';r1l aL . ^ 6 Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 34, No. 1 February 2006 Pages 1-35 FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Founded 1972 OFFICERS President: JACK Hailman, 143 Beacon Lane, Jupiter FL 33469. E-mail: jhailman@wisc.edu Vice President: SuSAN B. WHITING, 3901 SE St. Lucie Blvd. #54, Stuart, FL 34997. E- mail: SooSprey@aol.com Secretary: PAMELA J. BoWEN, 309 Moonstone Dr., East Palatka, FL 32131. E-mail: PJBowen@aol.com Treasurer: DEAN JUE, 3455 Dorchester Court, Tallahassee, FL 32312-1300. E-mail: djue@admin.fsu.edu Editor, Florida Field Naturalist: JEROME A. JACKSON, Whitaker Center, Arts & Sci- ences, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Fort Myers, FL 33965. E-mail: picus@fgcu.edu Ex Officio: Inunediate Past President: FRANCES C. JAMES, Department of Biological Sci- ence, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1100. E-mail: james@bio.fsu.edu Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2006 Murray Gardler, 9400 Merriweather Drive, Brooksville, FL 34613-4271 David Stock, Department of Biology, Unit 8285, Stetson University, DeLand, FL 32723 Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2007 Judy Bryan, 1924 SW 43rd Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32608 Scott Robinson, Florida Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611 Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2008 David B. Freeland, 2345 Marsh Harbor Avenue, Merritt Island, FL 32952 Joyce King, 11645 69th Way N., Largo, FL 33773 Honorary Memberships 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. All persons interested in Florida’s natural history, particularly its abundant bird life, are invited to join the Florida Ornithological Society by writing the Treasurer. Annual membership dues are $20 for individual members (overseas $25), $25 for a family member- ship, $15 for students, $40 for contributing members and $25 for institutional membership. All members receive the Florida Field Naturalist and the newsletter. Subscription price for institutions and non-members is $20 per year. Back issues ($3.00 per issue) are available, prepaid, from the Treasurer. Notice of change of address, claims for undelivered or defective copies of this journal, and requests for information about advertising and subscriptions should be sent to the Treasurer. The Florida Field Naturalist is published quarterly (February, May, August, and November) by the Florida Ornithological Society. It is printed by E. O. Painter Printing Co., P.O. Box 877, DeLeon Springs, Florida 32130. The permanent address of the Florida Ornithological Society is Department of Ornithology, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611. The Florida Ornithological Society web site can be found at www.fosbirds.org THIS PUBLICATION IS PRINTED ON NEUTRAL PH PAPER Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 34, No. 1 February 2006 Pages 1~35 Florida Field Naturalist 34(l);l-3, 2006. FIRST RECORD OF THE VARIED BUNTING FROM FLORIDA Glen E. Woolfenden' and Michelle van Deventer^ ^Archhold Biological Station, Lake Placid, Florida 33862 ^56 Island Circle, Sarasota, Florida 34242 On 1 June 2005, at 16:00, a small dark-plumaged bird was found beneath a window of the Siesta Market on Siesta Key, Sarasota County, Florida. The bird was still limp suggesting it probably hit the window that day Prepared as a study skin (Fig. 1, GEW 6004), the specimen was a male (testes: 4x3 mm.), weighed 12.5 g, had moderate fat and no molt. The feathers showed no fraying and the feet and the bill showed no abnormalities, which support the conclusion that the bird was not held in captivity. The fresh specimen was correctly identi- fied as a Varied Bunting {Passerina versicolor) and placed in a freezer by MvD until transportation to Archbold Station could be arranged. The study skin is now in the ornithological collection at Archbold Bio- logical Station. The Varied Bunting occurs normally throughout almost all of Mex- ico, as a summer breeder in the north and central portion of the coun- try, and as a permanent resident elsewhere except along the southwest coast and the southeast portion of the country where it is a winter vis- itor. The northern limit of its range is in the extreme southwest United States, specifically in southern Arizona, New Mexico and Texas (Gros- chupf and Thompson 1998).Vagrants are reported from the northern parts of these three states and from California. The only report from east of the Mississippi River is an individual (AHY female) photo- graphed at Long Point, Ontario, Canada, 7 May 1995 (Prior 1995). Four races of Passerina versicolor are recognized (Paynter 1970). However, the differences among them are slight, and validity of some races is doubted (Groschupf and Thompson 1998). Additional work is needed. We do not assign the Florida specimen to a particular race. 1 2 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Figure 1. The Florida Varied Bunting specimen found on Siesta Key, Sarasota County, Florida; in dorsal, lateral and ventral view. Assuming Mexico is the place of origin of the specimen reported here, and that natural events account for its appearance on 1 June along the Gulf coast of peninsular Florida, the individual probably flew eastward across the Gulf from Mexico. Less probably it may have flown along the Gulf shore of United States from Texas. No weather distur- bances occurred immediately prior to the discovery of the specimen. Early June is when late migrant Varied Buntings are moving north to their breeding grounds. The appearance on the peninsula of Florida (Highlands Co.) on 19 June 1996 of a Western Wood-Pewee {Contopus sordidulus) may be a comparable event. This individual was thought to be a late spring migrant off course from its pathway from Central America to western North America (Woolfenden et al. 1996). We thank several people, and especially Wes Biggs, for getting this specimen to Archbold where it was prepared and preserved, and Reed Bowman for taking the photographs. We urge other persons who report on birds rare in Florida to publish an account which includes a photo- graph. If the specimen disappears, for many species at least, tangible evidence of the occurrence still will exist in the form of the photograph. WOOLFENDEN & VAN DEVENTER— VARIED BUNTING IN FLORIDA 3 Literature Cited GROSCHUPF, K. D. and C. W. Thompson. 1998. Varied Bunting (Passerina versicolor). In The Birds of North America, No. 351 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.).The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Paynter, R. a., Jr. 1970. Subfamily Emberizinae. Pp. 3-214 in Check-list of birds of the world. Vol. 13 (R.A. Pa5mter, Jr., ed.). Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, MA. Prior, P. 1995. Varied Bunting at Long Point, Ontario — a probable first for Canada. Birders Journal 4:239-241. WOOLFENDEN, G. E., B. PRANTY, J. W. FITZPATRICK, AND B. S. NELSON. 1996. Western Wood-Pewee recorded in Highlands County, Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 24:61- 67. Florida Field Naturalist 34(l);4-8, 2006. A NON-INDIGENOUS WADING BIRD BREEDING IN THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES^ THE SACRED IBIS Garth Herring^*, Erynn M. Call\ and Mark D. Johnston^ ^Florida Atlantic University, Biological Sciences 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 ^South Florida Water Management District 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, Florida 33416 * Author to whom correspondence should he addressed. E-mail: gherrinl@fau.edu During the 2005 dry season, while studying the breeding biology of Everglades wading birds at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee Na- tional Wildlife Refuge (Palm Beach County), we documented the first nesting efforts of the non-indigenous Sacred Ibis {Threskiornis aethi- opicus) in the Florida Everglades. The Sacred Ibis is a medium-sized (65-75 cm long) white ibis, with black highlights on its head and neck, wing-tips, and ornamental plumes along its back. The head and neck are featherless and covered with black scaly skin. The adult iris is brown and its lower eyelid is pale pink. The decurved bill is relatively broad and black with gray grooves on the sides of the upper bill. The distinctive black plumes begin at the scapulars and form a loose, lace- like net across the back, closed wings, and tail. Its legs and feet are featherless and also black. Bare skin beneath the wings is bright red during breeding. Males tend to be slightly larger (average 1499 g) than females, (average 1209 g; Clark 1979a). Hancock et al. (1992) provide a detailed description of the species. Sacred Ibis are colonial wading birds native to wetlands through- out Africa (Hancock et al. 1992). However, they have escaped captivity in 12 European countries and currently breed in the wild in Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands and the Canary Islands (Clergeau et al. 2005). The breeding season of the Sacred Ibis coincides with the wet season (December-March) in its native habitat, when prey abundances increase. Their clutch size is generally 2-5 eggs, with an incubation pe- riod of 28-29 days. Both sexes incubate and feed the young, which leave the nest at 2-3 weeks post hatching and form conspecific creches. They fledge at 35-40 days of age, and leave the colony at 35-48 days. Sacred Ibis adults feed principally on aquatic insects, insect larvae, amphibi- ans, and other small aquatic animals (Urban 1974, Clark 1979b, Han- cock et al. 1992). Chicks are primarily fed insects and crustaceans 4 Herring etal.—Saceed Ibis Nesting in Everglades 5 (Kopij et al. 1996) and, after fledging, also forage for insects on dry land during periods of aquatic prey shortages. Adult and chick prey se- lection is similar to that of the White Ibis {Eudocimus alhus; Kushlan and Bildstein 1992). Previous observations in Florida. — The earliest sighting of feral Sa- cred Ibis in Florida occurred during the mid 1990s at the Miami Metro Zoo shortly after Hurricane Andrew (1992) (J. Sailor, Metro Zoo, pers. comm.). Although the Miami Metro Zoo kept Sacred Ibis in their avian collection before Hurricane Andrew, all of their birds were recovered af- ter the hurricane (J. Sailor, Metro Zoo, pers. comm,). The feral birds may have escaped from a private collection in the Homestead area. Sa- cred Ibis have been reported at several locations throughout Florida since the mid 1990s; sightings have been scattered both spatially and temporally and primarily in developed regions. Sightings in south Flor- ida, include the Palm Beach Zoo, Palm Beach County (2000; K. Lovett, Palm Beach Zoo, pers. comm.); Dump Marsh, Dade County (2002; B. Rapoza, pers. comm.); Deering Estate, Miami-Dade County (2003; E. Lent, pers. comm.); Caloosa Golf Course, Dade County (2004; E. Ein- spruch, pers. comm.); and the Palm Beach Waste Management facility, Palm Beach County (1998, 2000, 2004, and 2005; M. B. Morrison, Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County, pers. comm.). The only observa- tion of a Sacred Ibis in undeveloped habitat was in 1999 in the Shark River Slough, Everglades National Park (E. Lent, pers. comm.). Sacred Ibis have not been reported as seen during a Christmas Bird Count (CBC) in Florida or across North America (Audubon Society 2005). Breeding of feral Sacred Ibis in developed areas has been observed at the Metro Zoo in Miami since shortly after hurricane Andrew (J. Sailor, Metro Zoo, pers. comm.) and at the Palm Beach Waste Manage- ment Facility in 2004 (M. B. Morrison, Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County, pers. comm.). The Metro Zoo population has grown from several to approximately 40 individuals despite efforts to prevent nest- ing (J. Sailor, Metro Zoo, pers. comm.), suggesting they may be nesting elsewhere in the vicinity. Breeding in the wild in Florida.— Dwcing the 2005 dry season (No- vember-May) we examined wading bird breeding success in the Ever- glades at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (LNW^R), Palm Beach County. To examine nest survival we vis- ited wading bird nesting Colony 111 (26°31N, 80°16W) every 3-4 days. The colony consists of 12 tree islands, 0.04-0.13 ha in size, dominated by cocoplum {Chrysobalanus icaco), willow (Salix spp.), dahoon holly (Ilex cassine), smilax (Smilax laurifolia), red bay (Persea borbonia), and wax myrtle (Myrica cerifer). Over 90% of the nests at Colony 111 were White Ibis, with the remainder being Black-crowned Night-Her- ons (Nycticorax nycticorax) and Great Egret (Ardea alba). 6 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST On 23 May 2005, we observed two adult Sacred Ibis roosting on a tree island in Colony 111. We photographed the birds, took field notes on their appearance, and determined that neither bird had leg bands. Later that day we observed one adult thermal soaring with three Wood Storks {Mycteria americana) approximately 500 m south of Colony 111. The adult’s soaring behavior comprised approximately five seconds of thermal soaring followed by an equivalent period of rapid wing beats. On 30 May, we revisited the site and observed two adults at a nest with two downy chicks (-15 days old) (Fig. 1). The nesting island was 17 x 43 m in size, with approximately 75 White Ibis nests. The nest was con- structed of sticks and was similar to adjacent White Ibis nests; it was 2.3 m above the ground in a cocoplum; the nest bowl was round and 46 cm in diameter. On 7 June, we removed the two chicks and relocated them to the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, Jupiter, Florida. While removing the chicks, we Figure 1. Adult (center) with 15-20 day old chick (lower left) at Colony 111, Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Palm Beach County, Florida. Herring stal.— Sacred Ibis Nesting in Everglades 7 discovered a second Sacred Ibis nest, containing one egg (Fig. 2). The sec- ond nest, also in a cocoplum, was 2.8 m above ground, and 44 cm in diam- eter. The nest later failed, perhaps due to the onset of the rainy season. The discovery of these nesting efforts of the Sacred Ibis in the Everglades is both interesting and alarming. Non-native Purple Swamphen {Porphyrio porphyria) (Pranty et al. 2000, Pranty 2004) and Egyptian Geese (Alopochen aegyptiacus) (Braun 2004) successfully breeding in Florida illustrate the potential for future successful Sacred Ibis nesting in the region. While locating medium-sized conspicuous wading birds might seem straightforward, these birds are difficult to detect among other predominantly white wading birds. We visited this colony of over 2000 pairs of White Ibis 18 times before detecting the nesting Sacred Ibis pairs. The vast size of the Everglades ecosystem and number of breeding colonies may prevent detection and dispersal of these birds before they become established throughout the Everglades. Introductions of non-native species have often resulted in slow but gradual population growth patterns; however, there exists the poten- tial for exponential growth once a population becomes established (e.g., Monk Parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus, Pruett-Jones et al. 2004; Mute Swans (Cygnus olor, Petrie and Francis 2003). Developing a program to monitor population growth and habitat use of Sacred Ibis and other nonnative birds would provide important information to facilitate a better understanding of the potential for competitive interactions with native birds. Figure 2. Sacred Ibis egg at Colony 111, Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee Na- tional Wildlife Refuge, Palm Beach County, Florida. 8 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Acknowledgments Funding for research that led to this observation was provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Atlantic University and the South Florida Water Management District. We appreciate the support and cooperation of the Arthur R. Marshall Loxa- hatchee National Wildlife Refuge staff M. 1. Cook, D. E. Gawlik, J. A. Jackson, H. E. Kirk, and one anonymous reviewer provided valuable comments on previous drafts of this manuscript. Literature Cited Braun, D. G. 2004. First documented nesting in the wild of Egyptian Geese in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 32:138-143. Clark, R. A. 1979a. Seasonal levels of body fat, protein, ash and moisture in the Sacred Ibis. Ostrich 50:129-133. Clark, R. A. 1979b. The food of the Sacred Ibis at Pretoria, Transvaal. Ostrich 50:104-111. Cleargeau, P., P. Yesou, and C. Chadenas. 2005. Ibis sacre: etat actuel et impacts po- tentials des populations introduites en France metropolitaine. L’institut National de la recherche agronomique. Contract 137 44-10/60. Hancock, J. A., J. A. Kushlan, and M. P. Kahl. 1992. Storks, ibises and spoonbills of the world. Academic Press Inc., San Diego, CA. KOPIJ, G., O. B. Kok, and Z. N. Roos. 1996. Food of Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus nestlings in the Free State province. South Africa. Ostrich 67:138-143. Kushlan, J. A., and K. L. Bildstein. 1992. White Ibis. In A. Poole and F. Gill (eds.). The Birds of North America, No. 570. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. National Audubon Society. 2005. The Christmas Bird Count historical results [On- line]. Available http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc [6-10-2005]. Petrie, S. A., and C. M. Francis. 2003. Rapid increase in the lower Great Lakes popu- lation of feral Mute Swans: a review and a recommendation. Wildlife Society Bulletin 31:407-416. Pranty, B. 2004. Florida’s exotic avifauna: a preliminary checklist. Birding 36:362-372. Pranty, B., K. Schnitzius, K. Schnitzius, and H. W. Lovell. 2000. Discovery, distri- bution, and origin of the Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 28:1-11. Pruett-Jones, S., j. R. Newman, C. M. Newman, and J. R. Lindsay. 2004. Population growth of Monk Parakeets in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 33:1-14. Urban, E. K. 1974. Breeding of the Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus at Lake Shala, Ethiopia. Ibis 116:263-277. Florida Field Naturalist 34(l):9-20, 2006. WADING BIRDS, SHOREBIRDS, AND WATERFOWL IN RICE FIELDS WITHIN THE EVERGLADES AGRICULTURAL AREA S. E. T0WNSEND1’% E. V. PEARLSTINE^’S^ F. J. MazzottP, and C. W. Deren^ ^IFAS, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center University of Florida, 3205 College Ave., Davie, Florida 33314 ^Department of Wildlife Ecology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida 3205 College Ave., Davie, Florida 33314 ^University of Arkansas, Rice Research and Extension Center P.O. Box 351, Stuttgart, Arizona 72160 ^Current Address: 1032 S. Orange Dr. #2, Los Angeles, California 90019 ^Corresponding author Abstract. — Wetland reclamation and development have resulted in wildlife habitat loss and diminished habitat quality in south Florida. In response to these changes, waterbird numbers have declined or individuals have moved into modified or artificial habitats. Rice, a well-known artificial habitat for waterbirds in many rice-growing re- gions (Kushlan and Hafner 2000), is cultivated in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) and provides habitat for waterbirds. During the 1998 rice-growing season, 300 surveys were conducted in 14 representative rice fields. Objectives included determining the number and relative abundance of waterbird species in rice fields, impacts of tempo- ral and spatial field condition on waterbird richness and abundance, and characteriza- tion of waterbird activities in rice fields. Forty-one species of waterbirds were observed in rice fields. Species richness at survey sites ranged from 12-28 and density ranged from 4.6 to 72.6 birds/min/100 ha. Species richness and overall abundance fluctuated in re- sponse to rice growth or harvest phase and field water levels. Significantly more wading birds and shorebirds were present in rice fields during water drawdown. Shorebird abun- dance was negatively correlated to water level and rice height. Waterfowl abundance was negatively correlated with cloud cover. Primary activity of all birds was foraging (63%), followed by resting (33%), walking or running (4%), and nesting (<1%). Rice fields har- vested twice (ratooned) provided additional water drawdown phases. Waterbird abun- dance may increase in the EAA with greater area devoted to rice fields and increased ratooning of existing fields. Effects of rice farming practices on waterbirds, including chemical use and harvesting methods, should be further evaluated. Numbers of waterbirds in south Florida, including wading birds, shorebirds, and waterfowl, have declined throughout the last century as anthropogenic influences have altered original ecosystems (Kahl 1964, Robertson and Kushlan 1974, Kushlan 1976, Ogden 1994, Froh- ring et al. 1988, Sklar et aL 2002). The decline in waterbirds has fre- quently been attributed to habitat loss through wetland conversion 9 10 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST (National Audubon Society 1992, Light and Dineen 1994). Two impor- tant consequences of landscape perturbation have been loss of nearly half of the native Everglades habitats and degradation of remaining wetlands (Davis and Ogden 1994). In response to habitat loss and al- teration in the Everglades, many waterbird species are now found in modified or artificial habitats (Kushlan and White 1977, Bancroft 1989, Ogden 1991, Frederick 1993, Frederick and McGehee 1994). As natural wetland area declines, waterbird populations increas- ingly use rice fields for additional or alternative foraging and nesting habitat worldwide. Artificial wetlands associated with rice farming provide habitat for waterbirds in the Mediterranean region (Fasola et al. 1996, Fasola and Ruiz 1996), Malaysia (Avery 1997), Cuba (Acosta et al. 1996), and Japan (Maeda 2001). In the U.S. over one million hect- ares of rice are grown annually, primarily in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Gulf Coastal Plain, and Central Valley of California (Coats 2004) and receive high use by shorebirds, wading birds, and waterfowl (Twedt and Nelms 1999, Elphick 2000, Maeda 2001, Czech and Par- sons 2002, Huner et al. 2002). Rice culture in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) began in the late 1970s and approximately 7800 ha are currently grown annu- ally (Schueneman and Deren 2000). Summer censuses conducted by Sykes and Hunter (1978) detected 59 waterbird species using tempo- rarily flooded fallow fields in the EAA. Turnbull et al. (1989a) reported the presence of breeding Fulvous Whistling-Ducks {Dendrocygna bi- color) centered in the EAA, and Smith (1995) briefly noted the use of EAA irrigation ditches by Snowy Egrets {Egretta thula) and Tricolored Herons {Egretta tricolor). An undated census reported that all species found in the water conservation areas (WCAs) of the Everglades were also found in EAA rice fields (Lodge 1994). Recovery of Florida’s waterbird species relies on identification of habitats currently in use, whether artificial or natural, and the evalu- ation of their role as waterbird habitat. Our objectives in this study were to (1) compile a species checklist of waterbirds using EAA rice fields, (2) compare waterbird abundance and richness in selected rice fields to spatial and temporal variables, and (3) evaluate activity and microhabitat preference of all individual birds observed within se- lected rice fields. Methods Study Area. — The EAA is about 280,000 ha of primarily sugarcane (76%), with smaller areas devoted to vegetables, rice, and sod (Izuno and Bottcher 1994). Approxi- mately 6% of total land area devoted to sugarcane and vegetables is rotated annually to rice production and then returned back to other uses (Izuno and Bottcher 1994). Fields are planted with rice between late February and mid-May and require an average of Townsend etal.— Birds in Rice Fields 11 120 days for maturation. Fields are harvested without extracting the entire plant, which allows a second or ratoon crop to grow to maturity after an additional 85 days (Schueneman and Deren 2001). Initial harvests generally take place in July and August and ratoon harvests occur between September and October. Fields are laser-leveled prior to planting to assure flooding results in uniform water depth across planted areas. Temporary and permanent irrigation ditches and canals connect rice fields and offer variation in water depth and vegetation communities between rice fields. We surveyed 14 rice fields between March and November of 1998 (Fig. 1). We identi- fied a representative section of each field, marked each corner with flagging, and counted all waterbirds seen or heard within the identified area. Representative sections included a portion of the larger rice field complex, transitional vegetation to the road 1 0 Kilometers Figure 1. Survey sites within the Everglades Agricultural Area. 12 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST edge or adjacent field, and the full width of one irrigation waterway. Each survey con- sisted of either a 20- or 30-min count and start time varied randomly to eliminate time of day bias. Counts occurred within five hours of sunrise. All birds that touched down in the flagged area were counted unless they were observed leaving and re-entering the field; their activity and microhabitat location were assessed. Activity was divided into four categories: foraging, resting, moving, or nesting. Microhabitats included bare soil, dry vegetation, edge, open water, and emergent vegetation. All birds were grouped ac- cording to feeding guilds and identified as wading bird, shorebird, or waterfowl as de- scribed by Elphick et al. (2001). Environmental variables recorded included height of rice, height of plants, depth of water, minutes after sunrise, wind speed measured in five mile per hour increments, cloud cover estimated in 10% increments between 0 and 100, air temperature in degrees Celsius, and cultivation phase. Cultivation phases included a pre-planting period when fields were cleared of vegetation, periods of rice growing without flooding, flooded rice fields, the drawdown period, and the initial and final harvests which were characterized by rice stubble standing in non-flooded fields. Abundance variables, including total number of birds per minute per 100 ha (min/ 100 ha), wading birds/min/100 ha, shorebirds/min/100 ha, and waterfowl/min/100 ha, were compared with independent environmental conditions using ANOVA. Total bird abundance in a selected representative rice field was also graphed over time. Variables related to species richness included total number of species and number of species within each guild, but these values were too low for statistical analysis. No changes in bird activity or microhabitat location were recorded after initial count and assessment. Birds entering a field during a count were recorded as moving. Moving birds also included those walking, swimming, or running, unless these activities were necessary for foraging or nesting. Nesting behaviors included nest building, nest inhabi- tation, incubation of eggs, copulation, or interaction with young remaining in nests. Results Forty-one waterbird species were observed using rice fields of the EAA. Breeding evidence was positively identified for 8 of these species (Table 1). Half the total individuals observed were wading birds (50%), followed by waterfowl (39%), and shorebirds (11%). Twenty-two species were observed on more than 50 days and were observed using six or more survey sites (Fig. 2). Species richness ranged from 12-28 species and av- erage number of wading bird species observed each day was higher than waterfowl or shorebirds. Total bird abundance, and abundance for each guild, peaked twice throughout the growing season (Fig. 3). The primary activity for all waterbirds was foraging (63%), fol- lowed by resting (33%), moving (4%), and nesting (<1%). Shorebirds and wading birds spent the majority of their time foraging, while wa- terfowl foraged and lounged nearly equally. Only waterfowl and shore- birds were observed engaged in breeding activities. The number of all birds foraging and moving decreased continually from sunrise to five hours after sunrise. Resting peaked in the third hour for all birds, and reproductive activities differed little among hours. Wading birds and waterfowl were observed most frequently in open water, whereas shorebirds were seen most frequently in non- Townsend etal.— Birds in Rice Fields 13 Table 1. Waterbird species observed in rice fields of the Everglades Agricultural Area, total number of individuals observed throughout the survey period*, guild designations, and status in Florida according to Rodgers et al. (1992). Common name Species Total number Guild Status American Coot^ Fulica americana 22 D^ — Anhinga Anhinga anhinga 30 D — Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 10 W3 — Black-necked Stilt^ Himantopus mexicanus 298 S^ — Blue-winged Teal Anas discors 22 D — Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 630 W — Common Moorhen^ Gallinula chloropus 755 D — Fulvous Whistling-Duck^ Dendrocygna bicolor 101 D — Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus 474 W — Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 55 W — Great Egret Ardea alba 459 w — Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca 20 s — Green Heron Butorides virescens 115 w — KilldeeU Charadrius vociferus 150 s — King RaiP Rallus elegans 33 s — Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis 40 w ssc® Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla 12 s — Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes 105 s — Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea 158 w ssc Mottled Duck^ Anas fulvigula 1035 D — Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps 54 D — Purple Gallinule^ Porphyrula martinica 197 D — Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla 46 s — Snowy Egret Egretta thula 212 w ssc Sora Porzana Carolina 53 s — Tri-colored Heron Egretta tricolor 182 w ssc White Ibis Eudocimus albus 299 w ssc Wood Stork Mycteria americana 435 w E® Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea 56 w — *Species with fewer than 10 sightings included: American Bittern (Botaurus lentigino- sus), Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), Herring Gull (Larus argenta- tus), Limpkin® {Aramus guarauna), Reddish Egret® {Egretta rufescens), Short-billed Dowitcher {Limnodromus griseus), Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria), Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus), Stilt Sandpiper {Calidris himantopus), Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda), Western Sandpiper {Calidris mauri), and Wilson’s Plover® {Charadrius wilsonia), ^Waterfowl, ®Wading bird, ^Shorebird, ®State species of concern, ^Federally endangered, ^Breeding evidence observed. flooded vegetation. All wading birds and waterfowl used each micro- habitat at least once. Shorebirds used all except levees without vegeta- tion and did not perch above water. Foraging waterbirds were observed in open water most often, followed by vegetated water and cleared soil, and used all habitats. All microhabitats were used for lounging, but ditch edges and vegetated water were used for this activity most often. 14 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST 1000 19 800 w e 600 400 200 0 5 3 7 4 8 22 11 10 18 21 5 9 8 7 6 13 12 17 16 20 15 14 9 10 11 12 13 14 Number of fields 15 Figure 2. Number of individuals of each species seen in 6 or more fields (>50 ob- servations). 1 = Sora, 2 - Fulvous Whistling-Duck, 3 s Lesser Yellowlegs, 4 = Pied-billed Grebe, 5 - Least Bittern, 6 = Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, 7 = Snowy Egret, 8 = White Ibis, 9 = Black-necked Stilt, 10 = Wood Stork, 11 - Cattle Egret, 12 s King Rail, 13 = Killdeer, 14 = Great Blue Heron, 15 - Green Heron, 16 = Little Blue Heron, 17 = Purple Gallinule, 18 = Glossy Ibis, 19 = Mottled Duck, 20 = Tri-colored Heron, 21 = Great Egret, 22 = Common Moorhen. Moving birds were typically on cleared soil, dry vegetation, in open wa- ter, or in vegetated water. Nesting took place primarily in emergent or dry vegetation, but also occurred on bare soil. Phase of cultivation significantly affected overall abundance of birds, wading birds, and shorebirds (ANOVA, p < 0.0001), but not wa- terfowl (ANOVA, p > 0.05). In addition, shorebird abundance was in- versely related to water depth and rice height (ANOVA, p = 0.02, p < 0.0001 respectively), and waterfowl abundance was inversely related to cloud cover (ANOVA, p = 0.03). The time of the count in minutes af- ter sunrise had no detected influence on total bird abundance (ANOVA, p > 0.05). Total abundance, shorebird abundance, and waterfowl abun- dance were significantly different among fields (ANOVA, p = 0.02, p = 0.02 and p < 0.0001 respectively). Discussion Waterbird abundance in EAA rice fields appears to represent inter- play between seasonal migration patterns and rice field conditions. For Townsend jBTAL.— Birds in Rice Fields 15 Figure 3. Number of individual birds present in EAA rice fields by guild during the 1998 rice-growing season. shorebirds and waterfowl, it is unclear which of these most influenced abundance. While abundance peaks for shorebirds and waterfowl may have occurred as a result of natural spring and fall migration periods, it is also possible that field conditions were best suited for shorebirds dur- ing spring migration when shallow water and recently cleared soils at- tracted shorter-legged, substrate foragers. Similarly, ducks were most abundant during their fall migrations, which also coincided with avail- ability of large expanses of open water in rice fields, a preferred habitat for foraging. Wading birds exhibited peak abundance beginning in June that may have resulted from northward movement from the Everglades at the close of the nesting season and the beginning of the rainy season, when prey are less concentrated in natural wetlands. However, wading birds were present in rice fields throughout the summer, with fiuctua- tions in abundance corresponding more closely to rice field conditions. Examination of abundance in a selected representative rice field (SF9), illustrates the interplay of migration and field conditions more clearly (Fig. 4). During the pre-planting stage when fields were cleared and not yet fiooded, little bird activity took place. An initial increase in bird abundance coincided with flooding (Fig. 4, Point A). Shorebirds were the first guild to arrive following this initial flooding, suggesting that flooded fields with little vegetation were more attractive to shore- birds than cleared and dry fields, since both conditions were available during spring migrations. As rice matured and flood level was un- changed, total bird abundance fluctuated little (remaining around 20 birds/min/100 ha). 16 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST DUe Figure 4. Total number of individuals of all guilds in a representative rice field (SF9) throughout the 1998 growing season. Each date represents a single sam- pling event. A = initial fiood, B - drawdown, C = initial harvest, D = ratoon re- flood, E = final drawdown. Bird abundance rose rapidly in mid-July during the initial draw- down period, when water is drained from fields in preparation for har- vest (Fig. 4, Point B). Drawdown reduces water level in rice fields rapidly, generally taking less than a day to completely drain a field and reduce water levels in adjacent irrigation ditches. Aquatic organisms become highly concentrated in ditches and easy prey for foraging waterbirds. Hundreds of wading birds were frequently observed using irrigation ditches for foraging during drawdown. It is this great surge in abundance, long observed by EAA farmers, that initiated this study. Soon after drawdown, bird abundance decreased rapidly. Unhar- vested fields of dry vegetation attracted few birds. Again, this indicates wading bird preferences for certain field conditions, since all field con- ditions were available for selection during the period of the study. The next peak in bird abundance occurred during initial harvests after rice is extracted and while machinery is working the soil (Fig. 4, Point C). Prey items exposed during tilling result in a parade of forag- ing birds following behind machinery. In particular, Great Egrets and Cattle Egrets were most abundant in fields as tilling occurred. After the initial harvest, this field was ratooned, resulting in a re- peat of the entire cultivation cycle, although abbreviated to 2-3 months. The second fiood (Fig. 4, Point D) and drawdown (Fig. 4, Point E) attracted a similar large number of birds. Townsend £;rAL.— Birds in Rice Fields 17 While aquatic prey assemblages in the rice fields of the U.S. are poorly studied, rice fields in other areas provide indications of potential aquatic communities. Once Mediterranean fields are flooded, complex mature communities of aquatic prey become established through eco- logical succession, despite human induced alterations (Fores and Comin 1992). In some cases, rice fields have been assessed as prefera- ble habitat for some species of herons in the Mediterranean, since they offer superior prey availability to natural areas and allow greater food intake rates (Fasola and Ruiz 1996). Microhabitat availability was an important factor in waterbird use of rice fields, particularly edge habitat, which was used often by all guilds. The importance of edge habitat for birds in agriculture has been recognized in rice as well as other crops (Best et al. 1990, Maeda 2001, Perkins et al. 2000). Dry vegetation, such as that found on levees and at the edges of fields, was used by wading birds and primarily for rest- ing and moving between other microhabitats. Open water, often associ- ated with irrigation or field management in conjunction with the rice itself, was one of the microhabitats most frequently used by ducks. Fal- low fields or bare soil can also be important habitat for many of the birds found in agriculture in this study (Best et al. 1990, Fujioka et al. 2001, Perkins et al. 2000). Variation in microhabitat availability be- tween fields may be a result of varying management practices at sepa- rate fields. Peripheral vegetation, canal placement, and size and shape of irrigation ditches all vary between fields. In Australian rice fields, cultivation schedules conflicted with breeding season of waterbirds (Richardson et al. 2001). As a result, in- creasing food needs of reproducing birds of each year do not correspond to the highest availability of prey items in rice fields. However, in the EAA, rice field cultivation schedules are currently beneficial to migrat- ing, breeding, and foraging waterbirds of south Florida. Furthermore, it may be possible to increase benefits to waterbirds by making adjust- ments to EAA rice cultivation timing and practices. For example, be- cause only a portion of the existing rice fields in any year are ratooned, hundreds of hectares of land are left fallow (Schueneman and Deren 2000). Increasing the number of ratooned fields would offer additional acreage of waterbird habitat and a greater number of overall draw- down events. In addition, although some sugarcane is left fallow after three crop rotations, it may not be rotated into rice until after six rota- tions (Lodge 1994). Rotating sugarcane fields into rice every three ro- tations would also increase acreage of rice field availability. Before management recommendations can be made, however, fur- ther studies are necessary. Farming practices and timing, including use of chemicals and fertilizers and cultivation and tillage may ad- versely affect waterbirds in rice (Wyss 1996, O’Connor and Shrubb 18 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST 1986). A study of pesticide residues found sublethal levels of orga- nochlorine and organophosphate pesticides within Fulvous Whistling- Ducks of the EAA (Turnbull et al. 1989b). Local traffic, harvest, and crop rotation also pose threats to birds in crops (O’Connor and Shrubb 1986). Wyss (1996) found that Fulvous Whistling-Duck nests fre- quently failed since initiation occurred too close to harvests. Acknowledgments We thank the Wedgeworth family and south Florida’s Rice Council for financial sup- port. For access to survey sites and data we thank Raoul Perdomo, Modesto Ulloa, Ger- ald Powell, and Pete Rosendahl of Florida Crystals, and Walter Parker and Carlle Fllori of US Sugar Corporation. This research was supported by the Florida Agricultural Re- search Experiment Station. Literature Cited Acosta, M., L. Mugica, C. Mancina, and X. Ruiz. 1996. Resource partitioning between Glossy and White Ibises in a rice field system in southcentral Cuba. Colonial Water- birds 19: 65-72. Avery, M. L. 1997. Occurrence of migrant shorebirds in Malaysian ricefields. Abstract in Colonial Waterbird Society Twenty-first Annual Meeting, S3rmposia, and Workshops, Program and Abstracts, The Waterbird Society, Lafayette, LA. Bancroft, G. T. 1989. Status and conservation of wading birds in the Everglades. Amer- ican Birds 43:1258-1265. Best, L. B., R. C. Whitmore, and G. M. Booth. 1990. Use of cornfields by birds during the breeding season: The importance of edge habitat. American Midlands Naturalist 123:84-99. Coats, B. 2004. Numbers: what the 2002 and 2003 marketing years teach us about seiz- ing the opportunity in 2004. Rice Journal 107:2-4. Czech, H. A., and K. C. Parsons. 2002. Agricultural wetlands and waterbirds: A review. Waterbirds 25:56-65. Davis, S. M., and J. C. Ogden. 1994. Introduction. Pages 3-8 in S. M. Davis and J. C. Ogden (eds.). Everglades: The Ecosystem and Its Restoration. St. Lucie Press, Delray Beach, FL. Elphick, C. S. 2000. Functional equivalency between rice fields and seminatural wet- land habitats. Conservation Biology 14:181-191. Elphick, C. S., J. B. Dunning, Jr., and D. A. Sibley. 2001. The Sibley guide to bird life and behavior. Alfred A, Knopf, New York. Fasola, M., L. Canova, and N. Saino. 1996. Rice fields support a large portion of herons breeding in the Mediterranean Region. Colonial Waterbirds 19:129-134. Fasola, M., and X. Ruiz. 1996. The value of rice fields as substitutes for natural wet- lands for waterbirds in the Mediterranean region. Colonial Waterbirds 19:122-128. Fores, E., and F. A. Comin. 1992. Ricefields, a limnological perspective. Limnetica 8:105-109. Frederick, P. C. 1993. Wading bird nesting success studies in the WCAs of the Everglades. Final Report to the South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach, FL. Frederick, P. C., and S. M. McGehee. 1994. Wading bird use of wastewater treatment wetlands in central Florida, USA. Colonial Waterbirds 17:50-59. Frohring, P. C., D. P. Voorhees, and j. a. Kushlan. 1988. History of wading bird pop- ulations in the Florida Everglades: A lesson in the use of historical information. Co- lonial Waterbirds 11:328-335. Townsend etal.— Birds in Rice Fields 19 Fujioka, M., J. W. Armacost Jr., H. Yoshida, and T. Maeda. 2001. Value of fallow farmlands as summer habitats for waterbirds in a Japanese rural area. Ecological Research 16:555-567. Huner, J. V., C. W. Jeske, and W. Norling. 2002. Managing agricultural wetlands for waterbirds in the coastal regions of Louisiana, U.S.A. Waterbirds 25:66-78. IZUNO, F. T., AND A. B. Bottcher. 1994. Introduction. Pages 1-12 in A. B. Bottcher and F. T. Izuno (eds) Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA): Water, Soil, Crop, and Envi- ronmental Management. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Kahl, M. P., Jr. 1964. Food ecology of the Wood Stork (Mycteria Americana) in Florida. Ecological Monographs 34:97-117. Kushlan, j. a, 1976. Feeding behavior of North American herons. Auk 93:86-94. Kushlan, j. a. and H. Hafner (eds.). 2000. Heron Conservation. Academic Press, San Diego, CA. Kushlan, J. A., and D. A. White. 1977. Nesting wading bird populations in southern Florida. Florida Scientist 40:65-72. Light, S. S., and J. W. Dineen. 1994. Water control in the Everglades: A historical per- spective. Pages 47-84 in S. M. Davis and J. C. Ogden (eds.). Everglades: The Ecosys- tem and Its Restoration. St. Lucie Press, Delray Beach, FL. Lodge, T. E. 1994. The Everglades handbook: understanding the ecosystem. St. Lucie Press, Delray Beach, FL. Maeda, T. 2001. Patterns of bird abundance and habitat use in rice fields of the Kanto Plain, central Japan. Ecological Research 16:569-585. National Audubon Society. 1992. Report of the Advisory Panel on the Everglades and Endangered Species, Audubon Conservation Report No. 8, National Audubon Soci- ety, New York. O’Connor, R. J., and M. Shrubb. 1986. Farming and Birds. Cambridge University Press, New York. Ogden, J. C. 1991. Nesting by Wood Storks in natural, altered, and artificial wetlands in central and northern Florida. Colonial Waterbirds 14:39-45. Ogden, J. C. 1994. A comparison of wading bird nesting colony dynamics (1931-46 and 1974-89) as an indication of ecosystem conditions in the Southern Everglades. Pages 533-570 in S. M. Davis and J. C. Ogden (eds). Everglades: The Ecosystem and Its Res- toration. St. Lucie Press, Delray Beach, FL. Perkins, A. J., M. J. Whittingham, R. B. Bradbury, J. D. Wilson, A. J. Morris, and P. R. Barnett. 2000. Habitat characteristics affecting use of lowland agricultural grass- land by birds in winter. Biological Conservation 95: 279-294. Richardson, A. J., 1. R. Taylor, and J. E. Growns. 2001. The foraging ecology of egrets in rice fields in southern New South Wales, Australia. Waterbirds 24:255-264. Robertson, W. R., Jr., and J. A. Kushlan. 1974. The southern Florida avifauna. Miami Geological Society Memoir 2:414-452. Rodgers, J. A., Jr., H. W. Kale II, and H. T. Smith (eds.). 1992. Rare and endangered biota of Florida. Volume V. Birds. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Schueneman, T. j., and C. W. Deren. 2000. Florida’s 2000 rice variety census. Fact Sheet SS-AGR-76. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville. Schueneman, T. J., and C. W. Deren. 2001. Rice in the crop rotation. Fact Sheet SS- AGR-23. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville. Sklar, F., C. McVoy, R. Van Zee, D. Gawlik, K. Tarboton, D. Rudnick, and S. Miao. 2002. The effects of altered hydrology on the ecology of the Everglades. Pages XX in J. W. Porter and K. G. Porter (eds.). The Everglades, Florida Bay, and Coral Reefs of the Florida Keys, An Ecosystem Sourcebook. CRC Press LLC, FL. Smith, J. P. 1995. Foraging flights and habitat use of nesting wading birds (Ciconiiformes) at Lake Okeechobee, Florida. Ph.D. dissertation. University of Florida, Gainesville. 20 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Sykes, P. W., Jr., and G. S. Hunter 1978. Bird use of flooded agricultural field during summer and early fall and some recommendations for management. Florida Field Naturalist 6:37-43. Turnbull, R. E., F. A. Johnson, and D. H. Brakhage. 1989a. Status, distribution, and food of Fulvous Whistling-Ducks in south Florida. Journal of Wildlife Management 53:1046-1051. Turnbull, R. E., F. A. Johnson, M.A. Hernandez, W. B. Wheeler, and J. P. Toth. 1989b. Pesticide residues in Fulvous Whistling-Ducks from south Florida. Journal of Wildlife Management. 53: 1052-1057. Twedt, D. J., and C. O. Nelms. 1999, Waterfowl density on agricultural fields managed to retain water in winter. Wildlife Society Bulletin 27:924-930. Wyss, a. j. 1996. Nesting Ecology of Fulvous Whistling-Ducks in the Everglades Agri- cultural Area of southern Florida. M.S. thesis, Auburn University, Auburn, AL. Florida Field Naturalist 34(l):21-27, 2006. BEACHED BIRD SURWYS ON SHELL KEY, PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA Gabriel A. Vargo^ Karen Atwood^’^ Michelle van Deventer^ and Rebecca Harris^ ^College of Marine Science, University of South Florida 140 Seventh Ave. South, St. Petersburg, Florida 33712 E-mail: vargo@marme.usfedu ^Fish and Wildlife Research Institute Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 100 Eight Avenue SE, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5095 ^Center for Conservation Medicine Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, Massachusetts 01536-1895 Abstract. — twice monthly series of beached bird surveys has been established on Shell Key, Pinellas County, Florida in conjunction with the Tufts University SEANET program. The goal of SEANET is to provide information on potential ecological threats to seabird populations. Beached bird carcasses are also collected to assess the body burden of brevetoxin, the toxin associated with red tides caused by the toxic dinoflagellate, Kare- nia brevis, in the Gulf of Mexico. In this report we summarize the first 10 months of in- formation on seabird mortality and the brevetoxin body burden for species commonly found on Pinellas County beaches. Evidence for the impact of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs or red tides) on sea and shorebird populations has been largely anecdotal un- til recently when brevetoxin, a potent neurotoxin produced by the red tide dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, was found in tissues of Double- crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus, Kreuder et aL, 2002) and in the gastro-intestinal tract of Lesser Scaup {Aythya affinis, J. Lands- berg, FWRI pers. comm.). Hundreds of Lesser Scaup were found dead in southwest Florida in March 2002. Since red tides in the eastern Gulf of Mexico are an annual occurrence (Steidinger et al. 1998), one would expect impacts on the avian community would be well documented. However, recent reviews by Shumway et ah (2003) and Landsberg (2002) supplement earlier studies by Quick and Hendersen (1974, 1975) and confirm that only a handful of publications exist about avian mortalities in connection with Florida West Coast red tides. Given the difficulty and expense of conducting avian surveys at sea during a red tide bloom, a beach survey was established as an alter- nate method to obtain samples for brevetoxin analysis. This beach sur- 21 22 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST vey is part of a larger program called SEANET (Seabird Ecological Assessment Network; www.tufts.edu/vet/seanet) established by Mark Pokras, Rebecca Harris, and Fiorina Tseng at the Center for Conserva- tion Medicine in the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Aims of this program, as stated in their brochure, include “establishing links between marine ecological health and human health by monitor- ing seabird mortality. Numerous threats contribute to mortality, in- cluding disease, fisheries operations, organic pollutants, heavy metals, offshore development (potentially wind farms), and oil pollution. These risks to seabirds also threaten the coastal and marine environments used by humans for respite and ecological services, such as food pro- duction, waste elimination, and fiood protection. Pinpointing areas of concern enables SEANET and our collaborators to focus on specific causes of mortality or ecological degradation, and propose policy and conservation measures to counteract the threats.” Beached bird surveys are an important monitoring tool that has been used throughout the world for decades to detect threats to marine and coastal birds and the larger ecosystems upon which they rely (e.g., Camphuysen and Heubeck 2001). Since HABs are an ecosystem level event in the Gulf of Mexico (Steidinger et al. 1998) and the growth and maintenance of these blooms may be related to increased coastal eutrophication due to estuarine nutrient fluxes (Vargo et al. 2004), es- tablishing this survey was a natural connection for the SEANET pro- gram. Although the main focus area of the SEANET program is in the Northeastern states, expansion into the Southeastern U.S. is under- way. The beach transect established with the help of the Pinellas County Environmental Management staff at Shell Key in Pinellas County is the first such study. Methods Surveys for beached birds of all species were done twice monthly along the western shore of Shell Key Preserve that is located off the coast of Pinellas County, Florida (Fig. 1). The route is approximately 2.6 km long starting at the north end of the island at 27°40.564 N latitude, 82°44,376 W longitude and ending at the south end of the island at 27°39.273 N, 82°44.781 W (see Fig. 1). The average width of the beach is estimated as 30 m, so the total area covered is approximately 0.078 km^. All surveys follow protocols established by the SEANET Program (Harris et al., in press) and are usually conducted in conjunction with twice monthly nesting and winter bird surveys done by Pinellas County Environmental Management (PCEM) staff and volunteers. Copies of all data forms are sent to Harris for incorporation into the SEANET database. A hand-held Garmin GPS III was used to determine the location of each carcass. An initial survey was done on 7 March 2004 to determine the transect length. Typi- cally, surveys are done from north to south, but several were done in the opposite direc- tion when PCEM staff provided access to the island. Live bird identifications and counts (data not presented) were conducted only on the initial transect whereas dead, beached birds were counted during both the southward Vargo etal.— Beached Bird Surveys 23 Figure 1. The location of Shell Key Preserve, Pinellas County, Florida. The start and end of the beach transects are noted as are the locations of all beached bird carcasses found during the 2004 beach surveys. walk and the return trip. Normally the walk south was done along the high tide line while the return trip was done along the edge of vegetation on the upper beach. During nesting season, no intrusions were made into the nesting area so distances from the vegetation often overlap with the initial southern survey. Every effort was made to min- imize disturbance of roosting and nesting birds. Dead bird carcasses that still contained tissues and organs were collected and re- turned to the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Wildlife Research Lab- oratory, for necropsy Organs collected for brevetoxin analysis (Naar et al. 2002) included kidney, liver, and stomach contents with brain and lung tissue archived for future analy- ses. Feathers were also collected for future analyses that include stable isotopes. Results and Discussion Twelve species are known to nest on Shell Key and include Black Skimmer {Rhynchops niger), Least Tern {Sterna a. antillarum), Royal Tern {Sterna maxima), American Oystercatcher {Haematopus palliatus), 24 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus), Snowy Plover {Charadrius ah exandrinus), Wilson’s Plover (C. wilsonia), and Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla). A complete description of the Preserve and its Environmen- tal Management Plan can be found at: http://www. co.pinellas.fl.us/bcc/ E nvironment/page sHTML/ envLands/el 7000 . html Thirty-five bird carcasses were found on surveys conducted from March 2004 through November 2004 (Table 1). Surveys were not done in September and December. The season average is therefore 2.43 car- casses per survey which, based on an area of approximately 0.078 km^, extrapolates to 31 birds/kmL Based on linear distance traveled, the 2004 Shell Key deposition rate was 0.96 birds per km. This rate is con- siderably higher than 0.21 birds per km on southern Massachusetts’s beaches in 2003-2004 (Harris et ah, in press), but is in line with the deposition rate of 1.00 bird per km found on Florida’s Gulf Coast from 1975-1983 (Simons 1985). In our study Laughing Gulls comprised ap- proximately 63% of the total, with Black Skimmers and Brown Peli- cans {Pelecanus occidentalis) adding another 11% and 9%, respectively. Numbers of bird carcasses increased during late summer and fall (Fig. 2) largely due to increased numbers of dead Laughing Gulls (Table 1). Eight of the 35 birds, all Laughing Gulls, showed signs of predation as the cause of death. These birds were found during August through No- vember surveys, a time when migrating raptors are common along the southwest Florida coasts. Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus), Mer- lins {Falco columbarius), Sharp-shinned and Coopers Hawks (Accipiter striatus and A. cooperii) and a pair (male and female) of Northern Har- Table 1. Shell Key Beached Bird Survey, 2004 summary data. Date # Beached birds Species 28 March 1 Green Heron {Butorides virescens) 18 April 1 Common Loon {Gavia immer) 29 April 2 Black Skimmer 12 May 2 1 Brown Pelican^ 1 Black Skimmer 25 May 0 22 June 2 1 Black Skimmer, 1 Laughing Gull 11 July 2 1 Laughing Gull, 1 Royal Tern^ 21 July 2 1 Laughing Gull, 1 live Laughing Gull (died enroute) 1 August 5 4 Laughing Gulls, 1 Brown Pelican 11 August 3 2 Laughing Gulls, 1 Brown Pelican 22 August 4 2 Laughing Gulls, 2 Royal Terns ^ 3 October 5 5 Laughing Gulls (took third for necropsyj 17 October 4 3 Laughing Gulls, 1 unidentified 14 November 2 2 Laughing Gulls ^Bird carcass transferred to FWRI for necropsy and brevetoxin analysis. Vargo etal. — Beached Bird Surveys 25 Shell Key Beached Bird Survey |2004| S 5 1 * ■» m ^ m Q 2 1 0 Date Figure 2. The seasonal distribution of beached bird carcasses found during the 2004 Shell Key Preserve surveys. IttIf iiiiiiin \ %. % \ % \ % % \ % % % \ riers (Circus cyaneus) were seen on Shell Key during the fall months (pers. comm., Shell Key volunteers). A Laughing Gull found on 22 June and a Brown Pelican found on 11 August were the only two birds with fishing gear problems. The Laughing Gull was captured alive with a hook in its bill and monofila- ment line entangling its wings. After removing the line and hook it was checked for injury, found to be healthy and released. The Brown Peli- can was in an advanced state of decomposition and was totally entan- gled in monofilament fi.shing line. Six of the 35 bird carcasses were found next to one or more ghost crab (Ocypode quadrata) burrows. In each case crab tracks were seen leading directly to the carcass, suggesting that this crab species, which is a scavenger, uses dead birds as a resource. Most carcasses were found along the northwest coast of Shell Key (Fig. 1). The area around this northwest point is a roosting area for many species of birds and is also a nesting zone for Black Skimmers and other species. Tidal cur- rents converge around this point so it may also be a depositional site for carcasses that are carried onto the beach from other areas. Five carcasses were fresh enough to contain sufficient organs and tissues for brevetoxin analysis. The ELISA method we used detects all forms of brevetoxin and has a limit of detection of approximately 10 ng/g of tissue. Most samples were below the detection limits of the assay (Ta- ble 2) but tissues from two Royal Terns and the kidney from one Laugh- ing Gull returned positive results. The positive values in Table 2 should be viewed with caution as the results have not been analytically con- 26 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Table 2. Levels of brevetoxin (PbTx) found in various tissues of bird carcasses collected on Shell Key during the 2004 beach surveys. Species Date collected Tissue PbTx (ng/g) Brown Pelican 12 May Brain, lung, spleen Stomach contents, kidney A11
). Regional compilers are Bruce H. Anderson (2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, Florida 32792; ), John H. Boyd III (15291 SW 108th Terrace, Miami, Florida 33196, ), Bob and Lucy Duncan (614 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561, ), Charlie Ewell (115 SW 51st Terrace, Cape Coral, Flor- ida 33991, ), Bev Hansen (6573 Pine Meadows Drive, Spring Hill, Florida 34606; ), Gail Menk (2725 Peachtree Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32304; no email), Paul Miller (Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, 33104 NW 192nd Avenue, Okeechobee, Florida 34972; ), David Powell (10800 Brighton Bay Boulevard NE, Apartment 15207, St. Petersburg, Florida 33716; ), and Peggy Powell (2965 Forest Circle, Jacksonville, Florida 32257; ). ^ V. „..y- *■ .-!i.i>i»9-#)'ftii<(KBW#iC'.*oM 'i^T .; 6, .;.•■•■ fv ,/.■:/ -fe.-f' L: ■■.•■'■';.''rai4-*-i;ySiiiW#.-» ,r. ..... ..u ., , k;... .. h r' "■ "Jgil : : ■’ •'>'• ‘^UiV ' TM ‘■■Mi'is. *' .*:.u i It..5j^ ,:. I^BK .. , t-i . . ■‘d “1'---.;. .'c; ■ i-i»' ''^vJ-.<^.. !• :,■' ' ■-!';.; I, ,■.•-■• ' VI .>w..»... '1 v.^-. ■ -f >..»-; “ ^ -' .' ■•»>f»r.vv; t'-'-ii'‘ I* ..y - "•'' 'k'-*. ^ • ’i' - .-■ • ‘"./W-'r' .•- ■ ^•ilfll>-\ > ■' ' : * ;iV V' ;< ■' ,, ..... . *|Mlil«vr(.r^..>-lj^ y,**>*^ \ '■■■! A.V- hi- .' ^-■^1 L^> ./, ■ ■\i<- .''•;;«'t5^‘| .^v .'-■ .' • ;>'■:!.,■*-<► '“'.■i»^!^'^!^,'*" ■■'*!*•'*• 'i.V •/! An* 'i**-;'t.‘jfv.»-,l. ■ ‘ - "> * •■ - • ■''vil i A- »'i‘' .fV. •4 fW ', ■ ■■ ) I or it f- , U’.- ' ' ! I..‘ ^ ■. ^ 4 . ■4A^f iW* \ iw»»! V. » *■ ’:|»»:«n%i ( 'cHl^ t •fV.^Wk-' ^ *■•.*>; P- ‘ f^if *• i I lf I I I|M ( •'iH'V.iu • • -• i Florida Field Naturalist ISSN 0738-999X PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Editor: JEROME A. JACKSON, Whitaker Center, Arts & Sciences, Florida Gulf Coast Uni- versity, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Fort Myers, FL 33965. E-mail: picus ©fgcu.edu Associate Editor (for Reviews): Reed Bowman, Archbold Biological Station, RO. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33852. E-mail: RBowman@archbold-station.org Associate Editor (for bird distribution): BRUCE ANDERSON, 2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, FL 32792. E-mail: scizortail@aol.com Editor of the Ornithological Newsletter: TOM PALMER, 1805 26th Street, N.W, Win- ter Haven, FL 33881. E-mail: tomp47@yahoo.com Editor of Special Publications: Reed F. Noss, Davis-Shine Professor of Conservation Biology, University of Central Florida, Department of Biology, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816-2368. E-mail: rnoss@mail.ucf edu Web Page Editor: KURT Radamaker, 16313 E. Crystal Point Drive, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268. E-mail: webmaster@fosbirds.org INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS The Florida Field Naturalist is a fully refereed journal emphasizing biological field studies and observations of vertebrates, especially birds, in and near Florida and the nearby West Indies. We welcome submission of original manuscripts containing new information from these areas. We encourage electronic submission of manu- scripts. Please consult recent issues of the journal for style, especially noting 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 standardized English names for all birds, but lower case for English names of other organisms; (3) include metric units for all measurements; (4) use the form “7 June 2003” for all dates; (5) use the 24-hour clock for all indications of time (e.g., 0800, 1400); (6) use the following abbreviations: s (second), min (minute), h (hour); (7) preferentially use active voice. Submit manuscripts for Florida Field Naturalist to the Editor, Scott Robinson, Flor- ida Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 117800, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611; Phone: 352-392-1721, ext. 509; e-mail: srobinson@fimnh.ufi.edu. Monograph- length manuscripts may be submitted for consideration to Reed F. Noss, Editor of Spe- cial Publications. Books and other materials for review should be submitted to: Reed Bowman, Associate Editor for Reviews. Field Observations should be submitted to the Chair of the Field Observations Committee, Bill Pranty. Reports of rare birds in Florida should be submitted to the Managing Secretary of the FOS Records Committee, Reed Bowman. Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 34, No. 1 February 2006 Pages 1-35 CONTENTS ARTICLE First record of the Varied Bunting from Florida. Glen E. Woolfenden and Michelle van Deventer ................................................... 1-3 A non-indigenous wading bird breeding in the Florida Everglades: the Sacred Ibis. Garth Herring, Erynn Call, and Mark D. Johnston 4-8 Wading birds, shorebirds, and waterfowl in rice fields within the Everglades Agricultural Area. S. E. Townsend, E. V. Pearlstine, F. J. Mazzotti, and C. W. Deren ....................... 9-20 Beached bird surveys on Shell Key, Pinellas County, Florida. Gabriel A. Vargo, Karen Atwood, Michelle van Deventer, and Rebecca Harris...... 21-27 FIELD OBSERVATIONS Summer report: June-July 2005 Bill Pranty 28-35 Si^ Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 34, No. 2 May 2006 Pages 37-68 FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Founded 1972 OFFICERS President: JACK Hailman, 143 Beacon Lane, Jupiter FL 33469. E-mail: jhailman@wisc,edu Vice President: SuSAN B. WHITING, 3901 SE St. Lucie Blvd. #54, Stuart, FL 34997. E- mail: SooSprey@aol.com Secretary: PAMELA J. BoWEN, 309 Moonstone Dr., East Palatka, FL 32131. E-mail: PJBowen@aol.com Treasurer: DEAN JUE, 3455 Dorchester Court, Tallahassee, FL 32312-1300. E-mail: djue@admin.fsu.edu Editor, Florida Field Naturalist: JEROME A. JACKSON, Whitaker Center, Arts & Sci- ences, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Fort Myers, FL 33965. 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The permanent address of the Florida Ornithological Society is Department of Ornithology, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611. The Florida Ornithological Society web site can be found at www.fosbirds.org THIS PUBLICATION IS PRINTED ON NEUTRAL PH PAPER Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VOL. 34, No. 2 May 2006 PAGES 37=68 Florida Field Naturalist 34(2):37=47, 2006. APPLE SNAIL DENSITIES IN HABITATS USED BY FORAGING SNAIL KITES Philip C. Darby\ Robert E. Bennetts^’^, AND LAKSIRI B. KARUNARATNE^ ^Department of Biology, University of West Florida 11000 University Parkway, Pensacola, Florida 32514 pdarhy@uwfedu ^US. Geological Survey, Florida Integrated Science Centers 7920 NW 7P^ St., Gainesville, Florida 32653 ^Current address: US. Department of Interior National Park Service, Greater Yellowstone Network 1648 South 7^^Ave., Bozeman, Montana 59717 Abstract,— Despite their dietary specialization and endangered status, the use of wetland habitats by Snail Kites (Rostrhamus sociabilis) has not been associated with a range of densities of its exclusive prey, the Florida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa). We present data that suggest to us that the conservation and management of the network of wetlands that supports kites requires an assessment of snail density as well as relying on Snail Kite behavior and hydrology as has been done in the past. We report snail densities in wet-prairie habitats estimated from field surveys in 1995-2004 in association with presence/absence data on foraging kites. In 2002-2003 we also measured snail densities and associated numbers of foraging kites in a systematic survey in two wetland units of the Everglades. There was a positive association between snail density and the number of foraging kites (Spearman r = 0.67, n - 12, P = 0.016). Our data also suggest that kites, at least at some scales, choose areas in which to forage partly based on snail density. Both the presence/absence data and systematic kite survey data suggest that snail densities <0.14 snails/m^do not support foraging kites. Here we report a range of snail densities typical of wet-prairie habitats within which kites were observed foraging successfully. We conclude with recommendations that habitat quality assessments for Snail Kites and other snail predators should include density estimates for apple snails, because observa- tions of low (or no) predator use do not necessarily reflect a low density of prey. Snail Kites (Rostrhamus sociabilis) are raptors that hunt for prey in wetland habitats in South and Central America, Cuba, and Florida (Sykes et aL 1995). All three recognized subspecies, R. s. plumbeus, 37 38 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST R. s. sociabilis, and R. s. major, rely on several species of Pomacea snails for food, although alternative prey such as freshwater crabs may be a significant portion of their diet, e.g., as much as 25% for kites for- aging in South America (Beissinger 1990). In Florida only one subspe- cies of Snail Kite (R. s. plumbeus) exists as a single closed population (Bennetts and Kitchens 1997) and it appears to rely much less on alter- native prey compared to the species’ populations farther south (Sykes and Kale 1974, Beissinger 1990, Sykes et al. 1995). Since only one na- tive species of apple snail occurs in Florida {Pomacea paludosa), much of what we can learn about Florida Snail Kites and their conservation could be obtained through understanding the distribution and abun- dance of this one prey species while avoiding subjective interpretations regarding prey choice and availability common to most predators (see Johnson 1980). It seems surprising that no data have been reported that relate snail density to the distribution and abundance of kites in Florida, especially given that R. s. plumbeus has been listed as endan- gered for over 35 years (Sykes et al. 1995). Lack of data on Florida apple snails in habitats used by kites likely stems from the difficulty (in time and labor) of estimating snail density in wetlands (Darby et al. 1999). As an alternative to direct measures of snail abundance, apparent spatial and temporal variation in snail abundance have been made indirectly through hydrology and observa- tions of kites, especially their response to drying events (Steiglitz and Thompson 1967, Sykes 1979, Beissinger 1988, 1995). This link, how- ever, appears to have had limited value as we have accumulated evi- dence on snail demographics. First, calls to avoid drying events in support of kites were premised on unsubstantiated evidence that dry downs directly kill apple snails (see Darby et al. 2003). We now know that adult-sized snails survive at a rate of 100% to 75% after 1 month to 3 months in dry marsh conditions (Darby and Percival 2000), which is consistent with dry down tolerance in other Pomacea snails (Cowie 2002). Therefore, not all drying events have substantial impacts on snails. Second, although snails in dry marsh become temporarily un- available to foraging kites (Sykes 1979), the reported departure of kites from dry wetland habitats (Takekawa and Beissinger 1989) may refiect limitations of their foraging behavior, not necessarily a decrease in snail density. Third, the highly nomadic Snail Kite (see Bennetts and Kitch- ens 1997) has been shown to leave one wetland to explore the potential forage base of another, even though foraging success decreased after the move (Bennetts and Kitchens 2000). This suggests that kite departures and arrivals to and from different wetlands, even in the absence of dry- ing events, tells us little about relative snail abundance. Even if some aspects of kite foraging (e.g., capture rates) could be linked to snail den- sity, natural resource managers should not have to depend on kite use Darby ET al.—Snml Densities in Kite Habitats 39 in any particular time frame as an indicator of habitat quality (i.e., an absence of kites does not mean an absence of snails). Clearly, effective conservation of this endangered raptor requires that we have data on the density and distribution of their nearly exclusive prey. After eight years of method development and testing hypotheses regarding the effects of hydrology and habitat structure on snail de- mography we can now report several snail density estimates from ar- eas in which Snail Kites were observed foraging. As an indication of what constitutes an insufficient forage base, we also have snail density estimates from nearby sites within the same wetland units where we did not see kites. In 2004, we also conducted a small scale quantitative assessment of the relationship between snail density and the number of foraging kites in two wetland units designated as critical habitat by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 1977 (Federal Register 42: 40685- 40688). These data provide, for the first time, a range of snail densities in which foraging Snail Kites can be found, and some indication as to a minimum snail density sufficient to support foraging Snail Kites. Study Sites and Methods Study sites. — We sampled snail density and observed foraging Snail Kites from 1995 to 2004 in 30 sites in five wetlands throughout the range of the Florida Snail Kite popu- lation as reported by Bennetts and Kitchens (1997) (Fig. 1), All sampling sites were wet- prairie habitats characterized as shallow marsh dominated by emergent macrophytes such as grasses, sedges, rushes, and other wetland plants with stems and leaves above water level (Loveless 1959). Emergent vegetation of the littoral zone of Lake Kissimmee consisted primarily of Panicum hemitomon, Panicum repens, and Pontederia cordata. The remaining wetlands sampled were shallow marshes dominated by Eleocharis spp. and Panicum hemitomon. The Blue Cypress Water Management Area (BCWMA) is part of the Upper St. Johns River basin. Water Conservation Area 3A (WCA3A) and WCAl are impounded units within the Everglades ecosystem. WCAl resides within the bound- aries of the A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (LNWR). We also sampled in LNWR impoundments (IM) C6, C7 and C8 that are managed to attract wetland avi- fauna for viewing by the general public. Estimates of snail density.— Apple snail densities were estimated using a l-m^ x 60- cm high throw trap sampled with dip nets as per Darby et al. (1999). Once the throw trap was placed over the vegetation, it was quickly pushed down into the substrate to prevent snails from escaping. All plants were removed from the trap and the uprooted material was searched thoroughly for snails. Traps were then swept 20 times with dip nets. If an apple snail was collected, the sweeps count would start over until 20 clean sweeps were completed. After sweeping with dip nets, the trap was searched by hand for 30 seconds to find any snails that might have fallen into depressions left by uprooting vegetation or that were pushed up against the trap walls. We estimated the capture probability of snails by randomly placing from 0-3 marked snails in each trap prior to disturbance of the vegetation. Whether or not marked snails had been placed in the trap and/or the number of marked snails were unknown to everyone but the person who had placed them in order to minimize observer expectancy bias (Balph and Balph 1983, Darby et al. 1999). The reported snail density estimates were adjusted for capture prob- ability by dividing the mean raw density estimate by the mean capture probability for a 40 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Locations Approximate Not to Scale Figure 1. Location of wetland units and sites sampled for snail density esti- mates reported. Dark gray areas represent critical habitat as designated by USFWS (see text). Sampling sites are represented as black dots (in some cases representing two nearby sites) with more detailed representation of sites in WCA3A (letter designations), WCAl (letter designations) and LNWR impound- ments (C6-C8). given site. Standard errors for adjusted snail density estimates were calculated based on Loery et al. (1997) as presented in Bennetts et al. (2006). Counts of foraging Snail Kites. — For 12 out of the 30 sites, we only had a record of the presence or absence of foraging Snail Kites documented by crews sampling for snails, and therefore no indication as to the number of unique individuals (i.e., no sys- tematic count was done). These include three sites in Lake Kissimmee, two sites in Darby ET AL— Snail Densities in Kite Habitats 41 BCWMA, and seven sites in LNWR (including four in WCAl). These data are reported separately and were not included in the test for an association between numbers of for- aging kites and snail density. For the remaining 18 sites in WCA3A and WCAl sampled in 2002-2003, we have a record of the number of individual kites foraging at one time. We estimated the number of Snail Kites within a 1- km^ area centered on each of our snail sampling sites during the same period in which we collected snail abundance data. Snail kites are conspicuous and relatively habituated to airboats. Thus, given the open habitat and relatively small size of our sampling units, we were able to conduct what we believe was a reasonable “census” (i.e., complete count) at each site, using systematic transects conducted by airboat. Using a global positioning system (GPS) for guidance, transects were spaced approxi- mately 200 m apart. Conducting an entire survey required approximately 30 minutes to complete. Under these conditions, kites could be observed with little difficulty. The short time interval and small spatial scale made it unlikely that we double counted. Given these conditions, we do not believe that estimation of detection probabilities (e.g., using distance sampling) was warranted. In most cases, the number counted also corresponded well to the number of nests we documented to be in the area. The exceptions to this were a few sites that had no known nests, but a small (1 or 2) number of foraging kites. Only the data from the 2002-2003 seasons in WCA3A and WCAl were included in a quantitative analysis of kite counts and snail density since all the other data were only records of Snail Kite presence or absence. We used Spearman rank correlation to test for a positive association between the number of foraging Snail Kites and snail density. Results Snail density estimates (adjusted for capture probability) ranged from 0 to 1.8 snails per m^ (Tables 1 and 2). We did not observe foraging kites at any location with snail densities at or below 0.14 snails per m^. We observed only one Snail Kite foraging in WCAl in the two years we sampled (2002-2004), and this site had the highest snail density esti- mated for WCAl (Table 1). Conversely the two sites in WCA3A with the lowest densities of snails are the only two sites sampled in which we did not observe foraging kites in WCA3A. During our systematic 1- km^ surveys, densities of foraging kites >5 per km^ were only observed where snail densities exceeded 0.25 snails/mL Our analysis from the systematic surveys in WCA3A indicated a positive association between the number of foraging Snail Kites and apple snail densities (Spearman r = 0.67, n = 12, P = 0.016) (Fig. 2). If WCAl were included in this analysis, the association is stronger (Spearman r = 0.85, n = 18, P < 0.001). However, 5 of 6 sites sampled in WCAl had no foraging kites and very few snails; therefore, the stron- ger association may be strongly influenced by the overall low densities of snails we have observed in WCAl. The presence-absence Snail Kite records from seven other sites in LNWR support the assertion that LNWR (including WCAl) has a relatively low forage base (Table 2). Sites from other wetlands in which we sampled snails and that sup- ported foraging kites (Lake Kissimmee, BCWMA) consistently had densities >0.14 snails/m^ (Table 2). 42 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Table 1. The number of foraging Snail Kites per km^ and associated apple snail densities per in WCAl (letter designated sites) and WCA3A (number desig- nated sites). Wetland Site Year Foraging Kites Snail Density Mean ± SE WCAl A 2002 0 0.00 ± 0.00 WCAl F 2003 0 0.01 ± 0.01 WCAl D 2003 0 0.01 ± 0.01 WCAl E 2003 0 0.03 ± 0.01 WCA3A 11 2003 0 0.10 ± 0.01 WCA3A 3 2002 0 0.13 ± 0.02 WCAl B 2002 0 0.14 ± 0.01 WCA3A 6 2002 4 0.18 ± 0.02 WCA3A 2 2002 2 0.20 ± 0.04 WCAl C 2002 2 0.22 ± 0.01 WCA3A 1 2002 2 0.25 ± 0.04 WCA3A 14 2003 14 0.32 ± 0.01 WCA3A 5 2002 4 0.38 ± 0.06 WCA3A 15 2003 7 0.61 ± 0.03 WCA3A 13 2003 8 0.89 ± 0.03 WCA3A 12 2003 1 1.04 ± 0.03 WCA3A 16 2003 15 1.18 ± 0.04 WCA3A 10 2002 12 1.77 ± 0.25 Discussion The positive association between the number of foraging Snail Kites and snail density was not surprising given the nearly exclusive reliance of this raptor on a single prey At the extreme, we would not expect kites to commonly attempt to forage in habitats devoid of snails. Although our quantitative assessment of kite foraging was limited to two wetland units (WCA3A and WCAl), our data do support the idea Table 2. 1995-2004 records of foraging Snail Kite presence/absence in sites for which we have snail density estimates. Wetland Site Year Foraging Kites Snail Density Mean ± SE LNWR IMC6 2004 0 0.00 ± 0.00 LNWR IMC7 2004 0 0.00 ± 0.00 WCAl KN3 2004 0 0.03 ± 0.01 WCAl KN4 2004 0 0.08 ± 0.01 LNWR IMC8 2004 0 0.09 ± 0.01 WCAl KNl 2004 0 0.12 ±0.01 WCAl KN2 2004 0 0.12 ±0.01 LKISS 7 2002 >1 0.16 ±0.04 BCWMA 1 1996 >1 0.22 ± 0.03 LKISS 2 2002 >1 0.29 ± 0.01 BCWMA 2 1996 >1 0.60 ± 0.08 LKISS 5 1995 >1 0.92 ± 0.18 Darby ET AL.— Snail Densities in Kite Habitats 43 Snails / Figure 2. Number of Snail Kites counted within 1 km^ in Water Conservation Area 3A in relation to the mean number of apple snails per m^ of prairie habitat. that at a regional scale Snail Kites concentrate in wetland areas with higher snail density (WCA3A). Although food abundance has been linked to habitat use at a broad scale, once in an area there may be habitat attributes that affect availability that dictate forage patch se- lection at a more refined scale (Orians and Wittenberger 1991). Ben- netts et al. (2006) showed that Snail Kites captured fewer snails from habitat patches with relatively dense vegetative structure and high snail densities compared to more open habitat with similar or lower snail densities. Avoidance of more dense structure reflected lower visi- bility of the water surface associated with higher stem densities and/or structural attributes of different macrophytes (see Bennetts et al. 2006). In this study, we purposefully limited our analyses to habitats with similar structure (moderate stem density wet prairie) to control for characteristics of habitat that might affect vulnerability of snails to predation by kites. Therefore, the numbers of foraging kites were most likely related to snail densities and not to accessibility to the snails. The snail densities estimated during this study fall within the range reported in previous studies (Darby et al. 1999, 2004). Among all our data reported here and elsewhere, we have rarely encountered 44 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST snail densities >1.5/m2. The exceptions include three sites on Lake Kissimmee in 1995 (Darby et al. 2004) and some spring fed rivers north of the kite’s current range (Carrao et al. 2006), [Historically Snail Kites had been documented near springs of the Florida panhandle (Sykes 1984).] In addition, in all sampling efforts from 1996“2003, we consis^ tently found one or more sites in WCA3A with >1.0 snail per m^ (Darby et al. 1997, 1999, this study). Snail Kites have consistently foraged and established nests in WCA3A during the period to which our density data apply (J. Martin, V. Dreitz and W. Kitchens, U.S. Geological Sur- vey, Gainesville, FL, unpublished data). In contrast, it appears overall that WCAl supports relatively lower snail densities and, based on our own observations, little to no kite use. This is consistent with the over- all less frequent use of WCAl by Snail Kites for either foraging or nest- ing indicated by USFWS reports (USFWS A.R.M. Loxahatchee Annual Narrative Reports 1996-2004) as compared to kite surveys in WCA3A in the same period (J. Martin, V. Dreitz and W. M. Kitchens, unpub- lished data). Based on Sykes (1984) and Bennetts (unpublished data), the relatively greater concentration of kites nesting and foraging in WCA3A compared to WCAl has been consistent since the 1970s. Our data suggest that a density of fewer than approximately 0.14 snails per m^ may be a minimum threshold to support one or more for- aging kites. Although we could have reported many other sites contain- ing snails that did not contain kites, the data from which we estimated this threshold were from sites near those in which we found foraging kites over the observation period. In other words, kites were in the vi- cinity and low snail density sites were well within the range of routine kite movements. Sykes et al. (1995) estimated that most kites forage within 2 km of their nest and daily flight distances measured by Darby et al. (1996) were frequently between 2 and 5 km on Lake Kissimmee and in WCA3A. Our systematic counts included Site 3 in WCA3A, a low snail-density site with no foraging kites, which was 3.5 and 4.8 km from Sites 1 and 2, respectively, where kites were foraging. Similarly, Site C, the only WCAl site with foraging kites, was 2.5 km from Site B, a low snail-density site with no foraging kites. Casual observation of kites over several months in WCA3A (no record for WCAl) following our systematic counts were consistent with the data; kites were still in the vicinity, but not observed in site 3. We recognize that our data do not reflect systematic tracking of kite movements coupled to snail den- sities from locations selected for foraging compared to those passed over; this would require an intensive effort of sampling for snails nearly impossible to achieve with our equipment and personnel. How- ever, both the systematic counts and presence/absence records for sev- eral wetland units consistently show kites foraging in sites with snail density >0.14 snails/m^, but not in sites with lower snail densities. We ETAL— Snail Densities in Kite Habitats 45 see these data as a preliminary indication of what constitutes a suffi- cient forage base. In addition, our data suggest that a sufficient snail supply for several nesting pairs of kites, pertinent given their charac- terization as loosely colonial nesters (Sykes et aL 1995), would be ap- proximately 0.25 snails per m^. Caution should be exercised with respect to interpreting kite use of an area as any indication of relative snail abundance or habitat quality in general. Although there was a positive association between foraging kites and snail density, we observed several kites foraging in a rela- tively low snail-density site (WCA3A Site 6), and only one kite foraging in a site with snail density >1.0/m2. The movement patterns of these raptors reflect nomadic tendencies that do not necessarily reflect forag- ing conditions. At any one time there most likely exist many high snail- density sites that for a variety of reasons simply had not yet been dis- covered by foraging kites. Once kites establish a nest, which some in our survey had done, movements may be constrained by the need for making frequent visits to feed brooding mates and hatchlings. As such birds may forage in areas with lower snail density than they might oth- erwise if not constrained by parental duties. Short-term observations of kites foraging in low-density sites may also reflect the period of time required for kites to assess low profitability before moving to a more productive foraging site (Bourne 1985). For these reasons, we in no way want to suggest that observations of Snail Kites are reliable indicators of relative snail abundance between different locations. The temporal and spatial scales at which Snail Kite movements and demography occur far exceed the scale represented by snail density estimates reported here and elsewhere over the past 10 years. Although a more reliable assessment of habitat quality for kites, estimating snail density may simply be too labor and time intensive to be a routine (i.e., seasonal or even annual) component of a monitoring program tied to wetlands habitat management for a species as mobile as the kite. Mon- itoring kite use of any particular wetland unit certainly does provide some indication of habitat suitability; i.e., successful foraging and nest- ing tells us that a sufficient forage base exists. However, it is equally clear that kite use alone does not reflect relative habitat quality among sites or within a site over time, especially if we consider differences in habitat structure. As we continue to test hypotheses regarding hydrol- ogy and habitat structure on snails and how these ultimately affect Snail Kite foraging success, we can identify a range of hydrologic condi- tions and plant community types that reflect relative habitat quality for these species (e.g.. Darby and Percival 2000, Karunaratne 2004, Ben- netts et al. 2006). Ultimately, however, snail density estimates will be an essential component of conceptual and quantitative models to under- stand kite demography, movements and habitat use. 46 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST We have reported a range of snail densities typical of wet prairie habitats within which kites were observed foraging successfully. In ad- dition, we now have some indication of a density below which kites ap- pear to find an area unprofitable in terms of hunting for snails. We recommend that habitat quality assessments associated with manage- ment and restoration efforts in support of Snail Kites and other snail predators include sampling for apple snails, because a observations of low (or no) predator use do not necessarily reflect a low density of prey. Acknowledgments This research was funded through grants from the US. Fish and Wildlife Service, US. Geological Survey, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Wildlife Foundation, St. John’s River Water Management District and South Florida Water Man- agement District. We appreciate the field assistance of Tanya Alverez, Amy Busch, Jessica (Cerveny) Karunaratne, Sara LaPorte, Jason Liddle, Jennifer (DuPree) Liddle, Dave Mel- low, Donald Napier, Alex Ren, Steven Slack, Tiffany Trent and Patricia Valentine-Darby. Literature Cited Balph, D. F., and M. H. Balph. 1983. On the psychology of watching birds: the problem of observer-expectancy bias. Auk 100:755-757. Beissinger, S. R. 1983. Hunting behavior, prey selection, and energetics of Snail Kites in Guyana: consumer choice by a specialist. Auk 100:84-92. Beissinger, S. R. 1988. Snail Kite. Pages 148-165, in R. S. Palmer (ed.), Handbook of North American Birds. Vol. 4, Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. Beissinger, S. R. 1990. Alternative foods for a diet specialist, the Snail Kite. Auk 107:327-333. Bennetts, R. E., P. C. Darby, and L. B. Karunaratne. 2006. Foraging habitat selection by Snail Kites in response to prey abundance and vegetation structure. Waterbirds (in press). Bennetts, R. E., and W. M. Kitchens. 1997. Population dynamics and conservation of Snail Kites in Florida: The importance of spatial and temporal scale. Colonial Water- birds 20:324-329. Bennetts, R. E., and W. M. Kitchens, 2000. Factors influencing movement probabili- ties of a nomadic food specialist: proximate foraging benefits or ultimate gains from exploration. Oikos 91:459-467. Bourne, G. R. 1985. The role of profitability in Snail Kite foraging. Journal of Animal Ecology 54:697-709. CORRAO, N. M., P. C. Darby, and C. M. Pomory. 2006. Nitrate impacts on the Florida apple snail, Pomacea paludosa. Hydrobiologia (in press). COWIE, R. H. 2002. Apple snails (Ampullariidae) as agricultural pests: their biology, im- pacts and management. Pages 145-192 in G. M. Barker (ed.), Molluscs as Crop Pests. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, United Kingdom. Darby, P. C., J. D. Croop, R. E. Bennetts, P. L. Valentine-Darby, and W. M. Kitch- ens. 1999. A comparison of sampling techniques for quantifying abundance of the Flor- ida apple snail {Pomacea paludosa, SAY). Journal of Molluscan Studies 65:195-208, Darby, P. C., and H. F. Percival. 2000. Dry down tolerance of the Florida apple snail {Pomacea paludosa Say): effects of age and season. Final Report submitted to US Geological Survey, Miami, FL. Darby £;rAL.— Snail Densities in Kite Habitats 47 Darby, P. C., P. L. Valentine-Darby, R. E. Bennetts, J. D. Croop, H. F. Percival, AND W. M. Kitchens. 1997. Ecological studies of apple snails. Final report submitted to the South Florida and St. Johns River Water Management Districts. Special Pub- lication SJ98-SP6, Palatka, FL. Darby, P. C., P. L. Valentine-Darby, and H. F. Percival. 2003. Dry season survival in a Florida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa Say) population. Malacologia 45:179-184. Darby, P. C., P. L. Valentine-Darby, H. F. Percival, and W. M. Kitchens. 2004. Flor- ida apple snail {Pomacea paludosa) responses to lake habitat restoration activity. Ar- chiv fiir Hydrobiologie 161:561-575. Johnson, D. H. 1980. The comparison of usage and availability measurements for eval- uating resource preference. Ecology 61:65-71. Karunaratne, L. B. 2004. Effects of habitat structure on apple snail (Pomacea paludosa Say) densities in the Everglades. M.S. Thesis, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL. Loery, G., J. Nichols, and J. D. Hines. 1997. Capture-recapture analysis of a wintering Black-capped Chickadee population in Connecticut, 1958 1993. Auk 114:431-442. Loveless, C. M. 1959. A study of the vegetation in the Florida Everglades. Ecology 40:1-9. Orians, G. H., and j. F. Wittenberger 1991. Spatial and temporal scales in habitat se- lection. American Naturalist 137(Suppl.):S29-S49. Steiglitz, W. O., and R. L. Thompson. 1967. Status and life history of the Everglades Kite in the United States. USDI Special Science Report Wildlife No. 109. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Washington, DC. Sykes, P. W. 1979. Status of the Everglade Kite in Florida — 1968-1978. Wilson Bulletin 91:495-511. Sykes, P. W. 1984. The range of the Snail Kite in Florida and its history in Florida. Bul- letin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences. 29:211-264. Sykes, P. W., and H. W. Kale. 1974. Everglade Kites feed on nonsnail prey. Auk 91:818- 820. Sykes, P. W., J. A. Rodgers, and R. E. Bennetts. 1995. Snail Kite {Rostrhamus soda- bilis). In A. Poole and F. Gill (eds.) The Birds of North America, No. 171. The Acad- emy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia and the American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Takekawa, j. E.,AND S. R. Beissinger. 1989. Cyclic drought, dispersal, and conserva- tion of the Snail Kite in Florida: Lessons in critical habitat. Conservation Biology 3:302-311. