 2000. Roseate Spoonbill (. Platalea ajaja ), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca. Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: Dunstan, F. M. 1976. Roseate Spoonbill nesting in Tampa Bay, Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 4:25-27. Frederick, P. C., and T. Towles. 1995. Roseate Spoonbills ( Ajaia ajaja ) nesting at an in- land location in the Everglades. Florida Field Naturalist 23:65-66. Hancock, J. A., J. A. Kushlan, and M. P. Kahl. 1993. Storks, Ibises and Spoonbills of the World. Academic Press, London. Hodgson, A. B., and A. F. Paul. 2010. Twenty-five years after BASIS I: An update on the current status and recent trends in colonial waterbird populations of Tampa Bay. Pages 233-247 in Proceedings, Tampa Bay Area Scientific Information Symposium, BASIS 5: 20-23 October 2009, St. Petersburg, Florida (S. T. Cooper, Ed.). Hodgson, A. B., A. F. Paul, and M. R. Rachal. 2006. Chapter 14: Birds. Pages 14-1 - 14- 14 in Bay Environmental Monitoring Report 2002-2005 (A. Poe, A. J. Janicki, and H. Greening, Eds.). Technical Publication 06-06, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, St. Petersburg, Florida. Hoffman, W., G. T. Bancroft, and R. J. Sawicki. 1994. Foraging habitat of wading birds in the water conservation areas of the Everglades. Pages 585-614 in Everglades: The Ecosystem and its Restoration (S. M. Davis and J. C. Ogden, Eds.). St. Lucie Press, Delray Beach, Florida. Howell, A. H. 1932. Bird Life of Florida. Coward-McCann, New York. Lorenz, J. J., B. Langan, and A. B. Hodgson. 2008. Roseate Spoonbill Nesting in Florida Bay Three-Year Report: 2004-2005, 2005-2006, and 2006-2007. Final Report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Vero Beach, Florida. Lorenz, J. J., J. C. Ogden, R. D. Bjork, and G. V. N. Powell. 2002. Nesting patterns of Roseate Spoonbills in Florida Bay 1935-1999; Implications of landscape scale anthro- pogenic impact. Pages 563-605 in The Everglades, Florida Bay, and Coral Reefs of the Florida Keys; An Ecosystem Sourcebook (J. W. Porter and K. G. Porter, Eds.). CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida. Nicholson, D. J. 1929. Notes on the Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja) in Florida. Auk 46:381-382. Ogden, J. C. 1978. Roseate Spoonbill. Pages 52-54 in Rare and Endangered Biota of Flor- ida, Vol II, Birds (H. W. Kale II, Ed.). University Press of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. Phelps, F. M. 1914. The resident bird life of the Big Cypress Swamp region. Wilson Bul- letin 26:86-101. Powell, G. V. N., and R. D. Bjork. 1989. Relationship Between Hydrologic Conditions and Quality and Quantity of Foraging Habitat for Roseate Spoonbills and Other Wad- ing Birds in the C-lll Basin. Annual Report to South Florida Research Center, Ever- glades National Park, Homestead, Florida. Smith, R. B., and D. R. Breininger. 1988. Northern breeding range extension for the Rose- ate Spoonbill in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 16:65-67. Florida Field Naturalist 41(4):117-122, 2013. OBSERVATIONS OF GRAY KINGBIRD ( Tyrannus dominicen&is ) HABITS AND BREEDING BEHAVIOR IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA Diana Doyle 3070 Harbor Drive, St. Augustine, Florida 32084 E-mail: diana@birdingaboard.com The Gray Kingbird ( Tyrannus dominicensis) breeds fairly commonly in Florida along both coasts and inland in the southeastern peninsula (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992, Stevenson and Anderson 1994, FWC 2003). Although abundant in the Caribbean and tolerant of humans, its breeding behavior is incompletely described. Smith and Jackson (2002) list “No data” or “No Information” for behaviors such as preening, communicative interactions, sexual behavior, parental behavior, and nest sanitation. They preface their report by noting there are surprisingly few quantitative data on many aspects of its life history and later add “More information needed on all aspects of breeding biology of Gray Kingbirds.” The purpose of this paper is to present some supplementary observations. Methods Gray Kingbirds have bred in St. Augustine for many years (Kale et al. 1992; D. Reed, A. Thornton, pers. comm.) despite the species being relatively rare so far north. Gray Kingbirds nest near human habitation, typically in open sites in coastal towns, as was the case for a pair that constructed a nest in St. Augustine, St. Johns County, Florida in May 2012. This nest (29.8992° N, 081.3157° W) was built in a busy city park, located 0.4 km inland from the Matanzas River at St. Augustine Inlet. Two factors made this breeding pair an ideal observation opportunity: 1) the pair could be separated by individual plumage traits visible when the birds copulated, such as a yellower belly and vent of the male; and 2) the nest was clearly visible at a distance of 10 m. I observed this pair daily, for a cumulative total of 23.8 hours over 1-30 May 2012. The time distribution was as follows: 38% prior to 0800 hrs, 33% 0801-0900 hrs, 15% 0901-1600 hrs, and 14% after 1600 hrs. All data presented below are based on these observations, quantified from minute-by-minute field notes. Results Sexual behavior.- I observed several aspects of Gray Kingbird sexual behavior, including an aerial courtship display and copulation. Copulation was observed five times over the 23.8 hours of observation, four of those instances occurring prior to 0800 hours and once at 1534 hours. Copulation continued through production of eggs and 117 118 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST development of nestlings. Prior to incubation both sexes exchanged “p’t’tirre” calls and the female moved to a perch within 0.5 m of the nest. The male followed, with wings fluttering, and copulation lasted less than two seconds. During the incubation phase, the male performed a behavior that led to copulation. Although only the female incubated, twice I observed the male move onto the nest when the female was absent, mimicking an incubation position, sitting high atop the nest while calling and fluttering. His behavior caused the female to return to the nest, while exchanging “p’t/tirre” calls. The male would then leave the “incubation” position, join the female near the nest for copulation, after which the female returned to incubate. Six days before hatch day, the two kingbirds were observed in an aerial interaction. I noticed the pair together tumble downward from ca. 25 m in the air, with feet outstretched, wings fluttering, flashing their yellowish underwings, and vocalizing. This interaction occurred ca. 50 m from the nest. Two days before hatch day, I observed an interaction between the male and a third kingbird while the female was incubating. The male was perched > 20 m away from his usual power line location, when the third kingbird arrived and perched 1.2 m from the male. This was unusually close given that the male and female of the pair typically perched 6-12 m apart on the power line. The male hopped down the wire, closer to the newcomer. The newcomer hopped down the wire, narrowing the distance to the male. The male responded by again hopping down the wire toward the newcomer. The newcomer responded by hopping closer. Both birds were silent and hops did not entail wing displays or head bobbing. When the pair was within centimeters of each other, I heard several loud “p’t’tirre” calls from the nest. The female left the nest and flew directly towards the two kingbirds, causing the newcomer to depart. Feeding behavior.— The pair hunted primarily from a power line (6 m high) running alongside the nest tree or from atop a cluster of blooming cabbage palms ( Sabal palmetto ) about 10 m tall. The sprays of palm flowers attracted large flying insects, particularly bumble bees ( Bombus sp.). These palms were defended against other aerial insectivores such as Great Crested Flycatchers ( Myiarchus crinitus ) almost as vigorously as the nest tree was defended. Bees and wasps (Hymenoptera) comprised the majority of the adult kingbird pair’s diet. Of the total prey items observed (n = 78), 55% were identifiable as Hymenoptera; of those 50% were identifiable as bumble bees and 10% as red wasps ( Polistes Carolina ). Odonates comprised 5% of the observed diet. On an unusually cold early morning (15° C), when few insects were flying, the female caught a small brown lepidopteran. That same morning she also gleaned small unidentified invertebrates Doyle— Gray Kingbird Behavior 119 off leaves near the nest, my only observations of these two prey items. On only one occasion each, they dipped the water surface in flight. Flying insects were caught by sallying from the power lines or palms. Sallies were typically at perch height or higher, with only one flight to the ground observed. The male’s foraging sallies most commonly ranged from a few meters to 75 m distant (75%, n = 57), maintaining defense of the nest. Once caught, an insect was brought back to the power line perch. The female foraged nearby at the flowering palms, but more often flew out of sight, more than 100 m from the nest (60%, n = 34), returning to the wire perch either with an insect in her bill or to immediately engage in bill-wiping on the wire. Large bees, the most common food, were held by the stinger, tossed, and rotated while struck on the wire up to 20 times before being swallowed. The male never offered food to the female, although once, while the female was preening, the male called several times causing the female to notice and capture a very large wasp flying nearby. Self maintenance. —I observed both kingbirds engage in extensive preening. The female preened for 10% of the observation time, or 75% of her time off the nest, engaging in frequent and vigorous scratching while preening. Her scratching ceased ten days after the incubation phase. Her preening sessions averaged 5 minutes (n - 34). The male also preened for 10% of the observation time, with an average preening session of 8 minutes (n = 19). If the female was absent, he moved to a perch within 1 m of the nest when preening. I observed the male scratch only once. Anting or dusting was never observed. On one occasion I arrived to find the male completely wet, on a sunny day, suggesting the possibility of recent bathing. Nest- site selection.— The kingbird nest was constructed in a sparsely-foliaged laurel oak ( Quercus laurifolia) 10 m tall. The nest was 6 m above ground on an 8 cm-diameter horizontal limb overhanging the edge of a man-made pond, 0.3 m from a three-way branch split, supported by and hidden within a mistletoe ( Phoradendron sp.) cluster. It was a loose collection of twigs, some with lichen, that appeared to come from the nest tree. The nest was shallow and wide, without a neat outside edge, 30 cm wide by 10 cm high. It was loosely woven and visibly open when viewed from underneath. Although shaded and partially protected by the mistletoe cluster, it was exposed to the north and northeast. Interspecific interactions.