FQ ~£3 ^ Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 43, No. 3 September 2015 Pages 105-138 FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Founded 1972 OFFICERS President: R Todd Engstrom, 309 Carr Lane, Tallahassee, FL 32312. E-mail: engstrom® bio.fsu.edu Vice President: Mary Dowdell, 5209 Culbreath Road, Broqksvflle, FL 34601. E-mail: mary.dowdell@myfwc.com Secretary: Cole Fredricks, 325 Ruby Lake Loop, Winter Haven, FL 33884. E-mail: cfredricks@tampabay.rr.com Treasurer: Charles H. Fisher, Jr., 4806 W. Beach Park Dr., Tampa, FL 33609. E-mail: chfl shercpa@hotmail . 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, Serving Until Spring 2016 David Goodwin, 807 Woodcarver Lane, Brandon, FL 33510. E-mail: dave.goodwin@aol.com Graham Williams. E-mail: grahamevenwilliams@gmail.com Directors, Serving Until Spring 2017 Gina Kent. 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One-time contributions for life membership are $400 for individuals and $500 for families. All members receive Florida Field Naturalist. Notice of change of address, claims for undelivered or defective copies, and requests for information about advertising and subscriptions should be sent to the Treasurer. Florida Field Naturalist is published quarterly (March, May, September, and November) by the Florida Ornithological Society. It is printed by E.O. Painter Printing Co., P.O. Box 877, DeLeon Springs, FL 32130. The permanent address of the Florida Ornithological Society is Division of Birds, Florida Museum of Natural History, Museum Road at Newell Drive, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611. 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. 43, No. 3 September 2015 Pages 105-138 Florida Field Naturalist 43(3):105-113, 2015. EXTIRPATION OF THE BUDGERIGAR ( Melopsittacus undulaius ) FROM FLORIDA Bill Pranty 8515 Village Mill Row, Bayonet Point, Florida 34667-2662 E-mail : hillpranty@hotmail.com Abstract. — Native to Australia, Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) have been extremely popular cagebirds for more than 150 years. Beginning in the 1950s, large numbers reportedly were released in Pinellas County, along Florida’s central Gulf coast. By the late 1970s, a large and thriving population, containing perhaps 20,000 or more in- dividuals, was breeding abundantly in western Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. This population, which subsequently spread to Hernando County, began a severe decline in the 1980s, with fewer than 100 individuals remaining by the mid-1990s. The final remnant flocks survived for an additional ~20 years in Hernan- do and Pasco counties before becoming extirpated in 2014. In an earlier paper (Pranty 2001), I summarized the history of Budgerigars in Florida through January 2001. Here, I document their continued decline through the disappearance of the last individuals, and I provide thoughts on the likely causes of their extirpation. As the Budgerigars in west-central Florida represented the only large, breeding population found outside their native range, their extirpation represents the loss of a regularly-occurring species in the Western Hemisphere. The history of Budgerigars in Florida proves well that even large and robust populations of exotic birds can disappear decades after their founding. The Budgerigar ( Melopsittacus undulatus) is a small (18 cm, 30- 40 gram) psittacid native to much of the arid interior of Australia. It has been bred in captivity since the 1840s (Forshaw 1977) and is the third most abundant pet worldwide after the domestic cat ( Felis silvestris catus ) and the domestic dog ( Canis lupus familiaris). Despite their abundance in captivity, the only large and persistent breeding population found outside their native range was located along the central Florida Gulf coast. This population was founded by 1960 and persisted for more than 50 years before becoming extirpated in 2014. The early history of Budgerigars in Florida is clouded by a lack of specific information. Cooke and Knappen (1940:177) stated simply that “a number” of free-flying individuals had been observed in California 105 106 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST and Florida. Large numbers reportedly were released in Pinellas County, along Florida’s central Gulf coast, beginning in the 1950s (Lipp 1963, Shapiro 1979, Wenner and Hirth 1984)-— but claims of large-scale releases were from second- or third-hand sources. Budgerigars began breeding in Pinellas County “as early as the 1950s” (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992:85) or around 1960 (Lipp 1963, Stevenson and Anderson 1994). Free-flying Budgerigars were first noted on a Christmas Bird Count (CBC) at St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, in December 1962, and the compiler wrote that “hundreds” of individuals were “now feral” (Woolfenden 1963). Dill ( 1981) claimed that the first flocks in western Pasco County were found in 1963. CBC data show that Budgerigars were found in numbers in western Manatee County by December 1966 (Bradenton CBC), western Sarasota County by December 1974 (Sarasota and Venice-Englewood CBCs), and northwestern Hillsborough County by January 1977 (Tampa CBC; all Table 1). By the late 1970s, the population numbered perhaps 20,000 or more individuals found along the coast to ca. 10 km inland, from Hudson, Pasco County through Venice, Sarasota County, a distance of 160 km (Pranty 2001). Another flock was discovered in southwestern Hernando County in December 1991 ( Aripeka- B ayport CBC; Table 1). The populations in Hernando and Hillsborough counties were thought to have spread naturally from those in Pasco and Pinellas counties, respectively, but the populations in Manatee and Sarasota counties were more likely the result of locally released or escaped Budgerigars that subsequently bred widely outside of captivity. In contrast to the assessments of others (e.g., Wenner and Hirth 1984, Stevenson and Anderson 1994), I consider the Budgerigars found in 26 other counties in Florida— Alachua, Bay, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Franklin, Highlands, Lee, Leon, Levy, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okaloosa, Orange, Palm Beach, Polk, Putnam, St. Lucie, Santa Rosa, Seminole, and Wakulla (Pranty 2001, 2003; Greenlaw et al. 2014)— to have represented local escapees or releases unrelated to the large and persistent breeding population found along the central Gulf coast. Robertson and Woolfenden (1992:85) referred to Pasco and Pinellas counties as the Budgerigar’s (former) “heartland” and mentioned that their numbers and range were “much reduced” compared to earlier decades. Stevenson and Anderson (1994) predicted the species’ eventual extirpation from Florida. In an earlier paper (Pranty 2001), I used CBC and other data to document the massive population increase and range expansion of Budgerigars through the 1970s, followed by an equally considerable population decline and range contraction through the 1980s and 1990s. In this paper, I document the continued decline and range contraction of Budgerigars in Florida through the disappearance of the last individuals, in April 2014, and I close with final thoughts on the likely causes of their extirpation. Pranty — Budgerigar in Florida 107 « .5 § * " ffl £ ii « ^ * | | PQ ^ c£ i , Mh CO W> 1 n £ 5 §5 4 £ — •§ « 5 ~ ^ M P •pi jj 2 u £ a © © g *p s g 13 © cS 5 ^ W s ia oq H fe ii a e ^ •n s >5 | j 5 oooooooooo o w « o o fl (3 fi S3 fl O CJ « o o « o oooooooooo w o a a a a a a a a © © © © 00 © © © © © o O y y O a a a a a © © © © © o u y y y a a a a a © © © pH © Q y y O y a a a a a © © © cm © © © © CO CM © © © © © © pH © CO pH o O O y y a a a a a o y y y y a a a a a LO © OQ pH pH t> 00 LO tr- © 1-1 1-1 ee © © © © © © o y O y y a a a a a t> © ooffiOHiNco4 75- 76 7 4,025 nc 0 470 nc nc 2 1 0 0 nc 0 nc 0 nc 0 41 3,000 ne cw nc 303 208 76- 77 7 1,254 nc 0 360 nc nc 0 0 4 0 nc 0 nc 0 25 0 84 250 nc 10 nc 521 nc 77- 78 8 6,895 nc 0 nc nc nc 0 0 11 0 nc 0 nc 0 700 1 24 5,400 nc 115 nc 174 470 78- 79 6 4,478 nc 0 nc nc nc 0 0 0 0 nc 0 nc 0 740 0 13 3,000 nc 13 nc 14 698 Table 1. (Continued) Budgerigars recorded on all published Christmas Bird Counts in Florida, December 1962-January 2015. A total of 22 CBCs in Florida contained at least one Budgerigar report; these CBCs are arranged alphabetically by two-letter code (with counties in italics): AB = Aripeka-Bayport (. Hernando and Pasco; all Budgerigars in Hernando); BC = Bay County (Bay); BD = Bradenton (Manatee); BK = Brooksville (Hernando); CK = Cedar Key (Levy); CO = Cocoa (Brevard); DC = Dade County (Miami-Dade); FL = Fort Lauderdale (Broward); FM - Fort Myers (Lee); GC = Gulf Circle Manatee County (Manatee); LA= Lakeland (Polk); LP = Lake Placid (Highlands); LW = Lake Wales (Polk); 108 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST go £ ® 'i 5 5 oo rH CO © CM © © £L o Tp LO © o © CM CM £ CO CM © rH rH CM > rH g o CM eo X Tp X X > CM CM © CM Tp X rH rH H o y y y y y y y H Ci d d d d d d d TA lO CM © Tp © C" rH © CD rH Tp Tp ST O o © © © © © © O o © © © © © © 4) ftJ o o © © e- © rH rH MH oo rH © l> © © X y 0 CO CO x~ rH a SA o Tp TP (M © rH © X © o TP CM © rH X CM rH » p! g PQ y y y y y y y y y <3 d d d d a d a d y y h X oo CM 35 © CM rH CM 'O .2 * a s i> oo tP* 8 LO TP rH § f- i §8 rH 35 rH of X X © X y a X u * 0 X X © rH 35 CO X d Q rH x CM l y fl © o tH cm eo © © O 0 X d oo 1 °? °? oo 1 X I X °? o y 05 o rH CM X Tp © © O X t> 00 00 X X X X X © X © © © CM © rH tP © © I— 1 rH rH © tp © © rH © tP CM © © CM t- © © © © © © rH CM CM y y y y y y y y y y d d d d a d d d a d © © © © CM © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © C" © © © X CM © © X © CM X © t- rH rH rH rH rH rH © © © © © © © © © © y y y y y y y y y y d a a a a d d d a d X tP CM © © © © © © rH © © rH © © © © © © © © © o © rH © © © © © © © © © rH © © © © © © © © © © © Tp © © © cw © © © © © © © © © © o © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © rH o © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © rH CM © rH © © © © © rH © © © rH © © © © © © © o» Tp X © © a d d d X X rH tP TO CM © rH t> X L© © e'- CM © X X c© X LO CM er CM 05 X X CM rH CM CM X rH © 35 tP © X TP Tp CM X X © © rH CM X tP X © °? X 05 9 © ? © I © I © | t-L X © © rH CM X 1 TP LO X X X © © © © © © 96-97 Pranty — Budgerigar in Florida 109 » 5 § r-i ^ 4) CO ~ V, 5 Q ft o O eg a u a .BP > •8 I? 