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1996-2004. Annual narrative report for A.R.M. Loxa- hatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Boynton Beach, FL. Florida Field Naturalist 34(2):48-51, 2006. BATS OF ARCHBOLD BIOLOGICAL STATION AND NOTES ON SOME ROOST SITES Jeffrey T. Hutchinson^ Archhold Biological Station, RO. Box 2057, Lake Placid, Florida 33862 Abstract. — Four species of bats were captured at Archbold Biological Station includ- ing evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis, n = 17), Brazilian free-tailed bats {Tadarida bra- siliensis, n = 17), northern yellow bats (Lasiurus intermedins, n = 13) and Seminole bats (Lasiurus seminolus, n - 2). Maternity roosts of northern yellow bats were documented in Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides), and a solitary adult male was observed nearby roosting under a palm frond in a cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto). A mixed colony of 254 Brazilian free-tailed and evening bats was observed using a large slash pine {Finns el- liottii) snag, representing one of the few documented records of Brazilian free-tailed bats using such a natural roost. Layne (1999) reports six species of bats from Archbold Biological Sta- tion (ABS) and surrounding area that include: big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus), northern yellow bats {Lasiurus intermedius), Seminole bats {Lasiurus seminolus), evening bats {Nycticeius humeralis), eastern pipis- trelles {Pipistrellus subflavus), and Brazilian free-tailed bats {Tadarida hrasiliensis). These species are considered common in Florida (Jennings 1958). With the exception of the Brazilian free-tailed bat, all bat species known from ABS use natural roosts at some period during the year (Bar- bour and Davis 1969). My objective through this study was to document the presence of bats in natural areas during the summer maternity period in south-central Florida and document their use of roost sites. Study Area and Methods This study was conducted at Archbold Biological Station (ABS) from April 2002 to September 2003. ABS is located approximately 120 km south of Orlando at the southern end of the Lake Wales Ridge. The climate of the area is characterized as sub-tropical with hot, wet summers and mild, dry winters with a mean annual temperature of 22°C (Winsberg 1990). Archbold Biological Station covers 2101 ha with approximately 95% comprised of undisturbed natural habitat in which the natural vegetation and hydrol- ogy has not been altered. The vegetation of ABS was described by Abrahamson et al. (1984) and consists primarily of xeric habitat, intermixed with seasonal wetlands and bayhead swamps. At ABS, ca. 83% of the land has been burned within the past 20 years with prescribed fire or from wildfires. Mist-netting was conducted from March-July of 2003 to coincide with the expected maternity period of bats. Mist nets (6.0, 9.0 and 12.0 m) were double stacked and placed across road corridors, trails, canopy gaps, and road rut ponds. In each location, four dou- ble-stacked mist-nets were placed perpendicular or parallel to one another. Around snags, ^Cnrrent address: Center for Aqnatic and Invasive Plants, University of Florida, 7922 NW 7F‘ Street, Gainesville, FL 32653; jthntchinson@ifas.nfl.edn. 48 Hutchinson— Bats of Archbold Biological Station 49 mist-nets were set in a triangular formation. Nets were raised at sunset and monitored for 1.5-2. 5 hours. Captured bats were weighed to the nearest 0.5 g, sexed, and aged. Roost searches were conducted randomly throughout the Station from April 2002 to October 2003, for about 3-4 hours per month. No systematic searches were conducted for roost sites, but efforts focused on areas with numerous snags, cabbage palms (Sabal palmetto), and large concentrations of Spanish moss {Tillandsia usneoides). Reports of bat roosts from field workers also were investigated. Bats occupying a roost site were verified by visual observation (Spanish moss and sable palm) or mist-netting (snags). The general characteristics of each roost were measured and include: roost type, host tree species (for Spanish moss roosts), diameter at breast height (for snags), roost height above ground, roost height to understory vegetation, length of roost (for Spanish moss roosts), width of roost (for Spanish moss roosts), distance to water, and distance to edge. Results Four species of bats were captured including evening (n = 17), north- ern yellow (n = 13), Brazilian free-tailed (n = 17), and Seminole (n = 2) bats. Adults and juveniles of each species were captured indicating that all four species rear young in the area. The reproductive period of preg- nancy (April-May), birth (late May), lactation (late May-June), and the young taking flight (late June) were synchronized among the four spe- cies. An average of 2.19 (SE = 1.79; Range 0 to 20) bats/hour were cap- tured. The highest capture rates were recorded in areas with large trees and canopy cover. No bats were captured in recently burned or open ar- eas with few large trees dominated by an understory of oaks <3 m. Maternity roost sites (n = 5) of northern yellow bats were located in Spanish moss hanging from sand live oaks {Quercus geminata) along a sandy fire-line adjacent to a 36.4 ha lake. All roost sites were located in a small buffer strip (8-20 m wide) of sand live oak and saw palmetto {Serenoa repens) between a sandy road and the lake. Roost height av- eraged 2.23 m (SE = 0.06) above the ground and 1.57 m (SE = 0.18) above the nearest vegetation. The average length and width of the roosts were 0.98 m (SE = 0.13) and 0.44 m (SE = 0.08), respectively. The clumps of Spanish moss used for roosting were about 2-3 times larger than other clumps of Spanish moss in the area. All roosts were within 1.06 m (SE = 0.35) of the sandy road and <11.0 m (SE = 2.40) from the lake. Change in roost site was common among the northern yellow bats roosting in Spanish moss. On one occasion, three females with non-vol- ant young were observed in separate roosts but none of the roosts was occupied the next day indicating the females used more than one roost. A maternity roost containing Brazilian free-tailed and evening bats was located in a slash pine {Pinus elliottii) snag created by a light- ning strike in an old field. The snag was 12.8 m in height and 51.0 cm in dbh. The upper-third of the main bole contained loose bark, multiple limbs, and woodpecker holes. Roost heights ranged between 6. 7-8.8 m with the bats using multiple roost locations in the upper portion of the 50 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST snag including loose bark, small fissures, and senescent limbs. Twelve juvenile Brazilian free-tailed and 3 juvenile evening bats were cap- tured in mist nets set around the snag on 28 July 2003. At least 10 more bats escaped from the nets before they could be removed. An emergence count conducted on 2 August 2003 revealed 254 bats (spe- cies undetermined) leaving the roost between 2020 and 2045. A male northern yellow bat roosted on the underside of a partially dead frond of a cabbage palm ca. 12 km northwest of ABS along the edge of Lake August in a residential lawn from 26-28 August 2003, The bat was resting on the brown portion of the frond, which provided ex- cellent cryptic coloration to the bat. Discussion The four species documented from this survey were reported to be the most common bats in southeast Florida (Hutchinson 2004). In general, the bat fauna of south Florida is low in diversity compared to other regions of the United States, possibly due to the lack of caves (Humphrey 1975). The eastern pipistrelle and big brown bats, both of which occur infrequently in the area (Layne 1992a,b; Hutchinson and Roberts 2001) were not cap- tured at ABS. The capture of Brazilian free-tailed bats from a snag repre- sents one of the few known uses of such a natural roost by this species in the southeastern United States. Lowery (1974) reported of hollow trees be- ing used by Brazilian free-tailed bats as maternity roosts in Louisiana. In the Southeast this species typically roosts in attics and other structures (Barbour and Davis 1969). Numerous snags in various stages of decay are present in the immediate area of the roost and bats have been reported from other nearby snags (Fred Lohrer, ABS, pers. comm.). Lewis (1995) suggested that foliage- and cavity-roosting bats are more likely to switch roosts more often than are cave- or structure- roosting species, because cave and structure roosts are more perma- nent. Northern yellow bats using Spanish moss switched roosts often during the maternity season and carried their non-volant young to al- ternative roosts, possibly to allow for different microclimate conditions. The location of roosts on the southwest side of the lake and the over- hanging limbs from the senescent sand live oaks shielded the roost from direct sunlight until late afternoon. All roosts were fully or partially shaded until ca. 1730 before being exposed to direct sunlight, which is about 3. 0-3. 5 hours before the bats take flight. Spanish moss also ap- pears to protect adults and young during periods of intense rainfall. The concomitant occurrence of the reproduction period of bats and the beginning of fire season in April may result in some mortality to bats that select roost sites in natural habitat. The least commonly cap- tured bat from the survey, the Seminole bat, is known to roost prima- Hutchinson— Bats of Akchbold Biological Station 51 rily near the tips of pine needles (Menzel et al. 1999), suggesting that prescribed or natural fire may impact populations or alter roost sites of this species as pine trees often suffer high damage or mortality during fires in the area. Bat mortality is most likely to occur during intense head fires that move rapidly, scorch the canopy, produce intense heat, and create large smoke plumes. The observations of Saugey et al. (1998) in Arkansas indicate that red bats (Lasiurus borealis) manage to evade slow moving back-fires. However, it is doubtful if a lactating female bat would have time to move more than one non-volant young during a rapid-moving head fire through scrub, scrubby fiatwoods, or fiatwoods habitat. Regardless, the use of prescribed fire during the growing season is the primary tool used by land managers in Florida to maintain habitat for listed species of flora and fauna. Further research using radio-telemetry may further reveal the impacts of fire on soli- tary- and colonial-roosting bats during growing season burns. Literature Cited Abrahamson, W. G., a. F. Johnson, J. N. Layne, and P. A. Peroni. 1984. Vegetation of the Archbold Biological Station, Florida: An example of the southern Lake Wales Ridge. Florida Scientist 47:209-250. Barbour, R. W., and W. H. Davis. 1969. Bats of America. University of Kentucky Press, Lexington. Humphrey, S. R, 1975. Nursery roosts and community diversity of Nearctic bats. Jour- nal of Mammalogy 56:321-346. Hutchinson, J. T. 2004. Bats of the sub-tropical climate of Martin and St. Lucie coun- ties, southeast Florida. Florida Scientist 67:205-215. Hutchinson, J. T., and R. E. Roberts. 2001. Notes on the eastern pipistrelle in south- east Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 29:54-55. Jennings, W. L. 1958. The ecological distribution of bats in Florida. Ph.D. dissertation. University of Florida, Gainesville. Layne, J. N. 1992a. Status of the eastern pipistrelle, Pipistrellus subflavus, at its south- ern limit in the eastern United States. Bat Research News 33:43-46. Layne, J. N. 1992b. Recent records of the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, in southern Florida. Bat Research News 33:1-3. Layne, J. N. 1999. Checklist of mammals of the Archbold Biological Station, Highlands County, Florida. Available on the web at: http://www.archbold-station.org/abs/data/ lists/mammlist.htm. Lewis, S. E. 1995, Roost fidelity of bats: a review. Journal of Mammalogy 76:481-496. Lowery, G. H. 1974. The mammals of Louisiana and its adjacent waters. Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge. Menzel, M. A., D. M. Krishon, T. C. Carter, and J. Laerm. 1999. Notes on tree roost characteristics of the northern yellow bat (Lasiurus intermedius), the Seminole bat (L. seminolus), the evening bat (Nycticeius humeralis), and the eastern pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus). Florida Scientist 62:185-193. Saugey, D. A., R. L. Vaughn, B. G. Crump, and G. A. Heidt. 1998. Notes on the natural history of Lasiurus borealis in Arkansas. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 52:92-97. WiNSBERG, M. D. 1990. Florida weather. University of Central Florida Press, Orlando. Florida Field Naturalist 34(2):52-53, 2006. NOTES A SPECIMEN OF A MIGRANT CLAPPER RAIL FROM THE INTERIOR OF SOUTHERN FLORIDA Glen E. Woolfendeni and Storks L. Olson^ ^Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid, Florida 33862 ^National Museum of Natural History, MRC 116 PO. Box 37012, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560 A specimen of the Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris) collected in the interior of the southern Florida peninsula adds further evidence that this maritime species at least oc- casionally occurs inland and that Atlantic Coast breeders may migrate across Florida to winter along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. On 13 September 2004, Matthew B. Toomey and Christopher Valligny, two students associated with Archbold Biological Station, collected a freshly dead specimen of a large Rallus, that had been impaled on a barbed wire fence in a small fresh-water marsh along the north side of highway SR 74 about 2 km east of road CR 731, near Rainey Slough in Glades County, Florida (lat 26°57’N, long 81°28’W). Glades County lies in the longitudinal middle of the Florida peninsula along the west shore of Lake Okeechobee. The individual (male, testes 7x3 mm), prepared as a study skin (GEW 5953), is in fresh Basic I plumage (Humphrey and Parkes 1959). The specimen is identifiable as a R. longirostris and not the similar fresh-water in- habiting R. elegans by the gray cheeks and margins of the dorsal feathers, and in lack- ing the russet lesser wing coverts of the latter species (Eddleman and Conway 1998). It is recognizable as the northernmost subspecies, R. 1. crepitans, which breeds along the Atlantic Coast from Connecticut to South Carolina by having the dorsal feathers with very light, almost bluish-gray margins with decidedly olivaceous centers. The belly and lower breast are white, with traces of fulvous wash only on the neck and upper breast. These fulvous feathers of the adult plumage include some that are still growing. The specimen is fully adult in size although it probably had been capable of flight for no more than two months. It represents the southernmost known occurrence for the sub- species R. 1. crepitans. Several other specimens provide evidence that some Atlantic Coast Clapper Rails {R. 1. crepitans and R. 1. waynei) winter along the Gulf Coast of Florida. For Gulf Coast counties, Crawford et al. (1983) list non-breeding specimens of R. 1. crepitans from Wakulla and Franklin counties and specimens of R. 1. waynei from Franklin and Pinel- las counties. Three specimens support the opinion that Atlantic Coast Clapper Rails reach the Gulf Coast by flying across northern and central peninsular Florida. One R. 1. crepitans was taken at the WDBO tower in Orange County in fall (11 September 1969), and two R. L waynei were taken at Tallahassee in Leon County, one in fall (6 October 1965), the other in spring (9 April 1980) (Crawford et al. 1983). R. 1. crepitans breeds on the Atlantic Coast far north of Florida, and the Glades county specimen was probably a migrant as opposed to a wanderer when collected (13 September 2004). The occurrence supports the idea that Atlantic Coast Clapper Rails migrate across peninsular Florida to winter along the east shore of the Gulf of Mexico, and extends the trans-peninsular migratory pathway farther south than previously known. The specimen (GEW 5953) is housed with the bird collections at Archbold Biological Station. We thank Andrew W. Kratter for lending specimens to GEW from the collec- tions at the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida. Notes 53 Literature Cited Eddleman, W. R., and C. J. Conway. 1998. Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris). In The birds of North America, No. 340 (A. Poole and R Gill, eds.). The Birds of North Amer- ica, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Crawford, R. L., S. L. Olson, and W. K. Taylor 1983. Winter distribution of subspe- cies of Clapper Rails (Rallus longirostris) in Florida with evidence for long-distance and overland movements. Auk 100:198-200. Humphrey, P. S., and K. C. Parkes. 1959. An approach to the study of molts and plum- ages. Auk 76:1-31. 54 Florida Field Naturalist 34(2):54, 2006. KILLING OF TUFTED TITMOUSE NESTLINGS BY A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER Christine Brown and Richard Poole 150 Essex Drive, Longwood, FL 32779 In March 2005 we placed two identically sized wooden nest boxes (15 x 14 cm with a 5.5 cm hole 21 cm from the bottom) 3.5 and 3.8 meters high, one on a slash pine (Pinus elliottii) and one on a laurel oak {Quercus laurifolia), 10.4 meters apart, in the backyard of a single family home in a subdivision in suburban Orange County, Florida. We moni- tored the boxes by using a ladder and opening the hinged top of each. On 12 April 2005, we observed an adult Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) in one of the boxes, and an Eastern Screech-Owl {Megascops asio) in the other. Two weeks later titmice were ob- served visiting the first box and feeding nestlings. A look inside the box on 3 May 2005 showed at least five young, looking fully feathered. Three days later, on 6 May 2005, we and the home-owner observed a commotion at the box from the house, with a titmouse clinging to the entrance hole. On reaching the foot of the tree we saw a young titmouse on the ground, which then flew uncertainly to a bush. Thinking that fledglings were emerging, we stayed to watch. At that point, a male Red-bellied Woodpecker {Melanerpes carolinus) flew from the box. We placed the young titmouse high at a fork of a tree. As we returned to the house to continue watching, a second fledgling flew from the ground to a tree. We watched over the course of another hour, during which time the woodpecker re- turned repeatedly to the box, calling and removing feathers from the nest. It also went to the box with the Eastern Screech-Owl, which contained three nestlings, and tapped at the entrance hole, but did not go in. The first fledgling titmouse eventually flew higher into a tree. On 10 May 2005 we again examined the box and two young titmice were found dead inside, each with puncture holes in its head. The titmice were not harmed by the owls that occupied the other box the entire time the titmice were incubating and feeding the young. Shackelford et al. (2000) and Hazier et al. (2004) report the Red-bellied Woodpecker as a predator of many animals but they did not report predation of Tufted Titmouse. Literature Cited Hazler, K. R., D. E. W. Drumtra, M. R. Matthew, R. J. Cooper and P. B. Hamel. 2004. Common, but commonly overlooked: Red-bellied Woodpeckers as songbird nest pred- ators. Southeastern Naturalist 3:467-474. Shackelford, C. E., R. E. Brown, and R. N. Conner. 2000. Red-bellied Woodpecker {Melanerpes carolinus). In A. Poole and F. Gill (eds.). The Birds of North America, No. 500. The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. 55 Florida Field Naturalist 34(2):55-68, 2006. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Fall Reporti August-November 2005. — This report consists of significant bird ob- servations compiled by the Field Observations Committee (FOC). 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 are found at the end of this report. We greatly prefer observations sent via e-mail. Sight-only observations are considered “reports” while only those supported by verifi- able evidence (photographs, video or audio tapes, or specimens) are called “records.” Species for which documentation is required by the FOS Records Committee (FOSRC; Bowman 2004, Fla. Field Nat. 32: 7-33) are marked here with an asterisk (*). A county designation (in italics) accompanies the first-time listing of each site in this report. Ab- breviations in this report are: CP = county park, EOS = end of season, NP = national park, NWR = national wildlife refuge, RA = restoration area, SP = state park, SRA = state recreation area, STF = sewage treatment facility, and N, S, E, W etc., for compass directions. Bold-faced species denote birds newly reported or verified in Florida, or record counts. Summary of the Fall Season For the second fall season in a row, Florida was ravaged by hurricanes, although not nearly as badly as 2004 — ^or farther west this year. Hurricanes Katrina (25-26, 29 Aug), Ophelia (7 Sep), Rita (20 Sep), and Wilma (24 Oct) all affected the state and its avi- fauna. Worst was Katrina, which heavily damaged the w. Panhandle coast while devas- tating New Orleans and environs, but Wilma also caused great damage in the Keys and s. peninsula. The Duncans report that the effects of multiple recent hurricanes are con- verting oak hammocks to oak scrub habitat along the w. Panhandle coast, while much of Flamingo, Everglades N.P was flattened by Wilma. FOSRC rarities reported this season were the Ross’s Goose at Lake Apopka; Manx Shearwater at New Smyrna Beach; two White-faced Ibises in the Panhandle; Zone- tailed Hawk at Curry Hammock; Lesser Sand-Plover (first Florida record and report) at St. Marks; Common Black-headed Gull at Cutler’ Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Thick- billed Vireo, and MacGillivray’s Warbler at Cape Florida; and Tropical-type kingbird at Fort De Soto. A Harris’s Hawk, presumably an escapee, was photographed at St. Peters- burg, which furnished the first verifiable state record. And lastly, one of Florida’s most ardent and best-loved bird conservationists. Rich Paul, died of cancer on 1 Nov at the age of 59. This one’s for you. Rich. Species Accounts Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: 1 pair and 9 young at Viera Wetlands {Brevard) 8 Aug (D. Freeland), and 15 (2 pairs with young of 3 and 8) there 10 Sep (A. Vinokur); 1 pair with young at Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area {Lake) 11 Aug (R May); 2 at With- lacoochee River Park {Pasco) 20 Aug (R. Smith); 300 SE of Fort Drum {Okeechobee) 4 Nov (P. & L. Gray); 2 pairs with a total of 20 young at Lorida {Highlands) 7 Nov (P. & L. Gray et al.); 204 at Lake Apopka NSRA {Orange) 25 Nov (H. Robinson). 56 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Fulvous Whistling-Duck: 5 at Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area 20 Sep (R May). Snow Goose: 1 at Bald Point {Franklin) 24 Oct (J. Murphy); 2 adult white morphs at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 Nov, and 3 juvenile white morphs there 18 Nov (H. Robinson); 5 (1 white, 4 blue) at Cape Canaveral {Brevard) 15 Nov (T. Dunkerton); 8 at St. Marks NWR 28 Nov (J. Dozier); 1 at Merritt Island NWR {Brevard) 29 Nov (K. Allie); 3 (2 white, 1 blue) at Chiefland {Levy) 30 Nov (J. Stephens). *R0SS’S Goose: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA {Lake) 18 Nov (D. Goodwin, G. Basili et ah). *R0SS’S X Snow Goose: 1 apparent hybrid adult at St. Marks NWR 19 Nov-EOS (T Cur- tis et ah). Wood Duck: 2 at Frog Pond WMA {Miami-Dade) 11 Nov (J. Boyd); 6 at Francis Taylor WMA {Miami-Dade) 13 Nov (J. Boyd). Gadwall: 20 at Emeralda Marsh CA 1 Nov (P. May); 1 hen at Eagle Lakes Park {Collier) 7 Nov (S. Carbol). American Black Duck: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 30 Oct (H. Robinson); 1 at Merritt Is- land NWR 13-15 Nov (T. Dunkerton et al., photos to FOC by A. Vinokur). Mottled Duck: 1 at downtown Pensacola {Escambia) 18 Aug (B. and L. Duncan); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF {Okaloosa) 1 Sep (B. Duncan); 1 in N Escambia 6 Nov (L. Cat- terton). Blue-winged x Cinnamon Teal: 2 (male and female) at Alachua 10-20 Sep — the drake looked like a Cinnamon Teal but both birds had brown irides (B. Wallace et al., photos to FOC). Cinnamon Teal: 1 male at Emeralda Marsh CA 15 Oct (D. Freeland, M. Gardler et al.); 2 males at Merritt Island NWR 24 Nov (A. Vinokur et al.); 1 at St. Marks NWR 25 Nov (A. Vinokur et al.). Northern Shoveler: 2 at Merritt Island NWR 31 Aug (T. Dunkerton); 600 at Polk mines 12 Nov (P. Fellers, E. Lane). Northern Pintail: 5000 at Merritt Island NWR 15 Nov (D. Freeland, M. Gardler). Green-winged Teal: 2300 at Polk mines 12 Nov (P. Fellers, E. Lane); 600 at Merritt Is- land NWR 15 Nov (D. Freeland, M. Gardler). Greater Scaup: up to 3 (18 Nov) at Lake Apopka NSRA 9 Nov-EOS (H. Robinson). White-winged Scoter: 1 male at Black Point {Miami-Dade) 18 Nov (R. Torres). Black Scoter: 1 adult female at Hobie Beach {Miami-Dade) 25 Nov (R. Torres); 3 males in mid Pinellas 28 Nov-EOS (Judy Fisher); 40 at Bald Point 29 Nov (J. Murphy). Bufflehead: 4 at Gainesville 19 Nov-EOS (L. Hensley et al.); 2 at Kennedy Space Cen- ter {Brevard) 18 Nov (D. Freeland). Common Goldeneye: 1 at Gainesville 19 Nov (L. Hensley); 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Nov (H. Robinson). Hooded Merganser: 1375 Polk mines 12 Nov (P. Fellers, E. Lane). Red-breasted Merganser: 5 at Gainesville 19 Nov (L. Hensley). Pacific Loon: 1 molting out of alternate plumage at Gulf Breeze {Santa Rosa) 31 Aug (B. and L. Duncan). PIED-BILLED Grebe: 110 at Viera 20 Nov (L. Manfredi et al.). Horned Grebe: 4 at Black Point 30 Nov (R. Torres). Cory’s Shearwater: 26 observed from Boynton Beach Inlet {Palm Beach) 20 Sep (M. Berney). Greater Shearwater: l at Indian Harbor Beach {Brevard) 26 Aug {fide T. Webber; UF 44948). Sooty Shearwater: 3 at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP {Miami-Dade) 26 Aug (R. Diaz). *Manx Shearwater: 1 at New Smyrna Beach {Volusia) 7 Sep {fide T. Webber; UF 44922). Audubon’S Shearwater; 1 at Satellite Beach {Brevard) 20 Aug {fide T Webber; UF 44901); 2 observed from Boynton Beach Inlet 20 Sep (M. Berney). Wilson’s Storm-Petrel: 1 at Pensacola Bay, Gulf Breeze 29 Aug (B. and L. Duncan et al.). Field Observations 57 White=TAILED Tropicbird: 1 at Indiatlantic Beach {Brevard) 26 Aug {fide T, Webber; UF 44929); 1 at Pensacola Beach {Escambia) 30 Aug died later {fide B. Duncan, specimen to University of Florida). American White Pelican: 40 at St. Marks NWR 30 Aug (R. McGregor); 250 over Fort De Soto 27 Oct (J. Gaetzi et aL); 150 at Everglades City {Collier) 8 Nov (D. Suitor); 25 at Gainesville 29 Nov {fide M. Meisenburg). Brown Pelican: 2 at Lake Pierce {Polk) 10 Aug (J. DuBois); 3 at Polk phosphate mines 7 Sep, and 5 there 12 Nov (P. Fellers et aL). AnhingA; a nest vAth 3 nestlings at St. Vincent NWR 12 Sep (T. Lewis); 2 downy chicks at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 16 Oct (S, Howell et aL), Magnificent Frigatebird: 7 at St. Marks NWR 27 Aug (T. Curtis); 9 at Alligator Point {Franklin) 29-30 Aug (J. Murphy et aL); 1 female S of Sebring {Highlands) 21 Sep (C. Weekley et aL); 1 at Kennedy Space Center 19 Nov (D. Freeland); 2 at Ponce Inlet {Volusia) 29 Nov (M. Brothers). American Bittern: 1 at Emeralda Marsh CA 11 Aug (P May); 22 at Lake Apopka NSRA 23 Oct & 9 Nov (H. Robinson). Great Blue Heron: 34 headed S over Jupiter Inlet Colony {Palm Beach) 29 Sep (J. Hail- man). Great White Heron: 1 at Cape Canaveral (Brevard) 17 Sep (E. Kwater). Reddish Egret: 3 dark morphs at St. Marks NWR 27 Oct (J. Cavanagh). Cattle Egret: 18 at SpringMll Road STF (Leon) 17 Nov-EOS (G. Menk). Glossy Ibis: 7 at Cape Florida 25 Aug (R. Diaz). *WhitE“FACED Ibis: 1 in N Escambia 30 Aug (L. Catterton, details to FOC); 1 at St. Marks NWR 20 Nov (T. Curtis). Roseate Spoonbill: 1 at Silver Springs (Marion) 6 Aug (A. Luzader); 1 at Belleview (Marion) 8 Aug (A, Luzader); 4 near Winter Haven (Polk) 15 Aug (J. DuBois); 17 at Ce- dar Key 21 Aug (R. Rowan, S. Collins et aL); 17 at Fort George Island (Duval) 28 Aug (R. Rowan); 20 at Gulf Harbors, New Port Richey (Pasco) 31 Aug (K. Tracey); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF (Okaloosa) 9-16 Sep (D. Ware et aL); 97 at Fernandina Beach (Nas- sau) 9 Sep (P. Leary); 2 at Kanapaha Prairie (Alachua) 17 Sep (M. Meisenburg, J. Bryan); 1 at Emeralda Marsh CA 18 Oct (R May); 3 in Okeechobee 24 Oct (G. Quigley). Turkey Vulture: 1076 headed SE over Lake Apopka NSRA 30 Oct (H. Robinson). Swallow-tailed Kite: 341 at Lake Apopka NSRA 3 Aug had dwindled to 5 there 25 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 at Apalachicola (Franklin) 11 Aug (J. Dozier). White-tailed Kite: 1 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP (Okeechobee) 2 Oct (R Miller). Snail Kite: 1 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 11 Nov (R Miller); 1 S of La Belle (Hendry) 20 Nov (V. McGrath). Mississippi Kite: 15 nestlings blown out of nests in the Panhandle or at Gainesville in Jul during Hurricane Dennis were released at a staging area at Tram Road STF, Tal- lahassee 17 Aug (fide G. Menk); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 ju- venile being fed at High Springs (Alachua) 17 Sep (M. Manetz et aL). Bald Eagle: 109, mostly immatures, at Lake Apopka NSRA 13 Nov (H. Robinson). Northern Harrier: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Aug (H. Robinson). Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Aug (H. Robinson). Harrises HA'WK (Parabuteo unicinctus): 1 without bands or jesses at St. Petersburg (Pinellas) 13 Nov (D. Margeson, photos to FOC) provided the first verifiable record. Red-shouldered Hawk: 84 at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 Nov (H, Robinson). Broad-winged Hawk: 75 in a kettle near Dunedin Hammock 15 Oct (S. Peacock). Short-tailed Hawk: 1 at WeMwa Springs SP 1 Aug (R. Rowan, S. Collins et aL); 1 at Belleview 2 Aug (A. Luzader); 1 dark morph at Little Haiti (Miami-Dade) 6 Aug (A. Harper); 1 light morph at Kendall (Miami-Dade) 8 Aug (B, Boeringer); 1 dark morph at Port Charlotte (Charlotte) 11 Sep (J. Bouton); 1 light morph at New Port Richey (Pasco) 12 Sep, and 2 dark morphs there 20 Sep (K. Tracey); 1 at O’Leno SP 58 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST (Columhia) 17 Sep (C. Parenteau); 1 light morph at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 Oct, and 1 dark morph there 27 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 at Saddle Creek Park {Polk) 24 Oct (P. Fellers, L. Albright); 1 at Micanopy {Alachua) 25 Oct (D. Steadman); 1 dark morph at Lettuce Lake Park {Hillsborough) 5 Nov (B. Ahern); 1 dark morph over Faka Union Canal {Collier) 8 Nov (D. Suitor); 1 at Alachua 27 Nov (M. Walsh-McGehee); 1 at Win- ter Haven {Polk) 30 Nov (P. Fellers). Swainson’S Hawk: 1 light morph at Frog Pond WMA 6-24 Nov (M. Berney et ah), and 4 hawks there 19 Nov (J. Boyd); 1 juvenile light morph at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 Nov- EOS (H. Robinson). *Z0NE-TAILED Hawk: 1 at Curry Hammock SP {Monroe) 26 Oct (M. Hedden, details to FOC). Red-tailed Hawk: 1 apparent Krider’s morph at Clam Bayou, St. Petersburg 26 Nov (D. Margeson, photo to FOC). Golden Eagle: 1 at St. Marks NWR 4 Nov (T. Curtis). Crested CaracarA: at least 4 pairs at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve all season (P Miller). Merlin: 3 at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Sep, and 6 there 2 Nov (H. Robinson); 14 at Bald Point in 3 hours 1 Oct (A. & J. Wraithmell); 3 at Mead Garden 2 Oct (B. Anderson). Peregrine Falcon: 7 at Bald Point in 3 hours 1 Oct (A. & J. Wraithmell); 10 at St. George Island {Franklin) 5 Oct (J. Cavanagh). Black Rail: 1 at Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park, Bayonet Point {Pasco) 17 Sep (R. Smart); 1 at Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR 15 Nov (M. Gardler). King Rail: 295 at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 Aug (H. Robinson). Sora: 238 at Lake Apopka NSRA 18 Oct (H. Robinson). Purple Gallinule: 2 juveniles at St. Marks NWR 22 Sep (B. Ahern); 18 at Emeralda Marsh CA 18 Oct (P. May). Common Moorhen: 875 at Emeralda Marsh CA 15 Oct (D. Freeland, M. Gardler et ah). American Coot: 10 (including young) at New Port Richey 2 Aug (R. Smart). Limpkin: 16 near the Sarasota Celery Fields {Sarasota) 20 Nov (J. Dubi et ah); 25 in one flooded field near Devil’s Garden {Hendry) 20 Nov (V. McGrath). Sandhill Crane: singles at St. Marks NWR 16 Oct (T. Curtis) & 27 Oct (J. Cavanagh); I at Gulf Breeze 23 Oct (L. Duncan); 227 southbound over Lake Apopka NSRA 30 Nov (H. Robinson). Black-bellied PloateR: 55 at Huguenot Memorial Park {Duval) 26 Aug (R. Clark); 107 at Fernandina Beach 9 Sep (P. Leary); 11 at Lake Apopka NSRA 11 Nov (H. Robinson). American Golden-Plover: 1 at Alachua 13-24 Sep (P. Burns et ah); 1 at Ponce Inlet {Volusia) 13 Sep (M. Brothers); 1 at Crandon Beach 15 Sep (R. Diaz); singles at St. Marks NWR 21 Sep & 29-30 Nov (J. Cavanagh); 1 at Fernandina Beach 22 Sep (P. Leary); 1 at Cutler Ridge {Miami-Dade) 23 Oct (M. Berney, B. Roberts); 1 at Springhill Road STF 3 Nov (G. Menk); 1 in N Escambia 6 Nov (L. Catterton); 1 at Viera 13 Nov (D. Freeland, L. Manfredi et ah). *Lesser Sand-Plover {Charadrius mongolus): 1 at St. Marks NWR 17-21 Sep (T. Cur- tis, B. & L. Duncan et ah, photos to FOC) provided the first Florida report and record. Wilson’s Plover: 114 at Huguenot Park 26 Aug (R. Clark); 375 at Dunedin Causeway II Nov (M. Gardler). Semipalmated Plover: 1 at Belleview 6 Aug (A. Luzader); 53 at Polk mines 29 Aug (P. Fellers); 300 at Gulf Harbors 31 Aug (K. Tracey); 225 at Huguenot Park 8 Sep (R. Clark); 3 at Alachua 11-18 Sep (S. Collins et ah). Piping Plover: 17 (2 banded, 1 in Michigan, 1 in Newfoundland) at Bird Islands, Nas- sau Sound {Duval) 16 Oct (P. Leary); 21 at Disappearing Island {Volusia) 30 Nov (M. Brothers). American Oystercatcher: 1 at Pensacola Beach 23 Sep (A. Sheppard); 116 in the Ame- lia River {Nassau) 16 Oct (P. Leary). Black-necked Stilt: 1100 at the Everglades Agricultural Area {Palm Beach) 21 Aug (D. Freeland, M. Gardler et ah). Field Observations 59 American Avocet: 1 at Fred Howard Park 15 Aug (M. Gardler); 10 at the Everglades Ag Area 27 Aug (B, Hope); 2 at St. Marks NWR 11 Oct (fide A. Wraithmell); 1 at Tierra Verde (Pinellas) 24 Oct (L. Atherton); 7 at St. George Island 4 Nov ( J. Dozier); 342 at Polk mines 12 Nov (P. Fellers, E. Lane); 1 at Moon Lake Park (Pasco) 22 Nov (K, Tracey). Solitary Sandpiper: 6 at S Fort Myers (Lee) 6 Aug (C. Ewell). WiLLET: 350 at Huguenot Park 8 Sep (R. Clark); 118 at Fernandina Beach 9 Sep (R Leary); 250+ at Black Point Wildlife Drive 13 Nov (A. Vinokur). Spotted Sandpiper: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 at Emeralda Marsh CA 18 Aug (P. May); 1 at J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park (Pasco) 29 Aug was the first there (K. Tracey). Upland Sandpiper: 15 at the Everglades Ag Area 14 Aug, and 31 there 27 Aug (M. Ber- ney); 38 in S Miami-Dade 24 Aug (L. Manfredi). Whimbrel: 3 at Huguenot Park 26 Aug (R. Clark); 4 at Fernandina Beach 9 Sep (R Leary); 1 at St. Vincent NWR 15 Sep (T. Lewis); 2 at New Port Richey (Pasco) 24 Sep (K. Tracey). Long-billed Curlew: 1 at Tigertail Beach, Marco Island (Collier) 31 Aug (T. Below), and possibly the same at Caxambas Pass (Collier) 2 Sep (D. Suitor); 1 at Destin 6 Sep (D. Muth); 1 at Huguenot Park 6-11 Sep (E. Kwater et al.). Hudsonian GodwiT: 1 juvenile at Cutler Ridge (Miami-Dade) 8 Aug (R. Torres); 1 in mostly alternate plumage at Marco Island 15 Sep (S. Carbol). Marbled Godwit: 1 in Nassau Sound 20 Aug (P. Leary); 101 at Caxambas Pass 2 Sep (D. Suitor); 1 at St. Vincent NWR 8 Sep (T. Lewis); 4 at New Port Richey 24 Sep (K. Tracey); 7 at Huguenot Park 23 Oct (B, Richter); 47 at Dunedin Causeway 11 Nov (M. Gardler). Red Knot: 600 at Fort George Inlet 20 Aug (R Leary); 116 at Little Estero Lagoon (Lee) 20 Aug (C. Ewell); 400 at St. Marks NWR 20 Sep (A. Vinokur, D. Richardson). SanderlinG: 1 at Alachua 5 Sep (P. Burns, B. Wallace). Least Sandpiper: 1 at Emeralda Marsh CA 18 Aug (P. May); 500 S of La Belle 14 Nov (V. McGrath et aL). White-RUMPED Sandpiper: 3 at Ormond Beach (Volusia) 8 Sep (M, Brothers); up to 8 at Alachua 10-18 Sep (J. Hintermister, A. Vinokur et aL); 4 at Ponce Inlet 13 Sep (M. Brothers); 1 at the Everglades Ag Area 17-18 Sep (B. Hope, M. Berney); 9 at St. Marks NWR 20 Sep (A. Vinokur, D. Richardson); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 13 Oct (A. Vi- nokur, D. Richardson). Baird’s Sandpiper: 1 at Destin (Okaloosa) 6 Sep (D. Muth); 2 at Alachua 12-18 Sep (B. Wallace et al., photos to FOC); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 Oct (H. Robinson). Peep species: 10,500 at Polk mines 29 Aug (P. Fellers). Pectoral Sandpiper: 1 at St. Vincent NWR 8 Sep (T. Lewis); 62 at Huguenot Park 8 Sep (R. Clark). Purple Sandpiper: 1 at Ponce Inlet 17 Nov (M. Brothers). Stilt Sandpiper: 1 at St. Vincent NWR 11 Aug (T. Lewis); 480 at the Everglades Ag Area 21 Aug (D, Freeland, M. Gardler et al.). Buff-breasted Sandpiper: singles at the Everglades Ag Area 14 & 21 Aug, 8 there 27 Aug, and 17 there 18 Sep (B. Hope, M. Bemey); 1 at Marco Island 31 Aug fiirnished the first for Collier (T. Below, photo to FOC); singles at St. Vincent NWR 2 & 15 Sep (T: Lewis); 1 at St. Marks NWR 5 Sep (M. Kiser); 2 at Fernandina Beach 6-10 Sep (P. Leary); up to 4 at Ala- chua 10-18 Sep (S. Collins, B. Wallace et aL); 1 at Viera 10 Sep (A. Vinokur, T. Dunkerton); 2 at Cutler Ridge 16-17 Sep (M. Wheeler et aL); 10 at St, Marks NWR 20 Sep (A. Vinokur, D. Richardson); 1 at Fort George Inlet 25 Sep (P. Leary). Ruff: singles at the Everglades Ag Area 21 Aug and 18 Sep (B. Hope, M. Berney et al.); 1 at Merritt Island NWR 27 Aug (A. Vinokur [photo to FOC], D. Richardson), Short-billed Dowitcher: 110 at Huguenot Park P 26 Aug (R. Clark); 50 at Springhill Road STF 10 Nov (A. Wraithmell). 60 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Long-billed Dowitcher: 4 at Springhill Road STF 30 Sep (J. Cavanagh); 242 at Polk mines 12 Nov (R Fellers, D. Brooke); 100+ at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 19 Nov (G. Quigley). Wilson’s Snipe: 1 at Emeralda Marsh CA 13 Sep (R May); 7 at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Sep (H. Robinson). Wilson’s Phalarope: 30 at the Everglades Ag Area 27 Aug (B. Hope); 1 at Merritt Island NWR 27-31 Aug (A. Vinokur et al.); 1 at St. Marks NWR 29 Aug (T. Curtis); 4 at Cut- ler Ridge 16 Sep (R. Torres); 1 at Flamingo, Everglades NP {Monroe) 16 Oct (J. Boyd); 1 at Springhill Road STF 20 Oct (G. Menk). Red-necked Phalarope: 1 in N Escambia 30 Aug (L. Catterton); 1 at Ponce Inlet 13 Sep (M. Brothers); 14 off Miami 16 Sep (R. Torres et ah). Red Phalarope: 1 at Melbourne Beach 24 Oct (A. Bankert). POMARINE Jaeger: 105 at Delray Beach {Palm Beach) 13 Nov (B. Hope); 100 at Coconut Point {Brevard) 27 Nov (A. Bankert) Parasitic Jaeger: 1 observed from Boynton Beach Inlet 20 Sep (M. Berney); 40 at Coco- nut Point 27 Nov (A. Bankert). Laughing Gull: 1 with orange bill and legs at Bunche Beach {Lee) 30 Sep (K. Bowman, photo to FOC). Franklin’S Gull: 1 at St. Marks NWR 16 Oct (T. Curtis); 1 at Shell Point Beach {Wakulla) 19 Oct (S. McCool); 1 at Fort De Soto 20 Oct (L. Atherton, photos to FOC); 5 at Cutler Ridge 22 Oct had increased to 18 (6 adults and 12 juveniles) by 13 Nov (M. Berney et aL, photos to FOC); 2 at Ponce Inlet {Volusia) 29 Oct (A. Vinokur et al.) and 1 there 4 Nov (M. Brothers); 1 in Walton 1 Nov (D. Simbeck); 1 at Bunche Beach 9 Nov (V. McGrath); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 11 Nov, and 12 there 15 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 at Dunedin Causeway {Dunedin) 12 Nov (E. Kwater); 1 at Jetty Park 13 Nov (A. Vinokur, photo to FOC). *Black-HEADED Gull: 1 first- winter at Cutler Ridge 19-23 Oct (R. Torres et ah, photos to FOC by M. Berney). Herring x Great Black-backed gull: 1 hybrid adult possibly of this parentage at Light- house Point Park {Volusia) 28-29 Oct (M. Brothers et al,, photos to FOC by A. Vinokur). Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 at St. George Island {Franklin) 1 Aug (T. Lewis); 3 at Hu- guenot Park 26 Aug (R. Clark), and 106 there 23 Oct (B. Richter); 1 adult at Canaveral NS {Brevard) 27 Aug (A. Vinokur, D. Richardson); 83 in Nassau Sound 6 Nov (P Leary); 1 second-winter at Dunedin Causeway 11 Nov (M. Gardler); 35 at Jetty Park 13 Nov (A. Vinokur, D. Richardson); 1 adult at Lake Apopka NSRA 30 Nov (H. Robinson). Great Black-backed Gull: 1 at Crandon Beach 15 Sep (R. Diaz). Gull-billed Tern: 8 at Gulf Harbors 31 Aug (K. Tracey); 1 at Merritt Island NWR 10 Sep (A. Vinokur, T. Dunkerton). Caspian Tern: 230 at Polk mines 12 Nov (P. Fellers, E. Lane). Royal Tern: 1 at Lake Pierce {Polk) 15 Aug (J. DuBois); 3000 at Huguenot Park and Nassau Sound 7 Sep (E. Kwater); 1 juvenile begged from an adult at Prairie Lake {Seminole) 8 Sep (A. Vinokur). Sandwich Tern: 100 at St. Marks NWR 27 Aug (T. Curtis); 400 at Huguenot Park and Nassau Sound 7 Sep (E. Kwater); 400 at Fort De Soto Park 5 Nov (P Sykes). Common Tern: up to 9 at Crandon Beach 17-27 Aug (R. Diaz); 1500 at Huguenot Park and Nassau Sound 7 Sep (E. Kwater); 40 at Ponce Inlet 1 Oct (A. Vinokur). Least Tern: 260+ at Crandon Beach 15 Aug (R. Diaz). Bridled Tern: 5 off Crandon Beach 26 Aug (R. Diaz); 2 at Ochlockonee Bay {Wakulla) 28 Aug ( J. Dozier); 4 at St. Marks NWR 28 Aug (T. Curtis); 3 at Gulf Breeze 29 Aug (B. and L. Duncan et al.); 3 at Navarre {Santa Rosa) 29 Aug (D. Muth); 6 in Walton 30 Aug (J. Bortle); 1 inside Boynton Beach Inlet 20-24 Sep (M. Berney, B. Hope); singles at Jupiter Inlet Colony {Palm Beach) 20 & 28 Sep (J. & E. Hailman); 1 flew down the Loxahatchee River toward the ocean 23 Sep (J. & E. Hailman); 1 at New Pass {Sara- sota) 24 Oct (J. Dubi); 1 at Canaveral NS 1 Oct (B. Anderson). Field Observations 61 Sooty Tern: 100+ off Crandon Beach 26 Aug (R. Diaz); 7 in Biscayne Bay (Miami-Dade) 27 Aug (R. Diaz), and 8 there 20 Sep (A. Harper); 1 at St. Marks NWR 28 Aug (J. Do- zier); 10 at Gulf Breeze 29 Aug (B. and L. Duncan et al.); 1 at Navarre 29 Aug (D. Muth); 3 in Walton 30 Aug (J. Bortle); 7 at Huguenot Park and Nassau Sound 7 Sep (E. Kwater); 10 at Ponce Inlet 8 Sep (M. Brothers); 10 off Cocoa Beach 8 Sep (D. Freeland); 85 at Boynton Beach Inlet 20 Sep (M. Berney); 1 inland at Sawgrass Mills {Broward) 24 Oct (M. Berney). Black Tern: 2 at Ten Thousand Islands NWR {Collier) 10 Aug (T. Doyle); 57 at Fred Howard Park 15 Aug (M. Gardler); 30-70 daily along the Gandy Causeway {Pinellas) 15- 19 Aug (D. Goodwin); 100 at St. Vincent NWR 16 Aug (T. Lewis); 223 at Gulf Harbors 31 Aug (K. Tracey); 500 at Huguenot Park and Nassau Sound 7 Sep (E. Kwater), Brown Noddy: 1 at Gulf Breeze 29 Aug (B. & L. Duncan et al.); 1 at Boynton Beach Inlet 20 Sep (M. Berney). Black Skimmer: 656 at Polk mines 29 Aug (R Fellers); 450 at Fred Howard Park 11 Nov (M. Gardler); 375 at Dunedin Causeway 11 Nov (M. Gardler). White-winged Dove: 50 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 2 Oct (P. Miller); 1 at Weeki Wachee 7-9 Oct (M. Gardler); 26 at Bald Point 24 Oct (J. Dozier); 1 at Ponce Inlet 29 Oct (A. Vinokur et al.); 1 at Honeymoon Island SP 13 Nov (L. Kenney); 300+ at Mims {Brevard) 15 Nov (M. Gardler); 2 at Marco Island 22 Nov (S. Carboi). Key West Quail-Dove: 1 adult male at John Pennekamp Coral Reef SP {Monroe) Apr- Nov (J. Duquesnel, photo to FOC). Budgerigar: 12 at Hudson Beach {Pasco) 19 Nov (K. Tracey). Black-hooded Parakeet: 2 at New Port Richey and 4 at Bayonet Point 11 Aug (K. Tracey); 40+ in mid Pinellas 6 Sep (Judy Fisher); 40 along Dunedin Causeway 7 Sep (M. Gardler). Monk Parakeet: 60 at Hudson Beach 19 Nov (K. Tracey). Black-billed Cuckoo: 1 at St. George Island 30 Sep (J. Cavanagh); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Oct (H. Robinson). Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 5 Nov (D. Reed); 1 at Tallahassee 14 Nov (R. Lengacher); 1 at Hatbill Park {Brevard) 17-19 Nov (A. Banker! et al.). Groove-billed And 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 12 Oct (H. Robinson); 1 at Bald Point 22 Oct (J. Murphy); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 27 Oct-11 Nov (B. Duncan et al.). Burrowing Owl: 11 at Range 70, Eglin AFB {Okaloosa) 5 Nov (L. Fenimore). Short-eared Owl: 4 at Lake Apopka NSRA 20 Nov (H. Robinson). Lesser Nighthawk: 3 at Bald Point 8 Nov, with 1 there to 10 Nov (J. Dozier); 6 at Frog Pond WMA 13 Nov (J. Boyd); 1 at Apalachicola 23 Nov (K. McMullen). Common Nighthawk: 136 at the Everglades Ag Area 21 Aug (D. Freeland et al.); 100 fly- ing W at Alligator Point 1 Sep (J. Dozier); 430 in W Pasco 1 Sep (K. Tracey); 250 at Temple Terrace {Hillsborough) 1 Sep (B. Ahern); 250 at Tampa 3 Sep (D. Suitor); 1 at Tallahassee 3 Nov (A. Wraithmell). Chuck- WILL’S-WIDOW: 83 at Key Largo {Monroe) 11 Sep (B, Mulrooney); 1 at Ponce Inlet {Volusia) 8 Nov (M, Brothers). Whip-poor-will: 1 at Crawfordville {Wakulla) 4 Sep (S. McCool); 1 at Alligator Point 10 Sep (D. Murphy). Chimney Swift: lOOOs at Jupiter Inlet Colony 24 Oct in the eye of Hurricane Wilma (J. & E. Hailman); 1 in mid Pinellas 7 Nov (Judy Fisher). Buff-bellied Hummingbird: 1 at Gainesville 27 Sep-EOS (H. Bellot). Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 15 at Mead Garden 2 Oct (B. Anderson). Black-chinned Hummingbird: 1 at Alligator Point 10 Oct (J. Murphy). Rufous Hummingbird: 1 adult male at Gainesville 14 Aug (H. Bellot). Selasphorus SPECIES: 2 at Merritt Island 19 Aug (B. Paxson, photo to FOC); 2 at Cas- tellow Hammock Park {Miami-Dade) 11 Sep-15 Oct (R. Torres et al.); 1 at Alligator Point 10 Oct (J, Murphy); 1 in Leon 19 Oct (J. Armstrong). 62 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Hummingbirds: a yard at Valrico {Hillsborough) supported 7 Ruby-throated^ 1 Black- chinned, and 1 Rufous (with a band) the first week of Nov, in addition to an unidenti- fied Selasphorus 23-27 Sep (S. Backes). Belted Kingfisher: 1 at Mead Garden 6 Aug (B. Anderson). Olive-sided Flycatcher: singles at Gulf Breeze 2, 10, 15, 23 & 29 Sep (B. Duncan). Eastern Wood-Pewee: 1 at Mead Garden 2 Nov (B. Anderson); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 9 Nov (H. Robinson). Yellow-bellied Flycatcher: singles at Tallahassee 2 Sep (R. Lengacher) & 3 Sep (F. Rutkovsky); 2 at Spanish River Park (Palm Beach) 29 Sep (B. Hope); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 8 Oct (J. Bryan); 1 at Lake City 8 Oct (J. Krummrich); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 Oct (H. Robinson); 1 at St. Marks NWR 22 Oct (T. Curtis), Alder Flycatcher: 1 heard calling at Fort George Island 15 Sep (R. Clark); 1 heard at Cape Florida 25-29 Sep (R. Diaz, M. Davis, L. Golden); 1 heard at Southern Glades WEA (Miami-Dade) 30 Sep-1 Oct (L. Manfredi, audiotape to FOC); 1 heard at Key West {Monroe) 28 Oct (A. Harper). Willow Flycatcher: 1 heard at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Aug (H. Robinson). Least Flycatcher: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 31 Aug (H. Robinson); singles at St. Marks NWR 20 Sep (J. Dozier), 27 Oct (J. Cavanagh), & 23 Nov (K. McMullen). Vermilion Flycatcher: 1 juvenile male at Lake Apopka NSRA 2 Oct, and an adult male there 25 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 at Bald Point 15 Oct (J. Murphy); 1 at St. Marks NWR 6 Nov (T. Curtis); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 15 Nov (P. Baker); 2 at Alligator Lake Park {Columbia) 30 Nov (D. Robbins). Ash-throated Flycatcher: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 12 Oct (H. Robinson); 1 at Tavern- ier {Monroe) 25 Oct (B. Mulrooney); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 2 Nov (B. Duncan); 1 at Merritt Island NWR 25 Nov (A. Bankert). Great Crested Flycatcher: 1 at Lake Marion Creek {Polk) 19 Nov (P. Fellers). Brown-crested Flycatcher: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 20 Nov (H. Robinson). *SULPHUR-BELLIED FLYCATCHER: 1 banded at Cape Florida 8 Oct (R. Diaz et ah, photos to FOC). *Tropical-type Kingbird: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 18 Aug (L. Atherton, photos to FOC). Western Kingbird: 1 St. Marks NWR 5 Sep (E. Woodruff); 8 at Bald Point 24 Oct, and 1 there 9 Nov (J. Murphy); 1 near Devil’s Garden {Hendry) 14 Nov (V. McGrath et al.); 1 at Talbot Island SP {Duval) 27 Nov (P. Leary). Eastern Kingbird: 1 at St. Marks NWR 24 Nov (T. Curtis). Gray Kingbird: 1 at South Bay {Palm Beach) 21 Aug (D. Freeland, M, Gardler); 1 at Lake Apopka 25 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 at Melbourne Beach 22 Oct (A. Bankert); 1 at the Seminole Indian Reservation {Hendry) 20 Nov (V. McGrath). SciSSOR-TAlLED FLYCATCHER: 1 at Lake Wales {Polk) 18 Oct (J. DuBois); 5 in the W Pan- handle variously 22-31 Oct {fide B. Duncan); 1 at Crawfordville 22 Oct (S. McCool); up to 2 at Bald Point 22-24 Oct (J. Murphy, J. Dozier); 1 at Sanibel Lighthouse (Lee) 28 Oct (C. Ewell); 2 near J.N. “Ding” Darling NWR (Lee) 29 Oct (A. Thornton); 2 at Cy- press Isle, Lake Istokpoga {Highlands) 5 Nov (M. McMillian); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 10 Nov (L. Atherton); 3 S of La Belle 14 Nov (V. McGrath et al.); 3 at Thonotosassa {Hillsborough) 29 Nov (B. & L. Cooper). *Thick-BILLED VireO: 1 banded at Cape Florida SP 7 Nov (R. Diaz et ah, photos to FOC). Bell’s VireO: 1 at Hugh Taylor Birch SP {Broward) 1-15 Oct (M. Berney et al.); 1 at Key West 27-28 Oct (A. Harper); 1 at Southern Glades WEA 25 Oct-11 Nov (L. Manfredi, J. Boyd). Warbling Vireo: 1 at Spanish River Park 10 Oct (B. Hope). Philadelphia Vireo: 1 at Dunedin Hammock 26 Sep (M. Gardler); 1 at Delray Beach 28 Sep (B. Hope); 1 at Gainesville 4 Oct (P. Burns, G. Parks); 1 in mid Pinellas 6 Oct (Judy Fisher); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 Oct (H. Robinson); 2 at San Felasco Hammock Pre- serve SP 10 Oct (R. Rowan); 1 at Alligator Point 11 Oct (J. Murphy); 1 at Tallahassee 24 Field Observations 63 Oct (R. Lengacher); 1 at Birch SP 16 Oct (M. Berney); 1 at Eco Pond 16 Oct (J. Boyd); 1 at W Kendall (Miami-Dade) 17 Oct (J. Boyd); 1 at Mead Garden 22 Oct (A. Vinokur); 1 at Bonner Park 22 Oct (K. Nelson); 1 at Fort De Soto 23 Oct (L. Atherton). Red-eyed Vireo: 25 at Mead Garden 6 Aug (B, Anderson). Blue Jay: 123 at Lake Apopka NSRA 16 Oct (H. Robinson). Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 3000 S of Matanzas Inlet (St Johns) 30 Oct (R. Smith); 20+ at Newnans Lake 30 Oct (R. Rowan); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 5 Nov (A. Kent, E. Scales); 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 13 Nov (H. Robinson). Bank Swallow: 250 at the Everglades Ag Area 14 Aug (B. Hope); 264 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 Sep (H. Robinson). Cliff Swallow: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 near Gainesville 14 Sep (A. Vinokur, T. Dunkerton); 4 at Weekiwachee Preserve 19 Sep (A. & B. Hansen); 18 at Bald Point 1 Oct (A. & J. Wraithmell). Cave Swallow: 14 of the Mexican race at Lake Apopka N.S.R.A. 28 Oct, and 1 there to 4 Nov (H. Robinson); 2 of the Mexican race at Lighthouse Point Park 22 Nov (M. Brothers). Barn Swallow: 2400 at the Everglades Ag Area 21 Aug (D. Freeland, M. Gardler et al.); 1000 at Bald Point 6 Sep (J. Dozier); 2400 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 Sep, and 3 there 30 Nov (H. Robinson); 173 at Werner-Boyce Salt Springs SP 24 Sep (K. Tracey); 100s at Jupiter Inlet Colony 24 Oct in the eye of Hurricane Wilma (J. & E. Hailman); sev- eral at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 2 Nov (P. Miller); 14 at Polk mines 12 Nov (R Fellers, E. Lane); 5 at Emeralda Marsh CA 15 Nov (R May); 1 at Springhill Road STF 30 Nov (A. Wraithmell). Carolina Chickadee: 1 at Gre3niolds Park {Miami-Dade) 17 Sep-EOS (J. King, A. Harper). Tufted Titmouse: 1 at AD Barnes Park {Miami-Dade) to 1 Oct (J. Boyd et al.). White-breasted Nuthatch: 1 at San Felasco Hammock 1 Oct (B. Christensen). House Wren: 1 at Emeralda Marsh 13 Sep (P. May); 354 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Oct (H. Robinson). Winter Wren: 1 at O’Leno SP 27-30 Nov (P. Burns). Marsh Wren: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 2 Oct, and 211 there 9 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 at Cape Florida 8 Oct, and 2 there 6 Nov (R. Diaz), Gray-cheeked Thrush: 7 heard over Spring Hill 29 Sep (M. Gardler). Swainson’S Thrush: 45 heard over Spring Hill 29 Sep (M. Gardler). Wood Thrush: 2 banded at Wekiwa Springs SP {Seminole) 15 Oct (B. Anderson); 2 in mid Pinellas 16 Oct (Judy Fisher); 1 banded at Cape Florida 17 Oct (M. Davis et al.); 1 at Gulf Breeze 22-26 Nov (S. Duncan). American Robin: 1 at Gainesville 9 Sep (M. Manetz); 4000 at a roost at Hal Scott Pre- serve {Orange) 19 Nov (A. Vinokur). Common Myna: 1 at Bradenton Beach {Manatee) 6 Aug-EOS (Jeff Fisher). Cedar Waxwing: 1 juvenile at Alligator Point 23 Oct (S. McCool); 4 at Cape Florida 6 Nov (R. Diaz). Blue-winged Warbler: 1 at Tallahassee 30 Aug (F. Rutkovsky); 1 in mid Pinellas 8 Sep, and 2 there 17 Sep (Judy Fisher); 1 at AD Barnes Park 10 Sep (R. Torres); 1 at Emer- alda Marsh 13 Sep (P. May); 1 at San Felasco Hammock 14 Sep (A. Vinokur); 1 at Cape Florida 23 Sep (R, Diaz et al.); 1 at Saddle Creek Park 24 Sep (A. Vinokur, D, Ri- chardson); 1 at St. George Island 30 Sep (J. Cavanagh); 1 at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, Fort Myers 5 Oct (C. Ewell). Golden-winged Warbler: singles at Tallahassee 5 Sep (F. Rutkovsky), 7-8 Sep (D, & S. Jue), & 3 Oct (B. Henderson); 5 at Cape Florida variously 15 Sep- 18 Oct (R. Diaz et al.); 1 at Salt Springs SP 17 Sep, and 3 there 8 Oct (K. Tracey); 1 at St. George Island 30 Sep (J. Cavanagh); 1 at Saddle Creek Park 4 Oct (P. Fellers); 1 at Fort De Soto 6 Oct (L. Atherton); singles in mid Pinellas 6 & 8 Oct (Judy Fisher); 2 at Birch SP 15 Oct (M. Berney); 1 at Evergreen Cemetery {Broward) 15-16 Oct (B. Roberts, M. Berney). 64 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Blue-winged x Golden-winged wakbler: 1 Lawrence’s intergrade at Paynes Prairie Preserve 29 Sep-1 Oct (C. Burney, J. Stahl et aL); 1 Brewster’s intergrade at Gaines- ville 16 Oct (L. Hensley). Tennessee Warbler: 5 at Saddle Creek Park 16 Oct (P. Fellers); 12 at Salt Springs SP 8 Oct (K. Tracey); 1 at Tallahassee 7 Nov (R. Lengacher); 4 in mid Pinellas 9 Nov (Judy Fisher). Orange-crowned Warbler: 1 at Gainesville 17 Sep (M. Manetz et aL, details to FOC); 1 female celata at Castellow Hammock Park 25 Nov (B. Ahern, D. Powell). Nashville Warbler: 1 at Fort George Island 24 Sep (R. Clark); 1 at Mead Garden 24 Sep (A. Vinokur); 1 at George English Park {Broward) 24 Sep (M. Stickel, M, Berney); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 29 Sep (C. Burney); singles at Cape Florida 29 Sep (L, Golden) & 1 Oct (B. Roberts); 2 at Birch SP 1 Oct, and 1 there 19 Oct (J. Pesold et al.); 1 at Evergreen Cemetery 1 Oct (M. Berney); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 26 Oct (H. Robinson); 1 at Sanibel Lighthouse 28 Oct (C. Ewell); 2 at Key Largo 1-5 Nov (B. Mulrooney et al.); 1 at St. Marks NWR 1 Nov (J. Cavanagh); 1 at Newnans Lake 24 Nov (A. Kratter). Northern Parula: 1 at Tallahassee 7 Nov (R. Lengacher); 1 at Spring Hill 14 Nov (A. & B. Hansen); 1 at Magnolia Park {Orange) 19 Nov (A. Vinokur). Yellow Warbler: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 3 Aug, and 84 there 22 Sep (H. Robinson); 56 at Emeralda Marsh 18 Aug (P. May). Chestnut-sided Warbler: 1 at Gainesville 19 Aug (R. Robinson); 16 at Salt Springs SP 8 Oct (K. Tracey). Magnolia Warbler: 1 at Fort George Island 26 Nov (R. Clark). Cape May Warbler: 1 at Newnans Lake 12 Nov (T. Spahr, R. Rowan), Black-throated Blue Warbler: 1 in mid Pinellas 22 Aug (Judy Fisher); 500 at Coco- nut Point 14 Oct (A. Bankert); 1 at Gulf Breeze 12 Nov (B. Duncan); 1 at Cedar Key 18 Nov (D. Henderson). Yellow-rumped Warbler: 1 adult male Audubon’s race at Fort De Soto Park 28 Sep (L. Atherton et al., photos to FOC). Black-throated Gray Warbler: 1 at Eglin AFB {Okaloosa) 8 Sep (J. Kowalski); 1 at Gainesville 9 Oct (R. Rowan); 1 at New Port Richey 31 Oct-EOS (J. McKay et al., photo to EOC by K. Tracey); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 7-11 Nov (B. Duncan, D. Ware et al.). Black-throated Green Warbler: 8 at Dunedin Hammock 23 Oct (M. Gardler). Townsend’s Warbler: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 3-4 Sep (L. Atherton et al., photos to FOC); 1 banded at Cape Florida SP 4 Nov (R. Diaz et al., photos to FOC). Blackburnian Warbler: 1 at Frog Pond WMA 19 Nov (R. Torres). Prairie Warbler: 2 at Mead Garden 8 Aug (B. Anderson); 16 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 & 21 Aug (H. Robinson); 9 at Emeralda Marsh 11 Aug (P. May). Bay-breasted Warbler: 12 at Dunedin Hammock 23 Oct (M. Gardler). Bay-breasted x Yellow-rumped Warbler: 1 apparent hybrid at Lake Apopka NSRA 16 Oct, thought to be of this parentage, was similar to a Bay-breasted Warbler but had a bright yellow rump (A. Vinokur, B. Pranty et al.). Blackpoll Warbler: 1 at George English Park {Broward) 24 Sep (M. Stickel, M. Ber- ney); 1 at Fort De Soto 6 Oct (L. Atherton); 1 at Maitland 5 Oct (A. Vinokur); 1 Mead Garden 6 Oct (B. Anderson); 3 at Paynes Prairie 7-8 Oct (A. Kent, A. Kratter); 8 at W Kendall 7 Oct (J. Boyd); 15 at Birch SP 8 Oct (M. Berney); 14 at Evergreen Cemetery 8-9 Oct (M. Berney); 10 at Melbourne Beach 24 Oct (A. Bankert); 1 at Merritt Island NWR 5 Nov (B. Anderson). Cerulean Warbler: 1 at Birch SP 13 Aug (M. Berney); 1 at Alderman Ford Park {Hills- borough) 28 Aug (D. Goodwin, E. Haney); 1 at Cape Florida 29 Aug (R. Diaz et al.); 1 in mid-Pinellas 8 Sep (Judy Fisher); 1 at Fort George Island 15-17 Sep (R. Clark); 1 at Greynolds Park 7 Oct (J. King). Field Observations 65 Prothonotary Warbler: 1 at Emeralda Marsh 25 Aug (P. May); 7 at Saddle Creek Park 24 Sep (A. Vinokur, D. Richardson); 1 at Gulf Breeze 10 Nov (B. Duncan). Worm-eating Warbler: 1 banded at Wekiwa Springs SP 28 Aug (A. Boyle); 8 at Saddle Creek Park 24 Sep (A. Vinokur, D. Richardson). Swainson’S Warbler: 2 in Leon 20 Aug (R. McGregor); singles at Cape Florida 10 Sep (G. Jones) and 1 Oct (B. Roberts); 1 at AD Barnes Park 17 Sep (B. Roberts); 1 at Birch SP 9 Oct (M. Berney). OVENBIRD: 3 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Aug, and 50 there 22 Sep (H. Robinson); 1 at Em- eralda Marsh 6 Sep (P. May). Northern Waterthrush: 15 at Hague 10 Sep (M. Manetz); 120 at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Sep (H. Robinson); 4 at Paynes Prairie 5 Nov (M. Manetz, A. Kent et ak); 1 at Dunedin Hammock 8 Nov (M. Gardler). Louisiana Waterthrush: 23 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 at Gaines- ville 16 Oct (R, Rowan). Kentucky Warbler: 1 banded at Wekiwa Springs SP 28 Aug (A. Boyle); 1 at Alderman Ford Park 28 Aug (D. Goodwin, E. Haney) singles at Fort George Island 9 & 15 Sep (R. Clark); 1 at Delray Beach 13 Sep (B. Hope); 1 at San Felasco Hammock 14 Sep (A. Vinokur, T. Dunkerton). Connecticut Warbler: 1 banded at Cape Florida 21 Sep (R. Diaz et al.). Mourning Warbler: singles banded at Cape Florida 21 Sep and 8 Oct (R. Diaz et al.); 1 at Spanish River Park 28 Sep (B. Hope); 1 at Evergreen Cemetery 29 Sep (M. Stickel); 1 at Jacksonville 4 Nov (J. Cocke, P. Powell). *MacGillivraVs Warbler: 1 at Cape Florida 22 Sep (R. Diaz, details to FOSRC). Hooded Warbler: 1 at Flatwoods Park (Hillsborough) 5 Nov (B. Ahern). Wilson’s Warbler: 1 female at Fort De Soto Park 3 Sep (L. Atherton et al.); singles at Fernandina Beach 15 Sep and 5 Nov (P. Leary); 1 at Evergreen Cemetery 17 Sep (R. MacGregor, M. Berney, M. Stickel); up to 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 1-7 Oct (J. Bryan, M. Manetz, A. Kratter); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA Oct (H. Robinson); 1 at Salt Springs SP 8 Oct (K. Tracey); 1 at Birch SP 15 Oct (M. Stickel, B. Roberts); 1 at Mead Garden 17 Oct (A. Vinokur); 1 male at Cape Florida 11 Nov (R. Diaz). Canada Warbler: 1 banded at Cape Florida 5 Sep (M. Davis, L. Golden); 1 at Delray Beach 13 Sep (B. Hope); 1 at Waldo {Alachua) 23 Sep (R. Norton); 1 at Saddle Creek Park 24 Sep (A. Vinokur); 1 at Gainesville 2 Oct (R. Rowan); 1 at Miami Shores {Mi- ami-Dade) 3 Oct (A. Harper). Yellow-breasted Chat: 3 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 at Ponce Inlet 15 Sep (M. Brothers); 1 at St. Augustine 19-21 Sep (J. Kern); 1 at Paynes Prairie Pre- serve SP 8 Oct (B. Christensen et al.); 1 at Melbourne Beach 22 Oct (A. Bankert); 1 at Gainesville 11 Nov (T. Spahr); 5 at Frog Pond WMA 13 Nov (M. Berney et al.); 1 at Southern Glades WEA 19 Nov (J. Boyd). Western Tanager: 1 female at Coconut Point 2 Sep (A. Bankert); 1 at Matheson Ham- mock 10 Sep (J. Boyd et al.); 1 at Fort George Island 17 Sep (R. Clark); 1 female at Pinecraft Park, Sarasota 7 Oct (J. Dubi, J. Palmer); 1 female at Mead Garden 24 Oct (A. Vinokur, photos to FOC). Chipping Sparrow: 1 at Alligator Point 5 Sep (J. Murphy); 1 at Kissimmee Prairie Pre- serve 16 Sep (P. Miller); 1 at St. Augustine 23 Sep (J. Kern). Clay-colored Sparrow: 1 at Ponce Inlet 21 Sep (M. Brothers); 2 at Fort Walton Beach STF 19 Oct (B. Duncan); 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 30 Oct (M. Manetz); sing- les at Bald Point 10 & 22 Oct (J. Murphy); 1 at St. George Island 24 Oct (A. Knothe); 1 at W Kendall 25 Oct (J. Boyd); 1 at Sanibel Lighthouse 26-28 Oct (C. Ewell et al.); up to 3 at Frog Pond WMA 29 Oct-19 Nov (J. Boyd); 1 at Hague 30 Oct (B. Carroll); 1 at Honeymoon Island SP 5 Nov (K. Nelson); up to 2 at Lake Ap- opka NSRA 7 Nov-EOS (H. Robinson); 1 at Castellow Hammock Park 25 Nov (B, Ahern, D. Powell). 66 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Field Sparrow: 1 at Frog Pond WMA 29 Oct (J. Boyd); 2 at Weekiwachee Preserve 23 Nov-EOS (A. & B. Hansen). Vesper Sparrow: 1 at Bald Point 26 Oct (J. Dozier); 1 at Frog Pond WMA 13-19 Nov (A. Harper, J. Boyd). Lark Sparrow: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 at St. Sebastian River Preserve SP {Brevard) 22 Aug (D. Simpson); 1 juvenile at Weeki Wachee 25 Aug (M. Gardler); 1 at Alachua 11 Sep (A. Luzader et ak); 2 at Bald Point 9-12 Sep (J. Dozier); 5 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 24 Sep (G. Quigley); 1 juvenile at St. Marks NWR 27 Oct ( J. Cavanagh); 1 at Sanibel Lighthouse 28 Oct (W. Winton); 1 juvenile at Honey- moon Island SP 6 Nov (K. Nelson); 1 at Lemon Bay Preserve, Venice (Sarasota) 6-10 Nov (B. & M. Dunson, photo to FOC). Grasshopper Sparrow: 7 at Weekiwachee Preserve 13 Nov (M. Gardler). Henslow’S Sparrow: up to 3 at Hague 10-16 Nov (C. Burney, J. Stahl et al.); 1 at Bald Point 29 Nov (J. Murphy). Le Conte’s Sparrow: up to 2 at Hague 11-16 Nov (R. Rowan, M. Manetz et al.). Seaside Sparrow: 1 at Ponce Inlet 11 Sep (M. Brothers); 1 juvenile banded at Cape Flor- ida 12 Sep (M. Davis et al.). Song Sparrow: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 11 Nov (L. Atherton et ak). Lincoln's Sparrow: 1 at Birch SP 15 Oct (M. Berney, M. Stickel); 1 at St. Marks NWR 16 Oct (T. Curtis); 1 at Tavernier (Monroe) 25 Oct (B. Mulrooney); up to 3 at Hague 29 Oct-16 Nov (C. Burney, J. Stahl et ak); 1 banded at Cape Florida SP 4 Nov (R. Diaz et ak); 1 at Frog Pond WMA 6-19 Nov, with 4 there 13 Nov (M. Berney, J. Boyd et ak); up to 2 (20 Nov) at Lake Apopka NSRA 7-22 Nov (H. Robinson); 2 at Merritt Island NWR 25 Nov (A. Bankert); 1 at Seven Springs (Pasco) 28 Nov (K. Tracey). Swamp Sparrow: 478 at Lake Apopka NSRA 30 Nov (H. Robinson). White-throated Sparrow: 1 at Salt Springs SP 10 Nov (K. Tracey); 1 at Cape Florida 11 Nov (R. Diaz). White-crowned Sparrow: 2 at Cape Florida 25 Oct (O. Weldon); 1 at Southern Glades WEA 25 Oct (L. Manfredi). Dark-eyed Junco: 1 at St. Vincent NWR 11 Nov (T. Lewis). Northern Cardinal: 1 yellow-colored male at Coral Springs (Broward) 31 Oct (S. Radzi, photo to FOC). Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 1 juvenile male at Honeymoon Island SP 24 Nov (K. Nelson). Blue Grosbeak: 4 at Emeralda Marsh CA 6 Sep (P. May); 1 female at Weekiwachee Pre- serve 4 Nov (A. & B. Hansen); 1 at Gainesville 11 Nov (T. Spahr); 1 at Bald Point 26 Nov (J. Dozier et ak); 1 female at Cedar Key 26 Nov (D. Henderson). Indigo Bunting: 115 at Emeralda Marsh CA 18 Oct (P. May); 300 at Hague 22 Oct (M. Manetz, A, Kent); 2 at St. George Island 4 Nov ( J. Dozier); 1 at Tallahassee 7 Nov (R. Lengacher). Painted Bunting: 1 female-plumaged at Bald Point 9 Sep (J. Dozier); 1 male at Mead Garden 9 Oct (A. Vinokur, B. Anderson). Dickcissel: 1 at Castellow Hammock Park 11-13 Sep (R. Torres et ak); 1 at Jetty Park (Brevard) 16 Nov (J. Gaetzi); 3 at Lake Apopka NSRA 18 Nov (G. Basili). Bobolink: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 Aug (H. Robinson); 25 at Emeralda Marsh CA 30 Aug (P. May); 800+ at a rice field south of CR-880 17 Sep (M. Berney); 3 at St. Marks NWR 16 Oct (T. Curtis); 2 at Cape Florida 11 Nov (R. Diaz); 1 at the Sarasota Celery Fields 13 Nov (J. Dubi). Yellow-headed Blackbird: 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 13 Sep (D. Ware); 1 at Hague 11-12 Nov (M. Manetz et ak). Shiny Cowbird: 1 at Cedar Key 21 Aug (R. Rowan et ak); 1 male at Lake Apopka NSRA 12 Sep-28 Oct (H. Robinson). Bronzed Cowbird: 2 at Cedar Key 21 Aug (S. Collins et ak); 4 at Eagle Lakes Park 13 Nov (fide C. Ewell). Field Observations 67 Orchard Oriole: 1 adult female at Cape Florida 13 Aug (R. Diaz); 1 juvenile male at Al- tamonte Springs 5 Sep (R Hueber). Baltimore Oriole: 1 at St. Augustine 16 Sep (J. Kern). House Finch: 1 female in mid Pinellas 24-27 Aug (Judy Fisher); flocks of 4 and 10 at Lake Apopka NSRA 3 Sep (B. Anderson et aL); 12 at Mead Garden 2 Oct (B. Ander- son); 3 males at Wilbur-by-the-Sea {Volusia) 11 Oct (M. Brothers); 1 singing male at Cape Coral (Lee) 4 Nov established a new location (J. Greenlaw). Zebra Finch: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 Sep (H. Robinson). Eurasian Goldfinch: 1 at Milton (Santa Rosa) early-26 Aug (M. Schiller). Pin-tailed Whydah: 1 alternate-plumaged male at Sanibel Lighthouse 11 Sep (V. McGrath); up to 2 (female and male) at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Sep (H. Robinson). Munia SPECIES: 1 juvenile at Frog Pond WMA 28 Aug (J. Boyd). Contributors! Brian Ahern, Larry Albright, Ken Allie, John Armstrong, Bruce Anderson, Lyn Atherton, Steve Backes, Peggy Baker, Andy Bankert, Gian Basili, Ted Below, Hilda Bellot, Mark Berney, Bill Boeringer, Jon Bortle, Jeff Bouton, Kris Bowman, John Boyd, Andy Boyle, David Brooke, Michael Brothers, Judy Bryan, Chris Burney, Pat Burns, Steve Carbol, Bob Carroll, Laura Catterton, Jim Cavanagh, Bruce Christensen, Roger Clark, Julie Cocke, Steve Collins, Buck and Linda Cooper, Tom Curtis, Michelle Davis, Robin Diaz, Terry Doyle, Jack Dozier, Jim DuBois, Jeanne Dubi, Bob Duncan, Lucy Duncan, Scot Duncan, Tom Dunkerton, Bill & Margaret Dunson, Charlie Ewell, Paul Fellers, Lenny Fenimore, Jeff Fisher, Judy Fisher, David Freeland, Jill Gaetzi, Murray Gardler, Liz Golden, David Goodwin, Paul & Laurie Gray, Jack and Liz Hail- man, Erik Haney, A1 & Bev Hansen, Alex Harper, Mark Hedden, Bob Henderson, Dale Henderson, Linda Hensley, John Hintermister, Brian Hope, Scarlett Howell, Paul Hue- ber, Greg Jones, Dean & Sally Jue, Adam Kent, Jackie Kern, Jim King, Mark Kiser, Jim Kowalski, Alan Knothe, Andy Kratter, Jerry Krummrich, Ed Kwater, Elizabeth Lane, Patrick Leary, Rob Lengacher, Thom Lewis, Angela Luzader, Russ MacGregor, Mike Manetz, Larry Manfredi, Don Margeson, Peter May, Mike McMillian, Paul Miller, Sean McCool, Vince McGrath, Ross McGregor, Jim McKay, Keith McMullen, Michael Meisen- burg, Gail Menk, Brennan Mulrooney, Deanna Murphy, John Murphy, David Muth, Kris Nelson, Rob Norton, Gallus Quigley, Jeff Palmer, Craig Parenteau, Geoff Parks, Bob Paxson, Steve Peacock, Judd Resold, David Powell, Peggy Powell, Bill Pranty, Steve Radzi, Stefan Rayer, Dexter Richardson, Bob Richter, Diane Reed, Dottie Robbins, Bry- ant Roberts, Harry Robinson, Ron Robinson, Rex Rowan, Fran Rutkovsky, Earl Scales, Mike Schiller, Alan Sheppard, Damien Simbeck, David Simpson, Ray Smart, Ron Smith, Tim Spahr, Justyn Stahl, David Steadman, Joan Stephens, Monte Stickel, Doug Suitor, Paul Sykes, Andrew Thornton, Roberto Torres, Ken Tracey, Alex Vinokur, Bob Wallace, Martha Walsh-McGehee, Don Ware, Tom Webber, Carl Weekley, Orion Weldon, Mickey Wheeler, Ed Woodruff, Andy & Julie Wraithmell. Summer 2005 observation not reported previously: Heermann’S Gull: 1 adult in al- ternate plumage on the old causeway to St. George Island (Franklin) ~9 Jun (Wylie Watt, photos to FOC) had been seen there a few days earlier (Jack Dozier). Report prepared by Bill Pranty, state compiler (8515 Village Mill Row, Bayonet Point, Florida 34667-2662; ). Regional compilers are Bruce H. Anderson (2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, Florida 32792; ), John H. Boyd III (15291 SW 108th Terrace, Miami, Florida 33196, ), Bob and Lucy Duncan (614 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561, ), Charlie Ewell (115 SW 51st Terrace, Cape Coral, Flor- ida 33991, ), Bev Hansen (6573 Pine Meadows Drive, Spring Hill, Florida 34606; ), Gail Menk (2725 Peachtree 68 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32304; no e-mail), Paul Miller (Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, 33104 NW 192nd Avenue, Okeechobee, Florida 34972; ), David Powell (10800 Brighton Bay Boulevard NE, Apartment 15207, St. Petersburg, Florida 33716; ), and Peggy Powell (2965 Forest Circle, Jacksonville, Florida 32257; ). Florida Field Naturalist ISSN 0738-999X PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Editor: JEROME A. JACKSON, Whitaker Center, Arts & Sciences, Florida Gulf Coast Uni- versity, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Fort Myers, FL 33965. E-mail: picus ©fgcu.edu Associate Editor (for Reviews): Reed Bowman, Archbold Biological Station, RO. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33852. E-mail: RBowman@archbold-station.org Associate Editor (for bird distribution): Bruce Anderson, 2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, FL 32792. E-mail: scizortail@aol.com Editor of the Ornithological Newsletter: TOM PALMER, 1805 26th Street, N.W, Win- ter Haven, FL 33881. E-mail: tomp47@yahoo.com Editor of Special Publications: Reed F. Noss, Davis-Shine Professor of Conservation Biology, University of Central Florida, Department of Biology, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816-2368. E-mail: rnoss@mail.ucf edu Web Page Editor: STEPHEN Bankert, 365 Spoonbill Lane, Melbourne, FL 32951. E-mail: webmaster@fosbirds.org INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS The Florida Field Naturalist is a fully refereed journal emphasizing biological field studies and observations of vertebrates, especially birds, in and near Florida and the nearby West Indies. We welcome submission of original manuscripts containing new information from these areas. We encourage electronic submission of manu- scripts. Please consult recent issues of the journal for style, especially noting 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 standardized English names for all birds, but lower case for English names of other organisms; (3) include metric units for all measurements; (4) use the form “7 June 2003” for all dates; (5) use the 24-hour clock for all indications of time (e.g., 0800, 1400); (6) use the following abbreviations: s (second), min (minute), h (hour); (7) preferentially use active voice. Submit manuscripts for Florida Field Naturalist to the New Editor, Scott Robinson, Florida Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 117800, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611; Phone: 352-392-1721, ext. 509; e-mail: srobinson@flmnh.ufi.edu. Monograph- length manuscripts may be submitted for consideration to Reed F. Noss, Editor of Spe- cial Publications. Books and other materials for review should be submitted to: Reed Bowman, Associate Editor for Reviews. Field Observations should be submitted to the Chair of the Field Observations Committee, Bill Pranty. Reports of rare birds in Florida should be submitted to the Managing Secretary of the FOS Records Committee, Reed Bowman. SfWlTHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VOL. 34, No. 2 May 2006 Pages 37-68 CONTENTS ARTICLES Apple snail densities in habitats used by foraging Snail Kites Philip C. Darby, Robert E. Bennetts, and Laksiri B. Karunaratne 37-47 Bats of Archbold Biological Station and notes on some roost sites Jeffrey T Hutchinson 48-51 NOTES A specimen of a migrant Clapper Rail from the interior of southern Florida Glen E. Woolfenden and Storrs L. Olson 52-53 Killing of Tufted Titmouse nestlings by a Red-bellied Woodpecker Christine Brown and Richard Poole 54 FIELD OBSERVATIONS Fall report: August-November 2005 Bill Pranty 55-68 QL B( rci^S Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Founded 1972 OFFICERS President: JACK Hailman, 143 Beacon Lane, Jupiter, FL 33469. E-mail: jhailman@wisc.edu Vice President: SuSAN B. WHITING, 3901 SE St. Lucie Blvd. #54, Stuart, FL 34997. E- mail: SooSprey@aol.com Secretary: PAMELA J. BoWEN, 309 Moonstone Dr., East Palatka, FL 32131. E-mail: pbowen @netzero.net Treasurer: DEAN JUE, 3455 Dorchester Court, Tallahassee, FL 32312-1300. E-mail: djue@admin.fsu.edu Editor, Florida Field Naturalist: ScOTT ROBINSON, Florida Museum of Natural His- tory, PO. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800, E-mail: srobinson@flmnh.ufl.edu Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2007 Judy Bryan, 1924 SW 43rd Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32608 Katie Sieving, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0430 Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2008 David B. Freeland, 2345 Marsh Harbor Avenue, Merritt Island, FL 32952 Joyce King, 11645 69th Way N., Largo, FL 33773 Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2009 Charles Ewell, 115 SW 51®^ Terrace, Cape Coral, FL 33914-7107 Julie Wraithmell, 131 Willaura Circle, Tallahassee, FL 32301 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. All persons interested in Florida’s natural history, particularly its abundant bird life, are invited to join the Florida Ornithological Society by writing the Treasurer. Annual membership dues are $20 for individual members (overseas $25), $25 for a family member- ship, $15 for students, $40 for contributing members and $25 for institutional membership. All members receive the Florida Field Naturalist and the newsletter. Subscription price for institutions and non-members is $20 per year. Back issues ($3.00 per issue) are available, prepaid, from the Treasurer. Notice of change of address, claims for undelivered or defective copies of this journal, and requests for information about advertising and subscriptions should be sent to the Treasurer. The Florida Field Naturalist is published quarterly (February, May, September, and November) by the Florida Ornithological Society. It is printed by E, O. Painter Printing Co., PO. Box 877, DeLeon Springs, Florida 32130. The permanent address of the Florida Ornithological Society is Department of Ornithology, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611. The Florida Ornithological Society web site can be found at www.fosbirds.org THIS PUBLICATION IS PRINTED ON NEUTRAL PH PAPER Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 34, No, 3 September 2006 Pages 69-114 Florida Field Naturalist 34(3):69-102, 2006. FIFTEENTH REPORT OF THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY RECORDS COMMITTEE; 2003-2005 The Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (FOSRC) critically reviews all written sight reports and specimens and/or photographic records (including audio re- cordings) submitted to it to determine the validity of the reports. The Committee’s find- ings are published periodically in the Florida Field Naturalist (FFN). Of the 82 reports received and logged from June 2002 through September 2005, 80 were reviewed; 56 were accepted, 20 were not accepted, and four were not resolved and are still under con- sideration: White-tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi, 03-504), Yellow-green Vireo (Vireo flavoviridis, 04-526), Say’s Phoebe (Sayornis saya, 05-561), and Golden-crowned Spar- row (Zonotrichia atricapilla, 05-562). Two additional reports were catalogued, but not acted upon by the Committee: South Polar Skua {Catharacta maccormicki, 04-540), which was observed outside of Florida’s territorial waters and was forwarded to the Ba- hamas Avian Records Committee for review, and Heermann’s Gull (Larus heermanni, 03-508), which was considered to be the same individual as that in a previously resolved report. In addition, the committee considered six reports submitted prior to June 2002 that previously had been either not resolved or tabled in anticipation of additional evi- dence, and three reports that were re-evaluations of previous resolved reports. Of the six unresolved reports, two were accepted and four were not accepted. Of the three pre- viously resolved reports, the committee decided that the new evidence did not warrant re-evaluation of one record and two were changed from Accepted to Not Accepted. In one of these latter instances (91-222), an alternative species identification was considered and accepted, but a new catalog number was not assigned. In addition, the committee considered evidence that an exotic species was established in Florida and this report was accepted. Thus, of all reports considered, new or re-evaluated, previously unre- solved, and exotics that have become established, a total of 86 reports were resolved, of which 60 (70%) were accepted and 26 (30%) were not accepted. Of the reports accepted, 43 (72%) included photographs. However, photographs are not always diagnostic; of the reports that were not accepted, seven (30%) included photographs. In 1998, the FOSRC adopted the “Verified Species” listed in Florida Bird Species: an Annotated List (Robertson & Woolfenden, 1992, F.O.S. Spec. Pub. 6) as its baseline scien- tific list of Florida’s avifauna (“State List”). This list consisted of 461 species. The FOSRC publishes updates to the State List from time to time based upon its Final Decisions and other activity. Since the publication of Robertson and Woolfenden (1992), hereinafter re- ferred to as (R&W 1992), and prior to this report, a total of 25 species has been added to the official FOSRC state list. In this report, we add 11 new species to the state list, but also remove two for which prior evidence has been re-evaluated. The list of species added to the official FOSRC state list since publication of R&W (1992) are (those new to this re- 69 70 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST port marked with an *): Red-necked Grebe, Podiceps grisegena (01-437); Short-tailed Shearwater, Puffinus tenuirostris (02-468); Rough-legged Hawk, Buteo lagopus (00-415); Zone-tailed Hawk, Buteo albonotatus (00-433); ""Eurasian Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus (03-512); Northern Lapwing, Vanellus vanellus (99-401); South Polar Skua, Stercorarius maccormicki (FFN 23:38-43); Heermann's Gull, Larus heermanni (01-452); Gray-hooded Gull, Larus cirrocephalus (99-396); California Gull, Larus californicus (99-392); ""Slaty- backed Gull, Larus schistisagus (03-509); Elegant Tern, Sterna elegans (00-430, 02-477, 02-486); Thick-billed Murre, Uria lomvia (00-419); White-tipped Dove, Leptotila ver- reauxi (95-337); Black-hooded Parakeet, Nandayus nenday (04-546); Snowy Owl, Bubo scandiacus (00-406); Vaux's Swift, Chaetura vauxi (FFN 24:122-134); ""Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris (04-549); Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus (00-409); Allen’s Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin (97-380); Western Wood- Pewee, Contopus sordidulus (FFN 24:122-134); Cuban Pewee, Contopus caribaeus (FFN 24:122-134); Tropical Kingbird, Tyrannus melancholicus (00-416); Sulphur-bellied Fly- catcher, Myiodynastes luteiventris (96-362); ""Piratic Flycatcher, Legatus leucophaius (91- 222), re-evaluation of a report previously accepted as Variegated Flycatcher, Empidono- mus varius; ""Mangrove Swallow, Tachycineta albilinea (03-507); ""Mountain Bluebird, Sialia currucoides (03-496); ""Bicknell’s Thrush, Catharus bicknelli (FFN 33:102-104); MacGillivray’s Warbler, Oporornis tolmiei (98-385); American Tree Sparrow, Spizella ar- borea (98-386); ""Varied Bunting, Passerina versicolor (05-574); and ""Hooded Oriole, Ict- erus cucullatus (02-494). In addition, four taxonomic splits have occurred adding new species to the list: Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) was split into Canada Goose and ""Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii), and Cackling Goose was verified from the state with this report (05-560); Rufous-sided Towhee was split into Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) and Spotted Towhee (P. maculatus), both verified from Florida; Sharp-tailed Sparrow was split into Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus) and Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow (A. nelsoni), also both verified from Flor- ida; and Northern Oriole was split into Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) and Bullock’s Oriole (I. bullockii), both verified from Florida (FFN 28:138-160). However, on the basis of new evidence (Smith et al. 2000) and additional documentation, re-evaluations of records of species currently on the official FOSRC state list, resulted in the removal of two species; Loggerhead Kingbird, Tyrannus caudifasciatus (03-517) and Variegated Fly- catcher (91-222). The recent actions of the Committee bring the number of species in- cluded on the FOSRC official state list to 495 species (see R&W 1992, FFN 23:38-43, FFN 24:122-134, FFN 28:138-160, FFN 32:7-33, this report) (Appendix 1). The Rules and Procedures of the FOSRC (cf. the FOSRC Web page at http://www.fos- birds.org) state that the Committee may add species to its official state list without ver- ifiable evidence, providing it so annotates them. However, since the new rules were adopted, no reports of species new to the state list submitted without verifiable evidence have satisfied the Committee’s criteria for acceptance. Thus, all 495 species currently on the FOSRC state list are independently verifiable. FOSRC members who evaluated these reports and their expiration date of tenure are as follows: Lyn S. Atherton (2003), Reed Bowman (2005), R. Todd Engstrom (2009), Jon S. Greenlaw (2006), Sally Jue (2010), Andy Kratter (2011), Fred E. Lohrer (2007), and Mickey C. Wheeler (2008). In this report is a list of species known to occur in Florida that the Committee has deemed sufficiently rare or difficult to identify to warrant FOSRC evaluation. Any spe- cies included on this list should be documented by the observer. All observers are en- couraged to submit these reports to the FOSRC, including those intended for publication in the Florida Field Naturalist or in any other publication. While in the field, the observer should record a detailed description of all body parts (e.g., bill, legs, and feet; noting size, shape, and colors). Although a specimen or photo- graph and vocal recordings are preferred, a sketch of the bird and vocal descriptions are Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 71 beneficial. Even though we may assume photographs are unambiguous, it often is not the case and photographs should be accompanied by descriptions of plumage character- istics not evident in the photo, behavioral traits, details about the habitat, and other de- tails about the observation, such as distance to the bird, weather conditions, optics etc. It is necessary to describe how all similar species were eliminated (e.g., similar mem- bers within a genus), not only those known or suspected to occur in Florida, but also any species that could possibly stray here or possibly escape from captivity. All observations should be submitted on the standard report form available from the Secretary or on the FOSRC web page at www.fosbirds.org. In addition to uniformity, the report form pro- vides the Committee and the observer with guidelines to those criteria used by the FOSRC for its evaluation. Completed forms with supporting material should be submit- ted to the Secretary of the FOSRC. Since 1994, the Committee has consisted of 7 members. Since adoption of the current FOSRC Rules and Procedures in 1998, an accepted report requires 7 accepting votes; or, 6 accepting votes and either 1 non-accept or abstain; or 5 accepts and 2 abstains. However, a report remains in circulation until it either is accepted, or it receives 7 non-accepting votes; or, 6 non-accepting votes and either 1 accept or abstain; or 5 non-accepts and 2 ab- stains. Prior to 1998, a unanimous vote was required to accept a report. When a report is accepted for a species new to the state, it is added to the official FOSRC state list only when its natural occurrence is probable. If supporting specimens, photographs, or audio recordings exist it is considered verifiable; otherwise it is annotated as unverifiable. When a report is not accepted, it does not necessarily mean that a species was not correctly iden- tified. Sometimes a sighting is too brief or the written account lacks sufficient detail to eliminate all possibilities. The Committee will reconsider a report if additional informa- tion is submitted that might alter a previous decision. All supporting documentation is de- posited in the FOS Archives at the Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville. Contributors to this report: Edward Alexander (EA), Carlos Alfonso (CA), Lyn S. Atherton (LSA), Chris Baker (CB), Peggy Baker (PB), Fred Bassett (FB), Jeff Bouton (JB), Patricia E. Burns (PEB), Steven Collins (SC), Michelle Davis (MD), Robin M. Diaz (RMD), David W. Dortch (DWD), Robert A. Duncan (RAD), Robert and Lucy Duncan (RLD), R. Todd Engstrom (RTE), Charlie Ewell (CE), Barry Fleming (BF), Murray Gardler (MGa), Wally George (WG), Carl A. Goodrich (CAG), Marvin Greenberg (MGr), Jon S. Greenlaw (JSG), David Hartgrove (DH), Roger Hammond (RH), Elbert M. Heath (EMH), John H. Hintermister V (JHH), Andrew W. Kratter (AWK), Ed Kwater (EK), Ja- net R. Lloyd (JRL), Casey Lott (CL), Larry Manfredi (LM), James A. Melvin (JAM), Brian C. Monk (BCM), Brennan Mulrooney (BM), Peggy Powell (PP), William C. Pranty (WCP), Robert A. Richter (RAR), Bryant Roberts (BR), Stefan Schlick (SS), Paul W. Sykes, Jr. (PWS), Glen E. Woolfenden (GEW), Andy Wraithmell (AW), Julie B. Wraith- mell (JBW). For obvious reasons, we do not include observers whose reports were not ac- cepted or resolved by the committee. Nonetheless we extend them our thanks and gratitude for their observations and for submitting their report to the FOSRC. Accepted Reports (Arranged in currently recognized nomenclature and sequence [AOU 1998, 2006]) Green-winged (“Eurasian”) Teal, Alias crecca crecca (PEB, SC, AWK 05-564). An adult male in breeding plumage was observed and photographed, 15-25 February 2005, in Chapman’s Pond, Gainesville, Alachua Co. Photographs diagnostic, showed clean white scapular stripe, complete absence of vertical, white breast stripe, strong facial frame, and relatively strong flank vermiculations, all characteristic of nominate A. crecca. No evidence of hybrid status, and no known waterfowl collections in the region. The Committee considered this report because of the possibility of a future 72 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST change in the taxonomic status of the North American and Eurasian populations by the AOU. British ornithologists already regard the Eurasian birds as distinct from the North American ones at the species level, and call the species Eurasian Teal (The British List online, www.bou.org.uk/recbrlstldna.html). Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Masked Duck, Nomonyx dominicus (EMH, 05-567). Two female-plumaged individuals associating with one another, off Wickham Road in water treatment pond, Viera, Brevard Co., 16 March 2005. Description terse, photograph of one bird submitted and diagnostic: two parallel black stripes on the head, ground color of head buffy-brown, strong blackish mottling on dorsum, heavy bill. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 83-045; not accepted: 90-197, 94-311. Masked Duck, Nomonyx dominicus (RH, 05-568). A single adult male in breeding plum- age on a pond in the Stonybrook subdivision off central Sarasota Parkway, Sarasota, Sarasota Co., 7 June 2005. Photographs diagnostic: heavy pale blue bill with conspic- uous dark nail, extensive black half-hood on fore-part of head, rest of head and ex- posed body rusty brown, spiky tail. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 83-045, 05-567; not accepted: 90-197, 94-311. Ross’s Goose, Chen rossii (JAM, 03-523). Brief written description but excellent photo- graphs of a bird observed 20 November 2003 at the Melbourne Water Treatment Plant, Brevard Co. Photographs diagnostic. All key features visible in photos includ- ing a side-by-side comparison with Lesser Snow Goose which clearly emphasized dif- ferences in body and bill size. No reason to suspect hybrid origin of birds. At publication of R&W (1992) only three occurrences of Ross’s Goose known from Flor- ida, but it appears to be increasing in its winter frequency. Reports previously ac- cepted by FOSRC: 88-133, 92-252, 99-399, 00-423, 00-424, 01-445; not accepted: none. Ross’s Goose, Chen rossii (RAD, 03-524). Written description and photographs of four birds (two adults and two first-winter birds) observed 17 November 2003 on Mama Rosa Pond at the Fort Walton Beach Spray Fields, Okaloosa Co. Photographs include side-by-side comparison with Lesser Snow Geese. Previous reports include up to four birds wintering with large flocks of snow geese. No reason to suspect hybrid origin of birds. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 88-133, 92-252, 99-399, 00-423, 00- 424, 01-445, 03-523; not accepted: none. Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsii (RTE, 05-560). First state record. Specimen (TTRS 50) taken 24 December 1956 at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Wakulla Co. Spe- cies is a recent split from the Canada Goose {Branta canadensis) complex (Banks et al. 2004). To evaluate the identity of this specimen, we used information from Wilson (2004) and measurements from Palmer (1976). Both hutchinsii and the smallest sub- species of Canada Goose, B. c. parvipes, co-occur west of Hudson Bay. The specimen was very small: wing chord 355 mm, exposed culmen 36 mm (bill stubby, triangular), body mass 1702 g (described as “very fat”). The measurements fell in the smaller end of the respective character ranges for hutchinsii, but well outside the respective ranges of these characters for parvipes. Thus, the evidence was consistent for Cack- ling Goose, and excluded the smallest subspecies of Canada Goose as now viewed. Re- ports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Added to the official FOSRC state list as a verifiable species. Western Grebe, Aec/imop/ioms occidentalis (AW, 03-497). Detailed written description and photographs of a bird observed 13 January 2003 in Fort Myers, Lee Co. Photos di- agnostic, clearly showed dark lores with the black extending below the eye, ruling out a potential Clark’s/Western hybrid. R&W (1992) considered Western Grebe a very rare and irregular winter visitor and although many reports {ca 15) exist, most can- not eliminate Clark’s Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii) or possible hybrids between the two species. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 01-446 (to genus only), 01-453; not accepted: 89-166, 91-242. Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 73 Aechmophorus Grebe (AW, 01-446, submitted as Western Grebe, A. occidentalis). Writ- ten description of a bird observed 2 January 2001 in Ft. Clinch State Park, Nassau Co. Photographs thought to exist but none could be obtained. Description diagnostic of Aechmophorus grebe, and most characteristics seem to suggest Western Grebe rather than Clark’s Grebe; however, some characteristics that might also have ruled out hybrids were not mentioned in report, such as supraloral color; thus the commit- tee agreed to accept the observation to genus only. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC to genus only: 01-446. Manx Shearwater, Puffinus puffinus (AWK, 04-553). A specimen (UF 33973) of an im- mature female found on the beach 1.5 km south of Lake Worth Public Beach, Palm Beach Co., 21 or 22 November 1997, bearing a British Museum of Natural History band. Photograph and discussion in Kratter et al. (2002). The Committee affirmed the identification. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 94-322, 97-374, 01-457; not accepted: none. Manx Shearwater, Puffinus puffinus (AWK, 04-554). A specimen (UF 40551) of an im- mature female received in December 1998, and evidently obtained in the vicinity of Fort Lauderdale/Boca Raton area on the beach. Photograph and discussion in Kratter et al. (2002). The Committee affirmed the identification. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 94-322, 97-374, 01-457, 04-553; not accepted: none. Red-billed Tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus (RAD, 03-514). Written description of a bird observed 14 September 2002 near Destin, Okaloosa Co. The bird was found on the beach after Tropical Storm Hanna. The initial report was tabled because photo- graphs of the bird were thought to exist. Those were received and were diagnostic, and clearly showed the large red bill, black barred back, and long tail streamers. The bird was eventually released in the Tampa area. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 93-334, 96-368, 03-514; not accepted: 02-492. Red-billed Tropicbird, aethereus (RDW, 04-539). Written description and ex- cellent photographs of a bird observed 9 April 2004, 10 nautical miles SE of Looe Key Marine Sanctuary, Monroe Co. Description and photographs diagnostic of an adult bird. Red bill, long tail streamers, barred back, and extensive black in primaries. Very rare, irregular visitor, but most reports from northeast Florida (R&W 1992). Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 93-334, 96-368, 03-514; not accepted: 02-492, Red-billed Tropicbird, aethereus (AWK, 04-556). Specimen (UF 40996) of an adult female found sick at Patrick Air Force Base, Brevard Co., on 2 October 1999, Discussion and photograph in Kratter et al. (2002). The Committee affirmed the iden- tification. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 93-334, 96-368, 02-514, 04-539; not accepted: 02-492, Red-footed Booby, Sula sula (SS, 04-528). Excellent written description and photo- graphs of an adult bird observed 8-9 November 2003 at Boynton Inlet, Palm Beach Co. Description and photographs diagnostic, clearly showing the overall topography of the bird and bright reddish orange legs. Tail extremely worn and bird appeared to have been in molt, consistent with the observation date. Very rare summer and fall visitor; R&W (1992) cite several specimens and photographs of birds from Florida. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 82-013, 95-344, 98-387; not accepted: none. White-faced Ibis, Plegadis chihi (JHH, 04-530). Written description submitted by only one observer of a bird seen by many observers 17-21 January 2004 at Alligator Lake Park, Lake City, Columbia Co. Photographs taken by other observers and not submit- ted with the report were obtained and reviewed by the Committee. Description and photos consistent, showing reddish tint to legs, pink facial skin, and red iris, which is diagnostic for this species. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 94-312, 00-427, 00-428, 02-466; not accepted: none. White-faced Ibis, Plegadis chihi (BCM, 04-537). Written description submitted by one person, but bird observed by several people 19 April 2004, at the Okaloosa County 74 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST landfill ponds. Photographs taken by other observers and not submitted with the re- port were obtained and reviewed by the Committee. Descriptions and photographs di- agnostic of an adult bird in breeding plumage. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 94-312, 00-427, 00-428, 02-466, 04-530; not accepted: none. Eurasian Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus (WCP, 03-512). First state record. Written de- scription and photographs of an adult female observed at the Lake Apopka North Shore Restoration Area near Zellwood, Orange Co. The bird was present at the site from 26 February to 16 March 2003 and seen and photographed by many observers. Photos diagnostic of adult female. Primaries did not extend beyond the subterminal tail band and the toenails were dark, rather than light, thus distinguishing this bird from Lesser Kestrel {Falco naumanni). Not likely an escape because most or all would be banded or wearing jesses. Although known from several reports in North America and at least 4 reports from the northeast, this is the first confirmed report for the southeastern US (Pranty et al. 2004). Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Added to the official FOSRC state list as a verifiable species. SURFBIRD, Ap/iriza virgata (PP, DH, RAR, 05-566). An adult, sex unknown, observed and photographed on the south jetty, Ponce de Leon Inlet, New Smyrna Beach, Volusia Co., 10-11 April 2005. Descriptions and photographs diagnostic: chunky body, gray head streaking, heavy bill, stout yellow legs, and white tail with broad, black termi- nal band combined to identify the bird. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 02~ 476; not accepted: none. Iceland Gull, Lotus glaucoides (RAR, 03-495. Clearly written description and excellent photos of a bird observed 31 December 2002, in Huguenot Park, Jacksonville, Duval Co. The photos were diagnostic of first-winter bird, which clearly showed small head and dark bill, pink legs, uniform light color, but with distinct mottling in coverts, dis- tinguishing it from a Thayer’s Gull. Widely reported from both coasts of Florida be- tween October and May, but R&W (1992) considered the status of this species in Florida highly uncertain. Although many reports exist, including both specimens and published photographs, Stevenson and Atherton (1984) reported that many were in fact Glaucous Gulls (L. hyperboreus). Two reports previously accepted by the FOSRC occurred in March in Pompano Beach, Broward Co. (1993 and 2002). Reports previ- ously accepted by FOSRC: 93-270, 02-465; not accepted: 93-277, 98-384. Slaty-backed Gull, Larus schistisagus (JSG, 03-509). First state record. Written de- scription and photographs of a third-year gull seen 6 October 2002 in Key West, Mon- roe Co. The bird was first discovered in Key West on 21 September and was observed by many people through 17 October 2006. Photographs diagnostic of a third-year bird entering fourth-winter plumage. Plumage, bill, and leg color consistent. Dark smudge behind eye and light subterminal spotting on trailing edges of primaries diagnostic. The bird was neither large nor dark enough to be a Great Black-backed Gull and its pink legs ruled out other potentially similar species. Slaty-backed Gulls have dark bills through second-winter plumage and yellow bills as adults. This bird’s bill was pinkish at the base with a forward-sloping dark band in front of the nares and a yel- low tip consistent with a bird in third-year plumage. The Slaty-backed Gull is a northern Pacific species that occurs relatively frequently in western Alaska, but is very rare elsewhere in North America. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Added to the official FOSRC state list as a verifiable species. Razorbill, Alca torda (AWK, 04-555). Specimen (UF 43059) of an adult male found weakened on 30 March 2003 at Satellite Beach, Brevard Co. It died on 31 March in captivity. A large alcid, black above, white below including undertail coverts, and with a distinctive, diagnostic large, deep black bill bearing a vertical, white arching line. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 85-089, 93-282; not accepted: none. Long-billed Murrelet, Brachyramphus perdix (AWK, 04-552). Specimen (UF 44170) of a winter-plumaged female, obtained in the Ft. Lauderdale area, Broward Co., 22 Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 75 December 2003, taken to a rehabilitation center where it died. A small alcid, very short-tailed with a white scapular patch, narrow white eye crescents, blackish above, white below, and a moderately long black bill. Bill shape discounted Least Auklet (Aethia pusilla); long bill, black extending below eyes, lack of white semi-collar dis- counted other Brachyramphus alcids that also have some white on the scapulars. Ab- sence of bursa and slightly enlarged ovary and oviduct suggested that it probably was an adult bird (A. W. Kratter, pers. communication). Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 87-118, 93-281, 94-304; not accepted: none. Long-billed Murrelet, Brachyramphus perdix (AWK, 05-559). Specimen (UF 39297) of a male taken about 4 km west of St. Petersburg, Pinellas Co., in the Gulf of Mexico, 28 November 1994. Discussion and photograph in Kratter et al. (2002). The Commit- tee affirmed the identification. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 87-118, 93- 281, 94-304, 04-552; not accepted: none. Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula arctica (AWK, 04-558). Specimen (UF 44357) of a hatch- year bird found at St. Augustine Beach, St. Johns Co. on 23 December 2004, as a weakened bird that died subsequently at a rehabilitation center. Photograph pub- lished on 23 December in the Augustine Record (newspaper, mistakenly identified as a Dovekie [Alle a//e]). Distinctive puffin-like bill. Specimen separated from Horned Puffin {F. corniculata), which has no known Atlantic records, by smaller body size and bill shape. Chin and throat of the specimen are pale gray in contrast to darker dusky tones expected in the Horned Puffin. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 87-120; not accepted: none. Zenaida Dove, Zenaida aurita (MD, 04-550). An adult observed closely at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Miami-Dade Co,, on 14 October 2004. MD provided a detailed report on the bird, accompanied by a copy of fieldnotes and a field sketch that was later rendered into a colored drawing “for clarity.” White-tipped sec- ondaries were noted, and are diagnostic. All other characters were consistent with the identification. This species is regarded as a rare, sporadic to occasional visitor to the Florida Keys and the southeast Atlantic coast (R&W 1992). Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 97-379, 01-456, 02-474; not accepted: 82-018, 83-035, 88-141. Black-hooded Parakeet, Nandayus nenday (WCP, 04-546). The committee reviewed a galley proof of an in press manuscript (subsequently published, Pranty and Lovell 2004) documenting the size and trends of populations of Black-hooded Parakeets in Florida. Using recently revised criteria specified in Appendix A3 of the FOSRC Rules and Procedures (Criteria for Establishment, www.fosbirds.org/RecordsCommittee/ RulesAndProcedures.htm), the Committee concluded that the manuscript presented convincing evidence that the Black-hooded Parakeet is established in Florida. The manuscript was treated as an original report of this species in Florida and appropri- ately cataloged. Populations of this species have increased since the 1980s, demon- strating more rapid, almost exponential growth during the 1990s. At the same time, the apparent range of the species in Florida has expanded from being detected on only 4 Christmas Bird Counts (CBC) in the early 1980s to 16 CBCs by 2003. In all of the 10 counties that have recorded Black-hooded Parakeets, once the birds were first observed, their populations have persisted. Breeding has been reported at many of these areas. The total population size was conservatively estimated at 850 birds. Spe- cies add to the official FOSRC state list as an established exotic. Flammulated Owl, Otus flammeolus (RAD, EA, 02-461). Written description and pho- tographs of a bird observed 8 January 2002 on St. George Island, Franklin Co. Photo was slightly blurry and key details were difficult to distinguish. Bill size and small ear tufts consistent with Flammulated Owl. Gray form, but with rufous edge to facial disk. After the initial review the report was tabled while the Committee evaluated the extent of rufous in gray form of Eastern and Western screech-owls. In contrast to gray-morph screech-owl, Flammulated has more distinct rusty-brown on facial disk 76 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST that contrasts with lighter inner facial feathers. In addition, both specimens and the bird in the photographs had rufous scapular coverts. R&W ( 1992) reported a bird cap- tured at Redington Beach, Pinellas Co. in November 1972. Only other verifiable re- port was of a bird observed 4 December 2001 at Navarre Beach, Santa Rosa Co. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 01-455; not accepted: none. Long-EARED Owl, Asio otus (MGa, 03-503). Photographs and a written description of a bird observed 17 April 2003 on Garden Key, Dry Tortugas, Miami-Dade Co. Photos di- agnostic and clearly showed forehead and facial disc colors that differentiate from a Stygian Owl (A. stygius). R&W (1992) considered this bird a casual winter visitor to Florida, but only a single specimen from Florida (MCZ 248345) can be located. A bird observed in March 1994 at Archbold Biological Station was photographed and the re- port published (Tarvin 1994). Another bird observed within 1000 m of the previous sighting in March 1995 might have been the same individual. Reports previously ac- cepted by FOSRC: 94-290, 95-330; not accepted: none. Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris (JRL, 04-549). First state record. An adult male was photographed at a feeder in Pensacola, Escambia Co., on 17 Sep- tember 2004. Photograph and description provided all the diagnostic information necessary to identify the bird: red-billed, blue-throated, green-bodied hummingbird, with white undertail coverts (visible in photo) and a dark, notched tail (description). These features eliminate any other North or Middle American, or Caribbean hum- mingbird. A number of accepted records exist of this species in Louisiana. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Added to the official FOSRC state list as a verifiable species. Calliope Hummingbird, Stellula calliope (FB, 03-498). Photographs, detailed pictures of tail patterns, and measurements of a second-year male banded 10 January 2003 in Tallahassee, Leon Co. Photos diagnostic, measurements consistent with Pyle (1997), central tail feather wedge-shaped. Records of winter birds increasingly common from southeastern U.S. Several published photos (R&W 1992) and specimens of this spe- cies (TTRS 3855 [tail feathers], GEW 5901 [from FOSRC report 95-352]) in Florida exist. Many recent reports to FOSRC include detailed tail measurements and photo- graphs. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 90-192, 95-350, 95-351, 95-352, 95- 353, 96-357 (may have been same individual as 95-353), 96-363, 01-435, 01-436, 01- 438, 02-472; not accepted: none. Calliope Hummingbird, Stellula calliope (FB, 03-499). Photographs, detailed pictures of tail patterns, and measurements of a second-year male banded 28 February 2003 in Tallahassee, Leon Co. Photos diagnostic, measurements consistent with Pyle (1997), central tail feather wedge-shaped. See above for details of recent occurrences. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 90-192, 95-350, 95-351, 95-352, 95-353, 96- 357 (may have been same individual as 95-353), 96-363, 01-435, 01-436, 01-438, 02- 472, 03-498; not accepted: none. Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus (FB, 04-532). Written descrip- tion, photographs, and various feather and wing measurements of a bird captured and banded 30 December 2003 in Pensacola, Escambia Co. All characteristics consis- tent with an adult male. Full red gorget visible. Photo of attenuated PIO, rufous edg- ing to rectrices 2 and 3, make species identity clear. Records of this species and other western hummingbirds increasing in Florida, especially in the panhandle. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 00-409, 01-434, 02-470; not accepted: 96-385, 01-444. Allen’S Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin (FB, 03-500). Photographs, detailed pictures of tail patterns, and measurements of a hatch-year male banded 20 December 2002 in Pensacola, Escambia Co. Photos diagnostic and tail measurements consistent with Pyle (1997). Clear photo showing absence of a notch in the second rectrix, which is characteristic of male Allen’s and distinguishes it from Rufous Hummingbird. Unre- ported from Florida before the mid-1980s, several reports since then, including pub- Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 77 lished photographs: Cedar Key, Levy Co. {American Birds 42:371) (R&W 1992). The FOSRC concluded that measurements of the widths of rectrices are necessary to iden- tify extralimital Rufous/Allen’s hummingbirds (McKenzie and Robbins 1999). Previ- ous reports of all green-backed hummingbirds were likely Allen’s but were not accepted without tail measurements. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 97-380, 02-471; not accepted: 88-138, 93-276, 99-390. Allen’s Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin (FB, 04-533). Written description, photo- graphs, and various feather and wing measurements of a bird captured and banded 15 December 2003 in Tallahassee, Leon Co. All characteristics diagnostic of an after- hatch-year (AHY) female. Difficult to tell from female Rufous Hummingbird, but wing length and the width of rectrix R5 were far outside the 95% confidence intervals of those measures in the larger Rufous Hummingbird. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 97-380, 02-471, 03-500; not accepted: 88-138, 93-276, 99-390. Allen’s Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin (FB, 04-534). Written description, photo- graphs, and various feather and wing measurements of a bird captured and banded 16 February 2004, in Pensacola, Escambia Co. All characteristics diagnostic of an AHY female. Difficult to tell from female Rufous Hummingbird, but wing length and the width of rectrix R5 were far outside the 95% confidence interval of those measures in the larger Rufous Hummingbird. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 97-380, 02-471, 03-500, 04-533; not accepted: 88-138, 93-276, 99-390. Allen’s Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin (FB, 05-565). Written description, photo- graphs, and various feather and wing measurements of a bird captured and banded 18 December 2004 in Tallahassee, Leon Co. All characteristics diagnostic of an AHY female. Difficult to separate from female Rufous Hummingbird, but wing length and width of R5, and absence of apical notch on R2 confirmed the identification. In recent years at least, this species has been regular in the Florida panhandle in winter. Re- ports previously accepted by FOSRC: 97-380, 02-471, 03-500, 04-533, 04-534; not ac- cepted: 88-138, 93-276, 99-390. Say’s Phoebe, Sayornis saya (DWD, RLD, BF, 03-520). Written descriptions by four ob- servers and photographs of a bird observed 15 October 2003 at Pensacola Beach, Es- cambia Co. Descriptions and photographs diagnostic and clearly showed the cinnamon belly plumage diagnostic of this species. Very rare, irregular fall-winter visitor (R&W 1992). Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 88-158, 98-382; not ac- cepted: none. Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Myiodynastes luteiventris (MBM, LM, 05-570). A single individual, apparently hatch-year age (conspicuous, pale rictus), sex unknown, ob- served at “Lucky Hammock” near the entrance to Everglades National Park, Miami- Dade Co., 6-13 November 2005. Excellent photographs and description provided all diagnostic details sufficient to eliminate similar species in the genera Myiodynastes and Empidonomus, notably the convergent lateral throat streaks joining on the chin. Before 1992, only one or two unresolved reports of this species (R&W 1992). Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 96-362, 01-439, 02-485; not accepted: none. Piratic Flycatcher, Legatus leucophaius (RB, 91-222a). First state record. Reevalua- tion of a previously decided report which included a written description and photo- graphs of what seemed to be a Variegated Flycatcher {Empidonomus varius) seen 15 March 1991 at the Dry Tortugas, Monroe Co. A key feature that supported the original identification was the conspicuous rusty tones on upper tail coverts and tail edges. This feature mainly provided the basis for acceptance of the report, which added Var- iegated Flycatcher to the FOSRC official state list. However plumage characteristics, such as the distinct malar and more distinct, but restricted, streaking on the under- parts, and the small all-dark bill led some (e.g., D. Lane, J. V. Remsen, A. Kratter) to question this identification, and suggested that this may be a Piratic Flycatcher [also, see Check-list of North American Birds, seventh edition, 1998: 411]. Immature (juve- 78 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST nile) Piratic Flycatchers also exhibit rusty edgings on the upper tail coverts and rec- trix edges. The Committee reopened the original report, examined 15 slides archived at the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH), and looked at specimens of both species from the FLMNH collections. Characters supporting Piratic Flycatcher were small size (bill-head length ratio from photos equivocal); all-black bill; ventral streak- ing confined to the breast, well demarcated from clear (unstreaked) abdomen; and fruit-eating behavior. The bird appeared to be in fresh plumage, with adult-like fore- body plumage. The rusty edging obvious caudally implied immature plumage there. Thus, the bird appeared to be wearing a mosaic feather coat of two plumages that no- body on the Committee could account for. The key character that resolved the issue in the minds of Committee members was the distribution of emarginated (notched) outer primaries reported in the literature between the two genera in question. Specimens available to us supported the view that Legatus has entire, non-emarginated outer primaries, while Empidonomus has distinctly emarginated outer primaries. One slide taken at the Dry Tortugas (FOSA 99-222-15) showed the bird with a partly fanned outer wing that clearly revealed an entire (non-emarginated) outer primary (PIO or 9). Based on the accumulated evidence, the committee rejected the original identifica- tion of Variegated Flycatcher (see below) and removed this species from the FOSRC state list. The Committee then accepted the report as a Piratic Flycatcher. Only sev- eral records of this species from North America exist and all from either New Mexico or Texas. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Added to the official FOSRC state list as a verifiable species. Cassin’S Kingbird, Tyrannus vociferans (WCP, 03-516). Written description and photo- graphs of an adult bird observed 1 March 2003 at the Lake Apopka North Shore Res- toration Area near Zellwood, Orange Co. Based on observations of others, this bird was present throughout the winter at a communal fiycatcher roost that often in- cluded many Western Kingbirds and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. Photos diagnostic for species. Yellow belly and dark breast contrasted with white throat and malars. Pale terminal tail tip not visible in photographs but mentioned in written description. Prior to publication of R&W (1992) and Stevenson and Anderson (1994) only one ver- ifiable record of this species in Florida, although a few others were reported. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 85-074, 89-175, 92-255, 97-375, 00-407, 00-432; not accepted: none. Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Tyrannus savana (WCP, 04-538). Written description submit- ted by one person, but bird observed by many people 23-27 July 2004 at Coquina Key, St. Petersburg, Pinellas Co. Excellent photographs clearly showed the black head, gray back, and long forked tail diagnostic of an adult bird. A regular but rare vagrant throughout Florida, but only one verifiable report prior to 1992 (R&W 1992); several published photos since then. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 83-039, 84-068, 86-101, 90-210, 92-259, 94-292, 95-388; not accepted: none. Thick-billed Vireo, Vireo crassirostris (JB, LM, 04-447). A bird observed and photo- graphed on Boot Key, Monroe Co., Florida Keys, from 2-23 October 2004. A series of excellent digital photographs, a good written account, and a tape recording of the call permitted a detailed evaluation of the report. The bird was in the white-eyed vireo group, with a relatively heavy bill, a dark eye, pale dingy yellow underparts, white wingbars, a yellow loral-supraloral patch slightly separated from a very pale yellow spot at the upper rear corner of the eye, and a narrow subocular (whitish) arc. The dark eye, uniform pale yellow underparts to undertail coverts, and relatively heavy bill distinguished it from White-eyed Vireo {Vireo griseus). The similar Mangrove Vireo (V pallens), another possibility considering the occurrence of the bird in the Keys, was discounted because of the reported vireo’s heavier bill and olive-greenish forecrown that contrasted with the slightly grayer hindcrown and nape (thinner bill, and uniform, greenish crown and nape in V. pallens). The scold call was well-recorded Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 79 and diagnostic. This species continues to be very rare to rare in Florida along the se coast, but possibly of regular occurrence, at least in recent years (R&W 1992, Steven- son and Anderson 1994). Usually occurs in winter. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 89-179, 90-202, 91-226, 94-308, 96-355; not accepted: 88-151, 93-279. Thick-billed Vireo, Vireo crassirostris (JEW, CE, 05-571). A single bird observed and photographed at Ann Kolb Nature Center, Dania Beach, Broward Co., from 4-15 May 2005. Photos and description were diagnostic. White-eyed Vireo and Mangrove Vireo were discounted by combinations of plumage and structural characters pertaining to bill size, eye color, distribution of yellow on underparts, eyering pattern, and subtle color contrast between crown and nape/hindneck area. This report and the previous one (04-447) extend the occurrence range in Florida from “winter” to fall-spring. Re- ports previously accepted by FOSRC: 89-179, 90-202, 91-226, 94-308, 96-355, 04-447; not accepted: 88-151, 93-279. Yellow-green Vireo, Vireo flavoviridis (LSA, 03-515). Written description of a bird ob- served 11 September 2002 at Ft. Desoto Park, Pinellas Co. Seen in vicinity of fruiting mulberry (Morns sp.) tree and with many Red-eyed Vireos for comparison. Bright yel- low flanks, lower breast, belly and undertail coverts. Yellow-green dorsally with gray crown. Eye stripe less prominent and lower mandible distinctly horn-colored. Faint whiskers not nearly as prominent as in Black-whiskered Vireo (V altiloquus). Occa- sional straggler to Florida, but most reports from the panhandle (R&W 1992). One specimen exists at Louisiana State University of a bird collected in 1958 in Santa Rosa Co. (LSUMZ 22492). Prior to 2000 considered a subspecies of Red-eyed Vireo (V olivaceus). Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 84-064, 86-102, 00-422; not accepted: 82-019. Yellow-green Vireo, Vireo flavoviridis (BM, 04-527). Written description of a bird ob- served 30 August 2003 in Indigenous Park, Key West, Monroe Co. This was the sec- ond of two written reports of this species from Key West from the late summer and fall of 2003. This report was prepared only four days after sighting and the descrip- tion was more detailed than the previous report, but still lacked some pertinent de- tails. No mention of color of crown or supercilium, yellow edgings to remiges not typically “bright”, as described in the report, in Yellow-green Vireo. No mention of wing bars or lack thereof. Apparently field notes were not taken because none accom- panied the report. However, description was sufficient to eliminate both Black-whis- kered and Red-eyed vireos. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 84-064, 86-102, 00-422, 03-515; not accepted: 82-019. Mangrove Swallow, Tachycineta alhilinea (PWS, LSA, MGa, JHH, 03-507). First North American and state record. Report consisted of a manuscript (Sykes et al. 2004) and photographs of a bird observed 18-24 November 2002 at the Viera Wetlands in south- ern Brevard Co. Smaller overall body size and shorter wings than Tree Swallow (T. hi- color) or Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva), or several other similar swallow species. White supraloral stripe joining forehead patch is characteristic of both Mangrove and White-rumped (T. leucorrhoa) swallows, but White-rumped is larger and about the same size as Tree Swallow. Prominent spots on rump patch distinguish T. albilinea from White-rumped Swallow. Tertials prominently edged with white on both sides; white less extensive in White-rumped Swallow. A coastal resident of Mexico, south to Panama, the species was not known in North America although its occurrence was re- cently predicted (see Jones 1998 and Lasley and Lockwood 1999 in Sykes et al. 2004). Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Added to the offi- cial FOSRC state list as a verifiable species. Mountain Bluebird, Sialia currucoides (RMD, WG, 03-496). First state record. De- tailed written description and excellent photographs of a bird observed 22 December 2002 along Research Road in Everglades National Park in Miami-Dade Co. Bird first seen 18 December during Long Pine Key CBC and observed through 24 December. 80 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Photos diagnostic, showing characteristic bluebird shape and overall gray color with relatively little blue, consistent with winter female plumage. Written description and photos emphasized long primary extension, which helped eliminate winter first-basic Eastern Bluebird (S. sialis) and Western Bluebird (S. mexicana). Although winters as far east as Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma, casual records exist to Louisiana and Mis- sissippi (Powers and Lombardo 1996). Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Added to the official FOSRC state list as a verifiable species. Bicknell’S Thrush, Catharus bicknelli (CL, 04-547). First state record. An adult cap- tured, measured, photographed, and banded on Key Largo, Monroe Co., 8 May 2002. The evidence available to the Committee consisted of measurements, photographs, and a manuscript (later published. Brand et al. 2005). Distinguishing this species from the very similar Gray-cheeked Thrush (C. minimus) even in the hand is problematic. Ap- propriate critical measurements were provided in the manuscript and in a written re- port. The Committee used the amount of overlap and 95% confidence limits of these critical measurements and measurement differences obtained from Lane and Jaramillo (2000), Ouellet (1993), Pyle (1997), and Rimmer et al. (2001) to evaluate this report and the next one. Plumage color provides only supplemental but non-diagnostic information, so available photographs per se were corroborative only. Wing chord and differences between certain primary lengths (wing shape, see Woolfenden and Green- law 2005) were diagnostic for Bicknell’s Thrush and non-overlapping with Gray- cheeked Thrush. Supporting information was consistent with Bicknell’s Thrush. The status of this species on the Florida list, ever since its split out of the Gray-cheeked Thrush complex (A.O.U. 1995), remained uncertain until now. Because this species win- ters in the Greater Antilles, its migration path should regularly bring individuals to Florida, New recently published information on identification criteria (see above) made it possible to critically evaluate this report. Woolfenden and Greenlaw (2005) also re- viewed specimen evidence pertaining to C. minimus and C. bicknelli in Florida, and clarified the status and occurrence of both species in the state. They concluded that ver- ifiable evidence of Bicknell’s Thrush in Florida was limited to four museum specimens; in all instances the collection dates of these specimens predate this report, the first to be reviewed and accepted by the FOSRC. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Added to the official FOSRC state list as a verifiable species. Bicknell’s Thrush, Catharus bicknelli (CL, 04-548). An adult captured, measured, pho- tographed, and banded on Key Largo, 11 May 2002. The evidence available to the Committee consisted of measurements, photographs, and a manuscript (later pub- lished, Brand et al. 2005). See information on criteria for identification in 04-547 above. In this case, wing chord and the difference between P8-P6 were consistent with those of male Bicknelfs Thrushes, but with a small overlap with the smallest Gray- cheeked Thrushes. However, all measurements fell within the 95% confidence limits of BicknelFs Thrushes, and outside the 95% limits for Gray-cheeked Thrushes. Soft part and plumage colors were consistent with colors often provided for “typical” Bick- nell’s Thrushes. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 04-547; not accepted: none. Western Spindalis, Spindalis zena subsp. (CAG, LM, 05-572). The first green-backed adult in Florida, an adult male seen by many observers at Indigenous Park, Key West, Monroe Co., from 25 October 2004 to 24 March 2005. Although the species is no longer on the state review list, the Committee chose to review this sighting because it repre- sents a population (green-backed birds) not previously verified in Florida, and be- cause the taxonomic status of this polytypic species may be revised. We examined one observer’s description and a series of excellent photographs. We evaluated geographic variation in plumage color and pattern using the most recent source (Garrido et al. 1997). Comparative photographs of S. z. pretrei (Cuba) and S. z. salvini (Cayman Is- lands), including a photograph in Bradley (1985), were used as supplementary mate- rial. Black-backed races occur in the central and northern Bahamas, although some Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 81 green-backed individuals occur on Great Abaco and many on Grand Bahama (S. z. townsendi). The relatively bright nuchal collar, olive-green (rather than dusky-green) back, scapulars, and upper secondary coverts (“mantle” in traditional usage), and ab- sence of a distinct blackish chest band that segregates the yellow throat from the yel- low breast discount townsendi. The westernmost population on Cozumel Island and adjoining Quintana Roo, Mexico, is discounted by the brighter nuchal collar, smaller beak, and yellower breast in the Key West bird. The characters visible in the photo- graphs of the Key West Spindalis, in particular mantle color, relatively bright nuchal collar, medium-sized bill, and clean white supercilium suggests origin from Cuba or Grand Cayman (pretrei or salvini, respectively). Individuals from the Grand Cayman population tend to have a speckled black supraloral area (anterior supercilium) and a two-toned nuchal collar, which the Key West bird evidently lacked. Thus, it is likely that the Key West Spindalis originated from the Cuban population. For another anal- ysis, see Pranty and Smith (2001). In any event, the Committee did not affirm the ten- tative subspecies determination (JSG) provided here, but only the proposition that the bird represented a green-backed population of S. zena. Reports of green-backed Western Spindalis previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Black-faced Grassquit, Tiaris bicolor (BR, 03-518). Written description and photo- graphs of a subadult male observed 1 September 2003 at Long Pine Key, Everglades National Park, Miami-Dade Co, Written descriptions provided by two observers. De- scriptions of bird and of its vocalizations and photographs taken together diagnostic, but observers did not look beyond possible confusion with U.S. Passerina buntings. No questions or reservations about natural origin. Not widely kept in captivity, espe- cially young males. Sighting occurrence coincides with period when natural dispersal is expected. R&W (1992) mention ca 8 reports prior to 1992 and two specimens from Florida; likely an irregular straggler or very rare winter visitor. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 87-126, 93-272; not accepted: 88-145, 89-161, 91-251. Black-faced Grassquit, Tiaris hicolor (MGr, 04-535). Written description and video with audio submitted by one person, but bird observed by several people 21-24 March 2004, at Jupiter Ridge Environmental Resource, Jupiter, Palm Beach Co. Description and video diagnostic. Conical bill typical of Tiaris, overall plumage pattern consistent with a first" winter male beginning transition to adult plumage. Vocalization audible on tape consistent. Not widely kept in captivity, especially young males. No unre- solved issues. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 87-126, 93-272, 03-518; not ac- cepted: 88-145, 89-161, 91-251. Green-tailed Towhee, Pipilo chlorurus (EK, 03-511). Written description, photo- graphs, and taped vocalizations of an adult bird observed 19 February 2004 at Hon- eymoon Island State Park, Pinellas Co. Photographs diagnostic showed a large, long- tailed towhee with dull green upperparts and a bright orange-rufous crown patch. Only one previous record of this species in Florida, of a bird seen by hundreds of ob- servers from 7 January to 4 February 1990 in Polk Co. (R&W 1992). Reports previ- ously accepted by FOSRC: 90-195; not accepted: none. American Tree Sparrow, Spizella arhorea (PB, DWD, RLD). Written description by three observers and photographs of a bird observed 25-26 October 2003 at Fort Pick- ens, Pensacola Beach, Escambia Co. Descriptions and photographs diagnostic. The yellow lower mandible typical of this species was clearly visible as were other distin- guishing marks. Listed in Appendix A of R&W (1992) as an unverified straggler, the first state record of this species was of a bird observed and photographed 15 April 1998 at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (Bowman 2000). This report constitutes only the second state record of this species. Reports previously accepted hy FOSRC: 98-386; not accepted: 83-037. Harris’s Sparrow, Zonotrichia querula (WCP, 03-513). Written description and photo- graphs of an adult bird observed from 28 December 2002 to 15 February 2003 at the 82 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Marina Isle Fish Camp on Lake Jessup, Seminole Co. Photos diagnostic of an adult bird. A large, chunky sparrow with a pink bill; brown head with a characteristic dark auricular patch, black forehead and upper crown, and white spotting on hind crown. Harris’s Sparrow is a very rare and irregular winter visitor to Florida (R&W 1992). Many published photos exist, but no specimens are known from Florida. Reports pre- viously accepted by FOSRC: 94-315, 97-378, 02-478; not accepted: none. Harris’s Sparrow, Zonotrichia querula (CB, 04-551). A brief written description and an excellent color photograph were diagnostic for a first winter bird at Hontoon Island State Park, Volusia Co., on 25 November 2004. The photograph showed a large spar- row belonging to the crowned sparrow group {Zonotrichia) with a pink bill, white un- derparts patterned black on the chest, sides, and flanks, black crown, soft brown side of head and neck, and white wingbars. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 94- 315, 97-378, 02-478, 03-513; not accepted: none. Varied Bunting, Passerina versicolor (GEW, 05-574). First state record. A specimen of an adult male (GEW 6004) found dead beneath a window on 1 June 2005, Siesta Key, Sarasota Co. A manuscript (Woolfenden and van Deventer 2006) was submitted to the Committee. No historical, unverified reports of this species from Florida. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Added to the official FOSRC state list as a verifiable species. Hooded Oriole, Icterus cucullatus (RLD, 02-494). First state record. Although this re- port of a bird observed 22 and 26 October 2002 in Gulf Breeze, Santa Rosa Co., pro- vided only a brief written description, it included several photographs of the bird at a backyard feeder. These photos clearly show the orange head with black bib to upper breast, black back, white on upper coverts, but with median coverts black, and slightly decurved bill. No previous reports of Hooded Oriole from Florida. Typically winters in Mexico, but small numbers may winter in sw US; casual to e. Texas and Louisiana, but not recorded from Mississippi, Alabama, or Georgia. Reports previ- ously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Added to the official FOSRC state list as a verifiable species. Bullock’s Oriole, Icterus bullockii. The Committee decided to review historical records of this species in Florida. At the time that the Northern Oriole was re-split into Bal- timore (7. galbula) and Bullock’s orioles, the FOSRC evaluated the occurrence of both these species for elevation to the state list. We assumed that both would require little evaluation. Two specimens of Bullock’s Oriole were easily available to the Committee, one at Archbold Biological Station (ABS) and one at Tall Timbers Research Station (TTRS). The specimen at ABS was originally collected by Dennis Paulson in Dade Co., 24 December 1956. It was cataloged in the University of Miami collection as UMRC 1437, but when that collection was dissolved, the specimen was recataloged at ABS as ABS 483. The Committee evaluated this specimen and, based on overall and ventral coloration and the lack of noticeable saw-toothed markings on the median coverts (Lee and Birch 1998, 2001), decided that the specimen was likely a female or first- winter male Baltimore Oriole. Upon evaluating the TTRS specimen, collected by Storrs Olson in Franklin Co., 17 October 1964, we also concluded that this specimen was a Baltimore Oriole. At the time we did not have additional specimens to consider, thus Baltimore Oriole was added to the state list, but Bullock’s Oriole was not, pend- ing review of additional specimens. Subsequently, several reports of Bullock’s Oriole in Florida were accepted, and previously published photographs of the species in Florida were reviewed and accepted. In 2001, Bullock’s Oriole was added to the state list. We reviewed four additional specimens purported to be Bullock’s Oriole collected in Florida and housed in various museums. Although these were historical speci- mens, each was assigned a modern FOSRC catalog number. Two were accepted and two were rejected (see below, Reports Not Accepted). A review of additional specimens also was recently completed (Pranty et al. 2005). Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 83 Bullock’S Oriole, /cteras bullockii (04-542). Collected 11 January 1957 near Princeton, Dade Co. In the University of Miami collection as UMRC 1403, but mistakenly re- ferred to as UMRC 1437 in Stevenson and Anderson (1994). Moved to the Field Mu- seum of Natural History and recataloged as FMNH 375099. This specimen was obviously a first-winter male Bullock’s Oriole, with the start of a black throat, yellow supercilium, and distinct black saw-toothed patterns to the median coverts. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 01-443, 01-450; not accepted: 04-543, 04-545. Bullock’s Oriole, Icferas bullockii (04-544). Collected 1 October 1966 near Tallahassee, Leon Co. and housed at the Florida State University. The original catalog number FSU 6848c had been crossed our and the number 2102 penciled in on the label. The bird was identified as a male on the specimen label. This bird was fairly bright and exhibited more orange that the /. galbula specimens. It had the distinctive black in the throat, a yellow supercilium, and the median coverts had the distinct saw-toothed pattern typical of 1. bullockii. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 01-443, 01-450, 04-542; not accepted: 04-543, 04-545. Reports not Accepted Common Merganser, Mergus merganser (02-469). Re-evaluation of a previously unre- solved report. Photo of a mounted specimen purportedly collected near Aripeka, Pasco Co. The specimen was subsequently lost and not available for examination. Species identification certain, but original data about collection locale, date, etc. was also lost and information in submitted report was second-hand. Written description or notes from original collector not available, thus provenance uncertain. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: 91-241. Red-billed Tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus (02-492). Written description of bird seen 3 October 2002 at the Eglin Beach Club west jetty near Destin, Okaloosa Co. Observa- tion under rough conditions at over 500 m. Details insufficient to eliminate immature White-tailed Tropicbird or other similar species. Tail streamers not seen and report of red bill only second-hand. Other comments vague and sometimes confusing, such as a description of the bird as “large.” Evidence was insufficient to confirm identity. Re- ports previously accepted by FOSRC: 93-334, 96-368, 03-514, 04-539; not accepted: none. Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis (03-502). Written report prepared from memory two months after sighting of a bird observed 17 March 2003 along the St. Johns River near Switzerland, St. Johns Co. Description nearly complete, but a few key details missing, such as white undertail coverts. Evidence insufficient to confirm identity. Re- ports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Black-headed Gull, Lams ridihundus (02-493). Written description of a bird observed 3 October 2002 near Pensacola Beach, Escambia Co. Description insufficient to differ- entiate from aberrant Laughing Gulls, which occasionally have red bills and legs; no mention of tail or wing tip patterns. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 82-021, 91-217, 99-400, 00-410, 02-482; not accepted: none. Thayer’s Gull, Lams thayeri (02-481). Photographs and written description of a bird ob- served 4-13 February 2002 near Tallahassee, Leon Co. The Committee was petitioned to reevaluate this report. Additional material was provided but did not aid in resolving the bird’s identity and the Committee decided not to reevaluate. Its previous review stands. Photograph shows two-tone bill with more extensive pink at base than described in written account or expected for first-winter Thayer’s Gull. Back mottled, but splotchy looking rather than the neat markings typical of Thayer’s Gull. Tail was as dark as pri- maries without a white edge. Contrast between dark secondaries and greater secondary coverts too great. Photographs and written description not sufficient to confirm identity. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 86-091, 99-389, 02-460; not accepted: none. 84 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Elegant Tern, Sterna elegans (03-505). Written description and photographs of a bird observed from 30 April to 3 May 2003 on Loggerhead Key, Dry Tortugas, Monroe Co. Bill shape and the extensive black on bill, short crest, bill not as long and decurved, suggests a Elegant-Sandwich Tern hybrid. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 00-430, 02-477, 02-486; not accepted: none. Elegant Tern, Sterna elegans (05-569). Written description of three individuals to- gether on sandbar off Flamingo visitor center, Everglades National Park, Monroe Co., 17 April 2005. Birds were relatively distant from observer (to 400 yds) in mid-morn- ing light, with observer looking southward into Florida Bay. Description suggestive, but conditions made it difficult to rule out S. elegans x S. sandvicensis. Some details of bill and crest shapes were undescribed. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 00- 430, 02-477, 02-486; not accepted: 03-505. Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris (04-536). Written descriptions sub- mitted by three different observers of a bird observed 20-21 December 2003, near Gainesville, Alachua Co. Although some of the reports were quite detailed, the observers provided conflicting evidence. Conflicting reports included whether the tail was white tipped, the bill shape, and the color of the underparts. Each of these characteristics is critical to determining the probable identity of this species. No red was noted at the base of the mandible, a diagnostic character of the Broad-billed Hummingbird, although it may be very difficult to see in HY/SY females. In addition, no verifiable evidence, such as a photograph or video was submitted by which the contradictory evidence could be re- solved. At the time of its review, this species was not currently on Florida’s bird list (but see 04-549 above) and a first state record requires more convincing and consistent docu- mentation. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Cuban Pewee, Contopus caribaeus (02-489). Re-evaluation of a previously unresolved report. Written description of behavior and plumage of a bird observed 18 May 1996 in the Ft. Jefferson parade grounds in the Dry Tortugas, Monroe Co., published in Field Notes (1993, 50(3):272) suggested Cuban Pewee, but no description of vocaliza- tion or mention of primary extension. Written description not sufficient to confirm identity, especially to rule out Eastern Wood-Pewee {Contopus virens). Reports previ- ously accepted by FOSRC: 95-333, 01-441, 02-490; not accepted: 00-412. Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Myiarchus tuberculifer (04-529). Written description by a single observer of a bird observed 5 February 2004, at Emeralda Marsh, Tavares, Lake Co. Description at times contradicted identification: specifically mentioned lack of rufous on tail or elsewhere, but Dusky-capped Flycatcher has conspicuous rufous edges to the primaries visible both in flight and perched. The lack of rufous on the tail is diagnostic for Dusky-capped Flycatcher (as well as La Sagra’s Flycatcher, Myiar- chus sagrae), but there was no mention of the angle at which the tail was viewed; the rufous edges to the rectrices in other Myiarchus flycatchers can be difficult to see from above unless the tail is spread. No comparisons made to potentially similar My- iarchus from Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America. No mention of vocalizations. Typically winter vagrant flycatchers remain in Florida for some time, but no one else appears to have seen this bird. This species not currently on Florida’s bird list and a first state record requires more convincing documentation. Reports previously ac- cepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Tropical Kingbird, Tyrannus melancholicus (02-459). Re-evaluation of a previously un- resolved report. Written description of a bird observed 30 November 2001 near Engle- wood, Charlotte Co. Written description consistent with Tropical or Couch’s kingbirds. Vocalization stated to be that of Tropical Kingbird, but not described at all in report. Most agreed description too ambiguous to accept. Reports previously ac- cepted by FOSRC: 00-416, 00-402, 00-425, 02-484; not accepted: none. Loggerhead Kingbird, Tyrannus caudifasciatus (03-517). Based on a paper by R W. Smith, G. E. Woolfenden, and A. Sprunt, IV, recently published in North American Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 85 Birds (2000, 54:235-240), which reevaluated the evidence for the occurrence of Log- gerhead Kingbird in Florida, the Committee continued its reevaluation of the inclu- sion of this species on the state list. The FOSRC added the Loggerhead Kingbird to its list of species occurring in Florida based on its inclusion in the list of verified species in R&W (1992). The Committee reviewed original photographs used by R&W and, more recently, by Smith et al. in their reevaluation. In addition, the Committee eval- uated new photographs by Brooks Atherton that had not been previously used by R&W or by Smith et al. None of the photos reviewed appeared diagnostic for Logger- head Kingbird. In most cases, the birds in the photographs tended to have a rounder head and shorter bill than is typical of Loggerhead Kingbird. The accumulated docu- mentation was assigned catalog number 03-517, and the Committee decided that the evidence did not support Loggerhead Kingbird. Thus Loggerhead Kingbird was re- moved from the official FOSRC state list. Tamaulipas Crow, Corvus imparatus (03-510). Written description and photographs of a bird observed 8 January 2000 on the road between Flamingo and the entrance station of Everglades National Park, Monroe Co. Photos and vocal description could not elim- inate Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus). Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Caribbean Martin, Prague dominicensis (02-463). Re-evaluation of a previously unre- solved report. Written report and video of a large flock of birds observed 29-30 Octo- ber 1998 near Key West, Monroe Co. Video, mostly of females, difficult to review; written description mentioned males, but no clear view of males in video. Females of several martin species (Purple [P. subis], Cuban [R cryptoleuca], and Sinaloa [P. si- naloae] martins) are too similar to distinguish. Sighting followed storm, so likely a rarity, but unable to confirm species identity. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC; none; not accepted: 95-332. Bewick’s Wren, Thryomanes hewickii (02-491). Written description of a bird observed 9 March 2000 near Ft. Walton Beach, Okaloosa Co. Not on review list, but collapse of eastern North American population justifies review. Report submitted >3 yrs after 4- 6 sec sighting. Committee felt the observer likely saw a Bewick’s Wren, but written description somewhat vague and lacked some important details, such as back color. Evidence was insufficient to confirm identity. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 01-454; not accepted: none. Sage Thrasher, Oreoscoptes montanus (03-522). Written description of a bird observed 23 October 2003 near Ft. Walton Beach, Okaloosa Co. Bird seen by two people. De- scription did not mention color of tail corners — a critical identification feature — even though observers were in a position to have noticed that. This is a relatively rare bird in Florida, so the Committee chose to treat the report conservatively and concluded that the evidence was insufficient to confirm identity. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 81-006; not accepted: none. Yellow Warbler (Mangrove Warbler group), Dendroica petechia erithachorides (03-517). Written description of a bird observed 11 August 2003 in Marathon, Monroe Co. This spe- cies is not a review species, but the Committee voted unanimously to review report be- cause of potential future split of “Mangrove Warbler” out of Yellow Warbler complex. Observer saw the bird only from rear and side. Description incomplete (no view of breast). Head described as “red” (“red hood”), not rusty or reddish-brown. Committee unable to distinguish between occurrence of possible member of the Mangrove Warbler (eritha- chorides) subspecies group and one from the Golden Warbler (petechia) group. There were other issues with the incomplete and oversimplified description. Evidence insufficient to confirm identity. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Kirtland’S Warbler, Dendroica kirtlandii (03-525). Written description of a bird ob- served 17 October 2003 near Pensacola, Escambia Co. Panhandle location and inland site on migration (not directly on coast) unusual. No mention of back streaking, or of 86 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST tail pumping behavior. Bird was observed very closely for about 2 minutes, so these features should have been noticed, or otherwise commented on in the write-up. Evi- dence was insufficient to confirm identity. Reports previously accepted by the FOSRC: 82-025, 93-273, 97-376, 00-403; not accepted: 82-015, 89-176, 97-376, 00-421. Red-legged Honeycreeper, Cyanerpes cyaneus (03-501. Written description, drawings, field notes, and photographs of a bird observed 25-27 March 2003 near Boca Chita, Biscayne National Park, Miami-Dade Co. Photos clearly show an adult male Red- legged Honeycreeper, thus only ambiguity was origin. Possible dispersal from Cuba considered, where populations may be increasing, or from Yucatan. Strong winds from southeast present prior to sightings. However, adult dispersal less likely during breeding season, March-July. Species common in the avicultural trade in Miami area, but no obvious signs of having been in captivity. Committee decided that given its his- tory in local aviculture, provenance too uncertain. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Red-legged Honeycreeper, Cyanerpes cyaneus (03-506). Written description and pho- tographs of a bird observed between 25 April and 3 May 2003 at Garden Key, Dry Tor- tugas, Monroe Co. See discussion for 03-501. Could not rule out that this bird was the same individual seen at Boca Chita a month earlier. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: 03-501. Red-legged Honeycreeper, Cyanerpes cyaneus (04-531). Written description and pho- tographs submitted by one person of a bird observed by three people 21 February 2004 at Royal Palm Hammock, Everglades National Park, Miami-Dade Co. Descrip- tion and photograph diagnostic of an adult male Cyanerpes. No further issues regard- ing identification. Recent work by P. Sykes and L. Manfredi suggest Cyanerpes is not uncommon in Miami cage bird trade. An adult male in Florida in mid-winter is not consistent with what would be the presumed timing of vagrancy. As with previous re- ports of Cyanerpes, the Committee felt it could not rule out a captive escapee, espe- cially for a first state record. More probable for natural vagrants would be young (HY/ SY) males or females, which are more likely to occur as vagrants and less likely to be kept in captivity. Not accepted based on uncertainty of provenance. Reports previ- ously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: 03-501, 03-506. Red-legged Honeycreeper, Cyanerpes cyaneus (05-573). Another adult male, observed on 21 April 2005 in Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, Key West, Monroe Co. Species correctly identified, but once again, the Committee could not discount the possibility that the bird originated from the avicultural industry in south Florida. Reports pre- viously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: 03-501, 03-506, 04-531. Blue-black Grassquit, Volatinia jacarina (04-541). Detailed description and excellent photographs of a bird observed 27 April 2004 on St. George Island, Franklin Co. The Committee was concerned about the overall slenderness of the bill that seemed more typical of an icterid than a grassquit; however, information available to the Commit- tee about geographical variation in bill shape was incomplete. In addition, some of the behavioral and plumage characteristics seemed inconsistent with those of Vola- tinia. Specimens at FLMNH were reviewed in January 2005, and the photographs and details in the description were re-examined in the light of new information on structure, plumage, and behavior. The very distinct icterid-like bill, robust legs, and walking gait on the ground were inconsistent with Blue-black Grassquit, but were consistent with a smaller icterid, probably a first-year Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) with worn, retained juvenile flight feathers. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Brewer’s Sparrow, Spizella breweri (03-519). Detailed written description by one ob- server of a bird observed by three people on 24 September 2003 near Pensacola, Es- cambia Co. This species is not presently on the official FOSRC list of the birds of Florida. There was some issue about whether streaking was present on rump. Streak- Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 87 ing on breast indicated a juvenile. Since immature Spizella sparrows are variable, there were issues about separation of observed bird from juveniles of other members of genus. Another key issue was lack of verifiable evidence on this sighting. Evidence was insufficient to confirm identity. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Bullock’s Oriole, Icterus bullockii (04-543). See discussion of Bullock’s Oriole in the Accepted Reports section above. Collected 12 October 1957 near Princeton, Dade Co. In the University of Miami collection as UMRC 1631 then moved to the Field Mu- seum of Natural History and recataloged as FMNH 375044. Based on overall and ventral coloration, plain face, lack of distinct supercilium, and lack of noticeable saw- toothed markings in wing bar on median coverts, specimen determined as a likely fe- male Baltimore Oriole. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 01-443, 01-450, 04- 542; not accepted: none. Bullock’s Oriole, Icterus hullockii (04-543). See discussion of Bullock’s Oriole in the Accepted Reports section above. Collected 4 February 1967 near Miller’s Landing, Leon Co. and housed at the Florida State University. The original catalog number FSU 6848d had been crossed our and the number 2101 penciled in on the label. The bird was identified as a female on the specimen label. Face grayish with no distinct dark eye-line. Chest yellow extending far onto belly. No distinctive saw-toothed mark- ings in wing bar on median coverts, suggesting female or first-winter male Baltimore Oriole. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 01-443, 01-450, 04-542; not accepted: 04-543. Changes to the Official FOSRC State List Additions Deletions Cackling Goose Variegated Flycatcher Eurasian Kestrel Loggerhead Kingbird Slaty-backed Gull Black-hooded Parakeet (exotic) Broad-billed Hummingbird Piratic Flycatcher Mangrove Swallow Mountain Bluebird Bicknell’s Thrush Varied Bunting Hooded Oriole Reports not Resolved South Polar Skua, Catharacta maccormicki (04-540). Written description of a bird ob- served 26 June 2004, 100 nautical miles ESE of Cape Canaveral. The Committee de- termined the bird was seen closer to the territorial waters of the Bahamas rather than those of Florida. The Committee decided that this bird was seen beyond the boundaries of our review area (see FOSRC Rules and Procedures; www.fosbirds.org/ RecordsCommittee/RulesAndProcedures.htm). Although the sighting was only 100 nm from Florida, it was not nearest to Florida, but rather to the legal jurisdiction of the Bahamas. For that reason, the Committee did not consider the report and it was not voted on. With the observer’s permission, the report was forwarded to Andrew Kratter, who is a member of the FOSRC and The Bahamas Avian Records Committee, so that the Bahamian committee can consider it. We believe that this report, if ac- cepted, would constitute a first record for the Bahamas. 88 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Heermann’S Gull, Lams heermanni (03-508). Written description of a bird observed 20 May 2003 near Destin Pass, Okaloosa Co. The committee decided that the plumage was consistent with the Heermann’s Gull that had been resident at Ft. DeSoto and had been previously reviewed and accepted (01-452). Occurrence in the panhandle is consistent with vagrancy patterns of the Ft. DeSoto bird and with the date of its last sighting at Ft. DeSoto. White-tipped Dove, Leptotila verreauxi (03-504). Written description and multiple pho- tographs of a bird observed from 19 April to 2 May 2003 on Garden Key, Dry Tortugas, Monroe Co. Color and lighting varied among the original photographs making direct comparisons difficult. Additional photos were obtained, including photos of L. v. ful- viventris and L. jamaicensis gaumeri taken in the wild in Quintana Roo, Mexico. These photos and examination of specimens in the FLMNH failed to resolve the issue of interpreting conflicting photographic evidence in the absence of a timely descrip- tion by observers. This is a classic illustration of a case in which photographs alone do not always speak unambiguously to an identification. Say’s Phoebe, Sayornis saya (05-561). Written description of an adult observed by one person, 26 January 2006, at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Wakulla Co. The de- scription was basic, but it seemed to rule out alternative possibilities. The observa- tional narrative was ambiguous, especially concerning whether the observer saw tail pumping. Vote left the report unresolved. Yellow-green Vireo, Vireo flauoviridis (04-526). Written description of a bird observed 9 September 2002, near Key West, Monroe Co. This report was the first of two of the same species at the same location, but approximately one year apart submitted by the same observer. Both reports were submitted in late 2003, thus it appeared that the 2002 obser- vation was not written until one year later, when the observer saw the second bird. De- scription was detailed, but not complete, especially description of facial patterns, absence of wing bars assumed, but not explicitly stated. Committee decided to request copies of original field notes made at the time of the sighting, if available, and then re-evaluate. Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla (05-562). An adult observed by one person on 6 February 2005 at Zellwood, Orange Co. Head color and pattern fit a bird in breeding or near-breeding condition. The Committee had questions about timing and extent of molt in relation to the plumage reported, so the report was tabled until it could resolve these questions. Literature Cited American Ornithologists’ Union. 1983. Check-list of North American Birds. Sixth ed. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. American Ornithologists’ Union. 1995. Fortieth supplement to the American Orni- thologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 112:819-830. American Ornithologists’ Union. 1998. Check-list of North American Birds. Seventh ed. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. American Ornithologists’ Union. 2006. Forty-seventh supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 123:926-936. Banks, R. C., C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., j. D. Rising, and D. F. Stotz. 2004. Forty-fifth supplement to the American Or- nithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 121:985-995. Bowman, R. 2000. Thirteenth report of the Florida Ornithological Society Records Com- mittee: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000. Florida Field Naturalist 28:138-160. Bowman, R. 2004. Fourteenth report of the Florida Ornithological Society Records Com- mittee: 2001-2002. Florida Field Naturalist 32:7-33. Bradley, P. 1985. Birds of the Cayman Islands. Privately published, George Town, Grand Cayman, B.WI. Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 89 Brand, S., C. A. Lott, and M. B. Mulrooney. 2005. Two Bicknell’s Thrushes banded during spring migration on Key Largo: first accepted records for Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 33:102-104. Garrido, O. H., K. C. Parkes, G. B. Reynard, A. Kirkconnell, and R. Sutton. 1997. Taxonomy of the Stripe-headed Tanager, genus Spindalis (Aves: Thraupidae) of the West Indies. Wilson Bulletin 109:561-594. Kratter, a. W., T. Webber, T. Taylor, and D. W. Steadman. 2002. New specimen- based records of Florida birds. Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History 43:111-161. Lane, D., and A. Jaramillo. 2000. Identification of Hylocichla / Catharus thrushes. Part III. Gray-cheeked and Bicknelfs thrushes. Birding 32:318-331. Lee, C.-T., and A. Birch. 1998. Field identification of female and immature Bullock’s and Baltimore orioles. Birding 30:282-295. Lee, C.-T., and A. Birch. 2001. Wing covert pattern as an aid to identifying female and immature Bullock’s and Baltimore orioles — ^another look. Birding 33:64-68. McKenzie, P. M., and M. B. Robbins. 1998. Identification of adult male Rufous and Allen’s hummingbirds, with specific comments on dorsal coloration. Western Birds 30:86-93. OUELLET, H. 1993. BicknelFs Thrush: taxonomic status and distribution. Wilson Bulletin 105: 545-572. Palmer, R. S., ed. 1976. Handbook of North American Birds. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. Power, H. W., and M. P. Lombardo. 1996. Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides). In The Birds of North America, No. 222 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sci- ences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Pranty, B., and P. W. Smith. 2001. Status, distribution, and taxonomy of the Spindalis complex (“Stripe-headed Tanager”) in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 29:13-25. Pranty, B., E. Kwater, H. Weatherman, and H. P. Robinson. 2004. The Eurasian Kestrel in Florida: First record for the southeastern United States, with a review of its status in North America. North American Birds 58:168-169. Pranty, B., and H. W. Lovell. 2004. Population increase and range expansion of Black- hooded Parakeets in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 32:129-137. Pranty, B., A. W. Kratter, and R. Bowman. 2005. Records of Bullock’s Oriole in Flor- ida. Florida Field Naturalist 33:41-46. Pyle, P. 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds. Part 1, Columbidae to Plo- ceidae. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, CA. Rimmer, C. C., K. P. McFarland, W. G. Ellison, and J. E. Goetz. 2001. BicknelFs Thrush (Catharus bicknelli). In The birds of North America, No. 592 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Robertson, W. B., Jr., and G. E. WOOLFENDEN. 1992. Florida Bird Species: an Anno- tated List. Florida Ornithological Society, Special Publ. No. 6. Smith, P. W., G. E. Woolfenden, and A. Sprunt IV. 2000. The Loggerhead Kingbird in Florida: the evidence revisited. North American Birds 54:235-240. Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The Birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Stevenson, H. M., and L. S. Atherton. 1984. Some comments about “white-winged” gulls in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 12:99-103. Sykes, P. W., Jr., L. S. Atherton, M. Gardler, and J. H. Hintermister V. 2004. The first Mangrove Swallow recorded in the United States. North American Birds 58:4-11. Tarvin, K. a. 1994. Long-eared Owl observed in Highlands County, Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 22:110-111. Wilson, A. 2004. Identification and range of subspecies within the Canada and Cackling goose complex (Branta canadensis & B. hutchinsii). http://www.oceanwanderers.com/ CAGO.Subspecies.html 90 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST WOOLFENDEN, G. E., AND M. VAN DEVENTER 2006. First record of the Varied Bunting from Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 34:1-35. WOOLFENDEN, G. E., AND J. S. GREENLAW. 2005. Specimen evidence for the occurrence of both Gray-cheeked and BicknelFs thrushes in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 33:93- 101. FOS Records Committee report prepared by: Reed Bowman (Secretary-2003-2005), Archbold Biological Station, RO. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862 and Jon S. Green- law (Secretary-2005), 2813 S.W. 43'^'' Lane, Cape Coral, FL 33914. Other committee members during the time of this report included: Lyn S, Atherton, 1100 Pinellas Bay- way 1-3, Tierra Verde, FL 33715; R. Todd Engstrom, The Nature Conservancy, Green- wood, P.O. Box 890, Thomasville, GA 31796; Sally Jue, 3455 Dorchester Court, Tallahassee, FL 32312; Andrew Kratter, Division of Ornithology, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611; Fred E. Lohrer, Arch- bold Biological Station, P.O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862; and Mary C. Wheeler, 11700 S.W. 104“^ Ave., Miami, FL 33176. Appendix 1. Official State List of the Birds of Florida as Compiled by the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee The list here concerns modern bird species that have definitely occurred in Florida by natural appearance or by establishment of an exotic. The base list is the Supplement: Checklist of Florida Birds, pp. 255-260 in Robertson & Woolfenden (1992), as updated by final decisions of the Florida Ornithological Society’s Records Committee. This list of 495 species is updated through 31 December 2005. Annotations are: exotics (e); extinct native species (x); disestablished exotics (d); and species listed without verifiable evi- dence (u), as directed in FOSRC Rules. Sibling species groups may be included without reference to a particular underlying species but shall not be counted in any total of spe- cies found in Florida unless none of the underlying species are on the state list. Species in the list below annotated with an * should be documented when detected in Florida and submitted to the FOSRC for review. In the case of Empidonax traillii and E. alnorum, only sightings that also document vocalizations should be sent to FOSRC. In addition, documentation should be submitted to the FOSRC for any species detected in Florida, believed to have occurred naturally or to have escaped, but not appearing in the main list of the aforementioned publication. ANATIDAE Dendrocygna autumnalis Dendrocygna hicolor Anser albifirons Chen caerulescens Chen rossii Branta bernicla Branta hutchinsii Branta canadensis Cygnus columbianus Cairina moschata Aix sponsa Anas strepera Anas penelope Anas americana Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Fulvous Whistling-Duck Greater White-fronted Goose Snow Goose Ross’s Goose* Brant Cackling Goose* Canada Goose Tundra Swan Muscovy Duck (e) Wood Duck Gadwall Eurasian Wigeon American Wigeon Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 91 Anas rubripes Anas platyrhynchos Anas fulvigula Anas discors Anas cyanoptera Anas clypeata Anas hahamensis Anas acuta Anas crecca Aythya valisineria Aythya americana Aythya collaris Aythya marila Aythya affinis Somateria spectahilis Somateria mollissima Histrionicus histrionicus Melanitta perspicillata Melanitta fusca Melanitta nigra Clangula hyemalis Bucephala albeola Bucephala clangula Lophodytes cucullatus Mergus merganser Mergus serrator Nomonyx dominicus Oxyura jamaicensis PHASIANIDAE Meleagris gallopavo CoUnus virginianus GAVIIDAE Gavia stellata Gavia pacifica Gavia immer PODICIPEDIDAE Tachybaptus dominicus Podilymbus podiceps Podiceps auritus Podiceps grisegena Podiceps nigricollis Aechmophorus occidentalis DIOMEDEIDAE Thalassarche chlororhynchos PROCELLARIIDAE Pterodroma hasitata Calonectris diomedea Puffinus gravis American Black Duck Mallard Mottled Duck Blue-winged Teal Cinnamon Teal Northern Shoveler White-cheeked Pintail* Northern Pintail Green- winged Teal Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup King Eider* Common Eider Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Long-tailed Duck Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Hooded Merganser Common Merganser* Red-breasted Merganser Masked Duck* Ruddy Duck Wild Turkey Northern Bob white Red-throated Loon Pacific Loon Common Loon Least Grebe* Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe* Eared Grebe Western Grebe* Yellow-nosed Albatross* Black-capped Petrel Cory’s Shearwater Greater Shearwater 92 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Puffinus griseus Puffinus tenuirostris Puffinus puffinus Puffinus Iherminieri HYDROBATIDAE Oceanites oceanicus Oceanodroma leucorhoa Oceanodroma castro PHAETHONTIDAE Phaethon lepturus Phaethon aethereus SULIDAE Sula dactylatra Sula leucog aster Sula sula Morus bassanus PELECANIDAE Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Pelecanus occidentalis PHALACROCORACIDAE Phalacrocorax auritus Phalacrocorax carbo ANHINGIDAE Anhinga anhinga FREGATIDAE Fregata magnificens ARDEIDAE Botaurus lentiginosus Ixobrychus exilis Ardea herodias Ardea alba Egretta thula Egretta caerulea Egretta tricolor Egretta rufescens Bubulcus ibis Butorides virescens Nycticorax nycticorax Nyctanassa violacea THRESKIORNITHIDAE Eudocimus albus Eudocimus ruber Plegadis falcinellus Plegadis chihi Sooty Shearwater Short-tailed Shearwater* Manx Shearwater* Audubon’s Shearwater Wilson’s Storm-Petrel Leach’s Storm-Petrel Band-rumped Storm-Petrel White-tailed Tropicbird Red-billed Tropicbird* Masked Booby Brown Booby Red-footed Booby Northern Gannet American White Pelican Brown Pelican Double-crested Cormorant Great Cormorant Anhinga Magnificent Frigatebird American Bittern Least Bittern Great Blue Heron Great Egret Snowy Egret Little Blue Heron Tricolored Heron Reddish Egret Cattle Egret Green Heron Black-crowned Night-Heron Yellow-crowned Night-Heron White Ibis Scarlet Ibis* Glossy Ibis White-faced Ibis* Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 93 Platalea ajaja Roseate Spoonbill CICONIIDAE Mycteria americana Wood Stork CATHARTIDAE- Coragyps atratus Black Vulture Cathartes aura Turkey Vulture PHOENICOPTERIDAE Phoenicopterus ruber Greater Flamingo ACCIPITRIDAE Pandion haliaetus Osprey Elan aides forficatus Swallow-tailed Kite Elanus leacurus White-tailed Kite Rostrhfim.us sociabilis Snail Kite Ictinui mississippiensis Mississippi Kite Haliaeetus leu-cocephalus Bald Eagle Circus eyaneus Northern Harrier Accipiter striatus Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter cooperii CoopePs Hawk Accipiter gentilis Northern Goshawk* BuJet} a mini us Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo platypterus Broad-winged Ha¥/k Buteo brachyurus Short-tailed Hawk Buteo suminsoni Swainson’s Hawk Buteo alboiiota.tus Zone-tailed Hawk* Buteo jamaicensis Red-tailed Hawk Buteo regalis Ferruginous Hawk* Buteo higopus Rough-legged Hawk* Aquila chrysaetos Golden Eagle FALCONIDAE Caracara cheriway Crested Caracara Falco tinnunculus Eurasian Kestrel* Falco sparverius American Kestrel Falco columbarius Merlin Falco peregriiius Peregrine Falcon RALLIDAE Coturn icops noveboracensis Yellow Rail Laterallus jmm.aicensis Black Rail Rallus longirostris Clapper Rail Ralhis elegans King Rail Rallus Umicola Virginia Rail Porzana cafolma Sora Porphyrula. martinica Purple Gallinule Gal tin ula ehloroptis Common Moorhen FuUca americana American Coot ARAMIDAE Aramus guarauna Limpkin 94 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST GRUIDAE Grus canadensis Grus americana CHARADRIIDAE Vanellus vanellus Pluvialis squatarola Pluvialis dominica Charadrius alexandrinus Charadrius wilsonia Charadrius semipalmatus Charadrius melodus Charadrius vociferus Charadrius montanus HAEMATOPODIDAE Haematopus palliatus RECURVIROSTRIDAE Himantopus mexicanus Recurvirostra americana SCOLOPACIDAE Actitis macularius Tringa solitaria Tringa melanoleuca Tringa semipalmatus Tringa flavipes Bartramia longicauda Numenius phaeopus Numenius americanus Limosa limosa Limosa haemastica Limosa lapponica Limosa fedoa Arenaria interpres Aphriza virgata Calidris canutus Calidris alba Calidris pusilla Calidris mauri Calidris minutilla Calidris fuscicollis Calidris hairdii Calidris melanotos Calidris acuminata Calidris maritima Calidris alpina Calidris ferruginea Calidris himantopus Tryngites suhruficollis Philomachus pugnax Limnodromus griseus Sandhill Crane Whooping Crane (x) Northern Lapwing* Black-bellied Plover American Golden-Plover Snowy Plover Wilson’s Plover Semipalmated Plover Piping Plover Killdeer Mountain Plover* American Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Spotted Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Willet Lesser Yellowlegs Upland Sandpiper Wliimbrel Long-billed Curlew Black-tailed Godwit* Hudsonian Godwit Bar-tailed Godwit* Marbled Godwit Ruddy Turnstone Surfbird* Red Knot Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper Baird’s Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Sharp-tailed Sandpiper* Purple Sandpiper Dunlin Curlew Sandpiper Stilt Sandpiper Buff-breasted Sandpiper Ruff Short-billed Dowitcher Fifteenth Report^FOS Records Committee 95 Limnodromus scolopaceus Gallinago delicata Scolopax minor Phalaropus tricolor Phalaropus lohatus Phalaropus fulicarius LARIDAE Larus atricilla Larus pipixcan Larus minutus Larus ridibundus Larus Philadelphia Larus heermanni Larus cirrocephalus Larus helcheri Larus delawarensis Larus californicus Larus argentatus Larus thayeri Larus glaucoides Larus fuscus Larus schistisagus Larus hyperboreus Larus marinus Xema sabini Rissa tridactyla Anous stoUdus Amytis minutus Onychoprion fuscata Onychoprion anaethetus Sternula antillarum Gelochelidon nilotica Hydroprogne caspia Chlidonias niger Sterna dougaftii Sterna hirundo Sterna paradisaea Sterna forsleri Thalasseus maximus Thalasseus sandvicensis Thalasseus elegans Rynchops niger Stercorarius maccormicki Stercorarius pomarinus Stercorarius parasiticus Stercorarius longicaudus ALCIDAE AUe alle Uria lomvia Alca torda Long-billed Dowitcher Wilson’s Snipe American Woodcock Wilson’s Phalarope Red-necked Phalarope Red Phalarope Laughing Gull Franklin’s Gull Little Gull* Black-headed Gull* Bonaparte’s Gull Heermann’s Gull* Gray-hooded Gull* Belcher’s Gull* Ring-billed Gull California Gull* Herring Gull Thayer’s Gull* Iceland Gull* Lesser Black-backed Gull Slaty-backed Gull* Glaucous Gull Great Black-backed Gull Sabine’s Gull Black-legged Kittiwake Brown Noddy Black Noddy Sooty Tern Bridled Tern Least Tern Gull-billed Tern Caspian Tern Black Tern Roseate Tern Common Tern Arctic Tern Forster’s Tern Royal Tern Sandwich Tern Elegant Tern* Black Skimmer South Polar Skua* Pomarine Jaeger Parasitic Jaeger Long-tailed Jaeger Dovekie Thick-billed Murre* Razorbill* 96 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Brachyramphus perdix Fratercula arctica Long-billed Murrelet* Atlantic Puffin* COLUMBIDAE Columba livia Patagioenas squamosa Patagioenas leucocephala Patagioenas fasciata Streptopelia turtur Streptopelia decaocto Zenaida asiatica Zenaida aurita Zenaida macroura Ectopistes migratorius Columbina passerina Leptotila verreauxi Geotrygon chrysia Geotrygon montana Rock Pigeon (e) Scaly-naped Pigeon* White-crowned Pigeon Band-tailed Pigeon* European Turtle-Dove* Eurasian Collared-Dove (e) White-winged Dove Zenaida Dove* Mourning Dove Passenger Pigeon (x) Common Ground-Dove White-tipped Dove* Key West Quail-Dove Ruddy Quail-Dove* PSITTACIDAE Melopsittacus undulatus Myiopsitta monachus Conuropsis carolinensis Nandayus nenday Brotogeris versicolurus Budgerigar (e) Monk Parakeet (e) Carolina Parakeet (x) Black-hooded Parakeet (e) White- winged Parakeet (e) CUCULIDAE Coccyzus americanus Coccyzus minor Coccyzus erythropthalmus Crotophaga ani Crotophaga sulcirostris Yellow-billed Cuckoo Mangrove Cuckoo Black-billed Cuckoo Smooth-billed Ani Groove-billed Ani TYTONIDAE Tyto alba Barn Owl STRIGIDAE Otus flammeolus Megascops asio Bubo virginianus Bubo scandiacus Athene cunicularia Strix varia Asio otus Asio flammeus Aegolius acadicus Flammulated Owl* Eastern Screech-Owl Great Horned Owl Snowy Owl* Burrowing Owl Barred Owl Long-eared Owl* Short-eared Owl Northern Saw-whet Owl* CAPRIMULGIDAE Chordeiles acutipennis Chordeiles minor Chordeiles gundlachii Caprimulgus carolinensis Caprimulgus vociferus Lesser Nighthawk Common Nighthawk Antillean Nighthawk Chuck-will’s-widow Whip-poor-will Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 97 APODIDAE Streptoprocne zonaris Chaetura pelagica Chaetura vauxi Tachornis phoenicobia TROCHILIDAE Cynanthus latirostris Amazilia yucatanensis Calliphlox evelynae Archilochus colubris Archilochus alexandri Calypte anna Stellula calliope Selasphorus platycercus Selasphorus rufus Selasphorus sasin ALCEDINIDAE Ceryle alcyon PICIDAE Melanerpes erythrocephalus Melanerpes aurifrons Melanerpes carolinus Sphyrapicus varius Picoides pubescens Picoides villosus Picoides borealis Colaptes auratus Dryocopus pileatus Campephilus principalis TYRANNIDAE Contopus cooperi Contopus sordidulus Contopus virens Contopus caribaeus Empidonax flaviventris Empidonax virescens Empidonax alnorum Empidonax traillii Empidonax minimus Sayornis nigricans Sayornis phoebe Sayornis saya Pyrocephalus rubinus Myiarchus cinerascens Myiarchus crinitus Myiarchus tyrannulus Myiarchus sagrae Myiodynastes luteiventris White-collared Swift* Chimney Swift Vaux’s Swift* Antillean Palm-Swift* Broad-billed Hummingbird* Buff-bellied Hummingbird Bahama Woodstar* Ruby-throated Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird Anna’s Hummingbird* Calliope Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird* Rufous Hummingbird Allen’s Hummingbird* Belted Kingfisher Red-headed Woodpecker Golden-fronted Woodpecker* Red-bellied Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Red-cockaded Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Ivory-billed Woodpecker (x) Olive-sided Flycatcher Western Wood-Pewee* Eastern Wood-Pewee Cuban Pewee* Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Acadian Flycatcher Alder Flycatcher* Willow Flycatcher* Least Flycatcher Black Phoebe* Eastern Phoebe Say’s Phoebe* Vermilion Flycatcher Ash-throated Flycatcher Great Crested Flycatcher Brown-crested Flycatcher La Sagra’s Flycatcher Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher* 98 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Legatus leucophaius Tyrannus melancholicus Tyrannus vociferans Tyrannus verticalis Tyrannus tyrannus Tyrannus dominicensis Tyrannus forficatus Tyrannus savana Piratic Flycatcher* Tropical Kingbird* Cassin’s Kingbird* Western Kingbird Eastern Kingbird Gray Kingbird Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Fork-tailed Flycatcher* LANIIDAE Lanius ludovicianus Loggerhead Shrike VIREONIDAE Vireo griseus Vireo crassirostris Vireo hellii Vireo flavifrons Vireo solitarius Vireo gilvus Vireo philadelphicus Vireo olivaceus Vireo flavoviridis Vireo altiloquus White-eyed Vireo Thick-billed Vireo* Bell’s Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo Blue-headed Vireo Warbling Vireo Philadelphia Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Yellow-green Vireo* Black- whiskered Vireo CORVIDAE Cyanocitta cristata Aphelocoma coerulescens Corvus brachyrhynchos Corvus ossifragus Blue Jay Florida Scrub-Jay American Crow Fish Crow ALAUDIDAE Eremophila alpestris Horned Lark HIRUNDINIDAE Progne subis Progne cryptoleuca Progne elegans Tachycineta bicolor Tachycineta albilinea Tachycineta cyaneoviridis Stelgidopteryx serripennis Riparia riparia Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Petrochelidon fulva Hirundo rustica Purple Martin Cuban Martin* Southern Martin* Tree Swallow Mangrove Swallow* Bahama Swallow* Northern Rough- winged Swallow Bank Swallow Cliff Swallow Cave Swallow Barn Swallow PARIDAE Poecile carolinensis Baeolophus bicolor Carolina Chickadee Tufted Titmouse SITTIDAE Sitta canadensis Sitta carolinensis Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 99 Sitta pusilla Brown-headed Nuthatch CERTHIIDAE Certhia americana Brown Creeper TROGLODYTIDAE Salpinctes obsoletus Thryothorus ludovicianus Thryomanes bewickii Troglodytes aedon Troglodytes troglodytes Cistothorus platensis Cistothorus palustris Rock Wren* Carolina Wren Bewick’s Wren* House Wren Winter Wren Sedge Wren Marsh Wren PYCNONOTIDAE Pycnonotus jocosus Red-whiskered Bulbul (e) REGULIDAE Regulus satrapa Regulus calendula Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet SYLVIIDAE Polioptila caerulea Blue-gray Gnatcatcher TURDIDAE Oenanthe oenanthe Sialia sialis Sialia currucoides Catharus fuscescens Catharus minimus Catharus bicknelli Catharus ustulatus Catharus guttatus Hylocichla mustelina Turdus migratorius Ixoreus naevius Northern Wheatear* Eastern Bluebird Mountain Bluebird* Veery Gray-cheeked Thrush Bicknell’s Thrush Swainson’s Thrush Hermit Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin Varied Thrush* MIMIDAE Dumetella carolinensis Mimus polyglottos Mimus gundlachii Oreoscoptes montanus Toxostoma rufum Toxostoma curvirostre Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Bahama Mockingbird Sage Thrasher* Brown Thrasher Curve-billed Thrasher* STURNIDAE Sturnus vulgaris European Starling (e) MOTACILLIDAE Anthus rubescens Anthus spragueii American Pipit Sprague’s Pipit BOMBYCILLIDAE Bombycilla cedrorum Cedar Waxwing 100 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST PARULIDAE Vermivora bachmanii Vermivora pinus Vermivora chrysoptera Vermivora peregrina Vermivora celata Vermivora ruficapilla Parula americana Dendroica petechia Dendroica pensylvanica Dendroica magnolia Dendroica tigrina Dendroica caerulescens Dendroica coronata Dendroica nigrescens Dendroica chrysoparia Dendroica virens Dendroica townsendi Dendroica fusca Dendroica dominica Dendroica pinus Dendroica kirtlandii Dendroica discolor Dendroica palmarum Dendroica castanea Dendroica striata Dendroica cerulea Mniotilta varia Setophaga ruticilla Protonotaria citrea Helmitheros vermivorus Limnothlypis swainsonii Seiurus aurocapilla Seiurus noveboracensis Seiurus motacilla Oporornis formosus Oporornis agilis Oporornis Philadelphia Oporornis tolmiei Geothlypis trichas Wilsonia citrina Wilsonia pusilla Wilsonia canadensis Icteria virens INCERTAE SEDIS Coereba flaveola THRAUPIDAE Piranga rubra Piranga olivacea Piranga ludoviciana Spindalis zena Bachman’s Warbler (x) Blue-winged Warbler Golden- winged Warbler Tennessee Warbler Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Northern Parula Yellow Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler Cape May Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-throated Gray Warbler Golden-cheeked Warbler* Black-throated Green Warbler Townsend’s Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Pine Warbler Kirtland’s Warbler* Prairie Warbler Palm Warbler Bay-breasted Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Cerulean Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart Prothonotary Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Swainson’s Warbler Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Louisiana Waterthrush Kentucky Warbler Connecticut Warbler Mourning Warbler MacGillivray’s Warbler* Common Yellowthroat Hooded Warbler Wilson’s Warbler Canada Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat Bananaquit Summer Tanager Scarlet Tanager Western Tanager Western Spindalis Fifteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 101 EMBERIZIDAE Haris olivacea Tiaris bicolor Pipilo chlorurus Pipilo maculatus Pipilo erythrophthalmus Aimophila aestivalis Spizella arborea Spizella passerina Spizella pallida Spizella pusilla Pooecetes gramineus Chondestes grammacus Amphispiza bilineata Calamospiza melanocorys Passerculus sandwichensis Ammodramus savannarum Ammodramus henslowii Ammodramus leconteii Ammodramus nelsoni Ammodramus caudacutus Ammodramus maritimus Passerella iliaca Melospiza melodia Melospiza lincolnii Melospiza georgiana Zonotrichia albicollis Zonotrichia querula Zonotrichia leucophrys Zonotrichia atricapilla Junco hyemalis Calcarius lapponicus Calcarius ornatus Plectrophenax nivalis CARDINALIDAE Cardinalis cardinalis Pheucticus ludovicianus Pheucticus melanocephalus Passerina caerulea Passerina amoena Passerina cyanea Passerina versicolor Passerina ciris Spiza americana ICTERIDAE Dolichonyx oryzivorus Agelaius phoeniceus Agelaius humeralis Sturnella magna Sturnella neglecta Yellow-faced Grassquit* Black-faced Grassquik^ Green-tailed Towhee* Spotted Towhee* Eastern Towhee Bachman’s Sparrow American Tree Sparrow* Chipping Sparrow Clay-colored Sparrow Field Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Lark Sparrow Black-throated Sparrow"* Lark Bunting* Savannah Sparrow Grasshopper Sparrow Henslow’s Sparrow Le Conte’s Sparrow Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow Seaside Sparrow Fox Sparrow Song Sparrow Lincoln’s Sparrow Swamp Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Harris’s Sparrow* White-crowned Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow* Dark-eyed Junco Lapland Longspur Chestnut-collared Longspur* Snow Bunting Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak Black-headed Grosbeak Blue Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting* Indigo Bunting Varied Bunting* Painted Bunting Dickcissel Bobolink Red-winged Blackbird Tawny-shouldered Blackbird* Eastern Meadowlark Western Meadowlark* 102 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus Euphagus carolinus Euphagus cyanocephalus Quiscalus quiscula Quiscalus major Molothrus bonariensis Molothrus aeneus Molothrus ater Icterus spurius Icterus cucullatus Icterus hullockii Icterus pectoralis Icterus galhula FRINGILLIDAE Carpodacus purpureas Carpodacus mexicanus Loxia curvirostra Carduelis pinus Carduelis tristis Coccothraustes vespertinus PASSERIDAE Passer domesticus Yellow-headed Blackbird Rusty Blackbird Brewer’s Blackbird Common Grackle Boat-tailed Grackle Shiny Cowbird Bronzed Cowbird Brown-headed Cowbird Orchard Oriole Hooded Oriole* Bullock’s Oriole* Spot-breasted Oriole (e) Baltimore Oriole Purple Finch House Finch (e) Red Crossbill* Pine Siskin American Goldfinch Evening Grosbeak House Sparrow (e) Florida Field Naturalist 34(3): 103-1 12, 2006. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Winter Report; December 2005-February 2006. — This report consists of signifi- cant bird observations compiled by the Field Observations Committee (FOC). Submis- sions 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, ob- server(s), and significance. Seasons are winter (December-February), spring (March- May), summer (June-July), and fall (August-November). Submit observations to re- gional compilers within two weeks after the close of each season, or to the state compiler within one month. Addresses of the compilers are found at the end of this report. We greatly prefer observations sent via e-mail. Sight-only observations are considered “reports” while only those supported by verifi- able evidence (photographs, video or audio tapes, or specimens) are called “records.” Species for which documentation is required by the FOS Records Committee (FOSRC; Bowman 2004, Fla. Field Nat. 32:7-33) are marked here with an asterisk (*). A county designation (in italics) accompanies the first-time listing of each site in this report. Ab- breviations in this report are: EOS = end of season, NP = national park, NSRA = north shore restoration area, NWR ~ national wildlife refuge, SF = state forest, SP = state park, STF = sewage treatment facility, WEA = wildlife and environmental area, and N, S, E, W etc., for compass directions. Bold-faced species denote birds newly reported or verified in Florida, or record counts. SUMMAKY OF THE WINTER SEASON It seemed to be a good season for rarities this winter, with 10 FOSRC rarities: 11 Ross’s Geese (9 at Fort Walton Beach and singles at St. Marks NWR and Rockledge); Cackling Goose at Fort Walton Beach; four Manx Shearwaters off Ponce Inlet; Rough- legged Hawk at Lake Apopka; two Iceland Gulls at the Volusia County landfill; Calliope Hummingbird at Gulf Breeze; two Allen’s Hummingbirds at Tallahassee; Tropical King- bird at Apalachicola; two Cassin’s Kingbirds at Lake Apopka and one at Wimauma; and Bullock’s Oriole at Tallahassee. Other significant sightings included single Eurasian Green-winged Teals at Gainesville and Lake Apopka, reports of Chaetura swifts from three sites (including 20 individuals at Paynes Prairie), the Fork-tailed Flycatcher at Lake Apopka, Florida’s first verifiable winter record of the Common Nighthawk, and the first state report and record of a Paradise Shelduck at Ding Darling NWR. We received very few Christmas Bird Count reports, and BP did not have the time to transcribe all the rarities submitted to him as CBC editor. Species Accounts Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: 230 at W Cocoa {Brevard) 14 Dec (D. Freeland); 235 at Bartow {Polk) 17 Dec (P. Fellers); 159 at Gainesville {Alachua) 18 Dec (D. Pearson); 160 E of Lake Placid {Highlands) 29 Dec (J. Gaetzi et ah); 345 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Jan (H. Robinson); 36 at Fellowship {Marion) 2 Jan (S. McCool); up to 17 in NE Leon 3-7 Jan (D. Bethancourt et al.); 18 near Jupiter Inlet {Palm Beach) 3 Jan (J. and L. Hailman); 100 at Polk phosphate mines 9 Jan (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); a high of 100 at Storm- water Treatment Area (STA)-5 {Hendry) during Jan-Feb (M. England et al.). Fulvous Whistling-Duck: 1000 at STA-5 in Feb (M. England et ah). Greater White-fronted Goose: 2 at Cedar Key {Levy) 2 Dec (J. Taylor); 1 at Fort Wal- ton Beach STF {Okaloosa) 10-19 Dec (D. Ware et al.); up to 5 (2 adults and 3 juveniles) 103 104 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST at Lake Apopka NSRA {Lake) 17 Dec-7 Jan (G. Basili, B. Anderson et ak); 5 at Dinner Island Ranch WMA {Hendry) 27 Jan (L. and T. Panto); (the same?) 5 at STA-IW {Palm Beach) 25 Feb (J. Lopinot, photo to FOG). Snow Goose: 1 at Alachua {Alachua) 6 Dec (P. Burns); up to 23 at St. Marks {Wakulla) 8-13 Dec (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Huguenot Memorial Park {Duval) 10 Dec (B. Richter); 1 at Gainesville 11 Dec (M. Joos, D. Robbins); 1 blue morph at Spring Hill {Hernando) 11-15 Dec (A. and B. Hansen et ak); 3 blue morphs at Tram Road STF {Leon) 12 Dec (G. Menk); 2 at Kanapaha Prairie {Alachua) 18 Dec (R. Rowan et ak); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Dec (H. Robinson); 6 N of Wesley Chapel {Pasco) 26 Dec-4 Jan (D. Goodwin et ak); 1 white morph adult at Brandon {Hillsborough) 7 Jan (D. Good- win); up to 2 white morphs at Merritt Island NWR {Brevard ) 12 Jan-28 Feb (P Hue- ber, D. Freeland et ak); 30 or more at Fruitville {Sarasota) 21 Jan (T. Mossbarger); 1 blue morph adult at Barber Park, Orlando {Orange) 28 Jan (R Hueber et ak). Snow x Ross’s Goose: 1 hybrid N of Wesley Chapel 26 Dec-4 Jan (B. Pranty et ak). *R0SS’S Goose: 1 at St. Marks NWR 20 Nov-13 Dec (T. Curtis, P. Lehman et ak, accepted by FOSRC); 9 at Fort Walton Beach STF 10-19 Dec (L. and B. Duncan, P. Johnson et ak; accepted by FOSRC); 1 adult at Rockledge {Brevard) 17 Dec-3 Jan (D. Freeland et ak). ^Cackling Goose: 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 10 Dec-4 Jan (D. Ware, L. Duncan et ak). Canada Goose: 3 possibly wild birds E of Tampa 31 Dec-1 Jan (T Mann et ak). Egyptian Goose: 1 at Indian River Shores {Indian River) in Dec {fide B. Wagner). Paradise Shelduck {Tadorna variegata): 1 at J.N. “Ding” Darling NWR {Lee) in mid- Feb (D. Driemeyer, photo to FOC) furnished the first report and record for Florida. The species is native to the Stewart Islands of New Zealand. Eurasian Wigeon: 2 drakes at Eagle Lakes Park {Collier) 9 Dec (A. Murray) for the third year out of the past four. American Black Duck: 4 at Merritt Island NWR 8 Feb (D. Freeland). Cinnamon Teal: 1 adult drake at Lake Apopka NSRA 4-9 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 adult drake at Brandon {Hillsborough) 18 Dec-6 Feb (E. Kwater, L. Atherton et ak). Northern Shoveler: 4900 at Polk mines 9 Jan (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Green-winged Teal: 1500 at Polk mines 23 Jan (R Fellers et ak); 1 drake of the Eur- asian race at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Jan (H. Robinson); 1 drake of the Eurasian race at Gainesville 27 Jan-10 Feb in the same location as the previous winter (B. Roberts, R Burns et ak). Canvasback: 1 at Gainesville 10-18 Dec (S. Flamand, M. King et ak); 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP {Alachua) 18 Dec (J. Hintermister). Redhead: up to 4 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 18 Dec-25 Feb (J. Hintermister); 5 at Sug- den Park, Naples {Collier) 23 Dec (H. McGuinness et ak); 2500 at Gulf Harbors, New Port Richey {Pasco) in Dec-Jan (K. Tracey, photos to FOC). Ring-necked Duck: 1 leucistic female with a white head at Lake Morton, Lakeland {Polk) 14 Feb (H. Moulden, photo to FOC). Greater Scaup: 4 at Hamilton phosphate mines 14 Dec (P. Lehman et ak); up to 2 (20- 25 Jan) wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson et ak, photo to FOC by A. Vi- nokur). Surf Scoter: 1 at St. Marks NWR 13 Dec (R Lehman); 2 off Key Biscayne {Miami-Dade) 23 Dec (R. Torres et ak); 2 at Coconut Point {Brevard) 20 Feb (A. Bankert). Black Scoter: up to 8 in mid-Pinellas 2 Dec-5 Feb (Judy Fisher, I. Hernandez); 520 off Amelia Island {Nassau) 14 Dec (P. Lehman); 1 at Pensacola {Escambia) 17 Dec (B. and L. Duncan et ak); 320 off Hutchinson Island {St. Lucie) 17 Dec (J. and L. Hail- man); 1 at Hudson Beach, Hudson {Pasco) 20 Dec ff (K. Tracey et ak); 200 off Amelia Island {Nassau) 3 Feb (R. McGregor). Long-tailed Duck: 1 female at PCS Waterfowl Management Area {Hamilton) 13-17 Dec (J. Krummrich, P. Lehman et ak). Field Observations 105 Bufflehead: up to 4 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 15 Jan (H. Robinson); up to 7 at Gaines- ville 3 Dec-14 Feb (R. Rowan et al.); 1 at Lake Maggiore, St. Petersburg {Pinellas) 10 Dec (R. Smith); 1 female at Windmill Park {Broward) 21 Jan-EOS (M. Berney). Common Goldeneye: 1 at Viera Wetlands {Brevard) 10 Dec (D. Reed); 2 at Hamilton mines 14 Dec (P. Lehman, J. Krummrich); 1 at Gainesville 14-15 Dec (S. Flamand, R. Rowan et al.); 1 female at Tangerine {Orange) 20 Dec-7 Jan (A. Vinokur, D. Richard- son); 1 female at Lake Apopka NSRA {Orange) 27 Dec-27 Jan (A. Vinokur, H. Robin- son et ah); 1 at Tallahassee {Leon) 30 Dec (S. McCool); 1 at a Polk mine 9 Jan (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 15 at Crystal River 15 Jan (M. Gardler). Hooded Merganser: 300 at Gainesville 15 Dec (S. Flamand); up to 32 (28 Jan) wintered at Hole-in-the-Donut, Everglades NP {Miami-Dade; J. Boyd). Red-breasted Merganser: 1 male at Tallahassee {Leon) 23 Feb (G. Menk). Ruddy Duck: 3875 at Lake Ariana, Auburndale {Polk) 17 Dec (P. Fellers); 34,000 at Lake Apopka 4 & 15 Jan (H. Robinson); 2000 at Polk mines 5 Jan (P. Fellers). Red-throated Loon: 4 at Alligator Point {Franklin) 16 Jan (J. Murphy); 2 at St. George Island {Franklin) 23 Jan (R. Cassidy). Common Loon: 8 off Key Biscayne {Miami-Dade) 23 Dec (R. Torres et al.); 1 at Flamingo, Everglades NP {Monroe) 31 Dec (J. Boyd); 2 off Long Key SP {Monroe) 20 Jan (B. Anderson et al.); 200 at St. George Channel {Franklin) 21 Feb (R. McGregor). Pied-billed Grebe: 240 at Polk mines 28 Dec (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Horned Grebe: 6 at Black Point {Miami-Dade) 3 Dec (J. Boyd); 1 at Springhill Road STF, Tallahassee 13 Dec (G. Menk); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Dec-20 Jan (H. Rob- inson et al.); 80+ in Franklin 21 Feb (R. McGregor). Eared Grebe: 1 at PSC Waterfowl Management Area 13-14 Dec (J. Krummrich, P. Leh- man); 1 at Lake Ariana, Auburndale 20 Dec (P. Fellers, L. Albright). Masked Booby: 1 salvaged at Ponce Inlet {Volusia) 9 Dec (M. Brothers, UF 45042 fide T. Webber). Brown Booby: 1 off Jupiter Inlet Colony {Palm Beach) 20 Dec (J. and L. Hailman). Northern Gannet: 7900 in 3 hours (an average of 44/min) passed Canaveral National Seashore {Brevard) 9 Dec (D. Freeland et al.). American White Pelican: up to 7 at Gainesville 22 Dec-11 Feb (C. Lockwood, B. Carroll et al.); 2 at Talquin Dam {Liberty) 11 Feb (S. McCool); 119 W of Fernandina Beach {Nassau) and 69 up the St. Mary’s River {Nassau) 15 Feb (P. Leary); 10 at Lake Talquin {Gadsden) 16 Feb (S. McCool). Brown Pelican: 1 at Gainesville 27 Dec (H. Warren); 1 at Piney Z Lake {Leon) 25 Jan- 10 Feb (G. Menk et al.). Great Cormorant: 1 adult at Doctor’s Lake {Clay) 23 Feb-EOS (D. Wears et al.). Anhinga: 211 at Lake Apopka NSRA 11 Dec (H. Robinson). Magnificent Frigatebird: 1 immature over Fort George Island {Duval) 15 Dec (R. Clark); 2 at S St. Petersburg 10 Jan (D. Powell). American Bittern: 2 at St. Vincent NWR {Franklin) 9 Dec (T. Lewis); 25 at Lake Apo- pka NSRA 27 Feb (H. Robinson). Black-crowned Night-Heron: 1 at Piney Z Lake 25 Jan G. Menk). Scarlet-type Ibis: 1 at Fort Myers Beach (Lee) 3 Feb (J. Dougherty, photo to FOC). White-faced Ibis: 1 at St. Marks NWR 8 Dec (A. Wraithmell); 3 at Lake Tuscawilla, Micanopy {Alachua) 26 Feb-EOS (J. Hintermister, A. Kratter et al., photo to FOC). Swallow-tailed Kite: 1 at Lakewood Ranch {Sarasota) 24 Feb (L. Jakubowicz); 2 in mid-Pinellas 26 Feb (Judy Fisher). White-tailed Kite: 1 at Hole-in-the-Donut 4 Dec (J. Boyd); 1 at Sanibel Island (Lee) 15-25 Jan (K. and P. Kiefer et al.); 1 along Canoe Creek Road {Osceola) 8 Feb (B. and L. Cooper). Sharp-shinned Hawk: 14 at Lake Apopka NSRA 9 Dec & 6 Jan (H. Robinson). Red-SHOULDERED Hawk: 1 juvenile at Winter Park {Orange) captured a squirrel 7 Feb {fide C. Takacs, photo to FOC). 106 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Broad-winged Hawk: 3 wintered at Fort De Soto Park {Pinellas) (L. Atherton et al.). Short-tailed Hawk: 1 dark morph at Eagle Lakes Park, Naples 23 Dec (H. McGuinness et al.); 3 dark morphs E of Okeechobee {Okeechobee) 4 Jan (K. Tracey); 1 dark morph near Port of the Islands 4 Jan (T. Doyle, C. Ewell); 1 dark morph at IMG Peace River Park {Polk) 21 Jan-2 Feb (P. Fellers et al.); 1 dark morph at New Port Richey 29 Jan (K. Tracey); 1 light morph over the Joe Overstreet Road marina {Osceola) 8 Feb (B. and L. Cooper); 1 dark morph at Yeehaw Junction {Osceola) 14 Feb (B. and L. Cooper); 1 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 18 Feb (B. and L. Cooper); 1 light morph at Sumica Preserve {Polk) [no date] (P. Fellers et al.). Swainson’S Hawk: 1 E of Bradenton 8 Dec (E. Kwater); 1 light morph at Fort Walton Beach STF 10 Dec (B. Duncan et al.); up to 2 juveniles at Lake Apopka NSRA 20 Dec- 16 Jan (J. Dunn, A. Vinokur); 1 juvenile dark morph in a NE Hillsborough mine 1 Jan (P. Fellers); up to 4 at Frog Pond WMA {Miami-Dade) 7 Jan-EOS (M. Berney et al); 1 dark morph adult in SE Hillsborough phosphate land 28 Jan, and 1 adult intermedi- ate morph there 16 Feb (P. Fellers et al.). Red-tailed Hawk: 1 Krider’s-type at Hamilton mines 14 Dec (R Lehman). *Rough-LEGGED Hawk: 1 juvenile light morph at Lake Apopka NSRA 9-21 Dec (H. Rob- inson et al.). Golden Eagle: 1 immature at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP {Okeechobee) attempted to kill a Wild Turkey 20 Feb (G. Quigley, J. Richardson). Crested Caracara: 1 at Turtle Mound, Canaveral National Seashore {Volusia) 23 Feb (P. Hueber). Yellow Rail: singles at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 28 Jan & 23 Feb (M. Korosy et al.). SORA: 260 at Lake Apopka NSRA 4 Dec (H. Robinson). Purple GallinulE: 14 at Lake Harris Park, Leesburg {Lake) 12 Feb (R. Smith). American Coot: 10,700 at Po/^ mines 28 Dec (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 2000+ at Inglis 15 Jan (M. Gardler). Sandhill Crane: 1 over Fernandina Beach {Nassau) 1 Dec (P. Leary); 21 over St. Marks NWR 8 Dec (A. Wraithmell); 24 southbound over Madison 1 Jan (S. McCool); 2500 near Okahumpka {Lake) 10 Feb (P. Fellers, D. Brooke); 15 S of Greenville {Madison) 19 Feb (S. McCool). Whooping Crane: 6 at Alachua 10 Dec (G. Gertzel). American Golden-Plover: 1 at St. Marks NWR to 29 Jan (J. Cavanagh et al.); up to 3 at Hole-in-the-Donut 21-22 Dec (R. Diaz et al.); 1 at Merritt Island NWR 1 Feb (D. Freeland). Snowy Plover: 16 at Big Sabine {Escambia) 14 Dec (B. and L. Duncan); 1 at Talbot Is- lands SP {Duval) 23-26 Dec (P. Leary). Wilson’s Plover: 6 at Bald Point SP {Franklin) 1 Jan (S. McCool). Semipalmated Plover: 20 at Polk mines 9 Jan (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Piping Plover: 1 at Cedar Key 29 Dec (D. Henderson et al.); 5 at Bald Point SP 1 Jan (S. McCool); 11 at Fred Howard Park, Tarpon Springs {Pinellas) 11 Jan (M. Gardler); 38 at Crandon Beach {Miami-Dade) 31 Jan (R. Diaz). American Oystercatcher: 1 at Gulf Breeze {Santa Rosa) 8 Dec (B. Duncan); 1 at Pensacola 17 Dec (J. Lloyd). Black-necked Stilt: 1 at Merritt Island NWR 1 Dec-21 Feb (D. Freeland et al.); 8 at Myakka River SP {Sarasota) 17 Jan (B. Anderson et al.); 12 at Polk mines 23 Jan (P. Fellers et al.); up to 19 wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (A. Vinokur et al.). American Avocet: 8 at St. Marks NWR 8 Dec (A. Wraithmell); 182 on Quarantine Is- land, Jacksonville 26 Dec (B. Richter); 1 at Hole-in-the-Donut 14 Jan. (A. Bankert, D. Simpson); 346 at Polk mines 8 Feb (P. Fellers et al.). Solitary Sandpiper: 1 at Celebration {Osceola) 22 Jan (T. Tams). WiLLET: 100 at Fernandina Beach 15 Feb (P. Leary). Spotted Sandpiper: 33 at Inglis Barge Canal 6 Feb (M. Gardler). Field Observations 107 Long-billed Curlew: 2 at Cedar Key 29 Dec (D. Henderson et al.); 1 at Fort Myers Beach 17 Jan (B. Anderson, C. Ewell et al.). Red Knot: 525 (including 12 banded individuals) at Huguenot Memorial Park 25 Feb (P. Leary). Western Sandpiper: 2690 at Polk mines 9 Jan (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Least Sandpiper: 8000 at Polk mines 9 Jan & 8 Feb (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel, P. Fellers). Purple Sandpiper: 1 at Port Canaveral Jetty Park {Brevard) 1-23 Jan (J. Thornton et al.); 1 at Sebastian Inlet SP {Indian River) 13 Jan (F. Haas). Stilt Sandpiper: singles at Springhill Road STF 8 Dec (A. Wraithmell) and 1-22 Feb (S. McCool et al.); 308 at Polk mines 28 Dec (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 180 at Merritt Island NWR 1 Feb (D. Freeland); 17 at Brooksville 15 Feb (M. Gardler). Long-billed Dowitcher: up to 60 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 10-14 Dec (G. Quigley, P. Miller); 1725 at Polk mines 28 Dec (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel), and 1150 there 8 Feb (P. Fellers et al.); 15 at Brooksville 15-19 Feb (M. Gardler). Wilson’s Snipe: 434 at Lake Apopka NSRA 4 Dec (H. Robinson). American Woodcock: 12 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 Dec (H. Robinson); 2 at Gulf Breeze 8- 26 Dec (B. and L. Duncan); up to 3 at Weekiwachee Preserve 20 Dec-4 Feb (A. and B. Hansen et ak); 2 calling N of Marianna {Jackson) 27 Dec (R. Smith); 1 at Medart {Wakulla) 10 Jan & 14 Feb (S. McCool); 1 at Cedar Key 18-22 Jan and 2 Feb (D. Hender- son et al.); 2 at Long Pine Key, Everglades NP {Miami-Dade) 14 Feb-EOS (M. Berney). Parasitic Jaeger: 9 at Amelia Island during strong NE winds 14 Dec (P. Lehman). Laughing Gull: 1 melanistic individual at Fort De Soto Park 3 Dec (L. Atherton, photo to FOC); 1 aberrant adult with orange legs and bill at Sanibel Island in Jan (D. and L. Stokes et ak, photo to FOC); 11,000 at the Volusia landfill, Daytona Beach 15 Feb (D. Freeland et ak). Franklin’s Gull: 1 juvenile at Sugden Park 23 Dec (H. McGuinness); 1 juvenile at Punta Rassa {Lee) 4-10 Jan (C. Ewell et ak, photo to FOC by L. Stokes). Herring Gull: 1 apparently of the Scandinavian race argentatus at the Volusia landfill 11-21 Feb (A. Vinokur, L. Atherton et ak). ^Iceland Gull: 1 second-year “Kumlien’s” Gull at the Volusia landfill 11-21 Feb and 2 juveniles there 12-15 Feb (A. Vinokur et ak, photos to FOC). Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 2 Dec-6 Jan (H. Robinson); sin- gles at Green Key, New Port Richey 11 Dec and Trouble Creek, Holiday {Pasco) 12 Dec (K. Tracey); 1 adult at Fort Walton Beach 19 Dec (M. and R. Rose); up to 4 wintered at Sanibel Island (V. McGrath et ak); 1 adult wintered at the Collier landfill (D. Suitor). Great Black-backed Gull: 1 at Green Key, New Port Richey 11 Dec (K. Tracey); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Jan (H. Robinson). Gull-billed Tern: 2 at Polk mines 28 Dec (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 5 at Pine Island 18 Jan (M. Gardler); 3 at Weekiwachee Preserve 21 Jan (C. Black et ak); 3 at Green Key 7 Feb (K. Tracey). Royal Tern: 8 at Polk mines 28 Dec (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Common Tern: 1 on the St. Petersburg CBC {Pinellas) 17 Dec (D. Powell). Black Tern: 1 at Merritt Island NWR to 6 Dec (R. Diaz et ak). Black Skimmer: 22 at Lake Mirror, Lakeland {Polk) 8-15 Feb (T. Palmer). Ringed Turtle-Dove: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Feb (H. Robinson). White-winged Dove: 1 at Alligator Point 19 Jan (S. McCool); 2 at Pine Level {DeSoto) 4 Feb (R. Smith); 2 at Bronson 13 Feb (R. Rowan); birds now are apparently resident in Newberry and Archer {Alachua; B. Carroll et ak). Black-hooded Parakeet: 50 at Holiday {Pasco) 16 Dec (K. Tracey); 30 at Fort Myers through the season (M. Fitzpatrick, C. Ewell et ak). Blue-crowned Parakeet: 12 at Holmes Beach, Bradenton {Manatee) 23 Feb (Jeff Fisher). Monk Parakeet: 2 at Gainesville 21-26 Feb (S. Porvasnik, D. and S. Hartman). Groove-billed Ani: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 9 Dec (H, Robinson). 108 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Barn Owl: 1 at Seven Springs (Pasco) 31 Jan (K. Tracey); 1 at St. Vincent NWR 21 Feb- EOS (T Lewis). Burrowing Owl: 15 at Range 70, Eglin Air Force Base (Okaloosa) 15 Jan (L. Fenimore); 1 on the barrier island E of Vero Beach (Indian River) 13-17 Feb (fide B. Wagner). Lesser NighthawK: 1 along Research Road, Everglades NP (Miami-Dade) 3 Dec (D. Simpson, A. Banker!); 12+ at Frog Pond WMA (Miami-Dade) 3 Dec ff (B. Roberts et al.); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 Dec (H. Robinson). Common Nighthawk: 1 videotaped (calls audible) at Homestead (Miami-Dade) 14 Dec (L. Manfredi, to FOC); up to 3 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Dec-EOS (H. Robinson et al.); up to 9 at Old Town amusement park, Kissimmee (Osceola) in Jan reportedly have been present during winter for the past 8 years (J. Brown, T. Tams). Chuck- WILL’S-WIDOW: 1 flushed at St. Marks NWR 29 Dec (R. Smith); 1 sang at Lutz (Pasco) 25 Feb (D. Bowman); 1 sang at Merritt Island (Brevard) 27 Feb (D. Freeland). Whip-poor-will: 1 sang at Merritt Island 27 Feb (D. Freeland). Chaetura SPECIES: up to 20 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 9 Dec-5 Jan (S. Collins, J. Hin- termister et al.); 1 at Weekiwachee Preserve 10 Dec (C. Black); 1 at St. Marks NWR 17-20 Dec (E. Shaw, E. Horn et al.). Hummingbird species: 11 in a Valrico (Hillsborough) yard in a 24-hour period: 7 Ruby- throated, 2 Archilochus sp., and 2 Selasphorus sp. 15-16 Jan (S. Backes, F. Bassett); 66 individuals (with 26 of these at Tallahassee) of six species were banded this win- ter: 32 Rufous (+ 7 recaptures), 24 Ruby-throated (+ 7 recaptures), 7 Black-chinned, 2 Buff-bellied, 2 Allen’s, and 1 Calliope (F. Bassett, F. Dietrich et al.). Buff-bellied Hummingbird: singles banded at Mary Esther (Okaloosa) 8 Dec and Tal- lahassee 13 Dec (F. Bassett et al.); 1 at Fairchild Tropical Gardens (Miami-Dade) 20 Jan ff (A. Harper et al.). Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 1 at Gainesville 18 Dec (S. Robinson); 1 at Fernandina Beach 18 Jan (P. Leary). Black-CHINNED Hummingbird: 1 adult male at Castellow Hammock Park (Miami- Dade) 28 Dec (D. Goodwin, E. Haney et al.). *Calliope Hummingbird: 1 juvenile male banded at Gulf Breeze 26 Jan (F. Bassett et al.). Rufous Hummingbird: 1 female at Brooksville 12 Dec-EOS (S. Walsh et al., banded by F. Bassett). *Allen’s Hummingbird: singles banded at Tallahassee 14 Jan and 22 Feb (F. Bassett et al.). Selasphorus hummingbird: 2 at Brooksville ca. 1 Jan-4 Feb (S. Walsh); 1 male at Or- lando late Feb-EOS (H. Dowling); 1 female at Brandon (Hillsborough) 22 Feb for the fourth consecutive winter (E. Kwater); 1 at Spring Hill 27-28 Feb (A. and E. Ma5walt). Silvery-cheeked Hornbill: 1 along Krome Avenue (Miami-Dade) 25 Feb (J. Bacquie, photo to FOC). Hairy Woodpecker: 1 at Golden Gate Estates (Collier) 11 Dec (T. Doyle). Empidonax SPECIES: 1 at Hague 15 Jan (R. Rowan). Least Flycatcher: 2 at Frog Pond WMA 3 Dec (A. Vinokur, D. Simpson); 3 at Oviedo (Seminole) 24 Dec (B. Anderson); up to 9 (30 Dec) wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson). Vermilion Flycatcher: 1 adult male at Alligator Lake Recreation Area (Columbia) early Nov-late Feb (J. Krummrich et al.); 1 male at Tiger Point (Santa Rosa) 11-12 Dec (B. Bremser); 1 juvenile female at St. Vincent NWR 17 Dec (T. Lewis); 1 female at St. Marks NWR 17 Dec (E. Shaw), and 1 male there 18-22 Dec (J. Murphy et al.); 1 fe- male at Paurotis Pond 18 Dec-EOS (J. Boyd et al.); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 21 Jan-25 Feb (J. Sulek, R. Rowan et al.). Ash-throated Flycatcher: 1 at Garcon Point (Santa Rosa) 14 Dec (D. Ware); 1 at Oviedo (Seminole) 24 Dec (B. Anderson); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 4 Jan-17 Feb (B, Duncan); up to 12 (23 Dec) wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson). Great Crested Flycatcher: 2 at Lake Wales Ridge SF (Polk) 3 Jan (P. Fellers). Field Observations 109 Brown-crested Flycatcher: 1 at Black Point Marina (Miami-Dade) 24 Dec ff (L. Man- fredi et al.); up to 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Dec-EOS (B. Anderson et al.). *Tropical Kingbird: 1 at Apalachicola {Franklin) 27 Dec-EOS (T. Engstrom, S. Kelling et al., photos to FOC by S. McCool) was identified by its calls. *Cassin’S Kingbird: 1 NE of Wimauma {Hillsborough) 18 Dec-6 Feb (D. Powell, B. Pranty et al., photos to FOC by D. Stumbaugh; accepted by FOSRC); up to 2 wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson et al.). Western Kingbird: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 6 Dec (F. Goodwin); up to 36 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Dec-EOS (H. Robinson et al.); 1 at Gulf Breeze 12-18 Dec (B. Dun- can, J. French); 1 at Pensacola 17 Dec (L. Duncan et al.); 7 NE of Wimauma 18 Dec-6 Feb (B. Pranty, D. Powell et al.); 1 at Tallahassee 28 Dec-9 Jan (P. Flynn, J. Ca- vanagh); up to 37 at The Villages {Marion) 18 Jan-EOS (J. Dinsmore, A. Rouch); 1 NE of Lake Wales 19 Jan (J. Dubois); 1 at Tallahassee 21 Jan (S. McCool); 3 W of Fort Pierce {St. Lucie) 30 Jan (H. and J. Rufe). SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER: up to 8 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Dec ff (A. Vinokur et al); 5 NE of Wimauma 18 Dec-6 Feb (B. Pranty, D. Powell et al.); 1 at Miccosukee Green- way Park {Leon) 7-22 Jan (M. Hartley et al.); up to 4 at The Villages 18 Jan-EOS (J. Dinsmore, A. Rouch); 7 NE of Lake Wales 19 Jan (J. Dubois); 3 W of Fort Pierce 29- 30 Jan (B. Wagner et al.); 1 at Gainesville 29 Jan (D. Thompson). Fork-tailed Flycatcher: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA and vicinity 10 Dec- 15 Jan (A. Vi- nokur et al., photos to FOC). Loggerhead Shrike: 1 plucked and may have swallowed cabbage palm fruit along the Halifax River {Volusia) 6 Feb (C. Tague). Bell’s VireO: 1 at Frog Pond WMA 15 Jan (A. Bankert, D. Simpson); 1 wintered at Southern Glades WEA {Miami-Dade; R. Diaz, L. Manfredi et al.). Yellow-throated Vireo: 1 at Collier-Seminole SP 4 Jan (K. O’Reilly-Doyle et al.); 1 at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP 28 Feb (R. Diaz); 1 wintered at W Kendall (J. Boyd). Purple Martin: 3 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 14 Jan (R. Smith); 2 males over East Lake, Tampa {Hillsborough) 16 Jan (D. Wassmer, L. Saul); 1 male at Lake Jackson {Leon) 26 Jan (G. Menk); 1 at Weeki Wachee 28 Jan (M. Gardler). Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 2 at St. Marks NWR 8 Dec (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Rockledge {Brevard) 17 Dec (D. Freeland); 1 at Viera Wetlands 16 Jan (D. Freeland); 2 at Lake City {Columbia) 28 Jan (R. Smith); 3 in Hernando 15 Feb (M. Gardler). Bank Swallow: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 13 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 at Viera Wetlands 28 Feb (D. Freeland). Cave Swallow: 1 at Cantonment {Escambia) 8 Jan (L. Catterton); 150 at Homestead Airport {Miami-Dade) 15 Jan (J. Boyd, B. Mulrooney); 1 of the Mexican race at Springhill Road STF 22 Feb (G. Menk et al.). Barn Swallow: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 13 Dec, and 1 there 27 Feb (H. Robinson); 3 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 19 Dec (R. Rowan, G. McDermott); several at Homestead Airport 15 Jan (J. Boyd, B. Mulrooney); 1 at Merritt Island NWR 27 Feb (D. Freeland); 1 at Weekiwachee Preserve 28 Feb (A. and B. Hansen). Carolina Chickadee: 1 wintered at Greynolds Park, Miami (A. Harper et al.). Red-breasted Nuthatch: 2 at Gainesville 10-30 Jan (S. Daniels); 1 at Alligator Point 17 Dec-17 Jan (J. Murphy). Winter Wren: 1 at Lake Jackson, Tallahassee, where 1 has wintered the past several years, 14 Dec (P. Lehman); 1 wintered at O’Leno SP (P. Burns et al.). Sedge Wren: 1 at Long Pine Key 5 Dec (R. Torres). Marsh Wren: 2 at Loggerhead Key, Dry Tortugas NP 4 Jan (R. Diaz) established the first report for the park. Ruby-crowned Kinglet: 1 at Eco Pond 31 Dec (J. Boyd). Hermit Thrush: 2 at Royal Palm, Everglades NP {Miami-Dade) 16 Jan (R. Diaz). American Robin: up to 21,000 (15 Jan) wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson). 110 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Common Myna: 1 remained at Holmes Beach to 23 Feb (Jeff Fisher). Hill Myna: 30 on powerlines at Coral Gables 23 Jan (B. Anderson et ah). American Pipit: several at Frog Pond WMA 7 Jan (J. Boyd); 41 at Fernandina Beach 25 Feb (P. Leary). Blue-winged Warbler: 1 at Topeekeegee Yugnee (“TY”) Park {Broward) 11 Dec (A. Harper et ah); 1 at Weeki Wachee 23 Dec (B. Hansen, R. Grant); 1 at West Lake, Everglades NP (Miami-Dade) 22 Jan & 14 Feb (M. Berney, M. Stickel); 1 at Sarasota 24 Jan (J. Dubi, J. Ginaven et aL). Tennessee Warbler: 1 at Royal Palm 4 Dec (J. Boyd); 1 at Merritt Island 17 Dec (D. Freeland et al.); 1 at Greynolds Park 17 Dec (J. Boyd, G. Jones); 1 at Castellow Hammock Park {Miami-Dade) 10 Jan (J. Boyd); 1 at Southern Glades WEA 5 Feb (T. Mitchell, photos to FOC). Nashville Warbler: 1 at “TY” Park 11 Dec (A. Harper et al.); singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 14 Dec (A. Vinokur, D. Richardson) and 20 Jan-EOS (H. Robinson); 2 at Grey- nolds Park 17 Dec (J. Boyd); 1 at Fort Walton Beach 19 Dec (J. Kowalski); 1 at Lake Lotus Park, Altamonte Springs {Seminole) 5 Jan (P. Hueber); 1 at Jacksonville 6 Jan & 25 Feb (J. Cocke); 1 at Mashes Island {Franklin) 8 Jan (J. Murphy); 1 at Matheson Hammock Park {Miami-Dade) 8 Jan (A. Harper); 1 at Melbourne 21 Jan (A. Banker!). Northern Parula: 3 migrants at Cape Florida 31 Jan (R. Diaz); 4 migrants at Lake Ap- opka NSRA 22 Feb (H. Robinson); 2 at Alligator Point 25 Feb (S. McCool). Yellow Warbler: 1 immature female at W Kendall 11 Dec & 4 Jan (J. Boyd); 2 at Pensacola 17 Dec (M. and R. Rose). Magnolia Warbler: 1 at Lutz {Hillsborough) ca. 16-26 Jan (J. Hartzler). Black-throated Blue Warbler: 3 at Merritt Island 17 Dec (D. Freeland et al.). Black-throated Gray Warbler: 1 at New Port Richey to 16 Dec (K. Tracey); 1 at Gainesville to 13 Feb (G. Kiltie). Black-throated Green Warbler: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 7 Dec (E. and 1. Scales); 1 at Sawgrass Lake Park, St. Petersburg 17 Dec (E. Haney et al., photo to FOC by D. Stumbaugh); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 & 21 Dec (A. Vinokur, D. Richardson); 1 at Fort White {Columbia) 21 Jan (J. Sulek); 1 at Clewiston {Hendry) 19 Feb (R. Smith). Prairie Warbler: 1 at Fernandina Beach 3 Dec & 23 Feb (P. Leary); 2 at St. Augustine {St. Johns) 17 Feb (J. Kern). American Redstart: 1 at Gainesville 18 Dec (S. Robinson); 1 at Oakland Nature Pre- serve {Orange) 27 Dec-7 Mar (T. Rodriguez); 1 at Citra {Marion) 24 Feb (A. Kratter). OVENBIRD: 1 in Jacksonville 9 Dec (J. Cocke); 1 at Orange Park {Clay) 10 Jan (L. McCul- lagh). Northern Waterthrush: up to 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 18 Dec-4 Feb (M. Paczolt, M. Manetz); 1 at Fernandina Beach 23 Feb (P. Leary). Louisiana Waterthrush: 1 wintered at Royal Palm (J. Boyd et aL). Wilson’s Warbler: 1 male at Eagle Lake area of PCS Waterfowl Management Area 17 Dec (J. Ault); 1 female at Oviedo 24 Dec (B. Anderson); 1 at Gainesville 21 Jan-14 Feb (M. Manetz, R. Rowan); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Jan (H. Robinson); 1 female at Jacksonville 14 Feb (J. Cocke). Yellow-breasted Chat: 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 18 Dec (A. Kent); singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 6 Jan & 14 Feb (H. Robinson). Summer TanageR: 1 at Gainesville 18 Dec (P. Burns); 1 at Nalcrest {Polk) 31 Dec (P. Fellers, D. Brooke); 1 female at Rookery Bay {Collier) 20 Jan (T. Doyle, K. O’Reilly- Doyle et al.); 1 female at Pensacola 24 Jan-EOS (P. Palmer); 1 male wintered in the same yard at Tallahassee where it was banded the previous winter (P. Homann). Western Tanager: 1 male at Pensacola 24 Jan-EOS (P. Palmer). Bachman’s Sparrow: 1 sang at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 20 Jan (P. Miller), with 73 banded there through the season (M. Korosy, G. Quigley et al.). Clay-colored Sparrow: 1 at Valrico 7 Jan-8 Mar (S. Backes et al.). Field Observations 111 Field Sparrow: up to 13 (12 Feb) wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson). Grasshopper Sparrow: 70 of the Eastern race banded at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve through the season (R Miller et ah). Henslow'S Sparrow: 1 at a Polk mine 28 Dec (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 26 banded at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve through the season (R Miller et ah). Le Conte’S Sparrow: up to 4 at Lake Apopka NSRA 18-21 Dec (J. Dunn, B. Anderson, A. Vinokur); 1 at a Polk mine 9 Jan (R Timmer, C. Geanangel); singles banded at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 20 Jan & 22 Feb (G. Quigley). Seaside Sparrow: 10 sang at Crystal River 19 Feb (M. Gardler). Fox Sparrow: 2 at O’Leno SP 5-25 Feb (R Burns, M. Manetz). Lincoln’s Sparrow: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 11 Dec, and 1 there to 4 Jan (H. Robinson); 1 at Inglis 19 Feb (M. Gardler). Swamp Sparrow; up to 273 (11 Dec) wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson). White-crowned Sparrow: 13 at Apopka 1 Jan (M. Gardler). Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 1 male at Fort Walton Beach 19 Dec (R Baker). Black-headed Grosbeak: 1 first-winter male at Apalachicola 29 Dec ( J. Dozier, J. Mur- phy et ak, photo to FOC); 1 first- winter male at East Point {Franklin) 10 Jan-EOS (S. Klink et al., photos to FOC). Blue Grosbeak: 30 (mostly juveniles) at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Dec (A. Vinokur); 1 at Lake Wales 31 Dec (R Fellers, D. Brooke). Indigo Bunting: 1 at San Felasco Hammock Preserve SP {Alachua) 3 Dec (R Laipis et al.); 1 at Tallahassee 12-13 Feb (R. McGregor). Painted Bunting: 4 female-types at Fernandina Beach 3 Dec (R Leary); 1 female-type at Jacksonville 3 Feb (J. Cocke); 1 female at Cedar Key 6~15 Feb (D. Henderson). Dickcissel: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 18-19 Dec (A. Kent, S. Collins); up to 3 win- tered at Lake Apopka NSRA (B. Anderson, H. Robinson et al.). Yellow-headed Blackbird: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 26 Dec-6 Jan (H. Robinson); 1 at the end of Joe Overstreet Road 18 Jan (T. Tams). Rusty Blackbird: 1 at Bald Point 11 Dec (J. Dozier). Brewer’s Blackbird: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 6 & 22 Jan (H. Robinson). Bronzed Cowbird: 1 at Sugden Park 28 Dec (A. Murray). Brown-headed Cowbird: 12 males in a “tight flock” at Jupiter Inlet Colony 25 Feb (J. and L. Hailman). *Bullock’S Oriole: 1 female at Tallahassee 18 Feb-EOS (F. Rutkovsky et al., photo to FOC by D. Jue). Baltimore Oriole: up to 5 at Spring Hill 14 Sep-24 Dec (A. and E. May wait); up to 11 (27 Feb) wintered at Altamonte Springs (R Hueber). House Finch: 3 (orange-variant male and 2 females) at Fort Lauderdale {Broward) 28 Dec (L. Manfredi); 1 male at Dekle Beach {Taylor) 7 Jan (S. McCool); 1 sang at Jack- sonville 11 Feb (R. Rowan); 1 at Fernandina Beach 23 Feb (R Leary). Pine Siskin: 1 at San Felasco Hammock Preserve 1 Jan (M. Manetz et ak). European Goldfinch: 1 at Pensacola 21 Dec (M. Clark). Nutmeg Mannikin: continued reports from the Pensacola area {fide B. Duncan). Contributors: Larry Albright, Bruce Anderson, Lyn Atherton, John Ault, Steve Backes, Janine Bacquie, Pat Baker, Andy Bankert, Gian Basili, Fred Bassett, Mark Ber- ney, Don Bethancourt, Clay Black, David Bowman, John Boyd, Bill Bremser, David Brooke, Michael Brothers, J. Brown, Pat Burns, Bob Carroll, R. Cassidy, Laura Catter- ton, Jim Cavanagh, Roger Clark, Julie Cocke, Morris Clark, Steve Collins, Buck and Linda Cooper, Tom Curtis, Steve Daniels, Robin Diaz, Fred Dietrich, Jim Dinsmore, John Dougherty, Helen Dowling, Terry Doyle, Jack Dozier, Derick Driemeyer, Jeanne Dubi, Jim Dubois, Jon Dunn, Margaret England, Todd Engstrom, Charlie Ewell, Paul Fellers, Lenny Fenimore, Jeff Fisher, Judy Fisher, Mike Fitzpatrick, Scott Flamand, 112 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST R Flynn, David Freeland, Jere French, Jill Gaetzi, R. Gallardy, Murray Gardler, Chuck Geanangel, George Gertzel, Jon Ginaven, David Goodwin, Frank Goodwin, Rita Grant, F. Haas, Jack and Liz Hailman, Erik Haney, AI and Bev Hansen, Alex Harper, M. Hart- ley, Darrell and Sue Hartman, Joni Hartzler, Dale Henderson, Irene Hernandez, John Hintermister, Peter Homann, Earl Horn, Paul Hueber, Lynn Jakubowicz, Paul Johnson, Maralee Joos, Dean Jue, Steve Kelling, Adam Kent, Jackie Kern, Kay and Paul Kiefer, Grace Kiltie, Martha King, Sheila Klink, Marianne Korosy, Jim Kowalski, Andy Kratter, Jerry Krummrich, Ed Kwater, Phil Laipis, Patrick Leary, Paul Lehman, Thom Lewis, Jan Lloyd, Cecelia Lockwood, John Lopinot, Mike Manetz, Larry Manfredi, Tim Mann, Andy and Elaine Maywalt, Sean McCool, Lenore McCullagh, Greg McDermott, Vince McGrath, Ross McGregor, Hugh McGuinness, Gail Menk, Paul Miller, Trey Mitchell, Tina Mossbarger, Herman Moulden, Brennan Mulrooney, John Murphy, Alan Murray, Mike Paczolt, Paula Palmer, Tom Palmer, Lesa and Tim Panto, Dan Pearson, Stacy Por- vasnik, David Powell, Bill Pranty, Kathy O’Reilly-Doyle, Gallus Quigley, Dexter Rich- ardson, Jill Richardson, Bob Richter, Dotty Robbins, Harry Robinson, Scott Robinson, Bryant Roberts, Tom Rodriguez, Merilu and Rufus Rose, A. Rouch, Rex Rowan, Hart and Jewel Rufe, Fran Rutkovsky, Lilian Saul, Earl and Ingrid Scales, Eric Shaw, David Simpson, Ron Smith, Monte Stickel, Don and Lillian Stokes, Darcy Stumbaugh, Doug Suitor, Jacqueline Sulek, Chris Takacs, Chuck Tague, Tom Tams, Jape Taylor, Dee Thompson, John Thornton, Pete Timmer, Roberto Torres, Ken Tracey, Alex Vinokur, Billi Wagner, Sue Walsh, Don Ware, Helen Warren, Doug Wassmer, Dianne Wears, Tom Web- ber, and Andy Wraithmell. Summer 2005 corrigenda: The White-faced Ibis listed for Springhill Road {Leon) should have been listed as St. Marks NWR {Wakulla)] the two Red-necked Phalaropes at Fort Walton Beach STF 21 Jun-5 July should have been listed as Wilson’s Phalaropes. Fall 2006 reports not published previously: Greater White-fronted Goose: 2 at PSC Waterfowl Management Area {Hamilton) 12 Nov (Jerry Krummrich et al.); Cave Swallow: 1 of the Mexican race at Melbourne Beach {Brevard) 23 Nov {fide Tom Webber, specimen UF 45039). Report prepared by Bill Pranty, state compiler (8515 Village Mill Row, Bayonet Point, Florida 34667-2662; ). Regional compilers are Bruce H. Anderson (2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, Florida 32792; ), John H. Boyd III (15291 SW 108th Terrace, Miami, Florida 33196; ). Bob and Lucy Duncan (614 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561; ), Charlie Ewell (115 SW 51st Terrace, Cape Coral, Flor- ida 33991; ), Bev Hansen (6573 Pine Meadows Drive, Spring Hill, Florida 34606; ), Gail Menk (2725 Peachtree Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32304; no e-mail), Paul Miller (Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, 33104 NW 192nd Avenue, Okeechobee, Florida 34972; ), and Peggy Powell (2965 Forest Circle, Jacksonville, Florida 32257; ). NEW FOS SPECIAL PUBLICATION The Breeding Birds of Florida by Glen E. Woolfenden, William B. Robertson, Jr., and James Cox, 2006. Florida Ornithological Society Special Publication no. 7: ii + 142 pp., 22 figures, $12. The two papers in this monograph, plus the information on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's web site, repre- sent the only publicly available information on Florida’s Breeding Bird Atlas (BBA), the largest natural history undertaking in the history of Florida. In Part I, Glen Woolfenden and Bill Robertson lay the foundation for interpreting the Florida BBA by reviewing the biogeography and recent history of Florida’s breeding birds. In Part II, Jim Cox uses data from the Florida BBA to examine relationships between the present breeding bird distribution and various climatic and habitat variables. His analysis indicates recent distributional changes and highlights ar- eas with concentrated occurrences of rare and declining species. For a full list of all Florida Ornithological Society Special Publica- tions, visit: http://www.fosbirds.org/specialpub/FOSSpecialPubs.php Make checks payable to the Florida Ornithological Society. 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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 im- provements in the content and appearance of our journal. Simply write your check, payable to FOS FRIENDS OF FFN, and mail it to Treasurer Dean Jue, Florida Ornithological Society, 3455 Dorchester Court, Tallahassee, FL 32312-1300. All donations will be acknowledged by publication in an upcoming issue of FFN. , ^ ■ ' rJor:' .. , : ^ -• ;^,' ■ -T ' ■' ' '® ■■ ^ '''^ ^.’l. •' " ' "■ . • l’,4iA>V- :• ‘ ■ ' * .i,> . 1 ' V -■■■' • t '■' .r' ,., ,1 L '7'r .'vi".':-- ■ ' ' ,: ; t .; c •' .-'ijf- ' V ' .r, (• -• r • • . ' i’- ' ',' J ri4-.; _ .^ *■ ■ ■■' ’ i.! ' ■-• ‘ ^ ' ■''-’ ‘ .' 1,, ';^ id: I r . VJ'.. . ■ '^' i t ' • : i.»j iM* ■ y'.-ur. .'.v. ', M U',1. ,*., . ‘ i' • ."V '.K.i'' U ir ' ■ . ; } u Oj;'»M.» .*j\: uT; ;v4?- I;) VVr' • / '|gll|> t 4‘ i’ .iNfu.JJHATS*',.' ' ‘ I- u:Li : WMt Pbui^t Hjftbirdf tr. c. .(2^ i . . fir>.->b, r-,.^ » \k • ■^'•• .: ,. *4* KirtlnUI' -- -.i {o‘ ••nc.‘'..’ .'l OIAi?i^*ii)V.«Kl :-J K.T .tpr,. ,.• (;5> {'it s( Kl* ''T. V M' < « ^v l,iix '.IV!' ’-'i:. »: ',/v idliin^sr "r , jff'.f. -i ^ . V‘ Ml '~iv-. ^ t/ik *,„ »r\i«. ;,,' . •• ih»- r ,! is V r>- i< iiU' ^1 - • ^ »£x, . f ^ ■ * .M‘» , ' ■ ■ ‘■v^ii... JM&r* . _ ' \ i jpi V) mM : ^ f ^AMtilrf 'Imi vob' V. ;: - , , '•■ ... v .. ... - i?4, '? I'is I r "'«' '• ■: • -'■’■•■ * J' -V' , ■' <'■■•■■:■.< .If «, .„■- ‘ A;*'" i A'? ■' : ifillV-J! ■.■■■•:. 'yiso, .'‘".-Vyyiu 'y- V ‘i_g ' ‘ OrWN " ^1®'''' til: Mf-vi-xP,. -.'l 'I ' ;' .'i - }>5^l f r ■ ,; t' ' ;• ' 1* ' • , V, ' ^‘'"i ’ ' i- . ■■' I'l 1 -•:'W 'Ml, fJi. ii.O*' S' •■» I - K ‘*i^- 5; i , f n .'k ■f .'1'/^ ■ *' ' ' ' ■'■ , . '■' ' ' ' ■' . , f ' Si =V'’ iS>'.v’' ',• ‘,''1 , ' *i •'■' ' ■' J' ' '' i'l'ir 'I ' , *' " *' '- '-' "’■ ■'■:" ■ I I I ,v W'-Ul'.l: ■'® “ . '" S- i'ft iv- ' V'.' - ^ : ■ ' ' ' ' >■'' ■ ' ■ ' ", • if^ ’''I ' '' ” l"^” ' >' " ' ' ( '. tr- if '. ' ■/. '. '.'.'fi U)-;' V Florida Field Naturalist ISSN 0738-999X PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Editor: ScOTT ROBINSON, Florida Museum of Natural History, RO. Box 117800, Univer- sity of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: srobinson@flmnh.ufl.edu Associate Editor (for Reviews): Reed BOWMAN, Archbold Biological Station, RO. Box 2057, Lake Rlacid, FL 33852. E-mail: RBowman@archbold-station.org Associate Editor (for bird distribution): Bruce Anderson, 2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Fark, FL 32792. E-mail: scizortail@aol.com Editor of the FOS newsletter, Snail Kite: TOM Ralmer, 1805 26th Street, N.W., Win- ter Haven, FL 33881. E-mail: tomp47@yahoo.com Editor of Special Publications: Reed F. Noss, Davis-Shine Rrofessor of Conservation Biology, University of Central Florida, Department of Biology, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816-2368. E-mail: rnoss@mail.ucf edu Web Page Editor: STEPHEN Bankert, 365 Spoonbill Lane, Melbourne, FL 32951. E-mail: webmaster@fosbirds.org INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS The Florida Field Naturalist is a fully refereed journal emphasizing biological fleld studies and observations of vertebrates, especially birds, in and near Florida and the nearby West Indies. We welcome submission of original manuscripts containing new information from these areas. We encourage electronic submission of manu- scripts. Please consult recent issues of the journal and the FOS website (http:// www.fosbirds.org/FFN/FFNGuidelines.htm) for style, especially noting that manu- scripts should: (1) be double-spaced throughout, including tables and flgure captions; (2) include the scientiflc name at the first mention of each species; (3) include capitalized standardized English names for all birds, but lower case for English names of other organisms; (4) include 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) preferentially use active voice. Submit manuscripts for Florida Field Naturalist to the Editor, Scott Robinson. Monograph-length manuscripts may be submitted for consideration to Reed F. Noss, Editor of Special Publications. Books and other materials for review should be submit- ted to: Reed Bowman, Associate Editor for Reviews. Field Observations should be sub- mitted to the Chair of the Field Observations Committee, Bill Pranty. Reports of rare birds in Florida should be submitted to the Managing Secretary of the FOS Records Committee, Reed Bowman. Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 34, No. 3 September 2006 Pages 69-114 CONTENTS FIFTEENTH REPORT OF THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2003-2005 Reed Bowman, Secretary 69-102 FIELD OBSERVATIONS Winter Report: December 2005-February 2006 Bill Pranty 103-112 ANNOUNCEMENTS The Breeding Birds of Florida, EOS Special Publication No. 7 113 Friends of FFN 114 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES 3 9088 01323 4881 siL G Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 34, No. 4 November 2006 Pages 115-135 FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Founded 1972 OFFICERS President: JACK Hailman, 143 Beacon Lane, Jupiter, FL 33469. E-mail: jhailman@wisc.edu Vice President: SuSAN B. WHITING, 3901 SE St. Lucie Blvd. #54, Stuart, FL 34997. E- mail: SooSprey@aol.com Secretary: PAMELA J. BoWEN, 309 Moonstone Dr., East Palatka, FL 32131. E-mail: pbowen @netzero.net Treasurer: DEAN JUE, 3455 Dorchester Court, Tallahassee, FL 32312-1300. E-mail: djue@admin.fsu.edu Editor, Florida Field Naturalist: ScOTT ROBINSON, Florida Museum of Natural His- tory, P.O. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: srobinson@flmnh.ufl.edu Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2007 Judy Bryan, 1924 SW 43rd Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32608 Katie Sieving, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0430 Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2008 David B. Freeland, 2345 Marsh Harbor Avenue, Merritt Island, FL 32952 Joyce King, 11645 69th Way N., Largo, FL 33773 Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2009 Charles Ewell, 115 SW 51®^ Terrace, Cape Coral, FL 33914-7107 Julie Wraithmell, 131 Willaura Circle, Tallahassee, FL 32301 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. All persons interested in Florida’s natural history, particularly its abundant bird life, are invited to join the Florida Ornithological Society by writing the Treasurer. Annual membership dues are $20 for individual members (overseas $25), $25 for a family member- ship, $15 for students, $40 for contributing members and $25 for institutional membership. All members receive the Florida Field Naturalist and the newsletter. Subscription price for institutions and non-members is $20 per year. Back issues ($3.00 per issue) are available, prepaid, from the Treasurer. Notice of change of address, claims for undelivered or defective copies of this journal, and requests for information about advertising and subscriptions should be sent to the Treasurer. The Florida Field Naturalist is published quarterly (February, May, September, and November) by the Florida Ornithological Society It is printed by E. O. Painter Printing Co., P.O. Box 877, DeLeon Springs, Florida 32130. The permanent address of the Florida Ornithological Society is Department of Ornithology, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611. The Florida Ornithological Society web site can be found at www.fosbirds.org THIS PUBLICATION IS PRINTED ON NEUTRAL PH PAPER Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 34, No. 4 November 2006 Pages 115-135 NOTES Florida Field Naturalist 34(4):115=116, 2006. BROAD-WINGED HAWK CAPTURES HAWKSBILL TURTLE HATCHLING IN THE FLORIDA KEYS Tom Wilmers' and Monay Markey^ ^Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges, 28950 Watson Boulevard Big Pine Key, FL 33043 ^Bahia Honda State Park, 36850 Overseas Highway, Big Pine Key, FL 33043 The Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) is a migrant in south Florida and win- ters regularly in the Florida Keys (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992). It is an opportunis- tic predator that captures a wide variety of prey types (Rusch and Doerr 1972, Reran 1978, Janik and Mosher 1982), including very young snapping turtles (Chelydra serpen- tina) (Mosher and Palmer 1988). However, capture of a hatchling sea turtle by a Broad- winged Hawk has not been previously documented. The endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imhricata) is a spongivorous, circum- tropical reptile that rarely nests in the U.S. (Meylan 1992, Meylan et al. 1995). On the morning of 10 October 2000 (ca 0730 hrs), from a distance of ca 8 m Markey observed a Broad-winged Hawk perched 2.5 m above ground on a sign in a parking lot at Bahia Honda State Park (FL Keys, Monroe County). A hawksbill turtle nest-— -1 m from the edge of the parking lot and ca 16 m from where the hawk was perched — had hatched the night before. Two disoriented live hatchling turtles had crawled landward onto the parking lot. Thirteen dead hawksbill hatchlings (cause of death unknown) were scattered on the beach. Less than a minute after first observing the hawk, Markey saw it descend to the parking lot and capture one of the live hatchling turtles. The hawk returned to the perch whereupon Markey, in an effort to startle the bird sufficiently to drop the turtle, rushed towards it. The bird took flight with the turtle in its talons. The height of the hawk’s perch was exceptionally low; reported perch height ranges from 10 to 20 m (Goodrich et al. 1996). That Markey was able to approach the hawk so closely prior to its attack may be attributable to the bird’s habituation to people. She had previously observed a Broad-winged Hawk elsewhere in the park that allowed a close approach. The mean weight of a hawksbill hatchling is 14.3-14.5 g (Limpus et al. 1983, Hitchins et al. 2004) and within the 10-30 g weight of prey most commonly captured by the Broad- winged Hawk (Goodrich et al. 1996). Compared with an older hawksbill turtle, a hatchling has limited endochondral ossification and its shell has not fully hardened. Thus, a Broad- winged Hawk likely could breach a hatchling turtle’s shell and consume the flesh within. We found no literature on raptor predation of sea turtles. Several raptor species do prey occasionally on freshwater turtles: Snail Kite {Rostrhamus sociahilis) (Sykes et al. 115 116 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST 1995), Osprey (Postupalsky and Kleiman 1965), and, over a wide area. Bald Eagle {Hali- aeetus leucocephalus) (Clark 1982). Birds that prey opportunistically on hatchling sea tur- tles include the Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor) (Lagarde et al. 2001), Black Vulture {Coragyps atratus) (Mrosovsky 1971), and Turkey Vulture {Cathartes aura) (Fowler 1979). Predation of hatchling sea turtles by Broad- winged Hawks and other terrestrial rap- tors in the Florida Keys is inherently rare and thus inconsequential to sea turtle produc- tivity because hatchling turtles normally emerge from nests and promptly enter the sea at night. Further, most sea turtle nests hatch in advance of the sizable fall raptor migration. We thank Anne Meylan for examination and species confirmation of the dead hatchling turtles. We are grateful to Phillip Hughes, Ken Meyer, and Anne Meylan for review of the preliminary manuscript. Literature Cited Clark, W. S. 1982. Turtles as a food source of nesting Bald Eagles in the Chesapeake Bay region. Journal of Field Ornithology 53:49-51. Fowler, L. E. 1979. Hatching success and nest predation in the green sea turtle Chelo- nia mydas at Tortuguero, Costa Rica. Ecology 60:946-955. Goodrich, L. J., S. C. Crocoll, and S. E. Senner 1996. Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus). In The Birds of North America, No. 218 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Hitchins, P. M., O. Bourquin, S. Hitchins, and S. E. Piper 2004. Biometric data on hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imhricata) nesting at Cousine Island, Seychelles. Journal of Zoology 264:371-381. Janik, C. a., and J. Mosher 1982. Breeding biology of raptors in the central Appala- chians. Raptor Research 16:18-24. Keran, D. 1978. Nest site selection by the Broad-winged Hawk in north-central Minne- sota and Wisconsin. Raptor Research 12:15-20. Lagarde, F., M. Le Corre, and H. Lormee. 2001. Species and sex-biased predation on hatchling green turtles by frigatebirds on Europa Island, Western Indian Ocean. Con- dor 103:405-408. Limpus, C. j., j. D. Miller, V. Baker, and E. McLachlan. 1983. The hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, in north-eastern Australia; the Campbell Island rookery. Australian Wildlife Research 10:185-197. Meylan, A. 1992. Hawksbill turtle. Pages 95-99 in Rare and Endangered Biota of Flor- ida. Vol. 3 (P. Moler, ed.). University Press of Florida. Meylan, A., B. Schroeder, and A. Mosier 1995. Sea turtle nesting activity in the State of Florida. Florida Marine Research Publication 52. Mosher, J. A., and R. S. Palmer 1988. Broad-winged hawk. Pages 3-33 in Handbook of North American Birds. Vol. 5 (R. S. Palmer, ed.). Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. Mrosovsky, N. 1971. Black Vultures attack live turtle hatchlings. Auk 88:672-673. Postupalsky, S., and J. Kleiman. 1965. Osprey preys on turtle. Wilson Bulletin 77:401- 402. Robertson, W. B., Jr., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida bird species; an annotated list. Fla. Ornithological Society Special Publication Number No. 6. Rusch, D. H., and P. D. Doerr 1972. Broad-winged hawk nesting and food habits. Auk 89:139-145. Sykes, P. W., Jr., J. A. Rodgers, Jr., and R. E. Bennetts. 1995. Snail Kite {Rostrhamus sociabilis). In The Birds of North America, No. 171 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. 117 Florida Field Naturalist 34(4): 117, 2006. OSPREY CATCHES LEAST TERN IN FLIGHT Bonnie Fairbanks The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, 1450 Merrihue Dr., Naples, FL 34102 On the morning of 29 June 2006 on the north end of Keewaydin Island near Naples, FL, I observed an Osprey {Pandion haliaetus) capture a Least Tern (Sternula antih larum) in flight. The incident began when a group of approximately 30-50 Least Terns took flight from the beach. The terns scattered in various directions, calling as they com- monly do while in flight. An Osprey was fl5dng from the water toward the land when the terns began flying. As it came near the group of terns, one of the terns flew directly in front of the Osprey. The Osprey caught the tern in its talons, doubling its wingbeat once as it did so. With the tern in its talons, it continued on as before and flew out of sight over a house. At no time did the terns appear to give the Osprey any special attention; they neither mobbed nor avoided it. The Osprey did not seem to be hunting the terns, because it did not change direction to fly toward them. The Osprey is not a known source of mortality for Least Terns (Thompson et al. 2005). Ospreys eat fish almost exclusively, and the anecdotal observations of Ospreys eating birds do not include Least Terns (Wiley and Lohrer 1973). I also could find no observations of birds caught on the wing by an Osprey. Literature Cited Thompson, B. C., J. A. Jackson, J. Burger, L. A. Hill, E. M. Kirsch, and J. L. At- wood. 1997. Least Tern {Sterna antillarum). In The Birds of North America, No. 290 (A. Poole and F Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Wiley, J. W., and F. E. Lohrer. 1973. Additional records of non-fish prey taken by Ospreys. Wilson Bulletin 85:468-470. 118 Florida Field Naturalist 34(4):118-120, 2006. REVIEW The Carolina Parakeet: Glimpses of a Vanished Bird. — Noel F. R. Snyder. 2004. Princeton University Press, ISBN 0-691-11795-0. xii + 153 pp. $32.95 cloth. — Of Flor- ida’s five birds that became or presumably became extinct or extirpated during the 20th century, perhaps none is more enigmatic than the Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis caro- linensis). Unlike the other four birds — the Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius), Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis), Bachman’s Warbler (Vermivora bachmanii), and Dusky Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus nigrescens) — the causes of the parakeet’s extinction are largely unknown. Unregulated shooting — for sport, to prevent crop depredation, and for scientific collections — often is cited as the primary cause of the parakeet’s extinction but is usually discounted because this activ- ity was localized. Other gaps in our knowledge of the parakeet’s biology include the year when the parakeet became extinct in the wild, and whether or not it nested exclusively in cavities, entered a state of torpor when roosting, or if its preference for cockleburs rendered it toxic to predators. In this short book, Noel Snyder, a former Floridian, weaves two stories, centered pri- marily in the interior of Florida’s peninsula during the early 20th century. The first is a reconstruction of the biology of the Carolina Parakeet based on historical accounts and interviews with residents of the Okeechobee area who observed the parakeet decades earlier. Snyder’s second story, which I found to be more interesting because it is less con- jectural, involves the interplay of ornithologists, oologists, “sportsmen,” Audubon war- dens, and other fascinating characters who lived in the region about 80 years ago. The book is divided into ten chapters: 1) Basic Characteristics of the Species; 2) The Decline and Fall; 3) Controversial Last Records; 4) Habitat Preferences and Require- ments; 5) Feeding Habits and Movements; 6) Breeding Habits; 7) Causes of Extinction; 8) Parakeet Toxicity and Other Topics for Research; 9) Postmortem of a Conservation Failure; and 10) Evaluating Historical Data, and some General Conclusions. The book contains two color illustrations of Carolina Parakeets and 36 black-and-white photo- graphs of people or locations mentioned in the book. I enjoyed the contemporary paint- ing by John Schmitt of a Carolina Parakeet family at their nest cavity, as well as the numerous photographs taken during the 1930s by Alexander Sprunt, Jr., which are handsomely reproduced in this book. I was surprised to learn that John James Audu- bon’s plate of the Carolina Parakeet may inaccurately portray juvenal plumage as being entirely green. Snyder reports that every extant specimen of juvenile Carolina Para- keets has an orange patch on the forehead (a character included in Schmitt’s painting). Snyder relates an entertaining tale originally published by Robert Porter Allen (1938). The story involves eggs collected on the Kissimmee Prairie in 1930 for Charles Doe, a well-known but little-liked Florida oologist. Apparently Doe “bounced” a check written for payment of the eggs and was forced to flee the area to avoid bodily harm at the hands of the collectors! The eggs were placed in a large metal can and were nailed to a tree be- hind a store in Basinger (in present-day eastern Highlands County), and were rediscov- ered— apparently in good condition — eight years later by Allen and others. While much of the natural history of the Carolina Parakeet is taken from existing references, Snyder provides “new” information that he obtained by interviewing resi- dents of the Okeechobee area who knew the parakeet in life during the 1910s-1920s. These interviews, which were aided by Audubon warden Rod Chandler, took place in 1979 and 1981. All those who Snyder interviewed have since died, and their information is published for the first time in this book. While some of this information doubtlessly is factual, other remembrances seem to me to be far-fetched, such as the claim that some parakeets roosted in barns and houses, hanging from the rafters by their bills rather Review 119 than using their legs to perch. Elsewhere in the book, Snyder accepts as factual several historical statements that have been discounted by other ornithologists (e.g., Bailey 1925, Howell 1932, McKinley 1985). Among the questionable statements that Snyder accepts are that Carolina Parakeets built open twig nests in addition to nesting in cavities, and that parakeets — including those in Florida^ — fell into a state of torpor when roosting. Regarding the cup nests, Sny- der refuses to discount the few second- or third-hand historical reports even though no ornithologist ever witnessed such behavior, and even though no other psittacid in the world is known to nest in both cavities and open nests. Snyder suggests that exotic dis- eases, perhaps transmitted by chickens, contributed to the extinction of Carolina Para- keets, although he admits that no historical or recent observations exist of any other psittacid in the New World being similarly affected by diseases transmitted by domestic fowl. Aside from the parakeets, Snyder accepts William Bartram’s 18th century observa- tions of King Vultures (Sarcoramphus papa) in Florida — often dismissed by others as a misidentification of Crested Caracaras {Caracara cheriway) — and suggests that the birds became extirpated by Indians who sought the vulture’s feathers! Shockingly, Sny- der claims that Ivory-billed Woodpeckers were not old-growth forest specialists, and cites as proof of this belief the presence of the woodpeckers “hanging on” in Cuba. On the contrary, the few remaining Ivory-billed Woodpeckers in Cuba were found in the few remaining pockets of old-growth forest, and the birds are now considered extirpated from that country, having last been seen in 1988 (Jackson 2004). Snyder anticipates criticism of his faith in the hearsay data that he gathered about Carolina Parakeets, and I chuckled at his contempt for “a few ornithologists [who] even build their reputations by denouncing the gullibility of those who accept sightings of rare species that are not supported by airtight evidence,” I was disappointed that an or- nithologist of Snyder’s caliber would so boldly put faith in hearsay evidence based on 50- or 60-year old recollections, especially when he mentions two instances in which his own (much more recent) memory was faulty. Snyder goes so far as to claim that the hearsay data that he obtained “significantly expands our knowledge of the last days” of the Caro- lina Parakeet. Elsewhere in his book, Snyder admits that hearsay data are “often of in- determinable accuracy,” thereby creating “a problem that poses some thorny problems of interpretation,” Thorny problems, indeed. I found it interesting that none of the hearsay evidence that Snyder presents was mentioned in the Birds of North America account of the Carolina Parakeet, written by Snyder and Keith Russell (2002). It is tempting to speculate that either Snyder’s co-au- thor or editors struck the hearsay information from the BNA account as being too con- jectural. On the other hand, perhaps Snyder simply was “saving” the hearsay information for his book, which he calls “an expansion” of the BNA account. I was disappointed that Snyder uses pet-trade names rather than ornithological no- menclature for the other psittacid species that he discusses. A map showing the histori- cal distribution of the Carolina Parakeet and the numerous locations that Snyder mentions would have been a helpful addition to the book. I noted a few minor typograph- ical errors and out-dated nomenclature; Snyder globally refers to the Snail Kite {Ros- trhamus sociabilis) as the Everglades Kite, For data on naturalized psittacid populations in North America, Snyder quotes Hardy (1973) and Owre (1973) — and nobody else — even though these two citations are greatly out-of-date. There appears to be an inconsistency in Snyder’s book about the two purported races of the Carolina Parakeet, the western lu- dovicianus and the eastern carolinensis. On page 6, Snyder states that the perceived dif- ferences between the two races — primarily plumage coloration — were “modest and variable.” However, on page 10, Snyder states that the two purported races “differed sig- nificantly in bill, wing, and tail measurements . . . and fairly consistently” in plumage. Snyder concludes his book by listing several topics of the Carolina Parakeet’s biology or history that might be solved by the use of molecular techniques. Among these are the 120 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST relationship of Conuropsis with other New World psittacid genera such as Aratinga and Myiopsitta; whether feeding on cockleburs rendered parakeets “unpalatable” to preda- tors; whether “biochemical or morphological traces of pathogens” could be detected in parakeet feathers or skin; and whether the two clutches of eggs collected by Charles Doe in Osceola County in 1927 are genuine Carolina Parakeet eggs. One would hope that scientists are now studying some of these issues in hopes of learning more about what perhaps is North America’s most fascinating lost bird species. In summary, The Carolina Parakeet: Glimpses of a Vanished Bird makes entertain- ing reading for those interested in the early ornithology of Florida. The book is less suc- cessful as a treatise on the natural history of the Carolina Parakeet, owing to its reliance on unproven and otherwise unvetted hearsay data. While I have reservations about Snyder’s faith in some historical data, I recommend this book for birders, orni- thologists, and public and academic libraries. I thank Reed Bowman for improving a draft of this review. — Bill Pranty, 8515 Village Mill Row, Bayonet Point, Florida 34667-2662. Literature Cited Allen, R. P. 1938. A true story of commercial egg traffic. Bird-Lore 40:145-146. Bailey, H. H. 1925. The Birds of Florida. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, MD. Hardy, J. W. 1973. Feral exotic birds in southern California. Wilson Bulletin 85:506-512. Jackson, J. A. 2004. In Search of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Howell, A. H. 1932. Florida Bird Life. Coward-McCann, New York. McKinley, D. 1985. The Carolina Parakeet in Florida. Special Publication No. 2. Florida Ornithological Society, Gainesville. OWRE, O. T. 1973. A consideration of the exotic avifauna of southeastern Florida. Wilson Bulletin 85:491-500. Snyder, N. F. R., and K. Russell. 2002. Carolina Parakeet {Conuropsis carolinensis). In The Birds of North America, No. 667 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Florida Field Naturalist 34(4):121-123, 2006. IN MEMORIAM Howard P. Langridge, 1923-2004 Howard Percy Langridge, a Charter Member of the Florida Ornithological Society (FOS) and an extraordinarily skilled birder who contributed much to our knowledge of birds in Florida, died from complications resulting from a massive stroke on 14 Novem- ber 2004, at Sycamore Shoals Hospital, Elizabethton, Tennessee, at the age of 81. He was born 31 May 1923 at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the son of H. R. and Winifred M. Lang- ridge. His childhood and teen years were spent at Cedar Rapids, In addition to being a member of FOS, Howard held memberships in the American Birding Association (ABA), the Tennessee Ornithological Society (TOS), and the Audu- bon Society of the Everglades at West Palm Beach. He was a member of the FOS Bird Records Committee from 1985 through 1987, and was Associate Editor (for bird distri- bution) for the Florida Field Naturalist (FFN) for 10 years (1985 through 1994). He au- thored or co-authored 21 short articles on significant bird observations he had made in Florida, publishing them in FFN, and was a regular contributor to the seasonal reports in the Field Observations of FFN. He was the editor for the Florida Region for North American Birds and its predecessor American Birds, writing the spring season reports for 11 years (1986 through 1996), and was a regular contributor of his observations to that journal from the late 1950s up until the time of his death. He and T. Trotsky docu- mented the first Black- tailed Godwit in Florida in 1981 (Merritt Island NWR) and with W. Matthews and G. Hunter had the first sighting of a Thick-billed Murre for the state in 1976 (Lake Worth Fishing Pier). Howard was the compiler of the West Palm Beach Christmas Bird Count (CBC) for an unbroken 40 years, 1958 (the 59‘^ CBC period) through 1997 (the 98“* CBC period). No other person has compiled a count or counts in Florida for that length of time. In addition to the West Palm Beach CBC, he frequently participated on CBCs at Ft. Lauderdale, Everglades-Coot Bay, Stuart, and several oth- ers. Through 2000 (the last time Howard submitted his list total to the ABA List Report Supplement to Birding) he had a Florida Life List of 441 species of birds. I had the good fortune to have known Howard for 38 years. During the 20 years my family and I lived at Delray Beach, he and I birded together on a regular basis in Palm Beach County and elsewhere in the state from the Dry Tortugas to Jacksonville to Pensacola. Some of his favorite birding areas included the Dry Tortugas, Florida Keys, Everglades National Park, Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR, Hypoluxo Island at Lantana, the Lake Worth Fishing Pier, Blowing Rocks Beach near Jupiter, Duda Farms near Belle Glade, and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. After Howard retired, he spent a week or so annually during spring migration at the Dry Tortugas, camping out- side Ft. Jefferson on Garden Key. On such visits he often was a co-leader for Wings, the well-known birding tour company out of Tucson, Arizona. Over the years he took hun- dreds of out-of-town birders to see the south Florida specialties. Peter Dunne of Cape May, New Jersey, in his popular book The Feather Quest: a North American Birder’s Year, referred to Howard as an “alpha alpha birder.” After moving to Elizabethton, Tennessee, in 1997, he continued to bird in the eastern part of that state, often in association with fellow birders in the region, and recorded sev- eral first records for Tennessee, including Great Blue (white morph) Heron, Lesser Black- backed Gull, and Royal Tern. Howard’s last birding with a group was with the Herndon TOS Chapter on 30 October 2004 at Sycamore Shoals State Park at Elizabethton. Howard had two great passions in life — extreme competition in birding and tennis. He loved a “good chase” for a rare bird. Upon seeing an interesting species or something that pleased him, he would break into a broad smile and rapidly rub his palms together 121 122 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST as an expression of his excitement. In the field he usually wore a light-colored, broad- brimmed, tilley-like hat, a shirt with a collar, lightweight long trousers, and low-cut leather boots or tennis shoes. He always carried crackers to munch on and drank only water. Invariably he used 3x5 index cards in the field to take notes on the birds he ob- served and make sketches of the rarer species using a lead pencil. He would quickly whip a card out of his shirt pocket to make a notation or sketch and then quickly replace it. These cards were recycled from student term papers; he had saved hundreds or thou- sands of these cards for this purpose. His sketches were accurate artistic renderings of birds. In my 55 years of birding I have never met a birder who liked to crawl into a dense thicket like Howard in search of furtive species. The man was truly amazing in this respect; he was as agile as a raccoon. Traveling with Howard was a great pleasure, since there was always interesting con- versation about birds and every other topic under the sun, as he was extremely well read in current events, history, literature, and a wide range of other subjects. He and I also held a similar view of “the world.” We frequently talked by telephone about birds, birding, and planning trips in and out of state. Upon answering the phone, instead of saying hello or some other greeting, his stock in trade was “H. R Langridge here” — when I think of him, I can still hear that familiar greeting. His enthusiasm was infectious, and, when he perceived something to be funny, he would break out into his distinctive cackling-like laugh. He was a dynamo of energy, and, for things that interested him, he always gave 100 percent. His family, birding, playing tennis, and making furniture and other items out of wood he had cut on his Tennessee property were among his primary interests. He played tennis with gusto and, because of his skill and stamina, was able to beat players half his age. Howard and his youngest daughter. Daphne (Robin to most of us) were ranked in mixed-doubles tennis in Florida for several years. He played tennis 3-5 times per week up to just before his death. He was predeceased by his wife of 55 years, Mable Sharp Langridge, a daughter Patsy Langridge, and a grandson William H. Ollmann. He is survived by a brother, Ray Langridge (Marion, Iowa); daughters J. Susan Ollmann (Gainesville, FL), Jane M. Farmer (Pensacola, FL), and Daphne R. Mahagan (Dade City, FL); a son, Howard P. Langridge III (Sopchoppy, FL); four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Howard left his native Iowa at the age of 18 and worked for the US. Postal Service in Washington, D.C. He served a little over three years in the US. Navy as a reconnais- sance photographer aboard a PBY aircraft in the Pacific during World War 11. On 2 De- cember 1944 he married Mable Sharp of Elizabethton, Tennessee. Following the war he attended East Tennessee State University at Johnson City under the GI Bill, where he earned Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in English. It is about this time that Howard began birding. He taught English at Unaka High School in Carter County, TN, for six years before moving to Lantana, FL, in 1957. He taught English for 23 years in the Palm Beach County Public School System, first at Palm Beach High School for sev- eral years, but most of his teaching career was at Forest Hill H.S. in West Palm Beach, until his retirement in 1981. He often commuted between his home in Lantana and For- est Hill H.S. on his bicycle, using the less traveled streets. This was long before most people gave much thought to conserving fossil fuels and maintaining clean air stan- dards in South Florida. Howard was well liked by his students and fellow faculty mem- bers at Forest Hill. He had an energetic teaching style, being very animated in the classroom. He taught a number of different courses in the English Department, his pas- sion being composition. He was head of the English Department for several years, was Student Council Advisor, and Field Biology Club Sponsor, where he taught students bird identification and other skills pertaining to their environmental education. Friday afternoons during the school year found Howard and the kids in the Field Bi- ology Club hard at work trying not to misidentify a bird and not utter a grammatical er- ror. At year’s end, he handed each of his students a 3 x 5 card with the simple In Memoriam 123 Clockwise from top left. Howard P. Langridge — In his element in the classroom at Forest Hill High School, West Palm Beach, FL, circa 1970s; courtesy Susan Ollmann. Birding on southern Great Abaco Island, Bahamas, 17 November 1990; photo by Paul Sykes. Faculty photo in Forest Hill H. S. Yearbook 1981 (his last year teaching); photo courtesy Susan Ollmann. On “station” at Lake Worth Fishing Pier with a first-year Sabine’s Gull, Lake Worth, Florida, November 1986; photo by Tadziu Trotsky. inscription “Langridge Product ” a distinction accepted with great pride. Years later, at a moving-to-Tennessee party in H. P.’s honor, many of his West Palm Beach friends proudly asked him to inscribe their field guides with the words “Langridge Product.” He did graduate work toward a doctorate at Florida State University in Tallahassee, but did not obtain a degree. During the Florida years he lived at Lantana. Summers were spent with Mable and children at the house he himself built on the side of a moun- tain on their property on the east side of Elizabethton, or traveling and camping in the western United States. In 1997, Howard and Mable left Florida, all their children hav- ing fledged many years before, and moved to their home in eastern Tennessee. His service to the birding community in Florida and Tennessee will be long remem- bered and much appreciated. We shall all miss this kind, gentle, gracious man who touched the lives of so many of us. I wish to thank Wallace Coffey, Steve Holzman, Gloria Hunter, Bonnie and Cam Ke- pler, Susan Ollmann, Daphne Mahagan, Tadziu Trotsky, and Ann and Phil Weinrich for their assistance in preparing this memoriam. Paul W. Sykes, Jr., 1080 Forest Road, Wat- kinsville, GA 30677. 124 Florida Field Naturalist 34(4): 124-135, 2006. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Spring Report: March-May 2006. — This report consists of significant bird obser- vations compiled by the Field Observations Committee (FOC). 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 sig- nificance. Seasons are winter (December-February), spring (March-May), summer (June-July), and fall ( August-No vember). 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 are found at the end of this report. We greatly prefer observations sent via e-mail. Sight-only observations are considered “reports” while only those supported by verifi- able evidence (photographs, video or audio tapes, or specimens) are called “records.” Species for which documentation is required by the FOS Records Committee (FOSRC; Bowman 2004, Fla. Field Nat. 32:7-33) are marked here with an asterisk (*). A county designation (in italics) accompanies the first-time listing of each site in this report. Ab- breviations in this report are: EOS = end of season, NP = national park, NSRA - north shore restoration area, NWR = national wildlife refuge, SP = state park, STF - sewage treatment facility, WE A = wildlife and environmental area, and N, S, E, W etc., for com- pass directions. Bold-faced entries denote birds newly reported or verified in Florida, or record counts. Summary of the Spring Season The weather was generally mild and dry, with no significant storms, and therefore no significant fallouts. The western Panhandle received only 1,46 inches of rain in March- April. FOSRC rarities reported this season were the Red-billed Tropicbird specimen from Boynton Beach, Iceland Gull at Daytona Beach, Cassin’s Kingbird at Lake Apopka, and the Bullock’s Oriole at Tallahassee. Other rarities included the first Band-rumped Storm-Petrels recorded in the Atlantic Ocean (off Ponce Inlet), three White-faced Ibises at Micanopy with another at Fort Walton Beach, Roseate Spoonbills and Black Skim- mers breeding inland in Polk County, an interesting mini-invasion of Wilson’s Phalaropes between 20-26 May, a European Herring Gull (perhaps soon to be consid- ered specifically distinct from American Herring Gulls) at Da3rtona Beach, an apparent Antillean Nighthawk at St. George Island, one or two La Sagra’s Flycatchers at Cape Florida, an interesting mimid at Boca Chica Key that may have been a Northern x Ba- hama mockingbird hybrid, a Common Myna north to St. Petersburg, and a black-backed Western Spindalis at Everglades National Park. Species Accounts Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: 160 at Gainesville {Alachua) 12 Apr (D. Hartman); 3 at St, Petersburg {Pinellas) 12 May (E. Haney); 20 at Ocala {Marion) 21 May (B. Anderson); 2 at Lower Wekiva State Preserve {Lake/ Seminole) 24 May (L. Malo); 6 at Cutler Ridge {Miami-Dade) 25 May (R. Torres). Fulvous Whistling-Duck: 5 at St. Marks NWR {Wakulla) 5 Apr (A. Wraithmell); 1 at a Polk phosphate mine 11 May (P, Fellers); up to 25 (28 Apr) all season at Lake Apopka NSRA {Orange-, H. Robinson). Snow Goose: 1 immature white morph at Merritt Island NWR {Brevard) 1-7 Mar, 1 adult white morph there 29 Mar, and 1 adult blue morph over South Merritt Island Field Observations 125 {Brevard) 26 Apr (all D. Freeland); 1 white morph at Springhill Road STF {Leon) 14- 29 Mar (G. Menk). Mandarin Duck: 1 pair copulated at Lake Frances, Madison {Madison) 25 Mar (S. Mc- Cool, photo to FOG). Mottled Duck: 2 (the female perhaps a Mottled Duck x Mallard) at Tallahassee {Leon) 10 Apr (S. McCool, photo to FOG); 2 at Egans Greek Wetlands {Nassau) 12 Apr (J. Hintermister); 104 at Myakka River SP {Sarasota) 27 May (R. Smith). Blue-winged Teal: 3 near Oak Hill {Volusia) 18 May (M. Brothers); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 May (H. Robinson). Blue-winged x Ginnamon Teal: 1 apparent hybrid drake at Viera Wetlands {Brevard) 11 Mar (A. Bankert, photo to FOG). Ginnamon Teal: 1 male at St. Marks NWR 18 Mar (T. Gurtis). Northern Shoveler: 1500 at Polk mines 11 Mar (P. Fellers, E. Lane). Northern Pintail: 41 at Polk mines 3 Mar (P. Fellers, D. Brooke); 1 male at Honeymoon Island SP {Pinellas) 4 May (W. Yusek). Green-winged Teal: 2800 at Polk mines 3 Mar (P. Fellers, D. Brooke). Redhead: 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP {Alachua) to 13 Mar (H. Adams); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 3 May (H. Robinson); 45 at Tierra Verde {Pinellas) 13 May (B. Ahern, D. Powell). Ring-necked Duck: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 3 May (H. Robinson); 3 at Polk mines 11 May (P. Fellers). Greater Scaup: 2 (female and male) at St. Marks NWR 8 May (J. Dozier). Lesser Scaup: 950 at Polk mines 11 Mar (P. Fellers, E. Lane); 4 (1 female, 3 males) at Springhill Road STF 31 May (G. Menk). Surf Scoter: 1 male at Merritt Island NWR 29 May (T. Dunkerton). Bufflehead: 3 at Polk mines 3 Mar (P. Fellers, D. Brooke); 1 female at Springhill Road STF 31 May (G. Menk). Gommon Goldeneye: 1 female at Springhill Road STF 29 Mar-4 Apr (G. Menk). Ruddy Duck: 9500 at Lake Apopka NSRA 5 Mar, and 5 there 21 May (H. Robinson); 4 males at Tierra Verde 27 Mar (L. Atherton). Wild Turkey: 1 at Melbourne Beach {Brevard) 12 April (A. Banker!). Pacific Loon: 1 at Gulf Breeze {Santa Rosa) 25 Mar (P. Baker); 1 first-summer bird at Destin Bridge {Okaloosa) 21 May (D. Ware). Gommon Loon: flocks (with 90% of the birds in alternate plumage) flying NE over Gainesville 60-120 minutes after sunrise included 117 on 22 Mar and 193 on 5 Apr (A. Kratter); 4 over Gary State Forest {Nassau) 12 Apr (J. Hintermister). Horned Grebe: 1 with “some rufous on neck” at Fort Walton Beach STF {Okaloosa) 24 May (M. Myers, B. Duncan). Black-capped Petrel: 2 about 100 nm off Ponce Inlet {Volusia) 1 Apr (B. Wallace, M. Brothers). Audubon’s Shearwater: 1 off Elliott Key, Bisca5me NP {Miami-Dade) 20 Apr (R. Torres). Leach’s Storm-Petrel: 2 just off the mouth of the St. Johns River {Duval) 15 May (R. Glark). Band-rumped Storm-Petrel: 2 about 80 nm off Ponce Inlet 1 Apr (B, Wallace, M. Broth- ers, photos to FOG); 1 in the Florida Straits {Monroe) 21 Apr (M. Gardler). White-tailed TropicbirD: 1 about 100 nm off Ponce Inlet 1 Apr (B. Wallace, M. Brothers); 1 between Dry Tortugas NP and Key West {Monroe) 25 Apr (M. Gearheart, D. Williams). *Red-BILLED TropicbirD: 1 at Boynton Beach {Palm Beach) 19 Mar {fide T, Webber; UF 45217). Masked Booby: 17 nests at Dry Tortugas NP {Monroe) in Apr {fide M. Gardler). Brown Booby: 1 immature at New Smyrna Beach {Volusia) 4 May {fide M. Brothers); 2 immatures off Jacksonville {Duval) 15 May (R. Glark); 1 immature off Jupiter Inlet {Palm Beach) 31 May (J. and L. Hailman). 126 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Red-footed Booby: singles at Dry Tortugas NP 16 Apr (white-tailed brown morph) and 23 Apr (immature brown morph) (M. Gardler et ah). Northern Gannet: 1 at Coconut Point {Brevard) 22 May (A. Bankert). American White Pelican: 200 at Fernandina Beach (Nassau) 19 Mar (P. Leary); 500 at St. Marks NWR 9 Apr (M. Hartley). Brown Pelican: 1 immature at Lake Olympia (Orange) 12 Mar (T. Rodriguez); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 11 Mar (H. Robinson); 2 at Lake Somerset (Polk) 1 Apr (T. Palmer); 1 immature at Lake Talquin (Leon) 7 May (S. McCool); 1 over Lake Ivanhoe (Orange) 25 May (G. Bretz). Great Cormorant: 1 at Orange Park (Duval) to 11 Mar (B. Ahern, D. Powell). Magnificent FrigatebirD: 1 female at Bald Point (Franklin) 2 Apr (H. Van Tol); 1 adult male over Fernandina Beach 28 May (P. Leary). American Bittern: 20 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Mar (H, Robinson); 5 or more at Lake Miccosukee (Jefferson) 29-31 Mar (M. Hill); 1 at Roosevelt Wetlands, St. Petersburg 17-20 Apr (W Yusek); 1 at Florida International University (Miami-Dade) 31 May (B. Schneider). Least Bittern: 8 at Roosevelt Wetlands 14 May (D. Margeson). “Great White Heron:” 1 near Oak Hill (Volusia) 18 May had been present 2 weeks (M. Brothers). Great Egret: 88 at a drying lake at Spring Hill (Hernando) 23 May (A. and E. Maywalt). Reddish Egret: 1 immature at West Kendall (Miami-Dade) 8 May (J. Boyd). Yellow-crowned Night-Heron: 27 at Lake Apopka NSRA 25 Apr (H. Robinson). Scarlet-type Ibis: 1 at Lakes Park, Fort Myers (Lee) attempted to breed with a White Ibis during May (A. Marshall). Glossy Ibis: 1 at Lake Jackson (Leon) 20 May (H. Hooper); 685 at Lake Apopka NSRA 31 May (H. Robinson). White-faced Ibis: up to 3 at Micanopy (Alachua) to 22 Mar (J. Hintermister, P. Burns et ah); 1 adult at Fort Walton Beach STF 17 May (M. Myers, B. Duncan). Roseate Spoonbill: 3 on nests at Polk mines 2 Apr (C. Geanangel), and 26 there 11 May, with 11 in the “rookery area” (P. Fellers); 1 immature at Altamonte Springs (Seminole) 1-3 May (P. Hueber); 3 immatures at Lake Jesup Conservation Area (Sem- inole) 13 May (L. Malo et al.). Wood Stork: 319 at Lake Somerset 1 Apr (T Palmer). Greater Flamingo: 1 near Key West 25 Apr (A. Binns). Osprey: 113 at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 May (H. Robinson). Snail Kite: 1 pair bred at Lake Istokpoga (Highlands) in Apr (M. McMillian); 1 at Kiss- immee Prairie Preserve SP (Okeechobee) 14 May (P. Miller), Mississippi Kite: 1 at Jacksonville 19 Apr (J. Cocke); 4 at Green Cove Springs (Clay) 29 May (R. Rowan et al.). Bald Eagle: 30 at Tomoka Landfill (Volusia) 3 Mar (D. Freeland, M. Gardler et al.); 1 adult near Big Pine Key (Monroe) 16 May (G. Stoccardo). Northern Harrier: 170 at Lake Apopka NSRA 4 Mar (H. Robinson). Broad-winged Hawk: 1 at Old Town (Dixie) 19 Apr (J. Hintermister). Short-tailed Hawk: 1 light morph at Flatwoods Park (Hillsborough) 2 Mar (B. Ahern); 2 (1 dark morph, 1 light morph) at Spring Hill 3 Mar (M. Gardler); 2 at Oak Hill (Volusia) 3 Mar (D. Freeland, M. Gardler); 1 light morph at Sumica Conservation Area, Indian Lake Estates (Polk) 4 Mar (P. Fellers et al.); 1 dark morph at Fernandina Beach 1 Apr (P. Leary); 3 dark morphs at J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park (Pasco) 1 Apr (K. Tracey); 1 at Black Point Swamp near Shell Mound (Levy) 7 Apr (J. Hintermister); 1 light morph at Seminole Ranch/Orlando Wetlands Park (Orange) 29 Apr (L. Malo et al.); 1 dark morph E of Lake Wales (Polk) 20 May (T. Palmer); 1 dark morph at Myakka River SP 27 May (R. Smith); at least 4 around New Port Richey (Pasco) through the season (K. Tracey); 1 light morph at J.N. “Ding” Darling NWR (Lee) throughout the season (fide C. Ewell). Field Observations 127 Swainson’S Hawk: 1 intermediate dark morph at a Polk mine 3 Mar (R Fellers, D, Brooke); 1 dark morph at Southern Glades WEA (Miami-Dade) 5 Mar (R. Diaz). Crested CaracarA: 1 near Bithlo {Orange) 31 May (G. Stoccardo). American Kestrel: 4 at Tram Road STF {Leon) 6 Apr (G. Menk). Merlin: 12 at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP {Miami-Dade) 10 Apr (R. Diaz); 1 at Tate’s Hell {Franklin) 5 May (J, Spohrer). Peregrine Falcon: 1 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve {Okeechobee) 9 Apr (P. Miller); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 May (H. Robinson), Yellow Rail: 1 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 5 Mar (P. Miller). Virginia Rail: 1 at St. Marks NWR 28 Apr (J. Hintermister). SORA: 2 at Fort De Soto Park {Pinellas) 10 Apr (L. Atherton); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 May (H. Robinson). Purple Gallinule: 1 at Maple Swamp, Clearwater 3 Mar-12 Apr (R Trunk et al.); 11 at Lake Hancock {Polk) 2 Apr (T. Palmer); 2 at Roosevelt Wetlands 20 Apr (W. Yusek); 49 at Lake Apopka NSRA 30 Apr (H. Robinson). American Coot: 1 at Springhill Road STF 31 May-1 Jun (G. Menk). Limpkin: 1 pair with 5 fledglings at Lake Munson {Leon) 12 Mar (M. Hill); 10 at Roosevelt Wetlands 14 May (D. Margeson). Sandhill Crane: 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 13 May (L. Fenimore); 1 southbound high over the Wakulla River {Wakulla) 29 May (M. Keys). Southern Lapwing: 1 at St. Marks NWR 6 May-EOS (T. Curtis). Black-bellied Plover: 60 at Werner-Boyce Salt Springs SP {Pasco) 21 Apr (K. Tracey); 145 at Huguenot Memorial Park {Duval) 11 May (R. Clark); 1 at Myakka River SP 27 May (R. Smith). American Golden-Plover: 10 at Bald Point 3 Mar (J. Dozier); 4 in Flagler 5 Mar (R. Smith et al.); 1 at St. Marks NWR 14 Apr (A. Wraithmell et al.). Snowy Plover: 32 at Three Rooker Island {Pinellas) 7 Apr (K. Tracey); 10 at Anclote Bar {Pasco) 21 Apr (K. Tracey); 1 on a nest at Cape Romano {Collier) 9 May (D. Suitor). Wilson’s Plover: 23 at Anclote Bar 11 Apr (K. Tracey); 3, including 1 displaying terri- torial behavior, at St. Vincent Island {Franklin) 20 May (B. Stedman); 3 or more pairs at Palm Island {Sarasota) 31 May (G. and T. Duch). Semipalmated Plover: up to 2 at Hague {Alachua) 28 Apr-1 May (S. Flamand, M. Manetz); 3 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 May (H. Robinson); 27 at Polk mines 11 May (P. Fellers). Piping Plover: 3 at Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area {Lee) 18 Mar (C. Ewell); 32 at Three Rooker Island 7 Apr (K. Tracey); 10 at Anclote Bar 11 Apr (K. Tracey). Killdeer: 1 nest with 4 eggs at Naples 24 May (L. Addison). American Oystercatcher: 1 at downtown Pensacola {Escambia) 11 Apr (C. Bunch); 3 at Bayou Grande, Pensacola 20 Apr (B. Duncan et al.); 1 at Destin 1 May (P. Gault); 8 at Charley Pass, North Captiva Island (Lee) 28 May (C. Ewell). Black-necked Stilt: 16 at the Sarasota Celery Fields {Sarasota) 19 Mar (J. Dubi); 14 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 14 May (P. Miller); 1 at Springhill Road STF 20-24 Apr (G. Menk et al.); 12 at Eagle Lakes Park, Naples {Collier) 9 May (D. Suitor); 1 pair with a chick at Seven Springs {Pasco) 28 May (K. Tracey). American Avocet: 1110 at Polk mines 2 Apr (C. Geanangel); 5 at St, Vincent Island, In- dian Pass {Franklin) 7 Apr (T. Lewis); 3 at Tigertail Beach, Marco Island {Collier) 20 Apr (K. Williams); 9 in alternate plumage at Three Rooker Island 20 May (K. Tracey); 4 at St. Marks NWR 27 May (J. Dozier, J. Murphy); 2 at Bystre Lake {Hernando) 28 May (M. Gardler). Solitary Sandpiper: 5 at Seven Springs 22 Apr (K. Tracey); 1 at Green Swamp 7 May was the first for Sumter (R. Smith); 76 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 May (H. Robinson). Spotted Sandpiper: 1 at Altamonte Springs {Seminole) 17 May (P. Hueber); 1 at Lake Ap- opka NSRA 21 May (H. Robinson); 1 at St. Marks NWR 27 May (J. Dozier, J. Murphy). 128 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Upland Sandpiper: up to 2 at Alachua 30 Mar-7 Apr (R Burns, J. Hintermister et ah); 1 W of Palmdale {Glades) 30 Mar (B. and L. Cooper); singles at Key West and Stock Is- land {Monroe)!^ Apr (M. Gardler); 1 in Flagler 22 Apr (B. Wallace); 1 at Graham {Bradford) 10-11 May (D. Robbins, J. Hintermister). WhimbreL: 35 at Canaveral National Seashore {Brevard) 14 Apr (D. Freeland et ah). Marbled God wit: 1 at Springhill Road STF 11 Apr (J. Cavanagh). Red Knot: 1000+ on Bird Island at Nassau Soimd {Duval) 1 Mar (P. Leary); 70 at Reding- ton Shores {Pinellas) 3 Mar (1. Hernandez); 100 at Three Rooker Island 7 Apr (K. Tracey); 500+ at Huguenot Memorial Park 25 Apr, and 2000 there 14 May, including birds banded in SW Florida, Delaware, Chile, and Argentina (P. Leary); 40 at Cape Ro- mano 9 May (D. Suitor); 60 in mixed plumages at Cayo Costa SP {Lee) 21 May (C. Ewell). SanderlinG: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 May (H. Robinson). Semipalmated Sandpiper: 12 at Center Hill 7 May were the first for Sumter (R. Smith). White-RUMPED Sandpiper: 1 at St. Marks NWR 28 Apr (R. McGregor); 1 at Merritt Is- land NWR 28 Apr (D. Freeland); 1 at Center Hill 7 May was the first for Sumter (R. Smith); up to 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 5-17 May (H. Robinson); up to 9 (23 May) at Springhill Road STF 11-25 May (G. Menk, A. Wraithmell et ah); 1 at Gainesville 12 May (P. Burns); 3 in W Pasco 14 May (K. Tracey); 4 at Fort De Soto Park 18 May (L. Atherton); 4 near Oak Hill {Volusia) 18 May (M. Brothers); 1 at Anclote Bar {Pasco) 20 May (K. Tracey); 8 at Cutler Ridge 21 May (R. Torres); 5 at Big Carlos Pass/Estero Is- land {Lee) on 23 May (C. Ewell); 1 at Cape Romano 24 May (D. Suitor); 2 at Viera Wet- lands 24 May (A. Bankert); 3 at Bystre Lake 28 May (M. Gardler). Peep species: 12,000 at Polk mines 5 Apr, and 6000 there 11 May (P. Fellers). Pectoral Sandpiper: 3 at Polk mines 11 Mar (P. Fellers, E. Lane); singles at Springhill Road STF 19 and 24 May (A. Wraithmell et ah); 1 at St. Vincent Island 21 May (B. Stedman); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 24 May (H. Robinson); 1 at Bystre Lake 28 May (M. Gardler). Dunlin: 6000 at Merritt Island NWR 3 Mar (D. Freeland, M. Gardler) Stilt Sandpiper: 2 at Springhill Road STF 23 Mar (J. Cavanagh), and 3 there 25 May (G. Menk); 1 at Gainesville 14 Apr (M. Manetz); 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 3 May (H. Robinson); 2 at Center Hill {Sumter) 7 May was the first for Sumter (R. Smith). Buff-breasted Sandpiper: 4 at Fort Walton Beach STF 20 Apr (M. Myers, B. Duncan), and 1 there 20 May (B. and W. Duncan); 1 at St. Marks NWR 28 Apr (J. Hintermister, D. Robbins); 2 adults at Captiva Island {Lee) 18 May (C. Ewell). Long-billed Dowitcher: 1100 at Polk mines 3 Mar (P. Fellers, D. Brooke); 10 at Lake Apo- pka NSRA 19 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 at Springhill Road STF 1 1 May (G. Menk, J. Cavanagh). Wilson’s Snipe: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 May (H. Robinson). Wilson’s Phalarope: 1 male at Three Rooker Island 20 May (K. Tracey); up to 31 at St. Marks NWR 23-24 May (A. Wraithmell, R. McGregor); 4 at Springhill Road STF 23 May (A. Wraithmell); 2 at Marathon {Monroe) 24 May (B. Mulrooney); 1 male at Seven Springs 25-26 May (K. Tracey, B. Pranty). Red-necked Phalarope: 1 in N Escambia 20 May (L. Catterton); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 20 May (B. and W. Duncan). POMARINE Jaeger: 1 off Elliott Key 20 Apr (R. Torres). Laughing Gull: 3500 (many starting to nest) at Three Rooker Island 7 Apr (K. Tracey). Ring-billed Gull: 3100 at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 Mar (H. Robinson). Herring Gull: 112 at Crandon Park Beach {Miami-Dade) 10 Mar (R. Diaz); 1 of the Eu- ropean race at Da3dona Beach Landfill {Volusia) 12 Mar (J. Hintermister et ah). ^Iceland Gull: 1 immature kumlieni at Da3d;ona Beach Landfill to 12 Mar (J. Hinter- mister et ah). Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 at Redington Shores 3 Mar (1. Hernandez); 500 at Fort Lauderdale in early Mar (K. Rosenberg); 3 at Daytona Beach Landfill 12 Mar (J. Hin- termister et ah); 15 (9 adults) at Crandon Park Beach {Miami-Dade) 16 Mar (R. Diaz); Field Observations 129 singles at Anclote Bar 11 and 20 Apr (K. Tracey); 1 adult at Lower Matecumbe Key {Monroe) 30 Apr (D. Freeland); 1 at Longboat Key {Manatee) 21 May (R. Peipert). Great Black-backed Gull: 8 at Crandon Park Beach 16 Mar (R. Diaz). Gull-billed Tern; up to 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Apr-5 May (H. Robinson); 2 at Ea- gle Lakes Park 19 Apr (D. Thurston); 2 at Three Rooker Island 21 Apr (K. Tracey); 1 at Little Estero Island 23 May (C. Ewell). Common Tern: 3 sub-adults at Little Estero Island 23 May (C. Ewell). Arctic Tern: 1 W of Key West 21 Apr (M. Gardler). Least Tern: 17 courted at Ponce Inlet {Volusia) 29 Mar (M. Brothers); 3 at Polk mines 2 Apr (C. Geanangel); 115 at Anclote Bar 11 Apr (K. Tracey); 45 over an office building roof near Loughman {Polk) 27 Apr (K. Tracey); 60 at Albertson’s roof colony, Bonita Springs {Lee) 15 May (D. Suitor); 2 at Bystre Lake 28 May (M. Gardler); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 31 May (R. Rowan). Black Tern: 2 at St, Marks NWR 16 Mar (B. Bergstrom), and 1 there 23 Mar (J. Ca- vanagh); 2 at Polk mines 2 Apr (C. Geanangel); 2 in alternate plumage at Fort George Inlet {Duval) 20 May (P. Leary). Black Noddy: 1 immature at Dry Tortugas NP 26 Apr (A. Binns). Black Skimmer: 20 at Mirror Lake {Polk) 17 Mar (T. Palmer); 49 at Lake Morton {Polk) 30 Mar (T. Palmer); 30 over an office building roof near Loughman 27 Apr (K. Tracey); 40 bred in mined lands S of Bartow for the second year of breeding (P. Fellers). Rock Pigeon: 1 without bands at St. Vincent Island 20 May (B. Stedman). White-crowned Pigeon: 8 at Cape Florida 22 Mar (R. Diaz). African Collared-Dove (formerly known as Ringed Turtle-Dove): 1 at Da5d:ona Beach 29 Mar {fide T. Webber, UF 45235). White-winged Dove: 4 at Bald Point 15 Apr-15 May (J. Murphy, J. Dozier); 3 at St. Pe- tersburg 6 May-EOS (M. Wilkinson); 1 at Weeki Wachee 8 May (M. Gardler); 1 at Al- tamonte Springs {Seminole) 14 May (G. Bretz). Rose-ringed Parakeet: 1 male at Paisley {Lake) 26 May (C. Hilliker). Barn Owl: 1 roosted in a boathouse at St. Vincent Island 1 Mar-28 Apr (T. Lewis). Burrowing Owl: 18 at Site B-70, Eglin Air Force Base {Okaloosa) 23 Apr (L. Fenimore). Short-eared Owl: up to 2 at Dry Tortugas NP 16-25 Apr (M, Gardler). Lesser Nighthawk: 1 at St. George Island SP {Franklin) 27 Apr (J. Cavanagh). Antillean Nighthawk: 1 found dead at John Pennekamp SP {Monroe) 6 May contained an egg in an ovary {fide A. Kratter; UF 45226). Nighthawk species: 1 photographed at St. George Island 27 Apr (A. Wraithmell) was identified as an Antillean based on plumage features (K. Karison). Chuck- WILL’S-WIDOW: 33 at Starkey Wilderness Park {Pasco) 14 May (K. Tracey). Whip-poor-will: 1 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 2 Mar (P. Miller); 1 at Bok Tower Sanctu- ary, Lake Wales {Polk) 17 Mar (T. Palmer); 1 sang at St. Petersburg 19 Mar (D. Margeson). Chimney Swift: 1 at Gainesville 23 Mar (M. Drummond). Buff-bellied Hummingbird: 1 at Fairchild Tropical Gardens {Miami-Dade) 10 Mar (L. Manfredi). Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 1 active nest at Kirby Storter Roadside Park {Collier) 7 May (B. Schneider, S. Schneider). Rufous Hummingbird: 1 female at Tallahassee in early Mar (F. Dietrich). Selasphorus Hummingbird; 1 male at Orlando to 3 Mar {fide B. Anderson); of 2 at Val- rico {Hillsborough), 1 remained to 4 Mar and the other to 15 Mar (S. Backes); 3 at Tal- lahassee 20-21 Mar (C. and N. Newton). Hairy Woodpecker: 1 at Rainbow Springs SP {Marion) 16 Mar (J. Hintermister); 1 pair at Tosohatchee State Reserve {Orange) 20 Mar (P. Hueber). Acadian Flycatcher: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Apr (H. Robinson). Willow Flycatcher: 1 sang repeatedly at Bolen Bluff Trail, Paynes Prairie Preserve 9 Apr (B. Carroll, B. Enneis, details to FOC). 130 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Least Flycatcher; 1 sang and called at Starkey Wilderness Park 1 Apr (K. Tracey); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA remained to 19 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 called at the Groom Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest {Hernando) 28 May (M. Gardler). Vermilion Flycatcher: 1 at St. Marks NWR 18 Mar (T. Curtis). Ash-throated Flycatcher: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 1 Mar (H. Robinson); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 16 Mar (M. Myers, B. Duncan). Great Crested Flycatcher: 1 heard-only at Tallahassee 3 Mar (F. Rutkovsky); 1 sang at Weekiwachee Preserve {Hernando) 4 Mar (A. and B. Hansen); 1 at Alachua 10 Mar (P Burns). Brown-crested Flycatcher: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Mar, and 1 there to 5 Mar (H. Robinson). La Sacra’s Flycatcher: singles at Cape Florida 26-29 Mar (R. Diaz) and 20-22 Apr (C. Wood, T. Mitchell). Tropical Kingbird: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 24 May (H. Robinson). *Cassin’S Kingbird: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 4 Mar (S. Benedetto). Western Kingbird: 34 at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 Mar, and 4 there to 7 May (H. Robin- son); 20 near Bartow 14 Mar (T. Palmer); 41 at The Villages {Marion) 31 Mar (J, Dins- more); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 5 May (B. Duncan); 1 at Gulf Breeze 16 May (B. Duncan). Eastern Kingbird: 1 at Cape Florida 22 Mar (R. Diaz); 3 at Fort De Soto Park 23 Mar (R. Smith). Gray Kingbird: 1 at St. George Island 18-19 Mar (A. Knothe, J. Murphy); 1 at Tallahas- see 29 Apr-7 May (R. Cassidy); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 14 May (H. Robinson). SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER: 4 at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Mar (H. Robinson); 3 at The Villages 31 Mar (J. Dinsmore); 1 at Cedar Key 15 Apr (S. Rayer et ah); 1 at Tallahas- see 19 Apr (M. Hill); 1 at Bald Point 20 Apr (S. McCool); 1 at St. George Island 23 Apr (E. Shaw et al.). Bell’s VireO: 1 at Southern Glades WEA to 18 Mar (R. Diaz et al). Yellow-throated VireO: 1 sang at Morris Bridge Park {Hillsborough) 2 Mar (B. Ah- ern); 1 sang at Spring Hill 14 Mar (A. and B. Hansen). Blue-headed Vireo: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Apr (H. Robinson). Warbling Vireo: 1 at Bald Point 4-5 May (J. Dozier). Philadelphia Vireo: 1 at Sanibel Lighthouse {Lee) 27 Apr (V McGrath). Red-eyed Vireo: 1 sang at Morris Bridge Park 2 Mar (B. Ahern); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 Mar (H. Robinson). Black-whiskered Vireo: 1 at Cape Florida 10 Apr (R. Diaz); 1 at Coconut Point {Brevard) 6 May (A. Bankert, S. Hills). Florida Scrub-Jay: 3 at Beverly Hills {Citrus) 23 May (M. Gardler). Tree Swallow: 71,000 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Mar, and 1 there to 24 May (H. Robin- son); 1 immature at Springhill Road STF 18 May (G. Menk). Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 1 at Lake Jackson 13 Mar (G. Menk); 2 in St. Lu~ cie 29 May (R. Smith). Bank Swallow: 2 at St. Marks NWR 22 Mar (A. Wraithmell); 12 at Lake Apopka NSRA 14 May, and 3 there to 21 May (H. Robinson). Cliff Swallow: 1 at St. Marks NWR 26 Mar (R. McGregor); 2 at Bald Point 8 Apr (J. Murphy); 1 at Springhill Road STF 27 Apr (G. Menk); singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 14 & 24 May (H. Robinson). Cave Swallow: 1 at Gulf Breeze 12 Mar (B. Duncan); up to 2 of the Mexican race at St. Marks NWR 22-27 Mar (R. McGregor et al.); singles of the Mexican race at Springhill Road STF 29 Mar and 11 Apr (G. Menk); 1 at Destin 30 Mar (B. Fleming); 1 at Cap- tiva Island 7 Apr was thought to be of the Mexican race (V McGrath); 3 of the Mexi- can race at Bald Point 11 Apr (G. Menk); 2 of the Mexican race at Key West 15 Apr (M. Gardler); up to 4 of the Mexican race at Dry Tortugas NP 16-27 Apr (M. Gardler); 1 at Field Observations 131 Bald Point 28 Apr (J. Murphy); 1 at Site B-70, Eglin Air Force Base 8 May (L. Feni- more); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 10 May (B. Duncan, M. Myers). Bakn Swallow: 1 at Cape Coral (Lee) 6 Mar (J. Greenlaw); 3 at Polk mines 11 May (R Fellers); 1 flew S past Cayo Costa SP 21 May (C. Ewell); 90 at Lake Apopka NSRA 31 May (H. Robinson). Carolina Chickadee: 1 feeding fledglings at Weekiwachee Preserve 31 Mar (A. and B. Hansen); 1 at Valrico 23-28 May (S. Backes). Tufted Titmouse: 1 at A.D. Barnes Park (Miami-Dade) 9-29 Apr (J. Boyd). House Wren: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 7 May (H. Robinson). Winter Wren: 1 at O’Leno SP {Columbia) to 11 Mar (B. Christensen). Sedge Wren: 34 at Lake Apopka NSRA 14 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 or more sang through the season at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve (P Miller). Marsh Wren: 32 at Lake Apopka NSRA 23 Apr, and 3 there to 5 May (H. Robinson); 1 sang at Lake Jackson 9 May (G. Menk), Ruby-crowned Kinglet: 1 at Winter Park {Orange) 13 Apr (B. Anderson). Veery: 1 at St. Vincent Island 19 May (B. Stedman). Wood Thrush: 1 at E Orlando 11 Mar (B. Payne); 1 banded at Tallahassee 26 Mar (P Homann); 2 at Fort De Soto Park 29 Apr (B. Ahern, D. Powell). American Robin: 30,000 went to roost at St. Petersburg 4 Mar (D. Margeson). Gray Catbird: 51 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Apr (H. Robinson). Northern Mockingbird: 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 17 Apr (M. Gardler). Mimid SPECIES: 1 potential Northern x Bahama Mockingbird hybrid at Boca Chica Key {Monroe) 1 Mar (C. Goodrich, photos to FOC) had dark streaking on the flanks and re- duced white in the wings and tail. Common Myna: 2 nested at Southern Glades WEA 4 Apr (R. Diaz); 1 at St. Petersburg 29-30 Apr (L. and N. Snyder, photo to FOC). Cedar Waxwing: 100 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Mar (H. Robinson); 60 at Altamonte Springs 15 May (P Hueber); 30 at Mead Garden, Winter Park 20 May (B. Anderson et al). Blue-winged Warbler: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 10 Apr (M. Wilkinson), and 2 there 29 Apr (B, Ahern, D. Powell); 1 at Pinecraft Park, Sarasota 13 Apr (J. Dubi); 1 male at Mead Garden, Winter Park 19 Apr (P. Hueber); 1 at A. D. Barnes Park 19 Apr (R. Torres); 1 at San Felasco Hammock Preserve SP 27 Apr (P Burns). “Brewster’s Warbler:” 1 at Fort De Soto Park 9 Apr (L. Atherton). Golden-winged Warbler: 1 male at Fort De Soto Park 19-22 Apr (L. Atherton, P Fellers et ah). Nashville Warbler: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Mar (H. Robinson). Northern Parula: 83 at Cape Florida 8 Mar (R. Diaz). Yellow Warbler: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 14 May (H. Robinson). Chestnut-sided Warbler: 1 at Green Key Road {Pasco) 2 May (K. Tracey). Magnolia Warbler: 5 at Fort De Soto Park 29 Apr (B. Ahern, D. Powell); 1 at Gaines- ville 12 May (P Burns); 1 at Maritime Hammock Park {Brevard) 20 May (A. Bankert). Cape May Warbler: 1 at Lake Talquin {Gadsden) 22 Apr (S. McCool); 62 at Green Key Road 1 May, and 55 there 2 May (K. Tracey, B. Pranty et ah); 6 at Lake Apopka NSRA 5 May (H. Robinson); singles at Rookery Bay and Marco Island {Collier) 6 May (D. Suitor); 1 at Viera Wetlands 24 May (A. Bankert), Black-throated Blue Warbler: 23 at Green Key Road 29 Apr, and 31 there 30 Apr (K. Tracey et al.); 14 at Fort De Soto Park 29 Apr (B. Ahern, D. Powell); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 May (H. Robinson). Yellow-RUMPED Warbler: 680 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Mar, and 49 to 26 Mar (H. Robinson). Black-throated Green Warbler: 1 at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary {Collier) 24 Mar (D, Suitor); 2 at Green Key 30 Apr (K. Tracey et ah). 132 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Blackburnian Warbler: 1 adult male at Fort De Soto Park 9 Apr (L. Atherton); 1 at Rookery Bay 6 May (D. Suitor). Prairie Warbler: 305+ at Cape Florida 24 Mar (R. Diaz). Palm Warbler: 208+ of the western race at Cape Florida 8 Mar (R. Diaz); 1 of the west- ern race at Altamonte Springs 5 May (P. Hueber); 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 May (H. Robinson). Bay-breasted Warbler: 1 adult male at St. George Island SP 27-28 Apr (J. Cavanagh et ah); 1 male at St. Augustine (St. Johns) 7 May (J. Kern); 2 at Fort De Soto Park 8 May (L. Atherton). Blackpoll Warbler: 304 at Green Key Road 29 Apr, and 202 there 30 Apr (K. Tracey, B. Pranty et al.); 85 at Fort De Soto Park 29 Apr (B. Ahern, D. Powell); 1 at Tallahas- see 30 Apr (D. Jue); 73 at Lake Apopka NSRA 5 May, and 1 there to 24 May (H. Rob- inson); 33 at St. Augustine 7 May (J. Kern); 24+ flew in off the ocean in 30 minutes at Fort Clinch SP (Nassau) 11 May (P. Leary); 2 at West Kendall 24 May (J. Boyd). Cerulean Warbler: 1 male at Fort De Soto Park 10-12 Apr (L. Atherton et al.). Black-and-white Warbler: 10 at Fort De Soto Park 29 Apr (B. Ahern, D. Powell). American Redstart: 1 at San Felasco Hammock Preserve 11 Mar (S. Flamand); 24 at Green Key 29 Apr (K. Tracey); 17 at Lake Apopka NSRA 3 May (H. Robinson). Prothonotary Warbler: 2 at Fort De Soto Park 23 Mar (R. Smith). Worm-eating Warbler: 5 in Alachua 5-6 Apr (J. Hintermister, S. Rayer et al.); 5 at Fort De Soto Park 9 Apr (L. Atherton); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 5 May (H. Robinson). Swainson’S Warbler: singles killed by fl3dng into windows at Welhngton (Palm Beach) 21 Mar (UF 45213 fide A. Kratter) and St. Augustine 24 Mar (B. Charest; UF 45185 fide A. Kratter); 1 at Cape Florida 26 Mar ( J. Boyd), and 4 there 28 Mar (R. Diaz); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 9 Apr (W. Yusek et al.); 1 sang at Drmedin Hammock Park (Pinellas) 16 Apr (R. Smart). OVENBIRD: 20 at Fort De Soto Park 29 Apr (B. Ahern, D. Powell). Northern Waterthrush: 3 in Alachua 12-24 Mar (M. Meisenburg et al.); 25 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Apr, and 2 there to 19 May (H. Robinson). Louisiana Waterthrush: 1 at Koucky Park (Leon) 10 Mar (E. Woodruff); 4 at Cape Florida 25-26 Mar (R. Diaz); 1 at Green Key 1 Apr (K. Tracey); 6 at Lake Apopka NSRA 14 Apr, and 1 there to 17 May (H. Robinson). Kentucky Warbler: 4 at Fort De Soto Park 10 Apr (M. Wilkinson); 1 at Sweetwater (Mi- ami-Dade) 28 Apr (S. Schneider). Connecticut Warbler: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 5 May (C. Rasmussen); 1 at Wekiwa Springs SP (Orange) 7 May, and 4 males there 14 May (R. Poole et al.); 1 at Crandon Park 18 May (J. King); 1 at Cocoa Beach (Brevard) 19 May (A. Wood); 2 at Hugh Tay- lor Birch SP (Broward) 20 May (B. Roberts). Common Yellowthroat: 75 at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 Mar (H. Robinson); 228 at Cape Florida 26 Mar (R. Diaz). Hooded Warbler: 1 at San Felasco Hammock Preserve 11 Mar (P. Burns); 1 male at Cape Florida 26 Mar (J, Boyd); 10 at Fort De Soto Park 9 Apr (L. Atherton), and 18 there 29 Apr (B. Ahern, D. Powell). Wilson’s Warbler: 1 male at Koucky Park 1 Mar (R. Lengacher); 1 male at Fort De Soto Park 18 Mar (C. Gjervold). Canada Warbler: 1 at A.D. Barnes Park 19 Apr (R. Torres). Yellow-breasted Chat: 1 at Southern Glades WEA 4 Apr (R. Diaz); 1 at Cape Florida 16 Apr (R. Diaz); up to 9 (10 May) at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Apr-EOS (H. Robinson); 3 males sang at Paynes Prairie Preserve 23 Apr-EOS ( J. Hintermister). Summer Tanager: 1 at E Orlando 10 Mar (B. Payne); 1 male sang and a female carried nesting material at Babcock- Webb WMA (Charlotte) 30 Mar (B. and L. Cooper); there were no previous breeding reports in the county. Western SpindaliS: 1 black-backed male at Gumbo Limbo Trail, Everglades NP (Mi- ami-Dade) 23-25 Apr (P. St. John et al., photo to FOC by C. Wood). Field Observations 133 Bachman’s Sparrow: 17 at the Groom Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest 2 Mar (M. Gardler), Clay-colored Sparrow: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 26 Mar (H. Robinson); 1 at Valrico to 13 Apr (S. Backes). Field Sparrow: 1 at Inglis Dam 13 Mar (M. Gardler); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 19 Mar (H. Robinson). Vesper Sparrow: 4 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 26 Mar (H. Robinson); 1 in E Hernando 29 Mar (M, Gardler). Savannah Sparrow: 155 at Lake Apopka NSRA 26 Mar, and 1 there to 19 May (H. Rob- inson); 1 at Lake Jackson 2 May (G. Menk). Grasshopper Sparrow: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Apr (H. Robinson). Henslow’s Sparrow: 3 males counter-sang at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 6 Apr (P. Miller). Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow: 4 at Salt Springs SP 21 Apr (K. Tracey). Song Sparrow: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 22 Mar (H. Robinson). Lincoln’s Sparrow: singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Mar & 19 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 at Southern Glades WEA 4 Apr (R. Diaz); 1 at Orlando (Orange) 20 Apr (D. Freeman); 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 27 Apr (M. Gardler); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 5 May (C. Rasmussen). Swamp Sparrow: 67 at Lake Apopka NSRA 14 Apr, and 1 there to 19 May (H. Robinson); 1 at Lake Jackson 2 May (G. Menk). White-throated Sparrow: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 9-29 Apr (L, Atherton et al); 1 at High Springs (Alachua) 2 May (D. Robbins). White-crowned Sparrow: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 23 Apr (H. Robinson). Dark-eyed Junco: 1 at Fort George Island (Duval) 15-18 Apr (R. Clark). Northern Cardinal: 340 at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 Mar (H. Robinson). Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 6 at Fort De Soto Park 29 Apr (B. Ahern, D. Powell). Blue Grosbeak: 2 in Hardee 26 Mar (R. Smith); up to 16 (3 & 14 May) at Lake Apopka NSRA all season (H. Robinson). Indigo Bunting: single adult males at Tallahassee 20 Mar (F. Rutkovsky) and 29 Mar (A. Wraithmell); up to 15 (17 & 21 May) at Lake Apopka NSRA all season (H. Robinson) Painted Bunting: 1 female at Allen’s Creek Park (Pinellas) 4 Mar (L. Childress); 8 at Lake Apopka NSRA 5 Mar (H. Robinson); 1 at E Orlando 10 Mar (B. Payne); 2 at San Felasco Hammock Preserve 12 Mar (P Burns); 1 male at E Leon 19 Mar (fide P. Mc- Tarsney); 1 at LaCrosse (Alachua) 20-27 Mar (fide G. Kiltie); 1 male sang at Fort Wal- ton Beach STF 17 May (B. Duncan); 1 female at Winter Park to 20 May (B. Anderson). Dickcissel: 1 at Hague (Alachua) 19 Mar (R Laipis); 1 male at Fort De Soto Park 22 Apr (L. Atherton et al.); 1 male at Dry Tortugas NP 26 Apr (M. Gardler), and 1 female there 30 Apr (S. Schneider); up to 4 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Apr-EOS (H. Robinson). Bobolink: 14,000 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Apr, and 1 to 24 May (H. Robinson); 114 at Green Key Road 28 Apr, 76 there 30 Apr, and 165 there 2 May (K. Tracey et al.); 400 at Merritt Island NWR 28 Apr (D. Freeland); 850+ at St. Augustine 4 May, and 450 there 7 May (J. Kern); 350 at Crystal River Preserve SP (Citrus) 12 May (J. Hinter- mister, D. Robbins); 78 E of Fort Meade (Polk) 13 May (T. Palmer). Yellow-headed Blackbird: 1 west of Homestead (Miami-Dade) 3-5 Mar (B. Mulrooney, A. Harper); 1 male at Ocoee (Orange) 8 Apr (E. and R. Nichols), Rusty Blackbird: 3-4 in N Leon 12-14 Mar (W. Phelan). Shiny Cowbird: 1 male sang at Coe Visitor Center, Everglades NP (Miami-Dade) 4 Mar (J. Boyd); 1 male at Southern Glades WEA 18 Mar-4 Apr (R. Diaz); 2 males at Key West 15 Apr (M. Gardler); up to 6 (4 females, 2 males) at Dry Tortugas NP 16-25 Apr (M. Gardler); 1 male sang at Cedar Key 21 Apr-1 May (D. Henderson); 1 male at Fort De Soto Park 21 Apr (L. Atherton); 1 male at MacDill Air Force Base (Hillsborough) 25 Apr (C. Rasmussen); 4 (2 females, 2 males) at Alligator Point (Franklin) 30 Apr (J. Murphy); 1 male at Cape Florida 1 May (R. Diaz); 3 at Bald Point 7 May (J. Murphy, 134 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST J. Dozier); 1 male at Fort Walton Beach STF 10 May (B. Duncan, M. Myers); 1 female at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 May, and 1 “pair” there 17 May (H. Robinson); 1 male at Big Pine Key {Monroe) 24 May (B. Mulrooney); 2 males sang at Captiva Island 26 May (V. McGrath); 1 male and 1 female at Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock State Botan- ical Site {Monroe) 24 May (R. Torres). Bronzed Cowbird: 1 male at West Kendall 31 Mar (J. Boyd); 2 males and 1 female at Homestead 9 May-EOS (L. Manfredi). Brown-headed Cowbird: 250 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve {Okeechobee) 12 Mar (P Miller). Orchard Oriole: singles at Winter Park 25 & 29 Mar (B. Anderson); 1 adult male sang at Lake Jackson 26 Mar (G. Menk); 17 at Lake Apopka NSRA 31 May (H. Robinson). *BulL0CK’S Oriole; 1 female at Tallahassee to 11 Apr (F. Rutkovsky et ah). House Finch: 2 at Mayo 19 Mar (J. Hintermister, D. Robbins); 1 at Horseshoe Beach {Dixie) 19 Apr (J. Hintermister); 1 pair nested in a slash pine at St. Petersburg 20-22 Apr (D. and L. Margeson); 2 at Perry {Taylor) 28 Apr (J. Hintermister, D. Robbins); 2 pairs were breeding at Fort George Island 15 May (R. Clark); 5 at Beverly Hills 23 May (M. Gardler); 4 males sang throughout the season in downtown Orlando (G. Bretz); 1 yellow morph at Altamonte Springs {Seminole) 28 May-EOS (G. Bretz). Pine Siskin: 1 female at Columbia City {Columbia) 26 Mar (J. Krummrich). American Goldfinch: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 May (H. Robinson); 1 female at Winter Park 11 May (B. Anderson). Zebra Finch: 1 at Archer {Alachua) 14-16 Apr (M. Meisenburg). Contributors^ Howard Adams, Lindsay Addison, Brian Ahern, Bruce Anderson, Lyn Atherton, Steve Backes, Peggy Baker, Andy Bankert, Sam Benedetto, Brad Berg- strom, John Boyd, Greg Bretz, Adrian Binns, David Brooke, Michael Brothers, Cheryl Bunch, Pat Burns, Bob Carroll, Rodney Cassidy, Laura Catterton, Jim Cavanagh, Bert Charest, Liz Childress, Bruce Christensen, Roger Clark, Julie Cocke, Buck and Linda Cooper, Tom Curtis, Robin Diaz, Fred Dietrich, Jim Dinsmore, Jack Dozier, Michael Drummond, Jeanne Dubi, Gayle and Tom Duch, Bob Duncan, Will Duncan, Thomas Dunkerton, Becky Enneis, Charlie Ewell, Paul Fellers, Lenny Fenimore, Scott Flamand, Barry Fleming, David Freeland, Dot Freeman, Murray Gardler, Patrick Gault, Chuck Geanangel, Matt Gearheart, Colin Gjervold, Jon Greenlaw, Jack and Liz Hailman, Erik Haney, A1 and Bev Hansen, Alex Harper, Michael Hartley, Darrell Hartman, Dale Hend- erson, Irene Hernandez, Michael Hill, Claire Hilliker, Shirley Hills, John Hintermister, Peter Homann, Harry Hooper, Paul Hueber, Dean Jue, Kevin Karlson, Jacqueline Kern, Michael Keys, Grace Kiltie, Jim King, Alan Knothe, Andy Kratter, Jerry Krummrich, Phil Laipis, Elizabeth Lane, Patrick Leary, Rob Lengacher, Thom Lewis, Lome Male, Mike Manetz, Larry Manfredi, Don Margeson, Anita Marshall, Andy and Elaine May- wait, Sean McCool, Vince McGrath, Ross McGregor, Mike McMillian, Pat McTarsney, Michael Meisenburg, Gail Menk, Paul Miller, Trey Mitchell, Brennan Mulrooney, John Murphy, Mac Myers, Chris and Nicole Newton, Eric and Rebecca Nichols, Tom Palmer, Becky Payne, RuthEllen Peipert, William Phelan, Richard Poole, David Powell, Bill Pranty, Chris Rasmussen, Stefan Rayer, Dotty Robbins, Bryant Roberts, Harry Robin- son, Tom Rodriguez, Ken Rosenberg, Rex Rowan, Fran Rutkovsky, Pat St. John, Bar- bara Schneider, Susan Schneider, Eric Shaw, Ray Smart, Ron Smith, Lee and Nathan Snyder, John Spohrer, Barbara Stedman, Gene Stoccardo, Doug Suitor, Dave Thurston, Roberto Torres, Ken Tracey, Paul Trunk, Hans Van Tol, Bob Wallace, Don Ware, Tom Webber, Margie Wilkinson, Dave Williams, Ken Williams, Adam Wood, Chris Wood, Ed Woodruff, Andy Wraithmell, and Wilfred Yusek. Report prepared by Bill Pranty, state compiler (8515 Village Mill Row, Bayonet Point, Florida 34667-2662; ). Regional compilers are Brian Field Observations 135 Ahern, 629 Gail Avenue, Temple Terrace, Florida 33617; ; Bruce H. Anderson (2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, Florida 32792; ), John H, Boyd III (15291 SW 108th Terrace, Miami, Florida 33196; ), 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; ), Gail Menk (2725 Peachtree Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32304; no e-mail), Paul Miller (Kissimmee Prai- rie Preserve State Park, 33104 NW 192nd Avenue, Okeechobee, Florida 34972; ), and Peggy Powell (2965 Forest Circle, Jacksonville, Florida 32257; ). imMm. wit iiiiiiiMiiroifii fill.. . <-j- ^»iJO ® . ■‘•■ Htb ,. >.i: ... • r.‘ M|#C Sflj' .oJl ■ »*'.vi,- >lf^.‘*l ■ .•'•?' .? •' .(«Hr Ainmi r- a ts — s, Li6#^A(^# • " .i»r>r -j .^.'mi » . « ». ' ... i M ■ *iJ £t-vfi*A .:^;lC#9«w » . I i-?- * ■ • Nin "'m 1 inS. ' f ' ..-i .♦ Aharwit^c*' 4«i ,1 *■*> ■- . 1S«iil|(«ii A' ■•; r ■■ . *1 W'i i^'- 1^. < . . - '5.--» .. ; -■■ • 1 ft: ■•»-«> ’ -.v ^ '•■' ‘ ♦.■- , t4 - i, t • .<«■ *11 t4«L . ■..r.aij '■■.i.,'-.w!i» ri.fy- f> i . .‘rT-t' i tix*^..^ VH iw*t.- V 'I'T^jif!-. T. .i. »-■ ^- • T^'iJfV- .«•■ ’ -I-V-VT. fa A'' f'u A\ ,, 4tl a i;:*»*j' .V It - ^ . ..* f a- #v li*w^ ■ * . ► -“.iKt I ■tH*-’’!’"*' . -nbf. jj(.t 'ii-- ...",akiv9 ^ ' ■!'. ^1 ^ tflifvli.... ••! n^^riv 'irt’'# t. n *■ *»#_ '' U' »-» > IWW **’ Jftafcm I* »•♦»» U'.* - i(?^r ;iiwj6 1 finsr.* '‘f* fr^ Ml ■» «•! PWhII 1%%^ r.'*.^'. ■> r-'V .• )bi«M. 111 SSifm^ Florida Field Naturalist ISSN 0738-999X PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Editor: ScOTT ROBINSON, Florida Museum of Natural History, RO. Box 117800, Univer- sity of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: srobinson@flmnh.ufl.edu Associate Editor (for Reviews): Reed Bowman, Archbold Biological Station, P.O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33852. E-mail: RBowman@archbold-station.org 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: TOM PALMER, 1805 26th Street, N.W., Win- ter Haven, FL 33881. E-mail: tomp47@yahoo.com Editor of Special Publications: Reed F. Noss, Davis-Shine Professor of Conservation Biology, University of Central Florida, Department of Biology, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816-2368. E-mail: rnoss@mail.ucf edu Web Page Editor: STEPHEN Bankert, 365 Spoonbill Lane, Melbourne, FL 32951. E-mail: webmaster@fosbirds.org INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS The Florida Field Naturalist is a fully refereed journal emphasizing biological fleld studies and observations of vertebrates, especially birds, in and near Florida and the nearby West Indies. We welcome submission of original manuscripts containing new information from these areas. We encourage electronic submission of manu- scripts. Please consult recent issues of the journal and the FOS website (http:// www.fosbirds.org/FFN/FFNGuidelines.htm) for style, especially noting that manu- scripts 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 standardized English names for all birds, but lower case for English names of other organisms; (4) include 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) preferentially use active voice. Submit manuscripts for Florida Field Naturalist to the Editor, Scott Robinson. Monograph-length manuscripts may be submitted for consideration to Reed F. Noss, Editor of Special Publications. Books and other materials for review should be submit- ted to: Reed Bowman, Associate Editor for Reviews. Field Observations should be sub- mitted to the Chair of the Field Observations Committee, Bill Pranty. Reports of rare birds in Florida should be submitted to the Managing Secretary of the FOS Records Committee, Reed Bowman. SMrTHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES II ill III II ill II II III 3 9C (88 01325 358 1 Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 34, No. 4 November 2006 Pages 115-135 CONTENTS NOTES Broad- winged Hawk captures hawksbill turtle hatchling in the Florida Keys Tom Wilmers and Monay Markey 115-116 Osprey catches Least Tern in flight Bonnie Fairbanks 117 REVIEW The Carolina Parakeet: Glimpses of a Vanished Bird, by Noel F. R, Snyder Bill Pranty 118-120 IN MEMORIAM Howard P. Langridge, 1923-2004 Paul W. Sykes, Jr 121-123 FIELD OBSERVATIONS Spring report: March-May 2006 Bill Pranty 124-135 %d/^ . Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 35, No. 1 March 2007 Pages 1-37 ID) ' Ok VI -C- ere a. FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Founded 1972 OFFICERS President: JACK Hailman, 143 Beacon Lane, Jupiter, FL 33469. E-mail: jhailman@wisc.edu Vice President: SuSAN B. WHITING, 3901 SE St. Lucie Blvd. #54, Stuart, FL 34997. E- mail: SooSprey@aol.com Secretary: PAMELA J. BoWEN, 309 Moonstone Dr., East Palatka, FL 32131. E-mail: pbowen @netzero.net Treasurer: Dean Jue, 3455 Dorchester Court, Tallahassee, FL 32312-1300. E-mail: djue@admin.fsu.edu Editor, Florida Field Naturalist: ScOTT ROBINSON, Florida Museum of Natural His- tory, P.O. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: srobinson@flmnh.ufl.edu Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2007 Judy Bryan, 1924 SW 43rd Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32608 Katie Sieving, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0430 Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2008 David B. 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CHARACTERISTICS OF NEST SITES USED BY CRESTED CARACARAS IN SOUTH-CENTRAL FLORIDA Joan L. Morrison^ Dept, of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-0430 ^Current address: Dept, of Biology, Trinity College, 300 Summit St, Hartford, Connecticut 06106 E-mail: joan.morrison@trincoll.edu Abstract. — Understanding habitat needs of nesting Crested Caracaras (Caracara cheriway) requires knowledge about nest trees and nest sites, particularly when survey- ing areas targeted for conversion projects and planning for habitat restoration. Here, I describe nest sites of breeding pairs of caracaras from 76 different breeding areas in south-central Florida. Most nest sites found were on privately owned cattle ranches. Most nests were built in cabbage palms, and nest trees typically occurred in short-stat- ure pasture or grassland habitat. Nests were generally oriented in a south-southeast di- rection within the nest tree, and all nest sites had cover (vegetation suitable to hide a fledgling on the ground) within 100 m of the nest tree. Differences in vegetation struc- ture on private and public lands may result from differences in management activities conducted on these lands. Further study to understand how these structural differences influence selection of a nest site by breeding caracaras, their nesting success, and post- fledgling survival, is recommended. Florida's population of the Crested Caracara {Caracara cheriway) occurs in the prairies and grasslands of the south-central peninsula. Believed to be isolated and relatively small, this population is listed as Threatened by both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS 1987) and the state of Florida (Logan 1997). Historically recorded in prairie ecosystems (Scott 1892, Nicholson 1929, Bent 1938), caracaras are now primarily associated with privately owned cattle ranches (Morrison and Humphrey 2001), although some nesting pairs persist on publicly owned lands such as floodplains along the Kissimmee River owned by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), Avon Park Air Force Range, and the Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park. 1 2 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Over the past decade, conversion of pasture and grassland habitats to urban development in this region has accelerated. More recently, wa- ter-holding areas are being constructed in conjunction with the Compre- hensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) in pasture and grassland habitats within the Kissimmee River basin and on other SFWMD lands. These conversions have resulted in loss of caracara nest sites and nest- ing habitat across the region. Availability of suitable nest sites may be a critical factor influencing the distribution and persistence of caracaras in Florida. Permitting for conversion projects increasingly requires in- formation about potential effects of projects on this species. To aid biolo- gists in these evaluations and when planning for habitat restoration, information about nest site characteristics is necessary In this paper, I describe nest sites used by breeding caracaras in south-central Florida including the nest tree and surrounding habitat. Study Area and Methods I characterized the nest tree and nest site at 87 active Crested Caracara nests in south central Florida found during 1994-2000 (Morrison and Humphrey 2001), defining active nests as those in which eggs were laid. These nest sites represented 76 different breeding areas within Highlands, Glades, DeSoto, Osceola, Okeechobee, Indian River and Polk counties. Much of this region is characterized by large open expanses of grasslands dotted with numerous shallow ponds, wetlands, and marshes and scattered or small clumps to large hammocks of live oaks (Quercus virginiana), cabbage palms (Sabal palmetto), pine (Pinus spp.), and cypress {Taxodium spp.). Principal land uses on private lands include cattle grazing and citrus, sugar cane, and other agricultural production. Lands in state and federal ownership are managed primarily as natural areas (no agricultural produc- tion and limited livestock grazing) to support native plant and animal communities. Seventy-five sites described in this study were on privately owned land, mostly cattle ranches, and 12 were on publicly owned land (Morrison and Humphrey 2001). Cara- caras are very site faithful, often using the same nest tree or alternate trees within the same general area among years (distance between alternate nest trees: mean ~ 0.7 ±0.1 km, range 0.02-1.6 km). For pairs that used alternate nest trees {n - 55, 72%), I in- cluded alternate nest trees in data analysis only if they were at least 200 m apart {n = 11) to avoid duplication in measurements of ground vegetation and shrub cover within 100 m of each nest tree. For each nest tree, I recorded tree species, tree height, nest height, and whether it was a single tree, in a group of 2-3 trees, 4-5 trees, 6-10 trees, or >10 trees. I measured the angle of nest orientation within the nest tree as the deviation from north around the central vertical axis of the trunk. Because fledgling caracaras spend much time on the ground (J. Morrison, unpubl. data), I also measured distance from each nest tree to the nearest cover and cover height. I defined cover as any vegetation >0.5 m in height that would be sufficient to hide a fledgling caracara on the ground, assuming the presence of cover around a nest tree is essential in minimizing exposure of fledglings to predators; for example, eagles, owls, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and domestic dogs or cats. To characterize the types and height of vegetation throughout the nest stand at each site, I delineated a 100 m transect extending out in each of the 4 cardinal directions from the nest tree. Then, at 2 m and 10 m from the nest tree and at every subsequent 10 m along each transect out to 100 m, I recorded the height of the herbaceous (grass/forb) layer and height of shrubs. I also identified species and recorded the heights of 10 other Morrison—Cbesteb Caracara Nest Sites 3 randomly selected trees in the nest stand (within 100 m of the nest tree) at sites where the nest tree was in a group of at least 10 trees. Results are expressed as (mean ± SE) unless otherwise indicated. Results Most (97%) caracara nests were in cabbage palms (n = 84), al- though I recorded one nest in a cypress (Morrison et al. 1997), one in oak, and one in eastern red-cedar (Juniperus virginiana). Mean nest tree height was 7.5 m (range 3.5-14.0 m, SE - 0.3 m, - 87). Nest trees ranged from single trees to trees within groups of 2-10 or more (Fig. 1), although nest trees in stands containing >10 trees {n = 26) were gener- ally taller (8.3 ± 0.5 m) than other trees in the stand (7.0 ± 0.4 m, one- tailed test, t = 8.20, P < 0.01, = 10 other trees measured in each nest stand). The ratio of nest height to nest tree height averaged 0.9 {n = 87). The orientation of caracara nests in nest trees differed signifi- cantly from random with most nests facing in a south-southeast direc- tion (mean angle of nest orientation = 164.4°, angular dispersion ^ 47.8, r = 0.7, Rayleigh test, P < 0.01). Seventy-five percent of nests had vegetation qualif3dng as cover within 25 m of the nest tree (Fig. 2), and all nests had vegetation that qualified as cover within 100 m of the nest tree. Common species iden- tified as cover included saw palmetto {Serenoa repens), Brazilian pep- per (Schinus terebinthifolius), wax myrtle {Myrica cerifera), and St. John’s wort {Hypericum perforatum). Cover height in all nest stands 0.60 0.45 0.40 0.35 ^ 0.30 o S = 0.25 £ u. 0.20 0.15 0.10 0.05 0.00 1 2-3 4-5 6-10 >10 Number of trees in nest tree group Figure 1. Frequency distribution of the number of trees in the nest tree group for Crested Caracara nests in south-central Florida, 1994-1996. n - 87 nests. 4 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Distance from nest tree (m) Figure 2. Frequency distribution of distance to cover from the nest tree at Crested Caracara nests in south-central Florida, 1994-1996. n - 87 nests. ranged from 0.5 to 7.0 m (1.6 ±0.1 m), although heights of vegetation qualifying as cover did not differ among nest sites on public lands and at nest sites on private lands {t = “1.61, P - 0.11). Within 100 m of the nest tree, grasses and forbs were shorter at nest sites on private lands (0.2 ± 0.0 m, ^ = 75) than at nest sites on public lands (0.3 ± 0.0 m, n - 12, one-tailed test, t ~ -11.55, P = 0.00, Fig. 3). More shrubs were recorded along the 4 transects at nest sites on public lands (39 ± 4.4 shrubs per site) than at nest sites on private lands (12 ± 2.7 shrubs per site, one-tailed test, t = -5.26, P < 0.01). On average, shrubs were taller at nest sites on public lands (1.4 ± 0.4 m, n - 12) than at nest sites on private lands (1.1 ± 0.6 m, = 75, one-tailed test, t ~ -1.82, P = 0.04, Fig. 4). I found no difference in the number of trees recorded along the 4 transects at nest sites on public lands (30 ± 4.7 trees per site) and at nest sites on private lands (31.5 ± 7.2 trees per site, one-tailed test, ^ = 0.17, P = 0.87). Discussion Raptor nest sites are typically characterized by structures that provide sufficient nest support and protection from the elements and predators and contain suitable foraging sites and adequate area for the adults and young (Titus and Mosher 1987, Speiser et al. 1998). Site lo- cation and habitat structure may be more important than tree species composition to breeding raptors (Bednarz and Dinsmore 1982). Morrison— Crested Caracara Nest Sites 5 0.4 0.3 0.2 t I i I private lands, n = 75 I public lands, n = 12 t f f 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 Distance from nest tree (m) Figure 3. Mean ground cover height within 100 m of Crested Caracara nests on public and private lands in south-central Florida, 1994-1996. n = 87 nests. Throughout their respective ranges, the Crested Caracara and its southern congener, Caracara plancus, have been reported nesting in a variety of tree and shrub species, including mesquite (Prosopis articu- lata), elm (Ulmus sp.), cardon (Pachycereus pringlei), yucca {Yucca val- ida), palo verde (Cercidium microphyllum), palo fierro (Olneya tesota), palm {Washingtonia rohusta), McCartney rose {Rosa hracteata), and yaupon {Ilex vomitoria) (Rivera-Rodriguez and Rodrfguez-Estrella 1993, Travaini et al. 1994, Dickinson and Arnold 1996, Goldstein 2000). Among the sites, however, caracara nests share the following: (1) nest support structures typically are isolated and are the tallest structures in the immediate area, and (2) the area around the nest sup- port structure is generally open, for example prairie, pasture, or grass- land. Rivera-Rodriguez and Rodriguez-Estrella (1993) suggested that the caracaras’ choice of cardons in the Cape region of Baja California, Mexico may permit construction of bigger and longer-lasting nests in habitat with little tall vegetation. Also commonly reported among these studies is that the canopy of the nest support structure is thick around the nest so the nest is rarely visible from a distance. I found similar characteristics associated with caracara nest sites in south-central Florida; these raptors nested in isolated or small groups of trees generally surrounded by open pasture or grassland, and habitats on private lands where most nest sites were found con- tained few shrubs. The overwhelming use of cabbage palms by nesting caracaras may reflect this tree’s abundance in the landscape or its suit- ability as a support structure for the caracara’s bulky yet somewhat 6 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST 3.0 2.5 E 2.0 ■Q 1.5 5 1.0 0.5 private lands, n = 75 I public lands, n = 12 0.0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 90 100 110 Distance from nest tree (m) Figure 4. Mean height of shrubs within 100 m of Crested Caracara nests on public and private lands in south-central Florida, 1994-1996. n = 87 nests. flimsy nests, which are typically constructed with thin, long, and dried pieces of vines, weed stalks, briars, twigs, and fruiting clusters of palm (Morrison 1996). Caracara nests were rarely visible in the crown of palms and generally could be seen only by standing directly at the nest tree and looking up into it. Such thick cover around the nest in the nest tree may provide protection for young from inclement weather, exces- sive insolation, and aerial nest predators such as crows (Corvus sp.). Because nests are so concealed, guidelines for nest searching recom- mend careful inspection of all palm trees at a suspected nest site (Mor- rison 2000). In addition, planting of palms may be appropriate at sites where habitat is restored with a goal of attracting nesting caracaras. The finding of a strong orientation of caracara nests in Florida is similar to results reported by Travaini et al. (1994), who suggested that such orientation would protect nests from prevailing, cold winter winds. In Florida, the south-southeastern orientation of caracara nests may provide chicks with greater insolation on cold winter days and protection from prevailing winds that, during the caracara’s winter breeding season (November through March, Morrison 1999) come pri- marily from the northwest. Differences in the number of nest sites found on public and private lands may reflect selection by caracaras possibly associated with differ- ences in vegetation structure on these two land ownership types. On privately owned cattle ranches, management activities routinely con- ducted include regular and intensive grazing, burning, mowing, and Morrison—Cbesteb Caracaea Nest Sites 7 plowing, all disturbance activities that reduce shrub cover in favor of grasses (Peroni and Abrahamson 1986). In contrast, reduced or ab- sence of these activities on public lands managed primarily as natural areas may favor growth of shrubs and taller ground cover vegetation. As noted by Morrison and Humphrey (2001), breeding pairs of cara- caras are rarely found on public lands, and those pairs attempted breeding during fewer years, initiated egg-laying later, and had lower nesting success than pairs nesting on private lands. While more shrubs at nest sites found on public lands should provide more cover to protect fledglings, more shrubs may also provide more cover for predators. Ad- ditionally, caracaras, unlike other raptors, are quite terrestrial and spend much of their foraging time walking about on the ground, thus may favor short ground vegetation as it facilitates foraging or improves their ability to scan for predators. Further study is needed to improve our understanding of how vegetation structural differences on private and public lands may influence selection of a nest site by breeding car- acaras, their nesting success, and post-fledgling survival. Caracaras' selection of nest sites also may vary depending on expo- sure to humans. I found some pairs nesting close to houses or barns and near roads. Response to habitat conversion within a breeding area and near an active nest may vary among pairs, perhaps according to their prior exposure to human activity (Knight 1984), As suitable nesting hab- itat continues to be lost to development, displaced breeding pairs of cara- caras will be forced to seek other nest sites. While some pairs nest successfully quite close to human activity, recent reports of what seem to be at3^ical nest sites, for example on a power pole in a sugar cane field ( J. Layne, pers. comm.) and near commercial buildings (T. Dean, pers. comm.) may be a consequence of pairs relocating after loss of suitable habitat in parts of the breeding range. Such atypical nests should be mon- itored to determine breeding success. While other studies have suggested that caracaras can adapt to human activities and moderate habitat changes (Rodriguez-Estrella 1996, pers. obs.), range- wide population de- clines in Florida are likely to result if continued loss of nest sites occurs. Acknowledgments I sincerely thank V. Dreitz, S. McGehee, D. Todd, and M. McMillian for assistance with field data collection. I also thank landowners throughout south-central Florida who gener- ously provided access to their lands. Their support has been invaluable in facilitating our ability to expand our knowledge of the caracara's nesting ecology. I gratefiilly acknowledge the cooperation and logistical support provided by personnel at the MacArthur Agro-Ecol- ogy Research Center and Archbold Biological Station, particularly J. Fitzpatrick, H. Swain, R Bohlen, and G, Lollis. Funding was provided by the Avon Park Air Force Range, the Flor- ida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida in Gainesville. This paper is contribution #102 from the MacArthur Agro-Ecology Research Center of Archbold Biological Station, 8 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Literature Cited Bednarz, J. C., and J. J. Dinsmore. 1982. Nest sites and habitat of Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks in Iowa. Wilson Bulletin 94:31-45. Bent, A. C. 1938. Life histories of North American Birds of Prey. Part 2. US. National Museum Bulletin 170. Dickinson, V. M., and K. A. Arnold. 1996. Breeding biology of the Crested Caracara in south Texas. Wilson Bulletin 108:516-523. Goldstein, M. I. 2000. Nest-site characteristics of Crested Caracaras in La Pampa, Ar- gentina. Journal of Raptor Research. 34:330-333. Logan, T. 1997. Florida’s Endangered species. Threatened species, and Species of Special Concern. Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee, FL. Knight, R. L. 1984. Responses of nesting ravens to people in areas of different human densities. Condor 90:193-200. Morrison, J. L. 1996. Crested Caracara {Caracara plancus). In The Birds of North America, No. 249 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Phil- adelphia, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Morrison, J. L. 1999. Breeding biology and productivity of Florida’s Crested Caracaras. Condor 101:505-517. Morrison, J. L. 2000. Recommended management practices and survey protocols for Audubon’s Crested Caracara {Caracara cheriway audubonii) in Florida. Technical Report No. 18. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Project Number: NG-96-021. Morrison, J. L., M. A. McMillian, S. M. McGehee, and L. D. Todd. 1997. First record of Crested Caracaras nesting in a cypress. Florida Field Naturalist 25:51-53. Morrison, J. L., and S. R. Humphrey. 2001. Conservation value of private lands for Crested Caracaras in Florida. Conservation Biology 15:675-684. Nicholson, D. J. 1929. The Audubon Caracara, a little known bird in Florida. Florida Naturalist 2:67-69. Peroni, P. a., and W. G. Abrahamson. 1986. Succession in Florida sandridge vegeta- tion: a retrospective study. Florida Scientist 49:176-191. RiverA-RODRIGUEZ, L. B., and R. RODRIGUEZ-Estrella. 1993. Breeding ecology of the Crested Caracara {Polyborus plancus) in the Cape region, Baja California Sur, Mex- ico. Journal of Raptor Research 27:91-92. Rodriguez-Estrella, R. 1996. Response of Common Black Hawks and Crested Cara- caras to human activities in Mexico. Pages 355-363 in Raptors in Human Landscapes. Adaptations to Built and Cultivated Environments (D. M. Bird et al., eds.). Academic Press, San Diego, CA. Scott, W E. D. 1892. Notes on the birds of the Caloosahatchie Region of Florida. Auk 9:209-218. Speiser, R., T. Bosakowski, and D. Smith. 1998. Nest sites, habitat, and productivity of red-shouldered hawks in northern New Jersey and southeastern New York. Records of New Jersey Birds. 24:94-98. Titus, K., and J. A. Mosher 1987. Selection of nest tree species by Red-shouldered and Broad-winged Hawks in two temperate forest regions. J. Field Ornithology 58:274-283. Travaini, a., j. a. Donazar, O. Ceballos, M. Funes, a. RodrIguez, j. Bustamante, M. Delibes, and F. Hiraldo. 1994. Nest-site characteristics of four raptor species in the Argentinian Patagonia. Wilson Bulletin 106:753-757. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1987. Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; threatened status for the Florida population of the Audubon’s Crested Caracara. Fi- nal Rule. Federal Register 52:25,229-25,231. Florida Field Naturalist 35(1):9-21, 2007. THE AVIFAUNA OF CONSTRUCTED TREATMENT WETLANDS IN SOUTH FLORIDA USED FOR EVERGLADES RESTORATION Michael J. Chimney^ and Dale E. Gawlik^ ^South Florida Water Management District, MSC-4470, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, Florida 33406 E-mail: mchimney@sfwmd.gov ^Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 E-mail: dgawlik@fau.edu Constructed treatment wetlands invariably create wildlife habitat (Kadlec and Knight 1996, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1999, Knight et al. 2001). Habitat improvement can be dramatic, especially when these systems are built on degraded areas such as farm fields (Hickman 1994). The South Florida Water Management District (SF- WMD) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have built a complex of large treatment wetlands, known as Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs), on reclaimed farmland in south Florida as part of a multi-billion dollar effort by State and Federal governments to protect and restore the Everglades (Chimney and Goforth 2001, Sklar et al. 2005, SFWMD 2006). Current plans call for the STAs to encompass more than 17,000 ha. These wetlands were designed to treat and reduce high phosphorus concentrations in stormwater runoff from the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) before this water enters the northern portion of the remain- ing Everglades, the Water Conservation Areas (WCAs) (Fig. 1). The STAs have attracted a high abundance and diversity of wildlife species, including many birds. This paper presents a checklist of the avifauna found in two of the STAs and compares STA bird community composi- tion and species richness with regional and other treatment wetlands. Methods Birds in two STAs were surveyed: STA-lWest (STA-IW) in Palm Beach County (2,699 ha, 26°39’ N, 80°25’ W) and STA-5 in Hendry County (1,663 ha, 26°26’ N, 80°54 W). Both STAs are located within the EAA and are part of a regional landscape domi- nated by wetlands (Fig. 1). The STAs were built on relict Everglades marshland that had been drained and farmed for decades. Portions of STA-IW were flooded in 1989 and first opened for public birding in 2005; STA-5 was flooded in 1999 and opened for public bird- ing in 2004. Each STA has a perimeter earthen levee that impounds water and various control structures (pump stations, interior levees, culverts, etc.) to manage flow through the system. The STAs are kept inundated except when inflow is restricted during ex- 9 10 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Figure 1. Location of Stormwater Treatment Areas 1-West and 5 (STA-IW and STA-5) in relation to the Everglades Agricultural Area, the other STAs (black areas), Lake Okeechobee, and major wetland management units (gray areas) in south Florida. More than 40% of the landscape in this region is classified as freshwater habitat. BCNP = Big Cypress National Preserve; EAA s Everglades Agricultural Area; ENP s Everglades National Park; H - Holey Land Wildlife Management Area; LO = Lake Okeechobee; R = Rotenberger Wildlife Manage- ment Area; WCA = Water Conservation Areas 1, 2, and 3. Water Conservation Area 1 also is designated as the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wild- life Refuge, Chimney & Gaw’l/x--~Birds of S. Florida Constructed Wetlands 11 treme droughts or when treatment cells are taken off-line for maintenance^ The target depth in these systems is ~0.5 m, but can exceed 1 m after large rain events when the STAs are treating runoff Water depth in these systems can fluctuate rapidly in response to management activities. Flooded areas in the STAs developed into a mosaic of habitat types that included open- water areas intermixed with stands of Typha spp., other emer- gent marsh species (e.g., arrowhead [Sagittaria spp.], spikerush [Eleocharis spp.] and pickerelweed [Pontederia cordataj), submiersed vegetation (e.g., coontail [Ceratophyllum demersum], southern naiad [Najas guadalupensis] and hydrilla [Hydrilla verticillata]) and floating species (e.g., water hyacinth [Eichhornia crassipes], water lettuce [Pistia stratiotes] and duckweed [Lemna spp.]). The STA levees, access roads and adjacent lands were upland areas that include grassed, old-field, and woodland habitats. A master bird list was compiled for each STA by combining species identifications made by one of us (DEG) on 84 occasions in STA-IW from May 1995 to November 1997 (primarily winter and spring), by amateur ornithologists from local Audubon Society chapters in both STAs during fall, winter and spring (12 trips to STA-IW from Septem- ber 2005 to March 2006; 15 trips to STA-5 from February 2004 to March 2006) and other incidental sightings. The accuracy of identifications made by citizen volunteers can be comparable to data collected by professional biologists (Hoyer et al. 2001). We did not es- timate individual species densities from our survey data, but did ascertain the more abundant bird groups. Birds seen on at least 50% of all trips to each STA from 2004 to 2006 were designated as “frequent’' species. The nomenclature, classification and se- quence of each species followed American Ornithologists’ Union (2006); habitat prefer- ences are from American Ornithologists’ Union (1998). The protective status of birds was based on Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (2004). Breeding status and seasonality of birds in south Florida was based on distribution maps and descrip- tions provided in Robertson and KusMan (1974), Robertson and Woolfenden (1992), Ridgely et al. (2003) and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (2006). Wetland bird species rich- ness in the STAs, the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (LN^^R; see Fig. 1) and a subset of treatment wetlands (Knight et al. 1993, USEPA 1999) was fit to wetland surface area as a power function: S = cA% where S is species richness, A is surface area, c is a constant and z is the slope of the regression (Gotelli 2001). Results A total of 139 bird species representing 39 families was observed in the STAs; 100 species in 31 families occurred in STA-IW, whereas STA-5 had 118 species in 38 families (Table 1). Combined, the two STAs had 20 of the 21 families identified by Kadlec and Knight (1996) as common in North American treatment wetlands. Wading birds (Ciconiiformes, 15 species), shorebirds (Charadriiformes, 31 species), gallinules and coots (Gruiformes, 7 species) Jind ducks (Anseriformes, 16 species) were often numerically abundant in the STAs as were perching birds (Passeriformes, 39 species) on occasion. Twenty-eight of the 35 frequently observed species belonged to these aforementioned groups. Sixteen species are State and/or Federally listed as Endan- gered, Threatened or a Species of Special Concern. Seventy-two species are classified as residents and are known to breed in south Florida. Six frequent species (Osprey [Pandion haliaetus], Roseate Spoonbill [Pla- talea ajaja\ Snowy Egret {Egretta thula\ Tricolored Heron {Egretta 12 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Table 1. Checklist of birds observed in Stormwater Treatment Areas 1-West and 5 (STA-IW and STA-5) including seasonality, breeding and protective sta- tus and habitat preference. + == species present, * = frequently observed spe- cies listed on at least 50% of all surveys in that STA. Status key; E = endangered (Federal), e = endangered (State), s = species of special concern (State), T s threatened (Federal), t = threatened (State), R = breeding resident, = exotic resident, S = uncommon straggler (non-breeding), M = transient migrant (non-breeding), V =5 seasonal visitor (non-breeding). Habitat prefer- ence key: A = aquatic, U = upland. Order Family Species Name Common Name STA- IW STA- 5 Status Habitat Anseriformes Anatidae Dendrocygna autumnalis Ducks, Geese, & Swans Black-bellied Whistling- + * V A Dendrocygna bicolor duck Fulvous Whistling-duck + * R A Anser albifrons Greater White-fronted + V A Aix sponsa Goose Wood Duck + R A Anas americana American Wigeon + V A Anas platyrhyncho Mallard + V A Anas fulvigula Mottled Duck + * R A Anas discors Blue-winged Teal * * V A Anas cyanoptera Cinnamon Teal + V A Anas clypeata Northern Shoveler + + V A Anas acuta Northern Pintail + + V A Anas crecca Green- winged Teal + V A Aythya collaris Ring-necked Duck + * V A Aythya affinis Lesser Scaup + V A Lophodytes cucullatus Hooded Merganser + V A Oxyura jamaicensis Ruddy Duck + V A Podicipediformes Podicipedidae Podilymbus podiceps Grebes Pied-billed Grebe + + R A Pelecaniformes Pelecanidae Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Pelicans American White Pelican + + V A Pelecanus occidentalis Brown Pelican + + R,s A Phalacrocoracidae Phalacrocorax auritus Cormorants Double-crested Cormorant * * R A Anhingidae Anhinga anhinga Darters Anhinga * R A Ciconiiformes Ardeidae Botaurus lentiginosus Herons, Bitterns, & Allies American Bittern + + V A Ixobrychus exilis Least Bittern + + R A Ardea herodias Great Blue Heron * * R A Ardea alba Great Egret * R A Chimney & Gawlik— Birds of S. Florida Constructed Wetlands 13 Table 1. (Continued) Checklist of birds observed in Stormwater Treatment Areas 1-West and 5 (STA-IW and STA-5) including seasonality, breeding and protective status and habitat preference. + = species present, * ^ frequently observed species listed on at least 50% of all surveys in that STA. Status key: E = endangered (Federal), e - endangered (State), s s species of special concern (State), T “ threatened (Federal), t = threatened (State), R = breeding resident, R^ - exotic resident, S - uncommon straggler (non-breeding), M - transient migrant (non-breeding), V - seasonal visitor (non-breeding). Habitat prefer- ence key: A = aquatic, U s upland. Order Family Species Name Common Name STA- IW STA- 5 Status Habitat Egretta thula Snowy Egret * + R,s A Egretta caerulea Little Blue Heron * + R,s A Egretta tricolor Tricolored Heron * * R,s A Bubulcus ibis Cattle Egret * * R A/U Butorides virescem Green Heron + * R A Nycticorax nycticorax Black-crowned Night-heron + + R A Nyctanassa violacea Yellow-crowned Night- + R A Threskiornithidae Eudocimus alhus heron Ibises & Spoonbills White Ibis + R,s A Plegadis falcinellus Glossy Ibis * * R A Platalea ajaja Roseate Spoonbill * + R,s A Ciconiidae Mycteria americana Storks Wood Stork * + R,E,e A Cathartidae Coragyps atratus New World Vultures Black Vulture + * R U Cathartes aura Turkey Vulture + * R u Phoenicopteriformes Phoenicopteridae Phoenicopterus ruber Flamingos Greater Flamingo + S A Falconiformes Accipitridae Pandion haliaetus Hawks, Kites, Eagles, & Allies Osprey * + R,s A Elanoides forficatus Swallow-tailed Kite + R U Rostrhamus sociabilis Snail Kite + RjE^e A Haliaeetus leucocephalus Bald Eagle + RXt A Circus cyaneus Northern Harrier + + V A/U Accipiter striatus Sharp-shinned Hawk + V U Accipiter cooperii Cooper's Hawk + + V u Buteo lineatus Red-shouldered Hawk + + R A/U Buteo jamaicensis Red-tailed Hawk * R u Falconidae Caracara cheriway Caracaras & Falcons Crested Caracara + R,T,t u Falco sparverius American Kestrel + + R,T u Falco columharius Merlin + V AAJ Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon + + R,e Am 14 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Table 1, (Continued) Checklist of birds observed in Stormwater Treatment Areas 1-West and 5 (STA-IW and STA-5) including seasonality, breeding and protective status and habitat preference. + = species present, * s frequently observed species listed on at least 50% of all surveys in that STA. Status key: E s endangered (Federal), e = endangered (State), s = species of special concern (State), T = threatened (Federal), t = threatened (State), R = breeding resident, = exotic resident, S ^ uncommon straggler (non-breeding), M = transient migrant (non-breeding), V = seasonal visitor (non-breeding). Habitat prefer- ence key: A = aquatic, U = upland. Order Family Species Name Common Name STA- IW STA- 5 Status Habitat Gruiformes Rallidae Rallus elegans Rails, Gallinules, & Coots King Rail + R A Porzana Carolina Sora + + V A Porphyria martinica Purple Gallinule + + R A Porphyria porphyria Purple Swamphen + + Re A Gallinula chloropus Common Moorhen * * R A Fulica americana American Coot * R A Aramidae Aramus guarauna Limpkin Limpkin + + R,s A Charadriiformes Charadriidae Pluvialis squatarola Plovers Black-bellied Plover + + V A Pluvialis dominica American Golden-Plover + M A/U Charadrius semipalmatus Semipalmated Plover + V A Charadrius vociferus Killdeer * * R A/U Recurvirostridae Himantopus mexicanus Stilts & Avocets Black-necked Stilt ♦ * R A Recurvirostra americana American Avocet + + V A Scolopacidae Tringa solitaria Sandpipers &; Allies Solitary Sandpiper + M A Tringa melanoleuca Greater Yellowlegs + * V A Tringa flavipes Lesser Yellowlegs * + V A Tringa semipalmata Willet + + R A Arenaria interpres Ruddy Turnstone + V A Calidris alba Sanderling + V A Calidris mauri Western Sandpiper + V A Calidris minutilla Least Sandpiper * * V A Calidris melanotos Pectoral Sandpiper + + M A Calidris alpina Dunlin + + V A Calidris himantopus Stilt Sandpiper + + V A Philomachus pugnax Ruff + V A Limnodromus griseus Short-billed Dowitcher + + V A Limnodromus scolopaceus Long-billed Dowitcher + + V A Gallinago delicata Wilson’s Snipe + + V A Laridae Larus atricilla Skuas, Gulls, Terns, & Skimmers Laughing Gull + R A Chimney & Gawlik— Birds of S. Florida Constructed Wetlands 15 Table 1. (Continued) Checklist of birds observed in Stormwater Treatment Areas 1-West and 5 (STA-IW and STA-5) including seasonality, breeding and protective status and habitat preference. + - species present, * - frequently observed species listed on at least 50% of all surveys in that STA. Status keys E s endangered (Federal), e ~ endangered (State), s " species of special concern (State), T = threatened (Federal), t s threatened (State), R = breeding resident, R^ s exotic resident, S ” uncommon straggler (non-breeding), M - transient migrant (non-breeding), ¥ s seasonal visitor (non-breeding). Habitat prefer- ence key: A ^ aquatic, U = upland. Order Family Species Name Common Name STA- IW STA- 5 Status Habitat Larus delawarensis Ring-billed Gull + + V A Larus argentatus Herring Gull + V A Larus fuscus Lesser Black-backed Gull + V A Sternula antillarum Least Tern + R,t A Gelochelidon nilotica Gull-billed Tern + R A Hydrorprogne caspia Caspian Tern * + V A Sterna forsteri Forster’s Tern + V A Thalasseus maximus Royal Tern + R A Rynchops niger Black Skimmer + + R,s A Columbiformes Columbidae Columha livia Pigeons & Doves Rock Pigeon + + Re U Streptopelia decaocto Eurasian Collared-Dove + Re U Zenaida asiatica White-winged Dove + R u Zenaida macroura Mourning Dove + + R u Columbina passerina Common Ground-Dove + + R u Ciiculiformes Cuculidae Crotophaga ani Cuckoos, Roadmnners, & Anis Smooth-billed Ani + R A/U Strigiformes Strigidae Strix varia Typical Owls Barred Owl + R A/U Caprimulgiforines Capiimulgidae Chordeiles minor Goatsuckers Common Nighthawk + R U Coraciiformes Alcedinidae Ceryle alcyon Kingfishers Belted Kingfisher + + R A Pidformes Picidae Melanerpes carolinus Woodpeckers & Allies Red-bellied Woodpecker + + R U Passeriformes Tyrannidae Sayornis phoebe Tyrant flycatchers Eastern Phoebe + V u Myiarchus crinitus Great Crested Flycatcher + R u 16 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Table 1. (Continued) Checklist of birds observed in Stormwater Treatment Areas 1-West and 5 (STA-IW and STA-5) including seasonality, breeding and protective status and habitat preference. + = species present, * = frequently observed species listed on at least 50% of all surveys in that STA. Status key: E = endangered (Federal), e = endangered (State), s = species of special concern (State), T = threatened (Federal), t = threatened (State), R = breeding resident, = exotic resident, S = uncommon straggler (non-breeding), M = transient migrant (non-breeding), V = seasonal visitor (non-breeding). Habitat prefer- ence key: A = aquatic, U = upland. Order Family Species Name Common Name STA- IW STA- 5 Status Habitat Laniidae Lanius ludovicianus Shrikes Loggerhead Shrike + + R U Vireonidae Vireo griseus Vireos White-eyed Vireo + R u Corvidae Cyanocitta cristata Crows & Jays Blue Jay + + R u Corvus hrachyrhynchos American Crow + R u Corvus ossifragus Fish Crow + + R A Himndinidae Progne subis Swallows Purple Martin + + R u Tachycineta bicolor Tree Swallow + * V u Stelgidopteryx serripennis Northern Rough- winged + + V u Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Swallow Cliff Swallow + M A Hirundo rustica Barn Swallow + M A/U Troglodytidae Troglodytes aedon Wrens House Wren + V U Sylviidae Polioptila caerulea Old World Warblers Blue-gray Gnatcatcher + + R u Turdidae Sialia sialis Thrushes Eastern Bluebird + R u Turdus migratorius American Robin + V u Mimidae Dumetella carolinensis Mockingbirds & Thrashers Gray Catbird + V u Mimus polyglottos Northern Mockingbird + + R u Sturnidae Sturnus vulgaris Starlings European Starling + + Re u Pamlidae Parula americana Wood- Warblers Northern Parula + R ATI Dendroica petechia Yellow Warbler + R U Dendroica coronata Yellow-rumped Warbler + + V u Dendroica discolor Prairie Warbler + R u Dendroica palmarum Palm Warbler * + V u Minotilta varia Black-and-white Warbler + V u Seiurus noveboracensis Northern Waterthrush + M A Geothlypis trichas Common Yellowthroat + + R A Emberizidae Pipilo erythrophthalmus Emberizids Eastern Towhee + R U Chimney & Gawlik— Birds of S. Florida Constructed Wetlands 17 Table 1. (Continued) Checklist of birds observed in Stormwater Treatment Areas 1-West and 5 (STA-IW and STA-5) including seasonality, breeding and protective status and habitat preference. + - species present, * s frequently observed species listed on at least 50% of all surveys in that STA. Status keys E s endangered (Federal), e s endangered (State), s - species of special concern (State), T s threatened (Federal), t s threatened (State), R = breeding resident, R^ = exotic resident, S s uncommon straggler (non-breeding), M s transient migrant (non-breeding), V = seasonal visitor (non-breeding). Habitat prefer- ence key? A ^ aquatic, U = upland. Order Family Species Name Common Name STA- IW STA- 5 Status Habitat Spizella pusilla Field Sparrow + V u Passerculus sandwichensis Savannah Sparrow + + V A Melospiza georgiana Swamp Sparrow + V AfU Cardinalidae Cardinalis mrdinalis Cardinal, Saltators, & Allies Northern Cardinal + R U Passerina ciris Painted Bunting + V u Icteridae Agelaius phoeniceus Blackbirds Red-winged Blackbird * R A Sturnella magna Eastern Meadowlark + + R U Quiscalus quiscula Common GracMe + R A/U Quiscalus major Boat-tailed Grackle * * R A/U Molothrus ater Brown-headed Cowbird + V U Passeridae Passer domesticus Old World Sparrows House Sparrow + Re U tricolor]y White Ibis [Eudocimus albus], and Wood Stork [Mycteria americana]) are both State/Federally listed and breed in the region. The STAs were used by many minatory species, often in great num- bers, during the spring and fall (e.g., American White Pelican [Peleca- nus erythrorhynchos], Black-bellied Whistling-Duck [Dendrocygna autumnalis], Biue-winged Teal [A/ias discors], Lesser Yellowlegs [Tringa flavipes\ and Black-necked Stilt [Himantopus mexicanus]). Sixty-nine percent of STA bird species preferred aquatic habitats or shared an affinity for both aquatic and upland areas. However, all pi- geons and doves, and many of the raptors and perching birds are con- sidered upland species. Discussion Bird diversity and abundance in wetlands is influenced by a num- ber of variables such as wetland surface area (Reaves and Croteau- Hartman 1994), water depth (Breininger and Smith 1990, Twedt et aL 1998, Bancroft et aL 2002), composition of the vegetation community (Johnson and Montalbano 1984, Bancroft et aL 2002), prey availability 18 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST (Gawlik 2002) and trophic status (Hoyer and Canfield 1994, Crozier and Gawlik 2002). High quality upland habitat immediately adjacent to wetlands also attracts a number of species that may be only faculta- tive wetland inhabitants (Kent 1994, Knight et al. 2001). The STAs shared 91% of their avifauna with the LNWR (USFWS 2006), but only 78% with the EAA (Pearlstine et al. 2005). The EAA notably had fewer co-occurring species of perching birds and ducks, which may be related to its limited shrub habitat and type of wetlands (largely restricted to rice fields, fiooded fallow fields and drainage canals). Differences in surface area accounted for slightly more than one-half of the variance in bird species richness among wetlands (r^ - 0.59, p < 0.01) (Fig. 2). The unexplained variance can be attributed to the other species-habi- tat relationships noted above (Rafe et al. 1985) or factors such as differ- ences in sampling methods among investigators. Wetland surface area (ha) Figure 2. Species-area curve for wetland bird communities. Symbol key: 1 = Ar- eata (CA), 2 s Bear Bay (SC), 3 = Biwabik (MN), 4 - Collins (MS), 5 s Cypress Domes (FL), 6 = Des Plaines (IL), 7 = Ha3rward (CA), 8 = Houghton Lake (MI), 9 s Incline Village (NV), 10 = Lake Buena Vista (FL), 11s Lake Coral (FL), 12 = Lake- land (FL), 13 = Ocean Springs (MS), 14 = Orlando Easterly (FL), 15 = Show Low (AZ), 16 = STA-IW (FL), 17 = STA-5 (FL), 18 = Tres Rios Cobble (AZ), 19 = Tres Rios Hayfield (AZ), 20 = LNWR (FL), 21 s West Jackson County (MS). Data sources: 1- 9, 12, 15, 18, 19, & 21 (USEPA 1999); 10 (Kent and Langston 2000); 11 (Knight et al. 1985); 13 (Kadlec and Knight 1996); 14 (M. Sees pers. comm.); 16 & 17 (this pa- per); 20 (USFWS 2006), All systems except LNWR are treatment wetlands. Chimney & Gawl/«— Birds of S. Florida Constructed Wetlands 19 The bird assemblage in the STAs was not static. The periodic influx of large numbers of birds of a single species or group of species into the STAs generally occurred under one of two circumstances. The first was associated with large numbers of migrating birds moving into the area that found the STAs suitable habitat. Seasonal migrants accounted for the high concentrations of Tree Swallows, Blue-winged Teal and other waterfowl. The STAs at normal operating depth (~0.5 to 1.0 m) af- forded birds with moderate to deep-water marsh habitat. The sharp in- creases in bird abundance during the fall and spring was somewhat predictable, but varied in magnitude from year to year, probably be- cause of external factors such as annual recruitment and habitat suit- ability of the surrounding landscape. The second circumstance that produced dramatic increases in bird abundance occurred when water depth in the STAs decreased during re- cessions. In this case, the habitat changed quicHy and local birds at- tracted to shallow water (e.g., wading- and shorebirds) moved in to exploit it. An example of this situation occurred in March 1 90b when water levels in portions of STA-IW rapidly fell from depths that approached 1 m to 0.2 m or less. A group of over 1000 herons, egrets, ibis and Wood Storks, many of which had been feeding in the surrounding area, quickly moved in and began feeding in the drying marsh. Although we did not continue obser- vations, we suspect that as soon as water levels increased to normal, most of the wading birds would have returned to their previous feeding areas. A similar managed drawdown in mnter 2005 of a substantial portion of STA-IW that contained little emergent vegetation attracted a great num- ber of shorebirds. The infl'ux of birds into the STAs in response to falling water levels has occurred on other occasions; these events were driven by management activities and therefore were unpredictable from the bird's perspective or occurred during prolonged regional droughts. The proxi- mate factor for the increase in bird density was likely a sharp increase in food availability (Gawlik 2002) because prey was suddenly more vulnera- ble to being captured. This situation differed from seasonal migrations in that the increase in bird abundance was from a redistribution of local birds rather than a regional infl.ux of migrants and it was caused by a short-term change in the habitat (i.e., water depth) rather than from long- term processes that structure vegetation, such as trophic status. The two situations that cause high bird abundance in the STAs are not mutually exclusive and it is possible that a decrease in water depth that coincides with seasonal bird migration could result in very high bird density and diversity. Such a convergence of events contributed to the high diversity of shorebirds in STA-IW. Although the STAs are op- erated as treatment systems to reduce nutrients in stormwater runoff, bird use of these areas is extensive and dependent on variable wetland conditions, much like in natural wetlands. 20 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Acknowledgments We thank the many Audubon Society members for their interest in documenting the avifauna of the STAs and Margaret England (Hendry-Glades Audubon Society), Vincent Lucas (Tropical Audubon Society), Bijaya Kattel (SFWMD), and Ann McElhatton (Flor- ida Atlantic University) for sharing this information with us. The paper was improved based on helpful comments from Mark Cook, Bijaya Kattel, Jana Newman, Scott Robin- son, Sean Sculley, Gary Williams and two anonymous reviewers. Literature Cited American Ornithologists’ Union. 1998. Check-list of North American birds, 7th ed. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. American Ornithologists’ Union. 2006. Check-list of North American Birds— online birdlist 47 [www.aou.org/checklist/index.php3]. Viewed 28 March 2007. Bancroft, G. T., D. E. Gawlik, and K. Rutchey. 2002. Distribution of wading birds rel- ative to vegetation and water depths in the northern Everglades of Florida, USA. Waterbirds 25:265-277. Breininger, D. R., and R. B. Smith. 1990. Waterbird use of coastal impoundments and management implications in east-central Florida. Wetlands 10:223-241. Chimney, M. J., and G. Goforth. 2001. Environmental impacts to the Everglades eco- system: a historical perspective and restoration strategies. Water Science and Tech- nology 44:93-100. Crozier G. E., and D. E. Gawlik. 2002. Avian response to nutrient enrichment in an oli- gotrophic wetland, the Florida Everglades. Condor 104:631-642. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 2004. Florida’s endangered species, threatened species, and species of special concern [www.m3dwc.e0m/imper- iledspecies/pdf7Endangered-Threatened-Special-Concern-2004.pdf]. Viewed 22 March 2007. Gawlik, D. E. 2002. The effects of prey availability on the numerical response of wading birds. Ecological Monographs 72:329-346. Gotelli, N. J. 2001. A Primer of Ecology, 3rd ed. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Sunderland, MA. Hickman, S. 1994. Improvement of habitat quality for nesting and migrating birds at the Des Plaines River wetlands demonstration project. Ecological Engineering 3:485-494. Hoyer, M. V., AND D. E. Canfield, Jr. 1994. Bird abundance and species richness on Florida lakes: influence of trophic status, lake morphology, and aquatic macrophytes. Hydrobiologia 297/298:107-119. Hoyer, M. V., J. Winn, and D. E. Canfield, Jr. 2001. Citizen monitoring of aquatic bird populations using a Florida lake. Lake and Reservoir Management 17:82-89. Johnson, F. A., and F. Montalbano III. 1984. Selection of plant communities by win- tering waterfowl on Lake Okeechobee, Florida. Journal of Wildlife Management 48:174-178. Kadlec, R. H., and R. L. Knight. 1996. Treatment Wetlands. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Ra- ton, FL. Kent, D. M. (ed.) 1994, Applied Wetlands Science and Technology. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL. Kent, D. M., and M. A. Langston. 2000. Wildlife use of a created wetland in central Florida. Florida Scientist 63:17-19. Knight, R. L., R. A. Clarke Jr., and R. K. Bastian. 2001. Surface flow (SF) treatment wetlands as habitat for vdldlife and humans. Water Science and Technology 44:27-37. Knight, R, L,, R. W. Ruble, R. H. Kadlec, and S. Reed. 1993. Wetlands for wastewater treatment: performance database. Chapter 4. Pages 35-58 in Constructed Wetlands for Water Quality Improvement (G. A. Moshiri, ed.). Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL. Chimney & Gawl/it— Birds of S. Florida Constructed Wetlands 21 Knight, R. L., B. H. Winchester, and J. C. Higman. 1985. Ecology, hydrology, and ad- vanced wastewater treatment potential of an artificial wetland in north-central Flor- ida. Wetlands 5:167-180. Pearlstine, E. V., M. L. Casler, and F. J. Mazzotti. 2005. A checklist of birds of the Everglades Agricultural Area. Florida Scientist 68:84-96. Rafe, R. W., M. B. Usher, and R. G. Jefferson. 1985. Birds on reserves: the influence of area and habitat on species richness. Journal of Applied Ecology 22:327-335. Reaves, R. P., and M, R, Croteau-Hartman. 1994. Biological aspects of restored and created wetlands. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Sciences 103:179-194. Ridgely, R. S., T. F. Allnutt, T. Brooks, D. K. McNicol, D. W. Mehlman, B. E. Young, and J. R. Zook. 2003. Digital Distribution Maps of the Birds of the Western Hemisphere, version 1.0 [www.natureserve.org/explorer]. Viewed 9 March 2007. Na- tureServe, Arlington, VA. Robertson, W. B., Jr., and J. A. Kushlan. 1974. The southern Florida avifauna. Pages 414-452 in Memoir 2: Environments of South Florida: Present and Past. Miami Geo- logical Society, Miami, FL. Robertson, W. B. Jr., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida Bird Species: An Anno- tated List. Special Publication 6, Florida Ornithological Society, Gainesville, FL. Sklar, F. H., M. j. Chimney, S. Newman, P. McCormick, D. Gawlik, S. Miao, C. Mc- VoY, W. Said, J. Newman, C. Coronado, G. Cozier, M. Korvela, and K. Rutchey. 2005. The ecological-societal underpinnings of Everglades restoration. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 3:161-169. South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). 2006. Comprehensive Ever- glades Restoration Plan (CERP) [www.evergladesplan.org/index.cfm]. Viewed 9 March 2007. Twedt, D. j., C. O. Nelms, V. E. Rettig, and S. R. Aycock. 1998. Shorebird use of man- aged wetlands in the Mississippi alluvial valley. American Midland Naturalist 140:140-152. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). 1999. Treatment Wetland Habitat and Wildlife Use Assessment, Executive Summary. EPA 832-S-99-001. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2006. Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee Na- tional Wildlife Refuge bird list. Florida Field Naturalist 35(11:22-25, 2007. FIRST RECORD OF NORTHERN FULMAR (FULMARUS GLACIALIS) FOR FLORIDA, AND NOTES ON OTHER NORTH ATLANTIC SEABIRD SPECIMEN RECORDS IN 2004-2005 Andrew W. Kratter^ and Sue Small^ ^Florida Museum of Natural History, Box 117800, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 ^Florida Wildlife Hospital, 4560 North US. Highway 1, Melbourne, Florida 32935 Wildlife rehabilitation clinics offer an outstanding opportunity to document the status and distribution of birds. In Florida alone, over 200 licensed people and clinics collectively take in tens of thousands of birds each year {fide Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commis- sion; FFWCC), Most of these birds, which are injured or sick, are found by concerned citizens and brought to the clinics for rehabilitation and eventual release back to the wild. However, severe injuries and pro- longed starvation result in unavoidable mortality rates of 25-40% at most clinics. Individuals of species away from their normal distribution or season of occurrence are particularly prone to be encountered in a weakened state, in part because that species may not be adapted to find food or escape predation in those circumstances. For the past eight years, the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH) has been working with wildlife rehabilitation clinics in Florida to gather speci- mens that die in the clinics for the research collections at the FLMNH. This very successful program (see Kratter et al. 2002), generously funded in 2003-2005 by the FFWCC, has added 1,000s of new, high- quality specimens to the FLMNH. In the winter and spring seasons of 2004-2005, a number of espe- cially interesting seabirds were found beached and in a weakened state on the coasts of Florida. These individuals were brought to wildlife re- habilitation clinics where most did not recover. The specimens were eventually brought to the FLMNH, where they were prepared as re- search specimens. These specimen records were part of a larger incur- sion of north Atlantic seabirds into the southeastern United States during the winter and spring of 2004-2005 (Davis 2005a, 2005b). In this paper, we provide documentation for the first Florida record of Northern Fulmar {Fulmarus glacialis), the second record for Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica), the eleventh Florida record of Razorbill {Alca tor da), and three records of the locally rare Black-legged Kitti- wake {Rissa tridactyla). 22 Kratter & Small— First Northern Fulmar for Florida 23 On 19 April 2005, an unknown petrel was found in a weakened state at Satellite Beach, Brevard Co., and brought to the nearby Flor- ida Wildlife Hospital in Melbourne. The staff at FWH correctly identi- fied the bird as a Northern Fulmar (Fig, 1), The weakened bird, however, did not gain weight and died two days later at the FWH. In June 2005, AWK retrieved the specimen and prepared a round study skin, spread wing, and partial skeleton for the FLMNH research collec- tions (UF 44664). Two samples of heart, liver, and flight muscle were saved, one each for the genetic resource collections at FLMNH and at Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science. The fulmar was a second year (hatched 2004) male, as indicated during dissection of the specimen. The testes were small (3x1 mm), and a large (16 x 11 mm) bursa was present (the bursa is an outpock- eting of the terminal end of the intestines that is present in juvenile birds and gradually assimilated over the first year). The bird appeared to be just beginning to molt from juvenal to first basic plumage. The remiges were lightly worn, with no molt. The rectrices, also not molt- ing, were somewhat more worn, typical for seabirds in juvenal plum- age, because the rectrices wear faster than the wings as they develop before fledging. The bird had moderate overall body molt. Northern Figure 1. Northern Fulmar (UF 44664) from Satellite Beach, Brevard Co., Flor- ida, 19 April 2005. Spread wing (top) and study skin (bottom). 24 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Fulmars typically begin their first pre-basic molt in the spring follow- ing hatching, but do not begin molt in the wings until June (Hatch and Nettleship 1998). The bird had no subcutaneous fat and the flight mus- cles were much reduced. As a result, its mass (400 g) was far below that typical for males (725 g: Wynne-Edwards 1952, Watson 1955). The polymorphic Northern Fulmar occurs in plumages ranging from white-bodied with a gray mantle to uniformly dark gray, with ev- ery gradation between (Hatch and Nettleship 1998). UF 44664 has an intermediate plumage, but toward the lighter end of the variation, with a very pale buffy-gray head and body, medium brownish-gray mantle, slightly paler brownish-gray rump and rectrices, medium gray wing coverts, and dark brownish-gray remiges. The distinctively short and deep bill is yellowish-horn, with the tube and base of the maxilla blackish-horn. Florida’s second record of an Atlantic Puffin is an individual found in weakened condition in St. Augustine Beach, St. Johns Co., by Marg- aret Cunningham on 23 December 2004. A hatching year female (ovary 7x4 mm, smooth; bursa 8x6 mm), the bird died at Noah’s Ark Wildlife Care on 25 December 2004. It is now at the FLMNH (UF 44359, study skin, spread wing, partial skeleton, two tissue samples). A Razorbill found 13 April 2005 at Honeymoon Island, Pinellas Co., was the first ever found in the Gulf of Mexico (AOU 1998) and only the 11th for Florida (Stevenson and Anderson 1994, Kratter et al. 2002, Anderson 2005). This second-year male (testes 6x1 mm, bursa 9x7 mm) died the same day at the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary (UF 44677, study skin, spread wing, partial skeleton, two tissue samples). Three Black-legged Kittiwakes were recorded in the winter and early spring of 2004-2005. This species is a rare winter visitor to Florida (Stevenson and Anderson 1994). The first, a hatching-year male (testes 4x2 mm, bursa 13 x 9 mm), was found in Satellite Beach, Brevard Co. on 30 December 2004. It was dead on arrival at the Florida Wildlife Hos- pital (UF 44403, skin, spread wing). Another first- winter Black-legged Kittiwake (UF 44971, complete skeleton), a female (ovary 12 x 4 mm, smooth; bursa 14 x 8 mm), was found with oiled plumage in Volusia Co. on 10 February 2005. It died the next day at the Marine Science Center. An adult Black-legged Kittiwake (female, ovary 11 x 9 mm, oviduct 4 mm wide, convoluted; no bursa) was found in Da5rtona Beach, Volusia Co., on 12 February 2005. It was also brought to the Marine Science Center, where it died on 14 February (UF 44942, skin and spread wing). The specimens we report here were part of a major influx of north At- lantic seabirds reported in the southeastern United States during the winter of 2004-2005. Common Eiders (Somateria mollisima) were present in the Carolinas in “much higher than normal numbers” (Davis 2005a). Off North Carolina, 86 Northern Fulmars on 19 February 2005 Kratter & Small— First Northern Fulmar for Florida 25 was considered a ‘'good count” (Davis 2005a). Four Black-legged Kitti- wakes were recorded off northern Georgia on 12 February 2005 (Davis 2005b). A Common Murre {Uria aalge) present from 30 December 2004 to 29 January 2005 was the first record for South Carolina (Davis 2005b). Multiple Thick-billed Murres {Uria lomvia) were found in the Carolinas from January to March 2005 (Davis 2005b). In Florida, a Razorbill was found in Boynton Beach, Palm Beach Co. (Anderson 2005) on 18 January 2005, three months prior to the specimen record mentioned above. In northern Georgia, a state record-high number (106) of Razorbills was re- corded on 12 February 2005 (Davis 2005b). Atlantic Puffins were found in record numbers in North Carolina (31 on 19 February 2005) and South Carolina (19 on 20 February) (Davis 2005a). A record number Dovekies {Alle alle) was recorded off Maryland and Delaware on 26 February 2005 (Day 2005) and “good numbers” reached the Carolinas (Davis 2005a). Acknowledgments First, we thank the many people who find injured birds and deliver them to wildlife rehabilitation clinics. We also thank Florida’s wildlife rehabilitation clinics for not only the primary service they provide-— rehabilitating injured and sick wildlife for return to the wild — but also for donating the specimens that die to the Florida Museum of Natu- ral History. This research was supported through a grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The manuscript was improved by comments from David Steadman, Tom Webber, and an anonymous reviewer. Literature Cited American Ornithologists’ Union (AOU). 1998. The Check-list of North American Birds, 7th edition. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Anderson, B. H. 2005. The Florida Region, winter 2004-05. North American Birds 59:255-257. Davis, R. 2005a. Briefs for the files. The Chat 69:73-87. Davis, R. 2005b. The Southern Atlantic Region, winter 2004-05. North American Birds 59:250-255. Day, T, M, 2005. The Middle Atlantic Region, winter 2004-05. North American Birds 69:246-249. Hatch, S. A., and D. N. Nettleship. 1998. Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis). In The Birds of North America, No. 361 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Kratter, A. W., T. Webber, T. Taylor, and D. W. Steadman. 2002. New specimen- based records of Florida birds. Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History 43:111-161. Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The Birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Watson, A. 1955. New Birds in Cumberland Peninsula, Baffin Island. Canadian Field Naturalist. 71:87-109. Wynne-Edwards, V. C. 1952. Geographic variation in the bill of the fulmar {Fulmarus glacialis). Scottish Naturalist 64:84-101. Florida Field Naturalist 35(1):26~29, 2007. FIRST RECORD OF LESSER SAND-PLO¥ER (CHARABRIUS MONGOLUS) IN FLORIDA J. Thomas Curtis Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, 1111 Wm St, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74107H898 E-mail: tomxurtis@okstate. edu The Lesser Sand-Plover (formerly Mongolian Plover), Charadrius mongolus, comprises several subspecies that are geographically iso- lated to one degree or another. The subspecies C. m. pamirensis, C. m. atrifrons, and C. m. schaeferi breed in the Middle East and south-cen- tral Asia and winter in coastal areas of eastern Africa, southern Asia, and western Indonesia (Hirschfeld et al. 2000), The nominate C. m. mongolus and C. m. stegmanni breed primarily in eastern Russia. These latter two subspecies winter along the eastern coast of Asia from Japan south to eastern Indonesia, in Australia, and on islands in the southern Pacific Ocean (Hirschfeld et al. 2000). Lesser Sand-Plovers are uncommon annual visitors to the outer Aleutians (Byrd et al. 1978, Gibson 1981) and to extreme northern Alaska, but there are fewer than 15 records from the rest of North America (Hirschfeld et al. 2000). In eastern North America, this spe- cies has been recorded in New Jersey (1990; Hanson 2005) and Rhode Island (1999; Peterson 1999) on the eastern seaboard, in Ontario on the Great Lakes (1984; McRae 1985), and in Louisiana (1977, 1986; Dittmann 1990, Loftin 1992) on the Gulf Coast, but it has not previ- ously been recorded in Florida. On 17 September 2005 a single Lesser Sand-Plover was found associating with Semipalmated Plovers (C. semipalmatus) at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Wakulla County The bird remained at least through 21 September and subse- quently was verified by a number of observers. I observed the plover for a total of about 50 minutes on 17 and 18 September from distances of 10-40 m (estimated) using an 8x42 Zeiss binocular and a 20-40x Nikon spotting scope. Under conditions of bright overcast when the bird was frontlit, I watched the plover during early morning low tides as it foraged on an exposed mudflat. The over- all size and general shape suggested a Charadrius species. In addition, the bird's behaviors were typical of those of other Charadrius plovers and were quite similar to those of nearby Semipalmated Plovers. The bird tended to forage within about two meters from the water's edge, 26 CuRTis—FmsT Lesser Sand-Plover in Florida 27 but this may simply be because the mudflat was small and surrounded by water on three sides. Nonetheless, I never saw it enter the water. The bird was normally proportioned and fully feathered, and thus was not a downy chick of a larger plover species such as Killdeer (C. vociferus). The plumage was uniformly brownish on the back, and paler underneath. The presence of light edging on the secondaries and the grayish“green leg color suggested a hatch-year bird (older birds have darker legs; Hirschfeld et al. 2000). The undertail coverts were much whiter than the belly color, and there was the appearance of a sharp line of demarcation just behind the legs, separating undertail from belly. Observations during flight were very brief, and yielded little informa- tion. Another observer noted that the feet did not extend beyond the tail when the bird was flying, an important characteristic in differentiating from Greater Sand-Plover (C leschenaultii; Hirschfeld et ah 2000) No details of the tail or rump were noted. There was a prominent white stripe above the eye that appeared to begin at about the eye and extended about half-way to the nape. The bill was solid black and was proportioned similar to that of Semipalmated Plover, although it ap- poitrofl to be somewhat more pointed. No orange was noted on the bill. Several notable characteristics separated the bird from nearby Semipalmated Plovers. First the bird appeared to be slightly larger (about 10 to 15%) than the Semipalmated Plovers, and lacked the white collar across the back of the neck typical of that species. The leg color was grayish-green, obviously different from the yellowi.sh legs of nearby Semipalmated Plovers. In addition, the legs appeared to be longer than those of that species. The bird was somewhat lighter brown than a nearby Semipalmated Plover, but the latter bird was in adult plumage. There were no Juvenal plumaged Semipalmated Plovers nearby for di- rect comparison. Observers reported only one vocalization that may have come from the sand-plover. 