— I observed interactions between the kingbird pair and several other species, some of which were tolerated and others repelled. The male did nearly all the nest defense. I observed the female defend the nest twice: during incubation against a Common Crackle ( Quiscalus quiscula) in very close proximity to the nest, and on day eight after hatching, while the male was absent, swooping to 120 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST repel some Blue Jays ( Cyanocitta cristata ) from the nest tree. The male immediately returned. The male was more tolerant of other avian species when the female was incubating or brooding. The male’s defense actions included (in order of intensity) wing flares, swoops with flared wings and tail, chases, and strikes with bill and feet. Most attacks were silent. Fish Crows ( Corvus ossifragus ) were the least tolerated species; even fly-over crows were promptly, vigorously, and vocally attacked with bill and foot strikes to the back, at times chased for more than 100 m. Cooper’s Hawks ( Accipiter cooperii ) and Red-shouldered Hawks (. Buteo lineatus ) were also attacked, unless they were passing overhead or were away from the nest. Great Crested Flycatchers were not tolerated near the nest or the flowering palms. The kingbird attacks were aggressive, involving the most vocalization of any behavior, wing flashes, and chases until out of sight. The male typically concluded the chase by usurping the intruding flycatcher’s perch on top of the nest tree or palms. Blue Jays were tolerated at the far side of the nest tree, but chased if within 3.5 m of the nest. Within that boundary, the male Gray Kingbird conducted silent, relatively mild attacks, sufficient to repel a jay from the immediate vicinity. Several species were tolerated to within 2-3 m of the nest: Mourning Dove ( Zenaida rnacroura), Red-bellied Woodpecker ( Melanerpes carolinus ), Tufted Titmouse ( Baeolophus bicolor), European Starling 0 Sturnus vulgaris ), Northern Cardinal ( Cardinalis cardinalis ), Common Crackle, Boat-tailed Crackle ( Quiscalus major), and House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). A gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) was vigorously attacked if it approached within 2 m of the nest. A Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) occupied part of the kingbirds’ territory, regularly including a series of “p’t’tirre” calls in its mimicked repertoire. The mockingbird was tolerated near the kingbird nest, and was allowed to share a regular perch within a few feet of the male kingbird on the power line. Defensive behavior appeared to be divided vertically, with the male kingbird monitoring and defending the nest tree and above the power line, and the mockingbird monitoring and defending the area below the power line, including the ground space below the kingbird nest. Parental roles during incubation. -—With the exception of the male’s mimicry of nest sitting, only the female incubated. The female typically faced west, but was observed facing east five times and north once. The female left the nest for 3 to 13 min, with an average absence of 8 min (n = 13), during which time the male perched within 1 m of the nest or on the power line perch closest to the nest. While off the nest, the female typically began by preening and scratching. Then she would either forage locally or fly out of sight, presumably to another foraging area. At night Doyle — Gray Kingbird Behavior 121 the male was observed roosting within the nest tree, a few meters from the nest. The male and female nearly always exchanged calls as they changed positions near the nest. The male called “p’t’tirre” several times and flashed his yellowish underwings whenever the female returned. This behavior was effective in initially distracting my attention, at the precise moment when the female would fly in and slip onto the nest. Upon arrival she would immediately sit still for a couple of minutes, later lifting up to inspect and adjust the eggs. The female incubated the eggs for at least 14 days (my observations began post-nest-construction). I believe the eggs hatched on the morning of day 15 (17 May 2012). Parental care of nestlings. - Only the female was observed brooding the young. Between bouts of brooding she left the nest for between 3 and 20 minutes at a time, with an average absence of 10 minutes (n = 22). Both parents fed the young, in about equal occurrences, although with different contributions. The male provided the majority of the quantity of food, typically bringing a beak full of insects, and feeding for one to two minutes at a time. The female typically carried food for the young in her closed bill; these bits were not large enough to distend her throat. Her feedings lasted only a second or two. The female sometimes returned without feeding the nestlings, settling immediately into brooding position. Both parents removed fecal sacs, again with different behaviors. The male carried sacs to the power line perch to be dropped (Fig. 1). The female ate the sacs at the nest. Nestling development.— From hatching until day nine, the parents fed the young small clumps of crushed insects, presumably Hymenoptera, which they caught live. On day 10, I observed the first whole insect, an odonate, fed to the young. Thereafter the male fed the nestlings large wads of recently mashed Hymenoptera, while the female continued to feed smaller amounts. Beginning on day six, “p't’tirre” calls were heard from the nest while the adults were absent. On day nine, the red-pink gape of the largest nestling was visible above the nest rim during feeding. On day 11 a chick was visible flapping inside the nest, with buff-colored down on its head and gray-green brown pin feathers on the wings. I believe the nest contained three nestlings, with no evidence of cowbird (. Molothrus ) parasitism. Tropical Storm Beryl— -On 27 May 2012, day 11 in the chick’s development, Tropical Storm Beryl made landfall near St. Augustine with gusts of 122 kph recorded overnight at St. Augustine airport. When I next checked the nest, on the morning of 28 May 2012, I found that it bad been destroyed, with only a thin platform of sticks and the finer woven nest lining remaining. The Gray Kingbird pair survived and had begun building a replacement nest 20 m away. The second nest also was built in a dense leaf cluster of a live oak, was 6 m above ground, and 122 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Figure 1. Male Gray Kingbird removing fecal sac from a nestling, St. Augustine, Florida, 27 May 2012. Photograph by Diana Doyle. overhung a small manmade pond. I was unable to continue watching activities at the new nest. Acknowledgments Andrew Thornton submitted the first seasonal report to eBird of a Gray Kingbird at this location (26 April 2012). Thanks to Jim Cox for providing bibliographic material and Diane Reed and Andrew Thornton for sharing their St. Augustine Gray Kingbird records. Bill Pranty and Gregory Smith greatly improved a draft of the manuscript. Literature Cited FWC [Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission], 2003. Florida’s Breeding Bird Atlas: A Collaborative Study of Florida’s Birdlife. . Kale, H. W., II, B. Pranty, B. M. Stith, and C. W. Biggs. 1992, The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Florida. Final Report. Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tah lahassee, Florida. Robertson, W. B., Jr., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida Bird Species: An Annotated List. Florida Ornithological Society Special Publication No. 6, Gainesville. Smith, G. A., and J. A. Jackson. 2002. Gray Kingbird ( Tyrannus dominicensis ). In The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, . Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The Birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Florida Field Naturalist 41(4): 123-125, 2013. ECTOPARASITES COLLECTED FROM THE OVENBIRD (Seiurus aurocapilla) ON VACA KEY, FLORIDA Lawrence J. Hribar Florida Keys Mosquito Control District , 503 107th Street, Marathon, Florida 33050 The quill mite, Syringophiloidus seiurus (Clark) (Prostigmata: Syringophilidae) and the louse fly Ornithoctona fusciventris (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) are among the very few records of ectoparasites from the Ovenbird, Seiurus aurocapilla from Florida (Forrester and Spaulding 2003). On the 17th of November 2011, an Ovenbird was found dead outside a building on Vaca Key in Marathon, Florida (24.729984, -81.039438), apparently having collided with a plate glass window. The bird was handled and feather mites recovered and prepared for study in the same manner as were the specimens examined by Hribar and Miller (2011). Only twenty-five feather mites were recovered. Slide mounts were examined via phase contrast microscopy and then sent to a specialist for identification. Three mite species were recovered, two Proctophyllodidae ( Proctophyllodes sp .,Amerodectes sp.) and one Trouessartiidae. Unfortunately no specimens were readily identifiable to species. One female mite was identified as Proctophyllodes sp. Females of this genus are very difficult to identify to species, however, Proctophyllodes breviquadratus Atyeo and Braasch is known from Ovenbirds (Atyeo and Braasch 1966). One male and three female Amerodectes were not identifiable to species and may represent an undescribed species. Amerodectes mites are found on a variety of birds in the New World, viz., Apodiformes: Apodidae; Passeriformes: Cardinalidae, Emberizidae, Fumariidae, Hirundinidae, Icteridae, Parulidae, Thraupidae,and Turdidae (Valim and Hernandes 2010). The two male and two female Trouessartia mites appear to be conspecific with mites found on Ovenbirds in Alberta, Canada, and also represent an undescribed species (H. Proctor, pers. comm.). Mites of the genus Trouessartia are found on passerines worldwide (Santana 1976). All mites were deposited into the Florida State Collection of Arthropods (E2012-5086). One female louse fly (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) was recovered from the bird. The fly was tentatively identified as Microlynchia furtiva Bequaert. The specimen has been deposited into the Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Gainesville (E2012- 5085). The only host record for this louse fly species is a Tinamou ( Crypturellus sp.) in “British Honduras” (modem Belize) (Bequaert 1955, Maa 1969). Tinamous are ground- dwelling birds that feed on fruits, seeds, and insects, primarily ants (Lancaster 1964); Ovenbirds also are ground dwellers that feed on invertebrates, primarily ants (Kale and Maehr 1990, Brown and Sherry 2006). Ovenbirds overwinter in Belize, among other places, (Mills and Rogers 1992). The possibility exists that the louse fly may encounter Tinamous and Ovenbirds in the same habitat. Almost nothing is known of the biology of this fly; Couch (1963) studied the biology of a related species, the more commonly collected species Microlynchia pusilla (Speiser). Microlynchia pusilla has a broad host range, parasitizing birds in eight orders, ten families and nineteen genera (Maa 1969, McClure 1984, Telia et al. 2000). It is possible that M. furtiva has a similarly broad host range. Microlynchia pusilla also is believed to be a vector of Haemoproteus columbae Kruse, a blood parasite of pigeons and doves (Herman 1954). It is conceivable that M. furtiva may also serve as a vector of pathogens of birds. 