'S s n 3 Jr <8 T 3 I tel T2 ft * P3 » I aa cs R 0) u ® o eo CO eo fr- © Oi fr- © fr- © o © to CM © fH to i—i to CO cm i— 1 00 o © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © o tH nc nc y d © rH © © © © © © © © © © © © © rH IO o © © © eo © © © © © © © © © © © © © rH o © © © © © © cm © © © © © © © © © © rH CO CO o © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © CO o © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © rH y y y y y y y y y y y Q o y y y y y d d G G G G el & G a d d d d d d d rH 0* © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © rH o © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © rH o © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © rH o © © rH © © © © rH © © © © © © © © © Th o © © © © CO © © © © © © © © © © nc nc CO © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © 10 © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © CM © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © to © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © rH rH © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © 00 © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © rH © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © CM to © © eo rH to © 00 © CM to © © © © rH © CO CO CO CO to © fr- © CO 1—1 i— 1 rH © CM CO rH . Accessed variously 2014-2015. Forshaw, J. M. 1977. Parrots of the World, 2nd ed. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune, New Jersey. Greenlaw, J. S., B. Pranty, and R. Bowman. 2014. The Robertson and Woolfenden Florida Bird Species: An Annotated List. Special Publication No. 8, Florida Ornithological Society, Gainesville. Lipp, F. 1963. Parakeet city— a tourist attraction. Florida Naturalist 36(1-B):1. National Audubon Society. 2015. The Christmas Bird Count historical results (online). . Accessed variously 2014-2015. Pranty, B. 2001. The Budgerigar in Florida: Rise and fall of an exotic psittacid. North American Birds 55:389-397. Pranty, B. 2003. Field Observations Committee spring report: March-May 2003. Florida Field Naturalist 31:82-92. Pranty, B. 2004. Field Observations Committee fall report: August- -November 2003. Florida Field Naturalist 32:63-74. Pranty, B. 2012. Field Observations Committee fall report: August-N o vember 2011. Florida Field Naturalist 40:59-72. Robertson, W. B., Jr., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida Bird Species: An Annotated List. Special Publication No. 6, Florida Ornithological Society, Gainesville. Shapiro, A. E. 1979. Status, habitat utilization, and breeding biology of the feral Bud- gerigar ( Melopsittacus undulatus ) in Florida. Master’s thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville. Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The Birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Wenner, A. S., and D. H. Hirth. 1984. Status of the feral Budgerigar in Florida. Journal of Field Ornithology 55:214-219. Woolfenden, G. [E]. 1963. St. Petersburg, Fla. [63rd Christmas Bird Count]. Audubon Field Notes 17:166-167. Florida Field Naturalist 43(3): 114-118, 2015. FIRST RECORD OF ROSEATE SPOONBILLS (. Platalea ajaja) NESTING ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE SINCE 1874 Jennifer E. Chastant1, Richard A. Botta2, and Dale E. Gawlik1’2 lFlorida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 2Florida Atlantic University, Environmental Science Program, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 E-mail: jchastan@fau.edu Abstract. — Roseate Spoonbills (. Platalea ajaja) were almost extirpated from Florida by the turn of the 20th century. Prior to the 1850s, historic records suggest that spoon- bills bred in large numbers on Lake Okeechobee. However, the last documented record of spoonbills nesting on the lake was in 1874. The first aerial surveys of nesting wading bird colonies began on Lake Okeechobee in 1957 and they continued sporadically until 1992. In 2006, we began conducting annual wading bird nesting surveys as a part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan’s Monitoring and Assessment Plan, during which we observed Roseate Spoonbills nesting on Lake Okeechobee in 2009 (n - 3 nests) and 2013 (n = 2 nests). These recent nesting records represent the first confirmed nesting by the species on Lake Okeechobee since 1874. Our records, combined with other recent inland records, may indicate that the Roseate Spoonbill is expanding its nesting range to its historic distribution. Historic records imply that Roseate Spoonbills (. Platalea ajaja) once bred in large numbers on Lake Okeechobee (Allen 1942). The diary of U. S. Navy Midshipman George Henry Preble, kept during a military expedition that crossed the southern end of Lake Okeechobee in 1842 (Preble 1905), noted “immense flocks” of pink spoonbills in Fisheating Creek (Fig. 1; journal entry 6 March 1842). By 1874, the time of the next documented expedition on the lake, Frederick Albion Ober found only two breeding pairs of spoonbills, in the willows ( Salix spp.) on Goodshore Island, now known as Observation Island (Fig. 1). He was told by members of the Seminole Tribe that spoonbills bred “abundantly” on Fisheating Creek (Ober 1874), but he failed to confirm it. The last reference to spoonbill nesting near the lake was in 1927, when Donald Nicholson was told of a colony on Fish Eating Lake in Hendry County south of La Belle. He visited the colony in 1928, but he saw no birds there (Nicholson 1929). Thus, between 1842 and 1874 spoonbills seem to have disappeared from Lake Okeechobee, although only one year without reports of nesting is inconclusive. What is more certain is that by the 1880s spoonbills were nearly extirpated 114 Chastant et al. — Spoonbill Nesting on L. Okeechobee 115 Figure 1. Roseate Spoonbill nesting on Lake Okeechobee was confirmed in Indian Prairie 1 colony in 2009 and Moore Haven East 4 colony in 2013. Spoonbills were seen roosting in Indian Prairie in 2010 and in the Eagle Bay Trail colony and Indian Prairie 1 colony in 2011 and 2012. from Florida because of increased human settlement and commercial hunting (reviewed in Allen 1942, Dumas 2000). Wading bird nesting surveys, which should have detected spoonbills if they were present, were conducted once during the breeding season from 1957-1959, 1961, and 1970-1976. From 1977-1992, more systematic monthly surveys were conducted throughout the breeding season by the South Florida Water Management District to assess the effects of water management practices on wading bird populations (Zaffke 1984, David 1994, Smith and Collopy 1995). In 2006, we began annual wading bird nesting surveys to determine location and size of 116 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST colonies as a part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan’s Monitoring and Assessment Plan. Our surveys detected spoonbills on Lake Okeechobee in 2010, 2011, and 2012 but no breeding was confirmed. However, in 2009 and 2013 we confirmed Roseate Spoonbills nesting on Lake Okeechobee, the first records since 1874 (Ober 1874). Here we document the nesting records and describe the colony sites. Study Area and Methods Lake Okeechobee is a large (1732 km2), shallow (mean depth of 2.7 m), eutrophic lake located in central south Florida (26° 56' 28.22" N, 80° 51' 32.23" W; Aumen 1995; Fig. 1). Once a month from January through June since 2006, we surveyed nesting wading birds along transects flying at an altitude of 244 m and a speed of 185 km/hr. One transect paralleled the eastern rim of the lake from Eagle Bay Trail to Clewiston. Remaining transects were oriented East- West, spaced at an interval of 3 km and traversed the littoral zone. During surveys, we searched for groups of large white wading birds with two observers, one from each side of a Cessna 182 aircraft. Once we observed a colony, we circled it at an altitude down to 122 m to enable us to estimate the number of nests of each species present within the colony, photograph nests, and record the geographic coordinates of the colony. We performed ground verification by airboat to improve our nest counts and species composition estimates. Results and Discussion During an aerial survey on 25 March 2009, we detected three Roseate Spoonbills on nests in willow trees ( Salix caroliniana) in the Indian Prairie 1 colony (27° 5’ 6.94” N, 80° 53' 10.07” W; Fig. 1). Aground visit on 7 April 2009 confirmed that one nest on the northwestern edge of the colony contained one nestling and two eggs attended by an adult spoonbill. We were unable to confirm nesting during ground visits at the other two nests due to inaccessibility of the colony by boat. The following week three young and one adult were present at the confirmed nest, but by 21 April 2009 the nest had been abandoned and the chicks were gone. During an aerial survey on 23 April 2009 we observed that the two unconfirmed nests were destroyed. Other wading bird species nesting in this colony included the Great Egret (. Ardea alba), Snowy Egret ( Egretta thula ), Tricolored Heron ( Egretta tricolor), White Ibis ( Eudocimus albus), and Anhinga (. Anhinga arthinga) with the total colony estimated at 1,000 nesting pairs. All species at the colony experienced a high rate of nest failure, presumably due to low lake levels that left the majority of the Indian Prairie marsh dry by mid-April. During the 2010 dry season, we regularly observed roughly 200 spoonbills roosting in a willow head in northern Indian Prairie (27° 4' 2.68" N, 80° 54' 20.77” W; Fig. 1) just south of the 2009 nesting location; Chastant et al. — Spoonbill Nesting on L. Okeechobee 117 however, no nest initiation occurred. Throughout the dry season of 2011, a flock of 100 mostly sub-adult spoonbills was seen foraging from Cochran’s Pass to Eagle Bay (Fig. 1) and in late May, a group of 30 spoonbills roosted in the Eagle Bay Trail colony (27° 11' 11.72" N, 80° 49' 50.02" W; Fig. 1). Every other week, from March to May of 2012, we observed a flock of roughly 100 spoonbills foraging at Tin House Cove and roosting in the Indian Prairie 1 colony (Fig. 1), which contained only 15 Anhinga nests. Beginning in March of 2013, we reliably observed a flock of 50 spoonbills roosting in the Moore Haven East 4 colony (26° 53' 36.10" N, 81° 3' 12.13" W; Fig. 1) during our weekly ground visits. Other wading bird species nesting in this willow-dominated colony included the Great Egret, Snowy Egret, IVicolored Heron, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis (. Plegadis falcinellus), and Anhinga. Colony size was estimated at 2,400 nesting pairs. On 14 May 2013, two spoonbill nests, one with two eggs and the other with three eggs and placed approximately 2 m above ground in the willows, were confirmed during our weekly ground visit. However, a week later and for unknown reasons, the nests were destroyed and the eggs were gone. After their near extirpation in Florida, Roseate Spoonbills were restricted to breeding mostly on coastal islands in estuaries such as Tampa Bay, Indian River Lagoon, and Florida Bay, where their populations are largest even today (Smith and Breininger 1988, Dumas 2000, Hodgson and Paul 2013). However, starting in 1992, spoonbills were recorded nesting in the freshwater interior of the Everglades (Hoffman et al. 1994, Frederick and Towles 1995), something that had not been seen for nearly a century. Spoonbill nesting in the freshwater Everglades continued to expand to the present with birds now located throughout Water Conservation Area 3A and mainland Everglades National Park (Cook 2013), and spreading nearly as far north as Orlando Florida (Gatorland Park in Orange County; Hodgson and Paul 2013). These inland nesting sites represent about 32% of the Florida breeding population (Hodgson and Paul 2013). The recent Roseate Spoonbill nesting accounts in Lake Okeechobee and other inland sites suggest that this species is returning to its historic distribution throughout south Florida (described by Allen 1942). However, the range expansion is happening concurrent with a reduction in nesting in Florida Bay (Lorenz et al. 2002, Lorenz et al. 2009), a former core nesting area. Monitoring of spoonbills in Florida Bay over the past 80 years has shown that spoonbills respond to the degradation of foraging habitat by moving their colony locations (Lorenz et al. 2002). If the inland nesting locations become re-established, more research will be needed to determine if they are due to an expansion of the population or a movement of birds from declining colonies. 