'When the bird in question and a Semi- palmated Plover took off together, two distinct calls were heard. The first was the typical “chu-wee” or “tu-wee” of Semipalmated Plover. The second was a very rapid 3-4 note “tee-dee-dee” with a Western Sand- piper-like (Calidris mauri) quality. This call helped to eliminate the pos- sibility that the subject bird was an unusual Semipalmated Plover. I used a variety of characters (Paulson 2005) to eliminate other Charadrius species from consideration. The bill proportions eliminated large-billed Wilson’s Plover {C. wilsonia) and most subspecies of Greater Sand-Plover. The plumage color was too brown for Piping Plo- ver (C. melodus) and this character plus bill shape eliminated Snowy Plover (C. alexandrinus). The relatively weak wingbar, the long legs, and the lack of a white collar and face removed Common Ringed Plover (C. hiaticula) from consideration, while the lack of an eye ring elimi- nated Little Ringed Plover (G dubius). Size and the lack of breast 28 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST bands eliminated Mountain Plover (C. montanus) and Killdeer (C. vociferus), respectively. Finally, the bird was too large and its legs too dark for Collared Plover (C. collaris). Analysis of digital photographs yielded further information. A total of 29 digital photographs were available for evaluation. From the digi- tal images it was possible to measure tarsus length on 14 images and bill length on five images. Using the means of these measures, I calcu- lated a tarsus :bill ratio for the bird in question as 1.91:1. Hirschfeld et al. (2000) gave tarsus:bill ratios of 1.86 to 1.98 (range 1.70 to 2.16) for subspecies of Lesser Sand-Plover, and 1.55 to 1.66 (range 1.43 to 1.78) for the closely related Greater Sand-Plover, for which there is a single North American record (Abbott et al. 2000). The tarsusrbill length ratio of 1.9 places the bird in question within the typical range of relative bill length of Lesser Sand-Plover, but well short of relative bill length of Greater Sand-Plover (Hirschfeld et al. 2000). It must be noted that this is considered a potential supporting characteristic and is not conclu- sive by itself I also was able to measure bill length and eye-to-base-of- bill distance on the photographs. As the two measurements are equally affected by angle of the head, I was not restricted to only perfect pro- files and thus I could acquire measurements from 14 images. The re- sulting eye-to-bill distance :bill“length ratio was 1.1 ± 0.3 (Mean ± SE), suggesting that the bill was shorter than the distance from the back of the eye to the bill. Greater Sand-Plover tends to have a bill length that is longer than this distance. Overall, this ratio falls into the range for Lesser Sand-Plovers, but it does not eliminate C. /. columhinus, a small subspecies of the Greater Sand-Plover. Hirschfeld et al. (2002) pointed out that the ratio overlap with C. 1. columhinus makes this an unreli- able characteristic for determining species. Nonetheless the calculated ratio does argue against the possibility that the bird in question can only be Greater Sand-Plover. Further, a strong character that was ob- served in the bird at St. Marks NWR, the short, relatively stout, blunt- tipped bill, does rule out C. Z. columhinus which has relatively slender, pointed bill. Confirming characters of the St. Marks bird were the long- legged look with relatively short tibia, the rounded head, and the for- ward-balanced appearance of the body ("jizz”) (Hirschfeld et al. 2000). Although it is impossible to positively identify the population from which this bird originated, several lines of evidence suggest that it likely came from an east Asian population. This species has been re- corded even fewer times in Europe than it has in North America (even excluding Alaska) (Hirschfeld et al. 2000); thus it is unlikely that the bird arrived from the east. Hirschfeld et al. (2000) identified six breed- ing populations, three from western Asia and the Middle East (three subspecies collectively known as the atrifrons group), and three from eastern Asia (the mongolus group, including C. m. stegmanni). Since Curtis— First Lesser Sand-Plover in Florida 29 the migration routes of all members of the atrifrons group tend to be due south or ^vestward, vagrants from this group would first have to travel several thousand miles in the wrong (easterly) direction, tra= versing all of Asia, before entering North America. In contrast, the easternmost breeding population of the mongolus group (C. m. steg- manni), that on the Commander Islands (Hirschfeld et al. 2000), occa- sionally extends into Alaska (Byrd et al. 1978). Specimens from several Alaskan islands were identified as C. m, stegmanni (Byrd et al. 1978, Thompson and DeLong 1969), and Gibson (1981) assumed that Lesser Sand-Plovers found in the western Aleutians were C. m. stegmanni, even though the only specimen that he reported could not be identified to subspecies. Thus, C. m. stegmanni is the most likely candidate for vagrancy to eastern North America. The documentation provided above was reviewed by two biologists who have field experience with sand-plovers: E. Hirschfeld (Europe) and R. Boughton (Australia), and both concurred with the identifica- tion. Written documentation and photographs were submitted to the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (record #05-575) which confirmed the identification and added Lesser Sand Plover to the official state list of birds. Acknowledgments I thank Paul Lehman, Bill Grins, and Jim Ingold for information regarding previous Lesser Sand-Plover sightings in Eastern North America, and Jon Greenlaw and Tom Webber for helpful suggestions during the preparation of this manuscript. Literature Cited Abbott, S., S. N. G. Howell, and P. Pyle. 2001. First North American record of Greater Sandplover. North American Birds 55:252-257. Byhd, G. V., J. L. Trapp, and D. D. Gibson. 1978. New information on Asiatic birds in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Condor 80:309-315. Dittmann, D. L. 1990. Sixth report of the Louisiana Ornithological Society Bird Records Committee. Journal of Louisiana Ornithology 2:21-41. Gibson, D. D, 1981. Migrant birds at Shemya Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Condor 83:6577. Hanson, J. 2005, New Jersey Bird Records Committee List of Accepted Records of Rare Birds in New Jersey Through 2004. New Jersey Birds 31: Supplement. Hirschfeld, E., C. S. Roselaar, and H. Shirihai. 2000. Identification, taxonomy and distribution of Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers. British Birds 93:162-189. Loftin, R. W. 1992. Species index to Louisiana bird records in American Birds volumes 1-45, 1947-1991. Journal of Louisiana Ornithology 2:1-49. McRae, R. D, 1985. Mongolian Plover: new to Canada. Ontario Birds 3:18-23. Paulson, D. 2005. Shorebirds of North America: The Photographic Guide, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. Peterson, W. R. 1999. New England Region. North American Birds 53:363-366. Thompson, M. C., and R. L. DeLong. 1969. Birds new to North America and the Pribilof Islands, Alaska. Auk 86:747-749. 30 Florida Field Naturalist 35(l);30-37, 2007. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Summer Report: June-July 2006. — This report consists of significant bird obser- vations compiled by the Field Observations Committee (FOC). 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 sig- nificance. 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 are found at the end of this report. We greatly prefer observations sent via e-mail. Sight-only observations are considered “reports” while only those supported by verifi- able evidence (photographs, video or audio tapes, or specimens) are called “records.” Species for which documentation is required by the FOS Records Committee (FOSRC; Bowman 2004, Fla. Field Nat. 32:7-33) are marked here with an asterisk (*). A county designation (in italics) accompanies the first-time listing of each site in this report. Ab- breviations in this report are: CWA = Critical Wildlife Area, EOS = end of season, NP = national park, NSRA = north shore restoration area, NWR = national wildlife refuge, SP = state park, STA = stormwater treatment area, STF = sewage treatment facility, and N, S, E, W etc., for compass directions. Bold-faced entries denote birds newly reported or verified in Florida, or record counts. SUMMAKY OF THE SUMMER SEASON Summer 2006 was fairly typical weather-wise, although the western Panhandle was subject to what Bob Duncan called a “desiccating drought.” Also, Tropical Storm A/6erto struck the Big Bend region on 13 Jun, causing minimal damage. But predictably, sev- eral pelagics, especially terns, were reported along the Gulf coast in the wake of the storm. FOSRC rarities reported this season were the Southern Lapwing at St. Marks NWR (if considered a native vagrant) and the South Polar Skua off Jacksonville. Juve- nile Bronzed Cowbirds photographed at Homestead, where adults were observed all season, probably provide sufficient proof of breeding, thereby adding a new breeding species to Florida. No new native or exotic species were reported. Species Accounts Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: 18 adults at St. Marks NWR {Wakulla) 3 Jun (T. Cur- tis); 2 W of Tavares {Lake) 3 Jun (L. Atherton); 30 at Viera Wetlands {Brevard) 6 Jun (D. Freeland); 12 adults at Springhill Road STF {Leon) 12 Jun (G. Menk); 4 adults at Dade City {Pasco) 17 Jun {fide A. McRae); 7 adults at Lake Jackson {Leon) 24 Jun (G. Menk, M. Collins); 34 birds (2 separate broods) at the Mosaic phosphate mines 10 Jul established the first breeding in Hillsborough (P. Fellers); 16 at Polk phosphate mines 11 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 5 newly-hatched chicks at Alachua {Ala- chua) and 11 chicks at Hague {Alachua) 31 Jul (P. Burns). Fulvous Whistling-Duck: 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP {Alachua) 6-11 Jun (M. Manetz et ah); 10 at phosphate mine 11 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel) including 1 pair with 4 young, furnished the first breeding in Polk. Egyptian Goose: 3 at Lake Apopka NSRA {Orange) 23 Jul (H. Robinson). Canada Goose: 2 at Lake Marion {Polk) 29 Jul (T. Palmer); 5 summered at Sarasota {Sarasota; J. Dubi). Field Observations 31 Table 1. Results of pelagic trips off Miami {Miami-Dade; first three trips; R. Torres et al.), off Jacksonville {Duval) 19 Jun (R. Clark), and to Marathon Hump {Monroe^ final two trips; L. Manfredi et al.). Species 15 Jun 24 Jun 3 Jul 19 Jun 24 Jun 15 Jul Black-capped Petrel 0 0 0 0 1 0 Cory’s Shearwater 0 3 9 300+ 5 0 Greater Shearwater 0 0 1 300+ 3 0 Audubon’s Shearwater 0 1 6 1 10 0 Wilson’s Storm-Petrel 2 2 1 0 2 6 Band-rumped Storm-Petrel 2 1 1 0 4 0 Tropicbird species 0 0 1 0 0 0 Brown Booby 4 7 1 0 0 0 Glossy Ibis 0 0 0 0 0 25 Bridled Tern 20 1 40 0 77 35 Sooty Tern 15 3 100+ 0 37 8 Brown Noddy 0 0 2 0 7 1 * South Polar Skua 0 0 0 1 0 0 Long-tailed Jaeger 0 0 0 1 0 0 Mallard x Mottled Duck: 4 hybrids along with 142 Mottled Ducks and 1 Mallard at Trinity {Pasco) 10 Jun (K. Tracey). Mottled Duck: 580 at Polk phosphate mines 7 Jul (P. Timmer). Blue-winged Teal: 1 male at Blue Heron STF {Brevard) 1 Jun (T. Dunkerton); 2 (male and female) at Viera 6 Jun-EOS (D. Freeland et al.); 18 at Polk mines 25 Jul (P. Fellers). Redhead: 1 drake at Gulf Harbors, New Port Richey {Pasco) 13 Jun (K. Tracey, B. Pranty, photo to FOC). Greater Scaup: 1 hen at Merritt Island NWR {Brevard) 9 Jun (R, Fewster, photo to FOC). Lesser Scaup: 1 drake at S Merritt Island {Brevard) 19 Jul (D. Freeland); 1 hen and 3 drakes summered at Springhill Road STF (G. Menk). Surf Scoter: 1 drake at S Merritt Island 8-14 Jun (D. Freeland et al.). Black Scoter: 2 drakes at N Merritt Island {Brevard) 9 Jun (D. Freeland). Bufflehead: 1 hen at Springhill Road STF to 15 Jun (G. Menk). Red-breasted Merganser: 3 drakes at St. Marks NWR 3 Jun (T. Curtis). Ruddy Duck: 4 BiPolk phosphate mines 11 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Horned Grebe: 1 in alternate plumage at Fort Walton Beach STF {Okaloosa) 2 Jun (R, Smith et al.). Cory's Shearwater: 25 at Boynton Inlet {Palm Beach) 3 & 10 Jul, and 2 there 11 Jul (B. Hope); 1 at Destin {Okaloosa) 31 Jul (B, Garmon). Greater Shearwater: 1 at Boynton Inlet 10 Jul (B. Hope). Audubon’s Shearwater: singles at Boynton Inlet 10 & 11 Jul (B. Hope). Northern Gannet: 3 immatures at St. Andrew SP {Bay) 5 Jun (R. Smith et al.). American White Pelican: 25 at St. Marks NWR 12 Jun (C. Borg); 375 at Polk mines 7 Jul (P. Fellers). Anhinga: 280 at Lake Apopka NSRA 26 Jul (H. Robinson). Magnificent Frigatebird: 1 female at Alligator Point {Franklin) 2 Jun (R. McGregor); 1 at St. Marks NWR 5 Jun (M. Keys); at least 140 roosted on a spoil island near Hon- eymoon Island SP {Pinellas) 8 Jun (K. Tracey); 2 birds 16 km inland over Spring Hill {Hernando) following Tropical Storm A/6erto 13 Jun (A. & B. Hansen). 32 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Least Bittern: 28 at Viera 6 Jun (D. Freeland); 1 at Melbourne Beach {Brevard) 22-27 Jul (A. Bankert). “Great White Heron:” 1 in Okaloosa 19 Jun- 14 Jul (L. Dougherty, P. Goodyear). Snowy Egret: 750 at Viera 30 Jun (D. Freeland). Reddish Egret: 2 juveniles at St. Marks NWR 12 Jun (C. Borg); 4, including 2 white morphs, at Nassau Sound (Duval) 15-22 Jul (P. Leary). Green Heron: 43 at Viera 6 Jun (D. Freeland). Yellow-crowned Night-Heron: up to 3 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 6 Jun (M. Manetz et aL). White Ibis: 1800 at Tomoka Landfill (Volusia) 31 Jul (D. Freeland). Glossy Ibis: up to 2 at Lake Jackson 6-12 Jun (G. Menk). *White-FACED Ibis: 1 adult at Paynes Prairie Preserve 7 Jun (H. Adams); 2 adults and 1 immature at St. Marks NWR 17 Jun (T. Curtis). Roseate Spoonbill: up to 14 (1 adult and 13 juveniles, including 3 banded) at Bystre Lake (Hernando) 5-28 Jun (M. Gardler); 2 in E Leon 10 Jun (B. Ritchie); 6 at Lake Ap- opka NSRA 11 Jun (T, Rodriguez), and 4 there 28 Jul (H. Robinson); 50 at Gulf Harbors 14 Jun included 1 banded at Florida Bay and 4 banded at Tampa Bay (K. Tracey); up to 10 at Ocala (Marion) 20-23 Jun (A. Luzader, M. Paczolt); up to 22 at St. Marks NWR 24 Jun-8 Jul (S. McCool et aL); up to 3 at Gainesville (Alachua) 25 Jun-EOS (P. Sindelar, L. Hensley, R. Garren et aL); 53 at Merritt Island NWR (45 in Brevard and 8 in Volu- sia) 27 Jun (D. Freeman); 50 at Viera 30 Jun (D. Freeland); 7 at Polk mines 11 Jul (P, Timmer, C. Geanangel); 3 at Scott Lake, Lakeland (Polk) 21 Jul (T. Palmer). Wood Stork: 70 active nests with young at Greenbrooke, Seven Springs (Pasco) 8 Jun (K. Tracey); 250 at Viera 30 Jun (D. Freeland); 125 at Tomoka Landfill 31 Jul (D. Freeland). Osprey: 117 at Pott mines 11 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Swallow-tailed Kite: 1440 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Jul, and 1560 there 26 Jul (H. Robinson). Snail Kite: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 8-24 Jun (M. Manetz, B. Christensen et aL); 1 male at Shadow Ridge, Hudson 6 Jul (B. Skiba, photos to FOC) furnished the first record for Pasco; 1 adult male 6 km E of CR-951 (Collier) 30 Jul (T. Doyle). Mississippi Kite: 70 at Tram Road STF (Leon) 1 Jun (E. Woodruff) and 100 there 11 Jul (R. Lengacher); 3 at N Jacksonville 9 & 17 June (K. Dailey); 1 at Coleman (Sumter) 9 Jun (R, Rowan); 1 over Lake Weir (Marion) 25 Jun (R. Smith); 1 at S Jacksonville 4 Jul (J. Wheat); 33 at Fort Walton Beach STF 21 Jul (D. Ware). Bald Eagle: one nest at Hudson fledged nestlings in Mar and Jun (K. Tracey). Northern Harrier: 1 in female plumage at the Sarasota Celery Fields (Sarasota) 27 Jun (J. Dubi, E. Miller). Cooper's Hawk: 1 adult and 1 juvenile summered at West Kendall (Miami-Dade; J. Boyd), and 3 juveniles elsewhere at West Kendall 18 Jun (J. Weber); 1 at Naples (Col- lier) 21 Jun (D. Suitor); 1 frequently at Miami Shores (Miami-Dade) in Jul (A. Harper). Red-shouldered Hawk: 101 at Lake Apopka NSRA 30 Jul (H. Robinson). Broad-winged Hawk: 1 juvenile at Lake Apopka NSRA 12 Jul (H, Robinson). Short-tailed Hawk: 1 light morph E of Brooksville (Hernando) 25 Jun (M. Gardler); 1 at Black Point Swamp (Levy) 30 Jun (J. Hintermister); 1 light morph at Avon Park Air Force Range (Highlands) 3 Jul (P. Fellers); 1 dark morph at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP (Okeechobee) 5 Jul (P. Miller); of 2 radio-tagged in South Florida in late 2005, 1 was found dead at Paynes Prairie Preserve in Jun and the other was at Newnans Lake (Ala- chua) 14-24 Jul (K. Meyer, S. Hofstetter); 1 light morph at Florida Forever (Osceola) 21 Jul (B. & L. Cooper); 1 dark morph at Casselberry (Seminole) 24 Jul (A. Vinokur). American Kestrel: 4 (presumably paulus) at Golden Aster Scrub Preserve (Hillsbor- ough) 18 Jun (G. Parsons); 1 at a Polk mine 16 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). King Rail: 209 at Lake Apopka NSRA 23 Jul (H. Robinson). Field Observations 33 Purple Swamphen: 100+ at STA 5 {Hendry) 24 Jun (M. England et aL). Purple Gallinule: 1 adult with 4 chicks in mid-Pinellas 26 Jun (J. Fisher). American Coot: 8 at Polk mines 11 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 1-2 each at four sites in Leon variously this summer (G. Menk); 2 summered at Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota (J. Dubi). Sandhill Crane: 1 near Mahogany Hammock, Everglades NP (Miami-Dade) 20 Jun (S. Schneider). *S0UTHERN Lapwing: 1 of the cayennensis group remained at St. Marks NWR to 11 Jun (J. Murphy). Black-bellied Plover: 15 at Merritt Island NWR 22 Jun (D. Freeland); 2 at Shiloh Marsh (Volusia) 18 Jul (B. Wallace). American Golden-Plover: 1 at Viera Wetlands 29 Jul (A. Bankert). Wilson’s Plover: 16 adults and 2 chicks at Cayo Costa SP (Lee) 4 Jun (C. Ewell); 16 adults, 1 juvenile, and 7 chicks at Little Estero Island CWA (Lee) 8 Jun (C. Ewell); 60, including 2 chicks, at Nassau Sound 15 Jul (P. Leary). Semipalmated Plover: 1 at Merritt Island NWR 9-22 Jun (D. Freeland); duos at Shiloh Marsh 15 Jun & 18 Jul (B. Wallace); 1 at a Polk mine 16 Jul (P. Timmer, C, Geanan- gel); 2 at Viera 27 Jul (T. Dunkerton). Piping Plover: 3 at Nassau Sound 22 Jul (P. Leary). Black-necked Stilt: 2 at Bystre Lake 1 Jun-EOS (M. Gardler); 2 at Paynes Prairie Pre- serve 6 Jun (M. Manetz); 181 at Loughman’s Lake {Brevard) 19 Jun (M. Brothers); 9 at Melbourne Beach 27 Jul (A. Bankert). American Avocet: 3 at Shiloh Marsh 15 Jun, and 13 there 18 Jul (B. Wallace); 6 at Mer- ritt Island NWR 22 Jun, and 15 there 24 Jul-EOS (D. Freeland); 10 at STA 5, 24 Jun (M. England et al.); 45 at Polk mines 11 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 2 at Lake Ap- opka NSRA 30 Jul (H. Robinson); 2 at St. Marks NWR 31 Jul (A. Wraithmell). Greater Yellowlegs: 1 at Viera 6 Jun, and 2 there 30 Jun (D. Freeland); 1 at Merritt Island NWR 9 Jun, and 30 there 31 Jul (D. Freeland); 3 at Loughman’s Lake 19 Jun (M. Brothers); 6 at Shiloh Marsh 22 Jun (D. Freeland), and 125 there 17 Jul (M. Brothers, B. Wallace); 2 at Springhill Road STF 29 Jun (G. Menk); up to 4 (21 Jul) at Lake Apopka NSRA 16-23 Jul (H. Robinson); up to 3 at Polk mines 11-16 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Lesser Yellowlegs: 1 at Viera 14 Jim (D. Freeland); 8 at Loughman’s Lake 19 Jun (M. Brothers); 3 at Shiloh Marshes 22 Jun (D. Freeland), and 2 there 17 Jul (M. Broth- ers, B. Wallace); 2 at Springhill Road STF 29 Jun (G. Menk); singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 2 & 21 Jul (H. Robinson); 1 at Gainesville 5 Jul (R. Rowan); up to 33 (10 Jul) at Polk mines 10-16 Jul (P. Fellers et al.); 10 at Merritt Island NWR 31 Jul (D. Freeland). Solitary Sandpiper: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 14-21 Jul (H. Robinson); 2 at Hague 24 Jul (M. Manetz); 9 at S Fort Myers (Lee) 24 Jul (V. McGrath et al.). Spotted Sandpiper: 2 at Viera 6 Jun (D. Freeland); 6 at Shiloh Marsh 17 Jul (M. Broth- ers, B. Wallace); 5 at Hague 24 Jul (M. Manetz). Upland Sandpiper: 1 at Springhill Road STF 29 Jun (G. Menk). Whimbrel: 5 at St. Marks NWR 15 Jun (C. Borg); 1 at Satellite Beach 29 Jul (D. Freeland et al.). Marbled Godwit: 2 in basic plumage at Little Estero Island CWA 8 Jun (C. Ewell); 2 at Fort De Soto Park {Pinellas) 13 Jun (R. Smith). Red Knot: 1 at St. Marks NWR 3 Jun (T. Curtis); 19 in basic plumage at Cayo Costa SP 4 Jun (C. Ewell); 13 in basic plumage at Little Estero Island CWA 8 Jun (C. Ewell); 2 at Nassau Sound 15 Jul (P. Leary). SanderlinG: 79 in basic plumage at Little Estero Island CWA 8 Jun (C. Ewell). Semipalmated Sandpiper: 1 at Newnans Lake 2 Jun (J. Bryan); 24 at Springhill Road STF 8 Jun (G. Menk); 2 at Merritt Island NWR 9 Jun, and 100 there 22 Jun (D. Freeland); 20 at Polk mines 11 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 100+ at Shiloh Marsh 34 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST 15 Jun, and 2 there 17 Jul (M. Brothers, Wallace); 2 at Alachua 24 Jul (P. Burns); 10+ at Viera 27 Jul (T. Dunkerton). Western Sandpiper: 1 at Polk mines 10 Jul (P. Fellers), and 7 there 16 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 5 at Viera 13 Jul, and 30+ there 27 Jul (T. Dunkerton); 7 at Shiloh Marsh 17 Jul (M. Brothers, B. Wallace); 152 molting adults at Little Estero Island CWA 30 Jul (C. Ewell). Least Sandpiper: 3 at Springhill Road STF 8 Jun (G. Menk); 1 at St. Marks NWR 12 Jun (C. Borg); 1 at Viera 14 Jun, 50+ there 13 Jul, and 250 there 26 Jul (D. Freeland, T. Dunkerton); 25 at Merritt Island NWR 22 Jun (D. Freeland); 3 at Springhill Road STF 1 Jul (S. McCool); 50 at Shiloh Marshes 17 Jul (M. Brothers, B. Wallace); 12 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Jul (H. Robinson). White-RUMPED Sandpiper: 18 at Fort De Soto 2 Jun (L. Atherton); 1 in alternate plum- age at Cayo Costa SP 3 Jun (C. Ewell); 30+ at Shiloh Marsh 15 Jun (B. Wallace); 80 at the Everglades Agricultural Area {Palm Beach) 21 Jun (B. Hope); 3 at Merritt Is- land NWR 22 Jun (D. Freeland); 1 at Viera 27 Jul (T. Dunkerton). Pectoral Sandpiper: 1 at Hague 15 Jul (M. Manetz); 1 at Viera 27 Jul (T. Dunkerton); 50 at the Sarasota polo grounds 27 Jul (J. Dubi); 20+ at S Fort Myers 30-31 Jul (V. McGrath et ah). Dunlin: 6 at Merritt Island NWR 24 Jul (D. Freeland). Stilt Sandpiper: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 12 Jul, and singles there 19 & 26 Jul (H. Rob- inson); 6 at Viera 13 Jul (T. Dunkerton), and 10 there 26 Jul (D. Freeland); 3 at Sprin- ghill Road STF 20 Jul (G. Menk); 9 at Polk mines 16 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 1 in alternate plumage 30 Jul provided the first for Ten Thousand Islands NWR {Col- lier; T. Doyle); 3 at S Fort Myers 30-31 Jul (V. McGrath et aL). Short-billed Dowitcher: 18 in basic plumage at Little Estero Island CWA 8 Jun (C. Ewell); 3 at Merritt Island NWR 24 Jul (D. Freeland); up to 8 at Springhill Road STF 27 Jul-EOS (G. Menk et al.). American Woodcock: 1 at Gainesville 16 Jul (M. Meisenburg). POMARINE Jaeger: 1 landed “right in front of us on the road” at No Name Key {Monroe) 4 Jul (K. Wysocki et ah). Laughing Gull: 7700+ at Huguenot Memorial Park {Duval) 27 Jul (R. Clark); 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Jul (H. Robinson). Gull-billed Tern: 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 2 Jun (R. Smith et al.); up to 14 at Polk mines 11-16 Jul (P, Timmer et al.), Caspian Tern: 1 at St. Johns River Marshes {Volusia) 19 Jun (M. Brothers). Royal Tern: 2500+ at Huguenot Park 27 Jul (R. Clark). Sandwich Tern: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 30 Jul (H. Robinson). Common Tern: 4 immatures at Gulf Harbors 13 Jun (K. Tracey); 3 at Fred Howard Park {Pinellas) 13 Jun (R. Smart); 1 at Fort De Soto 13 Jun (L. Atherton). Least Tern: 105 nests, 10 chicks, and 9 juveniles at Little Estero Island CWA 8 Jun (C. Ewell); 1 at Hague 10 Jun (H. Adams, B. Mollison); 50 nests at N Caladesi Island {Pinellas) were destroyed by Tropical Storm Alberto 13 Jun (S. Crav/ford); a breeding colony of 25 on salt flats along the St. Johns River 19 Jun (M. Brothers); over 100 suc- cessful nests at Fort Pickens {Escambia) and many juveniles in Jul (B. Duncan); 280 at Polk mines 16 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Bridled Tern: 2 at Boynton Inlet 10 Jul (B. Hope). Sooty Tern: 1 at Gulf Harbors 13 Jun (K. Tracey); 15 at the Dunedin Causeway {Pinel- las) 13 Jun (S. Crawford); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 14 Jun (H. Robinson); 10 at Boyn- ton Inlet 10 Jul (B. Hope). Black Tern: 2 at St. Marks NWR 13 Jun (S. McCool); 3 at Gulf Harbors 13 Jun (K. Tracey, B. Pranty); 1 at Honeymoon Island SP 13 Jun (L. Kenney); up to 4 (16 Jul) ^tPolk mines 11-16 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel et aL); 130 at Gandy Bridge {Pinel- las) 29 Jul (R. Smith). Field Observations 35 Brown Noddy: 2 at St. George Island (Franklin) 13 Jun (K. Theodorou); 7 at the Dune- din Causeway 13 Jun (S. Crawford). Black Skimmer: 6 nests at Boca Grande 1 Jun were the only breeding skimmers found along the entire Lee coastline (C. Ewell); 150 nests on N Caladesi Island were de- stroyed by Alberto 13 Jun (S. Crawford); 84, including young, at Polk mines 10 Jul (P. Fellers); over 30 successful nests at Pensacola Beach (Escambia) and many juve- niles in Jul (B. Duncan). African Collared-DOVE: 1 domesticated form (i.e., a “Ringed Turtle-Dove”) along Bay- shore Boulevard, Tampa (Hillsborough) late May-early Jun (D. Snyder, details to FOC). White-winged Dove: 20 or more summered S of Kissimmee Prairie Preserve (P. Miller, M, Korosy). Monk Parakeet: 2 at South Daytona (Volusia) 24 Jun (M. Brothers); 1 at Panama City (Bay) 4-10 Jul (R. Ingram). Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 52 at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 Jun (H. Robinson). Chimney Swift: 150 at Lake Apopka NSRA 30 Jul (H. Robinson). Belted Kingfisher: 2 at Newberry (Alachua) 24 Jun (J. Biyan); 1 S of Florida City (Mi- ami-Dade) 3 Jul (B. & L. Cooper); 1 at Orlando Wetlands Park (Orange) 4 Jul (E. Kwa- ter); 1 at Cape Romano (Collier) 5 Jul (D. Suitor); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Jul (H. Robinson); 1 at Altamonte Springs (Seminole) 21 Jul (P. Hueber); 1 at Green Key Road, New Port Richey 21 Jul (K. Tracey); 7 at Merritt Island NWR 31 Jul (D. Freeland). Hairy Woodpecker: 1 at Lake Thonotosassa (Hillsborough) 12 Jun (G. & R. Kraetzman), Red-COCKADED Woodpecker: 2 at Golden Gate Estates (Collier) 17 Jun (D. Suitor); 1 at Longleaf Flatwoods Reserve 31 Jul (R. Cavalieros) provided the first Alachua report since 1997. Willow Flycatcher: 1 sang at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Jul (H. Robinson). Gray Kingbird: 2 birds 8 km inland at Weekiwachee Preserve (Hernando) 9 Jun (A. and B. Hansen); 11 at Green Key Road 19 Jul (K. Tracey); pairs bred at Gulf Breeze and downtown Pensacola this season (fide B. Duncan). Yellow-throated VireO: 1 sang at Winter Haven (Polk) 14 Jul (P. Fellers). Red-eyed Vireo: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 26 Jul (H. Robinson). House Crow: 1 of 4 at Nokomis Beach (Sarasota) 7 Jul flew into a powerline and was electrocuted (K. Blackshaw)! Specimen to Florida Museum of Natural History, UF 45329. Purple Martin: 6 pairs bred in cavities in cabbage palm snags at Viera 14 Jun (D. Freeland); 35 at Lake Jackson 21 Jun (G. Menk); 375 at Polk mines 11 Jul (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Tree Swallow: singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 & 19-21 Jul (H. Robinson); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 25 Jul (B, Duncan). Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 4 at Brasher Park, Port Richey (Pasco) 3 Jun (K. Tracey), Bank Swallow: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Jul, and 5 there 28 Jul (H, Robinson); 2 at Altamonte Springs 23 Jul (P. Hueber). Cliff Swallow: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 23 Jul (H. Robinson); 1 at Merritt Island NWR 24 Jul (A. Bankert); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 25 Jul (B. Duncan). Barn Swallow: 1 leucistic individual at a colony under the SR-46 bridge across the St. Johns River (Volusia) 19 Jun was nearly wholly white with dusky feathers on the back and wings (M. Brothers); 3530 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Jul; all but 100 roosted in a cattail marsh (H. Robinson). American Robin: 7 on the Hilliard Breeding Bird Survey route (Nassau) 3 Jun (D. Freeland). Gray Catbird: 1 male sang at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 Jun-28 Jul (H. Robinson); 1 at Hague 14-16 Jun (M. Manetz); 1 at Gainesville 27 Jul (J. Edwards), 36 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Yellow Wakbler: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 26 Jul, and 2 there 30 Jul (H. Robinson); 5 at Green Key Road 29 Jul (K, Tracey). Prairie Warbler: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 16 Jul, and 7 there 28 Jul (H. Robinson); 14 at Green Key Road 19 Jul (K. Tracey); several at Arch Creek Park (Miami-Dade) 20 Jul (J. King); 1 at Gainesville 21 Jul (G. Parks); 2 banded at Wekiva Springs SP (Or- ange) 27 Jul (A. Boyle). Black-and-white Warbler: 1 male sang at Cedar Key (Levy) 1 Jun (D. Henderson); 1 at Tallahassee (Leon) 11 Jul (D. Morrow); several at Arch Creek Park 20 Jul (J. King); 1 at Fort George Island (Duval) 27 Jul (R. Clark); 1 banded at Wekiva Springs SP 27 Jul (A, Boyle); 1 at Saddle Creek Park (Polk) 31 Jul (P. Fellers). American Redstart: 1 second-year male sang at Altamonte Springs 1 Jun (P. Hueber); 1 at St. Marks NWR 16 Jul (A, Wraithmell); 1 at Arch Creek Park 20 Jul (J. King); 1 at Fort George Island 27 Jul (R. Clark); 1 at Gainesville 27 Jul (G, Parks); 1 at Saddle Creek Park 31 Jul (P. Fellers). Prothonotary Warbler: 2 at Green Key Road 29 Jul (K. Tracey). Northern Waterthrush: 1 banded at Wekiva Springs SP 27 Jul (A. Boyle); 1 window casualty at Gulf Breeze (Santa Rosa) 28 Jul (T. King, specimen to Pensacola Junior College). Louisiana Waterthrush: 1 at Chattahoochee (Gadsden) 4 Jun (R. Smith); 1 at O’Leno SP (Alachua) 28 Jun (C. Parenteau); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 12-16 Jul, and 3 there 28 Jul (H. Robinson); 1 at Fort George Island 14 Jul (R. Clark); 1 male sang at Talla- hassee 23 Jul (G. Menk); 15 or more along the Santa Fe River between SR-47 and River Rise Preserve SP (Alachua) 29 Jul (A. Reakes). Kentucky Warbler: 1 at Alligator Point 31 Jul (J. Murphy). Yellow-breasted Chat: up to 12 (21 Jun) summered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson). Chipping Sparrow: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 3 Jun (B. Mollison, H, Adams). Savannah Sparrow: 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 8 Jun (R. Rowan); 1 at Hague 11 Jun (S. Flamand), Florida Grasshopper Sparrow: 72 singing males during surveys at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve was the lowest count since surveys began in 1999 (P, Miller et aL). Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 1 female and 1 male at Gulf Breeze 4 Jun (B, & L. Duncan). Blue Grosbeak: a nest with 2 small nestlings at Orangedale (St. Johns) 16 Jul perhaps represented a second brood, as adults and 2 juveniles were nearby (P. Powell); up to 33 (19 Jun) summered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson). Indigo Bunting: up to 33 (10 Jul) summered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson). Dickcissel: at least 4 males sang at Lake Apopka NSRA all summer (H. Robinson). Bobolink: 1 female at St, Marks NWR 11 Jun (J. Murphy). Boat-tailed Grackle: 12,000 at Lake Apopka NSRA 26 Jul (H. Robinson). Shiny Cowbird: 2 (male displa5dng to female) at Bald Point (Franklin) 5 Jun (J, Dozier); 1 singing male at Cedar Key 5-10 Jun & 3-21 Jul, and 1 female there 9 Jul (D. Hender- son); 2 males and 1 female at Flamingo 18 Jun (C, Newton); 1 male at Green Key Road 1 & 18 Jul (K. Tracey, photos to FOC); 1 adult male and 3 juveniles at Captiva Island (Lee) 4 Jul (V. McGrath); 1 at Alachua 14 Jul (M, Reetz; UF 45301); 1 male at Lake Ap- opka NSRA 16-21 Jul (H. Robinson); 1 male at Fort De Soto 17 Jul (L. Atherton). Bronzed Cowbird: 1 near Florida International University (Miami-Dade) 3 Jun (S. Schneider); up to 14 at a Homestead feeder in Jul (L. Manfredi); 1 male, 1 female, and 2 juveniles at Pinecrest (Miami-Dade) 17 Jul (L. Manfredi); 1 at Miami Shores 22 Jul (A. Harper). Orchard Oriole: up to 12 (4 & 16 Jun) summered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson). House Finch: up to 5 at Weeki Wachee (Hernando) 1 Jun-EOS (M. Gardler); 6 at St. Au- gustine (St. Johns) 10 Jun (N. Nader); 1 yellow morph at S Orlando (Orange) 23 Jun (T, Dunkerton); 3 at Fernandina Beach (Nassau) 22 Jul (K. Dailey); 1 male sang at Tampa 31 Jul (L. Snyder). Field Observations 37 American Goldfinch: 1 at Gainesville 1 Jun (M. Jones). Pin-tailed Whydah: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 11 Jun (H. Robinson). Nutmeg Mannikin: 1 at E Pensacola 29 Jul (M. J. Miller). Contributors? Howard Adams, Lyn Atherton, Andy Bankert, Ken Blackshaw, Chris Borg, John Boyd, Andrew Boyle, Judy Bryan, Michael Brothers, Patricia Burns, Roberto Cavalieros, Bruce Christensen, Roger Clark, Michael Collins, Buck & Linda Cooper, Sid Crawford, Tom Curtis, Kevin Dailey, Terry Donovan, Linda Dougherty, Terry Doyle, Jack Dozier, Jeanne Dubi, Bob Duncan, Lucy Duncan, Thomas Dunkerton, Jennifer Edwards, Margaret England, Charlie Ewell, Paul Fellers, R. Fewster, Judy Fisher, Scott Flamand, David Freeland, Dot Freeman, Murray Gardler, Ben Garmon, Rob Garren, Chuck Geanangel, Phil Goodyear, A1 & Bev Hansen, Alex Harper, Dale Henderson, Linda Hensley, John Hintermister, Steve Hofstetter, Brian Hope, Paul Hueber, Richard Ingram, Marcy Jones, Lillian Kenney, M. Keys, Jim King, Tim King, Marianne Korosy, Gail & Russ Kruetzman, Ed Kv^rater, Patrick Leary, Rob Lengacher, Angela Luzader, Mike Manetz, Larry Manfredi, Sean McCool, Vince McGrath, Ross McGregor, Ann McRae, Michael Meisenburg, Gail Menk, Ken Meyer, Edith Miller, Mary Jean Miller, Paul Miller, Barbara Mollison, Don Morrow, John Murphy, Nick Nader, Chris Newton, Mike Paczolt, Tom Palmer, Craig Parenteau, Geoff Parks, Gail Parsons, Peggy Pov#ell, Bill Pranty, Alice Reakes, Matthew Reetz, B. Ritchie, Harry Robinson, Tom Rodriguez, Rex Rowan, Susan Schneider, Paul Sindelar, Bud Skiba, Ray Smart, Ron Smith, Donna Snyder, Lee Snyder, Doug Suitor, Karen Theodorou, Pete Timmer, Roberto Torres, Ken Tracey, Alex Vinokur, Bob Wallace, Don Ware, Jeff We- ber, James Wheat, Ed Woodruff, Andy Wraithmell, and Ken Wysocki. Spring 2006 reports not previously published; Gray-cheeked Thrush: 1 at Port Orange {Volusia) 22 May (Michael Brothers); Yellow-breasted Chat: 1 male sang at Or- mond Beach (Volusia) 27 May (Michael Brothers). Report prepared by Bill Pranty, state compiler (8515 Village Mill Row, Bayonet Point, Florida 34667-2662; ). Regional compilers are Brian Ahern (629 Gail Avenue, Temple Terrace, Florida 33617; brianahern@aoLcom), Bruce H. Anderson (2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, Florida 32792; ), John H. Boyd III (15291 SW 108th Terrace, Miami, Florida 33196; ), Bob and Lucy Duncan (614 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561; ); Charlie Ewell (115 SW 51st Terrace, Cape Coral, Flor- ida 33991; ), Bev Hansen (6573 Pine Meadows Drive, Spring Hill, Florida 34606; ), Gail Menk (2725 Peachtree Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32304; no e-mail), Paul Miller (Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, 33104 192nd Avenue, Okeechobee, Florida 34972; ), and Peggy Powell (2965 Forest Circle, Jacksonville, Florida 32257; )= ^ ■ PU ’V pt^SL I «I A^r V • , ‘ . IM ..r-J*. ' :f‘.AU viOMt '.“ .. '5^ » •■ . JirffH ' ^ .-/r i •iif’iivrii - . l*' V .v^^ri^> '.‘ .•: i ..‘rdB;'‘.M I t-f , I »{.'.:) . iV |di| v.Vfj / •-* ^/ irrr^l tryidewf: ' • ;-..».n ^ I? Ite’* 'iWIii, i -t h 'mini HiLrain't i^ruTAtii i-tt* i.tHtS NilUS '^.r Vrtff^ I ' t !■ W'AlUlff^f . : .*■ . . l> i -riiH k :.•; J..'l ' • '* *'' ^ fl^itirtiit irt'Vhi Cf 'lito <*> o 0 , ((JunpiTt -fill -!i • w j ’ , /r.-rM V n_'u- ,-<♦ >!■ '■ ■.■); ’'‘■' • -.fit .W/>-*U ot4 '■“l*'4'ir.tJ -tr.' i)A ' •; • -•^.’ir*^ hi- '• -■*' * -M^rV'. - •,.t>. '•*/ > i'Jj l* '•'*’- i • < OuWi ^|4f'llil4.i,«^?0'f. IT-.Tt.* '. . Tis^‘^'J V»**^. ‘ '^‘..-5f;AiiF' - ^-<5 / •,/.. - '' -,.i-^i . f^_ < -fij *r^i^ * ' *?-'f » •'/ * ■ ? ' '.V. ,mW^ T£ *.i.ii.;>i ‘‘tf ■ . . . * . ii .-♦Jf. ^ • • ' •*/ *iA“i ! v». • r f;.’" ‘' »».’*.< ^' »»rn ’' “'V I t^r* ^ 1 ^ jiiw^ru Mf ■< ./‘-l yil^i «« ««f^ll' *r»i4 ,<■' ‘ f ‘ • ■•‘'5»vr-*.vr uCno: ■♦ ?9^ -t **rt-tf|-,(#f»**|i^VUv - li'iy'V*: 1 ; Aif#in *>«•» ' -/ . ■ sw IP r- • ^ i . , *;■ ^ i ;• •■* ■ * n%<>*. u- M n>^criif4^ '■ ■' * tiji ' »•... ■ *'. ‘»i'^- .* >H*^. jiT|j .i(i.v.M ■t *^-am (• ’ v • O »‘^'. 'iJ»j ; ■ S • l!Mt. i’.^T- r pu/l^ **■ «'»1^ } ^fw«K < ft * ifj *‘r - < I4 ik ^ ..'•'JW •■•f •■»’-■ .‘B*^ * • ' M hii£jk . ft- t'j*' H‘<' . n -i; - jfjT * ,,✓/ '••It i6 weeks old to add a unique combination of colored bands. Pox-like swellings on the featherless body parts of a few fledglings were first observed with the aid of binoculars in early June 2005; subse- 39 40 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST quently, we began looking carefully for current or old lesions on all nestlings, fledglings, and adults. We carefully washed hands and equipment with a 10% Nolvasan (Fort Dodge, Iowa) solution when handling birds to prevent further transmission. We did not observe lesions on any of the 1 16 nestling Florida Scrub- Jays we handled between 28 March and 17 June 2005. We observed lesions on 13 of the 39 (33%) fledg- lings we captured between 23 June and 18 July 2005; lesions were primarily on the feet (12 of the infected fledglings), but also on the cere (3 of the infected fledglings), eyelids (2 of the infected fledglings), and in one case on the axillary region at the base of the wing (Figs. 1-2). The largest of these wounds were approximately 9-10 mm in diameter. Sur- vival of fledglings was independent of whether they had pox-like lesions; 4 of the 13 fledglings with lesions disappeared before September 2005, whereas 5 of the 26 fledg- lings without lesions disappeared before September 2005 (Fisher’s exact; P ~ 0.45). Not all fledglings within a brood showed signs of infection. The apparent infection was more frequent in fledglings than in adults. With binocu- lars, we frequently observed lesions on fledglings but never on adults, although we did trap one adult (out of 5 caught during June-July) with a small 2-3 mm scabby lesion on the right hallux on 19 July. The observed lesions were consistent with avian pox (M, Cunningham and D. For- rester, personal communication). However, we did not sample blood or tissue for labora- tory analysis given time constraints and limited resources. Therefore, we cannot definitively rule out the possibility of other less likely potential causes, including papil- loma virus, scaly leg mites, mycotoxins, or nutritional deficiencies (Tripathy and Reed 1997, Pennycott 2003). Pox-like lesions on Florida Scrub-Jays have been observed occa- sionally in central Florida (R. Bowman, personal communication), but have not been re- Figure 1. Pox-like lesions on the feet of a two-month old Florida Scrub- Jay. Notes 41 Figtire 2. Pox-like lesions on the head of a two-month old Florida Scrub-Jay. Photos taken by C. Faulhaber. ported in frequencies as high as we found in our study. The cause of the outbreak in our study is unknown; we did not observe any instances in 2004 or 2006, It is notable that the 2005 breeding season was preceded by the passage of Hurricane Charley which caused considerable damage to the vegetation and to housing and infrastructure in the study area. The virus is generally transmitted mechanically often by mosquitos (Buenes- tado et al, 2004), and poxvirus is most widespread in Florida during the late summer when mosquito abundance peaks (Forrester and Spalding 2003). Potential effects of the hurricane on mosquito abundance, food availability and microhabitat use are unknown. Monitoring and understanding disease outbreaks is important for managing Florida Scrub-Jay populations, particularly those populations that are small or declining or fac- ing other threats such as habitat loss and degradation from human development. Poxvi- rus could have a negative impact on scrub-jay populations if it increases in frequency following hurricanes or other environmental perturbations. Funding for this project was provided by the Nongame Wildlife Trust Fund of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. We thank M. Cunningham, D. For- rester, J. Rodgers, and an anonymous referee for reviewing the manuscript. Literature Cited Atkinson, C. T., J. K. Lease, R. J. Dusek, and M. D. Samuel. 2005. Prevalence of pox- like lesions and malaria in forest bird communities on leeward Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawaii. Condor 107:537-546. 42 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Bolte, a. L., J. Meurer, and E. F. Kaleta. 1999. Avian host spectrum of avipoxviruses. Avian Pathology 28:415-432. Buenestado, F., C. Gortazar, j. Millan, U. Hofle, and R. Villafuerte. 2004. De- scriptive study of an avian pox outbreak in wild red“Iegged partridges {Alectoris rufa) in Spain. Epidemiology and Infection 132:369-374. Forrester, D. J. 1991. The ecology and epizootiology of avian pox and malaria in wild turkeys. Bulletin of the Society of Vector Ecology 16:127-148. Forrester, D. J., and M. G. Spalding. 2003. Parasites and diseases of wild birds in Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Kirmse, P. 1967. Pox in wild birds: an annotated bibliography. Wildlife Disease 49:1-10. Pennycott, T. W. 2003. Scaly leg, papillomas and pox in wild birds. Veterinary Record 152:444. Tripathy, D. N., and W. M. Reed. 1997. Pox. Pages 643-659 in Diseases of Poultry, 10‘*’ Edition. B. W. Calnek, H. J. Barnes, C. W. Beard, L. R. McDougald, and Y. M. Saif (eds.). Iowa State University Press, Ames. Tripathy, D. N., W. M. Schnitzlein, P. J. Morris, D. L. Janssen, J. K. Zuba, G. Mas- sey, and C. T. Atkinson. 2000. Characterization of poxviruses from forest birds in Hawaii. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 36:225-230. VAN Riper, C., Ill, S. G. van Riper, and W. R. Hansen. 2002. Epizootiology and effect of avian pox on Hawaiian forest birds. Auk 119:929-942. WOOLFENDEN, G. E., AND J. W. FITZPATRICK. 1996. Florida Scrub-Jay {Aphelocoma coer- ulescens). In The Birds of North America, No. 228 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.) The Acad- emy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. 43 Florida Field Naturalist 35(2):43-45, 2007. FIRST VERIFIABLE RECORDS OF THE ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK IN FLORIDA Bill Pranty^ Kurt Radamaker^, Harold WEATHERMAN^ and Harry P. Robinson'* ^8515 Village Mill Row, Bayonet Point, Florida 34667-2662 E-mail: billpranty@hotmaiLcom ^16313 East Crystal Point Drive, Fountain Hills, Arizona 85268 ^St. Johns River Water Management District, 975 Keller Road Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714 ^2455 East Lake Drive, DeLand, Florida 32724 Prior to 2000, the status of the Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) in Florida was uncertain. Robertson and Woolfenden (1992) placed it on their list of unverified species as “ostensibly a rare, occasional to irregular winter visitor.” Stevenson and Anderson (1994) called it a “very rare, irregular winter visitor to Florida, with at least 24 reports by credible observers.” Reports of Rough-legged Hawks in Florida date back to 1937 (Sprunt 1940), and more than 60 reports had accumulated by 1991 (Stevenson and Anderson 1994). However, despite the large number of reports in the state, verifiable ev- idence in the form of specimens, photographs, or videotapes was lacking, and some re- ports undoubtedly were incorrect (e.g., the pair that nested and raised two young [!] on an island in Lake Okeechobee; Sprunt 1940). All five Rough-legged Hawk reports that were submitted to the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (FOSRC) be- tween 1981 and 2001 were rejected (FOSRC records fide A. Kratter in litt.). Here, we describe the first documented occurrences of Rough-legged Hawks in Florida based on three individuals photographed at Lake Apopka North Shore Restoration Area (LANSRA) in Orange County during 2000. Observations While conducting his twice- or thrice-weekly bird surveys at LANSRA, Robinson ob- served a first-winter dark-morph Rough-legged Hawk in the southeastern corner of the restoration area on 16 February 2000 (see Pranty et al. 2002 for a description of the prop- erty). The following day, Radamaker photographed a light-morph Rough-legged Hawk at the same location. It eventually was determined that there were three first-winter Rough- legged Hawks at LANSRA during this period: one light morph and two dark morphs. All three Rough-legged Hawks were observed through 11 April 2000, and two (the light morph and one dark morph) lingered to 19 April 2000 (Pranty 2000a, b; Robinson, pers. obs.). The light morph was readily identifiable by plumage characters such as the large black carpal patches that contrasted with mostly light underwings, the solid dark belly band, the wide dusky subterminal tail band, and the broad white uppertail coverts. The identification of the two dark morphs was complicated by the presence of other dark- morph Buteos at LANSRA during the same period, including two Red-tailed Hawks (B. jamaicensis) and one Swainson’s Hawk (B. swainsoni). The dark-morph Rough- legged Hawks were studied at length and were identified using a combination of plum- age and morphological characteristics such as the smallish bills and feet, black-tipped white underwing flight feathers, feathered tarsi, and the habit of perching on thin branches of shrubs (Bechard and Swem 2002). Among North American Buteos, feath- ered tarsi are shared only with the Ferruginous Hawk {B. regalis), which lacks a bold black subterminal tail band in all plumages. 44 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Radamaker, Weatherman, and others took photographs of the LANSRA Rough- legged Hawks and submitted them to the FOSRC with detailed descriptions of all three individuals (logged separately as FOSRC 00-415, 00-416, and 00-418). The FOSRC ac- cepted each observation as representing one of the first three verifiable records of the Rough-legged Hawk in Florida (Bowman 2000). Although the photographs taken of the birds show field marks diagnostic of Rough-legged Hawks, none of the photographs is of sufficient quality to be published here. Discussion The three Rough-legged Hawks found at LANSRA during early 2000 corresponded with a substantial movement of the species into much of the eastern United States be- tween late winter and mid-spring. The Hudson-Delaware region witnessed the “largest invasion ... in perhaps a decade,” and in New York on 27 February 2000, 128 Rough- legged Hawks were seen at Braddock Bay and 121 others were observed at Derby (Bur- geil et al. 2000: 159). The raptor season was “superb” in the Middle Atlantic Coast re- gion, with at least 20 Rough-legged Hawk reports in Virginia (Iliff 2000: 164), and Appalachia recorded its “best numbers ... in several years,” with more than 80 reported (Leberman 2000: 178). Rough-legged Hawks were found in “a record 56 counties in Min- nesota, while Michigan also had an above-average number” during winter (Granlund 2000a: 181), and a record number of Rough-legged Hawks — 2600 — was noted at White- fish Point, Michigan during spring, with 525 birds tallied there on 23 April 2000 (Granlund 2000b). Rough-legged Hawks winter regularly south to Arkansas, Tennessee, and Virginia, and occur casually to the Gulf coast, with at least one verifiable record from Georgia (AOU 1998, Bechard and Swem 2002, Beaton et al. 2003). There have been several sub- sequent reports of Rough-legged Hawks in Florida following the LANSRA records of 2000, but none is supported by verifiable evidence. However, a report of one light morph at LANSRA 21 December 2005 (FOSRC 06-603) was accepted by the FOSRC (A. Kratter in litt.). Thus, the three Rough-legged Hawks recorded at Lake Apopka North Shore Restoration Area during February-April 2000 represent the first and only verifiable records obtained in Florida. Acknowledgments. — We thank Lyn Atherton for providing copies of her photo- graphs and for her commentary, Gianfranco Basili for facilitating access to LANSRA and for providing information about the site, and Andrew Kratter for providing copies of the FOSRC documentation forms. We thank Gian Basili and Andy Kratter for improv- ing drafts of the manuscript. Literature Cited AOU [American Ornithologists’ Union]. 1998. Check-list of North American Birds, seventh ed. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Beaton, G., P. W. Sykes, and J. W. Parrish. 2003 Annotated Checklist of Georgia Birds. Occasional Publication No. 14. Georgia Ornithological Society, Valdosta. Bechard, M. J., and T. R. Swem. 2002. Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus). In The Birds of North America, No. 641 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North Amer- ica, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Bowman, R. 2000. Thirteenth report of the Florida Ornithological Society Records Com- mittee: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000. Florida Field Naturalist 28:138-160. Burgeil, j. C., R. O. Paxton, and D. A. Cutler 2000. Hudson-Delaware [Winter 1999- 2000 report]. North American Birds 54:158-162. Granlund, J. 2000a. Western Great Lakes [Winter 1999-2000 report]. North American Birds 54:180-182. Notes 45 Granlund, J. 2000b. Western Great Lakes [Spring 2000 report]. North American Birds 54:284^286. ILIFF, M. J. 2000. Middle Atlantic Coast [Winter 1999-2000 report]. North American Birds 54:163-166. Leberman, R. C. 2000. Appalachia [Winter 1999-2000 report]. North American Birds 54:177-179. Pranty, B. 2000a. Florida [Spring 2000 report]. North American Birds 54:274-277. Pranty, B. 2000b. Field observations spring report: March-May 2000. Florida Field Nat- uralist 28:204-215. Pranty, B., G. D. Basili, and H, P. Robinson. 2002. First breeding record of the Dick- cissel in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 30:36-39. Robertson, W. B., Jr., and G. E. WOOLFENDEN. 1992. Florida Bird Species: an Anno- tated List. Florida Ornithological Society Special Publication No. 6, Gainesville. Sprunt, a., Jr. 1940. American Rough-legged Hawk in Florida. Auk 57:564-565. Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The Birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. 46 Florida Field Naturalist 35(2):46-48, 2007. ACADIAN FLYCATCHER CAUGHT IN THE WEB OF A GOLDEN SILK ORB-WEAVER James A. Cox^ and Cathleen C. NeSmith^ ^Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Dr., Tallahassee, Florida 32312 ^Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 1018 Thomasville Road, Suite 200-C Tallahassee, Florida 32303 The golden silk orb-weaver (Nephila clavipes), which is known as the “banana spi- der” in many parts of Florida, creates strong webs (Griffiths and Salanitri 1980) capable of ensnaring a variety of invertebrate prey (Robinson and Mirick 1971). Orb-weaver webs also are capable of ensnaring small birds, particularly hummingbirds (Graham 1997), but published accounts of this phenomenon are uncommon. We report a case of an Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) becoming ensnared in the web of a golden silk orb-weaver in Florida. The spider web was constructed under the eave of our home in Tallahassee (Leon Co.) approximately 2 m above the ground. We discovered the ensnared flycatcher (Fig. 1) on 23 September 2006 at 14:30. We watched the bird struggle for approximately 5 min, and when it appeared incapable of freeing itself, we removed it from the web. The bird was identified as an after-hatch-year Acadian Flycatcher based on the yellow wash along the flanks and lower belly, the truncated shape of the retrices, and the absence of a yellow wash along the throat (Pyle 1997). The bird was released after webbing stuck to the body was removed. Bibliographic and Internet searches unearthed two published records and several anecdotal reports of birds ensnared in the webs of this orb-weaver. Graham (1997) found Phaethornis hummingbirds ensnared in the webs of silk orb-weavers in Central Amer- ica and suggested this might be a potentially important source of mortality for tropical hummingbirds. Forbush and May (1939) found fledgling White-eyed Vireos (Vireo gri- seus) entangled in the webs of silk orb-weavers in Bermuda. Archives of on-line list- serves (e.g., Floridabirds-L, BirdChat, and Georgia Birds on-line) provided additional reports of Northern Parula (Parula americana), American Redstart (Setophaga ruti- cilla), Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica magnolia), Wilson’s Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla), and Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina) caught in webs that most likely were constructed by the golden silk orb-weaver. Finally, Bent’s (1953) account of the Yellow-throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica) described this species becoming entangled in tough spider webs that also were most likely constructed by N. clavipes. The case we observed seemed noteworthy because the mass of Acadian Flycatcher (12-14 g, Whitehead and Taylor 2002) is greater than the mass (<10 g) of many of the other bird species found in webs of this orb-weaver and those of other spiders (e.g., Mc- Kenzie 1991, Ross 1950, Stott 1951). An exception in the case of the golden silk orb- weaver is the fledged White-eyed Vireos recorded by Forbush and May (1939). This vireo has a mass similar to that of Acadian Flycatcher, however Forbush and May (1939) sug- gested the weaker flight of fledgling vireos was a contributing factor to the captures they observed. The incident we observed involved an adult in migration and capable of rapid, darting flight (Whitehead and Taylor 2002). The flycatcher also may have been pursuing prey that was trapped in the web. Species of Nephila found in Asia, Australia, and Africa capture and eat small birds frequently (Robinson and Robinson 1976). The largest bird reported to have been cap- tured in a Nephila web was a 30-35 g Lewin’s Honeyeater (Meliphaga lewinii, Anony- mous 2006). Species of Nephila that catch and eat birds all are larger than N. clavipes at Notes 47 Figure 1. Acadian Flycatcher caught in the web of a golden silk orb- weaver. maturity, and Nephila with larger body sizes are known to create thicker silk strands potentially capable of withstanding greater forces (Griffiths and Salanitri 1980). Even so, a slow approach speed and indirect angle could lead to the occasional entrapment in spider webs of birds much larger than the Acadian Flycatcher. Pratt (1974) found a 90- 110 g Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike (Coracina novaehollandiae) trapped in the web of a European spider, while Terres (1939) found an 18 g Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodra- mus savannarum) ensnared in a low-hanging spider web in New York. The golden silk orb-weaver disables large prey items by wrapping the prey in addi- tional webbing. The orb-weaver we watched did not venture near the flycatcher, and we found no reports of this species eating birds trapped in their webs. Silk orb-weavers cut their webs to free large, non-prey items such as leaves and twigs (Robinson and Mirick 1971). This report may have benefitted by allowing nature to run its course and deter- mining whether the spider eventually ate or released the flycatcher once it had expired. However, the web was near our dining table, and this swayed us to provide a helping hand to one of the subjects. Literature Cited Anonymous. 2006. Lewin’s Honeyeater eaten by Nephila spider. Video segment (on- line). www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmlJNMo8M24. Accessed November 2006. Bent, A. C. 1953. Life Histories of North American Wood Warblers. U.S. National Mu- seum Bulletin 203. Forbush, E. H., and T. B. May. 1939. Natural History of Birds of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA. 48 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Graham, D. L. 1997. Spider webs and windows as potentially important sources of hum- mingbird mortality. Journal of Field Ornithology 68:98-101. Griffiths, J. R., and V. R. Salanitri. 1980. The strength of spider silk. Journal of Ma- terials Science 15:491-496. McKenzie, R M. 1991. A ruby-throated hummingbird {Archilochus coluhris) trapped in a spider’s web. Journal of Louisiana Ornithology 1:54-58. Pratt, E. 1974. Spiderweb grounds Cuckoo Shrike. Sunbird 5:26. Pyle, R. 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds. Part 1. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, CA. Robinson, M. H., and H. Mirick. 1971. The predatory behavior of the golden-web spider Nephila clavipes (Araneae: Araneidae). Psyche 78:123-139. Robinson, M. H., and B. Robinson. 1976. The ecology and behavior of Nephila macu- lata: a supplement. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 218:1-22. Ross, L. 1950. Northern Yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas, caught in spider web. Auk 67:521-522. Stott, K. 1951. An Anna’s Hummingbird caught in a spider web. Condor 53:49. Terres, J. 1939. Grasshopper Sparrow caught in spider’s web. Auk 56:322. Whitehead, D. R., and T. Taylor 2002. Acadian Flycatcher {Empidonax virescens). In The Birds of North America, No. 614 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 49 Florida Field Naturalist 35(2):49-59, 2007. SIXTEENTH REPORT OF THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY RECORDS COMMITTEE; 2006 Jon S. Greenlaw^ and Andrew W. Kratter^ ^Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid, Florida 33862 ^Florida Museum of Natural History, RO. Box 117800 University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 Abstract.— The Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee reached decisions on 38 reports involving 22 species and two distinctive subspecies. Twenty-seven of the re- ports were accepted, seven not accepted, and four were tabled pending further consider- ation or resolution of requests for more information. Among the 27 reports endorsed by the Committee, 18 are based on specimens, photographs, or videotapes. The occurrence history of the rare species represented by accepted reports is revi.ewed in the species ac- counts. Species new to the Florida list are Northern Fulmar {Fulmarus glacialis), based on a specimen, and Lesser Sand-Plover {Charadrius mongolus), supported by photo- graphs. These two additions bring the Florida list to 497 species. The 16th report of the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (FOSRC) constitutes an annual report for 2006. The FOSRC critically reviews submitted reports of rare or unusual birds in Florida, as m^ell as potential new records for the state. Sub- missions are accepted only for species that are believed to be first-time vagrants in Flor- ida, or that appear on the current Species Reviev/ List of the Birds of Florida, published on-line in the Florida Ornithological Society’s (FOS) website (http://www.fosbirds.org/ RecordCommittee/FOSRC.php). This list is reviewed and updated periodically and con- sists mostly of species on the Official State List of the Birds of Florida for which 10 or fewer accepted records exist, including records previously reviewed and accepted by the FOSRC or substantiated records (based on specimens, photographs, or video/audio tape) published in Robertson and Woolfenden (1992). In a few cases, species or distinctive sub- species are included in the Review List because the Committee wished to obtain further information on their status in the state. The FOSRC web pages (see above) also include the Official State List, the Rules and Procedures that govern the activities of the Com- mittee, a reporting form for the direct on-line submission of reports to the FOSRC, the names and addresses of current Committee members, reports to the FOS Board on the proceedings of all recent FOSRC meetings, and a grov/ing gallery of photographs of rare birds in Florida processed by the FOSRC. This report details the evaluations of 34 new submissions totaling nearly 65 individ- uals and involving 22 species and two distinctive subspecies. Of the 34 reports, received from 22 September 2005 to 10 July 2006, 24 were reviev/ed and accepted, six were not accepted, and four were tabled pending further consideration of available evidence and specimen examination. In addition, the Committee resolved the following four reports that had been tabled pending further information or were otherwise previously unre- solved: White-tipped Dove {Leptotila verreauxi, 03-504, accepted), Yellow-green Vireo (Vireo flavoviridis, 04-526, accepted), Say’s Phoebe (Sayornis saya, 05-561, not ac- cepted), and Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla, 05-562, accepted). Thus, overall, the Committee evaluated or reevaluated a total of 38 reports in its 2006 meetings, accepting 27 of them (71%), not accepting seven of them (18%), and tabling the rest for future reconsideration. The current acceptance rate is only a little 50 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST below the average rate of 76 percent in the post-2000 period. Twenty-eight (74%) of the reports were accompanied by photographs (27) or a videotape (1), and two involved spec- imen records deposited in the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH). Since 1996, three previous FOSRC reports have been published in the Florida Field Natural- ist (FFN). During this time, the proportion of reports submitted with photographs in- creased from 38 percent in the 1996-2000 period (13th Report) to 74 percent in 2006 (current report). This increase in photo-documentation of rare bird sightings almost cer- tainly reflects the recent availability of new digital technology in photographic equip- ment. Good photographs nearly always help to resolve difficult issues of identification. However, photographs not accompanied by a written description that describe what the observer saw do not always speak for themselves. An iconic case in the current report is exemplified by the White-tipped Dove observed and photographed by several people in the Dry Tortugas in 2003 (see below). Bowman and Greenlaw (2006) reviewed the history of the Official State List of the Birds of Florida and provided an updated list (their Appendix 1) for the period ending 31 December 2005. This list comprised a total of 495 species, all of which are based on inde- pendently verifiable evidence (specimens, photographs or videotapes, and audio-record- ings). To this list, we add two more species, thus updating the list in Bowman and Greenlaw (2006) through 31 December 2006; Northern Fulmar {Fulmarus glacialis, 06- 584, specimen UF 44664) and Lesser Sand-Plover (Charadrius mongolus, 05-575, photo- graphs). These additions bring the total number of species on the State List to 497. Both of the added species also now appear on the Review List. The Committee also removed four species from the Review List in 2006: Ross's Goose {Chen rossii), White-faced Ibis {Plegadis chihi), Calliope Hummingbird (Stellula calliope), and Cassin’s Kingbird {Tyr- annus vociferans). These species lose their asterisk (*) on the State List, a convention that signifies species on the Review List. One other taxon, “Audubon’s” Warbler {Dend- roica coronata auduhoni and related yellow-throated subspecies), was added to the Re- view List as well, because of its vagrant status in Florida and the desire by the Committee to accumulate information on its occurrence in the state. The most frequently reported species in 2006 were White-faced Ibis with four reports of single birds and Cassin’s Kingbird with three reports of singletons. Calliope Humming- bird and Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) each were represented by two reports. All documentation reviewed by the FOSRC, including descriptions, photographs, vid- eotapes, audio recordings, and Committee comments is archived in the Division of Orni- thology at the Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, and is available for public access. All observers are encouraged to submit reports on Re- view listed species, and on species potentially new to the State List. Ideally, observers should record details of plumage, shape, size, behavior, and other pertinent information, in a timely fashion in the field. Reports to the Committee should provide all pertinent forms of documentation, including a written description of observations, in the original submission. All observations should be submitted on the standard report form available from the Secretary or on-line in the FOSRC web-pages (see link above). In addition to uniformity, the report form provides the Committee and the observer with guidelines to those criteria used by the FOSRC for its evaluation. Completed forms should be submit- ted to the Secretary of the FOSRC, who currently is Andrew W. Kratter (address above), e-mail at kratter@flmnh.ufl.edu. This report was prepared on behalf of all members of the FOSRC serving during 2006 when the reports discussed here were evaluated. The members serving then and their home city and last year of tenure were Jon S. Greenlaw, Secretary (Cape Coral, 2006), Fred E. Lohrer (Lake Placid, 2007), Mickey C. Wheeler (Miami, 2008), R. Todd Engstrom (Tallahassee, 2009), Sally Jue (Tallahassee, 2010), Andrew W. Kratter (Gainesville, 2011), and Glen E. Woolfenden (Lake Placid, 2012). See the FOS website (above) for a list of the current members on the FOSRC and their addresses. Sixteenth Report—FOS Records Committee 51 Contributors to this report: Lyn S. Atherton (LSA), Janine Bacquie (JB), Fred Bas- sett (FB), Mark Berney (MB), Rodney O. Cassidy (ROC), James Cavanagh (JC), Tom Curtis (TC), Michelle Davis (MD), Robin M. Diaz (RMD), Robert A. Duncan (RAD), Mur- ray Gardler (MG), Vi Greenlaw (VG), John H. Hintermister V (JHH), Paul Johnson (PJ), Dean Jue (DJ), Andrew W, Kratter (AWK), Travis MacClendon (TMa), Larry Manfredi (LM), Trey Mitchell (TMi), Brennan Mulrooney (BM), Matthew Pike (MP), Ralph Pike (RP), Bill Pranty (BP), John Puschock (JP), Fran Rutkovsky (FR), Ted Stevens (TS), Philip Stoddard (PS), Darcy Stumbaugh (DS), Roberto Torres (RT), Alex Vinokur (AV), Robert D. Wallace (RDW), and Andrew Wraithmell (AW). Committee News, Formats, and Terminology Committee news. — During 2006, FOSRC met twice, on 28 January at the Florida Mu- seum of Natural History, Gainesville, and on 5 August at Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid. At the January meeting, the Committee revisited the older reports of “Mar- bled Murrelet” that it had reviewed and accepted, and affirmed that they all referred to Long-billed Murrelet (Brachyramphus perdix) (see Mlodinow 1996, American Ornitholo- gists’ Union [AOU] 1998). At the August meeting, then-Secretary Jon S. Greenlaw reached his term limit on the Committee of seven years. After serving a full term, a member cannot be re-nomi- nated to serve again until one or more years have passed. Andrew (Andy) W. Kratter was nominated by the Committee to serve as the new Secretary. This nomination was approved by the FOS Board at its fall meeting, 2006. Additionally, R. Todd Engstrom re- signed from the Committee after serving a partial term. The two vacancies were filled by Mark Berney (Fort Lauderdale) and Bill Pranty (Bayonet Point). Formats and terminology. — The following accounts report on all actions taken by the Committee during 2006, and provide information on the history of the rare species in Florida covered in the accepted reports. Additional information on the quality of the ev- idence available to the Committee and on identification issues may be found in the FOS board reports submitted during 2006 and available on-line (see above website). Com- plete summaries of previously accepted and not accepted reports for all species listed be- low may be found online as well in the board reports. We follow current nomenclature and sequence in the species accounts that follow (AOU 1998 and subsequent supplements). Within accounts, reports on more than one submission on a species are introduced sequentially by the date of receipt. The code (in parentheses) as- sociated with each submitted report to the Committee (e.g., 03-504) is the catalog number for the sighting or specimen report that is logged into an electronic catalog as it is received, and refers to year (03-) followed by sequential number (-504), beginning with the first entry in the catalog. The initials preceding the catalog number refer to one or more contributors who supplied information to the Committee (see list above). Although the FOSRC does not formally review age or sex of each bird, we often receive that information, and we will correct it when we find the report in error. We provide that information here as appropriate. Our terminology for age follows the calendar-based system outlined in Pyle (1997). We normally do not review subspecies, but on occasion (two here in this report) we accept submissions on distinctive, field-identifiable subspecies whose taxonomic rank may be revisited in the fu- ture by the American Ornithologists’ Union. Our use of the words “report” and “record” to de- scribe occurrences of species in Florida follows Robertson and Woolfenden (1992). Abbreviations used in this report are CBC, Christmas Bird Count; CP, county park, FOC, Field Observations Committee (reports prepared by B. Pranty since 1992 and pub- lished in FFN; the convention “FOC [year]” signifies a species occurrence reported in FOC and year of publication); nmi, nautical miles; NWR, National Wildlife Refuge; SP, state park; subsp. and sspp., singular and plural for subspecies; UF, University of Flor- ida (an acronym applied to specimens in the FLMNH collection). 52 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Accepted Reports Ross’s Goose, Chen rossii. (a) (TC, AW, 05-579), one or two adults observed and photo- graphed from 20 November to 29 December 2005 at Mound Pool 1 at St. Marks NWR, Wakulla Co.; (b) (RAD, PJ, 06-587), a flock of nine birds associated with Snow Geese {Chen caerulescens) observed and photographed in Fort Walton Beach spray fields, Okaloosa Co., on 10 December 2005. In the early 1990s, this species was regarded as very rare (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992) to accidental (Stevenson and Anderson 1994) in northwestern Florida. Only three occurrences were known in the state at that time, one of which was documented by a published photograph (Ogden 1988; 88- 133). The FOSRC has accepted eight previous reports (see below) including two of those mentioned in Robertson and Woolfenden (1992). At least 12 other occurrences of this species not seen by FOSRC were reported to the FOC (1995-2003). Most reports and records were from Wakulla and Leon cos. westward in the panhandle, and a few were in the peninsula south to Brevard Co. Northern Fulmar, Fw/maras glacialis. (AWK, 06-584), a specimen, UF 44664; a second year, intermediate-plumaged male, found weakened 19 April 2005 on Satellite Beach, Brevard Co., which died two days later at the Florida Wildlife Hospital in Melbourne. See Kratter and Small (2007) for additional details. This specimen represents the first record of this polymorphic species in Florida. Manx Shearwater, Puffinus puffinus. (a) (RDW, 06-602), three adults observed 42 nmi east of Ponce Inlet, Volusia Co., on 1 January 2006. Descriptive details eliminated Au- dubon’s Shearwater {Puffinus Iherminieri); (b) (RT, 06-609), single adult observed in the Gulf Stream about 9 nmi southeast of Key Biscayne, off Miami, Miami-Dade Co., on 29 July 2006. Again, descriptive details eliminated Audubon’s Shearwater. Five previous reports and records (specimens, photographs) have been accepted by the FOSRC in the period from November 1994 through September 2001. A report not seen by the FOSRC involved a bird off Port Canaveral, Brevard Co., in November 2004 (FOC 2005). Robertson and Woolfenden (1992) listed four specimen records from Florida from both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts (one record, Escambia Co.), the earliest taken in 1960. Kratter et al. (2002) reported two other recent specimens in the FLMNH collection. About 20 sight reports from Florida were known through 1992, with occurrences distributed along the Atlantic coast from Jacksonville (Duval Co.) to Miami (Stevenson and Anderson 1994). Altogether, the species is a rare, perhaps reg- ular visitor along the east coast of Florida, with approximately 25 sight reports (in- cluding at least two photographic records) and six specimens known through 2006. White-faced Ibis, Plegadis chihi. (a) (TC, 05-577), a single adult in breeding plumage observed and photographed at St. Marks NWR, Wakulla Co., on 6 June 2005; (b) (TC, 05-578), an immature bird at St. Marks NWR, observed (diagnostically described, pho- tographs confirmed Plegadis sp.) on 20 November 2005; (c) (JHH, AWK, 06-595), an adult observed and photographed in Lake Tuscawilla, Micanopy, Alachua Co., on 25 February 2006; (d) (RAD, 06-605), an adult in breeding plumage observed and photo- graphed at Fort Walton Beach spray fields near Mary Esther, Okaloosa Co., on 17 May 2006. The oldest record in Florida, 18 April 1886, is based on a specimen of a breeding female collected with a clutch of eggs in Brevard Co. (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992, Stevenson and Anderson 1994). The species was known from fewer than a dozen or so sightings before 1992, including at least two supported by photographs (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992). The FOSRC has accepted six additional reports from 1994 through 2004. At least 12 other recent reports not evaluated by the FOSRC have been received by the FOC (1992-2005). Most occurrences are from north Florida, but see Stevenson and Anderson (1994) for evidence in the mainland peninsula southward. Rough-legged Hawk, Buteo lagopus. (RDW, 06-603), a single, immature pale-morph bird was observed by three people on the Zellwood CBC, Lake Apopka Restoration Sixteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 53 Area, Orange Co,, on 21 December 2005. Previously, based on photographs, the FOSRC has verified only three other records in Florida. These hawks, one pale and two dark morphs also near Lake Apopka, were present from 16 February to 11 April 2000 (two, to 19 April) (FOC 2000). They constituted Florida’s first verifiable records, even though about 60 unverified reports had accumulated from throughout the state south to Key West by the early 1990s (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992). The species is probably a very rare and irregular winter visitor to Florida. Lesser Sand-Plover, Charadrius mongolus. (TC, TM, AV, RDW, AW, 05-575), a single bird in non-breeding plumage observed and photographed at St. Marks NWR, Wakulla Co., from 17 to 21 September 2005 (Curtis 2007). Written documentation was provided by four observers, and images by three photographers. Available evi- dence concerning body size, bill shape and size (short, blunt-tipped bill), relative leg length and leg position, lack of white hindneck collar, body posture, leg color, and thin wing stripe visible in flight (Hirschfeld et al. 2000) all supported the original identifi- cation. Two foreign commentators, who had field experience with both sand-plover species in Europe (E. Hirschfeld) and Australia (R. Boughton), submitted confirma- tory assessments. This acceptance verifies the first Florida record for the species, and also the first record east of the Mississippi River in North America, Black-headed Gull, Larus Hdibundus. (LM, TM, RT, 05-576), a single hatch-year bird in non-breeding plumage was observed and photographed at the Wetlands Mitigation Site and vicinity. Cutler Ridge, Miami-Dade Co,, on 19 and 22 October 2005. The Com- mittee considered two written reports and photographs from two sources. One photo- graph of the bird in flight permitted the Committee to discount the possibility of the similar immature Gray-hooded Gull (L. cirrocephalus) and Bonaparte’s Gull (L. Phila- delphia). FOSRC has accepted five previous sightings, four supported by photographs, in Leon (August 1982), Collier (November 1990), Duval (December 1998), Alachua (January 2000), and Indian River (February 2002) cos. Robertson and Woolfenden (1992) provided one other record based on a photograph (in addition to the birds in Leon and Collier cos. mentioned above). About 25 other unverified reports were known from Florida by the end of 2006 (Stevenson and Anderson 1994; FOC 1992-2006). Razorbill, A/ca torda. (AWK, 06-586), a second-year male, preserved as a specimen (UF 44677), was found on Honeymoon Island, Pinellas Co., on 13 April 2005 (Kratter and Small 2007). A record based on photographs (Brevard Co.), and eight or nine other specimens, including one from Santa Rosa Co. on the Gulf coast, are known from Flor- ida (Duncan 1988, Robertson and Woolfenden 1992, Stevenson and Anderson 1994; FOC 1993, 1996). This rare and irregular winter visitor was first recorded in the state in 1967 (Cruickshank 1967). White-tipped Dove, Leptotila verreauxi. (JB, MB, MG, VG, LM, JP, PS, RDW, AW, 03- 504), originally observed by many birders and photographed by several of them on Garden Key, Dry Tortugas, Monroe Co., from 19 April to 2 May 2003. Three photo- graphs unaccompanied by a written description and evaluation were submitted in 2003. These first photographs provided contradictory or ambiguous information about critical plumage colors and pattern (underparts, forehead/crown/nape) that were relevant in discriminating L. verreauxi from L. jamaicensis (Caribbean Dove). The report history spanned 2003-2006 and five meetings as it moved from non-ac- cepted status to a re-opened file as more photographs of the dove were received. Six- teen additional photographs accumulated in the report file, but the identification was not resolved until the Committee finally obtained timely field notes from one of the original observers. During this process the Committee also examined specimens from the FLMNH and the Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago). Critical diagnostic characters were pale buff tones on the lower underparts and gray on the crown that did not extend onto the nape. Underparts color (buffiness extending from abdomen to undertail coverts) indicated likely origin in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, where 54 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST L. V. fulviventris is a relatively distinctive subspecies. Only one other record is known from Florida, a bird observed and photographed 6-7 April 1995, on Garden Key, Dry Tortugas, also believed to represent L. v. fulviventris (FOSRC 95-337). Allen’s Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin. (a) (FB, 06-599), an adult male banded, mea- sured, and photographed in Tallahassee, Leon Co., on 14 January 2006. Measure- ments and images of the critical, diagnostic rectrices (R2, R5) were part of the detailed documentation provided by an experienced hummingbird bander; (b) (FB, 06-600), another adult male banded and measured in Tallahassee on 22 February 2006, constituted one more Florida record. The FOSRC has accepted six other in- hand identifications, all from north Florida (Pensacola, Escambia Co., east to Gaines- ville, Alachua Co.). An adult male photographed at a feeder on Cedar Key, Levy Co., 28 February 1988, regarded as “almost surely this species,” was treated properly as unverified at that time (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992). Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Myiodynastes luteiventris. (MD, RMD, 06-590), hatch- year bird captured, photographed, and banded at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP, Miami- Dade Co., on 8 October 2005, was well-documented. Size and plumage eliminated other similar Myiodynastes, Empidonomus, and Legatus flycatchers from consider- ation. Only four other records, all supported by photographs, are known from Florida, 1995 through 2004 (FOSRC). One was in Pinellas Co. (September 2000), and the oth- ers also occurred in Miami-Dade Co. Tropical Kingbird, Tyrannus melancholicus. (ROC, 06-591), an unknown-aged bird ob- served and videotaped in a subdivision of Apalachicola, Franklin Co., on 7 January to 10 February 2005 at least. The videotape documented the diagnostic vocalization of the species. The taxonomic revision of the Tropical Kingbird complex (Traylor 1979) and the ensuing recognition of T couchii in that complex (AOU 1983) cast doubt on all early reports of “T melancholicus” in Florida (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992). Stevenson and Anderson (1994) provided a review of these early reports. The first ver- ified record for Florida, based on call and photographic evidence, was a bird found in Birch SP, Ft. Lauderdale, Broward Co., on 11 October 1999 (FOSRC). A report of a bird photographed and videotaped at Fort DeSoto, Pinellas Co., in mid-May 1998 (FOC 1998), and identified as this species, was never submitted to the FOSRC, and thus was never verified. Other reports of an individual of this species (same?) in Fort DeSoto later in 1998 and in 1999 (FOC 1998-1999), and still others in Orange Co. in two consecutive winters (FOC 2002-2003), also were unverified. The current sighting constitutes the sixth verified record of Tropical Kingbird in Florida. Cassin’S Kingbird, Tyrannus vociferans. (a) (BP, DS, 05-581), a single individual ob- served and photographed between Balm and Wimauma roads in southeastern Hills- borough Co., 18-20 December 2005; (b) (LA, 06-593), a single bird in a subdivision on Sweat Loop Road, Hillsborough Co., 6 February 2006, was treated as a different indi- vidual; and (c) (MP, RP, 06-598), a single bird was photographed along CR~835 south of Canon Hammock Park, Hendry Co., on 15 April 2006. Five photographic records and five written reports of this species in Florida have been verified or accepted by the FOSRC since 1984. One or two Cassin’s Kingbirds have wintered near Lake Apopka, Orange Co., each season from 1999-2000 to 2004-2005 (FOC 2000-2005). Thick-billed Vireo, Vireo crassirostris. (RMD, 06-589), an after-hatch-year bird captured, photographed, and banded on 7 November 2005 at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP, Miami- Dade Co. This Bahamian species was first reported in Florida in 1961 (Abramson 1974), but the first verifiable records were not forthcoming until 1989 and 1990 (Smith et al. 1990, Robertson and Woolfenden 1992). To date, including the current sighting, six photo- or audio-records and two accepted sight reports are known for Florida (FOSRC). Several other unverified reports were not seen by the Committee (e.g., FOC 1994, 1996). Yellow-green Vireo, Vireo flavoviridis. (BM, 04-526), single individual observed in In- digenous Park, Key West, Monroe Co., on 9 September 2002. Because the report sub- Sixteenth Report—FOS Records Committee 55 mitted to FOSRC was prepared almost two years after the sighting, the Committee hesitated to accept the report based entirely on the memory of the observer. The de= scription received was diagnostic, and clearly discounted other similar vireos, which were present at the same time. We recently received a photocopy of timely field notes that supported the original v/ritten report. One record (specimen, see Robertson and Woolfenden [1992]), six sight reports accepted by FOSRC since 1984, and several un- verified reports constitute the known occurrences in Florida. The record and several reports concerned birds from the western panhandle, but other reports were from Pinellas, Palm Beach, and Monroe cos., all ranging in dates from 4-25 May and from 30 August to 11 September. “Audubon’s” Warbler, Dendroica coronata subsp. (LSA, 06-592), a well-marked bird (male?) in non-breeding plumage of this western form observed and photographed in East Beach Woods at Ft. DeSoto Park, Pinellas Co., on 28 September 2005. The first record for Florida was photographed on 3 May 1993 (B. E. Small) on the Dry Tortugas (Langridge 1993). Before 1994, about eight additional sight reports were known from the state (Stevenson and Anderson 1994). Since 1994, three photo-records (including 06-592) were added to the earlier list along with three unverified sight reports. MacGillI¥EAY’s Warbler, Oporomis tolmiei. (RMD, 06-588), a single bird observed and carefully described in timely field notes on 22 September 2005 at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP, Miami-Dade Co. The report submitted to the Committee provided an analysis of the observations and elimination of similar species in the same genus. One record based on photographs and three accepted reports, including this one, con- stitute verified occurrences in Florida. The photo-record was a presumptive adult male seen by numerous observers in Sanibel Lighthouse Park, Lee Co., from 5-17 April 1998 (FOC 1998; 98-385). Verified reports concerned an individual in Fern For- est Park, Broward Co., from 17 February to 10 March 2001 (FOC 2001; 02-464), and a female in A. D. Barnes CP, Miami-Dade Co., 20 April to 4 May 2001 (02-487). Since 1995, five unverified sightings also have been reported (FOC 1995-2005). Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla. (TS, 05-561), an after-second-year bird observed on 6 February 2005 near Lake Apopka, Orange Co. Bold black lateral crown stripes that contrasted with a gray face, and a broad patch of yellow on the forecrown eliminated other Zonotrichia species. The only record of this species in Florida is based on a photograpli of a bird observed at Islamorada, Upper Matecumbe Key, Monroe Co., on 21 June 1990 ([Anonymous] 1990, Hoffman et al. 1991, Robert- son and Woolfenden 1992; 90-209). Bullock’s Oriole, Icterus hullockii. (JC, DJ, FR, 06-607), a female-plumaged bird ap- peared at a Brookforest Drive feeder in Tallahassee, Leon Co., from 17 February through 18 March 2006. A photograph and the written description confirmed the identification. This species and the Baltimore Oriole (I. galbula) were recently rein- stated as separate species by the AOU (1995). The issue of mis~identification of simi- larly plumaged female and immature Bullock’s and Baltimore orioles created initial uncertainty about the status of the former species in Florida following the reinstate- ment. Pranty et al. (2005) reviewed all archived, verifiable evidence (specimens, pho- tographs) through 2004. They corrected mis-identifications and found only six verifiable records from the state. The Tallahassee bird featured here provides a sev- enth record. The species may be more regular as a winter resident in Florida than the number of records currently suggest. Reports Not Accepted Ross’s Goose, Chen rossii. (06-583), an adult observed on 26 December 2005 north of Wesley Chapel, Pasco Co. The Committee examined one written report and several photographs. The size of the bird was smaller than associated Snow Geese, but not as 56 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST small as expected of a “typical” Ross’s Goose. The bill had a slight “grin patch” and bill shape was somewhat longer than expected. The consensus on the Committee was that the bird represented a likely hybrid with Snow Goose. Reports accepted by FOSRC: 88A33, 92-252, 99-399, 00-423, 00-324, 01-445, 03-523, 03-524, 05-579, 06- 587; previously not accepted: none. Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsii. (06-596), a single bird, unknown sex and age, ob- served at Fort Walton Beach spray fields, Okaloosa Co., on 10 December 2005. The Committee examined a single written report prepared well after the sighting had oc- curred, and a single photograph of a distant bird associated on the ground with several Ross’s Geese and two Canada Geese. The photograph showed a relatively small, white- cheeked goose with a small, triangular bill. The position of the head (slightly turned away) did not permit confident evaluation of head or bill shapes. The size of the goose was approximately equal to or slightly larger than the nearest Ross’s Goose standing nearby. The description did not consider the possibility of the most difficult-to-separate small Canada Goose, Branta canadensis parvipes. The identification is likely correct on geographic grounds, but the evidence was insufficient for confirmation. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 05-560, based on a specimen; not accepted: none. Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis. (06-597), an imimature-plumaged bird observed briefly by one observer at Seagrove Beach, Walton Co., on 16 February 2006. Size was described as “huge”, and a “light streak” was present above and behind the eye. Rela- tive size of a solitary hawk can be difficult to judge. The pale superciliary is support- ive of the identification. The written report did not mention body proportions, and tail length and tip-shape was uncertain. This species is very rare in Florida, while the similar Cooper’s Hawk (A. cooperii) is common. The only verifiable evidence of occur- rence in the state is a partial skeleton. Stevenson and Anderson (1994) mentioned only four sightings of goshawks through 1992 that they regarded as “acceptable”, one of which was an adult. No other occurrences were reported in Florida during the 1992-2005 period covered by the FOC. Considering the rarity of this species in Flor- ida, the Coro_mittee felt that only a photograph accompanied by a strong supporting description is acceptable for verification of an immature bird. Reports previously ac- cepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: 03-502. Southern Lapwing, Vanellus chilensis. (06-606), presumptively a single bird observed on two separate occasions, 21 May and 10 June 2006, at St. Marks NWR, Wakulla Co. Previous sightings in Florida included some known escapees from captivity, but nat- ural vagrancy in other cases is possible (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992). The docu- mentation in this instance included a written description and evaluation, and several distant photographs. The identification of the St. Marks bird is not in dispute. Plum- age characteristics suggested the present bird represented the northern subspecies, V. c. cayennensis, of this South American species. This subspecies, with nearest breed- ing populations in northeastern South America and Panama (Ridgely and Gwynne 1989, AOU 1998), is apparently relatively sedentary. A breeding record is now known for Costa Rica as well (May 2005). Some level of vagrancy does occur, with recent re- ports in Trinidad and Mexico, and evidence exists for range expansion westward in Panama (Ridgely and Gwynne 1989, Martin 1997). This species is sometimes kept in captivity, but probably not commonly. The St. Marks bird was not banded, and it did not bear any other indications of previous captivity. One week after the lapwing dis- appeared from St. Marks, an individual of this species and subspecies appeared in Maryland (http://www.pbase.comywcbirding/sola). It is not out of the question that this was the same bird seen in Florida. At the moment, given the history of the spe- cies in Florida, any decision other than possible escapee (origin unknown) would be speculative. Southern Lapwing is not yet accepted on the North American species list by the American Birding Association (http://www.americanbirding,org/checklist/). Committee rules require that we be conservative in cases involving possible escapees Sixteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 57 from captivity unless evidence of natural vagrancy is concrete and convincing. The evidence of recent vagrancy in Middle America and range expansion into Panama and Costa Rica suggests a developing pattern that must be watched. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: none; not accepted: none. Vaux’S Swift, Chaetura vauxi. (a) (05-580), apparently one individual observed in flight at St. Marks NWR on 17 to 18 December 2005 by several observers. One written de- scription was provided, but the photographs documented only the genus. No vocaliza- tions were heard; (b) (06-582), up to 20 individuals were observed and photographed over Paynes Prairie near Gainesville, Alachua Co., from 18 December 2005 to at least 5 January 2006. The birds were seen by several observers. No vocalizations were heard. Photographs documented Chaetura sp. only. Because Chimney Swift {C.pelag- ica) is known from a specimen taken in Florida on 1 December (1993; UF 38060), and from other specimens obtained in mid-November (Stevenson and Anderson 1994), identifications of late reports of Chaetura swifts in the absence of information on vo- calizations must be regarded as uncertain. Throat color and even flight behavior over- lap in the two species. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 95-331, 99-397; not accepted: 90-184, 00-426. Say’s Phoebe, Sayornis say a. (05-561), an adult observed by one person at St. Marks NWR on 26 January 2005. A brief written description seemed to rule out alternative possibilities. The written account was ambiguous on whether the observer witnessed tail pumping, a behavior that is expected in the species. The issue was not resolvable without timely field notes. The observer had field experience with the species, and the identification was probably correct. Reports previously accepted by FOSRC: 88-158, 98-382, 03-520; not accepted: none. Reports Not Resolved Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsU. (06-601), written description of a small-bodied, small-billed, white-cheeked goose observed by several birders from 2 February to 1 March 2006 in Barefoot Bay, south of Palm Bay, Brevard Co. A single photograph fea- tured the small goose with its head slightly turned standing beside a large Canada Goose (Branta canadensis). The perspective on the small goose’s head made it difficult to confidently evaluate bill shape. The report was tabled pending a request to see other photographs, and further evaluation of plumage and bill-head shape characters. Red-billed Tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus. (06-608), a subadult was observed and photographed about 13 km southeast of Key Biscayne, and about 3 km southeast of Fowey Rocks Light, Miami-Dade Co., on 3 July 2006. The documentation record con- tained four photographs, a written description and analysis, an evaluation of a new field character that may help to discriminate between young Red-billed and White- tailed (P. lepturus) tropicbirds, and remarks from online commentators. The Commit- tee tabled the report pending examination of plumage variation in specimens of the two tropicbirds in relation to the efficacy of the proposed field mark. “European” Herring Gull, Larus argentatus subsp. (06-604), written descriptions and photographs of a single bird observed by multiple birders and photographed by two people at the Volusia County Landfill, Daytona Beach, Volusia Co., 11 February to 6 March 2006. Documentation included a written synopsis of the European taxa, L. ar- gentatus sspp, (L. a. argentatus [north-central Europe, Finland to Germany] and L. a. argenteus [western Europe, from southern Scandinavia, British Isles, south to the Iberian Peninsula]), L. michahellis (Yellow-legged Gull, southwestern Europe, and Mediterranean and Black seas basins), and the American L. a. smithsonianus (north- ern North America). Fourteen superb photographs of the bird on the ground and in flight, showing all potential field characters, and submitted comments from several European and American gull aficionados, completed the body of information submit- 58 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST ted to the Committee. Not included in the written description and evaluation by the lead observer, but mentioned by one commentator, was L. cachinnans (Caspian Gull, interior eastern Europe east into Asia). The outside commentators disagreed among themselves on the identification of the Florida bird, although a leading gull authority, K. M. Olsen, senior author of the new book on gulls (Olsen and Larsson 2004), sup- ported the “European” Herring Gull identification. Olsen and Larsson (2004) split the herring gulls on the two sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The British Ornithologists’ Union presently has the taxonomic status of the Herring Gull complex under review (Sangster et al. 2005). Considering the potential complexity of the issues related to gull identification, especially with respect to trans-Atlantic and European taxa about which taxonomic questions remain open, the Committee tabled the report to allow ad- ditional time for a more deliberate evaluation of these issues. Iceland Gull, Lams glaucoides. (06-594), a single second-winter bird observed and photographed at the Volusia County Landfill, Volusia Co., on 11 February 2006. The submitted report also contained a photograph of a second individual of the same spe- cies. An unresolved question about which individual the description in the documen- tation report applied caused the case to be tabled until the issue was resolved. Parts of the description did not seem to aptly describe either individual, which were both well-photographed. The identifications of the two birds were not in dispute. Report in Error Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula arctica. (06-585 = 05-558), a specimen (UF 44359) previ- ously processed and accepted at the 15 January 2005 meeting of the FOSRC, and in- advertently assigned a second catalog number. The report was dropped from the January 2006 agenda at the meeting. Literature Cited Abramson, I. J. 1974. A possible Thick-billed Vireo (Vireo crassirostris) in the United States. American Birds 28:881. American Ornithologists’ Union. 