123 124 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Given the wide geographic distribution of the Ovenbird, from Canada to South America and the Caribbean (Tikasingh and Ffrench 1973, Bayne and Hobson 2002), and that it is subject to parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds, Molothrus ater (Hersek et al. 2002), it would be interesting to conduct a parasitological survey of the Ovenbird and its nests throughout its geographic range. Doubtless other interesting associations remain to be discovered. Acknowledgments I thank Heather Proctor, University of Alberta, for identifying the mites, and Carl Dick, Western Kentucky University, for identifying the louse fly. William Grogan, Florida State Collection of Arthropods, provided copies of important papers. Literature Cited Atyeo, W. T, and N. L. Braasch. I960. The feather mite genus Proctophyllodes (Sarcop- tiformes, Proctophyllodidae). Bulletin of the University of Nebraska State Museum 5:1-354. Bayne, E. M., and K. A. Hobson. 2002. Apparent survival of male Ovenbirds in fragment- ed and forested boreal landscapes. Ecology 85:1307-1316. Bequaert, J. 1955. The Hippoboscidae or louse flies (Diptera) of mammals and birds. Part II. Taxonomy. Entomologica Americana (n.s.) 35:233-416. Brown, D. R.. and T. W. Sherry. 2006. Food supply controls the body condition of a mi- grant bird wintering in the tropics. Oecologia 149:22-32. Couch, A. B., Jr. 1963. Notes on the biology of Microlynchia pusilla Speiser (sic), a louse fly of mourning doves. Journal of Parasitology 49:140-146. Forrester, D. J., and M. G. Spalding. 2003. Parasites and Diseases of Wild Birds in Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Herman, C. M. 1954. Haemoproteus infections in waterfowl. Proceedings of the Helmin- thological Society of Washington 21: 37-42. Hersek, M. J., M. A. Frankel, J. A. Cigliano, and F. A. Wasserman. 2002. Brown-Headed Cowbird parasitism of Ovenbirds in suburban forest fragments. Auk 119:240-243. Hribar, L. J., and G. L. Miller. 2011. Ectoparasites collected from the Common Yellow- throat (Aves: Passeriformes: Parulidae) on Vaca Key, Florida. Florida Field Natural- ist 39:138-141. Kale, H. W. II, and D. S. Maehr. 1990. Florida’s Birds: A Handbook and Reference. Pine- apple Press, Sarasota. Lancaster, D. A. 1964. Life history of the Boucard Tinamou in British Honduras Part I: Distribution and general behavior. Condor 66:165-181. Maa, T. C. 1969. A revised checklist and concise host index of Hippoboscidae (Diptera). Pacific Insects Monograph 20:261-299. McClure, H. E. 1984. The occurrence of hippoboscid flies on some species of birds in southern California. Journal of Field Ornithology 55:230-240. Mills, E. D., and D. T. Rogers, Jr. 1992. Ratios of Neotropical migrant and Neotropical resident birds in winter in a citrus plantation in central Belize. Journal of Field Or- nithology 63:109-116. Santana, F. J. 1976. A review of the genus Trouessartia (Analgoidea: Alloptidae). Journal of Medical Entomology Supplement 1:1-128. Tella, J. L., R. Rodriguez-Estrella, and G. Blanco. 2000. Louse flies on birds of Baja California. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 36:154-156. Tikasingh, E. S., and R. Ffrench. 1973. First record of the Ovenbird in Trinidad, West Indies. Wilson Bulletin 85:86. Notes 125 Valim, M. P., and F. A. Hern Andes. 2010. A systematic review of feather mites of the Ptero- decte s generic complex (Acari: Proctophyllodidae: Pterodectinae) with redescriptions of species described by Vladiimrcerny. Acarina 18:3-35. Florida Field Naturalist 4 1(4): 126- 129, 2013. COYOTE ( Canis latrans ) IN THE FLORIDA KEYS Daniel U. Greene1- 2 and Jeffery A. Gore1 1 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 3911 Hwy 2321, Panama City, Florida 32409 ^Current Address: Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, Florida 32611 Coyotes historically occurred across much of western North America, but their range has expanded in the past 50-100 years to include most of eastern North America (Hill et al. 1987, Gompper 2002). Three factors have likely led to this eastern expansion. First, eradication of larger predators such as the gray wolf ( Canis lupus ) and red wolf ( Canis rufus) reduced competitive pressures on coyotes (Thurber and Peterson 1991, Gompper 2002). Second, dramatic landscape changes, primarily through intensive logging, provided old field and other early successional habitats preferable for coyotes (Gompper 2002). Third, humans imported and released coyotes outside their range (Hill et al. 1987, Wooding and Hardisky 1990). The first two factors probably contributed most to the extensive range extension of coyotes in the past century, with coyote releases being less important (Parker 1995). Coyotes were rare in the southeastern United States before the 1960s, but they have increased dramatically since then (Wooding and Hardisky 1990, Hill et al. 1987). Coyote populations expanded throughout northern Florida in the 1970s and into south central Florida by about 1990 (Brady and Campbell 1983, Wooding and Hardisky 1990, Maehr et al. 1996). Although coyotes were introduced to isolated sites in south-central Florida in the 1920s (Hill et al. 1978), stable populations apparently were not established, and it is not known whether introduced coyotes influenced the ongoing, natural range expansion that was occurring (Maehr et al. 1996, Main et al. 2000). Coyotes continued their southern expansion through the 1990s and by 2000 were present throughout mainland Florida, but still were not reported in the Florida Keys (Main et al. 2000, Peyton et al. 2011). On 01 March 2011 at 0447 EST, a coyote was photographed remotely on north Key Largo (25.2963° N, 80.2853° W) by a passive infrared digital camera. The animal was in a wooded area adjacent to a residential development. At about 0600 EST on 29 September 2011, we observed a coyote as it crossed a road between a residential development and a hardwood hammock, 1.6 km northwest of the March location (25.3087°N, 80.2952°W). On 25 April 2012, another remote camera on Key Largo recorded a coyote in hardwood hammock on Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge (25.1936°N, 80.3548°W), 13.4 km south of the first sighting. Most recently, a coyote was photographed remotely on 06 December 2012 at 1204 EST at the same location as the April 2012 sighting (Wildgame Innovations, Grand Prairie, TX, USA; Fig. 1). These sightings, which span 647 days, represent the first documentation of coyotes immigrating to the Florida Keys (Peyton et al. 2011). Young and Jackson (1951:15) stated that at least one coyote was killed previously in Key Largo, but they provided no supporting details. If that record is accurate, we presume the animal was introduced because at that time the only coyotes known in Florida were animals released by hunting groups, and no other coyotes have been recorded in the Keys since then (Schwartz 1952, Lazell 1989). We assume the recent coyote reached Key Largo on its own by traversing one of the 2 roads that connect the island to the mainland via bridges (Fig. 2). Coyotes are present in 126 Notes 127 Figure 1. Coyote photographed by remote infrared digital camera on north Key Largo, Florida, 06 December 2012. Everglades National Park (Peyton et al. 2011), and one would need to travel less than 20 km from agricultural areas south of Florida City to reach upland habitat on Key Largo. The animal likely traveled along Card Sound Road, rather than U.S. 1, because Card Sound Road has less traffic and it is a more direct route from the mainland to where the coyote was first observed on Key Largo (22 km, versus 41 km along U.S. 1). It is also possible, but unlikely, that humans transported the coyote and released it on Key Largo. We assume that all observations reported here are of the same animal, but we cannot be certain. Regardless, the relatively short distance from occupied habitat on the mainland makes it likely that other coyotes have emigrated from the mainland to Key Largo or will in the future. The presence of a coyote on Key Largo is more than a curiosity. Two federally endangered rodents, the Key Largo woodrat ( Neotoma floridana smalli) and Key Largo cotton mouse ( Peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola), are endemic to north Key Largo, and coyotes might adversely impact their populations, particularly the critically small population of the woodrat (McCleery et al. 2006). In south central Florida, Thornton et al. (2004) found that rodents comprised a smaller portion of the diet of coyotes than did rabbits {Sylvilagus spp.) or large mammals, such as deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) and hogs (Sus scrofa). However, the absence of large mammals on Key Largo may lead coyotes to prey more often on the endangered rodents. On the other hand, coyotes are also known to limit densities of mesocamivores, such as feral cats (Felis catus ), and this might benefit the imperiled rodents and provide an opportunity for their recovery (Gompper 2002). Managers will need more information about the effect of coyotes on endangered species and other wildlife on Key Largo in order to make informed decisions about managing coyotes. For now, the important questions are whether a breeding 128 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Figure 2 . Locations of where a coyote was observed on north Key Largo* Florida* March 2011 - December 2012* population of coyotes currently is established on Key Largo and whether anything can or should be done to prevent coyotes from expanding their range in the Keys. Acknowledgments We thank the individuals who provided photographs and reports of coyotes on Key Largo, and Jon Way and Brian Scheick for their helpful comments on the draft of the manuscript. Notes 129 Literature Cited Brady, J. R„, and H. W. Campbell. 1983. Distribution of coyotes in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 11:40-41. Gompper M. E. 2002. The ecology of coyotes in northeastern North America: Current knowledge and priorities for future research. Wildlife Conservation Society Working Paper 17:1-49. Hill, E. P., P. W. Sumner, and J. B. Wooding. 1987. Human influences on range expansion of coyotes in the southeast. The Wildlife Society Bulletin 15:521-524. Lazell, J. D. Jr. 1989. Wildlife of the Florida Keys: A Natural History. Island Press, Washington D.C. Maehr, D. S., R. T. McBride, and J. J. Mullahey. 1996. Status of coyotes in South Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 24:101-107. Main, M. B., S. F. Coates, and G. M. Allen. 2000. Coyote distribution in Florida extends southward. Florida Field Naturalist 28:201-203. McCleery, R. A., R. R. Lopez, N. J. Silvy, P. A. Frank, and S. B. Klett. 