118 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Acknowledgments Nesting observations were made during a monitoring study funded by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center and the National Park Service. We thank Justin Bredlau, Elizabeth Dancer, and Megan Dillon for their assistance in the field. Eric Stolen, Michelle Petersen, and Jessica Klassen provided helpful comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript. Literature Cited Allen, R. P. 1942. The Roseate Spoonbill. National Audubon Society Research Report No. 2, National Audubon Society, New York. Aumen, N. G. 1995. The history of human impacts, lake management, and limnological research on Lake Okeechobee, Florida (USA). Archives of Hydrobiology Special Is- sues, Advances in Limnology 45:1-16. Cook, M. I. 2013. Systemwide Summary. Pages 1-2 in South Florida Wading Bird Re- port, Vol 19 (M. I. Cook, Ed.). South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach, Florida. David, P. G. 1994. Wading bird nesting at Lake Okeechobee, Florida: an historic perspec- tive. Colonial Waterbirds 17:69-77. Dumas, J. V. 2000. Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja). In The Birds of North America (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). The Academy of Natural Science, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Frederick, P., and T. Towles. 1995. Roseate Spoonbills {Ajaia ajaja ) nesting at an inland location in the Everglades. Florida Field Naturalist 23:65-66. Hodgson, A. B., and A. F. Paul. 2013. First record of Roseate Spoonbills {Platalea ajaja) nesting in Polk County, Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 41:107-144. 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. Lorenz, J. J., B. Langan-Mulrooney, P. E. Frezza, R. G. Harvey, and F. J. Mazzotti. 2009. Roseate Spoonbill reproduction as an indicator for restoration of the Everglades and the Everglades estuaries. Ecological Indicators 9: S96-S107. 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 an- thropogenic impacts. Pages 555-598 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. Oder, F. A. 1874. Natural history: Birds of Lake Okeechobee. Forest and Stream; A Jour- nal of Outdoor Life, Travel, Nature Study, Shooting, Fishing, Yachting (1873-1930) 2:162. Preble, G. H. 1905. The diary of a canoe expedition into the Everglades and interior of southern Florida in 1842. The United Service, 3rd series 8:26-46. Smith, J. P., and M. W. Collopy. 1995. Foraging habitat selection among wading birds (Ciconiiformes) at Lake Okeechobee, Florida, in relation to hydrology and vegetative cover. Archives of Hydrobiology Special Issues, Advances in Limnology 45:247-285. 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. Zaffke, M. 1984. Wading bird utilization of Lake Okeechobee marshes 1977-1981. Tech- nical Publication 84-9. South Florida Water Management District, Environmental Sciences Division, West Palm Beach, Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 43(3):119-122, 2015. LEAST TERNS (Sternula antillarum antillarum) NESTING ON SHELL RAKES IN WACCASASSA BAY, FLORIDA Bqbbi G. Carpenter1 and Janell M. Brush Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission , Gainesville, Florida 32601 Corresponding author; E-mail : Bobbi.Carpenter@myfwc.com Historically, Least Terns ( Sternula antillarum antillarum ) have nested on open, sandy coastal beaches and islands devoid of vegetation (Bent 1921). Preferred nesting substrate consists of sand or gravel with <20%' shell (Gore 1998). As a result of habitat loss and degradation, Least Terns began to use alternative, anthropogenic habitats (e.g., rooftops, parking lots, and agricultural fields; Gochfeld 1983, Gore et al. 2007), some of which became important nesting habitat in Florida (Gore and Kinnison 1991, Forys and Borboen-Abrams 2006). Gravel rooftops are being converted to new roofing materials that are smoother, less expensive, more energy-efficient and easier to install (DeVries and Forys 2004). In 2010 the federal government began offering tax incentives for conversion of rooftops from gravel to these new materials (EPA 2013), which do not provide suitable nesting substrate for Least Terns; reducing the already limited nesting habitat for the species in Florida. The study area consisted of nearshore oyster rakes and islands near Cedar Key, Levy County, Florida (Fig. 1). Surveys were focused on the Corrigan's Reef complex (hereafter, “Corrigan’s”), Gomez Key, McClamory Key, Rattlesnake Key, Derrick Key, and Dog Island. Corrigan's is a collection of islands consisting of oyster rakes, which are composed of both living and dead oysters. At low tide some of the exposed rakes are connected by flats. The other islands are a mix of oysters, open sand and vegetated marsh. Least Terns had never been documented nesting in Waccasassa Bay, near Cedar Key, Florida. The nearest Least Tern colony is 27 km south, on the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway spoil islands, which consist of limestone, sand, and shell hash. To the north, the nearest colony is 182 km away, on Alligator Point at the John S. Phipps Preserve, Franklin County, where the nesting substrate is a mixture of sand and fine shell hash. At those locations, birds nest in open sandy areas, but in Waccasassa Bay where there are no open sandy areas, they nest on weathered oyster shell (Fig. 2). We conducted surveys during the 2011, 2012, and 2014 nesting seasons. We followed the Breeding Bird Protocol for Florida’s Seabirds and Shorebirds (BBP), provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC 2013), and collected data when weather and tides permitted. In 2011, eight surveys were conducted, from 21 April to 4 August; in 2012, nine surveys were conducted, from 21 April to 8 August; and in 2014, five surveys were conducted, from 1 April to 8 July. We surveyed within a two-hour window on either side of the predicted high tide, due to tide-dependant accessibility. We first observed islands from a boat. When possible we conducted direct counts of adults, chicks, and nests, but to minimize disturbance, we spent as little time as possible in the colony We recorded a GPS location for each nest in 2011 and 2014. Due to time constraints in 2012, we estimated the number of nests by counting incubating adults from the boat. We observed one colony during the 2011 breeding season. On 13 May individuals were seen copulating at the eastern end of Corrigan’s. We found two nests 12 days later, on 29 May but both had failed by the 8 June survey during which no adult Least 119 120 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Figure 1. Map of Corrigan’s Reef complex and west edge of Waccasassa Bay, Florida. Terns were observed on the island. We suspect that these nests were abandoned due to overwash caused by strong south-southwest winds in combination with new moon tides. The eggs had been abandoned, and one was found in the storm-tide wrack line, approximately 2 meters outside of the nest bowl. On the island at the northwestern end of Corrigan’s (Fig. 3), we observed 14 pairs of terns with nest scrapes. We found no eggs and observed no further nesting attempts that season. No birds were present in the area of the colony on 7 July. In 2012, terns returned to the northwestern end of Corrigan’s. Nesting was confirmed on 30 April. On 4 June we observed five downy chicks 2-5 days old. Tropical Storm Debby made landfall on 26 June just north of Cedar Key, Florida. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s observed water levels for Cedar Key (NOAA 2013), the islands were inundated for four days (Mean Lower Low Water >4 ft), leaving oyster rakes scoured clean of vegetation. In some places oyster shell had been moved or completely washed away. It is unlikely that chicks were flight-capable and could have survived the storm. Least Terns were not observed renesting after this weather event. In 2014, we conducted monthly surveys beginning in April and concluding in July. We saw no adult Least Terns on the 1 April survey, but observed nesting on 16 May. On 10 June we located 10 nests with 1 or 2 eggs and observed three downy chicks (5-7 days NOTES 121 Figures 2 and 3. Least Tern nest on weathered shell (left). Northwestern island of Corrigan’s Reef (right). old) and one flight-capable chick within the colony. We saw no nests or chicks on 8 July indicating colony abandonment for the breeding season. We observed a shift in nesting habitat by Least Terns. Future breeding surveys need to be conducted in areas of Florida with similar habitats that were historically devoid of nesting Least Tern. Without marked birds we are unable to know where these birds nested in previous years and can only speculate the cause for immigration. In addition, we have learned that the colony at Corrigan’s appears to be a site used during the early nesting season and abandoned by early to mid- July. More intensive surveys are needed to determine the cause of colony abandonment. Acknowledgments Funding was provided by the Florida Non-Game Wildlife Trust Fund. We thank our partners and staff: Jeanne Baker, Carolyn Enloe, Nikki Leskinen, Katharine Mala- chowski, Amy Schwarzer, Bryan Smith, Oona Takano, and the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge. We are grateful to Beth Forys for helpful sugges- tions that improved the manuscript. Literature Cited Bent, A. C. 1921. Life Histories of North American Gulls and Terns. Bulletin of the Unit- ed States National Museum 113:270-279. DeVries, E. A., and E. A. Forys. 2004. Loss of tar and gravel rooftops in Pinellas Coun- ty, Florida and potential effects on Least Tern populations. Florida Field Naturalist 32:1-6. FWC [Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission]. 