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, sixth ed. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. American Ornithologists’ Union. 1995. Fortieth supplement to the American Orni- thologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 112:819-830. American Ornithologists’ Union. 1998. Check-list of North American Birds, seventh ed. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. [Anonymous]. 1990. Pictorial highlights: summer 1990. American Birds 44:1210-1211. Bowman, R., and J. S. Greenlaw. 2006. Fifteenth report of the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee: 2003-2005. Florida Field Naturalist 34:69-102. Cruickshank, a. D. 1967. First Razorbill for Florida. Florida Naturalist 40:48-49. Curtis, J. T. 2007. First record of Lesser Sand-Plover (Charadrius mongolus) in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 35:26-29. Duncan, R. A. 1988. The Birds of Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties, Florida. Published by the author. Gulf Breeze, Florida. Hirschfeld, E., C. S. Roselaar, and H. Shirihai. 2000. Identification, taxonomy and distribution of Greater and Lesser sand-plovers. British Birds 93:162-189. Hoffman, W., R. Sawicki, C. Thompson, and M. Carrington. 1991. Golden-crowned Sparrow appears in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 19:19-21. Kratter, a. W., and S. Small. 2007. First record of Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacia- lis) for Florida, and notes on other North Atlantic seabird specimen records in 2004- 2005. Florida Field Naturalist 35:22-25. Sixteenth Report— FOS Records Committee 59 Kratter, a. W., T. Webber, T. Taylor, and D. W. Steadman. 2002. New specimen- based records of Florida birds. Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History 43:111-161. Langridge, H. R 1993. Florida region. American Birds 47:406-408. Martin, J. P. 1997. The first Southern Lapwing Vanellus chilensis in Mexico. Cotinga 8:52-54. May, R. H. 2005. Primer reporte de nido de Vanellus chilensis (Avefria teru/Southern Lapwing). Zeledonia 9:39. Mlodinow, S. G. 1996. The Long-billed Murrelet (Brachyramphus perdix) in North America. Birding 29:460-475. Ogden, J. C. 1988. Florida region. American Birds 42:252-256. Olsen, K. M., and H. LARSSON. 2004. Gulls of North America, Europe, and Asia. Princ- eton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Pranty, B., a. W. Kratter, and R. Bowman. 2005. Records of the Bullock’s Oriole in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 33:41-46. Pyle, P. 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds. Part 1. Columbidae to Plo- ceidae. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, California. Ridgely, R. S., and j. a. Gwynne, Jr. 1989. A Guide to the Birds of Panama. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Robertson, W. B., Jr., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida Bird Species: an Anno- tated List. Special Publication No. 6. Florida Ornithological Society, Gainesville. Sangster, G., j. M. Collinson, a. j. Helbig, a. G. Knox, and D. T. Parkin. 2005. Tax- onomic recommendations for British birds: third report. Ibis 147:821-826. Smith, P. W., D. S. Evered, L. R. Messick, and M. C. Wheeler 1990. First verifiable record of the Thick-billed Vireo from the United States. American Birds 44:372-376, Stevenson, H, M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The Birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Traylor, M. A., Jr 1979. Two sibling species ofTyrannus (Tyrannidae). Auk 96:221-233. 60 Florida Field Naturalist 35(2):60-72, 2007. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Fall report: August-November 2006. — This report consists of significant bird ob- servations compiled by the Field Observations Committee (FOC). 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 are found at the end of this report. We greatly prefer observations sent via e-mail. Sight-only observations are considered “reports” while only those supported by verifi- able evidence (photographs, video or audio tapes, or specimens) are called “records.” Species for which documentation is required by the FOS Records Committee (FOSRC; Bowman 2004, Fla. Field Nat. 32:7-33) are marked here with an asterisk (*). A county designation (in italics) accompanies the first-time listing of each site in this report. Ab- breviations in this report are: AFB - air force base, EOS = end of season, NP ~ national park, NSRA = north shore restoration area (Orange), 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 counts. Summary of the Fall Season In contrast to the previous two autumns, fall 2006 was quiet from a tropical-storm perspective. Only Tropical Storm Ernesto struck the state, entering Everglades National Park on 30 August and dissipating over Merritt Island hours later. The storm caused lit- tle damage and no fallouts of birds. In the western Panhandle, Bob Duncan reports that the “searing drought of 2006” lasted into August, with only 50 cm of rain for the entire year up through the month. “Thereafter September and October were characterized by a series of moderate to strong fronts bringing with them wave after wave of migrants and ... the best fall birding in years. ... It was not a season for vagrants, however.” FOSRC rarities were one or more Masked Ducks at Viera, Florida’s first Hammond’s Flycatcher and central Florida’s first Thick-billed Vireo at Fort De Soto Park, a Cassin’s Kingbird at Lake Apopka, and Northern Wheatears at Everglades National Park and Honeymoon Island State Park, Another significant development involves a state-spon- sored eradication plan for the Purple Swamphen, with 256 individuals shot in three Everglades sites. It remains to be seen whether complete eradication is possible, or whether agencies will be forced to settle with reduced numbers of swamphens at key sites. Finally, we report the deaths of three birders this season: Steve Fickett Jr., Bob Kelley, and Juan Villamil, along with Jack Dozier, who died in late July. Species Accounts Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: 82, including 15 young, at Polk phosphate mines 12 Aug (P. Fellers, E. Lane); 200 at Loxahatchee (Palm Beach) 19 Aug (D. Freeland, M. Gardler et al.); 2 near Flemington (Marion) 31 Aug (C. Black); 4 at Lake Killearny (Leon) 3 Sep (S. McCool); 8 over Mango (Hillsborough) 9 Sep (D. Goodwin); 3 near Fairfield (Marion) 11 Sep (C. Black); 3 at Lakes Park (Hillsborough) 8 Oct (T. Mann); 3 at Coleman Landing (Sumter) 30 Oct (C. Black); 2 at Lake City (Columbia) 4 Nov Field Observations 61 (J. Krummrich); 42 at The Villages {Sumter) 21 Nov (J. Dinsmore); 50+ at Bushnell (Sumter) 22 Nov-EOS (C. Black, R. Smith et al.). Fulvous WhistlinG-Duck; 500 at Loxahatchee 19 Aug (D, Freeland, M. Gardler et al); 15 at Sebastian Inlet (Brevard) 8 Oct (A. Bankert); 2 at T. M. Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area (Brevard) 16 Nov (D. Simpson). Greater White-fronted Goose: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP (Alachua) 14 Oct (A. Kratter); 5 over Eustis (Lake) 27 Oct (R Urban, photo to FOG); 2 over Viera Wetlands (Brevard) 28 Oct (D. Freeland et ah); 1 at St. Marks NWR (Wakulla) 29 Oct (R. McGregor). Snow Goose: 7 at Lake City (Columbia) 28 Oct (P. Burns); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 31 Oct (B. Wallace, L. Davis); 2 white morphs at Southwood (Leon) 3-6 Nov (P. Fulk- erson, S. McCool); 12 at Lake Apopka NSRA 5 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 blue morph SSW of Bruce (Bay and Walton) 11 Nov (P. Sykes, S. Bass); 1 blue morph at Alligator Point (Franklin) 23 Nov (J. Murphy); 4 (adult blue morph, adult white morph, and 2 juve- niles^ — a family?) at STA-5 (Hendry) 24 Nov (M. England et ah, photos to FOG). Mute Swan: 1 at Green Key Park, New Port Richey (Pasco) 30 Aug (K. Tracey). Gadwall: 5 near Bowling Green (Hardee) 25 Nov (D. Goodwin). American Black Duck: 3 passed New Smyrna Beach (Volusia) 29 Oct (B. Mulrooney, de- tails to FOG); 2 at St. Marks NWR 27 Nov (M. Collins). Mottled Duck: 5 E of Williston (Levy) 16 Sep (S. McCool). Blue-winged Teal: 1 at Cross Creek (Alachua) 13 Aug (G. Kiltie); 12 at Green Key 30 Aug (K. Tracey); 500 in W Pasco 20 Sep (K. Tracey); 830 at Polk mines 28 Sep (P. Fellers); 5750 at Viera 30 Nov (D. Freeland). Cinnamon Teal: up to 2 at Viera 11 Nov-EOS (T. Dunkerton et al.). Green-winged Teal: 1500 at Viera 29 Nov (M. Gardler). Canvasback: 1 at Lake Rowell (Bradford) 17 Nov (J. Hintermister). Ring-necked Duck: 1 female at The Villages (Sumter) 5 Aug-24 Sep (J. Dinsmore); 1 at Polk mines 20 Aug (P. Fellers, D. Brooke). Common Eider: 1 juvenile male at Fort Clinch SP (Nassau) 19 Nov-EOS was joined by a female 27 Nov (A. Turner, B. Richter et ah); 1 female at Jupiter Inlet (Palm Beach) 22 Nov (J. & L. Hailman). Surf Scoter: 1 at Sebastian Inlet (Brevard ! Indian River) 5 Nov (A. Bankert). White-winged Scoter: 1 at Ponce de Leon Inlet (Volusia) 1 Nov (M. Brothers); 1 at Port Orange (Volusia) 24 Nov (M. Brothers). Black Scoter: 15 or more off Ponce de Leon Inlet 1 Nov (M. Brothers); 2 in female plum- age at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 & 29 Nov (H. Robinson), Red-breasted Merganser; 4 at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Nov (H. Robinson). *Masked Duck: at least 1 in female plumage at Viera 6 Nov-EOS (B. Campbell et aL). Common Loon: 3 on Lake Apopka at Oakland Nature Preserve (Orange) 25 Nov (T. Rod- riguez). Eared Grebe: 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF (Okaloosa) 5 Sep-2 Nov (B. Duncan, D. Ware); 1 juvenile at Green Cay Nature Center (Palm Beach) 23 Nov-EOS (L. McCandless et al.). Black-capped Petrel: 1, 160 km off Ponce de Leon Inlet 26 Aug (M. Brothers, B. Wallace). Cory’s Shearwater: 100+ off Ponce de Leon Inlet 26 Aug, and 30+ there 12 Nov (M. Brothers et al.); 6 off Miami (Miami-Dade) 16 Sep (L. Manfredi et ah); 1 in Florida Bay (Monroe) 21 Nov furnished the first for Everglades NP (B. Mulrooney [photo to FOC], B. Langan). Greater Shearwater: 1 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 26 Aug (M. Brothers, B. Wallace). Audubon’s Shearwater: 1 found alive at Vero Beach (Indian River) 10 Aug died later (B. Wagner, photo to FOC); 4 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 26 Aug (M. Brothers, B. Wallace); 1 salvaged at Daytona Beach Shores (Volusia) 4 Nov (UF 45541, fide A. Kratter). Wilson’s Storm-Petrel: 6 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 26 Aug (M. Brothers, B. Wallace). Band-rumped Storm-Petrel: 2 off Miami 11 Aug (R. Torres et al.). 62 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Tropicbird SPECIES: 1 adult 96 km off Okaloosa 8 Oct (N. Friedman fide L. Atherton). Masked Booby: 1 subadult at Ponce de Leon Inlet 27 Aug-3 Nov (M. Brothers et ah); 1 adult at Eglin Air Force Base (Okaloosa) 14 Nov (Joe Kern). Brown Booby: 1 immature at Ponce de Leon Inlet 14-15 Sep (M. Brothers et aL), Northern Gannet: 500+ heading S from Ponce de Leon Inlet 21 Nov (M. Brothers). American White Pelican: 200 at Green Key 9 Oct (K. Tracey); 400 over New Port Richey 12 Oct (K. Tracey); 60 at Hickory Mound Impoundment (Taylor) 17 Oct (D. Bryan); 12 at Lake Munson (Leon) 19 Oct (M. Hartley); 200 in Franklin 10 Nov (D. Bryan); 78 near Bowling Green 25 Nov (D. Goodwin). Brown Pelican; 1 at Orlando (Orange) 16 Sep (N. Christman). Anhinga: 304 at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 Aug (H. Robinson). Magnificent Frigatebird: 1, 40 km S of St. Marks NWR 3 Aug (R Small); 500 at Cape Romano (Collier) 3 Oct (D. Suitor); 1 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 1 Nov (M. Brothers); 7 at South Melbourne Beach (Brevard) 2 Nov (A. Bankert). American Bittern: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 3 Sep (C. Burney); 1 at Tall Timbers Research Station (Leon) 10 Sep (A. Wraithmell); 1 at South Melbourne Beach 24 Sep (A. Bankert); 20 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Nov (H. Robinson). Great Blue Heron: southbound flocks of 7 & 27 over Jupiter Inlet Colony (Palm Beach) 8 Sep (J. & L. Hailman); 15+ flew S over Ormond Beach (Volusia) 2 Oct (M, Brothers); 1 at Lake Sampson (Bradford) 12 Nov attempted to eat a Pied-billed Grebe (R. Rowan et al.). “Great White Heron:” 1 at Fort Pickens (Escambia) 18 Aug-6 Sep (B. & L. Duncan et al.); 1 at Alligator Lake, Lake City 23 Aug-14 Sep (R, Rowan, P. Burns et al.). Great Egret: 2100 at the Everglades Agricultural Area (Palm Beach) 20 Aug (B. Hope, P. Cohen); flocks of 52, 11, 11, 7, and 6 headed S high over Jupiter Inlet Colony 8 Oct (J. & L. Hailman). Snowy Egret: 1500 at the Everglades Ag Area 20 Aug (B. Hope, R Cohen). Snowy Egret x Little Blue Heron: 1 at Salt Lake (Brevard) 28 Oct (A. Bankert et al). Reddish Egret; 8 at St. Marks NWR 4 Sep (A. Wraithmell); 1 white morph at Sand Bay, Holiday (Pasco) 11 Oct (K. Tracey); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 22 Oct (D. Steadman). Black-crowned Night-Heron: 86 at the Everglades Ag Area 19 Aug (D. Freeland, M. Gardler et al.). Glossy Ibis: 6 at Fort Walton Beach STF 11 Sep (B. Duncan); 5 at Sebastian Inlet (Brevard) 8 Oct were rare along the coast (A. Bankert); 1 over Key Largo (Monroe) 25 Oct (B. Mulrooney); 610 at Lake Apopka NSRA 12 Nov (H. Robinson). White-faced Ibis: 1 juvenile at St, Marks NWR 12 Sep (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Lake Apo- pka NSRA 10 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 27 Nov (R. Rowan). Plegadis species: 1 “apparent hybrid” Glossy x White-faced ibis at Fort Walton Beach STF 2 Aug had three white bands across the upper neck, a prominent white border across the upper face, and dark irides (B. Duncan). Roseate Spoonbill: 1 at Gainesville to 2 Aug (S. Hofstetter); 420 at the Everglades Ag Area 19 Aug (D. Freeland, M. Gardler et al.); 1 at Lake City 20 Aug (P. Southall); 92 at St. Augustine (St. Johns) 4 Sep (Jackie Kern); 3 along CR-724 (Okeechobee) 14 Sep (P. Miller); 46 at Gulf Harbors, New Port Richey 20 Sep (K. Tracey); 1 at Tallahassee 25-26 Sep (J. Cavanagh); 10 at St. Marks NWR 10 Oct (A. Wraithmell); 125 at Myakka River SP (Sarasota) 6 Nov (B. Ahern); 20 at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 Nov (H. Robinson). Wood Stork: 1200 the Everglades Ag Area 20 Aug (B. Hope, R Cohen). Turkey Vulture: among 120+ at Alligator Point 4 Nov was 1 “totally white” albino (J. Murphy). Swallow-tailed Kite: 674 at Lake Apopka NSRA 2 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 at Tallahassee 10 Aug set the latest county departure date (G. Menk). Snail Kite: several sightings of 2 or more along US-41 between CR-951 and SR-29 (Col- lier) 10 Aug-18 Nov (D. Suitor, T. Doyle et al.); 1 near Everglades City (Collier) 16 Sep (D. Suitor); 2 along Sarno Extension (Brevard) 16 Oct-14 Nov (A. Bankert), Field Observations 63 Bald Eagle: 48 at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Nov (H. Robinson). Northern Harrier: 1 male at Viera 28 Aug (T. Dunkerton); 259 at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 Nov (H. Robinson). Cooper’s Hawk: 45 at Lake Apopka NSRA 25 Aug (H. Robinson). Red-shouldered Hawk: 133 at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Sep (H. Robinson). Broad-winged Hawk: 1 at Dunedin Hammock {Pinellas) 25 Sep (P. Fellers); 3 at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Sep (H. Robinson); 1 at Ormond Beach 2 Oct (M, Brothers). Short-tailed Hawk: 12 reports of 15 birds (including 5 light & 5 dark), with 3 at Gainesville 16-23 Sep (R. Rowan, J. Bryan, A, Kratter et al.), 1 dark morph at Turkey Creek Sanctuary (Brevard) 9 Sep (A. Bankert), and one dark morph at New Port Richey 11 Oct that dove on an immature Bald Eagle (K. Tracey). Swajnson’s Hawk: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 8-19 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 light morph at Frog Pond WMA (Miami-Dade) 11 Nov (M. Berney); 7 light morphs headed E over Paurotis Pond, Everglades NP (Miami-Dade) 18 Nov (M. Berney); 2 at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP (Miami-Dade) 23 Nov (M. Davis); 1 juvenile dark morph at Brandon (Hillsborough) 26 Nov (D. Goodwin). Crested CaeacarA: 1 at Orlando Wetlands Park (Orange) Sep 16 (L. Malo); 1 at Chulu- ota (Seminole) 10 Nov (M, Plaugher); 1 along US-98 between Apalachicola and Port St. Joe (Gulf) 15 Nov (F. Bassett) provided a very rare report W of the Apalachicola River; 1 S of Zephyrhills (Pasco) 24 Nov (S. Peacock); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 30 Nov (fide H. Robinson). Peregrine Falcon: 1 at Siesta Tower (Sarasota) 17 Oct had returned for its apparent 6th year (T. Mossbarger). King Rail: 523 at Lake Apopka NSRA 23 Aug (H. Robinson). SorA: 1 found dead at Green Key 7 Aug (K. Tracey, specimen to UF); 100 at River Lakes Conservation Area (Brevard) 22 Oct (A, Bankert); 394 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Nov (H. Robinson). Purple Swamphen: population control by the state has begun: 100 shot at Water Con- servation Area 2B (Broward) and 59 shot at STA-IW (Palm Beach), both 6-7 Oct. A re- turn trip to STA-IW in Nov resulted in the shooting of 92 more swamphens, along with 5 at STA-5 (Hendry; fide B. Pranty); 1 at Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach (Palm Beach) 10 Nov (W. Soto). Purple Gallinule: 2 at WitMacoochee SF (Sumter) 16 Sep (R. Smith). Common Moorhen: 2370 at Lake Apopka NSRA 11 Oct (H. Robinson). Limpkin: 7 along the Wacissa River (Jefferson) 26 Sep (F. Dietrich); 10 (5 adults and 5 ju- veniles) at Lake Munson 16 Oct (M. Hill); 2 at Tallahassee 13 Nov (G. Menk). The in- crease in Limpkins in the region was thought to be due to a great invasion of exotic channeled apple snails (fide G. Menk). American Golden-Plover: singles at the Everglades Ag Area 13 Aug (B. Roberts et al.) & 27 Aug (R. Torres, T. Mitchell); 1 at Redlands (Miami-Dade) 30 Aug (R. Torres, T. Mitchell); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 31 Aug (L. Fenimore); 1 at Crandon Park (Mi- ami-Dade) 21 Sep (R. Diaz); 1 at St. Marks NWR 23 Sep (M. Collins); 2 at Hamilton phosphate mines 30 Oct (J. Krummrich); 1 at Merritt Island NWR (Volusia) 3 Nov (T. Dunkerton); 1 aUViera 3-6 Nov (T. Dunkerton, D. Freeland). Snowy Plover: good nesting success at Santa Rosa Island, Gulf Islands National Sea- shore (Escambia) due to damage to the island from Hurricane Ivan in 2004, which pre- vented vehicle access to breeding habitats; 28 plovers were counted 31 Aug (B. & L. Duncan); 1 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 16 Nov (fide M. Brothers); 1 at Nassau Sound (Duval) 30 Nov (P. Leary) represented the 7th successive year with reports in the area. Semipalmated Plover: 12 at Polk mines 12 Aug (P. Fellers, E. Lane); up to 3 at Lake City 30 Aug- 19 Oct (P. Burns); 80 at Eagle Point Park, Holiday 14 Sep (K. Tracey). Piping Plover: 2 at Fred Howard Park (Pinellas) 2 Aug (M. Gardler); 2 at Sebastian In- let (Indian River) 12-14 Aug (A. Bankert); 1 at Durney Key, New Port Richey 23 Aug 64 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST (K. Tracey); 11 at Nassau Sound 30 Nov included birds banded in Michigan (2) and the Canadian Maritimes (1; R Leary). American Avocet: 1 at Lake City 31 Aug-19 Nov (J. Hintermister et aL); 7 at St. Marks NWR 4 Sep (A. Wraithmell et ah), and 2 there 27 Nov (M. Collins); 18 at Sawpit Creek (Duval) 4 Sep (R Leary); 7 at Longboat Key {Sarasota) 13 Sep (R. Peipert); 30 at the Everglades Ag Area 16 Sep (A. Bankert); 6 at Green Key 27 Sep (K. Tracey, B. Pranty); 5 at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (L. & R. Smith); 1 at Cape Romano 3 Oct (D. Suitor); 50 at Hamilton mines 30 Oct-EOS (J. Krummrich); 6 at Myakka River SP 4 Nov (J. Dubi). Solitary Sandpiper: 1 at Withlacoochee SF 21 Oct (R. Smith, D. Goodwin). Spotted Sandpiper: 18 at Polk mines 12 Aug (R Fellers, E. Lane). Upland Sandpiper: 1 along SR-305 just S of SR-100 {Flagler) 1 Aug (B. Wallace); up to 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 4-13 Aug, and 1 there 1 Sep (H. Robinson); 11 at the Ever- glades Ag Area 19 Aug (D. Freeland, M. Gardler et al.); 2 at Eglin AFB 27 Aug (L, Fen- imore); 2 at Viera 29 Aug (D. Freeland). Long-billed Curlew: 1 female at Cape Romano 1 Aug (D. Suitor, photo to FOC); 1 at Coconut Point {Brevard) 30 Aug (A. Bankert); 1 male at Bunche Beach {Lee) 11 Nov (C. Ewell). Hudsonian GodwiT: 1 at Tram Road STF 7-9 Sep (G. Menk, J. Hintermister et al.). Marbled Godwit: 120 at MacDill AFB, Tampa {Hillsborough) 11 Oct (C. Rasmussen). Ruddy Turnstone: 30 at the Everglades Ag Area 16 Sep (A. Bankert). Red Knot: 400 at Nassau Sound in late Aug (P. Leary); 450 (22 banded) at Little Estero Critical Wildlife Area (Lee) 5 Sep (C. Ewell); 46 at Sand Bay 17 Sep (K. Tracey); 300 at Huguenot Memorial Park {Duval) 30 Sep included 11 banded birds (R Leary); 350 along Courtney Campbell Causeway {Pinellas) 8 Oct (K. Tracey); 200 at MacDill AFB 11 Oct (C. Rasmussen). Sanderling: 200 at Fort De Soto 14 Aug (R. Smith); up to 2 at Lake City 30 Aug- 14 Sep (R Burns); 100 along Courtney Campbell Causeway 8 Oct (K. Tracey). White-RUMPED Sandpiper: 1 at Lake City 14 Sep (P. Burns); 2 adults at Merritt Island NWR {Volusia) 10 Nov (T. Dunkerton). Baird’s Sandpiper: singles at Santa Rosa Island 24 Aug & 8 Sep (B. Duncan et al.); 2 at Lake City 10 Sep (R Burns); singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Sep & 4 Oct (H. Rob- inson). Pectoral Sandpiper: 1800 at the Everglades Ag Area 6 Aug (B. Hope, M. Berney); 1 at Cutler Ridge {Miami-Dade) 18 Nov (R. Torres). Stilt Sandpiper: 500 at the Everglades Ag Area 19 Aug (D. Freeland, M. Gardler et al.); up to 19 at Lake City 25 Aug- 19 Oct (R Burns, R. Rowan et al.). Buff-breasted Sandpiper: 1 at Santa Rosa Island 24 Aug-6 Sep (B. & L. Duncan); up to 2 at Lake City 24 Aug-14 Sep (R. Rowan, R Burns et al.); 3 at Lake Apopka NSRA 25 Aug (H. Robinson); 3 at Viera 1 Sep, and 1 there 20-21 Oct (D. Freeland et al.); 1 at St. Marks NWR 4 Sep (A. Wraithmell); singles in the Everglades Ag Area 10 & 24 Sep, and 3 there 16 Sep (M. Berney, A. Bankert); 2 at Fort Walton Beach STF 11 Sep (B. Duncan). Ruff: 1 at the Everglades Ag Area 9 Aug (B. Hope, R Cohen) & 26 Aug (A. Bankert et al.). Short-billed Dowitcher: 1500 at Dunedin Causeway 14 Aug (M. Gardler). Long-billed Dowitcher: 1 at Tram Road STF 11 Sep (A. Wraithmell). Wilson’s Snipe: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 16 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 at Weekiwachee Pre- serve {Hernando) 11 Sep (A. Hansen). Wilson’s Phalarope: 1 at Santa Rosa Island 18 Aug-6 Sep (B. & L. Duncan); up to 8 (27 Aug) at the Everglades Ag Area 13 Aug-16 Sep (M. Berney, B. Hope et al.); 1 at Lake City 25-31 Aug (R Burns); 55 at Polk mines 1 Oct (P. Fellers, E. Lane); 1 at Tram Road STF 26 Oct-22 Nov (A. Wraithmell, G. Menk et al.); 1 at Merritt Island NWR 10 Nov (K. Schmidt). Field Observations 65 Red-necked Phalakope: 3 in S Miami-Dade 3 Aug (R. Torres); 12 at Polk mines 12 Aug (R Fellers, E. Lane); 10 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 26 Aug (M. Brothers, B. Wallace); 14 in a flock several km off Miami 16 Sep (B, Mulrooney, L. Manfredi, R. Torres); 1 adult at Merritt Island NWR 10 Nov (T Dunkerton). Red Phalarope: 30 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 26 Aug, and 1 off there 12 Nov (M. Brothers et aL). Parasitic Jaeger: 1 pirated a fish from a Forster’s-sized tern 6-8 km off Alligator Point 17 Sep (J. Murphy). Jaeger species: 275 (110 looked like Pomarines and 45 looked like Parasitic) from S Brevard beaches 5 Nov (A. Bankert). Franklin's Gull: 4 (3 juveniles and 1 second-winter) at Bald Point SP (Franklin) 29 Oct (J. Murphy); up to 12 at St. Marks NWR 29-30 Oct (D. Morrow; A. Wraithmell); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 & 4 Nov, 14 there 5 Nov, and 2 there 15 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 at Green Key 3 Nov (K. Tracey, photo to FOC); 1 at Cutler Ridge 28 Nov (R. Torres, T. Mitchell). Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 at Coconut Point 8 Aug (A. Bankert); 49 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 23 Oct (M. Brothers); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 Nov (H. Robinson). Glaucous Gull: 1 juvenile at Destin (Okaloosa) 8 Oct (B. Garmon). Sabine’s Gull: 1 at Boynton Inlet (Palm Beach) 4 Nov (B. Hope). Black-legged Kittiwake: 1 first-winter at Boynton Beach Inlet 4 & 6 Nov (M. Berney, B. Hope). Gull-billed Tern: 75 at the Everglades Ag Area 13 Aug (B. Hope). Caspian Tern: 30 in W Hardee 28 Oct (B. Ahern, R. Smith). Royal Tern: 1 at Viera 28 Oct (M. Gardler et aL); singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 3 & 15 Nov (H. Robinson). Sterna species: 1 juvenile with irregular patches of orange on the bill among Sandwich Terns at Destin (Okaloosa) 19 Oct (D. Edwards, photos to FOC). Sandwich Tern: 312 at Polk mines 12 Aug, and 300 there 28 Sep (P. Fellers, E. Lane); 350 at Fred Howard Park 14 Aug & 11 Oct (M. Gardler); 210 at Fort De Soto 21 Oct (P, Sykes); 2 at Lake Pierce (Polk) 4 Sep (J. DuBois). Forster’s Tern; 150 at Dunedin Causeway 14 Aug, and 160 there 11 Oct (M. Gardler); 200 at Lake Talquin (Leon) 16 Oct (A. Wraithmell); 534 at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Nov (H. Robinson). Least Tern: 180 at Fort De Soto 14 Aug (R. Smith); at least 315 at Crandon Beach 20 Aug (R. Diaz). Sooty Tern: 500+, 160 km off Ponce de Leon Inlet 26 Aug (M. Brothers). Black Tern: 800 at the Everglades Ag Area 20 Aug (B, Hope, P. Cohen); 6800 at Santa Rosa Island 31 Aug (B. & L. Duncan); 1 Juvenile at Merritt Island NWR 13-19 Nov (T. Rodriguez); 1 at Hole-in-the-Donut, Everglades NP (Miami-Dade) 25 Nov (B. Boeringer), Brown Noddy: 1 landed on a skiff at Cockroach Bay (Hillsborough) 17 Sep and preened for 30 minutes (N. Hollan.’f to FOC). Black Skimmer: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 Sep (H. Robinson); 230 at Fort De Soto 21 Oct (P. Sykes); 500 at Cedar Key (Levy) 1 Nov (D. Johnston); 325 at Fred Howard Park 4 Nov (M. Gardler); 350 at Dunedin Causeway 4 Nov (M. Gardler). White-winged Dove: 6 at The Villages (Marion) 2 Aug (J. Dinsmore); 1 at Anclote Gulf Park (Pasco) 9 Aug (K. Tracey); 1 at Sebastian Inlet (Indian River) 10 Sep (A. Bankert); 1 at Alligator Point 30 Sep (J, Murphy); singles at St. Marks NWR 27 Oct (J. Hintermister) & 14 Nov (B. Monk); 35 at Mims (Brevard) 27 Oct (D. Freeland, M. Gardler); 1 at Ormond Beach 10 Nov (M. Wilson); 1 at Jacksonville (Duval) 12-16 Nov (P. Powell); 13 at Cape Florida 14 Nov (R. Diaz). Budgerigar: 1 green morph at St. Petersburg 16 Aug had been present ~8 months (D. Margeson). 66 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Black-hooded PAEAKEET: 23 at St. Augustine Beach Pier (St. Johns) 1 Sep (D. Free- man); 37 at Dunedin Causeway 21 Oct (M. Gardler). Monk Parakeet: 20+ at South Daytona (Volusia) 20 Nov (M. Brothers). Blue-crowned Parakeet: 12 at Sebastian Inlet (Indian River I Brevard) 25 Nov (A. Bankert). Black-billed Cuckoo: 1 at Gainesville 18 Aug (R. Norton); 1 at Cape Florida 25 Aug (R. Diaz); singles at Phipp’s Park, Tallahassee 16 Sep (M. Hartley) & 22 Sep (A. Wraith- mell); 1 at Newberry (Alachua) 23 Sep (L. Holt); 1 at Delray Beach (Palm Beach) 28 Sep (B. Hope, P. Cohen); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Sep (H. Robinson). Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 1 at River Lakes Conservation Area (Brevard) 16 Nov (D. Sim- pson); 1 at Deer Key, Everglades NP (Monroe) 20 Nov (B. Mulrooney), Smooth-billed Ani: 1 at Cape Florida 23 Aug (R. Diaz). Groove-billed Ani: 1 at Bald Point SP 12 Oct (J. Murphy). Barn Owl: 1 at St. Marks NWR 27 Nov (M. Collins) was a “presumed migrant” (G. Menk). Short-eared Owl: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Nov, and 2 there 26 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 found dead at St. Petersburg 21 Nov (T. Long, R. Smith). Whip-poor-will: 1 at Medart (Wakulla) 4 Sep (S. McCool). Chimney Swift: 1200 at Lake Apopka NSRA 6 Sep (H. Robinson). Buff-bellied Hummingbird: 1 at Eastpoint (Franklin) 10 Nov (S. Klink); 1 at Tallahas- see 16 Nov (J. Elliott). Rufous Hummingbird: 1 banded female at Valrico (Hillsborough) 11 Aug-EOS returned for its 4th winter (S. Backes); 1 at Gainesville 20 Aug (R. Palenik); 1 at Pensacola 31 Aug (fide F. Bassett); 1 at Gulf Breeze 2 Sep (J. French); single males at separate Tal- lahassee yards 1-2 Sep (G. Simmons), 8 Sep (J. Armstrong), & 2 Nov (J. Langley). Yellow-bellied SapsuckeR: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Aug (H. Robinson). Hairy Woodpecker: 1 at Tallahassee 21 Oct (M. Hartley); 1 in a suburban yard at Bayo- net Point (Pasco) 1 Nov (B. Pranty) fit the pattern noted by Cruickshank (1980, The Birds of Brevard County, Florida Press, Orlando), who wrote that "... There may be some migration, as during Oct and early Nov it appears in city yards where none are seen the rest of the year;” 1 at Tiger Bay SF (Volusia) 24 Nov (M. Brothers, B. Wallace). Olive-sided Flycatcher: 1 at Gulf Breeze (Santa Rosa) 1 Sep (B. Duncan). Eastern Wood-Pewee: 5 at Werner-Boyce Salt Springs SP (Pasco) 2 Sep (K. Tracey); 14 at Fort De Soto 12 Oct (B. Ahern et ah); 1 seen & heard at River Lakes Conservation Area (Brevard) 6 Nov (D. Freeland). Yellow-bellied Flycatcher: 1 juvenile banded at Cape Florida 13 Sep was recaptured 18 & 23 Sep, both times with significant weight gain (R. Diaz, photo to FOC); 1 at Phipp’s Park 18 Sep (F. Davis); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Sep (H. Robinson); 1 called at Starkey Wilderness Park 27 Sep (K. Tracey); 1 called at Mead Garden, Winter Park (Orange) 28 Sep (P, Hueber); 1 called at Salt Springs SP 29 Sep (K. Tracey). Acadian Flycatcher: 20 at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (B. Ahern et ah). Alder Flycatcher: 4 called at Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area (Mi- ami-Dade) 23 Aug (R. Torres, T. Mitchell), and 1 there 15 Sep (J. Boyd); 1 called at Matheson Hammock (Miami-Dade) 4 Sep (R. Torres). Willow Flycatcher: 1 called at Saddle Creek Park 1 Sep (R Fellers); 1 called at A.D. Barnes Park (Miami-Dade) 23 Sep (J. Boyd). “Traill’s” Flycatcher: 18 banded at Cape Florida 7 Sep- 11 Oct (M. Davis, R. Diaz et ah); 1 photographed at Wekiva Springs SP (Orange) 21 Sep was probably an Alder (A. Boyle); 2 probable Willow Flycatchers at Fort De Soto 21 Sep (B. Ahern et ah). Least Flycatcher: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 16 Sep-5 Nov (J. Bryan, R. Rowan); 12 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Oct (H. Robinson); 1 at Oakland Nature Preserve 11 Nov (T. Rodriguez et ah). *Hammond’S Flycatcher: 1 that called at Fort De Soto 30-31 Oct (L. Atherton et ah, photos to FOC; accepted by FOSRC) provided the first record for Florida. Field Observations 67 Vermilion Flycatcher: up to 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 15 Oct-EOS (T. Wronski, B. Scales et aL); up to 2 at Lake City 5 Nov-EOS (L, Hensley, M. Landsman et al.); 1 male at Lake Jesup Conservation Area, Sanford {Seminole) 11 Nov (B. Sicolo). AsH”THROATED Flycatcher: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 18 Oct-EOS (H. Robinson); 1 at St. Marks NWR 31 Oct (R. McGregor, details to FOC); 1 at Cedar Key 1 Nov (D. Johnston); 1 at Lantana Landfill {Palm Beach) 23 Nov (B. Hope); up to 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 27 Nov-EOS, where birds have wintered since 2000-2001 (J. Hinter- mister et al.). Brown-crested Flycatcher: 1 at Casselberry {Seminole) 27 Sep (A. Vinokur); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Oct (H. Robinson); 1 at Frog Pond WMA {Miami-Dade) 11 Nov (M. Berney et aL), *Cassin’S Kingbird: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 26 Nov (H. Robinson). Western Kingbird: 12 reports of 76 birds 7 Oct-30 Nov included 1 at Seahorse Key {Levy) 7 Oct (T. Webber, D. Steadman et al.); up to 21 at The Villages {Marion) 22 Oct- EOS (J. Dinsmore); up to 36 at Lake Apopka NSRA 6 Nov-EOS (T. Rodriguez); 3 at Fort De Soto 30 Oct-19 Nov (L. Atherton et al.); 1 at Honeymoon Island SP {Pinellas) 17-24 Nov (W. Yusek, S. Crawford); 1 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP {Okeechobee) 17 Nov (M. Korosy); 6 near Bartow {Polk) 18 Nov (T. Palmer); 3 at Bald Point 20 Nov (R. Lengacher); 1 at Coquina Ba3rwalk Park {Manatee) 22 Nov (B. Ahern). Eastern Kingbird: 48 at Altamonte Springs {Seminole) 1 Sep (P. Hueber); 350 at Fort De Soto 1 Sep (L. Atherton); 100s passed Sanibel Lighthouse {Lee) 10 Sep (V McGrath). Gray Kingbird: 16 at Brasher Park, Port Richey {Pasco) 9 Aug (K. Tracey). SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER: 16 reports of 24 birds 26 Sep- 18 Nov included 2 at Bald Point 29 Oct (J. Murphy); 1 along SR-31 {Charlotte) 13 Oct (C. Ewell); up to 3 at The Villages {Marion) 22 Oct-EOS (T Rodriguez); 1 at Honeymoon Island SP 30 Oct (G. Deterra); 4 at San Antonio {Pasco) 3 Nov (M. White); 1 near Turtle Mound, Canaveral National Seashore {Volusia) 6 Nov (M. Brothers); 1 at Gainesville 8 Nov (J. Hinter- mister, R. Rowan et al.); 1 at the North Naples STF {Collier) 10 Nov (K. Williams); 3 W of Trilby {Pasco) 16 Nov (C. Black); and 1 near Bartow 18 Nov (T. Palmer). Fork-tailed Flycatcher: 1 adult male at North County Regional Park, Sebastian {In- dian River) 20-21 Nov (D. Simpson et al., photos to FOC by D. Fairbanks-Simpson). *Thick-BILLED Vireo: 1 at Fort De Soto 12 Oct (J. Gaetzi, B. Ahern et al.; accepted by FOSRC). Bell’s Vireo: 1 at Spanish River Park {Palm Beach) 14 Sep (B. Hope); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 & 21 Sep (H. Robinson); 1 at Bald Point 25 Sep (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Medart 28 Sep (S. McCool); 1 at Alligator Point 30 Sep (J. Murphy); 1 at Bill Sadowski Park {Miami-Dade) 1 Oct (R. Torres); 1 banded at Tomoka SP {Volusia) 5 Oct (M. Wilson, photos to FOC); up to 2 at Frog Pond WMA 28 Oct-EOS (R. Torres, T. Mitchell et al.). Blue-headed Vireo: 1 at Gainesville 26 Aug (B. Carroll, details to FOC). Warbling Vireo: 1 at Fort De Soto 30 Oct (L. Atherton et al.). Philadelphia Vireo: 13 reports of 16 birds 20 Sep-18 Oct included 1 at Archer {Alachua) 20 Sep (M. Meisenburg); 2 at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (B. Ahern et al.); duos at St. George Island SP 13 Oct (M. Hartley) & 21 Oct (E. Shaw); and 1 at Lake Lisa Park, Port Richey 15-20 Oct, the first for Pasco (K. Tracey, B. Pranty et al.). Red-eyed Vireo: 169 banded at Cape Florida 15 Aug-30 Oct (M. Davis et al.). Black-whiskered Vireo: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Sep (H. Robinson). Bank Swallow: 760 at Polk mines 12 Aug (P Fellers, E. Lane); 50 at St. Petersburg 31 Aug (D. Margeson); 1 at Viera 8 Nov (D. Freeland). Cliff Swallow: 2 at Tram Road STF 24 Aug (G. Menk); 1 at Altamonte Springs 24 Aug (P Hueber); 71 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Oct (H. Robinson); 1 at Green Key 9 Oct (K. Tracey). Cave Swallow: 4 of the Mexican race at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Oct (H. Robinson); 1 at Hatbill Park {Brevard) 27 Oct (M. Gardler); 6 at Canaveral National Seashore {Volu- sia) 11 Nov (D. Simpson). 68 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Barn Swallow: 1360 at Lake Apopka NSRA 23 Aug (H. Robinson). Red-breasted Nuthatch: 1 at Medart 7 Nov (S. McCool); 1 at Tall Timbers 21 Nov (A. Wraithmell). Brown Creeper: 1 at Bald Point SP 14 Oct (J. Murphy); 1 at Gulf Breeze 21 Oct-2 Nov (B. & L. Duncan); 1 at St. George Island SP 21 Oct (E. Shaw); 1 at J. R. Alford Green- way {Leon) 6 Nov (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Cocoa Beach {Brevard) 3 Nov (T. Fiorillo, photo to FOC); 1 at Gainesville 17 Nov-EOS (P. Burns, M. Drummond et ah); 1 at Tall Tim- bers 21 Nov (A. Wraithmell). House Wren: 272 at Lake Apopka NSRA 20 Oct (H. Robinson). Winter Wren: 1 at St. George Island SP 13 Oct (M. Hartley); 1 at Tall Timbers 16 Oct (R. McGregor); 1 at Tallahassee 19 Oct (F. Rutkovsky); 1 at Maclay Gardens SP {Leon) 13 Nov (A. Wraithmell); 1 at River Rise Preserve SP {Alachua) 4 Nov (M. Manetz et ah); 1 at Lake City 19 Nov (P. Burns); 2 at O’Leno SP {Alachua) 26 Nov (P. Burns). Marsh Wren: 1 sang at Shark Valley, Everglades NP {Miami-Dade) 21 Oct (J. Boyd). Golden-crowned Kinglet: a major invasion of the Panhandle and northern third of the Peninsula began 21 Oct, with 29 variously in Alachua 21 Oct-EOS (P. Burns, R. Rowan et al.). The southernmost reports were 5 at Fort De Soto 28 Oct-8 Nov (L. Atherton et ah); 3 at Starkey Wilderness Park 30 Oct (K. Tracey); 1 at Rye Preserve {Manatee) 16 Nov (B. Ahern); and 1 at Valrico 17 Nov (S. Gross). Ruby-crowned Kinglet: 67 at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 at Key Largo 17 Nov (B. Mulrooney); 1 at Tavernier {Monroe) 22 Nov (B. Mulrooney). ^Northern Wheatear: 1 at Research Road, Everglades NP {Miami-Dade) 13-23 Sep (S. Bass et al., photos by M. Wheeler et al. to FOC; accepted by FOSRC); 1 at Honeymoon Is- land SP 25 Sep (S. Crawford et ah, photos by C. Gjervold to FOC; accepted by FOSRC). VeerY: 10 heard at night over Weeki Wachee 27 Sep (M. Gardler). Gray-cheeked Thrush: 10 heard at night over Weeki Wachee 27 Sep (M. Gardler). Swainson’S Thrush: 150 heard at night over Weeki Wachee 27 Sep (M. Gardler). Wood Thrush: 1 at Starkey Wilderness Park 27 Sep (K. Tracey); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Oct (H. Robinson). American Robin: 2 juveniles in Leon 14 Aug (G. Menk); 1 juvenile at Hampton Lake {Bradford) 9 Sep (R. Rowan). Common Myna: 1 at Seven Springs {Pasco) 28 Oct (S. Peacock et ah, photos to FOC by K. Tracey); 1 salvaged from a flock of 400 at the State Farmer’s Market, Florida City {Miami-Dade) 9 Nov (G. Zimmerman, M. Avery; UF 45582). Sprague’s Pipit: 1 at Eglin AFB 9 Nov (L. Fenimore). Blue-winged Warbler: 20 reports of 32 birds 19 Aug- 15 Oct; multiple reports were 3 along Wakulla Beach Road {Wakulla) 19 Aug (B. Crawford, J. Murphy); 3 at Ormond Beach 25 Sep (M. Brothers); 8 at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (B. Ahern et ah); and 2 at Pi- necraft Park {Sarasota) 27 Sep (J. Dubi). Golden-winged Warbler: 16 reports of 18 birds 1 Sep-17 Oct, with duos at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (L. Atherton) and St. George Island SP 13 Oct (M. Hartley). Tennessee Warbler: 25 at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (B. Ahern et ah). Nashville Warbler: 11 reports of 13 birds 18 Aug-25 Nov, with duos at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (P. Blair) and Jacksonville 22 Oct (J. Cocke). Northern Parula: 40 at John Chesnut Park 26 Aug (R. Smith); 1 at Lake City 19 Nov (J. Krummrich). Yellow Warbler: 1 at Piney Z Lake {Leon) 11 Aug (S. McCool); 22 at Green Key 9 Sep, and 42 in W Pasco 11 Sep (K. Tracey); 232 at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 Sep (H. Robin- son); 1 along Sarno Extension {Brevard) 14 Nov (A. Bankert). Chestnut-sided Warbler: 3 at Starkey Wilderness Park 27 Sep (K. Tracey); 8 at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (B. Ahern et ah). Magnolia Warbler: 10-h at Bald Point SP 20 Sep (S. McCool); 20 at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (B, Ahern et ah); 8 at Green Key 2 Oct (K. Tracey). Field Observations 69 Black-throated Blue Warbler: 1 at John Chesnut Park 26 Aug (R. Smith); 12 at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (B. Ahern et aL); 97 banded at Cape Florida 22 Oct (M. Davis et ah); 1 at St, Augustine 21 Nov (Jackie Kern), Yellow-RUMPED Warbler: 600 at Cape Florida 9 Nov (R. Diaz). Black-throated Gray Warbler: 1 in female plumage at Key Largo 20 Sep (B. Mul- rooney, photo to FOC); 1 juvenile male at Cape Florida 11-12 Nov (R. Diaz). Black-throated Green Warbler: 6 at Fort De Soto 12 Oct (B. Ahern et al.); 1 in Hen- dry 12 Nov (R. Smith, B. Ahern); 1 at Fisheating Creek (Glades) 12 Nov (R. Smith, B. Ahern); 1 male at Rye Preserve 16 Nov (B. Ahern). Blackburnian Warbler: 2 at Lake Lisa Park 28 Aug (K. Tracey); 3 males at Medart 14 Sep (S, McCool); 15 at Cedar Key 20 Sep (D. Henderson); “noticeably more common than usual in Alachua this fair (R. Rowan, M, Manetz et al.). Yellow-throated Warbler: 10 at John Chesnut Park 13 Aug (L. & R. Smith). Prairie Warbler: 28 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Sep (H. Robinson). Palm Warbler: 1 of the western race at Southeast Farm (Leon) 24 Aug (S. McCool); 46 in W Pasco 11 Sep (K. Tracey), Bay-breasted Warbler: 5 at Fort De Soto 12 Oct (B. Ahern et al.); 15 at Fort George Is- land 13 Oct (R. Clark); 3 at Sawgrass Lake Park 17 Oct (R. Smith); up to 4 at Mead Garden 14-21 Oct (B. Anderson et al.); 5 at Hillsborough River SP 21 Oct (B. Ahern). Blackpoll Warbler: 1 at Cape Florida 9 Nov (M. Davis et al.). Cerulean Warbler: 15 reports of 20 birds 13 Aug-8 Sep, with 2 at Sawgrass Lake Park 3 Sep (R. Smith), and trios at John Chesnut Park 13 Aug (R, Smith) and Paynes Prai- rie Preserve 3 Sep (J. Bryan). Black-and-white Warbler: 1 aberrant male at Saddle Creek Park 2 Aug had a white head and yellow bill (P. Fellers et al.); 20 at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (B. Ahern et al.). American Redstart: 1 along Mandalay Road (Taylor) 13 Aug (S. McCool); 18 at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (B. Ahern et ah); “noticeably less common than usual in Alachua this fall” (R. Rowan, M. Manetz et al.). Prothonotary Warbler: 12 banded at Cape Florida 11 Aug-28 Sep (M. Davis et al.); 6 at John Chesnut Park 13 Aug (L. & R. Smith). Worm-eating Warbler: 1 along Mandalay Road 13 Aug (S. McCool); 3 at Werner-Boyce Salt Springs SP 26 Aug (K. Tracey). SWAINSON’S Warbler: 20 banded at Cape Florida 2 Sep-22 Oct (M. Davis, R. Diaz et al.). OVENBIRD: 1 sang at Medart 19-20 Sep (S. McCool); 92 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Sep (H. Robinson); 10 at Starkey Wilderness Park 27 Sep (K. Tracey); 1 in N Baker appeared to be wintering for the 3rd year (B. Richter). Northern Waterthrush: 12 at Merritt Island NWR 18 Aug (D. Freeland, M. Gardler); 81 at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 Sep (H. Robinson). Louisiana Waterthrush: 25 at Lake Apopka NSRA 20 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 at Eagle Point Park 12 Oct (K. Tracey); 1 at Anhinga Trail, Everglades NP (Miami-Dade) 23 Nov (J. Boyd). Kentucky Warbler: singles at Cape Florida 23 & 31 Aug (R. Diaz); 1 at Salt Springs SP 2 Sep (K. Tracey); 2 at Sawgrass Lake Park 3 Sep (R. Smith); 3 at John Chesnut Park 4 Sep (R. Smith); 1 at Evergreen Cemetery (Broward) 17 Sep (M. Berney); 1 at Fort George Island 13 Oct (R. Clark). Connecticut Warbler: 1 at Henderson Beach (Walton) 25 Oct (D. Ware). Mourning Warbler: 1 salvaged at Pace (Santa Rosa) 12 Sep (UF 45409; fide A. Krat- ter); 1 at Spanish River Park 14 Sep (B. Hope). Hooded Warbler: 1 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 21 Aug (M. Brothers); 8 at John Chesnut Park 4 Sep (L. & R. Smith); 8 at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (B. Ahern et al.); 1 at Greynolds Park (Miami-Dade) 7 Oct (J. Boyd). Wilson’s Warbler: 15 singles 22 Aug-28 Nov included 1 near Wabasso (Indian River) 27 Oct (D. Simpson) and 1 at Hopkins Landing (Gadsden) 4 Nov (S. McCool). 70 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Canada Warbler: 1 at Turkey Creek Sanctuary 8 Sep (D. Bales et al.); 1 at John Ches- nut Park 11-12 Sep (T. Arcos, L. Atherton); 1 at Phipp’s Park 15 Sep (A. & J. Wraith- mell); 1 at Sugden Park, Naples 17-18 Sep (A. Murray D, Suitor); 1 at Cape Florida 12 Oct (M. Davis, R. Diaz et al.); 1 at Lake Munson 17 Oct (A. Wraithmell). Yellow-breasted Chat: singles at Cape Florida 8 & 28 Sep (R. Diaz et ah); 1 at Re- search Road, Everglades NP 16 Sep (A. Banker!); 1 at St. Augustine 22 Sep (Jackie Kern); 2 at Greynolds Park 7 Oct (J. Boyd); 1 at Altamonte Springs 4 Nov (P. Hueber); 6 at Frog Pond WMA 11 Nov (M. Berney et al.). Summer Tanager: 6 at Honeymoon Island SP 26 Sep (P. Fellers); 20 at Fort De Soto 12 Oct (B. Ahern et al.). Scarlet Tanager: up to 10 at Mead Garden 8-23 Oct (B. Anderson). Western Tanager: 2 (female and male) at John Chesnut Park 30 Sep (M. Peterson, M. Gardler); 1 male at Honeymoon Island SP 13 Oct (L. Kenney). Clay-colored Sparrow: 2 at Bonsteel Park {Brevard) 7 Sep (A. Banker!); 1 at Key Largo 26 Sep (B. Mulrooney); 2 at Fort De Soto 30 Sep (B. Anderson et ah); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 5 Nov (R. Rowan); 1 at Kendall (Miami-Dade) 29-30 Oct (B. Boeringer); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 & 29 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 at River Lakes Conservation Area {Brevard) 9 Nov (D. Freeland); 1 in mid-Pinellas 24 Nov (J. Fisher); 1 at Frog Pond WMA 25 Nov (B. Boeringer). Lark Sparrow: 1 at Gainesville 21 Sep (A. Kratter, R. Rowan); 1 at Alligator Point 25 Sep (A. Wraithmell et al.); 2 at Frog Pond WMA 29 Sep (R. Torres, T. Mitchell); 1 at St, George Island SP 10 Oct (M. Hartley); 1 at Boot Key {Monroe) 10 Oct (J. Palmer); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 22 Oct (D, Steadman); 1 sang in mid-Pinellas 10-11 Nov (J. Fisher, photo to FOC); 1 at Lemon Bay Preserve {Sarasota) 15 Nov (M. Dunson); 1 at San Felasco Hammock 18 Nov (B. Simons). Savannah Sparrow: 1 at Merritt Island NWR 16 Sep (T. Dunkerton). Henslow’S Sparrow: 1 at Odessa {Pasco) 26 Oct (T. Mann). Le Conte’s Sparrow: 1 at St. Marks NWR 30 Oct (A. Wraithmell), and 2 there 26 Nov (E. Shaw et al.); 1 at Lake Jackson 16 Nov (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Alligator Point 19 Nov collided with a parked vehicle pre-dawn but recovered and was released (D. & J. Murphy); 1 at Tallahassee 2 Nov (M. Collins); 1 along Hatbill Road 24 Nov (A. Banker!). Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow: 1 at Bald Point SP 29 Sep (J. Murphy); 2 at Shired Is- land {Dixie) 10 Oct (R. Rowan); 1 at Green Key 24 Oct (K. Tracey); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 29-30 Oct (S. Rayer, details to FOC). Fox Sparrow: 1 at Gainesville 26 Nov (D. & J. Powell); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 29 Nov (B. Scales). Song Sparrow: 1 at Key West 25 Nov (L. Atherton, photo to FOC). Lincoln’s Sparrow: 1 at Tram Road STF 26 Oct (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Lake City 28 Oct (P Burns); singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Oct & 26 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 at Key Largo Hammocks {Monroe) 24 Nov (L. Atherton, photos to FOC). White-throated Sparrow: 1 at Siesta Key {Sarasota) 10 Nov (R. Greenspun); 1 at Up- per Tampa Bay Park {Hillsborough) 19 Nov (C. Gjervold); 3 seen and several more heard at Clay Island, Lake Apopka NSRA {Lake) 26 Nov (C. Pierce). Dark-eyed JuncO: singles at Tallahassee 25 Oct (T. Strohman), 21 Nov (G. Simmons), & 23 Nov (G. Menk); 1 along Bottoms Road {Wakulla) 14 Nov (S, McCool); a “small flock” at Tall Timbers 19 Nov (C. Borg); 2 at Fort Gadsden Historic Site {Franklin) 19 Nov (J. Murphy); 1 at Alachua {Alachua) 29 Nov (B. Wallace). Black-headed Grosbeak: 2 males (adult and juvenile) at Fort Walton Beach STF 28 Sep (T. Phillips et al., details to FOC); 1 at Gainesville 23-24 Oct (J, & J. Metheny). Blue Grosbeak: 72 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Oct (H. Robinson). Indigo Bunting: 20 at Fort De Soto 12 Oct (B. Ahern et al.); 40 at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Oct (H. Robinson). Field Observations 71 Painted Bunting: 1 at Chassahowitzka WMA {Hernando) 6 Sep (A. & B. Hansen); 1 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 5 Oct (P. Miller); 7 at Oakland Nature Preserve 21 Nov (T. Rodriguez); 1 female at Cedar Key 23-27 Nov (D. Henderson). DICKCISSEL: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 2-13 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 at Fort De Soto 27 Sep (B. Ahern); 2 at Canaveral National Seashore (Brevard) 1 Oct (T. Dunkerton). Bobolink: 3000 at Viera 7 Sep (T. Dunkerton). Yellow-headed Blackbird: 1 juvenile male at St. Marks NWR 4 Sep (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 28 Sep (B. Penhollow, T. Phillips); 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 18 Oct, and 1 there 3 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 at Sarasota 24 Oct (D. Ha5ward); 1 at Hague 28 Oct (M. Manetz); 1 male at Lithia (Hillsborough) 26 Nov (L. & M. Weltin, photo to FOC). Brewer's Blackbird: 1 at Tram Road STF 26 Oct (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Nov (H. Robinson). Shiny Cowbird: 3 at Flamingo, Everglades NP (Monroe) 4 Sep (J. Boyd); 3 at Lake Apo- pka NSRA 17 Sep (H. Robinson); 1 male at Tallahassee 8 Oct (S. Teisciero); 3 at Homestead (Miami-Dade) 29 Oct (J. Boyd); 2 at the Everglades Ag Area 3 Sep (B. Hope, M. Berney). Bronzed Cowbird: 2 singles at Jupiter Inlet Colony 6 Sep (J. & L. Hailman); 1 female at Mashes Sands Park (Wakulla) 22 Oct (S. McCool); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Oct (H. Robinson). Orchard Oriole: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve 23 Sep (A. Kratter). Baltimore Oriole: 11 at Altamonte Springs 16 Sep (R Hueber). Purple Finch: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 26 Nov (H. Robinson). House Finch: 5 at Lake Lisa Park 24 Oct (K. Tracey); 3 flocks, from 3-10 individuals each were flying NE at Fort De Soto 1 Nov (B. Anderson et aL); 1 at Cape Florida 8- 18 Nov (R. Diaz); 14+ at New Port Richey (Pasco) 26 Nov (K. Tracey). Nutmeg Mannikin: fledglings at Pensacola 20 Aug (B. Gilley); 1 at Captain Forster Hammock (Indian River) 27 Sep (D. Simpson). Contributors: Brian Ahern, Bruce Anderson, Todd Arcos, John Armstrong, Lyn Atherton, Mike Avery, Steve Backes, Danny Bales, Andy Bankert, Sonny Bass, Fred Bassett, Mark Berney, Clay Black, Paul Blair, Bill Boeringer, Chris Borg, John Boyd, Andrew Boyle, David Brooke, Michael Brothers, Dana Bryan, Judy Bryan, Chris Bur- ney, Patricia Burns, Beverly Campbell, Bob Carroll, Jim Cavanagh, Roger Clark, Nancy Christman, Julie Cocke, Pinya Cohen, Marvin Collins, Bobby Crawford, Sid Crawford, Fritz Davis, Lloyd Davis, Michelle Davis, Gail Deterra, Robin Diaz, Fred Dietrich, James Dinsmore, Terry Doyle, Michael Drummond, Jeanne Dubi, Jim DuBois, Bob Dun- can, Lucy Duncan, Thomas Dunkerton, Margaret Dunson, Dean Edwards, Jody Elliott, Margaret England, Charlie Ewell, Paul Fellers, Lenny Fenimore, Judy Fisher, David Freeland, Dot Freeman, Jere French, Norm Friedman, Perry Fulkerson, Jill Gaetzi, Murray Gardler, Ben Garmon, Bernice Gilley, Mark Ginsberg, Colin Gjervold, Liz Golden, David Goodwin, Rick Greenspiin, Steve Gross, Jack & Liz Hailman, Ai & Bev Hansen, Michael Hartley, Don Hayward, Dale Henderson, Linda Hensley, Michael Hill, John Hintermister, Steve Hofstetter, Nanette Holland, Linda Holt, Brian Hope, Paul Hueber, David Johnston, Lillian Kenney, Jackie Kern, Joe Kern, Grace Kiltie, Sheila Klink, Marianne Korosy, Andy Kratter, Jerry Krummrich, Mary Landsman, Elizabeth Lane, Brynne Langan, Janeen Langley, Patrick Leary, Rob Lengacher, Todd Long, Lome Malo, Mike Manetz, Larry Manfredi, Tiro. Mann, Don Margeson, Linda McCandless, Sean McCool, Lenore McCullagh, Vince McGrath, Russell McGregor, Michael Meisen- burg, Gail Menk, Jean & John Metheny, Paul Miller, Trey Mitchell, Brian Monk, Don Morrow, Tina Mossbarger, Brennan Mulrooney, Deanna Murphy, John Murphy, Alan Murray, Robert Norton, Ruth Palenik, Jeff Palmer, Tom Palmer, Steve Peacock, Ruth Ellen Peipert, Bob Penhollow, Mauri Peterson, Thelma Phillips, Cheri Pierce, Milton 72 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Plaugher, Debbie & Jim Powell, Peggy Powell, Bill Pranty, Chris Rasmussen, Stefan Rayer, Diane Reed, Bob Richter, Bryant Roberts, Harry Robinson, Tom Rodriguez, Rex Rowan, Fran Rutkovsky, Bubba Scales, Ken Schmidt, Eric Shaw, Bob Sicolo, Glenda Simmons, Bob Simons, David Simpson, Dee Fairbanks-Simpson, Parks Small, Lori & Ron Smith, Wanda Soto, Pete Southall, David Steadman, Tracee Strohman, Doug Suitor, Paul Sykes, Susan Teisciero, John Thornton, Roberto Torres, Ken Tracey, Ann Turner, Peg Urban, Alex Vinokur, Billi Wagner, Bob Wallace, Don Ware, Tom Webber, Larry & Marty Weltin, Mickey Wheeler, Michelle White, Ken Williams, Meret Wilson, Andy Wraithmell, Julie Wraithmell, Tom Wronski, Wilf Yusek, and Gina Zimmerman, Spring 2006 report not published previously; SiLVERY-CHEEKED HORNBILL: 1 at W Davie {Broward) 27 May 2006 (Rob Adams, photos to FOG). Summer 2006 report not published previously: BURROWING OWL: 55 at Site B- 70, Eglin AFB {Okaloosa) 29 Jul (Lenny Fenimore). Report prepared by Bill Pranty, state compiler (8515 Village Mill Row, Bayonet Point, Florida 34667-2662; ), Regional compilers are Brian Ahern (629 Gail Avenue, Temple Terrace, Florida 33617; ), Bruce H. Anderson (2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, Florida 32792; ), John H. Boyd III (15291 SW 108th Terrace, Miami, Florida 33196; ). 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; ), Gail Menk (2725 Peachtree Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32304; no email), Paul Miller (Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, 33104 NW 192nd Avenue, Okeechobee, Florida 34972; ), and Peggy Powell (2965 Forest Circle, Jacksonville, Florida 32257; ). rtda •r -'N.: » r ',; r„ '% '. 'A ' r $ •» f -^v M'f ’■■iff-. ’•I : , iJ, r.v*-. ^ s ■ , w , X i*' ' ‘ {(t* ^•■v lti.'> A 1 ?■ J 5^-, ■•» , ^ - 1 tf--' ■ -• 'v; “ •*«■■■ , . ff *" ‘’"'U't '■;• .■■ ■ '• t« ■M V ‘ LA- - .. ' /.‘V ; ,‘r : ■ 1 ■ [i; < ■ - ■ ' Iv 5‘r'7*:*r I V . 1:: ' . V u^i ■ t-- ’. .u-»v' * • - I OU^ ? . ' -. • •'■*’ ’• t aiM‘ .' r. V|;» fci •. M r- • rw. ( ■•‘^ tbf li^iun* f- -iV IM& 'Mi.: ;h *mm tj ‘a % f:»- '-af ' ’ Av ' . ». -iM # . '■^.'-i;,i.i 'iprlU ■_ S-. -i *. ?-'M» .i ]•';/» j :-*i ..* P f^.f4 ' »•“?:,"*•’ .'. ■* P'ffs"^ .;v. ' '■ ' ) •‘-. -V ^ r../.' r V'. ^ i,4f ; ■' ■ ’...■‘1 • ■■ .-v:’'> ■ ■; V, ^h,r :>‘' ^i:■K., Florida Field Naturalist ISSN 0738-999X PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Editor: ScOTT ROBINSON, Florida Museum of Natural History, RO. Box 117800, Univer- sity of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: srobinson@flmnh.ufl.edu Associate Editor (for Reviews): Reed BOWMAN, Archbold Biological Station, P.O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33852. E-mail: RBowman@archbold-station.org 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: TOM PALMER, 1805 26th Street, N.W., Win- ter Haven, FL 33881. E-mail: tomp47@yahoo.com Editor of Special Publications: Reed F. Noss, University of Central Florida, Depart- ment of Biology, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816-2368. E-mail: rnoss@mail . ucf edu Web Page Editor: Stephen Bankert, 365 Spoonbill Lane, Melbourne, FL 32951. E-mail: webmaster@fosbirds.org INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS The Florida Field Naturalist is a fully refereed journal emphasizing biological field studies and observations of vertebrates, especially birds, in and near Florida and the nearby West Indies. We welcome submission of original manuscripts containing new information from these areas. We encourage electronic submission of manu- scripts. Please consult recent issues of the journal and the FOS website (http:// www.fosbirds.org/FFN/FFNGuidelines.htm) for style, especially noting that manu- scripts 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 standardized English names for all birds, but lower case for English names of other organisms; (4) include 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) preferentially use active voice. Submit manuscripts for Florida Field Naturalist to the Editor, Scott Robinson. Monograph-length manuscripts may be submitted for consideration to Reed F. Noss, Editor of Special Publications. Books and other materials for review should be submit- ted to Reed Bowman, Associate Editor for Reviews. Field Observations should be sub- mitted to the Chair of the Field Observations Committee, Bill Pranty (see Field Observations, this issue). Reports of rare birds in Florida (see Field Observations, this issue) should be submitted to the Managing Secretary of the FOS Records Committee, Andrew W. Kratter, Florida Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 117800, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800; E-mail: kratter@flmnh.ufl.edu. Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VOL. 35, No. 2 May 2007 PAGES 39-72 CONTENTS NOTES Avian pox-like lesions in a Florida Scrub-Jay population Karl E. Miller and Craig A. Faulhaher 39-42 First verifiable records of the Rough-legged Hawk in Florida Bill Pranty, Kurt Radamaker, Harold Weatherman, and Harry R Robinson 43-45 Acadian Flycatcher caught in the web of a golden silk orb-weaver James A. Cox and Cathleen C. NeSmith 46-48 SIXTEENTH REPORT OF THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2006 Jon S. Greenlaw and Andrew W. Kratter. 49-59 FIELD OBSERVATIONS Fall report: August-November 2006 Bill Pranty 60-72 ^ ^ S' Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 35, No. 3 September 2007 Pages 73-103 FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Founded 1972 OFFICERS President: JEROME A. JACKSON, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Ft. Myers, FL 33965. Email: jjackson@fgcu.edu Vice President: Ann B. Hodgson, Audubon of Florida, Florida Coastal Islands Sanc- tuaries Program, 410 Ware Blvd., Suite 702, Tampa, FL 33619. E-mail: ahodgson® audubon.org Secretary: JiM Cox, Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Dr., Tallahas- see, FL 32312. E-mail: jim@ttrs.org Treasurer: PETER G. MERRITT, 8558 SE Sharon St., Hobe Sound, FL 33455. E-mail: pmerritt@hspi.us Editor, Florida Field Naturalist: ScOTT ROBINSON, Florida Museum of Natural His- tory, P.O. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: srobinson@flmnh.ufl,edu Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2008 David B. Freeland, 2345 Marsh Harbor Ave., Merritt Island, FL 32952 Joyce King, 280 SE 31®^ Way, Melrose, FL 32666 Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2009 Charlie Ewell, 115 SW 51®^ Terr., Cape Coral, FL 33914 Julie Wraithmel, 2507 Callaway Rd., Suite 103, Tallahassee, FL 32303 Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2010 Karl E. Miller, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 4005 South Main St., Gainesville, FL 32601 Ann F. Paul, Audubon of Florida, Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries Program, 410 Ware Blvd., Suite 702, Tampa, FL 33619 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. 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. Annual mem- bership dues are $25 for individual members ($30 overseas), $30 for a family membership, $15 for students, $45 for contributing members, $40 for institutional membership, $400 for individual life membership, and $500 for family life membership. All members receive the Florida Field Naturalist and the FOS newsletter Snail Kite. Subscription price for institutions and non-members is $20 per year. Back issues ($3.00 per issue) are available, prepaid, from the Treasurer. 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. The Florida Field Naturalist is published quarterly (February, 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 Ornitholog- ical Society is Division of Birds, Florida Museum of Natural History, 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. 35, No. 3 September 2007 Pages 73H03 Florida Field Naturalist 35(3):73-78, 2007. FIRST RECORD OF ROSEATE TERNS NESTING IN THE KEY WEST NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE: A BY-PRODUCT OF HURRICANE WILMA Tom Wilmers^ and Kathleen Lyons^ ^Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges, Big Pine Key, Florida 33043 ^2816 Central Avenue, Big Pine Key, Florida 33043 In the Western Hemisphere, the Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) exists as two distinct breeding groups: the endangered northeastern population (New York to Nova Scotia) and the threatened Caribbean population (see Smith 1996). In the U.S., birds of the latter group nest only in the Florida Keys, an arcuate string of islands stretching ca 355 km from Key Largo to the Dry Tortugas. Despite the Florida Keys’ considerable length, from. 1974-1998 a peak of only four nesting colonies was active in a single year (1976), with only 34 known colonies (mean =1.3 colonies per year) during the 25-year period (computed from Zambrano et al. 2000). That 11 (32%) of the colonies were on rooftops (computed from Zambrano et al. 2000) coupled with most other nesting occurring on islands cleared or created by man suggests that a lack of natural sites is a limiting factor. On 24 October 2005, Hurricane Wilma obliterated Pelican Shoal, a low-lying offshore island 13 km southeast of Key West^-the sole natu- ral Roseate Tern nesting site and one of only two active colonies that year in the Florida Keys. Aerial reconnaissance on 7 November 2005 revealed that the hurricane had created a sand island (ca 400 m long, width 5-100 m) and a narrow, attached finger spit, located 0.1 km west of Boca Grande Key (19 km west of Key West and ca 38 km from Peli- can Shoal). Hereafter this entire area will be referred to as Sand Is- land. Although within the administrative boundaries of the Key West National Wildlife Refuge, Sand Island and surrounding waters are un- der State of Florida jurisdiction. TW boated past or stopped at Sand Island at least twice monthly from December 2005 through May 2006. Despite the remote location. 73 74 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST visitors were often present, with as many as 23 people and three un- leashed dogs observed at one time. Flocks of shorebirds and Least Terns (S. antillarum), a state-listed threatened species, were observed being flushed en masse by the latter. On 5 June 2006, we observed a Roseate Tern incubating one egg ca 20 m from the west terminus of the island (hereafter nest one). The egg was deposited on bare sand but nearly touched a small, branched coral fragment. On that same day, permission was requested from the State of Florida to close part of the island as an emergency measure until State personnel could arrive later in the month. On the following morning, we erected area-closed signs around the nesting area, provid- ing a minimum buffer of ca 33 m. The bird remained in the incubating position. By 12 June, nest one had been washed away. A new nest with an in- cubating Roseate Tern (hereafter nest two) was observed ca 10 m from the former site of nest one. The bird’s scrape nearly touched a piece of carpet (ca 0.5 x 1 m) nailed to and protruding from a pl5rwood panel (ca 1 X 1.5 m) that had washed ashore. The scrape was otherwise sur- rounded by short (ca 4-10 cm) fragments of branched coral and rope. On June 14, State personnel posted new area-closed signs, each connected by a rope to delineate the closed nesting area. They also placed a sign ca 75 m beyond the cordoned area to provide an additional buffer. Observations on 19 June and 26 June revealed that the bird at nest two was still incubating, and on the latter date three additional Rose- ate Terns, all within the closed area, were nearby (Table 1). On 3 July, two additional Roseate Terns, each in an incubating posi- tion, were observed within the closed area. The scrape of one nest (nest three), 1 m from nest two and on the opposite side of the carpet, nearly touched the pl3rwood panel. Nest four was ca 12 m east of nest three. On 5 July, we observed 16 Roseate Terns, including the three incu- bating birds, in the closed area. Two pairs engaged in courtship flights (see Gochfeld et al. 1998) shortly after our arrival. Both pairs were later observed copulating, one within the closed area, the other ca 80 m beyond it and alongside a water-fllled depression on the island. Pre- copulatory behavior for the latter pair was observed: one of the birds made begging calls and the terns moved in short circles around each other for about 45 seconds. The female then held her body parallel to the sand whereupon the male mounted her. The copulation occurred amidst more than 50 Least Terns. Copulation was a protracted affair for both pairs of Roseate Terns. We timed the length of copulation for the pair observed outside the closed area: 1 minute, 35 seconds or 35 seconds longer than reported for this species (see Gochfeld et al. 1998). In both instances, the female was standing when copulation began, but eventually sank to the sand WiLMERS AND LYONS— ROSEATE TERN HABITAT AND HURRICANE WiLMA 75 Table 1. Summary of Roseate Tern observations on Sand Island, June 5-August 21, 2006. Date No. Roseate Terns^ No. active nests^ No. young 5 June 1 1 0 12 June 1 1 0 19 June 4 1 0 26 June 4 1 0 3 July 3 3 0 5 July 16 3 0 12 July 23 3 0 15 July 26 3 1 22 July 5 2 0^ 7 Aug 10 0 0^ 12 Aug 15 0 3 21 Aug 8 0 0 4 Sep 0 0 0 6 Sep 0 0 0 11 Sep 0 0 0 18 Sep 0 0 0 ^Exclusive of nestlings. ^Adult bird on scrape. ^No spotting scope on these dates; nestlings may have been overlooked. with the male still on her back, with copulation continuing for 30 addi- tional seconds in the second pair. On 12 July (1044 hours) we visited Sand Island at the crest of the highest spring tide of the month. About half the island was inundated, including a small portion of the closed area, but all the tern nests were above water and the birds were incubating. Including the three nesting birds, 23 Roseate Terns were observed, 14 within the closed area, nine others near a flock of 35 Royal Terns (8. maxima). On 15 July, 26 Roseate Terns were observed on the island. Birds were present at nests two, three and four. However, the bird at nest two was sitting higher in its nest than the other nesters, suggesting a hatchling was being brooded. Because incubation normally is com- pleted in 24 days (Gochfeld et al. 1998) and nest two had one egg on 12 June, incubation may have been protracted at this nest. Incubation in Roseate Terns may last as long as 31 days (Nisbet 1981). Further, it is possible that a second egg was laid at nest two. Individual eggs may be laid as much as four days apart (Gochfeld et al. 1998). It may be that the first egg at nest two did not hatch (or if it did, we did not observe a nestling), and, perhaps, the bird was still sitting on the second egg (or a small hatchling) on 15 July. On 22 July, no bird was present at nest two, but incubation was still underway at nests three and four. We had binoculars only (no spot- 76 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST ting scope) and did not observe any nestlings. Five Roseate Terns, in- cluding the incubating birds, were observed in the closed area. On 7 August, no incubating Roseate Terns were observed, but 10 roosting birds were present in the closed area. Two men were on Sand Island, cast-netting from the shoreline at a point barely within the closed area. The men were oblivious to the signs; their activity did not cause the terns to flush. We did not have our spotting scope and may have overlooked nestlings if they had been immobile and cryptic due to the presence of the fishermen. On 12 August, 15 adult Roseate Terns and three fledglings were ob- served. Age differences were readily apparent. One fledgling was nearly full grown (primaries well developed); the others were smaller, one considerably so. Given its advanced development, we believe that the largest fledgling was from nest two. On 21 August, no birds were present in the closed area. Eight roosting birds (all adults) were observed elsewhere on the island. No Roseate Terns were observed on 4, 6, 11, and 18 September. Discussion Prior to our observations, Roseate Terns had not nested within the administrative boundaries of the Key West National Wildlife Refuge (KWNWR). Since 1986, a few tropical storms and other hurricanes (e.g., Georges in 1998) have created tiny sand islands in KWNWR, but these were ephemeral and unsuitable for tern nesting (Wilmers pers. obs.). Thus, Hurricane Wilma’s creation of Sand Island was notewor- thy. The island had characteristics similar to that reported by Robert- son (1978) for a Roseate Tern nesting site in the Dry Tortugas: a barren substrate of sand, shell, and broken coral. Whether nesting occurred before our first observation on June 5 was unknown. Prior observations of public use (and the presence of free-roaming dogs) on Sand Island falsely led us to assume there would be no nesting by any bird species. Thus, we may have overlooked any earlier nest(s). Egg-laying rangewide for the Caribbean population usually begins in May with hatching in mid-June (Gochfeld et al. 1998). However, two of the four Sand Island nests were laid after 26 June, which is more typical for Florida (Kushlan and White 1985, Smith 1996, Zambrano 2001). Roseate Terns nesting at Sand Island could also have been young adults, which in the northeastern population lay eggs later than their older counterparts (Burger et al. 1996). Beaches and sand islands are rare in the FL Keys and attract boat- ers, some with dogs. Nesting Roseate Terns left unprotected in remote areas like Sand Island inevitably will be subjected to human-caused WiLMERS AND LYONS— ROSEATE TERN HABITAT AND HURRICANE WiLMA 77 disturbance. The deleterious impact of the latter (see Nisbet and Drury 1972) is unrecognized by some, if not most, visitors. Further, the birds of the Caribbean population are more prone to human disturbance im- pacts than their northern counterparts (Gochfeld et al. 1998). Because nesting birds are particularly sensitive to disturbance during the courtship and incubation periods (Fyfe and Olendorff 1976), it was important that we quickly provided a buffer zone (see Rodgers and Smith 1995, 1997). Closing the entire island, while preferable, was not possible for a number of reasons, including a lack of officers to en- force the closure. We believe the small size of the buffer zone enhanced compliance because of its reasonableness: most of the island remained open to public use. Signs on Sand Island were not damaged and, with the noted exception, we did not see human trespassers in the closed area. Although less than 10% of Sand Island was closed to public use, two letters of complaint appeared in a local newspaper denouncing the closure, including one entreaty to leave the entire island open so that dogs could run at will. Although the posted signs stated the area was closed for nesting birds, no news releases had been provided to avoid drawing undue attention to the nesting terns. Whether the latter was the more prudent action is a conjectural matter. Lastly, Sand Island’s importance was not limited to Roseate Terns. We observed four other tern species (as many as 290 Least Terns), 11 shorebird species (as many as eight Piping Plovers {Charadrius melo- dus), and three wading bird species (as many as four Reddish Egrets {Egretta rufescens). Acknowledgments H. T. Smith and P. Hughes provided helpful comments on an early draft of the manu- script. We thank Anne Morkill, Project Leader of the Florida Keys National Wildlife Ref- uges, for supporting our efforts. Literature Cited Burger, J., I. C. T. Nisbet, C. Safina, and M. Gochfeld. 1996. Temporal patterns in reproductive success in the endangered Roseate Tern {Sterna dougallii) nesting on Long Island, New York, and Bird Island, Massachusetts. Auk 113:131-42. Fyfe, R. W., and R. R. Olendorff. 1976. Minimizing the dangers of nesting studies on raptors and other sensitive species. Canadian Wildlife Service. Occasional Paper 23. Gochfeld, M., J, Burger, and I. C. T. Nisbet. 1998. Roseate Tern {Sterna dougallii). in The Birds of North America, No. 370 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Kushlan, j. a., and D. White. 1985. Least and Roseate Tern nesting in the Florida Keys. Florida Field Naturalist 13:98-99. Nisbet, I. C. T. 1981. Biological characteristics of the Roseate Tern {Sterna dougallii). U.S. Fish Wildlife Service Report 50181-084-9, Newton Corner, MA. 78 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Nisbet, L C. T., and W. Drury. 1972. Measuring breeding success in Common and Ro- seate Terns. Bird-Banding 43:97-106. Robertson, W. B, 1978. Roseate Tern, Pp. 39-40 in Rare and Endangered Biota of Flor- ida, Vol. Two: Birds (H. W. Kale II, ed.). University Presses of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Rodgers, J., and H. T. Smith. 1995. Setback distances to protect nesting bird colonies from disturbance in Florida. Conservation Biology 9:89-99. Rodgers, J., and H. T. Smith. 1997. Buffer zone distances to protect foraging and loaf- ing waterbirds from human disturbance in Florida. Wildlife Society Bulletin 25:139- 145. Smith, H. T 1996. Roseate Tern. Pp. 247-257 in Rare and Endangered Biota of Florida. Vol. V: Birds (J. A, Rodgers, Jr., H.W. Kale, II, and H. T. Smith, eds.). University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Zambrano, R. 2001. Reproductive success and nestling growth at a roof and ground col- ony of roseate terns {Sterna dougallii) in Florida. Master of Science Thesis. Florida Atlantic University. Zambrano, R., H. T, Smith, and M. Robson. 2000. Summary of breeding Roseate Terns in the Florida Keys: 1974-1998. Florida Field Naturalist 28:64-68. Florida Field Naturalist 35(3):79-85, 2007. FOOD-HANDLING DIFFICULTIES FOR SNAIL KITES CAPTURING NON-NATIVE APPLE SNAILS Philip C. Dakby^ David J. Mellow, and Miranda L. Watford Department of Biology, University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway, Pensacola, Florida 32514 ^E-mail: pdarhy@uwfedu Abstract. — The non-native channeled apple snail, Pomacea insularum, has spread rapidly in a number of wetlands and lakes in Florida that fall within the range of the en- dangered Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis). We observed Snail Kites foraging on P. in- sularum on a central Florida lake and found that the kites had difficulties capturing and consuming the large non-native snails. Kites dropped 44% of channeled apple snails cap- tured, compared to a 0% drop rate by kites capturing native apple snails (P. paludosa), and 1% reported by another study. Kites also took longer to extract the flesh from P. in- sularum compared to P. paludosa, but this may be offset by the larger caloric value of the former. The extremely high drop rate may preclude some Snail Kites (e.g., juveniles) from meeting their caloric needs, but this and many other questions regarding the poten- tial impact of the spread of P. insularum needs to be investigated more thoroughly. There has been a rapid expansion of non-native channeled apple snails in peninsular Florida wetlands and lakes. Rawlings et al. (2007) used genetic analyses recently to identify the most widespread non-na- tive apple snail as Pomacea insularum (not P. canaliculata as previously thought). Another non-native, the spike-topped apple snail (P. diffusa) has existed in Florida for decades, but its populations remain re- stricted to a few small areas and their potential impacts appear less of a concern (Rawlings et al. 2007). Growing concern about the invasive P insularum stems, in part, from its rapid expansion into the range of the endangered Florida Snail Kite {Rostrhamus sociabilis plumheus). Questions have been raised regarding the kites’ ability to rely on the much larger P. insu- larum as a substitute for its normal prey, the native Florida apple snail (P paludosa) (Rawlings et al. 2007). Takekawa and Beissinger (1983) reported that kites can capture and consume non-native spike-topped apple snails, and we had anecdotal evidence that kites also consumed P. insularum. The Snail Kite has structural attributes in its claws and beak that make it adept at capturing and consuming the golf-ball sized native ap- ple snail (Snyder and Snyder 1969). Florida apple snail adults typi- cally range in size from 30-45 mm in height (see Fig. 1 for standard shell measurements) and rarely exceed 60 mm (Hanning 1979, Sykes 1987, Darby, unpublished data). In contrast, P. insularum found in 79 80 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Figure 1. Top panel— wiew showing height (H) and width (W) measurements of a typical-sized P. insularum found on LTOHO (81 mm W x 93 mm H) (left) and a typical-sized P. paludosa found on LKISS (31 mm W x 34 mm H) (right). See text for details on sizes from field samples. Bottom panel—an additional perspective of the same specimens to illustrate the much larger overall size of P. insularum. DAiSBYETAL.— Snail Kites and Non-native Snails 81 Florida often exceed 90 mm in height (pers. obs., also see Rawlings et ah 2007). We hypothesized that kites may experience difficulties cap- turing and consuming the large non-native apple snails. Study Site and Methods We observed Snail Kites foraging on channeled apple snails in Goblets Cove (28°13.4N, 81°21.0W) on Lake Tohopekaliga (LTOHO), Osceola County, as part of a larger on-going study of apple snails on central Florida lakes. Only the channeled apple snail was found in Goblets Cove at the time we made our foraging observations. For comparison, we observed Snail Kites capturing native snails around Ox Island (27°56.2N, 81°13.6W) on nearby Lake Kissimmee (LKISS), Osceola County. We observed kites foraging on channeled apple snails on LTOHO on 22 and 23 Octo- ber 2004 in three different locations approximately 1-2 km apart along the shoreline. Based on plumage markings and the different locations, we were reasonably confident that we observed 10 different birds, but we could only be certain of distinguishing be- tween individuals within a given day (tz = 4 and n = 6). Two observers watched foraging kites from a stationary or slow moving airboat (see Bennetts et al. 2006). When a kite captured a snail, one observer kept sight of the kite with a binocular. Incidences of kites dropping captured snails were recorded. When the kite landed on a perch with a cap- tured snail, we started a stop watch. We recorded the ‘extraction time’ as the time it took for the kite to extract and swallow the snail flesh. We inspected discarded shells under accessible kite perches to confirm that they were eating only the channeled apple snail. We recorded the frequency of kites dropping native snails on LKISS in spring 2005. Extraction times were not recorded. We inspected accessible kite perches to confirm they were eating only the native apple snail. In fall 2004, we used throw traps and dip nets in Goblets Cove on LTOHO to sample apple snails, a method that does not bias against capturing any snail sizes as long as they exceed 13 mm (Darby et al. 1999). We measured the shell widths (nearest mm, us- ing vernier calipers) of 64 live channeled apple snails captured in throw traps. We also recorded shell widths for 22 native snails taken from throw traps in the vicinity of for- aging kites on LKISS in spring 2005. Snails sampled in throw traps on LTOHO and LKISS were immediately returned to the water because our research on trends in snail abundance was on-going. Shells of snails consumed by kites were not measured, in part, because we could not be certain which snail in a pile of shells under a perch was the one just consumed. Also, in many cases, we could not access the perches because they were surrounded by impenetrable vegetation. Qualitative assessment of shells in piles be- neath several accessible perches confirmed that the kites were eating snails of a size similar to those that we measured from throw traps. As a routine part of our field sampling, we measured only shell width to represent overall snail size. In hindsight (after collecting kite foraging data), we realized that heights of those found in the field might be of interest for overall size comparisons of na- tive vs. non-native snails. Heights of shells for which we had field measurements of widths were estimated as follows. First, we measured heights and widths from similarly sized empty shells stored in the lab {n - 15 for P. paludosa and n = 15 for P. insularum) and calculated an average height to width ratio. Then, we multiplied the average ratio (= 1,15 for both species) by the shell width recorded from field specimens in order to estimate their height. Although this approach may not be sufficiently precise to distinguish subtle differences in shell morphology (e.g., to compare species or gender within a species), it al- lowed us to quantify the large size differences between the native and the non-native snails. We also used a standard electronic laboratory scale to weigh one whole frozen spec- imen of H insularum and P. paludosa, comparable in size to those on which kites foraged. 82 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Results We recorded 25 cases of Snail Kites capturing a channeled apple snail. Kites dropped eleven of these captured snails (44%) before reach- ing a perch. Most often, kites held the captured snail for one to two sec- onds before dropping it (qualitative assessment). The tendency to drop channeled apple snails varied widely between kites (Table 1). We ap- proached locations where the snails were dropped and never saw float- ing, empty shells. This was confirmation that kites were not mistakenly grabbing and then dropping empty shells. Also, the splash associated with dropped shells suggested that whole snails, not just relatively light, empty shells, were being dropped. In 136 records of a kite capturing a native snail on LKISS, no snails were dropped. For those kites that made it to a perch with a channeled apple snail, the extraction time was, on average (± SD), 333 ± 178 s (n = 10). Shell widths of P. insularum found in throw traps on LTOHO were on average 81 mm ± 6 mm (SD), and estimated heights averaged 95 mm ± 7 mm; these were also the approximate sizes found under kite perches (quali- tative assessment) (see Fig. 1). The smallest shell found was 77 mm in height. On LKISS, native apple snail shells found under kite perches al- ways exceeded 20 mm in width (qualitative assessment). Sykes (1987) reported no snails <20 mm under kite perches. Average widths and es- timated heights collected from throw traps were 31 ± 8 mm and 35 ± 9 mm, respectively (four snails that were <20 mm were excluded from cal- culations to better reflect on what kites were foraging) (see Fig. 1). Whole frozen specimens representing the approximate average sizes of P. insularum and P. paludosa weighed 174 g and 35 g, respectively. Table 1. The number of channeled apple snails captured by Snail Kites, the number dropped before getting to a perch, and the time (in seconds) required to extract and consume the snail’s flesh in those cases where the Snail Kite ate the snail. Date Kite number Channeled apple snails captured Channeled apple snails dropped Extraction time (s) 22 Oct 1 4 4 no data 22 Oct 2 6 4 no data 22 Oct 3 3 2 62 22 Oct 4 1 0 440 23 Oct 1 3 1 280, 586 23 Oct 2 1 0 220 23 Oct 3 3 0 588 23 Oct 4 1 0 463 23-Oct 5 1 0 189 23 Oct 6 2 0 299, 200 Darby ET al.—Snml Kites and Non-native Snails 83 Discussion Snail Kites dropped the large channeled apple snails 44% of the time, compared to 1% or less noted for kites capturing native snails (Cary 1985, Sykes et al. 1995, this study). Channeled apple snails weighed approximately five times as much as native apple snails. Beissinger (1990) reported the time for a Snail Kite to extract and eat the flesh from Florida apple snails as 95.7 ± 37.3 s (SD), or roughly one third the extraction times we recorded for kites eating the large non- native. Takekawa and Beissinger (1983) provided no indication that kites had trouble foraging on non-native apple snails, but this likely re- flects the fact that the kites they observed were eating spike-topped ap- ple snails, which are similar in size to the Florida native (Thompson 1984, Rawlings et al. 2007). We found no reports of any of the three subspecies of Snail Kites (R. s. plumbeus, R. s. sociabilis, R. s. major) foraging on P. insularum, noting that the range of this snail overlaps with R. s. sociabilis in South America (Sykes et al. 1995, Rawlings et al. 2007). R. s. sociabilis also occurs in wetlands supporting P. urceus (Burky et al. 1972, Don- nay and Beissinger 1993), another apple snail with shell height >100 cm; again, we found no reports of kites eating these large snails. Al- though studies have shown that kites select larger snails (i.e., they rarely eat snails <20 mm shell length), the upper limit of what they can handle has never been questioned. In reports of snail sizes consumed by kites (with only four snail species noted, P. paludosa, P. doliodes, P. scalaris, P. canaliculata)^ the largest snail eaten was 86 mm shell length (Tanaka et al. 2006), and they rarely consumed snails > 60 mm (Beissinger 1983, Bourne 1985, Bourne 1993, Tanaka et al. 2006, also see review by Sykes et al. 1995). Snail kites may simply be less profi- cient at grasping the 95 mm (average) P. insularum, noting that kite claw plus toe lengths are 49 to 68 mm (Sykes et al. 1995). The 175 g av- erage weight of P insularum might have been a challenge as well, given that this is approximately 45%, 43% and 37% of the total weight of juvenile, adult male, and adult female kites, respectively (Valentine- Darby et al. 1997). We suspect that the high degree of individual vari- ation in drop rates reflected age and/or inexperience, with juveniles more likely to drop snails compared to adults. Longer extraction times for P. insularum may simply reflect the ef- fort required to extract a larger amount of flesh from the shell, and this could be offset by the caloric gain. However, kites expend more energy in getting an exotic snail to the perch; they dropped 44% of the exotic snails captured. Quantifying this tradeoff in caloric gain relative to the additional effort of capture would require more thorough examination. A simplistic example follows: a juvenile kite that captures and con- 84 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST sumes four native snails (35 g each) obtains a 140-g prey item with the cost of carrying 9% of its body mass (on four flights to a perch); it spends 384 s to consume the prey. In comparison, a juvenile kite that captures four exotic snails (174 g each) but drops three, obtains 174 g of snail (24% more than if eating four natives), but carries 45% of its own body mass (on one full flight to a perch and three flights to the point of dropping snails); it takes 333 s to consume the prey Clearly, the net ca- loric gain is not directly proportional to the larger size prey, and under some circumstances, depending on the individual drop rate, there could be a net loss when attempting to forage on R insularum. We have particular concern for juveniles that may exhibit high drop rates which may lead to insufficient calorie intake. Newly fledged kites, when cap- turing P. paludosa, were described as 'proficient at capturing snails but unskilled at extraction’ (Sykes et al. 1995). Bennetts and Kitchens (1999) identified 30-60 d post fledging as being the period of greatest risk of mortality for Florida snail kites, and alluded to their inexperi- ence in foraging on their own. The large size of P. insularum may exac- erbate the potential for newly fledged kites to suffer mortality associated with food handling difficulties, and there could be demo- graphic consequences for Snail Kites reflected in lower juvenile sur- vival (e.g., see Dreitz et al. 2004). Other questions, such as the potential for parasites harbored by P insularum to harm kites (Rawl- ings et al. 2007) and their potential impacts on wetland vegetation (Carlsson et al. 2004), should also be investigated. Acknowledgments This research was conducted while completing a larger, ongoing project funded by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Michel Therrien assisted with the field work. We appreciate the comments from Patty Valentine-Darby on drafts of this manuscript. Literature Cited Beissinger, S. R. 1983. Hunting behavior, prey selection, and energetics of Snail Kites in Guyana: consumer choice by a specialist. Auk 100:84-92. Beissinger, S. R. 1990. Alternative foods of a diet specialist, the Snail Kite. Auk 107:327-333. Bennetts, R. E., and W. M. Kitchens. 1999. Within-year survival patterns of Snail Kites in Florida. Journal of Field Ornithology 70:268-275. Bennetts, R. E., P. C. Darby, and L. B. Karunaratne. 2006. Foraging habitat selection by Snail Kites in response to prey abundance and vegetation structure. Waterbirds 29:88-94. Bourne, G. R. 1985. The role of profitability in Snail Kite foraging. Journal of Animal Ecology 54:697-709. Bourne, G. R. 1993. Differential snail-size predation by snail kites and limpkins. Oikos 68:217-223. Darby £TAL.— Snail Kites and Non-native Snails 85 Burky, a. J., J. Pacheco, and E. Pereyra. 1972. Temperature, water, and respiratory regimes of an amphibious snail, Pomacea urceus (Muller), from the Venezuelan sa- vannah. Biological Bulletin 54:697-709. Carlsson, N. O., C. Bronmark, and L. Hansson. 2004. Invading herbivory: the golden apple snail alters ecosystem functioning in Asian wetlands. Ecology 85:1575-1580. Cary, D. M. 1985. Climatological factors affecting the foraging behavior and ecology of snail kites (Rostrhamus sociahilis plumbeus Ridgway). Master’s Thesis, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL. Darby, P. C., J. D. Croop, R. E. Bennetts, P. L. Valentine-Darby, and W. M. Kitch- ens. 1999. A comparison of sampling techniques for quantifying abundance of the Flor- ida Apple Snail {Pomacea paludosa, Say). Journal of Molluscan Studies 65:195-208. Donnay, T. j. and S. R. Beissinger 1993. Apple snail {Pomacea doliodes) and freshwa- ter crab {Dilocarcinus dentatus) population fluctuations in the Llanos of Venezuela. Biotropica 25:206-214. Dreitz, V. J., W. M. Kitchens, and D. L. DeAngelis. 2004. Effects of natal departure and water level on survival of juvenile Snail Kites {Rostrhamus sociahilis) in Florida. Auk 121: 894-903. Hanning, G. W. 1979. Aspects of reproduction in Pomacea paludosa (Mesogastropoda: Pilidae). Master’s Thesis, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL. Rawlings, T. A., K. A. Hayes, R. H. Cowie, and T. M. Collins. 2007. The identity, dis- tribution, and impacts of non-native apple snails in the continental United States. BioMed Central Evolutionary Biology 7:97. Online at http://www.biomedcentral.com/ 1471-2148/7/97; viewed August 2007. Snyder, N. F., and H. A. Snyder. 1969. A comparative study of mollusk predation by limpkins, everglade kites, and boat-tailed grackles. Living Bird 8:177-223. Sykes, P. W. 1987. The feeding habits of the Snail Kite in Florida, USA. Colonial Water- birds 10:84-92. Sykes, P. W., Jr., J. A. Rodgers, Jr., and R. E. Bennetts. 1995. Snail Kite {Rostrha- mus sociahilis). In The Birds of North America, No. 171 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and the American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, DC. Takekawa, j. C., and S. R. Beissinger 1983. First evidence of Snail Kite feeding on the introduced snail, Pomacea hridgesi, in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 11:107-108. Tanaka, M. O., A. L. T. Souza, E. S. Modena. 2006. Habitat structure effects on size se- lection of snail kites {Rostrhamus sociahilis) and limpkins {Aramus guaranuna) when feeding on apple snails {Pomacea spp.). Acta Oecologica 30:88-96. Thompson, F. G. 1984. The Freshwater Snails of Florida: A Manual for Identification. University of Florida Press, Gainesville, FL. Valentine-Darby, P. L., R. E. Bennetts, and W. M. Kitchens. 1997. Breeding masses of Snail Kites in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 25:60-63. 