2006. Population status and habitat selection of the endangered Key Largo woodrat. American Mid- land Naturalist 155:197-209. Parker, G. R. 1995. Eastern Coyote: The Story of Its Success. Nimbus Publishing, Hali- fax, Nova Scotia. Peyton, M. A., J. L. Eells, E. K. Pifer, J. S. Beauchamp, S. E. Wilson, F. J. Mazzotti, and R. W. Snow. 2011. Observations of coyotes ( Canis latrans ) in Everglades National Park, Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 39:134-137. Schwartz, A. 1952. The Land Mammals of Southern Florida and the Upper Florida Keys. Unpublished PhD. dissertation, University of Michigan; Ann Arbor. Thornton, D. H., M. E. Sunquist, and M. B. Main. 2004. Ecological separation within newly sympatric populations of coyotes and bobcats in south-central Florida. Journal of Mammalogy 85:973-982. Thurber, J. M., and R. O. Peterson. 1991. Changes in body size associated with range expansion in the coyote ( Canis latrans). Journal of Mammalogy 72:750-755. Wooding, J. B., and T. S. Hardisky. 1990. Coyote distribution in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 18:12-14. Young, S. P, and H. H. T. Jackson. 1951. The Clever Coyote. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln. Florida Field Naturalist 41(4): 130-142, 2013. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Spring Report: March-May 2013.-— This report consists of significant bird observations compiled by the Field Observations Committee (FOC). Electronic submissions to the FOC should be in the following format: species, number of individuals, age and sex of the bird(s), color morph if applicable, location (including county), date, observer(s), and significance. Seasons are winter (December-February), spring (March- May), summer (June-July), and fall ( August-N ovember ) . Submit observations to regional compilers within two weeks after the close of each season, or to the state compiler within one month. Addresses of the compilers follow this report. Sight-only observations are considered “reports’5 while only those observations supported by verifiable evidence (photographs, video or audio recordings, or specimens) are called “records.” Species for which documentation is required by the FOC and by the FOS Records Committee (FOSRC; ) are marked here with an asterisk (*). A county designation (in italics) accompanies the first-time listing of each site in this report. Abbreviations in this report are: AFR - Air Force Range, CA = Conservation Area, EOS = end of season, GC = Golf Course, NERR = National Estuarine Research Reserve, NP - National Park, NSRA = North Shore Restoration Area, NWR = National Wildlife Refuge, SF = State Forest, SP - State Park, STA = Stormwater Treatment Area, STF = sewage treatment facility, WMA = Wildlife Management Area, and N, S, E, W etc., for compass directions. Bold-faced entries denote birds newly reported or verified in Florida, or record numbers. +Photographs or video- or audio-recordings archived by the FOC are identified by a plus (+); BPA catalog numbers are provided for the most significant of these. To conserve space, we usually name only the first and last observer(s) of each report. Summary of the Spring Season There were no significant weather events this season, although fallouts were noted in the western Panhandle 5 & 19 April and 2 & 4-7 May. Statewide, there was an obvious movement of Swainson’s Warblers 4-7 April. The most interesting of 26 FOSRC records this season were the White-cheeked Pintail continuing at Pelican Island NWR, two Elegant Terns at Sanibel Island, eight records of 1-9 Razorbills statewide, Broad- billed Hummingbird at Tallahassee, Kirtland’s Warbler at Gainesville, a clearly escaped Cuban Grassquit at Winter Park, Black-faced Grassquit at Key Biscayne, and especially a Tropical Kingbird that built two nests during May and fledged four young during summer; her mate is unknown pending DNA analysis of blood samples taken from two chicks. Regarding exotics, a Gambel’s Quail at Sarasota provided the first record and report for Florida, while a Gyrfalcon x Barbary Falcon reported as escaped in Broward County would also have furnished a new state report if it had been observed post-escape. This report concludes my association with the Field Observations Committee, after 23 years as a member and 21 years as state compiler, personally producing 84 seasonal reports. The reason for my departure is the failure of the Florida Ornithological Society, since 2007, to publish my Important Bird Areas of Florida manuscript as a Special Publication. At the most recent board meeting, in April 2013 — my deadline to FOS to resolve the issue— the manuscript was not even mentioned in passing. I cannot continue to support an organization that shows such appalling indifference to my professional reputation and my personal feelings. Brian Ahem is the new state compiler of the Field Observations Committee. 130 Field Observations 131 Species Accounts Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: 95 at Dade City (Pasco) 13 Mar (D. Gagne); 25 at Lake Arbuckle (Polk) 26 Apr (M. McMillian); 3 at M&M Dairy (Duval) 5 May (K. Dailey); 2 at New Port Richey (Pasco) 19 May (D. Fowler); 6 at Tallahassee (Leon) 21 May (J. Erickson); 4 at Guana Tolomato Matanzas NERR (St. Johns) 22 May (D. Reed). Fulvous Whistling-Duck: 1 at “Viera Wetlands” (Brevard) 7 May (J. Wherley); 2 at Ge- nius Drive Nature Preserve (Orange) 11 May (B. Anderson). Greater White-fronted Goose: 2 at Bystre Lake (Hernando) 23 Mar-EOS (D. Simpson, +S. Mann et al.); 1 at Key West (Monroe) Jan-15 Apr (C. Goodrich; M. Gardler, BPA 6310a-c) provided the first Keys report and record; 1 at Jacksonville (Duval) 8 May (L. Lewis-Tuffin). Snow Goose: 4 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP (Alachua) 15-16 Mar (K. Edison, G. Israel). Canada Goose: 3 at Inglis Dam (Citrus) 19 Mar (M. Gardler); 3 (pair with juvenile) at Ponte Vedra Beach (St. Johns) 11 May (D. Freeland); 1 pair with 3 young at Plant City (Hillsborough) 27 May (B. Ahem). Mute Swan: 41 at Lake Eola Park and Lake Davis Park, Orlando (Orange) 2 Mar (+B. Pranty, V. Ponzo, B. Ahern); 1 at S Merritt Island (Brevard) 21-22 May (D. Freeland). Trumpeter Swan: 2 at Lake Eola Park 2 Mar (+B. Pranty, V. Ponzo, B. Ahem). Whooper Swan: 5 at Lake Eola Park 2 Mar (+B. Pranty, V. Ponzo, B. Ahem). Black Swan: 13, including 3 active nests, at Lake Eola Park 2 Mar (+B. Pranty, V. Ponzo, B. Ahern). Black-necked Swan: 1 at Lake Eola Park 2 Mar (+B. Pranty, V. Ponzo, B. Ahem). Eurasian Wigeon: 1 male at Pelican Island NWR (Indian River) 21 Mar-2 Apr (T. Ford, B. Pranty); 1 male at Cape Coral (Lee) 21 Mar-EOS (R. Parks, +C. Ewell). Blue-winged Teal: 5 at S Merritt Island 15 May (D. Freeland). Cinnamon Teal: 2 males at Merritt Island NWR 13 Mar (G. Becker, P. Hueber), and 1 to 17 Mar (T. Rodriguez); 1 male at STA-5 (Hendry) all season (M. England, +C. Ewell). *White-cheeked Pintail: 1 at Pelican Island NWR to 20 Apr (J. Purcell et al.; M. Todd, BPA 6220a-b). Redhead: 660 at Gulf Harbors GC, New Port Richey 14 Mar (D. Gagne); 18 at The Vil- lages (Sumter) 22 Mar (J. Dinsmore); 4 at Virginia Key (Miami-Dade) 17-18 Apr (+Ro. Diaz). Ring-necked Duck: 450 at The Villages (Sumter) 2 Mar, and 1 there (Lake) 30 May (J. Dinsmore). Greater Scaup: 1 at Genius Drive Nature Preserve 10 Mar (B. Anderson); 1 at Gulf Harbors GC to 29 Mar (D. Gagne); 1 male at Oldsmar (Pinellas) 19 Apr (B. Ahern). Common Eider: 1 at Clearwater Beach (Pinellas) 30 Apr-1 May (T. Young). Surf Scoter: 7 at Alligator Point (Franklin) 12 Apr (J. Murphy); 1 at Tierra Verde (Pinel- las) 14 Apr (B. Rapoza). White-winged Scoter: 1 at Merritt Island NWR 5 Apr (+M. Harris); 1 at Huguenot Me- morial Park (Duval) 12-26 May (K. Dailey). Black Scoter: 20 at Sanibel Island (Lee) 3 Mar (+J. Boughton); 7 at North Anclote Bar (Pasco) 22 Mar (D. Gagne); 1 at Ponce de Leon Inlet (Volusia) 3 Apr (M. Brothers); 21 at Huguenot Memorial Park 14 Apr-26 May (K. Dailey); 5 at Fort Pickens, Gulf Islands NS (Escambia) 3 May (B. & L. Duncan). Long-tailed Duck: 1 along Courtney Campbell Causeway (Pinellas! Hillsborough) to 4 Mar (fide R. Smith); 1 female at Cape San Bias (Gulf) 7 May ( J. Murphy); 1 at Alafia Banks Sanctuary, Hillsborough Bay (Hillsborough) all season (C. Cassels). Bufflehead: 2 at Dunn STF, Palm Harbor (Pinellas) 27 Mar-3 Apr (J. Wells); 2 at The Villages (Lake) 6 Apr (J. Dinsmore). Common Goldeneye: 2 at Fort Island Gulf Beach (Citrus) 4 Mar, and 1 there 19 Mar (M. Gardler). 132 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST ♦Common Merganser: 1 female at Gulf Harbors GC 28 Mar (D. Gagne, details to FOSRC). Ruddy Duck: 2 at The Villages ( Sumter ) 24 May (J. Dinsmore). Waterfowl: a pond at Tamarac ( Broward ) contained the following free-roaming but pre- sumably captive waterfowl 31 Mar: 2 White-faced Whistling-Bucks, 2 Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, 2 Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, 4 Plumed Whistling-Ducks, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Egyptian Goose, 2 Common Shelducks, 1 Ruddy Shelduck, 1 Muscovy Duck, 6 Wood Ducks (1 female, 5 males), 2 Ringed Teal (female and male), 2 Chiloe Wigeon, 24 Mallards (wide variety of morphs), 2 Blue-winged Teal (female and male), 2 North- ern Shoveler (female and male), 2 White-cheeked Pintail, 1 Red-crested Pochard, 1 Rosy-billed Pochard, 1 Redhead, and 1 Ruddy Duck (+8. Pranty, V. Ponzo). Gamhel’s Quail (Callipbpla gambeui)i 1 at Sarasota ( Sarasota ) 27-28 Apr (+S. Yan- torno; +V. Ponzo, BPA 5395a-b). Indian Peafowl: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 5 May (H. Robinson). Red-throated Loon: 1 at Alligator Point 2 Mar (J. Murphy); 1 at Pensacola Beach ( Es- cambia) 15 Mar (L. Catterton). Common Loon: 80 at Green Key, New Port Richey 4 Mar (D. Gagne); 90 at South Skyway Fishing Pier ( Hillsborough/Manatee ) 15 Mar (R. Smith). Horned Grebe: 1 in alternate plumage at St. Marks NWR ( Wakulla ) 27 May (+C. La- chance). American Flamingo: 7 along Card Sound Road ( Miami-Dade ) 21 Apr (M. Gardler); 8 over Key Biscayne (. Miami-Dade ) 9 May (+Ra. Diaz); 2 over Black Point (Miami-Dade) 14 May (+Ra. Diaz); 15 at Bear Cut (Miami-Dade) 14 May (fide A. Wiley). Black-capped Petrel: 12 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (M. Brothers); 1 off Elliot Key (Miami-Dade) 25 May (+R. Torres). Cory's Shearwater: 2 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (M. Brothers). Sooty Shearwater: 1 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (M. Berney). Audubon's Shearwater: 15 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (M. Brothers); 400 off Elliot Key 25 May (R. Torres). Wilson's Storm-Petrel: 6 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (M. Brothers). Leach's Storm-Petrel: 1 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (M. Brothers). Bamd-rumped Storm-Petrel: 5 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (+M. Brothers). White-tailed Tropicbird: 1 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (+M. Brothers). Magnificent Frigatebird: 1 at Ponte Vedra Beach (St. Johns) 14 Apr (J. Wheat). Masked Booby: 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP, Key West 12 Mar (C. Goodrich); 1 at Fort Pickens, Gulf Islands NS 14 Apr (P. James). Brown Booby: 2 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 5 Mar (C. Goodrich); 1 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (M. Brothers); 1 on the beach at Guana Tolomato Matanzas NERR 31 May (+D. Reed). *Neotrqpic Cormorant: as many as 4 at Wakodahatchee Wetlands (Palm Beach) to 5 May (J. Boyd). American White Pelican: 163 at Lake Istokpoga (Highlands) 15 Mar (M. McMillian); 1 at Lake Wales (Polk) 26 May (A. Delorey); 143 at Lake Apopka NSRA 31 May (H. Robin- son); 2 near Dinner Island WMA (Hendry) 31 May (E. Haney, C. Fisher); as many as 225 at Gainesville (Alachua) all season (M. Manetz). Brown Pelican: 1 at Lake Istokpoga 19 Apr (M. McMillian); 1 at Mewnans Lake (Ala- chua) 2 May (J. Mays); 2 at Newberry (Alachua) 24 Apr (S. Ewing). Least Bittern: 1 at Honeymoon Island SP ( Pinellas ) 13 Apr (E. Kwater). Great Blue Heron, white morph: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 15 Apr-EOS (J. Killian); 1 in coastal Indian River 22 May (+B. Wagner); 1 at Brooksville (Hernando) 26 May- EOS (+S. Mann). egret/heron species: singles at Emeralda Marsh CA (Lake) 24 Feb (+A. Horst, BPA 6221a- d,) and 28 Apr (P. Hueber) and at Merritt Island NWR 23-24 Mar (+J. Stefancic, BPA Field Observations 133 6870a-b; +J. Zelik, BPA 6871-6872) suggested hybrids, perhaps Snowy Egret x Little Blue Heron or Tricolored Heron. Glossy Ibis: 5 at M&M Dairy 24 Mar (K. Dailey); 2 nestlings east of Bayonet Point ( Pas- co) 1-12 May (D. Bowman, +B. Pranty, V. Ponzo) furnished the first county breeding record; 80 at MacDill Air Force Base (Hillsborough) 9 May (E. Plage). White-faced Ibis: as many as 3 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 8 Mar-7 Apr (T. Johnson, D. Gochfeld); 1 adult at Circle B Bar Reserve (Polk) 31 Mar (+C. Fredricks); 2 at Tal- lahassee 22 May (+J. Erickson). Roseate Spoonbill: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 May (H. Robinson); 1 at Key West 1 May (C. Goodrich); as many as 5 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 5 May-EOS (E. Wilkins). Swallow-tailed Kite: 304 at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 May, and 263 there 26 May (H. Rob- inson); as many as 150 along Powerline Road (Hernando/Pasco) 26 May-EOS (A. Horst, M. Gardler et ah). Snail Kite: 1 juvenile at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 May (H. Robinson). Mississippi Kite: 3 in Alachua 29 Mar (S. Ewing); 1 at Sawgrass Lake Park (Pinellas) 24 Apr-14 May (J. & N. Ogden); 2 at S Merritt Island 6 May (D. Freeland); 35 over Lem Turner STF (Duval) 26 May (K. Dailey); as many as 3 along Powerline Road 26 May- EOS (A. Horst, J. Stefancic). Northern Harrier: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 8 May (H. Robinson). Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 at New Port Richey 23 Apr (D. Gagne). Great Black-Hawk: 1 at Virginia Key all season (+Ro. Diaz). Broad-winged Hawk: 1 adult over New Port Richey 6 Mar (D. Gagne); 1 at Tierra Verde (Pinellas) 14 Mar (M. Gardler); 1 at Fort De Soto Park (Pinellas) 14 Mar (M. Gardler) & 6 Apr (B. Ahern); 1 juvenile at Dania Beach (Broward) 27 Mar (E. Kwater); 1 at Key West 23 Apr (M. Gardler); 1 adult over Central Park, Ormond Beach (Volusia) 27 May (+S. Petruniak). Short-tailed Hawk: 1 dark morph at Morris Bridge Park, Tampa (Hillsborough) 3 Mar (B. Ahem); 1 light morph at Fort Pierce (St. Lucie) 5 Mar (E. Kwater); 1 dark morph at South Fort Myers (Lee) 7 Mar (D. & L. Stokes); 1 light morph at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 9 Mar (T. Rodriguez); 1 dark morph at Hastings (St. Johns) 13 Mar (C. Hooker); 2 dark morphs at Sawgrass Lake Park 20 Mar-31 May (J. FitzGerald); 1 light morph over T. M. Goodwin WMA (Brevard) 21 Mar (B. Wagner); 1 dark morph over Holiday (Pasco) 22 Mar (K. Tracey); 1 dark morph over New Port Richey 22 Mar (K. Tracey), and 3 others (1 light, 2 dark) there variously all season (D. Gagne); 2 at Fort De Soto Park 6 Apr (P. Graber); 1 dark morph at Brandon (Hillsborough) 7 Apr (E. Kwater); 1 dark morph over Lake Istokpoga (Highlands) 19 Apr (M. McMillian); 1 dark morph over Avon Park AFR (Polk) 11 Apr (M. McMillian); 1 dark morph over Lake Wales Ridge SF (Polk) 20 Apr (M. McMillian); 1 dark morph at Theodore Roos- evelt Preserve (Duval) 8 May (D. Pridgen); 2 at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve and Lakes Park, Fort Myers (Lee) all season (J. Padilla-Lopez, V. McGrath). Red-tailed Hawk: 1 adult B.j. fuertesi at Fort Pickens 15-26 Apr (+B. & L. Duncan, BPA 6261). Virginia Rail: 1 at J. N. “Ding” Darling NWR (Lee) 16-17 Mar (D. & L. Stokes, +C. Ewell); 1 at St. Petersburg (Pinellas) 23-29 Apr (D. Kandz). Sora: 1 at St. Petersburg 12 May (M. Burns). Purple Gallinule: 26 at Lake Apopka NSRA 3 May (H. Robinson). Limpkin: 1 at Six Mile Creek (St. Johns) 15 May (G. Davis). Sandhill Crane: 1 pair with a colt at River Town (St. Johns) 8 May (D. Doyle). Whooping Crane: as many as 3 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP all season (D. Dacol). Black-bellied Plover: 86 at North Anclote Bar 22 Mar (D. Gagne); 235 at Fort De Soto Park 10 Apr (D. Gagne); 260 at Crandon Beach (Miami-Dade) 19 Apr (Ro. Diaz); 195 at Virginia Key 29 Apr (Ro. Diaz). 134 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST American Golden-Plover: 1 at Crandon Park Beach ( Miami-Dade ) 19 Apr (Ro. Diaz). Snowy Plover: 6 active nests at Carlos Pointe, Fort Myers Beach (Lee) 8 May and 4 ac- tive nests and 5 chicks there 26 May (K. Laakkonen, P. Jarrett). Semipalmated Plover: 162 at North Anclote Bar 22 Mar (D. Gagne); 168 at Fort De Soto Park 10 Apr (D. Gagne); as many as 5 at Hague (Alachua) 3-9 May (L. Davis). Piping Plover: 9 at North Anclote Bar 22 Mar (D. Gagne); 18 at Three Rooker Island (Pinellas) 22 Mar (B. Pranty). American Oystercatcher: 1 at Opal Beach, Gulf Islands NS 27 Apr-30 May (D. Sparks, B. & L. Duncan). Black-necked Stilt: 1 at Jeffco Dairy (Jefferson) 27 Apr (M. Smith); 1 nest with eggs at International Paper Wetlands (Escambia) 26 May (B. & J. Callaway). American Avocet: 1 at Gulf Harbors GC 14 Mar (D. Gagne); 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 19 Mar (C. Goodrich); 19 at Fort De Soto Park 15 Apr (R. Smith); 12 at Sanibel Lighthouse Park, Sanibel Island 24 Apr (E. Combs); 53 at Pensacola (Escam- bia) 10 May (A. & D. Forster). Spotted Sandpiper: 10 at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 May (H. Robinson). Solitary Sandpiper: 1 east of Brooksville (Hernando) 1 Mar (D. Gagne, S. Mann); 1 at Orlando 30-31 Mar (A. Boyle). Willet: 1 at Alachua (Alachua) 5 Apr (R Bums); 1 nest with eggs at Opal Beach 17 May (B. & L. Duncan). Upland Sandpiper: 1 at M&M Dairy 26 Mar, and 2 there 27 Mar (K. Dailey); 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 19 Apr (C. Goodrich); 2 at Brooker Creek Preserve (Pinel- las) 14 May (K. Nichter). Whimbrel: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 26 Apr (H. Robinson). Long-billed Curlew: 1 at Bunche Beach, Fort Myers all season (C. Ewell). Marbled Godwit: 1 at STA 1-East (Palm Beach) 6 Apr (C. Weber). Ruddy Turnstone: 185 at Virginia Key 29 Apr (Ro. Diaz). Sanderling: 262 at North Anclote Bar 22 Mar (D. Gagne); 204 at Fort De Soto Park 10 Apr (D. Gagne). Semipalmated Sandpiper: 5 at North Anclote Bar 22 Mar (D. Gagne); 950 at Fort Walton Beach STF (Okaloosa) 10 May (B. & L. Duncan). Western Sandpiper: 330 at North Anclote Bar 22 Mar (D. Gagne); 4 at Virginia Key 29 Apr (Ro. Diaz). Least Sandpiper: 410 at Fort Walton Beach STF 10 May (B. & L. Duncan). White-rumped Sandpiper: 1 at Ohio Key (Monroe) 14 Apr (M. Gardler); 2 at M&M Dairy 4 May (K. Dailey); 1 at Pasco Palms Park, Holiday 7 May (+K. Tracey); 7 west of Bun- nell (Flagler) 9 May (+M. Brothers). Pectoral Sandpiper: 2 at J. N. “Ding” Darling NWR 4 Mar (D. & +L. Stokes, BPA 6348), and 9 there 17 Mar (E. Combs); 9 at Lake Apopka NSRA 6 Mar, and 5 there 8 Mar (H. Robinson); 3 at Trinity (Pasco) 9 Mar (D. Gagne); 2 at M&M Dairy 10 Mar (K. Dailey). Dunlin: 550 at North Anclote Bar 22 Mar (D. Gagne). Stilt Sandpiper: 42 east of Brooksville 1 Mar (D. Gagne, S. Mann); 6 at M&M Dairy 24 Mar (K. Dailey); 1 at St. Petersburg 26 Mar (M. Burns). Buff-breasted Sandpiper: 1 at Trinity 26 May (+K. Tracey). Long-billed Dowitcher: 42 at The Villages (Lake) 28 Mar (J. Dinsmore); 4 at Genius Drive Nature Preserve 5 May (B. Anderson). Wilson’s Snipe: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 21 Apr (H. Robinson). Wilson’s Phalarope: as many as 8 at Fort Walton Beach STF 6-10 May (B. & L. Duncan, M. Swan). Red-necked Phalarope: 2 at Vilano Beach (St. Johns) 3 May (D. Doyle), and 12 there 4 May (D. Reed); 12 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (M. Brothers); 5 off Elliot Key 25 May (R. Torres). Red Phalarope: 1 at Huguenot Memorial Park 28 Mar (S. Beville). Field Observations 135 Black-legged Kittiwake: 1 at South Skyway Fishing Pier to 15 Mar (fide B. Ahern). Sabine’s Gull: 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 17-18 Apr (+J. Estep, BPA 6311a-k; +L. Manfredi). Bonaparte’s Gull: 4 at Brandon 10 Mar (E. Kwater); 1 at Silver Lake {Lake) 21 Apr (J. Dinsmore); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 13 May (P. Hueber). Herring Gull x Glaucous Gull: 1 second-cycle at Huguenot Memorial Park 9 Mar (K. Dailey). *Thayer’s Gull: 1 first-cycle at Daytona Beach Shores ( Volusia ) 9-16 Mar (M. Brothers). Iceland Gull: 3 first-cycle singles at Daytona Beach Shores variously 4 Mar-5 Apr (+M. Brothers). Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 at Sanibel Island 3 Mar (T. Schaefer); 1 at Bunche Beach, Fort Myers 7 Mar (C. Ewell); 93 (25 adults) at Crandon Park Beach 8 Apr (Ro. Diaz); I second-cycle at Pensacola Beach 17 Apr (B. & L. Duncan). Glaucous Gull: 1 first-cycle at Ponce de Leon Inlet 4 Mar-22 Apr (M. Brothers); 1 first- cycle at Port Orange (Volusia) 31 Mar (M. Brothers); 1 first-cycle at Key West GC II Mar (C. Goodrich); 1 first-cycle at Tomoka Landfill (Volusia) 13 Mar (E. Kwater). Great Black-backed Gull: as many as 2 at Sanibel Island 3-5 Mar (T. Schaefer, J. Long); 1 at Bunche Beach, Fort Myers 7 Mar (C. Ewell). Sooty Tern: 1 at Three Rooker Island 22 Mar EOS (+S. Crawford); 1 at old St. George Island causeway {Franklin) 23 Apr (J. Murphy); 1 at Fort George Inlet {Duval) 3 May (D. Foster, T. Rohtsalu); 1 at Guana Tolomato Matanzas NERR 3 May (D. Reed); 74 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (M. Brothers). Bridled Tern: 8 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (M. Brothers). Least Tern: 1 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 13 Mar (M. Brothers); 45 active nests and 10 first- summer birds at Carlos Pointe, Fort Myers Beach 18 May (P. Jarrett); 26 active nests at Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area 18 May (P. Jarrett). Gull-billed Tern: 1 at Orlando Wetlands Park {Orange) 16 Mar (T. Rodriguez); 2 at Honeymoon Island SP 27 Apr (E. Kwater, J. Mangold); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1-3 May (H. Robinson); 2 at Cockroach Bay Preserve {Hillsborough) copulated 12 May (B. Ahern) & 27 May (E. Kwater). Caspian Tern: 23 at Silver Lake 13 Apr ( J. Dinsmore); 22 at Lake Apopka NSRA 3-5 May, and 2 there 31 May (H. Robinson). Black Tern: 1 at St. Augustine Inlet {St. Johns) 3 May (D. Doyle); 1 in alternate plumage at Carlos Pointe, Fort Myers Beach 21-23 May (K. Laakkonen, +J. Bachrach). Common Tern: 3 at Fort De Soto Park 14 Apr (B. Ahem, R. Smith); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 5 May (H. Robinson); 8 adults off Elliot Key 25 May (R. Torres). Arctic Tern: 1 adult in alternate plumage at Longboat Key {Manatee) 16 May (J. Gi- naven; +S. Wilson, BPA 6625); 5 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (+M. Brothers). Forster’s Tern: 125 at Little Lake Harris, Howey-in-the-Hills {Lake) 21 Mar (E. Kwater); 78 at Silver Lake 21 Apr (J. Dinsmore); 1 with a frog prey at “Viera Wetlands” 7 May (+J. Wherley). Royal Tern: 1 at Gainesville 11 Mar (B. Holt); 580 at North Anclote Bar 22 Mar (D. Gagne); 1 at Newnans Lake 30 Apr (M. Manetz); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 May (H. Robinson). Elegant Tern: 2 in alternate plumage at Bowman’s Beach, Sanibel Island 25 Apr (+D. Shoch, BPA 6347a-c). Black Skimmer: 500 at Bunche Beach, Fort Myers 7 Mar (C. Ewell); 1 at Silver Lake 13 Apr (J. Dinsmore); as many as 137 (5 May) at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 Apr-29 May (H. Robinson). Pomarine Jaeger: 1 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 19 May (M. Brothers). Parasitic Jaeger: 1 at Fort George Inlet 3 May (K. Dailey); 1 adult at a tidal pond near Matanzas Inlet {St. Johns) 4 May (M. Brothers). Dovekie: 1 moribund at New Smyrna Beach (Volusia) 21 Mar (M. Brothers, specimen to FLMNH); 1 found dead in Indian River 8 Apr (fide A. Kratter). 