2013. Florida Shorebird Database, Instructions. Collecting Data. FWC, Tallahassee, Florida. . Accessed 1 November 2013. Forys, E. A., and M. Broboen- Abrams. 2006. Roof-top selection by Least Terns in Pinellas County, Florida. Waterbirds 29:501-506. Gochfeld, M. 1983. Colony site selection by Least Terns: Physical attributes of sites. Colonial Waterbirds 6:205-213. Gore, J. A. 1996. Least Tern. Pages 236-246 in Rare and Endangered Biota of Florida, Vol. 5, Birds (J. A. Rodgers, H. W. Kale II, and H. T. Smith, Eds.). University Press of Florida, Gainesville. 122 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Gore, J. A., and M. J. Kinnison. 1991. Hatching success in roof and ground colonies of Least Terns. Condor 93:759-762. Gore, J. A., J. A. Hovis, G. L. Sprandel, and N. J. Douglass. 2007. Distribution and abun- dance of breeding seabirds along the coast of Florida, 1998-2000. Final Performance Report. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tallahassee, Florida. NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]. 2013. Tides and Currents, Tides/Observed Water Levels at 8727520, Cedar Key FL 2012/6/24 -2012/6/28. Cen- ter for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services, Silver Springs, Maryland. . Accessed 29 June 2014. EPA [United States Environmental Protection Agency]. 2013. Federal Tax Credits for Consumer Energy Efficiency. EPA, Washington D.C. . Accessed 4 November 2013. Florida Field Naturalist 43(3): 123-124, 2015. RECENT NESTING OF AMERICAN WOODCOCK {Scolopax minor ) IN CLAY COUNTY, FLORIDA Daniel U. Greene Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, Florida 32611 The American Woodcock ( Scolopax minor ) is a migratory game bird found throughout eastern North America. Although American Woodcock are a member of the shorebird family, they inhabit forested uplands comprised of a mosaic of early successional and mature forests. They are managed as two regional populations, the Eastern and Central Management Units (Owen et al. 1977). Since 1968, American Woodcock populations have experienced declines of 2.1% per year in the Eastern Unit and 1.8% per year in the Central Unit; these declines have been attributed to a loss and degradation of early successional forest habitat (Dwyer et al. 1983, Kelley 2004). American Woodcock breeding primarily occurs in the northeastern U.S. and Canada, although some individuals breed in the southeastern states (Kelly et al. 2008). In Florida, breeding has been confirmed as far south as Collier County, but most records are from the northern one-third of the state (FWC 2003). Overall, there is a paucity of woodcock breeding data in Florida, with approximately 24 confirmed records from 1877 to present, ranging from January 17 to April 26 (Stevenson and Anderson 1994, FWC 2003, BBS 2014). It is unclear whether so few records in Florida are the result of an actual scarcity of breeding, or because breeding is difficult to confirm (FWC 2003). In Florida, breeding begins during winter, often in late January, making it difficult to differentiate breeding birds from late-winter migrants (Stevenson and Anderson 1994, FWC 2003). Furthermore, this overlap is compounded by the difficulty of observing non-nesting breeding behavior, such as courtship displays which occur for only 30 - 40 minutes shortly before dawn and after sunset. As a result, many reports from Florida are considered possible and probable breeding, but not confirmed. From 28 Feb to 4 Mar 2014, I observed a nesting female American Woodcock on 4 eggs (Figure la and lb, respectively) at the Camp Blanding Wildlife Management Area in Clay County, Florida (FWC 2003). The nest was located at 17 R 402987 m E 3319150 m N within mesic flatwoods (FNAI 2010) in an approximately 2 x 2 m thicket of a vines and shrubs. The nest was near the edge of a nearly closed canopy loblolly pine (Pin us taeda ) forest and located in an area with minimal canopy cover, sparse pines, and mixed hardwoods. The nest was constructed from dead pine needles and twig litter, and the eggs were placed in shallow depression. The site was damp, with pools of standing water up to 25 cm in depth. The pine trees around the nest (+/- 100 m) averaged 37 cm DBH, the shrub cover (defined as 45 cm-2 m in height) and the ground cover (<45 cm in height) within 10 m of the nest consisted almost entirely of gallberry {Ilex glabra) . I was unable to follow-up to determine the fate of the nest. This is the second breeding record for American Woodcock in Clay County, Florida. Although the timing, habitat type, and nest site for this occurrence are consistent with those described in the literature, it should serve as a reminder to carefully assess winter and spring observations to increase our understanding of the frequency and distribution of American Woodcock courtship behavior and nesting in Florida. 123 124 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Figure 1. a) Female American Woodcock on a nest b) of 4 eggs at Camp Blanding Wildlife Management Area, Clay County, Florida. Acknowledgments I thank A. Hallman and J. Perkins for site access and field support, and B. Pranty, R. West, and an anonymous reviewer for helpful information and suggestions. Literature Cited Dwyer, T. J., D. G. McAuley, and E. L. Derleth. 1983. Woodcock singing-ground counts and habitat changes in the northeastern United States. Journal of Wildlife Manage- ment 47:772-779. FWC [Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission]. 2003. Florida’s breeding bird atlas: A collaborative study of Florida’s birdlife. . Accessed 23 July 2014. Kelley, J. R., Jr. 2004. American woodcock population status, 2004. U.S. Fish and Wild- life Service, Laurel, Maryland. FNAI [Florida Natural Areas Inventory]. 2010. Guide to the natural communities of Florida: 2010 edition. Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee, Florida. Kelley, J. R., Jr., S. J. Williamson, and T. R. Cooper. 2008. American Woodcock Conser- vation Plan. Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Washington, D.C. BBS [North American Breeding Bird Survey]. 2014. . Accessed 23 July 2014. Owen, R. B., Jr., J. M. Anderson, J. W. Artmann, E. R. Clark, T. G. Dilworth, L. E. Gregg, F. W. Martin, J. D. Newsom, and S. R. Purs glove, Jr. 1977. American woodcock ( Philo - hela minor ~ Scolopax minor of Edwards 1974). Pages 149-186 in Management of Migratory Shore and Upland Game Birds in North America (G. C. Sanderson, Ed.). International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Washington, D.C. Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The Birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Florida Field Naturalist 43(3): 125-136, 2015. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Winter Report: December 201 4-February 2015.- — 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-November). 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” 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: AFB = Air Force Base, AFR = Air Force Range, EOS = end of season, m. obs. = many observers, 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 (+). Species Accounts Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: as many as 90 near Monticello G Jefferson ) 10 Dec-7 Feb (C. Miller et al.); 115 at Brooksville {Hernando) 20 Dec (D. Love, A. & B. Hansen); 290 at Circle B Bar Reserve {Polk) 19 Jan (D. Estabrooks); 155 at Lake Apopka NSRA {Lake / Orange) 25 Jan (H. Robinson). Fulvous Whistling-Duck: 1 at Harns Marsh {Lee) 5 Dec (D. & T. McQuade et ah); as many as 350 at T. M. Goodwin WMA {Brevard) 8 Dec-12 Feb (M. Harris); 37 at Lake Hancock Outflow Wetland {Polk) 27 Jan (C. Fredricks et ah); 350 at Lake Apopka NSRA 25 Jan (H. Robinson). Greater White-fronted Goose: 5 at M&M Dairy {Duval) to 25 Dec (+D. Foster et ah); 1 at St. Marks NWR {Wakulla) 1 Jan (R. & L. Smith); 1 at Myakka River SP {Sarasota) 29 Jan (+B. Torvund); 1 at Hague Dairy {Alachua) 22 Feb-EOS (L. Davis et ah). Snow Goose: 4 at Oil Grade Road {Collier) to 1-3 Dec (+M. Higgins); 1 at Fort De Soto Park {Pinellas) 1-3 Dec (+R. Newell); as many as 7 wintered at South wood {Leon; E. Schunke et ah); 1 at Alligator Point {Franklin) 3 Dec (J. Murphy); 2 at Holiday {Pasco) 5-13 Dec (D. Gagne, T. Roller); 6 at Benderson Park {Sarasota) 9-10 Dec (M. Packer); 1 at Black Hammock Island {Duval) 27 Dec-4 Jan (K. Dailey et ah); 1 south of Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR {Broward) 28 Dec (B. Pickholtz et ah); 3 at Government Road {Broward) 23 Jan (B. Pickholtz, S. Kaplan); 4 at T. M. Goodwin WMA 29 Jan (B. Wagner); 3 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP {Alachua) 14 Feb (L. Davis); 5 at St. Marks NWR 20-24 Feb (J. O’Connell); 1 at Spring Hill {Hernando) 22 Feb (D. Grimes et al.). Ross’s Goose: 1 at St. Marks NWR to 1 Dec (A. Wraithmell et ah). Brant: 1 at Flamingo, Everglades NP {Monroe) 28 Feb (M. McShane). 125 126 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Canada x Cackling Goose: 1 at Riverview (. Hillsborough ) 15 Dec (C. & L. Cox, +B. Pranty et al.). Mandarin Duck: 1 male at Hampton Pines Park (Broward) 20 Dec (B. Pickholtz). Ringed Teal: 1 at Dunedin (Pinellas) 4 Feb (+M. Hutchinson Rusch ). Abdim’s Stork: 1 at Krome Ave. (Miami-Dade) 19 Feb (+J. Toll). Gad wall: 200 at Tallahassee (Leon) 5 Dec (J. Cavanagh); 10 at Weedon Island Preserve (Pinellas) 20 Dec (M. Burns et al.). Eurasian Wigeon: 1 wintered at Cape Coral (Lee; fide C. Ewell) presumed to be of captive origin; 1 male at Merritt Island NWR (Brevard) 5 Dec (C. Cox, A. Kent et al.); 1 at Coot Bay Pond, Everglades NP (Monroe) 10-13 Jan (B. Rapoza et al.). American Wigeon: 6 at Largo Nature Preserve (Pinellas) 18 Dec-14 Feb (+R. Smith et al.); 25 at STA-5 (Hendry) 14 Feb (B. Ahern et al.). American x Eurasian Wigeon: 1 male at Merritt Island NWR 5 Dec-21 Jan (C. Cox, A. Kent et al.). American Black Duck: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 14 Dec & 2 there 25 Jan (H. Robinson). Mallard: as many as 73 at St. Marks NWR to 5 Jan (A. Wraithmell et al.); 1 at Lake Hancock Outfall Wetland 20 Dec- 11 Jan (C. Fredricks). Cinnamon Teal: 1 male wintered at South Bradenton (Manatee; +K. Doddridge et al). Northern Pintail: 2 at St. Petersburg (Pinellas) 4 Dec-25 Jan (J. Clayton et al.). Canvasback: as many as 17 wintered at Riverview (C. Cox et al.); 4 at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve (Pinellas) 6 Dec-25 Jan (P. Plage et al.); as many as 2 near Ponce de Leon Park (Charlotte) 7 Dec-13 Jan (D. Simpson); 1 at Viera Wetlands (Brevard) 7 Dec (L. Rosen); 1 at West Lake, Everglades NP (Miami-Dade) 14 Dec (D. Simpson); 6 at Tomoka SP (Volusia) 20 Dec (M. Brothers); 8 at Hardee Lakes Park (Hardee) 9 Feb (C. Fredricks, W. Jones). Redhead: 4,500 at Carrabelle Beach (Franklin) 7 Feb (R. Cassidy, L. Eblen). Ring-necked Duck: 6,820 at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 Dec (H. Robinson). Greater Scaup: as many as 6 at William E. Dunn