136 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST *Razorbill: 9 at Alligator Point 3 Mar (J. Murphy); 1 at St. Augustine Beach 18 Mar (C. Hooker); 1 flew past Vero Beach 27 Mar (B. Wagner, T. Towles); 1 at Boynton Inlet C Palm Beach) 27 Mar (P. Davis); 1 at Little Talbot Island SP (Duval) 29 Mar (R Leary); 3 at Pensacola Beach 4 Apr (B. & L. Duncan); 2 or more off Miami ( Miami - Dade) 8 Apr (Ra. Diaz); 1 found dead at Opal Beach 13 May (T. Stapleton). White-crowned Pigeon: 1 juvenile at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 1 Apr (C. Goodrich); 13 at Crandon Park 8 Apr (Ro. Diaz). Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 6 Apr (B. Ahern). Mangrove Cuckoo: 3 at Emerson Point Preserve (Manatee) 19 Apr (S. Dewart-Hansen); 2 at Weedon Island Preserve (Pinellas) 14 May-EOS (R. Smith). Black-billed Cuckoo: 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 7 Apr (C. Goodrich); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 at St. George Island SP (Franklin) 12 May (+L. Gridley). Groove-billed Ani: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP to 18 Apr (R. Rowan, R. Robinson). Short-eared Owl: 1 Antillean race at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 20-28 Apr (C. Goodrich). Lesser Nighthawk: 1 at Fort Pickens 7 Apr-2 May (P. James, J. Callaway); 1 at Gulf Breeze 9 Apr (B. & L. Duncan). Chimney Swift: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 23 Mar (J. Mays, E. Robertson); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Mar (H. Robinson); as many as 3 each at three sites at New Port Richey 29 Mar (D. Gagne); at least 1 pair apparently was nesting in a hollow, living cypress at Palestine Lake (Union) 11 May (D. Griffin). *Broad-billed Hummingbird: 1 banded at Tallahassee 1 Mar (F. Dietrich). Buff-bellied Hummingbird: 1 at Morriston (Levy) 4-6 Apr (+Y. Frederick). Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 2 separate nests at James Grey Preserve, New Port Richey 24 Apr (D. Gagne, B. Pranty, L. Gomez). Rufous Hummingbird: 1 male at Daytona Beach 9-18 Mar (M. Brothers); 2 at Ocala (Mar- ion) to 18 Mar (T. Green, A. Giminez). Belted Kingfisher: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 5 May (H. Robinson). Red-headed Woodpecker: 1 at Merritt Island NWR 1 Mar (T. Rodriguez); 2 at Matheson Hammock Park (Miami-Dade) to 15 Apr (J. Boyd); 1 at Genius Drive Nature Pre- serve, Winter Park 21 Apr (P. Hueber); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Apr (H. Robinson). Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: 1 southeast of Dade City 6 Apr (D. Gagne); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 10 Apr (D. Gagne). Hairy Woodpecker: 1 at Jacksonville Arboretum (Duval) 12 Apr (K. Dailey). Red-cockaded Woodpecker: 1 at Bayard CA (Clay) 21 May (L. McCullagh). Peregrine Falcon: 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP to 21 Mar (J. Martin, G. Stephens); 1 at Watermelon Pond (Alachua) 3 May (S. Ewing); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 26 May (E. Plage). Gyrfalcon ( Falco rusticolus) x Barbary Falcon (F. pelegrinowes) : 1 female with bands and telemetry escaped in the Deerfield Beach/Pompano Beach area (Broward) 17 Mar (fide A. Marques) but was not observed subsequently. Monk Parakeet: 1 at Keystone Heights (Clay) 8 May had been present about 10 days (+R. Chilson). Blue-crowned Parakeet: 4 at NE St. Petersburg 4 Mar (+L. Margeson); 3 over Captain Forster’s Hammock CA (Indian River) 15 Mar (B. Wagner, T. Towles); 1 pair at Vero Beach 3-5 May (+J. Shea, +B. Wagner). Turquoise-fronted Parrot: 1 at Gainesville 29 Apr-EOS (+S. Flamand). Least Flycatcher: 1 at Micanopy (Alachua) to 16 Mar (J. Mays); 1 at Clear Lake Park, San Antonio (Pasco) to 6 Apr (D. Gagne). Eastern Phoebe: 1 at Gainesville 7 Apr (A. Kratter) broke a county late date set by Frank Chapman in 1887; 1 at Fort De Soto Park 10 Apr (D. Gagne). *Say’s Phoebe: 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF to 1 Apr (M. Swan). Field Observations 137 Vermilion Flycatcher: 1 female at Frog Pond WMA ( Miami-Dade ) to 14 Mar (A. Harper, R. Torres); 1 at Tiger Point ( Santa Rosa ) to 16 Mar (B. & G. Bremser); 1 female at San Antonio to 26 Mar (D. Gagne). Ash-throated Flycatcher: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 1 Mar (H. Robinson); 1 at Frog Pond WMA ( Miami-Dade ) to 14 Mar (A. Harper); 1 southeast of Dade City, where 1 wintered the previous year, 15 Mar (D. Gagne, P. Graber); 1 at San Antonio to 1 Apr (D. Gagne). Great Crested Flycatcher: 1 at Gainesville 18 Mar (M. Meisenburg). Brown-crested Flycatcher: 1 at Frog Pond WMA to 3 Apr (A. Harper). La Sacra’s Flycatcher: 1 at Green Cay Wetlands {Palm Beach) to 9 Mar (Ju. Miller); 1 at Leffis Key Preserve, Bradenton Beach {Manatee) 14-15 Apr (+J. Ginaven; +B. Pranty, BPA 6653a-c); 1 at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP {Miami-Dade) 15-26 Apr (+Ro. Diaz); 1 at Virginia Key 15-26 Apr (+Ro. Diaz); 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 7 May (C. Goodrich). *Tropical Kingbird: 1 east of Frog Pond WMA to 14 Mar (B. Boeringer); 1 at Frog Pond WMA to 2 Apr (R. Torres); 1 female at St. Armands Key {Sarasota) 3 May-EOS (R. E. Peipert et aL; C. Herzog, BPA 6933a-c) built two nests and produced 4 fledglings in Jun. *Tropical type kingbird: 1 at Belle Glade Marina {Palm Beach) 9-11 Mar (C. Weber, +B. Hope). *Cassin’s Kingbird: 1 west of Bunnell to 20 Apr (M. Brothers). Western Kingbird: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 Mar, and 2 there 1 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 at San Antonio to 1 Apr (D. Gagne); 1 at Honeymoon Island SP 13 Apr (D. Gagne, E. Kwater); singles at Fort De Soto Park 23 Apr (R. Smith) & 9 May (Je. Miller). Eastern Kingbird: 4 at San Antonio 26 Mar (D. Gagne). Gray Kingbird: 1 at Key Biscayne {Miami-Dade) 15 Mar (Ro. Diaz); 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 19 Mar (C. Goodrich); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 13 May (H. Rob- inson). Scissor-tailed Flycatcher: 1 at San Antonio to 6 Apr (D. Gagne); 1 at Tierra Verde 28-29 Apr (fide R. Smith); 1 at Cedar Key {Levy) 7-15 May (D. Henderson, D. Johnston). *Thick-billed Vireo: 1 at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP 4 Mar-6 May (+Ro. Diaz). Bell’s Vireo: 1 at Markham Park {Broward) 7-11 Mar (+B. Monk). Yellow-throated Vireo: 1 at New Port Richey 8 Mar (D. Gagne). Blue-headed Vireo: 1 at Aripeka Sandhills Preserve {Pasco) 15 Apr (D. Gagne). Warbling Vireo: 1 at South Miami {Miami-Dade) to 4 Apr (J. Barros). Red-eyed Vireo: 1 at Newnans Lake 14 Mar (J. Killian); 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Mar (H. Robinson). Black-whiskered Vireo: 1 at Egmont Key NWR {Hillsborough) 19 Apr (C. Fredricks); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 20 Apr-6 May (R. Smith); 1 at Sanibel Lighthouse Park 28 Apr (V. McGrath). Florida Scrub-Jay: 1 nest with 2 nestlings at Cape Coral {Lee) 6 Apr (+K. Hodgson). House Crow: 1 at Oaks Club GC {Sarasota) 10 May (S. Cooper). Tree Swallow: 850 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 May (H. Robinson). Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Mar (H. Robinson); 60 at Northeast STF {Pinellas) 25 Mar (R. Smith). Bank Swallow: 2 at North Anclote Bar 22 Mar (D. Gagne); 2 at Holiday 22 Mar (K. Tracey); 4 at Cockroach Bay 5 May (B. Ahern). Cliff Swallow: as many as 2 each at Gulf Harbors GC and Wemer-Boyce Salt Springs SP {Pasco) 10 Mar (D. Gagne); 1 at Newberry 26 Mar (C. & S. Ewing); 30 at Honeymoon Island SP 13 Apr (D. Gagne, E. Kwater); 8 at New Port Richey 30 Apr (D. Gagne); 1 at St. Petersburg 8 May (R. Smith); 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 8 May (C. Goodrich). 138 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Cave Swallow: 2 of the West Indian race at St. Petersburg 3-9 Mar (R. Smith, +R. Har- rod, +S. Tavaglione); 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 8 Mar (C. Goodrich); sin- gles of the Mexican race at Cockroach Bay ( Hillsborough ) 14 Mar (M. Gardler) and 5 May (B. Ahern); 2 at Gulf Breeze 25 Mar (B. Duncan); 4 at Baxter (Baker) 25 Mar (B. Richter); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 10 May (M. Swan). Barn Swallow: 12 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Mar (H Robinson); singles at Holiday and New Port Richey 9 Mar (D. Gagne); 15 at Holiday 22 Mar (K. Tracey); 530 at Lake Apopka NSRA 5 May (H. Robinson). Red-breasted Nuthatch: 2 at Ponte Vedra (St Johns) 9 Mar (J. Wheat); 3 at Key Vista Nature Park, Holiday to 14 Mar (D. Gagne); 2 singles at Cypress Creek Wellfield (Pasco) 25 Mar (K. Tracey); 1 at Alligator Point 10 Apr (J. Murphy); 1 at Savannas Preserve SP (St. Lucie) 20 Apr (T. Towles); as many as 8 in Alachua to 22 Apr (B. Shea, S. Ewing); 1 at Fort Pickens, Gulf Islands NS 26 Apr (L. Felker); 1 in E Her- nando 3 May (J. & +S. Mann); 2 at Groom Tract, Withlacoochee SF (Hernando) 3 May (M. Gardler). ^Bewick’s Wren: 1 at Fort Pickens 26 Apr (B. Duncan). Sedge Wren: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 2 May (Je. Miller). Golden-crowned Kinglet: 6 variously in Baker 1-29 Mar (B. Richter); 1 at Bald Point SP C Franklin ) 10 Mar (J. Murphy). Gray-cheeked Thrush: 25 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 8 May (C. Goodrich). Swainson’s Thrush: 15 at Port Richey (Pasco) 8 May (K. TVacey); 1 at Aucilia WMA (Tay- lor) 19 May (M. & S. Kiser); 1 at Gainesville 31 May (C. Gordon). Hermit Thrush: 1 at Pasco Palms Park, Holiday 18 Apr (D. Gagne); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 7 May (M. Hughes); 1 at Pensacola 10 May (A. & D. Forster). Wood Thrush: 1 at S Merritt Island 11 Mar (D. Freeland). Bahama Mockingbird: 1 at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP 12-16 Apr (+Ro. Diaz). Brown Thrasher: 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP to 2 Apr (C. Goodrich). Common Myna: 4 at Crandon Park 14 Apr (Ro. Diaz); 4 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 19 Apr (C. Goodrich); 9 at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP 23 Apr (Ro. Diaz). Cedar Waxwing: 635 at New Port Richey 3 Mar (D. Gagne); 600 at Tallahassee 4 Mar (D. Bryan). Worm-eating Warbler: 1 at San Felasco Hammock Preserve SP (Alachua) 2 Apr (J. Killian); 20 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 5 Apr (C. Goodrich); 4 at Fort De Soto Park 6 Apr (B. Ahem); 3 at James Grey Preserve 7 Apr (D. Gagne). Louisiana Waterthrush: 1 at Captain Forster’s Hammock CA 13-15 Mar (D. Miller, B. Wagner); 1 at Morris Bridge Park, Tampa 16 Mar (B. Ahem); 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 19 Mar (C. Goodrich); 1 at Eagle Point Park, Holiday 30 Mar (D. Gagne); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 22 Apr (J. Mays); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 24 Apr (H. Robinson). Northern Waterthrush: 10 each at Lake Apopka NSRA 14 & 24 Apr (H. Robinson). Blue-winged Warbler: singles at Gainesville 27 Mar (R. Terrill, J. Oswald) & 21 Apr (A. Zions); singles at Fort De Soto Park 28-29 Mar (Je. Miller) & 14 Apr (B. Ahem), and 2 there 6 Apr (B. Ahem, R. Smith); 1 at Reddie Point Preserve (Duval) 17 Apr (W. Parker); 2 at St. George Island SP 20 Apr (L. Gridley). Black-and-white Warbler: 50 at St. George Island SP 20 Apr (L. Gridley). Prothonotahy Warbler: 6 at Fort De Soto Park 6 Apr (B. Ahem). Swainson’s Warbler: 1 at Bunehe Beach 19 Mar (V. McGrath); 1 at Pasco Palms Park 30 Mar (D. Gagne); 2 at Mead Botanical Garden, Winter Park 4-5 Apr (T. Rodriguez, B. Anderson, +D. O’Neil); singles at Genius Drive Nature Preserve 5 & 13 Apr (B. An- derson, C. Pierce); 2 at Fort De Soto Park 5-6 Apr (E. Plage); 6 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 5 Apr (C. Goodrich); singles at Cedar Key 6 & 22 Apr (D. Henderson); 1 at Honeymoon Island SP 6 Apr (E. Kwater, J. Mangold); 4 at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP 7 Apr (Ro. Diaz); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 15 Apr (J. Mays); 1 at Dunedin Field Observations 139 Hammock Park ( Pinellas ) 15 Apr (J. Wells); 1 at Boca Ciega Millennium Park C Pinel- las) 30 Apr (C. Gjervold). Tennessee Warbler: 1 at Genius Drive Nature Preserve 13 Apr (R Hueber); 4 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 1-3 May (A. Kratter, J. Mays), Orange-crowned Warbler: 1 at Eagle Point Park 15 Apr (D. Gagne, +S. Mann); 1 at Sani- bel Lighthouse Park 28 Apr (E. Combs). Nashville Warbler: 1 at Guana Tolomato Matanzas NERR 23 Mar (S. Fox); 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 11 Apr (C. Goodrich); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP to 17 Apr (T. Persons). Connecticut Warbler: 1 at Theodore Roosevelt Preserve (Duval) 8 May (D. Pridgen); 1 at Walter Fuller Park ( Pinellas ) 11 May (T. Kalbach); 1 at Leffis Key 21 May (J. Ginaven). Hooded Warbler: 50 at Fort De Soto Park 6 Apr (B. Ahern, R. Smith); 20 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 11 Apr (C. Goodrich). American Redstart: 1 at Mi canopy 15 Mar (M. Manetz); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 16 Mar (J. Mays). *Kirtland’s Warbler: 1 at San Felasco Hammock Preserve SP 5 May (M. Manetz, +G. Price, BPA 5424). Cerulean Warbler: singles at Fort De Soto Park 6-7 Apr (B. Epstein), 13 Apr (D. Gagne), & 7 May (S. Tavaglione); 1 at St. George Island SP 13 Apr (L. Gridley); 1 at Fort Zach- ary Taylor Historic SP 7 May (C. Goodrich). Northern Parula: 77 (90% males) at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP 4 Mar (Ro. Diaz). Magnolia Warbler: 1 at Hanna Park (Duval) 26 Apr (D. Pridgen). Bay-breasted Warbler: 1 at Leffis Key Preserve 17-21 Apr (+S. McNemar); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 8 May (S. Tavaglione): 1 at Faver-Dykes SP (St. Johns) 9 May (G. Wil- liams). Blackburnian Warbler: 1 at Honeymoon Island SP 27 Apr (E. Kwater, J. Mangold). Chestnut-sided Warbler: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 at New Port Richey 24 Apr (D. Gagne); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 4 May (J. Mays). Blackpoll Warbler: 15 at Cockroach Bay Preserve 27 Apr (B. Ahem). Palm Warbler: 1 in central Hernando 25 May (A. Kent). Yellow-rumped Warbler: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 28 Apr (G. Williams); 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 6 May (C. Goodrich). Prairie Warbler: 100 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 5 Apr (C. Goodrich). Black-throated Green Warbler: 50 at St. George Island SP 20 Apr (L. Gridley); 1 at Holi- day 23-24 Apr (K. Tracey); 1 at Kingsley Plantation (Duval) 5 May (L. Johannsen); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 13 May (E. Plage). Wilson’s Warbler: 1 at Gulf Breeze 20 Mar (B. & L. Duncan); 1 at Gainesville 27 Mar (R. Butryn); 1 at Jacksonville 4 Apr (J. Cocke); 1 at Kingsley Plantation 6 Apr (K. Dailey); 1 at St. George Island SP 5 May (J. Cavanagh). Yellow-breasted Chat: 1 at Wakodahatchee Wetlands 30 Mar (J. Boyd et al.); 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP 8 Apr (C. Goodrich); 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP all season (J. Martin); 10 pairs at Lake Apopka NSRA during May (H. Robinson). Western Spindalis: 1 female at Stock Island to 24 Apr (C. Goodrich); 1 male at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP 16 Mar (N. LaFramboise, N. Price); 1 female at Spanish River Park (Palm Beach) 6 Apr (B. & N. LaFramboise); 1 male inland at Loxahatchee NWR (Palm Beach) 25 Apr (R. Newman); 1 black-backed male at Fort Zachary Taylor SP, Key West 3-12 May (C. Goodrich). *Cuban Grassquit: 1 at Genius Drive Nature Preserve 13 May (B. Anderson). *Black-faced Grassquit: 1 at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP 30 Apr-5 May (Ra. Diaz et al, +R. Geisler, BPA 6923) may have been the same individual photographed 15 Nov 2012 but not identified at the time (+L. Golden, BPA 6805). 140 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Eastern Towhee: 19 at Honeymoon Island SP 13 Apr (D. Gagne, E. Kwater); 15 at Ari- peka Sandhills Preserve 15 Apr (D. Gagne). Clay-colored Sparrow: 1 or singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 6 Mar & 1 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 at Cockroach Bay Preserve 9 Mar (B. Ahem); 1 at Fort Pickens 10 Mar-12 Apr (B. & J. Callaway); 1 southeast of Dade City to 1 Apr (D. Gagne); 1 at Melrose ( Alachua ) 14 Apr (K. Collingwood); 1 at Paynes Prairie 17 Apr (J. Hintermister); 1 at Reddie Point Preserve 20 Apr (R. Rowan); 1 at St. Augustine 20 Apr (D. Doyle); 1 at Micanopy 23 Apr (D. Dacol). Vesper Sparrow: 2 at Brooker Creek Preserve 17-26 Mar (T. Mast); 3 southeast of Dade City to 1 Apr (D. Gagne). Lark Sparrow: 1 at Fort Pickens 10 Mar-6 May (B. & J. Callaway); 1 at Cape Coral 23 Mar (S. McNemar, +J. FitzGerald); 1 southeast of Dade City to 1 Apr (D. Gagne); 1 at Cayo Costa SP {Lee) 20 Apr (+C. Ewell). Savannah Sparrow: 6 at Trinity 9 Apr (D. Gagne); 1 at Crandon Park 14 Apr (J. Boyd, Ro. Diaz); 1 at River Town {St. Johns) 8 May (D. Doyle); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 31 May (H. Robinson). Grasshopper Sparrow: 1 at Hanna Park 5 Apr (P. Graham); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 at Lassing Park, St. Petersburg 29 Apr (E. Plage); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 30 Apr (M. Kelly). Le Conte’s Sparrow: 3 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 15 Mar (C. Gordon); 2 at Micanopy 16 Mar-2 Apr (A. Zions, K. Malone). Nelson’s Sparrow: 1 in song at Alligator Point 8 May (J. Murphy). Seaside Sparrow: 29 at Guana Tolomato Matanzas NERR 7 Apr (D. Doyle). Fox Sparrow: 1 at Faver-Dykes SP 3 Mar (L. Saul, +D. Wassmer). Song Sparrow: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 22 Apr (J. Mays). Lincoln’s Sparrow: 1 along SR-60 at the Kissimmee River {Polk) 5 Mar (E. Kwater); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 13 Mar (H. Robinson). Swamp Sparrow: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 5 May (H. Robinson). White-throated Sparrow: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Mar (H. Robinson). White-crowned Sparrow: 6 southeast of Dade City to 1 Apr (D. Gagne); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 6 Apr (M. Hughes); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Apr (H. Robinson). Dark-eyed Junco: 1 at Fort Clinch SP {Nassau) 17 Apr (P. Leary). Western Tanager: 1 at Alachua 17-29 Mar (R. Rocke, J. Hintermister); 1 at Hyde Grove {Duval) 22 Mar-11 Apr (C. Wain wright); 1 at Ocala 18 Apr (A. Rudd); 1 at Fort White {Columbia) 27-30 Apr (B. Knutson). Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 1 at Tallahassee to 16 Mar (J. Harrington); 1 at Gainesville to 27 Mar (S. Lasseter). Blue Grosbeak: 15 pairs at Lake Apopka NSRA during May (H. Robinson). * Lazuli Bunting: 1 male at Florida City {Miami-Dade) 24 Mar-11 Apr (S. Tennis, +T. Mitchell). Indigo Bunting: 24 at Honeymoon Island SP 5 Apr (J. Wells); >25 pairs at Lake Apopka NSRA during May (H. Robinson). Painted Bunting: 1 at Pace {Santa Rosa) 24 Mar (D. Stangeland); 3 at Clear Lake, San Antonio 1 Apr (D. Gagne). Dickcissel: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 12 May (J. Mangold). Bobolink: 100 at Cockroach Bay Preserve 27 Apr (B. Ahern); 1,630 at Green Key Park 14 May (K. Tracey); 1 at Gainesville 27 May (R. Rowan) broke a county late date set by Frank Chapman in 1887; 7 at Eagle Point Park, Holiday 28 May (+K. Tracey). Yellow-headed Blackbird: 1 male at Brandon {Hillsborough) to 14 Mar (fide B. Ahem); 1 male at Bald Point 4 May (+S. Parker, D. Murphy). Rusty Blackbird: 3 at Fort Island Trail Park {Citrus) to 4 Mar (M. Gardler). Brewer’s Blackbird: 1 female at Bayport {Hernando) to 29 Mar (G. Williams). Field Observations 141 Boat-tailed Grackle: 1 female carrying nesting material along the Escambia River ( Es- cambia) 11 May (M. Griggs) represents the first local breeding report. Shiny Cowbird: 1 male in song at St. Petersburg 11 May (M. Bums). Bronzed Cowbird: 24 at Clewiston ( Hendry ) 10 Apr included males courting females (D. Simpson); 1 at Hague 29 Apr-4 May (J. Hintermister, M. Manetz); 1 at Pensacola 10 May (J. Brady). Orchard Oriole: 3 at Honeymoon Island SP 5 Apr (J. Wells); 26 pairs at Lake Apopka NSRA during May (H. Robinson). Purple Finch: 1 female at Winter Springs 0 Seminole ) 18-19 Apr (L. Mathis, +R. Geisler, BPA 6892a-b). Pine Siskin: 2 at Holiday 9 Mar (D. Gagne); 1 at Alva (Lee) 23 Mar (L. White, +G. Camp- bell). European Goldfinch: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 4-5 May (+K. McKinney, BPA 6285). Village Weaver: 1 at Zoo Miami ( Miami-Dade ) 1-5 Mar (+fide T. Whitman, BPA 6842). Contributors: Brian Ahem, Bmce Anderson, Jan Bachrach, Joe Barros, Gail Becker, Mark Bemey, Shelley Beville, Bill Boeringer, Jim Boughton, Dave Bowman, John Boyd, Andy Boyle, Jim Brady, Bill & Greta Bremser, Michael Brothers, Dana Bryan, Mark Burns, Patricia Bums, Ryan Butryn, Brenda & Jerry Callaway, Gail Campbell, Carol