STF (Pinellas) to 4 Dec (T. Mast, M. Gardler et al.); as many as 3 at Gandy Beach (Pinellas) 4-26 Dec (C. Cox); 3 at Over- look Park (Seminole) 4-6 Dec (G. Williams); 2 near Ponce de Leon Park 7 Dec-24 Jan (D. Simpson); 4 at Ben T. Davis Beach (Hillsborough) 9 Dec (C. Cox); 2 at Tomoka SP 20 Dec (M. Brothers); 38 at War Veterans Memorial Park (Pinellas) 20 Dec (D. Gagne, C. Fisher); 2 at Gulf Harbors (Pasco) 26 Dec (T. Leukering); 5 at Robert K. Rees Park (Pasco) 26 Dec (T. Leukering); 25 at Huguenot Memorial Park (Duval) 30 Dec (K. Dailey et al.); 3 at E. G. Simmons Park (Hillsborough) 31 Jan (C. Cox et al.). Common Eider: 1 at Nassau Sound (Nassau) 16 Dec-23 Feb (+K. Dailey et al.); 1 at Ponce de Leon Inlet (Volusia) 15 Dec (M. Brothers); 1 at Jetty Park (Brevard) 25 Dec & 19- 20 Feb (D. Hoffman et al.). Surf Scoter: as many as 3 at Parrish Park (Brevard) 3 Dec-20 Jan (A. Whitlock); 1 at Gasparilla Island (Charlotte) 6-20 Dec (M. Manetz, D. Peacock); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 at Tomoka SP 13 & 20 Dec (M. Brothers); 2 at Car- rabelle Beach 28 Feb (R. Cassidy, L. Eblen). White-winged Scoter: 1 at Bunch Beach Preserve (Lee) 6 Dec (S. Daughtrey et al.); 1 at Tomoka SP 20 Dec (M. Brothers); 2 at Pensacola Beach (Escambia) 27 Dec (S. Dun- can); 5 at Alligator Point 30 Dec (S. Ewing et al.); 4 at St. George Island SP (Franklin) 30 Dec (R & L. Smith); 1 at Fort Clinch SP (Nassau) 10 Jan (B. Ewing et al.); 1 at Manasota (Charlotte) 10 Feb (D. Peacock); 3 at Spoonbill Pond (Duval) 21-23 Feb (+B. Richter); 1 at Big Talbot Island SP (Duval) 26-27 Feb (L. Royce); 1 at Alligator Point 27 Feb (J. Murphy). Black Scoter: 3 at Bunch Beach Preserve 6-7 Dec (C. Gesmundo et al.); 4 at Tomoka SP 20 Dec (M. Brothers); 5 females on Biscayne Bay (Miami-Dade) 20 Dec. (Ro. Diaz); 5 at Virginia Key (Miami-Dade) 20 Dec (C. Sanchez); 210 at Panama City Beach (Bay) 2 Jan (B. & L. Duncan, W. Duncan); 37 at Stump Pass Beach SP (Charlotte) 3 Field Observations 127 Jan (D. Peacock et al.); 6 off Fort De Soto Park 4 Jan (C. Cox et aL); 1 at Flamingo, Everglades NP 9 Jan (M, Dietrich et aL); 1 male at SMred Island (Dixie) 3 Feb (B. Carroll); 6 at Carrabelle (Franklin) 7 Feb (R. Cassidy, L. Eblen); 3 at Manasota 10 Feb (D. Peacock). Long-tailed Duck: 1 at Perdido Bay (Escambia) 10-15 Dec (S. Yates); 1 at Pensacola Beach (Escambia) 31 Dec-1 Jan (C. Wernicke); 1 at Parrish Park 1 Jan-20 Feb (+M. Harris); 1 male at E. G. Simmons Park 11-13 Jan (+E. Buck); 1 at Fort Clinch SP 31 Jan (K. Dailey et aL). Bufpleheab: 1 at Celery Fields ( Sarasota ) to 5 Dec ( J. Fisher); 1 male at Tampa ( Hillsbor- ough) 2-13 Dec (+S. Reed); 1 at Palmetto ( Manatee ) 4 Dec (W. Meehan); 11 at Gldsmar (Pinellas) 5 Dec (+T. Mast); 8 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Dec (H. Robinson); as many as 4 at Coot Bay Pond, Everglades NP 3-28 Jan (B. Boeringer); 5 at Fort De Soto Park 21 Jan (E. Plage); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 23 Jan (A. Kent); 1 at Shell Key Preserve (Pinellas) 8 Feb (B. Ahern et ai); 4 at Gandy Beach 20 Feb (M, Bums). Common Goldeneye: 1 at Spring Hill to 15 Feb (B. Hansen et al.); 1 first-cycle male at Lake Maggiore ( Pinellas ) 13 Dec-22 Jan (+R. Smith); 1 at Fred Howard Park (Pinel- las) 17-27 Dec (D. Hooey, S. Gilmore et al.); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Dec (H. Rob- inson); as many as 2 at Sanford (Seminole) 22 Dec-16 Feb (E. Horn, +S. Simmons); 1 at Fraitville Road (Sarasota) 3 Jan (M. Young); 1 at Robert K. Rees Park 12-15 Feb (D. Gagne). Hooded Merganser: 307 at Brighton Bay (Pinellas) 7 Dec & 151 there 24 Feb (M. Bums). *Common Merganser: 1 female at Port Orange ( Volusia ) 2 Dec-7 Feb (+M. Brothers). Red-breasted Merganser: 1 leucistic at Robert K Rees Park 19 Dec (+K. Tracey); 5 at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 8 Feb- EOS (M. O’Sullivan et al). Ruddy Duck: 73 at Lake Seminole Park (Pinellas) 15 Dec (M. Hughes); 14,800 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Jan (H. Robinson). California Quail: 1 female at Loxahatchee (Palm Beach) 28 Feb (+R. Leon) provided the first Florida record. Red-throated Loon: as many as 2 at Alligator Point 18 Dec-18 Jan (B. Bodjack); 1 at St. George Island 26 Dec (C. Wood et al.); 2 at Huguenot Memorial Park 26 Dec - 25 Jan (B. Richter); 3 at Alligator Point 26 Jan (J. Murphy); 1 at Venice Beach ( Sarasota ) 31 Dec (S. Stuart); 1 at Femandina Beach (Nassau) 31 Jan (K. Dailey et al.); 3 at St. Marks NWR 31 Jan (E. Schunke); 2 at Fort Clinch SP 1-4 Feb (K. Dailey et al.). Common Loon: 550 at Gulf Breeze (Santa Rosa) 29 Dec (B. Duncan). Horned Grebe: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Dec (H. Robinson). Eared Grebe: 1 at North Shore Park ( Pinellas ) 10 Dec (+J. Clayton); 1 at Canaveral Na- . tional Seashore (Brevard) 1 Jan-14 Feb (+M. Harris). American Flamingo: 2 at Flamingo, Everglades NP 1-18 Jan (M. Sodamin, C. Callaghan). Great Shearwater: 1 adult at South Daytona ( Volusia ) 9 Feb (M. Brothers). Sooty Shearwater: as many as 2 at St. George Island 27-29 Dec (C. Wood, J. Barry et al.). *Manx Shearwater: 1 at Flagler Beach (Flagler) 1 Jan (M. Brothers). Magnificent Frigatebird: 36 at Fort Pierce Inlet SP (St, Lucie ) 24 Jan (B. Wagner). Masked Booby: 1 adult at Fort Pierce Inlet (St. Lucie ) 12-26 Feb (+T. Selph). Brown Booby: 2 at Daytona Beach Shores (Volusia) 5 Dec (C. Cox, A. Kent et al.); 1 at Jetty Park 9 Dec-4 Jan (M. Harris); 1 at Egmont Key NWR (. Hillsborough ) 16 Dec (P. Plage). *Neotropic Cormorant: as many as 5 wintered at Wakodahatchee Wetlands (Palm Beach; M. Bemey, S. Young et al.); 1 near Don Pedro Island SP (Charlotte) 8 Dec (+D. Peacock) provided the first Charlotte record. Great Cormorant: 1 juvenile at Fort De Soto Park to 4 Dec (+R. Smith et al.); 1 at north Sebastian Inlet SP (Brevard) 7 Dec-3 Jan (+A. Whitlock); 1 at South Daytona 11-16 Feb (M. Brothers). 128 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST American White Pelican: 1,000 at Lake Hancock Outflow Wetland 11 Jan (C. Fredricks et al). Brown Pelican: 1 at Lafayette Heritage Trail Park {Leon) 13-22 Jan (E. Schunke, A. Wraithmell). American Bittern: 35 at Lake Apopka NSRA28 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 at Middle Torch Key {Monroe) 15 Jan (J. Mays). Great Blue Heron, white morph: 1 at Myakka River SP to 20 Jan (J. Whitehead et al.); 1 at STA-1E {Palm Beach) 6-27 Dec (C. Callaghan et al.); 1 at STA-5, 13 Dec-EOS (M. England et al); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 14 Dec-EOS (M. O’Sullivan). Reddish Egret: 1 at Camp Helen SP {Bay) to 31 Jan (E. Ellis); as many as 12 at Hagen’s Cove, Big Bend WMA {Taylor) 18 Dec- 12 Feb (G. Kent). Glossy Ibis: 1 at Sawgrass Lake Park {Pinellas) 19 Dec (J. Clayton). White-faced Ibis: as many as 8 at St. Marks NWR to 18 Feb (A. Wraithmell et al.); as many as 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP to 10 Feb (D. Segal et al); 1 at Alligator Lake Park {Columbia) 17 Dec (P. Burns); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Dec-8 Feb (K. Hamblett et al). Swallow-tailed Kite: 1 at Largo {Pinellas) 18 Feb (P. Trunk); 1 at Alligator Point 27 Feb (S. Parker). White-tailed Kite: 1 at Holey Land WMA {Broward) 29 Dec (R. Titus); 1 east of Babcock- Webb WMA {Charlotte) 16 Jan (+D. Peacock). Snail Kite: 2 at Middle Lake {Pasco) to 19 Jan (M. Gardler et al); 1 at Lake Park {Polk) 16 Dec (+W. Jones); 1 at Lake Jackson {Leon) 1 Jan-EOS (G. Farr, +M. Hill et al.) provided the first Leon record; 1 at Scrub Point Preserve {Lake) 2 Jan (J. Thornton); 5 at Lake Hancock Outflow Wetland 20 Dec (C. Fredricks et al). Great Black-Hawk: 1 wintered at Virginia Key (Ro. Diaz et al). Broad-winged Hawk: 1 at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve 6 Nov-7 Feb (+S. Tavaglione et al.); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 11-29 Jan (B. Ahern, R. Smith et al). Short-tailed Hawk: 1 at Brighton Bay 7 Dec (M. Burns); 1 in Amelia Island {Nassau) 18 Jan (+P. Leary); 2 dark morphs at Sawgrass Lake Park 18 Feb-EOS (+J. Clayton); 1 at Masaryktown 20 Feb (D. Love). Swainson’s Hawk: 1 at STA-5, 3 Jan (D. Gagne); 1 east of Babcock Webb WMA 12-17 Jan (+D. Peacock). Red-tailed Hawk: 1 northern at Orlando {Orange) 16 Dec (+T. Leukering); 1 Krider’s at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Dec (S. Simmons et al); 1 western type at Lake Apopka NSRA18 Jan (C. Fredricks, W. Jones et al); 1 Krider’s east of Paynes Creek Historic SP {Hardee) 31 Jan (J. Strong). Yellow Rail: 1 at Apalachicola National Forest {Liberty) 24 Feb (J. Lamey). Black Rail: as many as 14 at Coastal Prairie Trail, Everglades NP {Monroe) 1 Dec-4 Feb (G. Davis et al); 2 at Mahogany Hammock, Everglades NP {Miami-Dade) 23 Dec (B. Showier); 1 at Holey Land WMA 29 Dec 29 Dec (R. Titus). King Rail: 3 at Lower Green Swamp Preserve {Hillsborough) 25 Dec-EOS (B. Ahern et al). Virginia Rail: 1 Coastal Prairie Trail, Everglades NP 8 Dec (G. Davis et al); 1 at Pam Callahan Nature Preserve {Hillsborough) 22 Feb-EOS (C. Fisher). Purple Swamphen: 3 at T. M. Goodwin WMA to 15 Jan (D. Simpson); 20 at STA-5, 14 Feb (B. Ahern et al). Purple Gallinule: 3 wintered at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP (R. Rowan et al); 1 at Taminco Sanctuary {Santa Rosa) 22 Dec (L. Kelly, L. Goodman, B. Furlow); 2 at Deep Creek Conservation Area {Putnam) 31 Jan (M. O’Brien). Sandhill Crane: 1 northbound over Boyd Hill Nature Preserve 7 Feb (+S. Tavaglione et al); 1 at Sawgrass Lake Park 12 Feb (+J. Clayton, R. Smith). Whooping Crane: 1 at University of Florida {Alachua) 7 Dec-EOS (D. Hartman et al); 2 at Southwood 13-27 Feb (K. Willes et al). Field Observations 129 Black-necked Stilt: 14 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Dec-2 Jan (P. Hueber et al.); 3 wintered at Pinellas County Landfill (fide R. Smith); 30 at Lake Hancock Outflow Wetland 11 Jan (C. Fredricks et ah); 6 at Lake Apopka NSRA 23 Jan (A. Kent). American Avocet: as many as 7 at Boca Chica Beach (Monroe) to 2 Jan (C. Goodrich); 1 at Southwood 7 Dec (E. Schunke); 7 at Trotters Lake ( Orange ) 10 Dec (P. Hueber); 30 at Lake Hancock Outflow Wetland 11 Jan (C. Fredricks et ah). Black-bellied Plover: 70 near Bunnell (Flagler) 13 Jan (D. Segal, D. Robbins). American Golden-Plover: 1 in Timucuan Preserve (Duval) 2 Dec (+J. Martin). Snowy Plover: 1 at John U. Lloyd SP (Broward) 27 Dec-7 Jan (S. Kaplan); 1 at Crandon Beach Park (Miami-Dade) 5 Feb-EOS (A. Martinez, +Ra. Diaz). Piping Plover: 41 wintered at Crandon Beach Park (Ro. Diaz et ah); 1 at Bush Key, Dry Tortugas NP (Monroe) 15 Dec (A. Fox). Solitary Sandpiper: 1 at Brooker Creek Preserve (Pinellas) 19 Feb (+T. Mast). Greater Yellowlegs: 1 leucistic at LaBelle (Glades) 15 Feb (+A. Murray). Whimbrel: 3 at Pinellas Point 10 Dec-14 Feb (R. Smith et al.); 1 at Garden Key, Dry Tor- tugas NP (Monroe) 24 Dec (J. Cavanagh). Long-billed Curlew: 1 at Bunche Beach Preserve (Lee) to 15 Feb (C. Ewell et al.); 1 at Marco Island (Collier) 3 Dec (M. Higgins); 2 at Flag Island (Franklin) 29 Dec (J. Barry); 1 at south Anclote Key to Fred Howard Park 27 Jan-3 Feb (+R. & H. Maciver, S. Reardon); 1 at Shell Mound, Lower Suwannee NWR (Levy) 30 Jan (T. Mann). Marbled Godwit: 89 at Ben T. Davis Beach 22 Feb (C. Fisher). Semipalmated Sandpiper: 1 at Big Pine Key (Monroe) 7 Dec (+D. Gochfeld); 1 at Bahia Honda SP (Monroe) 13 Dec (+A. Fox). Pectoral Sandpiper: 1 at Timberlake Road (Okaloosa) 27 Dec (B. Purdy); 1 at Okaloosa STF 20 Feb (M. Swan); 2 at Southwood 27 Feb (J. O’Connell). Purple Sandpiper: 1 wintered at Fort Clinch SP (P. & D. Leary); 1 wintered at Ponce de Leon (M. Brothers). Dunlin: as many as 4 inland at Southwood to 2 Feb (E. Schunke et al.); 1 at Willis Road (Jackson) 27 Dec (S. Goodman). Stilt Sandpiper: 1 at Tarpon Springs (Pinellas) 3-7 Dec (+T. Mast et al.). Ruff: 1 adult female in Timucuan Preserve (Duval) 10 Feb (+J. Martin), provided the first Duval record. Long-billed Dowitcher: 1 at Bald Point SP (Franklin) 31 Dec (C. Wood). American Woodcock: 1 at Big Cypress National Preserve (Collier) 8 Dec (T. Johnson); as many as 3 at Lower Green Swamp Preserve 25 Dec-8 Feb (B. Ahern et al.); 18 at St. Sebastian River Preserve SP (Indian River) 20 Jan (B. Wagner); 1 nest with 3 eggs at Richloam Tract, Withlacoochee SF (Hernando) 4 Feb (R. Grumbly); 2 on Research Road, ENP (Miami-Dade) 13-23 Feb. (Ro. Diaz, D. Simpson). Pomarine Jaeger: 1 at St. George Island 30 Dec (C. Wood, J. Barry et al.); 1 adult one mile south of Fred Howard Park 26 Jan (+E. Plage). Parasitic Jaeger: 1 at St. George Island 27 Dec (C. Wood et al.). Sabine’s Gull: 1 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 10 Jan (T. McCuen). Bonaparte’s Gull: 210 at Lake Apopka NSRA 11 Jan (H. Robinson); 214 at Courtney Campbell Causeway (Pinellas) 27 Jan (B. & D. Lane). *Little Gull: 1 at Cape San Bias (Gulf) 28 Dec (J. Barry, C. Wood et al). Franklin’s Gull: as many as 2 at Daytona Beach Shores to 5 Dec (M. Brothers); 1 at Bull Frog Creek Road (Hillsborough) 14-18 Dec (C.& L. Cox); 1 at Tampa 22 Dec (C. Gjervold); 1 at Seven Springs STF (Pasco) 26 Dec (+D. Goodwin); 1 at Hudson Beach (Pasco) to 31 Jan (+B. Pranty, V. Ponzo et al.); 1 at Fort Island Beach (Citrus) 9-24 Feb (D. Gagne et al.). ^California Gull: 1 adult at Smyrna Dunes Park (Volusia) 18 Feb (+T. Hince); 1 adult at Tomoka Landfill and Daytona Beach Shores 23 Feb-EOS (M. Brothers). 130 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST *Thayer’s Gull: as many as 3 at Daytona Beach Shores 9 Dec- 18 Feb (+M. Brothers et ah). Iceland Gull: as many as 3 first cycles at Daytona Beach Shores 15 Jan-25 Feb (M. Brothers); 1 at Huguenot Memorial Park (Duval) 18 Jan (B. Richter). Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 at Key Vista Nature Park (Pasco) 6 Dec (D. Gagne); 1 adult at Ben T. Davis Beach 7 Dec-22 Feb (C. Fisher); 1 at Citrus Central Land- fill 10 Dec (K. Brabble); 2 at Hernando County Landfill 17 Dec (M. Gardler); 1 at St. George Island 26 Dec (C. Wood et ah); 1 at Battery Park (Franklin) 29 Dec (J. Barry). Glaucous Gull: 1 second-cycle at Venice Beach 30 Dec (+S. Stuart); 1 off Port Charlotte (Charlotte) 31 Dec (+T. Leukering et al.); 1 first-cycle at Lake Apopka NSRA 31 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 at Pensacola 24 Jan (A. Holzinger); 1 at Withlacoochee Bay (Citrus) 28 Jan (K. Brabble); 1 at Hobe Sound 25 Feb (G. Wilson). Gull-billed Tern: 1 at Middle Lake (Pasco) 15 Jan (M. Gardler); 1 at Shell Mound, Lower Suwannee NWR 30 Jan (M. Gardler); 1 at Myakka River SP 12 Feb (C. Herzog). Black Tern: 1 at Charlotte County Airport 28-30 Jan (J. Bouton, +D. Peacock). Common Tern: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 2-6 Dec & 2 there 10 Jan (S. Tavaglione et a.); 2 at Tiger Tail Beach (Collier) 13 Dec (K. Laakkonen); 1 at St. George Island 26-30 Dec (C. Wood et ah); 4 at Lido Key 24 Feb (S. Wilson). Sandwich Tern: 2 at Huguenot Memorial Park 24 Dec (K. Dailey et al). White-crowned Pigeon: 1 at J. N. “Ding” Darling NWR (Lee) 25 Dec-17 Feb (H. Youth). African Collared -Dove: 1 at St. Petersburg 20 Dec (B. Ahern, D. Goodwin et ah). White-winged Dove: 250 coming to a roost at the Villages (Marion) 4 Jan (A. Horst); 1 at Carrabelle (Franklin) 27 Feb (R. Cassidy). Mourning Dove: 1 nesting at Gainesville 1 Feb (D. Mickelson). Key West Quail-Dove: as many as 3 wintered at Long Key SP ( Monroe ; +A. Harper, +R. Geisler, J. Wilcox et ah); 1 at Deering Estate (Miami-Dade) 28 Dec-1 Jan (+Ra. Diaz et ah). Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 1 at Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR 10 Dec (+R. Scho- field). Mangrove Cuckoo: 2 at R. Hardy Matheson Preserve (Miami-Dade) 27 Dec (D. Smyth). Smooth-billed Ani: 1 at Snake Road (Broward) 19 Jan-15 Feb (T. McCuen, et ah). Groove-billed Ani: 1 wintered at Fort De Soto Park (+R. Harrod et ah); as many as 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 24 Feb (+L. Reiners et ah); 1 at Orlando Wetlands Park (Or- ange) 31 Jan-3 Feb (J. Meyer). Barn Owl: 2 at Gulf Harbors 26 Dec (T. Leukering); 1 at Floridatown (Santa Rosa) 9 Jan (B. & L. Duncan). *Flammulated Owl: 1 found at Liberty City, Miami and brought into Pelican Harbor Sea- bird Station (Miami-Dade) 10 Dec where it later expired (+fide C. Boykin, Ra. Diaz) provided the first Miami-Dade and the fourth Florida record. Burrowing Owl: 4 at site B-70 Eglin AFB (Okaloosa) 7 Dec (L. Fenimore, M. Swan). *Long-eared Owl: 1 at northern Okaloosa 13 Dec was taken into rehab where it later expired (specimen to Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville; fide B. & L. Duncan). Short-eared Owl: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Dec & 14 Jan (H. Robinson). Lesser Nighthawk: 1 at Fort Pickens (Escambia) 1 Jan (P. Doggrell); 5 at Eco Pond, Ev- erglades NP 16 Jan (M. Burney). Chuck-will’s-widow: 1 at St. Marks NWR 10 Jan (H. Adams et ah). Eastern Whip-poor-will: 1 at St. Petersburg 2 Dec (E. Plage); 1 at Tiger Point Preserve (Duval) 27 Dec-4 Jan (D. Robbins). Buff-bellied Hummingbird: 1 at Apalachicola 26 Dec (C. Wood et ah). Black-chinned Hummingbird: 1 at Valrico 24 Dec-15 Feb (S. Backes). Calliope Hummingbird: 1 at Tallahassee 2-13 Feb (T. & H. Roth). Field Observations 131 Rufous Hummingbird: as many as 3 wintered at Valrico ( Hillsborough ; S. Backes); 1 at Delray Beach {Palm Beach) to 1 Dec (C. Callaghan); 1 at Miami Shores {Miami- Dade) 18 Dec-16 Feb (A. Harper); 1 at Tallahassee 1 Jan-EOS (F. Rutkovsky). * Allen’s Hummingbird: 1 at Panama City Beach (Bay) 16 Jan (O. & D, Kelley, banded F. Bassett). Red-headed Woodpecker: 1 wintered at Matheson Hammock Park ( Miami-Dade ; C. San- chez et aL); 1 juvenile at Airco Golf Course (Pinellas) 20 Dec- 15 Feb (M. Hughes et aL). Hairy Woodpecker: 1 at Balm-Boyette Scrub Preserve (. Hillsborough ) 14 Dec (D. Irizarry et a.L). Crested Caracara: 1 at Loxahatchee Canal (Miarni-Dade) 3 Jan (J. Sutton). American Kestrel: 1 at Garden Key Dry Tortugas MP 24 Dec (J. Cavanagh). Nanday Parakeet: as many as 12 near Lakeland Center (Polk) to 23 Dec (N. Langwald, C. Fredricks et aL). Red-masked Parakeet: 60 at Matheson Hammock Park 3 Dec (D. Simpson). Chestnut-fronted Macaw: 32 at Miami Shores 4 Dec (A. Harper). Orange-winged Parrot: 40 at Matheson Hammock Park 12 Dec (C. Sanchez). Acadian Flycatcher: 1 at Royal Palm, Everglades NP 16 Dec (+A. Harper). Least Flycatcher: as many as 5 wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA(D. Gagne, H. Robinson et aL); 1 at Oviedo ( Seminole ) 3 Dec (G. Williams); 1 at Overlook Park (Seminole) 6 Dec (G. Williams); 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 6 Dec-15 Feb (A. Zions); 1 at Stump Pass Beach SP 13 Jan (M. Manetz); 1 at Barr Hammock Preserve (Alachua) 31 Jan (A. Zions). *Corbilleran/PacipiC“Slope Flycatcher: 1 at Tallahassee 8 Jan (+E. Sdxunke) provided the first Florida record. Say’s Phoebe: 1 at Morning Star Road (Palm Beach) to 1 Feb (+C. Callaghan et aL); 1 at NE Four Mile Grade Road ( DeSoto ) 31 Jan-EOS (S. Daughtrey, +C. Herzog et aL). Vermilion Flycatcher: 1 male wintered at Orlando Wetlands Park (B. Rohman); 1 female wintered at St. Marks NWR (J. O’Connell); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP to 14 Dec (D. Segal); 1 female wintered at L-31W Canal ( Miami-Dade ; L. Manfred! et aL); 1 wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (E. Horn); 1 at Alligator Lake Park to 11 Jan (P. Bums); 1 at Lake Miccosukee ( Jefferson ) to 1 Dec (A. Wraithmell). Ash-throated Flycatcher: as many as 6 wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (D. Gagne, H. Robinson et aL); 2 at Jessamine Road (Pasco) 3-28 Dec (K. Tracey); 1 at River Lakes Conservation Area (Brevard / Osceola) 6 Dec-7 Feb (B. Lagasse); as many as 5 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 12 Dec-31 Jan (J. Hintermister et aL); 1 at Black Ham- mock ( Seminole ) 28 Dec (P. Hueber et aL); 1 at Shell Creek Preserve (Charlotte) 30 Dec (+D. Peacock); 1 at Tamineo Sanctuary 19 Jan-2 Feb (L. Kelly L. Goodman, P. Baker, B. Furlow). Great Crested Flycatcher: 1 at Ocklawaha Prairie Restoration Area (Marion) 22 Dec (D. Richard). Brown-crested Flycatcher: 1 at West Delray Regional Park (Palm Beach) 4 Dec & 11 Feb (+C. Valenzuela et aL); 1 at Gumbo-Limbo Trail, Everglades NP 14 Dec (C. Sanchez); 1 at Deering Estate 27 Dec (R. Diaz); 1 at “Dump Marsh” ( Miami-Dade ) 13 Feb (A. & M. Abreu); 4 at CanaUXlE 14 Feb-EOB (C. Sanchez); 1 at Frog Pond WMA 17 Feb (D. Peacock). La Sacra’s Flycatcher: 1 at Deering Estate 30 Dec- 15 Feb (J. Patterson, R. Diaz). Tropical Kingbird: 2 wintered at L-31W (L. Manfredi et aL); as many as 2 wintered at STA-5 (M. England et aL). *Cassin’s Kingbird: 1 near Bunnell 13 Jan-7 Feb (D. Segal, D. Robbins). Western Kingbird: as many as 25 at Cox Road (Polk) to 4 Dec (N. Langwald et aL); 5 at Jessamine Road 3 Dec (K. JVacey); 2 at Fort De Soto Park 6-11 Dec (J. Mangold); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 7 Dec (S. Wade); 1 at Parkland (Broward) 18 Dec (B. Pick- 132 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST holtz); 7 at Helen Cooper Floyd Park {Duval) 19 Dec (D. Pridgen); 1 at Apalachicola 26 Jan (M. Berney, J. Murphy). Gray Kingbird: 1 wintered at STA-5 (M. England et ah); 1 at Lake Seminole Park 16 Feb (M. Hughes). Scissor-tailed Flycatcher: 3 at Golding Loop Road (. Hillsborough ) to 14 Dec (B. Ahern et al.); 2 at Cox Road to 4 Dec (N. Langwald et al.); 1 at Bermont Road ( Charlotte ) 2 Dec (+D. Peacock) provided the first Charlotte record; 1 at St. Marks NWR 4 Dec (J. O’Connell); as many as 2 at Ocala Airport {Marion) 17 Dec- 14 Jan (F. Hileman); 1 at Charlotte County Landfill 24-26 Dec (M. Manetz); 9 at Deer Fence Canal Road {Hen- dry) 3 Jan (D. Gagne); 10 at Plantation Tropical Nature Preserve {Monroe) 4 Jan. (Ro. Diaz). Yellow-throated Vireo: 1 at Naples {Collier) 24 Dec (M. Higgins); 2 at John Chesnut Park {Pinellas) 22 Feb (T. Mast). Horned Lark: as many as 5 at Concord Road {Jackson) to 27 Dec (E. Schunke et al.); 2 near Greenwood {Jackson) 4 Jan (M. Miller, J. Murphy). Purple Martin: 3 at Spring Hill 22 Dec (C. Black). Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 3 at Tram Road STF 10 Dec (A. Wraithmell); 4 at Joe’s Creek Management Area {Pinellas) 20 Dec (C. Fisher, D. Gagne); 3 near Eureka Springs Park {Hillsborough) 4 Jan (C. Fisher, +D. Goodwin et al.); as many as 10 at Lake Maggiore 19-25 Jan (J. & I. Gibbons). Cliff Swallow: 1 at Coastal Prairie Trail, Everglades NP 8 Dec (G. Davis et al.). Cave Swallow: 1 at Lyn Haven {Bay) 27 Feb (+N. Lamb). Barn Swallow: 15 at Coastal Prairie Trail, Everglades NP 8 Dec (G. Davis et al.); 1 at Pensacola Beach {Escambia) 23 Dec (S. Duncan, B. Duncan); 4 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 27 Feb (R. Rowan, C. Godfray). Carolina Chickadee: 1 at Bradenton 27 Dec (R. Lengacher). Red-breasted Nuthatch: 1 at Tallahassee 18 Jan (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Tall Timbers {Leon) 19 Jan (R. Titus). Brown-headed Nuthatch: 2 at Brooker Creek Preserve 27 Dec (T. Kalbach). Brown Creeper: 1 along Suwannee River {Suwannee) 22 Feb (E. Scales). Winter Wren: 1 at O’Leno SP {Columbia) to 26 Dec (J. Hintermister); 1 at Wacissa Springs {Jefferson) 2 Dec (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Tall Timbers 6 Dec (D. Asbell et al.); 1 at Lake Jackson 14 Dec-30 Jan (D. Asbell et al.); 1 north of High Springs {Alachua) 16 Dec (+D. Segal et al.). Golden-crowned Kinglet: 3 at Bald Point SP 10 Dec (J. Murphy); 2 on Fort George Island {Duval) 25 Dec (B. Richter); 1 at Tiger Point Preserve 27 Dec (M. Dailey); 2 at River Rise Preserve SP {Alachua) 3 Feb (M. Manetz, R. Rowan); 1 at O’Leno SP 11 Feb (H. Adams). Ruby-crowned Kinglet: 3 north of High Springs 16 Dec (D. Segal et al.). Wood Thrush: 1 at Taminco Sanctuary 1 Dec (L. Kelly, L. Goodman, B. Furlow); 1 at Alligator Point 10 Dec (J. Murphy); 1 at Kanapaha Botanical Gardens 14-17 Dec (H. Jones, A. Kratter). American Pipit: 2 at Research Road, Everglades NP to 6 Dec & 15 there 26 Dec (B. Showier); 100 near Everglades NP 15-18 Feb (M. Berney). Sprague’s Pipit: 4 at Apalachicola airport {Franklin) 26 Jan (M. Berney, J. Murphy). Cedar Waxwing: 580 at Tallahassee 17 Feb (R. Cassidy). Ovenbird: 1 at Tallahassee 1 Jan - 25 Feb (B. Phelan). Louisiana Waterthrush: 1 at Celery Fields 12 Dec (+R. Harrod); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 30 Jan (H. Robinson); 1 at O’Leno SP 3-11 Feb (J. Hintermister et al.); 1 at Frog Pond WMA 10 Feb (A. & M. Abreu); 1 at Merritt Island NWR 27 Feb (M. Harris). Northern Waterthrush: as many as 4 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 2 Dec (M. Manetz); 8 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Jan (H. Robinson). Field Observations 133 Blue-winged Warbler: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 14 Dec (A, Zions, +S. Collins); 1 at Bearing Estate 1 Jan-EOS (+Ra. Diaz). Black-and-white Warbler: 1 at Gulf Breeze 21 Jan (J. French). Swainson’s Warbler: 1 at Elaine Gordon Enchanted Forest Park (. Miami-Dade ) 8 Dec- EOS (+A. Harper); 1 at Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens ( Miami-Dade ) 30 Jan- 21 Feb (+A. Harper et aL); 1 at Long Key SP17 Feb (T. Rodenkirk). Tennessee Warbler: 1 at Melbourne 3-7 Dec (+L. Pernas-Giz); 1 at Leffis Key {Manatee) 4 Dec (S. Wilson); 1 at Deering Estate 14 Dec (R. Diaz). Nashville Warbler: 1 at Largo Nature Preserve 29 Dec (S. Aversa); 1 at Elaine Gordon Enchanted Forest Park 30 Dec-8 Jan (J. King); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 18 Jan-8 Feb (G. Fredricks, W. Jones et aL); 1 at Vero Beach ( Indian River ) 7 Feb (W. Johnson); 1 at Jacksonville 17-23 Feb (+A. Craig). American Redstart: 1 at Lutz (Pasco) 9 Dec (D. Bowman); 1 at Lake Wales (Polk) 27 Dec (C. Fredricks, W. Jones); 1 at Hague Dairy 11 Jan, (L. Davis). Cape May Warbler: 1 at Hampton Pines Park 20 Dec (B. Pickholtz); 1 at Vero Beach 1 Jan (B. Wagner); 1 at Bahia Honda SP 28 Feb (C. Callaghan et aL). Northern Pakula: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 2 Dec (M. Manetz); 1 at St. George Island SP 2 Dec (J. O’Connell); 1 at Alligator Lake Park 8 Dec (J. Middleton); 1 at Possum Branch Preserve ( Pinellas ) 7 Dec (T. Kaibach); 2 at John Chesnut Park 13 Feb (T. Mast). Yellow Warbler: 1 Golden at Matheson Hammock Park 4-15 Feb (+C. Sanchez); 1 at Bermont Road 27 Feb (D. Peacock). Chestnut-sided Warbler: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 8 Dec-EOS (+M. Hafner et aL) provided the second Florida winter record. Yellow-humped Warbler: 190 at St. Marks ( Wakulla ) 19 Feb (R. Cassidy, L. Eblen). Yellow-throated Warbler: 1 at Tallahassee 23 Jan (B. Phelan). Prairie Warbler: 1 on Fort George Island 29 Dec (K. Dailey); 1 in Okaloosa 18 Jan. (B. Purdy). Black-throated Green Warbler: 1 at Crowley Nature Center ( Sarasota ) 15 Dec (C. Her- zog); 1 at River Rise SP 17 Dec (R. Rowan, D. Pearson et aL); 1 at Apalachicola 26 Dec (C. Wood et aL); 1 at Cradle Creek Preserve (Duval) 1 Feb (+C. Bailey). Wilson’s Warbler: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 2 Dec (M. Manetz); 1 at Clay Island (Lake) 3-19 Dec (F. Fogarty); 1 at Kings Park (Brevard) 18 Dec (M. Harris); 1 at Vir- ginia Key 20 Dec-16 Feb (C. Sanchez, Ro. Diaz); 1 at Apalachicola 29 Dec (A. Moss, J. Murphy); 1 male at Ward Lake (Manatee) 21 Jan (R. Scrimger); 1 at Gulf Breeze 6 Dec-EOS (B. & L. Duncan). Yellow-breasted Chat: 1 at Bestin ( Okaloosa ) 14 Dec (M. Swan); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP to 14 Dec (L. Davis et aL); 1 at Leffis Key 4 Dec (J. Ginaven); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Dec-8 Feb (J. Leavens et aL); 1 at Maximo Park ( Pinellas ) 20-28 Dec (E. Plage, P. Plage et aL); 1 at Chapman Field Park ( Miami-Dade ) 20 Dee.- 19 Jan. (R. Urgelles), Bananaquit: 1 at Bahia Honda SP 21-26 Feb (K. Dia, C. Goodrich, m, obs.). Western Spindalis: 1 female at Pine Trails Park (Broward) 14 Dec (+G. Ellis). *Black-faced Grassquit: 1 female at Bahia Honda SP 23 Feb-EOS (+G. Ewing). Clay-colored Sparrow: 1 at C-357 “Sparrow Fields” 3 Dec (C. Sanchez); 1 at Coastal Prai- rie Trail, Everglades NP 8 Dec (G. Davis et aL); as many as 2 at Babson Park (Polk) 30 Jan-EOS (J. Wilson, C. Fredricks et aL). Field Sparrow: as many as 4 at Lower Green Swamp Preserve 25 Dec-EOS (B. Ahem et aL); 1 at Brooker Creek Preserve 14 Dec-22 Feb (+T. Mast et aL). Vesper Sparrow: as many as 4 north of Punta Gorda ( Charlotte ) to 16 Feb (+D. Peacock, M. Manetz); 3 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 at Hillsborough County Landfill 21 Feb (C. Fisher). 134 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Lark Sparrow: 1 at Oviedo to 30 Dec (B. Rohman); 2 wintered at Peaceful Waters Sanctu- ary {Palm Beach ; C. Valenzuela et al.); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 2 Jan-EOS (K. Rieker); 1 at Hague Dairy 9 Jan-EOS (R. Norton); 1 at Fort Pickens 24 Jan-28 Feb (J. Cal- laway, D. Stangeland); 1 near Felda {Hendry) 28 Feb (F. Paulsen). Henslow’s Sparrow: 1 at Gum Root Swamp Park ( Alachua ) 3-21 Jan (A. Zions); 1 at Lower Green Swamp Preserve 19 Jan (+C. Fisher) provided the first Hillsborough record; 1 banded at Weekiwachee Preserve 31 Jan (M. Korosy et ah); 1 at Lake Kis- simmee SP 28 Feb (C. Fredricks). Le Conte’s Sparrow: 1 at Fort Walton Beach Spray Fields ( Okaloosa ) 15 Dec (B. & L. Duncan); 1 at Avon Park AFR (. Highlands ) 18 Dec (G. Shrott); 1 at Clay Island 19 Dec (T. Leukering et al.); as many as 3 at Weekiwachee Preserve 20 Dec-7 Feb (T. Roller et al.); 1 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP 30 Dec (C. Butler); 1 at Tuscawilla Prairie 6 Feb-EOS (R. Rowan). Nelson’s Sparrow: as many as 20 at Cockroach Bay Preserve {Hillsborough) to 31 Jan (B. Ahern et al.) with 19 banded there (L. Cox et al.); 1 at Bunche Beach Preserve 5-6 Dec (V. McGrath et al.); 9 at Estero Bay Preserve SP (Lee) 11 Jan (J. Padilla-Lopez); 5 banded at Shell Key Preserve 8 Feb (L. Cox, R. Smith et al.). Saltmarsh Sparrow: 5 wintered at Tippecanoe Environmental Park {Charlotte’, M. Ma- netz); 2 at Bunche Beach Preserve 5 Dec-7 Jan (V. McGrath et al.); 2 at Coastal Prairie Trail, Everglades NP 11 Dec (F. Kehas-Dewaghe); 4 at Fort Island Beach 14 Dec-5 Feb (M. Gardler et al.); 6 at Estero Bay Preserve SP 11 Jan (J. Padilla-Lopez). Fox Sparrow: 1 at Gainesville 3 Jan (M. O’Sullivan). Song Sparrow: 1 at Roosevelt Wetland 20 Dec (B. Ahern, J. Mangold et al). Lincoln’s Sparrow: 1 at Oviedo to 25 Dec (G. Williams); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 12-14 Dec (J. Hintermister et al.); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 14 Dec & 10 Jan (R. Robinson, G. Quigley); 2 at Guana-Tolomato Matanzas NERR 26 Dec (G. Davis); 1 at Lower Green Swamp Preserve 8 Feb (J. Strong). White-throated Sparrow: 1 at Babcock- Webb WMA 17 Dec (D. Peacock); 1 at Lake Apop- ka NSRA 25 Jan (H. Robinson); 1 at Kettering Road {Hernando) 30 Jan (D. Gagne). White-crowned Sparrow: 1 gambelli wintered at Fort De Soto Park (R. Harrod et al); 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA {Lake) 3 Dec (D. Gagne et al.); 1 gambelli at Lake Apopka NSRA 6 Dec (B. Ahern); 1 gambelli at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 27 Dec-8 Feb (L. Davis); 1 gambelli at Robinson Preserve 27 Jan (+J. Throckmorton); 1 at Bowditch Point Park {Lee) 30 Jan-11 Feb (D. & T. McQuade); 1 gambelli at Black Hammock 28 Feb (S. Simmons). Dark-eyed Junco: 1 at Clearwater 2-4 Dec (+R. Jacobs); 1 at Gainesville 24-26 Dec (James Cox). Summer Tanager: 1 at Valparaiso {Okaloosa) 11-14 Dec (W. Greene); 1 at Tallahassee 12 Dec-EOS (F. Rutkovsky); 1 at Naples 24 Dec-2 Jan (M. Higgins); 1 at Sawgrass Lake Park 12 Jan (+J. Rodriguez); 2 at Clearwater 15 Jan-21 Feb (+C. Albritton et al.); 1 at Beulah {Escambia) 22-26 Jan (C. & S. Coster); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 9 Feb (H. Jones). Western Tanager: 1 at Jacksonville 1 Dec- 15 Feb (+L. Rosset); 1 at Gainesville 12 Dec (B. Wallace); 1 male at Dunedin 2 Jan (+M. James); 1 at A. D. “Doug” Barnes Park {Miami-Dade) 10 Jan-EOS (J. Crittenden, m. obs.); 1 at Tallahassee 31 Jan-EOS (J. Langley, J. Cavanagh); 1 at Amelia Island {Nassau) 12 Feb (+B. Struss) provided the first Nassau record; 1 near Kenansville {Osceola) 24 Feb (+C. Newton). Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 1 female wintered at Vero Beach (+B. Wagner); 1 at Eco Pond, Everglades NP 6-21 Dec (M. Stickel); 1 male at Fort Walton Beach {Okaloosa) 10-13 Feb (M. Rogers). Blue Grosbeak: as many as 2 wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (D. Gagne, H. Robinson et al.); 1 at Deer Fence Canal Road 3 Jan (D. Gagne). * Lazuli Bunting: 1 male at Martin 8-19 Feb (+N. LaFramboise et al.). Field Observations 135 Indigo Bunting: 1 at Garden Key, Dry Tortugas NP 24 Dec (J. Cavanagh). Painted Bunting: 2 at Lake Apopka MSRA 3 Dec (IX Gagne et aL); 5 at Lake Seminole Park 15 Dec-17 Feb (M. Hughes et aL); 2 at Apalachicola 30 Dec (B. Kinzie). Dickcissel: 1 at Cape San Bias 28 Dec (C, Wood); 1 at Morning Star Farms Road 25 Jan (C. Callaghan et aL); 1 at Hainlin Mill Drive, East Everglades ( Miami-Dade ) 2 Feb. (C. Sanchez); As many as 3 along L-31W Canal, Frog Pond WMA 21 Feb-EOS (Ro. Diaz). Eastern Meadowlark: 1 Pinellas County Landfill 20 Dec (B. Ahern et aL); 5 at St. Pete/ Clearwater Airport 20 Dec (M. Hughes et aL). Yellow-headed Blackbird: as many as 50 wintered at Sexn-CM Rice Mill ( Palm Beach; +M. Gomes et aL); 1 at Lakeshore (Polk) 29 Dec (C. Fredricks); 1 at Wakodahatchee Wetlands to 19 Jan (S. Young et aL); 1 at Venice Rookery ( Sarasota ) 4 Jan (J. Paisley). Rusty Blackbird: as many as 20 at Oviedo to 12 Dec (S. Simmons); 6 at M & M Daily 8-29 Dec (K. Dailey); as many as 90 at Magnolia Parke office complex, Gainesville 20 Bec- EOS (L. Davis et aL); 30 at Weekiwachee Preserve 22 Dec (D. Gagne, C. Fisher); 2 at Brooker Creek Preserve 27 Dec (T. Leukering); 1 west of New Smyrna Beach 3 Jan (D. Robbins et aL); 20 at Lake Henrietta (Leon) 14 Jan-EGS (E. Schunke). Brewer’s Blackbird: 1 female wintered at Bayport Park ((Hernando; J. McKay). Boat-tailed Grackle: 1 yellow-eyed male at Ponce De Leon Inlet 19 Jan (M. Brothers). Shiny Cowbird: 3 at Homestead 3 Dec (L. Manfredi et aL); 1 male at Plant City (Hillsbor- ough) 2 Feb (+M. Pothoven); 8 at Sem-Chi Rice Mill 22 Feb (M. Gomes). Bronzed Cowbird: 1 at Celery Fields 5 Dec (J. Fisher). Orchard Oriole: 1 at Valrico to 5 Dec (S. Backes); 1 at C-357 Canal 15 Dec (Miami-Dade; M. Vasi). *Bullock’s Oriole: 1 male at Gainesville 21 Dec-EOS (+S. Goodman); 1 male at Lake Marian Boat Ramp ( Osceola ) 25-27 Jan (M. Hedden, +J. Eager) provided the first Osceola record. Purple Finch: 1 'wintered at Merritts Mill Pond ( Jackson ; M. Cousin); 1 female at Bolen Bluff Trail 21 Dec (C. Valenzuela); 1 male at Tallahassee 17-21 Jan (+G. Simmons); 1 at Gainer Road (Washington) 28 Jan (A. Moss); 2 females at O’Leno SP 3 Feb (M. Manetz, R. Rowan); 5 at Tallahassee 8 Feb-EOS (F. Kutkovsky). House Finch: 2 at Flamingo, Everglades NP 2 Dec (S. Cofrell). Pine Siskin: as many as 8 wintered at Merritts Mill Pond (M. Cousin); 1 at Fellsmere (Indian River ) 12 Dec (D. Simpson); 1 at Balm Scrub Preserve ( Hillsborough ) 14 Dec (B. Ahem); 1 at Stump Pass Beach SP 14 Dec (IX Peacock, J. Bouton); 25 at Fort De Soto Park 15 Dec (E. Plage); 28 at Merritt Island NWR 15 Dec (D. Simpson); 1 at Faver-Bykes SP 15 Dec (G. Williams); 25 at Gainesville 16 Dec (B. Wallace); 2 at North Lido Beach Park (Sarasota) 16-19 Dec (S. Wilson et aL); 15 at Rock Springs Run SP ( Orange ) 20 Dec (M. Keim); 1 at Winter Park ( Seminole ) 24 Dec (S. Simmons); 5 at Seaton Creek Preserve (Duval) 1-27 Jan (L. Johannsen); 3 at St. Petersburg 5 Jan (J. Clayton); 3 at Three Rivers SP (Jackson) 24 Jan (A. Wraithmell); 2 at Brooker Creek Preserve 31 Jan (T. Kalbach); 4 at Amberjack Environmental Park ( Charlotte ) 7 Feb (D. Peacock); 100 at Tallahassee 21 Feb (J. Langley). Red-Cheeked Gorbonbleu: 7 at Orlando 23 Jan (+A. Boyle). Scaly-breasted Munia: as many as 10 wintered at Matheson Hammock Park (A. Harper et aL); as many as 201 at nine sites surveyed in Escambia & Santa Rosa 30 Jan-2 Feb (fide B. & L. Duncan); 6 at Citrus Park (Hillsborough) 16 Feb (+W. Taylor). Contributors! Angel & Mariel Abreu, Howard Adams, Brian Ahem, Bruce Anderson, Danny Arnette, Daphne Asbell, Steve Aversa, Steve Backes, Carol Bailey, Peggy Baker, Jessie Barry, Jim Barry, Fred Bassett, Mark Berney, Clay Black, Brace Bodjack, Bill Boeringer, 136 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Dave Bowman, Jeff Bouton, Christopher Scott Boykin, Andrew Boyle, Kevin Brabble, Michael Brothers, Ezequiel Bugallo, Mark Burns, Pat Burns, Chris Butler, Corey Callaghan, Jerry Callaway, Brad Carlson, Bob Carroll, Rodney Cassidy, Jim Cavanagh, Steve Collins, Steve & Cindy Coster, Shuana Cotrell, Michelle Cousin, Cameron & Lauren Cox, James Cox, Anne Craig, Jack Crittenden, Kevin & Marie Dailey, Susan Daughtrey, Glen Davis, Lloyd Davis, Kathryn Dia, Rangel Diaz, Robin Diaz, Mauri Dietrich, Perry Doggrell, Jennifer Donsky, Michael Drummond, Bob & Lucy Duncan, Scot Duncan, William Duncan, Jim Eager, Lydia Eblen, Emily Ellis, Gary Ellis, Jan Engler, Becky Enneis, Daniel Estabrooks, Charlie Ewell, Benjamin Ewing, Gil Ewing, Samuel Ewing, Grayal Farr, Roxanne Featherly, Lenny Fenimore, Charlie Fisher, David Foster, Allison Fox, Cole Fredricks, Jere French, Brehan Clare Furfey, Bruce Furlow, Dave Gagne, Murray Gardler, Callie Gesmundo, John & Ivy Gibbons, John Ginaven, Colin Gjervold, Doug Gochfeld, Charles Godfray, Marcello Gomes, Larry Goodman, Steven Goodman, Ted Goodman, Carl Goodrich, Wendi Greene, Debbie Grimes, Ryan Grumbly, Matt Hafner, Karen Hamblett, A1 & Bev Hansen, Alex Harper, Mitchell Harris, Darrell Hartman, Mark Hedden, Brian Henderson, Claire Herzog, Monica Higgins, Fred Hileman, Tom Hince, John Hintermister, Andrew Holzinger, Docia Hooey, Earl Horn, Alice Horst, Richard Hough, Paul Hueber, Marie Hughes, Dan Irizarry, Ryan Jacobs, Susan Jacobson, Melissa James, Laura Johannsen, Tom Johnson, William Johnson, Harrison Jones, Harry Jones, Wally Jones, Tim Kalbach, Francois Kehas-Dewaghe, Mary Keim, Odessa & Donald Kelley, Les Kelly, Adam Kent, Barry Kinzie, Marianne Korosy, Andy Kratter, Keith Laakkonen, Nancy LaFramboise, Ben Lagasse, Phil Laipis, Neil Lamb, John Larney, Bob & Denise Lane, Janeen Langley, Nathan Langwald, Patrick Leary, Gary & Janet Leavens, Felicia Lee, Richardson Leon, Tony Leukering, Darcy Love, Robert & Hannah Maciver, Mike Manetz, Larry Manfredi, John Mangold, John Martin, Alex Martinez, Jonathan Mays, Trey McCuen, Vince McGrath, Jim McKay, David & Tammy McQuade, Wendy Meehan, Jim Meyer, Deena Mickelson, John Middleton, Carol Miller, Mike Miller, Alan Moss, John Murphy, Alan Murray, Heather Nagy, Steve Nesbitt, Christian Newton, Roger Newell, Robert Norton, Michael O’Brien, Jeff O’Connell, Dan O’Malley, Matt O’Sullivan, Marcy Packer, Jose Padilla-Lopez, Janet Paisley, Stephanie Parker, Judd Patterson, France Paulsen, Dennis Peacock, Dan Pearson, Rob Pendergast, Bill Phelan, Bruce Pickholtz, Zack Pohlen, Eric Plage, Mary Pothoven, Bill Pranty, Donald Pridgen, Bruce Purdy, Sandra Reed, Douglas Richard, Bob Richter, Ken Rieker, Dotty Robbins, Harry Robinson, Tim Rodenkirk, Janice Rodriguez, Melinda Rogers, Thad Roller, Larry Rosen, Leila Rosset, Tom & Helen Roth, Rex Rowan, Mary Hutchinson Rusch , Fran Rutkovsky, Richard Schofield, Elliot Schunke, Robert Scrimger, Bob Showier, Debbie Segal, Terrie Selph, Glenda Simmons, Earl Scales, Jr., Scott Simmons, David Simpson, Ron Smith, Daniel Stangeland, Monte Stickel, Joel Strong, Bailey Struss, Sam Stuart, Malcom Swan, Wayne, Taylor, Andrew Theus, Joel Throckmorton, Jeff Toll, Bente Torvund, Ken Tracey, Paul Trunk, Carlos Valenzuela, Sidney Wade, Billi Wagner, Bob Wallace, Carl Wernicke, Joel Wilcox, Graham Williams, Glen Wilson, Stu Wilson, Chris Wood, Andy Wraithmell, Sue Yates, Susan Young, Howard Youth, Adam Zions. Report prepared by Brian Ahern, state compiler (629 Gail Avenue, Temple Terrace, Florida 33617, ). Regional compilers are Bruce H. Anderson (2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, Florida 32792, ), 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, ), John Murphy (766 Alligator Drive, Alligator Point, Florida 32346, ), and Ron Smith (1500 85th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33702, ). 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 your check to the Treasurer: Charles H. Fisher, Jr., c/o Reilly, Fisher & Solomon PA, 4950 W. Kennedy Blvd., Ste. 610, Tampa, FL 33609. E-mail: chflshercpa@hotmail.com We thank the following generous donors for contributing to FRIENDS OF FFN: 2006 Murray Gardler 2007 David B. Freeland 2008 Jack P. Hailman Bill! Wagner Charles Ewell & Arlyne B. Salcedo Robert & Lucy Duncan John M. Murphy Richard L. West 2009 Judith C. Bryan John M. 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Wuepper Michael Brothers Wade Nolan Ann Paul Anthony White Stuart R. Wilson 137 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 1-30, 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 pag- es. $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. Flor- ida 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. 8. 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. J. S. Greenlaw, B. Pranty, and R. Bowman. 2014. The Robertson and Woolfenden Florida Bird Species: An Annotated List. Florida Or- nithological Society Special Publication No. 8. viii + 435 pages. $24. To order Special Publications: Please send a check payable to the Florida Ornithological Society to the Treasurer: Charles H. Fisher, Jr. c/o Reilly, Fisher & Solomon PA 4950 W. Kennedy Blvd., Ste. 610 Tampa, FL 33609 E-mail: chflshercpa@hotmail.com For Special Publication Number 8 only, there is a flat price of $24, which includes tax and shipping. For all other Special Publications, your check should include the price given in the list above plus tax and shipping as determined here: 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 will be delivered. Calculate the sales tax based on the total cost of the special publications plus shipping. 138 'A • ■ Florida Field Naturalist ISSN 0738-999X PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Editors 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 Editors Tom Webber, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, P.O. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: fwebber@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 Florida Field Naturalist is a 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/content/ffn- article-submission-guidelines) 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 compiler 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://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 LIBRARIES 3 9088 01854 6085 Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 43, No. 3 September 2015 Pages 105-138 CONTENTS ARTICLES Extirpation of the Budgerigar ( Melopsittacus undulatus) from Florida Bill Pranty 105-113 First record of Roseate Spoonbills ( Platalea ajaja ) nesting on Lake Okeechobee since 1874 Jennifer E. Chastant, Richard A. Botta, and Dale E. Gawlik .......... 114-118 NOTES Least Terns ( Sternula antillarum antillarum ) nesting on shell rakes in Waccasassa Bay, Florida Bohhi G. Carpenter and Janell E. Brush . 119-122 Recent nesting of American Woodcock ( Scolopax minor) in Clay County, Florida Daniel U. Greene .............................................. 123-124 FIELD OBSERVATIONS Winter Report: December 2014-February 2015 Brian Ahern 125-136 ANNOUNCEMENTS Friends of FFN. 137 FOS Special Publications . 138