Cassels, Laura Catterton, Jim Cavanagh, Roger Chilson, Julie Cocke, Keith Collingwood, Ed Combs, Sandy Cooper, Sid Crawford, Dalcio Dacol, Kevin Dailey, Gary Davis, Lloyd Davis, Paul Davis, Alan Delorey, Sharon Dewart-Hansen, Rangel Diaz (Ra. Diaz), Robin Diaz (Ro. Diaz), Fred Dietrich, James Dinsmore, Diana Doyle, Bob & Lucy Duncan, Katherine Edison, Margaret England, B. Epstein, John Erickson, Jason Estep, Charlie Ewell, Caleb & Samuel Ewing, Linda Felker, Charlie Fisher, Joe FitzGerald, Scott Flamand, Tom Ford, Ann & Dan Forster, Dave Foster, David Fowler, Stephen Fox, Yvonne Frederick, Cole Fredricks, Dave Freeland, David Gagne, Murray Gardler, Reinhard Geisler, Amie Giminez, John Ginaven, Colin Gjervold, Doug Gochfeld, Liz Golden, Louise Gomez, Carl Goodrich, Caleb Gordon, Pam Graber, Phil Graham, Tom Green, Larry Gridley, Donny Griffin, Max Griggs, Erik Haney, Alex Harper, Joanne Harrington, Mitchell Harris, Randy Harrod, Dale Henderson, Claire Herzog, John Hintermister, Ken Hodgson, Bob Holt, Chris Hooker, Brian Hope, Alice Horst, Paul Hueber, Marie Hughes, Glenn Israel, Patrick James, Penny Jarrett, Laura Johannsen, Tom Johnson, David Johnston, Tim Kalbach, David Kandz, Marty Kelly, Adam Kent, John Killian, Mark & Selena Kiser, Barbara Knutson, Andy Kratter, Ed Kwater, Keith Laakkonen, Cheryl Lachance, Bill & Nancy LaFramboise, Shirley Lasseter, Patrick Leary, Laura Lewis-Tuffin, Julie Long, Kathy Malone, Mike Manetz, Larry Manfredi, John Mangold, Jane & Steve Mann, Lorraine Margeson, John Martin, Amy Marques, Tom Mast, Lori Mathis, Jonathan Mays, Lenore McCullagh, Vince McGrath, Kevin McKinney, Mike McMillian, Shelby McNemar, Michael Meisenburg, Mike Middleton, Don Miller, Jeff Miller (Je. Miller), Justin Miller (Ju. Miller), Trey Mitchell, Brian Monk, Deanna Murphy, John Murphy, Rick Newman, Kathleen Nitcher, Dennis O’Neil, John & Nancy Ogden, Jessica Oswald, Jose Padilla-Lopez, Stephanie Parker, Warren Parker, Ruth Parks, Ruth Ellen Peipert, Trevor Persons, Steve Petruniak, Cheri Pierce, Eric Plage, Valeri Ponzo, Bill Pranty, Glenn Price, Nancy Price, Donald Pridgen, Brian Rapoza, Diane Reed, Bob Richter, Ellen Robertson, Harry Robinson, Ron Robinson, Rachel Rocke, Tom Rodriguez, Thomas Rohtsalu, Rex Rowan, Alicia Rudd, Lilian Saul, Tom Schaefer, Barbara Shea, Jim Shea, David Shoch, David Simpson, Marvin Smith, Ron Smith, David Sparks, Daniel Stangeland, Toby Stapleton, Joyce Stefancic, Greg Stephens, Don & Lillian Stokes, Malcolm Swan, Sue Tavaglione, Steve Tennis, Ryan Terrill, Roberto Torres, Tim Towles, Ken Tracey, Billi Wagner, Carly Wain wright, Doug Wassmer, Chuck Weber, Jim Wells, James Wheat, Jay Wherley, Leon White, Tedor Whitman, Ann Wiley, Elizabeth Wilkins, Graham Williams, Stu Wilson, Susan Yantomo, Travis Young, Jennifer Zelik, and Adam Zions. 142 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Winter 2012-2013 report not published previously? Boat-tailed Grackle: 1 imma- ture male atorreyin at Ponce de Leon Inlet 23 Jan (*M. Brothers, BPA 6262a-c). Report prepared by Bill Pranty, state compiler (8515 Village Mill Row, Bayonet Point, Florida 34667-2682, ). Regional compilers are Brian Ahem (629 Gail Avenue, Temple Terrace, Florida 33617, barredantshrike@gmail.com), Bruce II. Anderson (2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, Florida 32792, ), John IT. Boyd III (15291 SW 108th Terrace, Miami, Florida 33196, ), Kevin Dailey (6661 Beatrix Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32226, ), Bob and Lucy Duncan (614 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561, ), Charlie Ewell (115 SW 51st Terrace, Cape Coral, Florida 33991, ), Bev Hansen (6573 Pine Meadows Drive, Spring Hill, Florida 34606, ), Paul Miller (Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, 33104 MW 192nd Avenue, Okeechobee, Florida 34972, ), and John Murphy (766 Alligator Drive, Alligator Point, Florida 32346, ). BE A FRIEND OF FFN Florida Field Naturalist is the journal of FOS, an important communication vehicle for the Florida scientific and birding community. Increasing costs need to be offset with a combination of member dues and contributions. Please consider a donation of $50, $100, $200 or more to FRIENDS OF FFN. Your gift will allow FFN to improve its artwork, including four-color photographs of rarities similar to the one of the state’s first Varied Bunting, published in the February 2006 issue, and other improvements in the content and appearance of our journal. Contributions to FRIENDS OF FFN will be added to a special endowment of FOS, the interest of which will be used to improve the journal. Please write a check payable to the Florida Ornithological Society and specify that the gift is for FOS Friends of FFN. Send the check to: John Murphy, Treasurer, Florida Ornithological Society, 766 Alligator Drive, Alligator Point, FL 32346. We thank the following individuals for donating to FRIENDS OF FFN: 2006 Murray Gardler 2007 David B. Freeland 2008 Jack P. Mailman Billi Wagner Charles Ewell & Arlyrie B. Salcedo Robert & Lucy Duncan John M. Murphy Richard L. West 2009 Judith C. Bryan John M. Murphy Billi Wagner Peggy Powell Peter & Victoria Merritt Jim Cox & Katy NeSmith Robert Budliger William Post David Hartgrove 2010 David Hartgrove Brian Ahern Robert Budliger 2011 David Hartgrove William Post R. Todd Engstrom Anthony White Robert Budliger John M. Murphy Vincent McGrath Michael Brothers Reed & Myra Noss 2012 James E. Cavanagh, Jr. Silvio Crespo, Jr. Robin Diaz David Hartgrove Larry Hribar John M. Murphy Billi Wagner William Post Anthony White Robert Budliger Theodore H. Below 2013 Silvio Crespo, Jr. Larry Hribar Mary Landsman John Murphy Robin Diaz Andrew Kratter Robert & Lucy Duncan Michael Brothers James E. Cavanagh, Jr. Robert Budliger Tim Towles Nancy Prine 143 SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS OF THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY M. C. Bowman. 1978. Species Index to Florida Bird Records in Audubon Field Notes and American Birds , Volumes 1-80, 1947- 1967. Florida Ornithological Society Special Publication No. 1. xii + 43 pages. $4. J. A. Cox. 1987. Status and Distribution of the Florida Scrub Jay. Florida Ornithological Society Special Publication No. 3. vii + 110 pages. $8. R. W. Loftin, G. E. Woolfenden, and J. A. Woolfenden. 1991. Florida Bird Records in American Birds and Audubon Field Notes (1947- 1989): Species Index and County Gazetteer. Florida Ornithological Society Special Publication No. 4. xiv + 99 pages. $8. R. W. Loftin. 1991. West Indian Bird Records in American Birds and Audubon Field Notes (1947-1990): Species Index by Islands. Florida Ornithological Society Special Publication No. 5. ix + 90 pages. $8. W. B. Robertson, Jr. and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida Bird Species: An Annotated List. Florida Ornithological Society Special Publication No. 6. ix + 260 pages. FOS members: $15 soft cover, $20 hard cover; Non-members: $18 soft cover, $23 hard cover. G. E. Woolfenden, W. B. Robertson, Jr., and J. Cox. 2006. The Breeding Birds of Florida. Florida Ornithological Society Special Publication No. 7. ii + 142 pages. $12. To order Special Publications: Please send a check made out to the Florida Ornithological Society to the Treasurer: John Murphy, Treasurer 766 Alligator Drive Alligator Point, FL 82846 The amount of the check should include the price of the publication s) plus shipping and sales tax. Shipping: Add $2 shipping for 1-5 copies; $4 for 6-10 copies. Sales Tax: Florida residents add the sales tax for the county in which the special publications are delivered. Calculate the sales tax based on the total cost of the special publications plus shipping. 144 Florida Field Naturalist ISSN 0738-999X PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Editor: Scott Robinson, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, P.O. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: srobinson@flmnh.ufl.edu Managing/Copy Editor: Tom Webber, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, RO. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: twebber@flmnh.ufl. edu Associate Editor (for bird distribution): Bruce Anderson, 2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, FL 32792. E-mail: scizortail@aol.com Editor of the FOS newsletter, Snail Kite: Selena Kiser, 1740 Augustine Place, Tallahassee, FL 32301. E-mail: beenebat@netscape.net Editor of Special Publications: Jerome A. Jackson, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Ft. Myers, FL 33965. E-mail: jjackson@fgcu.edu Web Page Editor: Eugene Stoccardo, 331 Roswell Ave., Orlando, FL 36803. E-mail: Garberia@hotmail.com INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS The Florida Field Naturalist is a fully refereed journal emphasizing biological field studies and observations of vertebrates, especially birds, in or near Florida and the nearby West Indies. We welcome submission of original manuscripts containing new information from these areas. We encourage electronic submission of manuscripts. Please consult recent issues of the journal and the FOS website (http://www.fosbirds.org/ FFN/FFN.aspx) for style, noting especially that manuscripts should: (1) be double-spaced throughout, including tables and figure captions; (2) include the scientific name at the first mention of each species; (3) include capitalized standard English names for all birds, but lower case for English names of other organisms; (4) use metric units for all measurements; (5) use the form “7 June 2003” for all dates; (6) use the 24-hour clock for all indications of time (e.g., 0800, 1400); (7) use the following abbreviations: s (second), min (minute), h (hour); (8) use active voice where at all possible. Submit manuscripts, and books for review, to the Editor, Scott Robinson. Monograph- length manuscripts may be submitted for consideration to Jerome A. Jackson, Editor of Special Publications. Field observations should be sent to the Chair of the Field Observations Committee, Brian Ahem (barredantshrike@gmail.com; see Field Observations, this issue). Reports of birds for which the FOS Records Committee requires documentation (see http J! fosbirds.org/content/records-committee) should be sent to the Secretary of the Committee, Jon S. Greenlaw, 10503 Mistflower Lane, Tampa, FL 33647-3544; E-mail: jgreenlaw@ earthlink.net SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES 3 9088 01703 6286 Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 41, No. 4 November 2013 Pages 107-144 CONTENTS ARTICLES First record of Roseate Spoonbill ( Platalea ajaja ) nesting in Polk County, Florida Ann B. Hodgson and Ann F. Paul. 107-116 Observations of Gray Kingbird ( Tyrannus dominicensis) habits and breeding behavior in St. Johns County, Florida Diana Doyle 117-122 NOTES Ectoparasites collected from the Ovenbird ( Seiurus aurocapilla ) on Vaca Key, Florida Lawrence J. Hribar 123-125 Coyote ( Canis latrans ) in the Florida Keys Daniel U. Greene and Jeffery A. Gore . 126-129 FIELD OBSERVATIONS Spring Report: March-May 2013 Bill Pranty 130-142 ANNOUNCEMENTS Friends of FFN 143 FOS Special Publications .............................................. 144