86 NOTES Florida Field Naturalist 35(3):86-88, 2007. INTERSPECIFIC FEEDING OF NESTLINGS BY A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD Ross McGregori and Frances C. James^ ^Department of Oceanography, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4320 E-mail: mcgregor@ocean.fsu.edu ^Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-1100 Birds feed offspring other than their own typically when their nests are parasitized (e.g., by cuckoos or cowbirds) or as conspecific (usually related) helpers at the nest (e.g., as occurs in the Florida Scrub Jay, Aphelocoma coerulescens). Much less common is the occurrence of interspecific feeding of offspring in other nests (Shy 1982). We recently ob- served a brood of Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) being fed not only by both parent birds but also by an adult Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos). On 8 June 2006 we visited a suburban neighborhood on Old Village Road, Tallahas- see, Florida, to investigate a report by Mrs. Fran Buford of a mockingbird feeding wren chicks. We were shown the nest of a Carolina Wren, with four nestlings, in a hanging basket of white begonias (Fig. 1) in a shaded yard within a few m of a house. The chicks were only a few days from fledging. We had watched the nest for only about 10 min when an adult wren approached the nest, fed a chick, removed a fecal pellet, and flew off Shortly afterwards, when an adult Northern Mockingbird approached the nest car- r3dng food, both parent wrens gave alarm calls. The mockingbird then fed a wren chick (Fig. 2) and removed a fecal pellet. Ten minutes later, an adult wren again fed one of the chicks. Some 30 min later, the mockingbird again fed a wren chick, although this time no alarm calls were heard from the parent wrens. Shortly afterwards, we found an ac- tive nest of Northern Mockingbirds in a crape myrtle bush {Lagerstroemia sp.) with four small, early stage (ca 5 days old) chicks in the same yard, no more than 10 m away. We presume that this was the nest of the mockingbird seen feeding the wrens, as we ob- served no territorial disputes with other mockingbirds. The reasons for a bird to provide interspecific care are difficult to understand, as there is no selective advantage to the caregiver. Such interspecific feeding may provide the helper with experience for future breeding attempts (Trombino 2000), but that ex- planation seems unlikely in this case, as the helper was already breeding. We think that it is most likely that the proximity of the two nests led to this example; in addition, the interspecific feeder may have been the male of the pair of mockingbirds, feeding the wrens while his mate was brooding his own chicks. If the mockingbird chicks experi- enced no selective disadvantage as a result, then the trait may persist, but negative se- lection pressure may explain why such observations are rare. Literature Cited Shy, M. M. 1982. Interspecific feeding among birds: a review. Journal of Field Ornithol- ogy 53:370-393. Trombino, C. 2000. Helping behavior within sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus spp.). Wilson Bul- letin 112:273-275. Notes 87 Figure 1. Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) feeding chicks in a subur- ban yard in Tallahassee, Florida. 88 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Figure 2. Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) feeding Carolina Wren chicks in the same nest shown in Figure 1. 89 Florida Field Naturalist 35(3):89-102, 2007. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Winter Report: December 2006-February 2007. — This report consists of signifi- cant bird observations compiled by the Field Observations Committee (FOC). Submis- sions 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, ob- server(s), and significance. Seasons are winter (December-February), spring (March- May), summer (June-July), and fall ( August-No vember). Submit observations to re- gional compilers within two weeks after the close of each season, or to the state compiler within one month. Addresses of the compilers are found at the end of this report. We greatly prefer observations sent via e-mail. Sight-only observations are considered “reports” while only those supported by veri- fiable evidence (photographs, video or audio tapes, or specimens) are called “records.” Species for which documentation is required by the FOS Records Committee (FOSRC; Bowman 2004, Fla. Field Nat. 32:7-33) are marked here with an asterisk (*). A county designation (in italics) accompanies the first-time listing of each site in this report. Ab- breviations in this report are: AFB = Air Force Base, EOS = end of season, NP = national park, NSRA = north shore restoration area, NWR = national wildlife refuge, SP - state park, STA = stormwater treatment area, STF = sewage treatment facility, WEA = wild- life and environmental area, WMA = wildlife management area, and N, S, E, W etc., for compass directions. Bold-faced entries denote birds newly reported or verified in Flor- ida, or record numbers. Summary of the Winter Season Weather this season was fairly typical. In the western Panhandle, Bob Duncan re- ported that “there were frequent frontal passages along the northern Gulf Coast bring- ing rapid weather changes. A light freeze was recorded in Pensacola in December. January was cold and damp. February was cold and dry.” There was much snowfall north of Florida, which may have been at least partially responsible for the great inva- sion of northern irruptives. Gail Menk reported that, “compared to past years, there were unusually large numbers of White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and es- pecially Golden-crowned Kinglets.” The Golden-crowned Kinglet invasion reached the central Peninsula, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets reached the Upper Keys. Many observ- ers noted the abundance of American Robins and Cedar Waxwings. FOSRC rarities reported this season were two Masked Ducks at Viera, Red-necked Grebe at Destin, White-faced Ibises at St. Marks (two) and Lake Apopka (one), Iceland Gull at Perdido, Thayer’s Gull in Volusia County, Calliope Hummingbirds at Jackson- ville and Tallahassee, Hammond’s Flycatcher at Orlando, Tropical Kingbird and Cassin’s Kingbird at Lake Apopka, Western Meadowlark in Escambia County, and Bul- lock’s Oriole at Tallahassee. A new bird for the state — but under the most dubious of cir- cumstances— was the White- winged Crossbill specimen (!) found at Everglades National Park. Finally, disparate news of three birds in Florida were reported in the media: a Ring-necked Duck shot by a Tallahassee hunter (no location or date given) survived two gunshot wounds and a two-day stint in the hunter’s freezer before the bird was discov- ered to still be alive; the duck was sent to a rehabilitation center where it was expected to survive (BBC News); 17 of the 18 juvenile Whooping Cranes that followed an ul- tralight aircraft from Wisconsin were killed in their pen at Chassahowitzka NWR dur- ing a storm 3 Feb (widely reported); and a falconer giving a display at Titusville lost a Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug), which was equipped with a radio transmitter (with a dead battery) and “bells on its legs attached by leather 'anklets’” (Floridabirds-L). 90 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Species Accounts Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: up to 26 at Lake Apopka NSRA (Orange) 8 Dec- 14 Jan (H. Robinson); 66 at Bushnell (Sumter) 12 Dec (M. Freeman); 11 N of Brooksville (Hernando) 13 Dec (A. & B, Hansen); 26 at Polk phosphate mines 29 Dec (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 300+ at Gainesville (Alachua) 21 Jan (L. Hensley); 87 at The Villages (Sumter) 9 Feb (J. Dinsmore); 1000 NE of Bee Ridge (Sarasota) 27 Feb (T. Mossbarger et alj; 400 wintered at T. M. Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area (Brevard; fide D. Simpson), Fulvous Whistling-Duck: 150 at STA-5 (Hendry) 9 Dec, and 75 there 27 Jan (M. Eng- land et aL); 25 at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 Jan (H. Robinson); 112 at Goodwin Water- fowl Management Area 17 Jan (D. Simpson); 47 at Polk mines 11 Feb (P. Timmer), White-faced Whistling-Duck: 1 at Lakeland (Polk) 13 Jan (L. Twining, photo to FOC). Snow Goose: up to 4 N of Brooksville 3-5 Dec (A. & B. Hansen et aL); 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 6-31 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 immature in Leon 10 Jan (G. Simmons), Canada Goose: 1 along CR-44, Crystal River (Citrus) 12 Jan (B. Ahern), Brant: 1 juvenile at Newnans Lake (Alachua) 29 Dec (A. Kratter); 1 juvenile at Fort Is- land Beach (Citrus) 2-22 Jan (D. & S. Hans et aL, photo to FOC by A. Lippman). Black Swan: 1 at Boca Ciega Bay (Pinellas) 1-7 Feb (R. Harris, L. Atherton). Wood Duck: 288 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Dec (H. Robinson). Mandarin Duck: 1 drake at Holiday (Pasco) 28 Feb (P. Francois, photo to FOC). Gadwall: 19 at Spring Hill (Hernando) 26 Dec (A. & B. Hansen); 16 N of Brooksville 11 Jan (M. Gardler); 250 at Polk mines 11 Feb (P. Timmer). American Black Duck: 4 at catfish farms in N Escambia 13 Dec (L. Catterton) fur- nished the first accepted report in the W Panhandle since 1965 (fide B. Duncan); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP (Alachua) 4 Feb (S. Flamand). Mallard x Mottled Duck: 1 male at Viera Wetlands (Brevard) 1 Dec-10 Feb (D. Freeland et aL); 200 at Timber Pines, Spring Hill 26 Dec (A. & B. Hansen); 1 at Eagle Lakes Park, Naples (Collier) 21 Jan (D. Suitor); up to 10 at Rotary Park, Cape Coral (Lee) 17 Feb (C. Ewell); up to 7 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Dec (B. Anderson). Blue-winged Teal: 5000 at Viera Wetlands 3 Dec (D. Freeland). Blue-winged x Cinnamon Teal: 1 male at Viera Wetlands 1 Dec-24 Jan (C. Goodrich et aL, photo to FOC). Cinnamon Teal: 2 (male & female) at Viera Wetlands 1 Dec-15 Jan (D. Freeland et aL). Northern Pintail: 1 at Eagle Lakes Park 15 Dec (D. Suitor); 6 at Ten Thousand Islands NWR (Collier) 4 Jan (T. Doyle, C. Ewell); 64 at Polk mines 11 Feb (P. Timmer), Green-winged Teal: 1000 at Viera Wetlands 28 Jan (D. Freeland et aL). Canvasback: 11 at Newnans Lake 9 Dec (A, Kratter); up to 9 at Polk mines 29 Dec-11 Feb (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 11 Feb (C. Burney, J. DeLuca). Redhead: 1 at a Polk mine 7 Jan (P. Timmer). Ring-necked Duck: 400 at the Sarasota celery fields 7 Dec (B. Ahern); 1220 at The Vil- lages (Sumter) 8 Jan (J. Dinsmore). Greater Scaup: 3 at Count Philippe Park, Safety Harbor (Pinellas) 28 Dec (C. Gjervold); I juvenile female at Eco Pond, Everglades NP (Monroe) 30 Dec- 13 Jan (J. Boyd et aL, photo to FOC by M. Faherty); 1 at Inglis Dam (Citrus) 12 Jan (B. Ahern); 1 at Fort Is- land Beach 19 Feb (M. Gardler). Common Eider: 1 female at Fort Clinch SP (Nassau) 9 Dec (R. Smith); 1 female at St. Augustine Inlet (St Johns) 16 Dec (B. Richter), and 2 there 3-4 Feb (D. Reed et aL); 1 female flew S past Ormond-by-the-Sea (Volttsfa) 23 Dec (M. Brothers), Surf Scoter: up to 4 at Port Orange (Volusia) 6-23 Dec (M. Brothers); 7 at Ormond Beach (Volusia) 23 Dec (M. Brothers). White-winged Scoter: 11 flying S off Ponce de Leon Inlet (Volusia) 1 Dec (M, Brothers); II between Alligator Point & Bald Point (Franklin) 13 Jan (A. Bankert), Field Observations 91 Black Scoter: 40 at Mud Cove {Franklin) 9 Dec (J. Murphy); 3 at Baj^ort Park {Hernando) 26 Dec (B. Pranty B. Ahem); 1 female at Port Richey {Pasco) 2 Jan (B, Ahem, A. Bankert et aL); 1 immature at Santa Rosa Sound {Santa Rosa) 5-8 Jan (B, Duncan); 100 at Bald Point 13 Jan (A. Bankert et aL); 34 at Ormond-by-the-Sea 5 Feb (M. Brothers). Long-tailed Duck: 1 at Manatee Hammock Park, Titusville {Brevard) 13-14 Dec (J. Ea- ger); 1 at St. Augustine Inlet 16 Dec (B. Richter); 1 male along Bottoms Road {Wakulla) 14 Jan (M. Hartley, A. Bankert); 3 at St. Augustine Inlet 3-4 Feb (B. Wal- lace, J. Hintermister). Bufflehead: 3 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Dec (B. Anderson); 33 at Fort Island Beach 21 Dec (M. Gardler); 12 off Black Point Park (Miami-Dade) 8 Jan (R. Torres); 1 at Lake Sampson, Starke ^Bradford) 15 Jan (D. Goodwin, E. Haney); 2 at Loxahatchee NWR {Palm Beach) 20 Jan (J. Boyd); 1 at Cherry Lake {Madison) 16 Feb (R. Smith). Common Goldeneye: 1 juvenile male at Tangerine {Orange) 19-22 Dec (B. Anderson et aL); up to 37 at Fort Island Beach 21 Dec-EOS (M. Gardler); 2 at Weekiwachee Pre- serve {Hernando) 3 Jan (D. Simpson); 1 female at Palm Harbor {Pinellas) 15 Jan (M. Gardler); 1 at Melrose [county not indicated] 16-21 Feb (B. & J. Bolte et aL). Red-BREASTED Merganser: 1 at a Polk mine 29 Dec (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 1 at Hague {Alachua) 25 Jan (B. Kramer). *Maseed Duck: at least 1 in female plumage at Viera Wetlands to 29 Dec, and 2 in fe- male plumage there 12-19 Dec (D. Freeland et aL, photos to FOG by B. & E. Marr). Ruddy Duck: 8500 at Lake Apopka NSRA 6 Dec, and 8000 there 7 Feb (H. Robinson); 2000 at Newrians Lake 8-10 Feb (B. & J, Bolte et aL). ReD“THROATED LooN: 1 at S Merritt Island {Brevard) 16-17 Dec (C. Goodrich et aL); 1 at Fort Island Beach 21 Dec (M. Gardler); 2 at St. George Island {Franklin) 14 Jan (M. Hartley); 1 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 16 Jan (M. Brothers); 8 at Alligator Point 19 Jan (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Titusville 21 Jan (B. Anderson et aL); 1 at Ormond-by-the-Sea 5 Feb (M. Brothers). Pacific Loon: 1 at S Merritt Island 16-20 Dec (C. Goodrich et aL). Common Loon: 16 off Boynton Beach Inlet {Palm Beach) 9 Dec (M. Berney); 1 at Lake Sampson 15 Jan (D. Goodwin, E. Haney); 3 at Three Rivers SP {Jackson) 25 Jan (B. Ahern). Horned Grebe: 1 at Lake Ella {Leon) 2-13 Jan (G. Menk). *Red~NECKED Grebe: 1 first-winter at Destin {Okaloosa) 4 Feb (C. Saleeby details to FOSRC). Eared Grebe: 1 at Bradenton {Manatee) 10-24 Dec (J. Palmer, J. Dubi); 2 at Fort Walton Beach STF {Okaloosa) to 18 Dec (B. Duncan, D. Ware et aL); 1 at Ormond Beach 25- 27 Feb (M. Brothers); 1 juvenile wintered at Green Cay Nature Center {Palm Beach; L. McCandless et aL). Northern Gannet: 25 off Naples 10 Feb (D. Suitor). American White Pelican: 1 at Lake Munson {Leon) 2 Dec (L. Most); 1 captured and ate an American Coot at STA-5, 9 Dec (M, England et al.)!; up to 50 N of St. Leo {Pasco) 10 Dec+ (M. White, B. Pranty); 35 at Chokoloskee Bay, Everglades NP {Collier) 19 Dec (D. Suitor); 167 at Ten Thousand Islands NWR 4 Jan (T. Doyle, C. Ewell); 75 at Bystre Lake, Brooksville 8 Jan (M. Gardler); 125 in Charlotte Harbor {Charlotte) 20 Jan (R. Smith, B. Ahern); 1 at Mayo {Lafayette) 11 Feb (R. Rowan et al.). Brown Pelican: singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Jan & 25 Feb (H. Robinson); 3 at Lake Bonny, Lakeland {Polk) 26 Jan (T. Palmer); 1 at Orlando {Orange) 31 Jan (A. Boyle); 1 at Maitland {Orange) 15 Feb (C. Pierce). Magnificent Frigatebird: 1 at Steinhatchee {Dixie & Taylor) 5 Jan (R. Smith); 28 near Sebastian Inlet SP {Indian River) 6 Jan (N. Soucy). American Bittern: 32 at Lake Apopka NSRA 13 Dec (H. Robinson). Great Blue Heron: 1 independent juvenile at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 22 Jan (R. Rowan). 92 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST “Great White Heron”: 1 on a nest just S of Longboat Key (Sarasota) 8 Jan (Mark Davis). Great Egret: 1950 at Ten Thousand Islands NWR 4 Jan (T. Doyle, C. Ewell). Reddish Egret: up to 8 (28 Feb) wintered at St. Marks NWR (A. Wraithmell et al.). White Ibis: 1130 at Ten Thousand Islands NWR 4 Jan (T Doyle, C. Ewell). Glossy Ibis: 1000 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 19 Feb (D. & S. Hartman). White-faced Ibis: 2 immatures at St. Marks NWR 11 Jan (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 24 Jan (H. Robinson). Roseate Spoonbill: 2 at Bystre Lake 2 Dec-2 Jan (A. & B. Hansen); 10 at Lake Apopka NSRA 3 Dec (H. Robinson); 5 at St. Marks NWR 4 Dec (C. Evans); 7 at Kanapaha Prairie (Alachua) 11 Dec (M. Spalding); 10 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 17 Dec (M. Davidson); up to 5 at Polk mines 29 Dec-11 Feb (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 6 at N Jacksonville (Duval) 4 Jan (K. Dailey); 218 at Ten Thousand Islands NWR 4 Jan (T Doyle, C. Ewell); 1 at Inverness (Citrus) ca. 13-20 Feb (K. Spilios); 1 at Zephyrhills (Pasco) 27 Feb (C. Black). Wood Stork: 400 along CR-44, 12 Jan (B. Ahern). Black Vulture: 1340 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Feb (H. Robinson). Turkey Vulture: 1250 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Dec (H. Robinson). Swallow-tailed Kite: 1 at Merritt Island NWR 22 Feb (fide T. Dunkerton); 1 at Gaines- ville 25 Feb (L. Terry); 1 at Anclote River Park (Pasco) 27 Feb (K. Tracey). White-tailed Kite: 2 near Loxahatchee Road (Palm Beach) 7 Jan (B. Hope, M. Berney et al.); 1 at Mosaic property (Hardee) 13 Jan (F. & P. Rice); 1 at Research Road, Ever- glades NP 13 Jan (J. Boyd); 1 at W Cocoa (Brevard) 8-10 Feb (K. Allie); at least 2 win- tered at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP (Okeechobee] P. Miller). Bald Eagle: 45 at the Volusia Landfill 18 Jan (B. Ahern); increasing in the W Panhan- dle, with 14 sub-adults at the Escambia catfish ponds 19 Jan, the maximum ever re- ported in the region (B. & L. Duncan); 16 at the Collier Landfill 20 Jan (D. Suitor). Great Black-Hawk: 1 adult of the urubitinga race at Key Biscayne (Miami-Dade) 7 Dec (R. Diaz). Northern Harrier: 153 at Lake Apopka NSRA 6 Dec (H. Robinson). Short-tailed Hawk: 1 light morph near SR-72 (Sarasota) 16 Dec (J. Palmer); 1 light morph at Myakka River SP (Sarasota) 10 Jan (R. Greenspun); seven or eight sight- ings total of both morphs at Disney property (Orange) 9-11 Feb (W. Russell); 3 nesting territories in the Port Richey-New Port Richey area (Pasco) 1 Feb-EOS (K. Tracey); 2 dark morphs carrying nesting material to a cypress at Flint Creek (Hillsborough) 11 Feb (M. Peterson); 1 dark morph along SR-60, ~16 km E of Yeehaw Junction (Indian River) 18 Feb (P. Miller); J. Boyd summarized all of his Florida observations since Oct 1999: 84 of 156 hawks (54%) were dark morphs. Swainson’S Hawk: 1 moribund juvenile at Elkton (St. Johns) 7 Dec succumbed the next day (specimen to UF; fide A. Kratter); 1 at Brandon (Hillsborough) 25 Jan (B. Lan- dry); 1 at Coe Visitor Center, Everglades NP (Miami-Dade) 27 Jan (J. Boyd). Red-tailed Hawk: 109 at Lake Apopka NSRA 6 Dec (H. Robinson), Golden Eagle: 1 juvenile at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Jan, and 1 adult there 4 Feb (H. Robinson); 1 adult in Baker 10 Feb (R. Smith). Crested CaracarA: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 at Florida Panther NWR (Collier) 19 Dec (D. Suitor); 1 pair observed building a nest and copulating at Chuluota (Seminole) 1 Jan (L. Malo, C. Pierce); 1 near Hal Scott Preserve (Orange) 22 Feb (B. Ahern). Peregrine Falcon: 1 at Keaton Beach (Taylor) 13 Jan (B. Ahern, R. Smith); 1 in SW DeSoto 20 Jan (B. Ahern, R. Smith). Yellow Rail: 1 at Hole-in-the-Donut, Everglades NP (Miami-Dade) 2 Jan (Michelle Davis); 1 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP 20 Feb (D. Simpson). Purple Swamphen: 50+ at STA-5, 9 & 24 Dec (M. England et al.). Field Observations 93 Purple Gallinule: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 18 Dec (S. Hartman); 2 at Orlando Wetlands Park (Orange) 22 Feb (B. Ahern). Limpkin: 1 at the Ernest Hemingway house, Key West (Monroe) 11 Feb (D. Sterba, photo to FOG). Sandhill Crane: 70 at Bald Point 10 Dec (J. Murphy); 18 at Lake Jackson (Leon) 23 Dec (G, Menk); 90 headed N over The Villages (Sumter) 9 Feb (J. Dinsmore); 200 over Colt Creek SP (Polk) 25 Feb (C. Geanangel). Whooping Crane: 1 adult with one Sandhill Crane over Bald Point SP (Franklin) 2 Dec (J. Murphy). Black-bellied Plover: 175 wintered at Crandon Park Beach (Miami-Dade) 10 Dec- EOS (R. Diaz). American Golden-Plover: 1 E of Brooksville 16 Dec-8 Jan (M. Gardler et al, photos to FOC); singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 17-29 Dec & 28 Feb (H. Robinson). Snowy Plover: 1 male at Huguenot Memorial Park (Duval) 17 Dec (K. Dailey); 10 at Fort Pickens (Escambia) 18 Jan (B. Duncan). Wilson’s Plover: 30 in a flock at Weekiwachee Preserve 14 Jan (B. Pranty, M. Petru); 12 wintered at Crandon Park Beach 10 Dec-EOS (R. Diaz). Semipalmated Plover: 11 at Polk mines 7 Jan (P. Timmer). Piping Plover: 42 wintered at Crandon Park Beach 10 Dec-EOS (R. Diaz). Black-necked Stilt: up to 24 (29 Dec) at Polk mines 29 Dec-11 Feb (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 1 at Lake Jessup Conservation Area (Seminole) 2 Jan (E. Rocco). American Avocet: 2 at St. Marks NWR to 16 Dec (A. Wraithmell); up to 206 at Polk mines 29 Dec- 11 Feb (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 123 at Cedar Key (Levy) 14 Feb (D. Henderson). Solitary Sandpiper: 1 at Zephyrhills 30 Dec (K. Tracey); 1 at Lettuce Lake Park (Hills- borough) 14 Dec (B. Ahern); 1 at Tallahassee (Leon) 27 Feb (G. Menk). WiLLET: 1 at Viera Wetlands 28 Jan (M. O’Brien, fide D. Freeland). Long-billed Curlew: 1 in Franklin 28 Dec- 14 Jan (J. Murphy); 1 at Joe Overstreet Road, Lake Kissimmee (Osceola) 24 Jan furnished the first inland wintering record (T. Donovan, photos to FOC); 2 off Cedar Key 13 Feb (D. Henderson et ak). Western Sandpiper: 1220 at Polk mines 11 Feb (P. Timmer). Purple Sandpiper: 2 at Smyrna Dunes Park, Ponce de Leon Inlet 5 Dec, and 1 at Light- house Point Park 1 Jan+ (M. Brothers); 1 at Garden Key, Dry Tortugas NP (Monroe) 17 Dec (C. Skelton, photos to FOC); singles at Huguenot Memorial Park 19 Dec (B. Richter) & 30 Dec (P. Powell); 1 at Anna Maria Island (Manatee) 22 Jan (G. Spooner); 1 at Jetty Park, Port Canaveral (Brevard) 26 Feb (D, Freeland). Dunlin: 13 at Polk mines 29 Dec (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Stilt Sandpiper: 1 at Lake Jackson 22 Dec (J. Cavanagh); 1 N of Brooksville 11 Jan (M. Gardler). Long-billed Dowitcher: 18 at Springhill Road STF (Leon) 18 Dec (G. Menk); 16 at Lake Jackson 22 Dec (J. Cavanagh); 37 at Bystre Lake 8 Jan (M. Gardler); 3 E of Ar- cadia (DeSoto) 27 Jan (R. Smith). American Woodcock: up to 8 displayed at Weekiwachee Preserve 24 Dec-3 Feb (A. & B, Hansen et al.); up to 5 at Research Road, Everglades NP 29 Dec-27 Jan (J. Boyd, R. Diaz); 1 at Florida Panther NWR 27 Jan (D. Suitor et al). Red Phalarope: 10 birds 64 km off Ponce de Leon Inlet 29 Jan (M. Brothers). POMARINE Jaeger: 7 off Volusia 30 Jan (M. Gardler); 1 off Naples 10 Feb (D. Suitor). Parasitic Jaeger: 1 light-morph adult pursued a Royal Tern at Honeymoon Island SP (Pinellas) 13 Jan (B. Pranty, M. Petru); 2 off Volusia 30 Jan (M. Gardler); 1 light- morph sub-adult harassed Royal Terns at Sandy Key, Everglades NP (Monroe) 1 Feb (B. Mulrooney); 1 first-winter at Talbot Islands SP (Duval) 7 Feb (P. Leary). Laughing Gull: 1 at Newnans Lake 8 Dec-6 Jan (R. Rowan, A. Kratter). Franklin’s Gull: 1 at Newnans Lake 17-19 Dec (A. Kratter et ak); 1 at Black Point Park 4 Jan (A. Bankert et ak); 1 at Cutler Ridge (Miami-Dade) 20 Jan (R. Torres). 94 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Bonapakte’S Gull: 5 at Green Key Road, New Port Richey 2 Feb (K. Tracey). Ring-BILLED Gull: 4000 at Cherry Lake 16 Feb (R. Smith). Herring x Glaucous Gull: up to 3 at the Volusia Landfill 13 Jan+ (M. Brothers, B. Anderson et aL). *Iceland Gull: 1 first-winter at Perdido Landfill (Escambia) 13 Jan-17 Feb (L. Catter- ton, accepted by FOSRC). Lesser Black-backed Gull: 11 (4 adults) at Crandon Park Beach 10 Dec-EOS (R. Diaz); 1 adult at Tiger Point (Santa Rosa) 16 Dec (B. Bremser); 2 at the Collier Landfill 20 Jan (D. Suitor); 20 at Stock Island (Monroe) 3 Jan (C. Goodrich); 80+ at Pompano Landfill (Broward) 13 Jan (M. Berney); 1 at Pine Island (Hernando) 3 Feb (C. Black et aL). Glaucous Gull: 1 juvenile at Huguenot Memorial Park 25 Dec-28 Jan (B. Richter); 1 first-basic at the Volusia Landfill 13 Jan+ (M. Brothers et aL); 1 second-winter at Fort Walton Beach and Destin 5-14 Feb (C. & J. Grossa et aL); 1 at Fort Pierce Inlet SP (St. Lucie) 5 Feb (J. Brooks). Great Black-backed Gull: 4 (1 adult) at Crandon Park Beach 10 Dec-EOS (R. Diaz). Black-legged Kittiwake: 1 immature 64 km off Ponce de Leon Inlet 29 Jan (M. Brothers). Gull-billed Tern: 1 at Hernando Beach (Hernando) 26 Dec (B. Pranty et aL); 2 at Hud- son Beach, Hudson (Pasco) 26 Dec (K. Tracey); 5 at Talbot Islands SP 30 Dec (R. Wears); 1 along the St. Johns River (Seminole & Volusia) 31 Dec (D. Simpson); 4 at Orlando Wetlands Park 1 Feb (B. Anderson et aL). Royal Tern: 1 at Bystre Lake 2-16 Dec (C. Black et aL, photos to FOC); 4 at Lake Han- cock, Lakeland 16 Dec (T. Palmer); 5 at Polk mines 29 Dec (R Timmer, C. Geanangel); 2 N of St. Leo 30 Dec (B. Pranty, M. White, photos to FOC); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 9 Feb (H. Robinson). Sandwich Tern: 4 at Polk mines 29 Dec (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Forster’s Tern: 454 at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 Dec (H. Robinson); 31 at Springhill Road STF 18 Dec (G. Menk). Black Skimmer: 32 Lake Mirror, Lakeland 19 Feb (T. Palmer). Dovekie: 1 flew S past Canaveral National Seashore (Brevard) 18 Dec (C. Goodrich et aL, details to FOC). White-winged Dove: 2 at Alligator Point 2 Dec (J. Murphy); 1 at St. Marks NWR 4 Dec (C. Evans); 1 at N Jacksonville 30 Dec (A. Turner); 1 at Sanibel Lighthouse (Lee) 27 Jan (D. & L. Stokes). Black-hooded Parakeet: 37 along Dunedin Causeway (Pinellas) 15 Jan (M. Gardier). Monk Parakeet: 7 at Oviedo (Seminole) 31 Dec (R. Brown). Lilac-crowned Parrot: 3 at Matheson Hammock County Park (Miami-Dade) in Feb (B. Mumford, photos to FOC). Red-LORED Parrot: 1 with an orange cheek patch at Bradenton (Manatee) 2 Jan (W, Stinehelfer, photos to FOC). Smooth-billed Ani: 1 at Pahokee (Palm Beach) 8 Feb (P. Gray). Barn Owl: 25 at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 near the former Toytown Dump, St. Petersburg (Pinellas) 24 Dec-31 Jan (R. Smith); 1 pair initiated nesting at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP in late Feb (R Miller). Barred Owl: 10 near Withlacoochee River Park (Pasco) 30 Dec (B. Ahern et aL). Short-eared Owl: up to 9 (29 Dec) wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson); 1 at Blue Heron STF (Brevard) 2 Dec (R. Halpin); 1 at Flamingo, Everglades NP (Monroe) 5 Jan (A. Bankert et aL); 1 at Panacea (Wakulla) 19-20 Jan (A. Wraithmell, J. Mur- phy); 1 of the Caribbean race at Key West (Monroe) 4 Feb (C. Goodrich). Lesser Nighthawk: 1 at Alligator Point 4 Dec (J. Murphy); 1 at Research Road, Ever- glades NP 18 Dec & 16 Jan (R. Diaz); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 12 Jan (H. Robinson); 5 at Eco Pond, Everglades NP 14 Jan (M. Berney). Common Nighthawk: 1 at Bald Point SP (Franklin) 2 Dec had “sharply pointed wings” and a “white bar high on wing” (J. Murphy); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 3 Dec (H. Robin- Field Observations 95 son); 1, possibly 2, at Gainesville 19-22 Dec (E. Scales, R. Rowan et aL, audio recording to FOC); 2 at Research Road, Everglades NP 6 Jan (A. Bankert, M, Berney et aL). Chuck-¥/ILL’S-WIDOW: 1 in DeSoto 27 Jan (R. Smith); 1 heard singing at Sarasota 26 Feb (J. Palmer), Whip-poor-will: 1 in DeSoto 27 Jan (R. Smith); at least 2 heard singing at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP 23 Feb (P. Miller); 1 heard singing at Sarasota 26 Feb (L. Jakubowicz), HubimingbirdS: 11 individuals of 5 species banded in Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton variously 8 Nov-17 Dec: 4 Ruby-throated; 10 Rufous; 3 Black-chinned; 3 Buff-bellied; and 2 *Calliope (F, Bassett); 21 banded at Tallahassee: 3 Ruby-throated; 2 Black-chinned; 2 Calliope; and 14 Rufous; returning hummingbirds included 1 Buff-bellied banded in 2006, 2 Rufous banded in 2003, and one Rufous banded in 2006 (F. Bassett). Buff-bellied Hummingbird: 1 female at The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Na- ples {Collier) 18 Nov- 12 Dec (S. Carbol et aL, photo to FOC by R. Greenspun). Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 1 at Ormond Beach 7 Dec-9 Mar (M, Wilson); up to 9 wintered at Valrico (Hillsborough) (S, Backes). Archilochus species: 1 at Jacksonville 30 Dec-EOS (L, Royce). *Calliope Hummingbird: 1 first-year male at Jacksonville 9 Jan-EOS (P. Powell, F. Bas- sett, photos to FOC by R. Clark). Rufous Hummingbird: 2 wintered at Valrico (S. Backes). Selasphorus SPECIES: 1 female at Cedar Key 2 Dec-EOS (D. Henderson). Red-headed Woodpecker: 6 at Naples 30 Dec (D. Suitor); 1 at Terra Verde (Pinellas) 19 Jan (S. Patterson). Red-bellied Woodpecker: 1 female at EPCOT (Orange) 19 Feb had an extreme “sickle- bill” deformity of its upper mandible (D. Sterba, photo to FOC). Downy Woodpecker: 1 at Indigenous Park, Key West 10 Jan (B. Mulrooney). Hairy Woodpecker: 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 17 Dec (G. Morgan); 2 at Eglin AFB (Okaloosa) 18 Dec (D. Ware); 3 along the Escambia River (Escambia) 27 Dec (B. & L. Duncan et aL); 1 at Naples 30 Dec (D. Suitor); 2 at Wekiva River Buffers Conser- vation Area (Seminole) 10 Feb (B. Wheeler). *Hammond’S Flycatcher: 1 at Hal Scott Preserve 28 Jan-2 Mar (J. Gordon et aL, photos to FOSRC). Least Flycatcher: up to 10 (6 Dec) wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson); 1 at Merritt Island NWR 14 Dec (D. Freeland); 1 at Southern Glades WEA (Miami-Dade) 16 & 27 Jan (R. Diaz); 1 at Flamingo, Everglades NP 30 Dec-20 Jan (J. Boyd et aL). Vermilion Flycatcher: 1 at Flamingo, Everglades NP 5 Jan-7 Feb (A. Bankert et aL); 1 at Research Road, Everglades NP 15-16 Jan (R. Diaz et aL); 3 wintered at Paynes Prairie Pieserve SP (J. DeLuca et aL); 1 adult male wintered at Lake Jessup Conser- vation Area, Sanford (R. Halpin et aL, photos to FOC). Ash-throated Flycatcher: 1 at Bald Point SP 16 Dec (J. Murphy, details to FOC); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 Dec-31 Jan (H. Robinson). Broto-CRESTED Flycatcher: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Dec-11 Feb (H. Robinson); 1 at Flamingo, Everglades NP 13 Jan-7 Feb (J. Boyd, R. Diaz); 1 at Research Road, Ev- erglades NP 15-16 Jan (R. Diaz et aL). *Tropical Kingbird: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 13 Dec (H. Robinson). *Cassin’s Kingbird: 1 wintered at Lake Apopka to 14 Feb (H. Robinson). Western ICihgbied: 1 at St. Vincent NWR (Franklin) 1 Dec (P. Flynn); a total of 9 in Es- cambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa variously 3-18 Dec (fide B. Duncan); 3 at Lecanto (Citrus) 26-28 Dec (A. Lippman); 1 at Fort De Soto Park (Pinellas) 21 Dec-12 Jan (L. Athertoii et aL, photo to FOC); up to 17 (11 Jan) at Cedar Key airport 28 Dec-21 Feb fed mostly on Sabal fruit (D. Henderson); 10 SE of Lake Istokpoga (Highlands) 28 Dec (F. Lohrer et aL); 3 at Fort Island Beach 29 Dec-mid Jan (D. Sm3rth et aL); 1 N of 96 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Hudson 1 Jan (K. Tracey); 1 at Merritt Island NWR 8 Jan (T. Dunkerton); 1 at St. George Island 14 Jan (M. Hartley); 1 at Alligator Point 15 Jan (J. Murphy), and 2 there 19 Jan (A. Wraithmell); 13 near Bartow {Polk) 17 Jan (T Palmer); 1 at Tallahas- see 21-24 Jan (F. Dietrich); 6 near Balm {Hillsborough) 27 Jan (C. Rasmussen); 1 in DeSoto 27 Jan (R. Smith); 7 in a “pretty tight flock” at J.N. “Ding” Darling NWR (Lee) 6 Feb (W. Russell); up to 43 wintered at The Villages {Marion; J. Dinsmore); up to 40 (22 Dec) wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson), SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER: 1 at the Sarasota celery fields 1 Dec (J. Palmer); 3 at The Villages {Marion) 2 Dec+ (J. Dinsmore); 1 at W Cocoa 11 Dec-10 Feb {fide D. Freeland); 7 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Dec, and 2 there to 9 Feb (B. Anderson, H, Rob- inson); 1 at Avon Park {Polk) 25 Dec (D. Simpson); 10 SE of Lake Istokpoga 28 Dec (F. Lohrer et al.); 6 at Cockroach Bay Road, Ruskin {Hillsborough) 13 Jan (T Arcos); 2 at Longboat Key 9 Jan (J. Ginaven); 2 near Bartow 17 Jan (T. Palmer). Yellow-throated Vireo: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 10 Jan (H. Robinson). Bell’s Vireo: 1 at Southern Glades WEA 2 Dec-EOS (B. Rapoza et al.); 1 at Bradenton 30 Dec-3 Jan (J. Dubi et al., photo to FOC by R. Greenspun). Yellow-throated Vireo: 1 at Royal Palm, Everglades NP 18 Dec (R. Diaz); 1 at Re- search Road, Everglades NP 16 Jan (R. Diaz); 1 at Gainesville 25 Feb (G. Kiltie); 1 wintered at W Kendall {Miami-Dade; J. Boyd). Blue-headed Vireo: 14 near Withlacoochee River Park 30 Dec (B. Ahern et al.). Horned Lark: up to 7 (31 Jan) at Bascom {Jackson) 14-31 Jan (A. Banker!, M. Bemey et al.). Purple Martin: 1 at Sarasota 7 Jan {fide T. Mossbarger); 2 males at Tallahassee 25 Jan (K. MacVicar); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 26 Jan, and 5 there 27 Jan (H. Robinson); 4 at Circle B Bar Reserve {Polk) 26 Jan (T. Palmer); 3 at St. Petersburg 31 Jan (R. Smith); 2 at Naples 31 Jan (K, Williams); 1 at Talbot Islands SP 7 Feb (P. Leary), Tree Swallow: 100,000 near Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP 14 Jan (T. Rodriguez). Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 300+ at STA-5, 9 Dec & 27 Jan (M. England); 1 at Viera Wetlands 15 Jan (D. Freeland); 1 at Newnans Lake 11 Feb (C. Burney, J. DeLuca). Cave Swallow: 15 of the fulva race at Homestead 14 Jan (J. Boyd); 2 at Merritt Island NWR 21 Feb (D. Freeland et al.). Barn Swallow: 1 at Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area 17 Jan (D. Simpson); 1 at Tomoka SP {Volusia) 27 Feb (M. Wilson). Carolina Chickadee: 1 at Mead Garden, Winter Park {Orange) to 14 Jan (B. Orr). White-breasted Nuthatch: 2 at Osceola National Forest {Baker) 6 Dec (B. Richter); 1 at Gainesville 27 Jan (B. Holt). Brown Creeper: 1 at Gainesville to 2 Dec (R. Norton); singles at Tallahassee 4 Dec (G. Menk), 19 Dec-4 Jan (M. Collins), and 30 Dec (J. Cavanagh); 1 at Florida Caverns SP 9 Dec (A. Banker!); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 10 Dec (E. Scales); 1 at Fort George Island {Duval) 8 Jan (R. Clark); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 10 Jan (B. Dun- can); 1 in W Washington 14 Jan (A. Bankert); 1 at Three Rivers SP 25 Jan (B. Ahern); 1 at St. Marks NWR 29 Jan (M. Berney); 1 at Gulf Breeze {Santa Rosa) 11 Feb (J. French); 1 at Newberry {Alachua) 11 Feb (H. Warren et al.). Carolina Wren: a clutch of 5 eggs completed at Gainesville 22 Feb (B. Snelson). Winter Wren: 1 at Lake Jackson 9 Dec (M. Collins); 1 at Gulf Breeze 13 Dec (J. French); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 17 Dec (M. Manetz); 4 along the Escambia River {Es- cambia & Santa Rosa) 27 Dec (B. & L. Duncan et ah); 1 at Leon Sinks {Leon) 6 Jan (M. Hartley); 1 at Florida Caverns SP 25 Jan (B. Ahern); 1 at Ponce de Leon Springs SP {Holmes) 26 Jan (B. Ahern); 1 at Torreya SP {Liberty) 26 Jan (B. Ahern); 1 at Pea- cock Springs SP {Suwannee) 11 Feb (R. Rowan et al.); 1 at Bayard Conservation Area {Clay) 26 Feb (L. McCullagh). Golden-crowned Kinglet: 16 at Newnans Lake 2 Dec (A. Kratter); 1 at Boyd Hill Pre- serve, St. Petersburg 2 Dec (R. Smith); 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 6 Dec-10 Jan (H. Rob- inson); 1 at Morris Bridge, Wilderness Park {Hillsborough) 9 Dec (K. Allen); 3 at Field Observations 97 Lettuce Lake Park 14 Dec (B. Ahern); widespread in Seminole 16 Dec-22 Feb (L. Male, R Hueber); 1 at Bullfrog Creek Preserve {Hillsborough) 17 Dec (M. Keith); 2 at Key Vista Nature Park, Anclote (Pasco) 24 Dec (K. Tracey); up to 5 at Starkey Park 2-20 Jan (K. Tracey et aL, photos to FOC); 2 wintered at Fort De Soto Park (L. Atherton et al.). Ruby-crowned Kinglet: 6 at five sites in Miami-Dade variously 10 Dec- 10 Feb (J. Boyd); 1 at Clive Key, Everglades NP (Monroe) 8 Jan (B. Mulrooney). Eastern Bluebird: 2 at Boyd Hill Preserve 16 Dec- 12 Jan (A. & R. Smith). SWAINSON’S Thrush: 1 at Sandy Key, Everglades NP 30 Dec (R. Galvez, drawings to FOC). Hermit Thrush: 100 total feeding in small groups in open areas along roads near Shell Mound, Lower Suwannee NWR (Levy) 19 Feb (J. Krummrich). American Robin: 4 at North Park Key (Monroe) 27 Dec (B. Mulrooney); 240,000 at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Dec (H. Robinson); “surely ... millions” in the Panhandle late Jan-19 Feb (B. & L. Duncan); 2 at Key Largo (Monroe) 6 Feb (B. Mulrooney). Northern Mockingbird: 1 at Sanibel Island in Feb “regularly included Tropical King- bird calls in its repertoire” (W. Russell). Common Myna: 2 at S Fort Myers (Lee) 6 Dec (A. Lindstrom), and 2 there one mile north 25 Feb (S. Hodgson). Sprague’s Pipit: 1 at Eglin AFB site B-70, 3 Dec (L. Fenimore). Cedar Waxwing: 1 bird 40 km off Volusia 30 Jan (M. Gardler), Nashville Warbler: 1 at Ingraham Highway, Everglades NP (Miami-Dade) 18 Dec (R. Diaz); 1 at A.D. Barnes Park (Miami-Dade) 23 Dec (R. Diaz); 1 at Spring Hill 6 Dec- 27 Feb (D. Gagne); 1 at Hudson 2 Jan (D. Simpson); 1 at Gainesville 3 Jan (B. Chris- tensen); 1 at Southern Glades WEA 10 Feb (J. Boyd); 1 at Mead Garden 12-21 Feb (B. Anderson et al.). Northern ParulA: 4 males at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP 26 Jan were the first mi- grants of the year (R. Diaz); 1 at Tallahassee 7 Feb (K. MacVicar); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 23 Feb, and 7 there 28 Feb (H. Robinson); 1 at St. Augustine (St. Johns) 25 Feb (J. Kern). Yellow Warbler: 1 at Gainesville 8 Dec-EOS (J. Powell et al., photo to FOC); 1 juvenile male at Oviedo 31 Dec (B. Anderson); 1 at Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area 24 Jan (A. Bankert et al.). Black-throated Blue Warbler: 1 at Orlando 6 Dec (A. Boyle); 1 male at S Merritt Is- land 10-21 Feb (D. Freeland). Yellow-RUMPED Warbler: 10,000 fiew over the Sanibel Lighthouse toward the main- land 28 Jan (D. & L. Stokes); 10,200 at Lake Apopka NSRA 23 Feb (H. Robinson). Black-throated Green Warbler: 1 at St. Sebastian River Preserve SP (Brevard) 30 Dec (L. Male); 1 at Mead Garden 29 Jan (B. Orr). Prairie Warbler: 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 3 Jan (B. Duncan). Palm Warbler: 1 of the eastern race wintered at Fort Zachary Taylor SP, Key West (Monroe) 30 Dec (B. Mulrooney et al,, photo to FOC). American Redstart: 1 at Altamonte Springs 2 Dec-EOS (P. Hueber); 1 at Lake Lindsey (Hernando) 16 Dec (R. Grant); 1 at Gainesville 17 Dec (S. Robinson); 1 at Hal Scott Preserve 26 Jan (J. Gordon); 1 male at Oakland Nature Preserve (Orange) 30 Jan (T Rodriguez); 1 female at Fort Cooper SP (Citrus) 1 Feb (B. Ahern); 1 male near Inv- erness 17 Feb (P. Pilny). Swainson’S Warbler: 1 banded at Cape Florida SP 9 Sep and recaptured five times 1 Oct-3 Nov and again 12 Mar; probably wintered (R. Diaz). Ovenbird: 1 at Eglin AFB 18 Dec (J. Kowalski); 1 at Apalachicola (Franklin) 3 Feb (J. Murphy). Northern Waterthrush: 3 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 16 Dec (J. Hintermister et al.); 1 at Newnans Lake 17 Dec (A, Kratter); 1 at St. Marks 1 Jan-26 Feb (A. Wraith- mell et al.); up to 20 (28 Feb) wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson). 98 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Louisiana Waterthrush: 1 at Greynolds Park 16 Dec (J. Boyd et al.); 1 at Newnans Lake 17 Dec (M. Manetz); 1 at Royal Palm, Everglades NP 18 Dec (R. Diaz) & 5 Jan (A. Banker! et al.); 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 25 Feb (H. Robinson). Hooded Warbler: 1 male at John Chesnut Park {Pinellas) 8-14 Jan (T. Arcos); 1 male at Big Cypress Bend, Big Cypress National Preserve {Collier) 4 Feb (A. Murray). Wilson’s Warbler: 1 at Hague 2 Dec (M. Manetz); 1 at Lake Seminole Park {Pinellas) 5 Dec-25 Jan (C. Gjervold); 3 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 16-17 Dec (J. Hinter- mister, M. Manetz et al.); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 18 Dec (S. Lefstad); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 22 Dec-7 Jan (H. Robinson); 1 at Frog Pond WMA {Miami-Dade) 5 Jan (A. Banker! et al.); 1 at Buschman Park {Volusia) 7 Feb (B. Orr). Yellow-breasted Chat: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 9-17 Dec (M. Manetz); 1 at Al- ligator Point 10 Dec (J. Murphy); 1 at Gainesville 17 Dec (P. Colverson); 1 at Lake Ap- opka NSRA 7 Jan (H. Robinson); 1 at Cape Florida SP 8 Jan (R. Diaz); 1 at Flamingo 14 Jan (B. Mulrooney); 1 at Frog Pond WMA 16 Jan (R. Diaz); 1 at Lake Seminole Park 28 Feb {fide J. Fisher). Bananaquit: 1 at Big Pine Key {Monroe) 14 Dec (J. Hobbs, details to FOC). Summer TanageR: 1 at Gainesville 17 Dec-9 Feb (I. Scales); 1 on the Choctawhatchee CBC {Okaloosa) 18 Dec (G. Estes); 1 banded male at Tallahassee 30 Dec for its 5th winter (P. Homann); 1 at Vero Beach {Indian River) 13 Jan (B. Wagner); 1 in Wakulla 19 Jan-16 Feb (L. Reynolds); 1 female at Tallahassee 28 Jan (F. Rutkovsky); presum- ably the same 1 wintered at Melrose for the fifth consecutive winter (J. Geisel). Western Tanager: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 2 Dec (B. Roberts et al.); 1 at Gainesville 3 Dec (R. Robinson); 4 singles at Tallahassee: 1 male 19 Dec-EOS (G. Menk, F. Rutkovsky et al.) and 1 female at the same yard 28 Jan-EOS (F. Rutkovsky et al.), 1 female 23-26 Feb (J. Cavanagh), and 1 male 25 Feb (F. Dietrich); 1 adult male at Niceville {Okaloosa) 31 Dec (R. & T. Stiles); 1 male at Pensacola 18 Jan (P, Palmer); 1 female at Golden Gate Estates {Collier) 12-21 Feb (B. Womble, photos to FOC). Western SpindaliS: 1 black-backed male at Cape Florida SP 12 Dec and 9 & 14 Feb per- haps wintered (R. Diaz); 1 green-backed male at Evergreen Cemetery {Broward) 19 Jan-11 Feb (B. Roberts, J. Schwartz et al., photos to FOC). Bachman’s Sparrow: 1 near Brooker {Bradford) 15 Jan (D. Goodwin, E. Haney); 1 heard singing at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP 20 Feb (P. Miller), and 51 banded there during winter (M. Korosy). Chipping Sparrow: 50 near Brooker 15 Jan (D. Goodwin, E. Haney); 1 at Coastal Prairie Trail, Everglades NP {Monroe) 7 Feb (R. Diaz). Clay-colored Sparrow: up to 4 (15 Dec) wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robin- son); 1 at the Sarasota celery fields 2 Jan- 12 Feb (L. Atherton, J. Dubi); 1 at Frog Pond WMA 6 Jan (M. Berney et al.); 1 at Valrico 10 Jan-EOS (S. Backes, photo to FOC); up to 6 at Coastal Prairie Trail, Everglades NP 14 Jan- 11 Feb (B. Roberts et al.); 1 at Cockroach Bay Preserve {Hillsborough) 4-7 Feb (T. Arcos). Field Sparrow: 4 in N Madison 4 Jan (R. Smith); 1 near Brooker 15 Jan (D. Goodwin, E. Haney); 10 at Lake Apopka NSRA 26 Jan (H. Robinson). Vesper Sparrow: 1 at Coastal Prairie Trail, Everglades NP 29 Dec (J. Boyd); 10 near Brooker 15 Jan (D. Goodwin, E. Haney). Lark Sparrow: 1 near Myakka State Forest {Sarasota) 15 Dec (J. Dubi); 1 at Bradenton 30 Dec-3 Jan (J. Dubi et al.); 1 at Lemon Bay Preserve {Sarasota) 8-14 Jan (M. Dun- son); 1 at Lake Jackson 28 Jan (G. Menk, J. Cavanagh); 1 at Cockroach Bay Preserve 4-7 Feb (T. Arcos). Savannah Sparrow: 8 near Brooker 15 Jan (D. Goodwin, E. Haney). Henslow’S Sparrow: 1 at Disney conservation land {Orange) 15 Nov- 13 Dec (C. New- ton); 2 at Lake Jessup Conservation Area 5 Dec-20 Feb (R. Halpin et al.); 1 at Brooker Creek Preserve {Pinellas) 17 Dec (A. & R. Smith); 1 E of Brooksville 19 Dec (M. Gardler); 1 at Withlacoochee River Park 30 Dec (B. Ahern et al.); 1 at Colt Creek SP Field Observations 99 28 Feb (C. Geanangel); 33 banded during the season at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP (M. Korosy). Le Conte’s Sparrow: up to 4 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 5 Dec-EOS (J. Hintermister et al.); up to 5 at Lake Jessup Conservation Area 5 Dec-20 Feb (K. Schmidt et al., pho- tos to FOC); 1 at Lake Jackson 20 Dec-22 Jan (G. Menk, F. Davis); 1 at Little-Big Econ State Forest (Seminole) 31 Dec (L. Malo); up to 3 at Weekiwachee Preserve 4 Jan-20 Feb (D. Simpson et al.); 4 at Bald Point SP 15 Jan (J. Murphy); 1 at Alligator Point 15 Jan (J. Murphy); 1 at St. Marks NWR 15 Jan (A. Wraithmell); 1 at East Everglades (Miami-Dade) 15 Jan (L. Manfredi, photos to FOC). Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow: 1 at Eco Pond 30 Dec- 15 Jan (J. Boyd et al); 5 at Ten Thousand Islands NWR 4 Jan (T. Doyle, C. Ewell); 14 at Shired Island, Lower Suwan- nee NWR (Dixie) 13 Jan (R. Smith, B. Ahern). Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow: 1 at Fort Island Beach 9 Dec (R. Smith, B. Ahern); 1 at Sandy Key, Everglades NP (Monroe) 13 Dec (B. Mulrooney). Seaside Sparrow: 9 heard singing at Werner-Boyce Salt Springs (Pasco) SP 21 Feb (K. Tracey). Fox Sparrow: singles at Tallahassee 3 Dec (R. Lengacher) and 10 Dec (D. & S. Jue); 2 at Tall Timbers Research Station (Leon) 12 Dec (A. Wraithmell); 1 in Gadsden 16 Dec (D, Simpson); 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP to 19 Dec (R. Rowan, M. Manetz); 1 at San Felasco Hammock Preserve SP (Alachua) 18 Dec-11 Jan (R. Rowan et al.); 2 NW of Monticello (Jefferson) 5 Jan (R. Smith); 1 in W Washington 14 Jan (A. Banker!); 1 near Joe Budd WMA (Gadsden) 16 Jan (D. Simpson); 1 at Ponce de Leon Springs SP 26 Jan (B. Ahern); 1 in Santa Rosa 3 Feb (R. Smith). Song Sparrow: 4 near Brooker 15 Jan (D. Goodwin, E. Haney); 1 at Tierra Verde 25 Feb (C. Gjervold). Lincoln’s Sparrow: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 11 Dec (C. Burney, J. DeLuca); 1 in 5 Manatee 16 Dec (C. Gjervold); 1 at Hague 29 Dec (M. Manetz); 1 at Bradenton 30 Dec (J. Dubi et aL); 1 at Frog Pond WMA 5 Jan (A. Banker! et ah); 1 at Gainesville 4 Feb (B. & J. Bolte); up to 2 wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson). Swamp Sparrow: 1 at Coastal Prairie Trail, Everglades NP 29 Dec-20 Jan (J. Boyd, B. Mul- rooney); 8 near Brooker 15 Jan (D. Goodwin, E. Haney); 1 at Eco Pond 30 Jan (J. Boyd). White-throated Sparrow: 1 at Boyd Hill Preserve 16 Dec (A. & R. Smith); 2 at Salt Springs SP 22 Dec (K. Tracey et al., photos to FOC); 1 at Clive Key, Everglades NP 8 Jan (B. Mulrooney); 2 at Fort De Soto Park 10-16 Jan (L. Atherton); 8 near Brooker 15 Jan (D. Goodwin, E. Haney); 1 at the Sarasota celery fields 31 Jan (K. Young); 1 at Brooker Creek Preserve 15 Jan (R. Smith, B. Ahern); 1 at Port Charlotte (Charlotte) 20 Jan (R. Smith, B. Ahern); 1 at Lake Region Village (Polk) 17 Feb (B. & L. Cooper); 6 at Lake Apopka NSRA 23 Feb (H. Robinson). White-crowned Sparrow: 1 at Boyd Hill Preserve 16 Dec (A. & R. Smith); up to 4 (1 adult) at Coastal Prairie Trail, Everglades NP 14 Jan-11 Feb (B. Roberts et aL); 1 near Brooker 15 Jan (D. Goodwin, E. Haney); 1 at Holiday Recreation Center (Pasco) 7 Feb (K. Tracey), Dark-eyed Junco: 1 at Tallahassee 5 Dec (A. Wraithmell), and 4 others there 30 Dec (J, Cox, K. NeSmith); 1 in N Baker 15 Dec (B. Richter); 7 at Lafayette Park (Leon) 30 Dec (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 1-5 Jan (A. Banker!, L. Atherton et aL); 2 in Wakulla 12 Jan (S. McCool); 20 at Florida Caverns SP 25 Jan (B. Ahern); 4 at Torreya SP 26 Jan (B. Ahern); 8 at Joe Budd WMA (Gadsden) 27 Jan (B. Ahern); 20 in Santa Rosa 8 Feb (H. Moore, B. Francisco); 13 in Gadsden 1 Feb (E. WTiite); up to 12 at Ponce de Leon Springs SP (Holmes) 26 Jan-4 Feb (B. Ahern, R. Smith). Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 16 Jan (H. Robinson, B, Anderson); 1 immature male at Tallahassee 21 Feb (C. Clarke). Blue Grosbeak: 1 near Balm-Boyette (Hillsborough) 17 Dec (B. Ahern); 1 in female plum- age at Lake Apopka NSRA to 4 Feb (H. Robinson, photo to FOC by D. Goodwin, 22 Dec). 100 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Indigo Bunting: 1 at Gainesville 17 Dec (T. Webber); 1 at Alligator Point 23 Feb (E. Orf). Painted Bunting: 5 in Alachua 2 Dec-EOS (B. Roberts et aL); 2 females at Cedar Key 2 Dec-EOS (D. Henderson); 3 at Bradenton 30 Dec-3 Jan (J. Dubi et aL); 1 at the Sara- sota celery fields 14 Jan (J. Dubi); 1 male near Platt (DeSoto) 20 Jan (B. Ahern, R. Smith); 2 in Hernando 27 Jan-26 Feb (B. Cox, L. Vanderveen); up to 4 (31 Jan) wintered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Robinson); 7 (4 males, 3 females) wintered at Oakland Nature Preserve (T. Rodriguez). Dickcissel: 1 at the Sarasota celery fields 2 Dec-24 Jan (E. Miller, J. Carlock); 1 adult and 2 immatures at Coastal Prairie Trail, Everglades NP 14 Jan-11 Feb (B. Roberts et aL). *Western Meadowlark: up to 2 heard singing at N Escambia catfish farms 19 Jan-21 Feb (B. & L. Duncan et aL, photos by B. Wallace, accepted by FOSRC) furnished the first regional report since 1967. Yellow-headed Blackbird: 1 adult male at Lake Apopka NSRA 3-6 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 male at Hernando Beach 22-26 Dec (B. Ahern, B. Pranty et aL); 1 adult male at The Villages {Lake) 22 Feb (G. Babic). Rusty Blackbird: 60 at Crawfordville {Wakulla) 3 Dec (S. McCool); 10 at St. Marks NWR 9 Dec-16 Jan (A. Banker!, A. Wraithmell); 1 male heard singing at Sawgrass Lake Park, St. Petersburg 16 Dec (B. Ahern et aL, B. Pranty photos to FOC); up to 27 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 17 Dec-EOS (C. Burney, R. Rowan et aL); up to 50 in N Es- cambia 19 Jan-16 Feb (B. & L. Duncan et aL); 100 in Leon 17-19 Feb (A. Wraithmell). Brewer’s Blackbird: 3 at Fort Walton Beach STF 3 Jan (B. Duncan); up to 122 in a fiock in N Escambia 19 Jan- 16 Feb (B. & L. Duncan et aL). Shiny CowbirD: 1 male at Holiday Recreation Center 16 Dec (K. Tracey). Bronzed Cowbird: 2 at Riverview {Hillsborough) 17 Dec (D. Bowman et aL); 1 at Fla- mingo 30 Dec-13 Jan (J. Boyd); 2 at Naples 5 Jan (A. Murray). Orchard Oriole: 1 juvenile male at Flamingo 30 Dec (J. Boyd), and 1 female with Bal- timore Orioles there 30 Dec-27 Jan (J. Boyd, B. Mulrooney); 1 at Gainesville 14 Feb (G. Kiltie). *Bullock’S Oriole: 1 female at Tallahassee 30 Dec-EOS (F. Rutkovsky, photo to FOC by D. Jue). Baltimore Oriole: 1 male at Lee {Madison) 4 Jan (R. Smith). Purple Finch: 5 in Leon 12 Dec (A. Wraithmell); 7 at Lake Jackson 29 Jan (G. Menk); 1 at Gainesville 12 Feb-EOS (R. Robinson). House Finch: singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Dec & 4 Feb (H. Robinson); 8, including 2 singing males, at Brandon 26 Feb (R. Milburn); 3 near Fort Island Beach 9 Dec (B. Ahern, R. Smith); 1 female and 2 males at Jacksonville 15 Feb-EOS (J. Ross). *White-winged Crossbill: 1 desiccated carcass of an immature male of the nominate subspecies found in the parking lot at Long Pine Key, Everglades NP 11 Jan (B. Rapoza et aL, to Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, # UF 45638) presumably was transported to the area on the grille of a vehicle from Canada or the extreme N US.! Pine Siskin: 2 at Pensacola 3 Feb (R. Smith); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 11 Feb (H. Robin- son). American Goldfinch: up to 5 at Flamingo 30 Dec-20 Jan (J. Boyd, B. Mulrooney); 1 at Wakodahatchee Wetlands {Palm Beach) 12 Jan (B. Mulrooney); 1 at Royal Palm, Everglades NP 14 Jan (J. Boyd). Bishop species: 1 in female plumage at Fort De Soto Park 8-21 Dec represented the fifth “female-plumaged” bishop found in the park in the past five years (L. Atherton, pho- tos to FOC). Contributors: Brian Ahern, Ken Allen, Ken Allie, Bruce Anderson, Todd Arcos, Lyn Atherton, Gary Babic, Steve Backes, Andy Banker!, Fred Bassett, Mark Berney, Clay Black, Bill & Jan Bolte, Dave Bowman, John Boyd, Andrew Boyle, Bill Bremser, Jane Field Observations 101 Brooks, Michael Brothers, R. Brown, Chris Burney, Steve Carbol, Janet Carlock, Laura Catterton, Jim Cavanagh, Bruce Christensen, Colin Gjervold, C. Clark, Roger Clark, Michael Collins, Pete Colverson, Buck & Linda Cooper, Bucky Cox, Jim Cox, Kevin Dai- ley, Madeline Davidson, Fritz Davis, Mark Davis, Michelle Davis, John DeLuca, Robin Diaz, Fred Dietrich, Jim Dinsmore, Terry Donovan, Terry Doyle, Jeanne Dubi, Bob Dun- can, Lucy Duncan, Tom Dunkerton, Margaret Dunson, Jim Eager, Margaret England, Gene Estes, C. Evans, Charlie Ewell, Mark Faherty, Lenny Fenimore, Judy Fisher, Scott Flamand, Pam Flynn, Brenda Francisco, Paul Francois, David Freeland, M. Freeman, Jere French, Jill Gaetzi, Rafael Galvez, Murray Gardler, Chuck Geanangel, Jean Geisel, John Ginaven, Colin Gjervold, Carl Goodrich, David Goodwin, Jeff Gordon, Rita Grant, Paul Gray, Rick Greenspun, Carol & John Grossa, Roy Halpin, Erik Haney, Dan & Sa- rah Hans, A1 & Bev Hansen, Rosemary Harris, Michael Hartley, Darrell & Sue Hart- man, Dale Henderson, Linda Hensley, John Hintermister, Jeanette Hobbs, Shannon Hodgson, Bob Holt, Peter Homann, Brian Hope, Paul Hueber, Lynn Jakubowicz, Dean & Sally Jue, Mary Keith, Jackie Kern, Grace Kiltie, Marianne Korosy, Jim Kowalski, Bryan Kramer, Andy Kratter, Jerry Krummrich, Bob Landry, Patrick Leary, Sandra Lef- stad, Rob Lengacher, Annie Lindstrom, A1 Lippman, Fred Lohrer, Keith MacVicar, Lome Malo, Mike Manetz, Larry Manfredi, Bill & Eleanor Marr, Linda McCandless, Sean McCool, Lenore McCullagh, Gail Menk, Rocky Milburn, Edith Miller, Paul Miller, Heidi Moore, Ginger Morgan, Tina Mossbarger, Linda Most, Brennan Mulrooney, Bob Mumford, John Murphy, Alan Murray, Katy NeSmith, Chris Newton, Robert Norton, E, Orf, Brenda Orr, Paula Palmer, Jeff Palmer, Tom Palmer, Scott Patterson, Mauri Peter- son, Martina Petru, Cheri Pierce, Paul Pilny, Jim Powell, Peggy Powell, Bill Pranty, Chris Rasmussen, Brian Rapoza, Diane Reed, L. Reynolds, Bob Richter, Frances & Pe- ter Rice, Bryant Roberts, Harry Robinson, Ron Robinson, Scott Robinson, E. Rocco, Tom Rodriguez, Rex Rowan, Lesley Royce, Jamie Ross, Fran Rutkovsky, Will Russell, Charles Saleeby, Earl Scales, Ingrid Scales, K. Schmidt, John Schwartz, G. Simmons, David Simpson, Chris Skelton, Austin Smith, Ron Smith, Daniel Sm5rth, Buck Snelson, Nancy Soucy, Marilyn Spalding, Ken Spilios, Don Sterba, Robin & Tom Stiles, Wes Stinehelfer, Don & Lillian Stokes, Doug Suitor, Linda Terry, Pete Timmer, Roberto Torres, Ken Tracey, Anne Turner, Les Twining, Linda Vanderveen, Billi Wagner, Bob Wallace, Don Ware, Helen Warren, Robert Wears, Tom Webber, Bob Wheeler, Eddie White, Michelle White, Ken Williams, Meret Wilson, Brian Womble, Andy Wraithmell, and Kathryn Young. Summer 2006 report not published previously? American Bittern: 1 at St. Vin- cent NWR (Franklin) 5 Jul (Thom Lewis). Fall 2006 reports not published previously: Masked Booby: 1 at Eglin AFB (Okaloosa) 14 Nov (Joe Kern); Roseate Spoonbill: 1 at St. Vincent NWR (Franklin) 23 Aug (Thom Lewis); Sandhill Crane; 3 at Pace (Santa Rosa) 23 Nov (Anna Stalcup); Black Tern: 1000 at Flag Island (Franklin) 21 Aug (T. Lewis). Report prepared by Bill Pranty, state compiler (8515 Village Mill Row, Bayonet Point, Florida 34667-2662; ). Regional compilers are Brian Ahern (629 Gail Avenue, Temple Terrace, Florida 33617; brianahern@aoLcom); Bruce H. Anderson (2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, Florida 32792; ), John H. Boyd III (15291 SW 108th Terrace, Miami, Florida 33196; ), Bob and Lucy Duncan (614 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561; ), Charlie Ewell (115 SW 51st Terrace, Cape Coral, Flor- ida 33991; ), Bev Hansen (6573 Pine Meadows Drive, Spring Hill, Florida 34606; ), Gail Menk (2725 Peachtree Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32304; no email), Paul Miller (Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 102 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST State Park, 33104 NW 192nd Avenue, Okeechobee, Florida 34972; ), and Peggy Powell (2965 Forest Circle, Jacksonville, Florida 32257; ). BE A FRIEND OF FFN Florida Field Naturalist is the journal of FOS, an important com- munication 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 im- provements in the content and appearance of our journal. Contributions to FOS 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 So- ciety and specify that the gift is for FOS Friends of FFN. Send the check to: Peter G. Merritt, Treasurer, Florida Ornithological Society, 8558 SE Sharon Street, Kobe Sound, FL 33455. We thank the following individuals for donating to FOS Friends of FFN: 2006 Murray Gardler 2007 David B. Freeland ’fii T. I n t. V r'VSI'-.K. ‘Ui v ; ' '•‘f,^.i,>. ■'■;,■ .' ' >, ' i' '* fv.' , . ' ™ ' iiya^H ■ -■ ' -■■"■■■ - " ■ '■ -•*'■ P r' ' . . • '-r -.-.^y i.'ii'’" ,. ■ ' .-BK., •#! ..." ; 'mM' -ii h7*^'J,vif^!,^!4q^ ^ ivi'. , , \ >. . rt'i -ft •, I ^ i>'4.,^<*i)4/dr'* W;j.f»Ct ^ 4'. . **‘j. ’*^- r ,, • 7 ®''V '. •'S r .-'■ * JJ sr''" ', ji l|2|!i # .is I 'll '^4X1 'I / IrrX.iA iii ' ' '-M s i.,'Vl ii'!< , *' fr ■ •••:•'}, . ’.,' '-.fi'^- ’(yf.- H'l " .. ^ :: ■ V 'luj ■■^ I ■'*.''%•<' 2J' * ■' ■ ' ifii , .-,.,'Uffl»ri ® Florida Field Naturalist ISSN 0738-999X PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Editor: ScOTT ROBINSON, Florida Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 117800, Univer- sity of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: srobinson@flmnh.ufl.edu Associate Editor (for bird distribution): Bruce Anderson, 2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, FL 32792. E-mail: scizortail@aoLcom Editor of the FOS newsletter, Snail Kite: TOM PALMER, 1805 26th Street, N.W., Win- ter Haven, FL 33881. E-mail: tomp47@yahoo.com Editor of Special Publications: Reed F. NOSS, University of Central Florida, Depart- ment of Biology, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816-2368. E-mail: rnoss@mail.ucfedu Web Page Editor: STEPHEN Bankert, 365 Spoonbill Lane, Melbourne, FL 32951. E-mail: webmaster@fosbirds.org INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS The Florida Field Naturalist is a fully refereed journal emphasizing biological field studies and observations of vertebrates, especially birds, in and near Florida and the nearby West Indies. We welcome submission of original manuscripts containing new information from these areas. We encourage electronic submission of manu- scripts. Please consult recent issues of the journal and the FOS website (http:// www.fosbirds.org/FFN/FFNGuidelines.htm) for style, especially noting that manu- scripts 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 standardized English names for all birds, but lower case for English names of other organisms; (4) include 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) preferentially use active voice. Submit manuscripts for Florida Field Naturalist to the Editor, Scott Robinson. Monograph-length manuscripts may be submitted for consideration to Reed F. Noss, Editor of Special Publications. Books and other materials for review should be submit- ted to Reed Bowman, Associate Editor for Reviews. Field Observations should be sub- mitted to the Chair of the Field Observations Committee, Bill Pranty (see Field Observations, this issue). Reports of rare birds in Florida (see Field Observations, this issue) should be submitted to the Managing Secretary of the FOS Records Committee, Andrew W Kratter, Florida Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 117800, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800; E-mail: kratter@flmnh.ufl.edu. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VOL. 35, No. 3 September 2007 Pages 73003 CONTENTS ARTICLES First record of Roseate Terns nesting in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge: A by-product of Hurricane Wilma Tom Wilmers and Kathleen Lyons ..................................................................... 73-78 Food-handling difficulties for Snail Kites capturing non-native apple snails Philip C. Darby, David J. Mellow, and Miranda L. Watford ............................ 79-85 NOTES Interspecific feeding of nestlings by a Northern Mockingbird Ross McGregor and Frances C. James .............................................................. 86-88 FIELD OBSERVATIONS Winter report: December 2006-February 2007 Bill Pranty 89-102 ANNOUNCEMENTS Friends of FFN 103 Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 35, No. 4 November 2007 Pages 105-138 FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Founded 1972 OFFICERS President: JEROME A. JACKSON, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Ft. Myers, FL 33965. Email: jjackson@fgcu.edu Vice President: Ann B. Hodgson, Audubon of Florida, Florida Coastal Islands Sanc- tuaries Program, 410 Ware Blvd., Suite 702, Tampa, FL 33619. E-mail: ahodgson® audubon.org Secretary: JiM Cox, Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Dr., Tallahas- see, FL 32312. E-mail: jim@ttrs.org Treasurer: PETER G. MERRITT, 8558 SE Sharon St., Hobe Sound, FL 33455. E-mail: pmerritt@hspi . us Editor, Florida Field Naturalist: ScOTT ROBINSON, Florida Museum of Natural His- tory, P.O. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: srobinson@flmnh.ufl.edu Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2008 David B. Freeland, 2345 Marsh Harbor Ave., Merritt Island, FL 32952 JOYCE King, 280 SE 3U^ Way, Melrose, FL 32666 Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2009 Charlie Ewell, 115 SW 51®^ Terr., Cape Coral, FL 33914 Julie Wraithmel, 2507 Callaway Rd., Suite 103, Tallahassee, FL 32303 Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2010 Karl E. Miller, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 4005 South Main St., Gainesville, FL 32601 Ann F. Paul, Audubon of Florida, Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries Program, 410 Ware Blvd., Suite 702, Tampa, FL 33619 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. 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. Annual mem- bership dues are $25 for individual members ($30 overseas), $30 for a family membership, $15 for students, $45 for contributing members, $40 for institutional membership; one- time contributions for life membership are $400 for individuals and $500 for families. All members receive the Florida Field Naturalist and the FOS newsletter Snail Kite. Subscription price for institutions and non-members is $20 per year. Back issues ($3.00 per issue) are available, prepaid, from the Treasurer. 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. The Florida Field Naturalist is published quarterly (February, 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 Ornitholog- ical Society is Division of Birds, Florida Museum of Natural History, 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, 35, No. 4 November 2007 Pages 105-138 Florida Field Naturalist 35(4):105-113, 2007. SHOREBIRD OCCURRENCE AT THREE SITES IN FRANKLIN COUNTY, FLORIDA: 1994-2005 Gary L. Sprandel Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) 620 S. Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399 Current address: Kentucky Dept, of Fish and Wildlife Resources #1 Sportsman's Lane, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 E-mail: gary.sprandel@ky.gov Abstract.—Between March 1994 and February 2005, I surveyed shorebirds at Bald Point, Carrabelle Beach, and Yent Bayou in Frank- lin County of the Florida panhandle. A total of 96,259 individuals of 23 shorebird species were counted, with Dunlins (Calidris alpina) ac- counting for 28% of the individuals, followed by Sanderlings (C. alba) at 17%. Each site had a distinct seasonal pattern, with Carrabelle Beach and Yent Bayou being most heavily used in winter, Bald Point most used in spring, and all sites used least in summer. Florida is home to 22 wintering shorebird species (Sprandel et al. 2000) and seven breeding species (FWC 2003). Although migrant shorebirds use coastal Florida in both spring and fall, periods of occur- rence and abundance are not well documented. Following a statewide winter shorebird survey in 1993 (Sprandel et ah 1997), I continued sur- veying three Franklin county sites on the Gulf Coast, to look at sea- sonal occurrence and abundance. Study Sites and Methods Study sites. — Three sites in Franklin County were surveyed for shorebirds: Bald Point (29°56.8’N, 84°20.5’W), Carrabelle Beach (29°50.0'N, 84°40.5'W), and Yent Bayou (29°47.4’N, 84°45.5’W), (Fig. 1). All sites were tidal with mixed sand and mud flats, and had an incoming stream nearby. At all sites shorebird usage was concentrated in a ~200-m stretch of beach. Bald Point had a prominent mollusk reef at low- to medium tide and Carrabelle Beach had exposed mollusk reefs at very low tide. Bald Point was a county park at the start of the survey but in 1996 it passed into private ownership. It was purchased by the state with the Conservation and Recreation Land funds in 2001 105 106 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST FRANKLIN COUNTY Bald Point Figure 1. Shorebird survey sites in Franklin County, Florida, 1994-2005. and became Bald Point State Park. Carrabelle Beach is a county park. Yent Bayou is private property, and in 1997 houses began to be developed in the area. Count methods. — I visited all sites every 3 weeks from 2 March 1994 through 28 Feb- ruary 2005. Visits occurred during daylight hours and lasted >30 min even if few birds were present. Generally, all three sites were visited on the same day. The count included any arriving birds and continued until numbers stabilized. Based on analysis of counts from Sprandel et al. (1997), visits were conducted when highest shorebird usage oc- curred: Carrabelle Beach and Yent Bayou at low tide and Bald Point between low and high tide. I identified birds to species and counted individuals (See Table 1 for English and scientific names). Western Sandpiper and Semipalmated Sandpiper were grouped together (Veit and Jonsson 1984) and all dowitchers were counted as dowitcher spp. I plotted total shorebird occurrence by month, and summarized species occurrences by site and season (winter: December-February, spring: March-May, summer: June-Au- gust, and fall: September-November). Results A total of 96,259 individuals of 23 different shorebird species were counted in 674 visits to the 3 shorebird sites. An average of 37 min was Sprandel— Franklin Co., FL, Shorebirds 107 Table 1. Average number of shorebirds, standard deviation, and number of vis- its by month at Bald Point, Carrabelle Beach, and Yent Bayou, Franklin County, Florida from 1994-2005. Month/Site Bald Point Carrabelle Beach Yent Bayou January 94 ± 64 (23) 267 ± 97 (23) 176 ± 59 (23) February 111 ±81 (14) 282 ± 102 (15) 188 ± 68 (15) March 134 ± 107 (23) 262 ± 114 (24) 246 ± 91 (23) April 267 ±215 (17) 234 ± 228 (17) 264 ± 152 (17) May 127 ± 101 (21 142 ± 99 (21) 161 ± 149 (20) June 37 ±32 (17) 30 ±26 (14) 17 ± 19 (14) July 30 ± 13 (21) 72 ± 42 (20) 35 ±31 (21) August 35 + 23 (15) 97 ±46 (15) 80 ±36 (14) September 44 ± 25 (21) 120 ± 47 (20) 114 ± 48 (20) October 56 ± 36 (24) 156 ± 85 (19) 157 ± 59 (19) November 85 ± 67 (20) 200 ± 89 (20) 266 ± 59 (20) December 73 ±45 (16) 310 ± 150(14) 177 ± 93 (14) spent on each visit to a site, with a maximum of 142 min. All sites were least used in summer (Fig. 2), with Bald Point and Carrabelle Beach averaging 30 shorebirds in June and Yent Bayou only 17 (Table 1). Bald Point was most heavily used in spring migration, with an average of 267 shorebirds in April. Carrabelle Beach and Yent Bayou were most heavily used in winter, with Carrabelle averaging 310 in December, and Yent Bayou 266 in November. Overall, Dunlins were the most common shorebird, accounting for 28% of the individuals, followed by Sanderlings (17%), Willets (14%), dowitcher spp. and Red Knots at 9%. Maximum counts for each species varied greatly from average seasonal counts at each site (Table 2). Dunlins had the highest average count for all sites during winter and were the most common species in spring at Carrabelle Beach and Yent Bayou. At Bald Point in spring, Sanderlings were most common. In summer, Willets were the most common species at all sites, probably reflecting the local breeding in nearby marshes (FWC 2003). During fall, Sanderlings were the most common species at Bald Point and Yent Bayou, whereas at Carrabelle Beach, the Red Knot was the most com- mon species. I saw Ospreys {Pandion haliaetus) on 116 visits but never observed them disturbing shorebirds. Other raptors were seen on 94 visits (14% of visits) and often caused either departure or flushing of shorebirds. Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) were seen on 70 visits, but disturbed only those shorebirds directly below them. Peregrine Falcons {Falco per- egrinus) or Merlins {F. columharius) were seen on 16 visits, and flushed most of the shorebirds present. Bald Point in fall had the most raptors, and is a known raptor migration area (FWC, unpublished data). FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST 108 Figure 2. Number of shorebirds counted and 11 -year mean by month at Bald Point, Carrabelle Beach, and Yent Bayou in Franklin County, Florida from 1994-2005. Sprandel— Franklin Co., FL, Shorebirds 109 Table 2. Highest and average seasonal shorebird counts at Bald Point, Carra- belle Beach, and Yent Bayou, Franklin County, Florida from 1994-2005. “ — ” indicates that the species was not seen in that season. Winter is Decemher- February; Spring, March-May; Summer, June-August; and Fall, September- November. Species Site High count Date Winter Spring Summer Fall Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola Bald Point 20 2/18/1996^* 4.4 4.8 1.7 4.4 Carrabelle Beach 14 1/22/2000 4.7 4.1 2.0 3.7 Yent Bayou 12 1/21/2001 4.6 4.1 2.0 4.6 Snowy Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Bald Point 2 12/6/2003 0.0 — — 0.0 Carrabelle Beach 7 11/6/1994 0.6 0.1 0.1 0.5 Yent Bayou 24 1/25/2003 7.4 0.8 — 2.7 Wilson’s Plover Charadrius wilsonia Bald Point 2 7/26/1997 0.0 — 0.1 — Carrabelle Beach 4 6/21/2003 0.0 0.3 0.5 0.0 Yent Bayou 1 8/18/2001 — — 0.0 — Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus Bald Point 29 l/22/2000‘’ 3.1 2.3 1.3 4.8 Carrabelle Beach 33 3/5/2000 3.5 3.8 1.8 3.7 Yent Bayou 34 11/27/1998 9.5 7.6 2.8 10.8 Piping Plover Charadrius melodus Bald Point 5 12/12/2004<= 0.6 0.0 0.1 0.2 Carrabelle Beach 4 11/6/1994*^ 0.6 0.2 0.0 0.5 Yent Bayou 14 1/11/1997 3.9 1.3 — 2.1 Killdeer Charadrius vociferous Bald Point 12 11/27/1999 0.9 0.0 — 0.3 Carrabelle Beach 114 12/10/1995 2.8 0.0 — 0.4 Yent Bayou 25 12/10/1995 1.8 0.0 — 0.4 American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus Bald Point 28 12/18/1999 2.3 3.2 5.7 1.0 Carrabelle Beach 13 7/13/1994*^ 2.5 1.8 2.8 2.4 Yent Bayou 1 7/18/1998^ 0.0 — 0.0 — Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus Yent Bayou 1 5/21/1994 — 0.0 — — American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Bald Point 6 5/3/1996 — 0.2 — — Carrabelle Beach 2 12/9/2001 0.1 — — — Yent Bayou 1 11/24/2001 — — — 0.0 Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Bald Point 4 3/29/1997 0.1 0.1 — 0.0 ^20 also 3/29/2003. >^29 also 10/14/200. ■^This number was also observed on other dates. ^3 also 10/4/2003. ^14 also 1/29/2000. 110 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Table 2. (Continued) Highest and average seasonal shorebird counts at Bald Point, Carrabelle Beach, and Yent Bayou, Franklin County, Florida from 1994- 2005. ” indicates that the species was not seen in that season. Winter is December-February; Spring, March-May; Summer, June-August; and Fall, Sep- tember-November. Species Site High count Date Winter Spring Summer Fall Carrabelle Beach 24 11/24/2002 2.8 1.4 0.1 1.3 Yent Bayou 4 2/28/1998^ 0.8 0.2 0.1 0.6 Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Bald Point 1 12/11/1994= 0.1 — __ 0.0 Carrabelle Beach 63 2/19/2000 8.1 1.4 0.1 0.6 Yent Bayou 3 11/27/1999= 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.3 Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria Bald Point 1 5/1/2004 — 0.0 — — Carrabelle Beach 10 8/3/1996 — — 0.2 0.0 Yent Bayou 2 8/11/2003 — — 0.1 0.1 Willet Tringa semipalmata Bald Point 112 4/19/2003 6.4 16.8 8.8 8.8 Carrabelle Beach 231 3/5/1994 40.0 25.4 19.3 39.8 Yent Bayou 86 4/22/1995 10.7 13.4 18.2 29.3 Spotted Sandpiper Ac/i/is macularius Bald Point 1 8/13/1994= — — 0.1 — Carrabelle Beach 2 7/30/1994= — 0.0 0.1 — Yent Bayou 2 8/27/1994 — 0.0 0.1 — Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Carrabelle Beach 1 8/17/1996 — — 0.0 — Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa Bald Point 6 3/20/1999 0.0 0.4 0.3 0.0 Carrabelle Beach 50 3/5/2000 10.1 5.3 5.1 4.0 Yent Bayou 5 8/31/2003 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Bald Point 110 5/12/2002 7.3 16.4 4.2 4.3 Carrabelle Beach 14 10/15/1995= 1.8 1.4 1.0 1.0 Yent Bayou 20 4/2/1994 1.8 2.1 0.5 1.6 Red knot Calidris canutus Bald Point 210 4/3/1999 0.2 9.8 4.0 0.3 Carrabelle Beach 239 4/20/1997 22.0 29.2 8.1 21.8 Yent Bayou 167 4/20/1997 19.0 22.4 0.2 8.7 Sanderling Calidris alba Bald Point 372 4/19/2003 14.8 46.2 2.9 17.0 Carrabelle Beach 106 12/6/2003 23.8 22.4 8.2 20.4 Yent Bayou 179 3/10/1996 33.2 24.3 6.9 60.2 ^20 also 3/29/2003. ‘>29 also 10/14/200. ^This number was also observed on other dates. '•13 also 10/4/2003. U4 also 1/29/2000. Sprandel— Franklin Co., FL, Shorebirds 111 Table 2. (Continued) Highest and average seasonal shorebird counts at Bald Point, Carrabelle Beach, and Yent Bayou, Franklin County, Florida from 1994- 2005. indicates that the species was not seen in that season. Winter is December-February; Spring, March-May; Summer, June- August; and Fall, Sep- tember-November. High Species Site count Date Winter Spring Summer Fall Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri; Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla Bald Point 20 5/13/1995 0.4 2.3 0.4 0.4 Carrabelle Beach 17 5/10/1997 1.4 2.3 1.0 0.9 Yent Bayou 12 5/10/1997 0.6 1.5 0.6 1.1 Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Bald Point 12 5/6/2000 0.3 0.6 0.1 0.4 Carrabelle Beach 70 5/7/1994 0.5 1.9 0.2 0.2 Yent Bayou 10 5/7/1994 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.1 Dunlin Calidris alpina Bald Point 182 2/28/2003 43.6 29.5 0.1 14.8 Carrabelle Beach 287 12/6/2003 91.0 59.7 0.2 20.7 Yent Bayou 244 1/25/2004 80.3 92.5 0.3 42.5 Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus; Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Bald Point 86 4/20/1997 0.0 16.2 1.5 0.2 Carrabelle Beach 331 4/20/1997 17.0 37.6 14.9 17.0 Yent Bayou 156 5/3/1996 0.7 26.1 6.7 8.5 ^20 also 3/29/2003. ‘>29 also 10/14/200. "This number was also observed on other dates. “13 also 10/4/2003. "14 also 1/29/2000. I observed four banded birds. Three Piping Plovers banded in Saskatchewan in 2002 or 2003 were observed: at Carrabelle Beach on 25 January 2003, on 4 October 2003 at Carrabelle Beach and at Bald Point on 6 November 2003. On 16 November 2003 at Yent Bayou a Red Knot banded as a juvenile on 11 September 2001 at the mouth of the Altamaha River in Georgia was observed, and may reflect part of a Florida wintering population (Harrington et al. 1988). Discussion Although the sites were surveyed by the same observer under similar tidal conditions within each season, counts for a species at the same site within a season varied greatly, and the average coefflcient of variation (Snedecor and Cochran 1967) was 57% of the mean count. This high vari- ability means that it would be difficult to detect multi-year population 112 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST trends (Cobb et al. 1996). The sites may not be strictly independent, and Gabbard et al. (2001) documented movements of 17 km of Willets in Fran- klin County large enough to allow some movement between these sites. Yent Bayou was a site important to the listed Piping Plover and Snowy Plover (FWC 2006) in both fall and winter, a reflection of the im- portance of the Gulf Coast to these wintering plovers (Sprandel et al. 2000). Piping Plovers seen in June or July could be north- or south- bound migrants (Haig 1992). American Oystercatchers use of Bald Point in summer probably reflects the availability of mollusk reefs to oystercatchers breeding in the area (FWC, unpublished data). For other species, non-breeding birds observed in the summer may be non- migratory, non-breeding juveniles. The high usage of Bald Point in spring by Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones, seemed dependent upon plentiful horseshoe crab {Limulus polyphemus) eggs that were ob- served on 20 spring visits (see also Rudloe 1980). Few year-round studies have looked at shorebird usage at sites in Florida (the first being Longstreet 1934). Stolen (1999) surveyed a broad stretch of Atlantic beach and found the most common species to be the Sanderling (79%), followed by the Ruddy Turnstone; few Dunlins were observed. The lack of Dunlins on the Atlantic beach may reflect the spe- cies’ preference for mud flats; there is high usage of Dunlins at nearby Merritt Island impoundments (Sprandel et al. 1997). Stolen (1999) re- ported highest shorebird usage in fall, a sharp contrast to my study in which there was a more prominent spring peak. For Sanderlings, my study showed both a peak in spring and fall, whereas Stolen (1999), had a more prominent peak in fall. This difference may reflect a different mi- gration pattern between the Gulf and Atlantic Coast (Myers et al. 1990). Analysis of International Shorebird Survey data (Howe et al. 1989, Har- rington 1999) provides a source for some regional comparison of timing of peak abundance. For the southeast shorebird region, for “oceanfront” and for “mud-marine” sites they report a peak in mid-March and decline in the summer as I found, but do not show wintering numbers. Knowledge and conservation of migratory shorebirds is a high pri- ority in Florida (Millsap et al. 1990) but we are a long way from the goal of statistically monitoring populations (Brown et al. 2001). With the lack of comprehensive studies of shorebird migration in Florida and the potential importance of Florida sites to transient shorebirds (Myers 1983), I recommend that others publish results of year-round studies (e.g., Below 1983) and contribute data to the International Shorebird Survey (Howe et al. 1989). Acknowledgments Dr. Wendy Brill assisted on some surveys and provided logistic support. Dr. Jeff Gore reviewed early drafts of this manuscript. Sprandel— Franklin Co., FL, Shorebirds 113 Literature Cited Below, T. H. 1983. Shorebirds in south-west Florida. Wader Study Group Bulletin 44:40-41. Brown, S., C. Hickey, B. Harrington, and R. Gill (eds.). 2001. The U.S Shorebird Con- servation Plan. 2"^ ed. Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Manomet, Massa- chusetts. Cobb, D. T., G. L, Sprandel, and D. E. Runde. 1996. Statistical power in analysis of population trend data. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Southeastern As- sociation of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 50:294-302. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 2003. Florida’s Breeding Bird Atlas: A Collaborative Study of Florida’s Birdlife . Ac- cessed 20 November 2006. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 2006. Florida’s Endangered Species, Threatened Species, and Species of Special Concern. Tallahassee, Florida. Gabbard, C., G. L. Sprandel, and D. T. Cobb. 2001. Home range analysis of shorebirds wintering along the Gulf of Mexico, Florida. Wader Study Group Bulletin 96:79-85. Haig, S. M. 1992. Piping Plover. In The birds of North America, No. 2 (A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F. Gill, Eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia; The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, DC. Harrington, B. A., J. M. Hagan, and L. E. Leddy. 1988. Site fidelity and survival dif- ferences between two groups of New World Red Knots {Calidris canutus). Auk 105:439-445. Harrington, B. A. 1999. Shorebird Migrations: Fundamentals for Land Managers in the United States. Ducks Unlimited, Memphis, Tennessee. Howe, M. A., P. H. Geissler, and B. A. Harrington. 1989. Population trends of North American shorebirds based on the International Shorebird Survey. Biological Conser- vation 49:185-199. Longstreet, a. J. 1934. A five-year shore bird census at Daytona Beach. Auk 51:96-98. Millsap, B. a., j. a. Gore, D. E. Runde, and S. I. Cerulean. 1990. Setting Priorities for the Conservation of Fish and Wildlife Species in Florida. Wildlife Monographs No. 111. Myers, J. P. 1983. Conservation of migrating shorebirds: staging areas, geographic bot- tlenecks, and regional movements. American Birds 37:23-25. Myers, J. P., M. Sallaberray, E. Ortiz, G. Castro, L. M. Gordon, J. L. Maron, C. T. Schick, E. Tabilo, P. Antas, and T. Below. 1990. Migration routes of New World Sanderlings {Calidris aZ6a). Auk 107:172-180. Rudloe, a, 1980. The breeding behavior and patterns of movement of horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, in the vicinity of breeding beaches in Apalachee Bay, Florida. Estuaries 3:177-183. Snedecor, G. W., and W. C. Cochran. 1967. Statistical Methods. The Iowa State Uni- versity Press, Ames, Iowa. Sprandel, G. L., J. A. Gore, and D. T. Cobb. 1997. Winter Shorebird Survey, Final Per- formance Report. Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee. Sprandel, G. L,, J. A. Gore, and D. T. Cobb. 2000. Distribution of wintering shorebirds in coastal Florida. Journal of Field Ornithology 71:708-720. Stolen, E. D. 1999. Occurrence of birds in beach habitat in east-central Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 27:77-88. Veit, R. R., and L. Jonsson. 1984. Field identification of smaller sandpipers within the genus Ca/Zc/ris. American Birds 38:853-876. Florida Field Naturalist 35(4);114-118, 2007. FIRST RECORD OF THE GREATER FLAMINGO FOR NORTHEASTERN FLORIDA Bill Pranty^ and Gianfranco D. Basilp ^8515 Village Mill Row, Bayonet Point, Florida 34667 E-mail: hillpranty@hotmail.com ^920 Eagle Drive, St. Augustine, Florida 32086 The status of the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) in Flor= ida has changed considerably over the past 100+ years. As recently as 1902, it was a regular and at times abundant non-breeding resident of the southern Gulf coast and Florida Bay, presumably from the colony at Andros Island, Bahamas (Howell 1932, Stevenson and Anderson 1994). But the Andros colony disappeared by 1904 as result of human distur- bance, leaving Great Inagua Island and nearby keys as the sole source of breeding flamingos in the Bahamas (McNair and Gore 1998, Raffaele et al. 1998, Hallett 2006). With the loss of the Andros colony, the fre- quency of flamingo occurrence in Florida declined to almost zero. Dur- ing the 1930s, a flock of captive Greater Flamingos was established at Hialeah Racetrack, Miami-Dade County. By the 1950s, small numbers of Greater Flamingos could be found virtually year-round in the vicinity of Snake Bight, Everglades National Park, Monroe County (Stevenson and Anderson 1994). The provenance of the Snake Bight flock, as well as flamingos observed periodically elsewhere in Florida, was for years considered conjectural. Stevenson and Anderson (1994: 92) summed up the situation by stating that, ''Probably the great majority are escapes, but occasional emigrants from the Bahamas or Cuba would not be sur- prising.’’ Hialeah Racetrack closed in 2001 but its flock of as many as 440 flamingos (L. Manfredi, pers. comm.) remains, and juveniles that are produced are neither pinioned nor color-banded (B. Showier in litt.). The provenance of at least one Greater Flamingo in Florida was proven when an individual color-banded as a nestling at Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico in 2000 was photo- graphed at Snake Bight on 24 October 2002 (Pranty 2003). McNair and Gore (1998:43) suggested that tropical storms that passed over Cuba or the Yucatan Peninsula prior to making landfall along the northern Gulf of Mexico were “almost certainly” responsible for four of the eight reports of flamingos (three of these certain Greater Flamingos) from along the Florida Panhandle coast. The Panhandle reports occurred during two periods: early June-early July and late September-late Oc- tober, which fall within the 1 June-1 December hurricane season. Here, 114 Pranty & Bas/l/— Greater Flamingo in N.E. Florida 115 we report on a presumed vagrant Greater Flamingo that was observed at Matanzas Inlet, St. Johns County, Florida during September 2004, in the midst of an active hurricane season. Observations On 18 September 2004, Stephen and Alicia Steinmetz (pers. comm.) observed a juvenile flamingo at the southeastern side of Ma- tanzas Inlet. GDB photographed the bird on 21 September (Fig, 1), and it was seen last on 23 September, when BP and James Tucker video- taped it (Pranty 2005). On the basis of its large size, pale pinkish-gray body with dusky head and upper neck, dull bluish-gray lores, black- tipped bill, black primaries and secondaries, pale wing coverts with bold black streaking, long tarsi, and dull pink legs and feet (Fig. 1), the Matanzas Inlet flamingo is clearly a hatch-year Greater Flamingo. It often roosted with a large flock of larids along the beach, and occasion- ally flew short distances (<150 m) in response to disturbance by the few beach-goers present. The flamingo was not banded and showed no damage to, or active molt of, its flight feathers. Discussion According to the International Species Inventory System website (ISIS 2004), there were at least 447 Greater Flamingos (comprising both Old World and New World subspecies) in captivity at 11 animal exhibits in Florida during the latter half of 2004 (this figure excludes the flamingos at the former Hialeah Racetrack). We contacted the cu- rators of the three exhibits closest to Matanzas Inlet— Marineland, the Jacksonville Zoological Gardens, and the Brevard Zoo— and were in- formed that none of their flamingos were missing. These curators also confirmed that all captive flamingos should be pinioned and color- banded (A. Rost in litt., M. Smurl in litt.). The 2004 Atlantic Basin hurricane season was an active one, with 15 tropical storms and nine hurricanes, including six major hurricanes. The 2004 season was one of the costliest on record, with the storms causing a total of $42 billion in the United States alone (NCDC 2004). Three hurricanes and one tropical storm during 2004 struck Florida prior to 18 September, and any of these could have transported the Greater Flamingo to Matanzas Inlet. The history of each of these storms is briefly summarized below. Tropical Storm Bonnie formed north of the Yucatan Peninsula on 9 August and struck Florida’s Panhandle coast on 12 August with maxi- mum sustained winds of 43 knots. Hurricane Charley began as a tropical depression off Trinidad and Tobago on 9 August. It slammed into Fort Myers as a Category 4 hurricane on 13 August and exited the state near 116 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Figure 1. Juvenile Greater Flamingo at Matanzas Inlet, St. Johns County, Flor- ida 21 September 2004. Because this flamingo was unhanded and lacked dam- age to its flight feathers, we suggest that it was a natural vagrant, probably from Cuba, that was brought to the area by one of the hurricanes that struck Florida during August or September 2004. However, we cannot rule out the pos- sibility that this flamingo came from the flock resident at the former Hialeah Racetrack in Miami-Dade County, 450 km distant. Photograph by Gian Basili. Da3T;ona Beach later the same day, after causing more than $10 billion in damages. Hurricane Frances developed as a tropical depression in the eastern Atlantic on 24 August and struck the Bahamas as a Category 4 hurricane on 2-3 September. Hurricane Frances then struck Florida as a Category 2 storm in the vicinity of Port St. Lucie on 5 September, headed Pranty & Basili-^Geeateu Flamingo in N.E. Florida 117 northwest across the peninsula, and exited the state around Tampa. Frances restruck Florida as a tropical storm at St. Marks on 6 Septem- her Hurricane Ivan formed in the eastern Atlantic on 2 September and entered the Caribbean Sea as a Category 4 hurricane on 7 September, Ivan made landfall just west of Florida at Gulf Shores, Alabama as a Category 3 hurricane on 16 September (NCDC 2004). Although flamingos are widely kept in captivity, McNair and Gore (1998) believed that at least some of the Greater Flamingo records from the Florida Panhandle coast represented natural vagrants from the colony at Ria Lagartos, Mexico, about 1000 km to the south or south-southwest. They considered as a natural vagrant to Florida any Greater Flamingo found within 500 km of the track of a tropical storm, and within 20 days of the storm’s landfall (McNair and Gore 1998). The Greater Flamingo photographed at Matanzas Inlet in mid-September 2004 meets these distance and temporal criteria for Hurricane Frances, and the distance criterion for Hurricane Charley, and would be considered by McNair and Gore (1998) to be a storm-driven vagrant. We had presumed that the Matanzas Inlet flamingo was likely a va- grant from the colony at Great Inagua Island, Bahamas. However, we learned that the colony at Great Inagua did not reproduce during 2001- 2005 because of low water levels (T. White in litt.). If the Matanzas Inlet Greater Flamingo was a natural vagrant, then it must have originated from the colonies in northern Cuba, which were also affected by Hurri- cane Frances, although not as severely as were the Bahamas (NCDC 2004). In addition to the timing of the flamingo’s appearance in the midst of a very active tropical storm season, we considered the flamingo’s age, its lack of color bands, its undamaged flight feathers, and the fact that the three facilities with captive flamingos closest to Matanzas Inlet had not lost any of their birds. It may be relevant to note that two Greater Flamingos were found at Boca Chica Key, Monroe County on 1 October 2004 (Pranty 2005), two weeks after the appearance of the Matanzas In- let flamingo; these too may have been storm-driven vagrants. We still think it likely that the Matanzas Inlet Greater Flamingo was a natural vagrant, but we cannot rule out the possibility that the flamingo could have been a storm-displaced individual from the flock at the former Hialeah Racetrack, about 300 km closer to Matanzas In- let than the northern coast of Cuba. Little is known about the move- ments of flamingos from the Hialeah flock, but the several flamingo sightings each year in Miami-Dade County (e.g., the Miami Bird Board web site; see Literature Cited) suggest that at least some of these birds move around periodically— at least for relatively short (30-40 km) dis- tances. Indeed, the presence of this breeding flock creates the possibil- ity that Hialeah Racetrack may be the source of any flamingo observed in Florida, whether or not its timing is related to storm activity. 118 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Regardless of its provenance, the Matanzas Inlet flamingo repre- sents the first verifiable record of a Greater Flamingo from the north- ern Atlantic coast of Florida. The only previous report from the region was one flamingo at Mayport, Jacksonville, Duval County during 23 May-22 June 1964 (Cunningham 1964, Stevenson and Anderson 1994). McNair and Gore (1998) point out that vagrant flamingos are much more likely to appear along the Gulf of Mexico rather than along the Atlantic coast, due to the tracks of most tropical storms. Since the 1930s, only seven tropical storms that struck the Atlantic coast of the southern United States passed near or over Great Inagua Island, whereas at least 35 storms that struck the United States passed near or over the Yucatan Peninsula (McNair and Gore 1998). Acknowledgments We thank Stephen and Alicia Steinmetz for alerting us to the Matanzas Inlet fla- mingo, and Michelle Smurl and Alan Rost for providing information on the flamingos under their care at the Brevard Zoo and Jacksonville Zoological Gardens, respectively. Larry Manfredi and Bob Showier provided information about the flamingos at the former Hialeah Racetrack, Tony White alerted us to the status of the Great Inagua Island flamingo colony during 2004, and Bruce Anderson, Chris Borg, and Brennan Mulrooney provided other assistance. Andrew Kratter improved a draft of this paper. Literature Cited Cunningham, R. L. 1964. Florida region [Spring 1964 report]. Audubon Field Notes 18:442-446. Hallett, B. 2006. Birds of the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands. Macmillan, Ox- ford. Howell, A. H. 1932. Florida Bird Life. Coward-McCann, New York. Isis [International Species Inventory System; currently called International Species In- formation System]. 2004. . McNair, D. B., and J. A. Gore. 1998. Assessment of occurrences of flamingos in north- west Florida, including a recent record of the Greater Flamingo {Phoenicopterus ru- ber). Florida Field Naturalist 26:40-43. Miami Bird Board (Tropical Audubon Society). Various dates. . Accessed May 2007. NCDC [National Climatic Data Center]. 2004. Climate of 2004 Atlantic hurricane season . Accessed 27 May 2007. Pranty, B. 2003. Field Observations Committee Fall Report: August-November 2002. Florida Field Naturalist 31:33-45. Pranty, B. 2005. Field Observations Committee Fall Report: August-November 2004. Florida Field Naturalist 33:57-69. Raffaele, H., j. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith, and J. Raffaele. 1998. A Guide to the Birds of the Wes Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The Birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Florida Field Naturalist 35(4):119-123, 2007. FIRST RECORD OF THE WHITE WAGTAIL IN FLORIDA Bill Pranty 8515 Village Mill Row, Bayonet Point, Florida 34667 E-Mail: hillpranty@hotmail.com At 1400 hours DST on 18 March 2007, three birders from St. Louis discovered and photographed a White Wagtail {Motacilla alba; Figs. 1, 2) at Moon Lake Park, western Pasco County, Florida (28E 17T5.8 N, 82E 36'27.4 W). The bird flew into the park and was observed for 20 minutes before the birders left to contact others. When they and others returned within the hour, the wagtail was gone and it did not reappear. The bird was relocated at 1210 on 19 March and remained until 1325, when it again departed. The wagtail was next (and last) observed from 0930-1000 on 22 March. It was not seen despite all-day searches dur- ing 20 and 24-26 March, and less-intensive searches during 21 and 23 March. The next four paragraphs are based on 30 minutes of observa- tion by BP on 19 March, supplemented by observations and photo- graphs of others. Observations The White Wagtail frequented the 80-m ''artificial” (i.e., trucked-in) sand beach at Moon Lake Park, a 2.7-ha recreational park east of Port Richey. The remainder of the park, which was not seen to be used by the wagtail, was composed of a playground, several shelters and small buildings, a boat ramp, a paved parking area, and mowed grassy areas with dozens of 12-15-m tall cypresses (Taxodium spp.). The wagtail for- aged actively along the beach, walking or running back and forth and often changing course as it pursued prey. It captured several large dragonflies, a fly, and numerous unidentified prey. The foraging ma- neuvers used included running down or picking up prey from the sur- face of the sand, plucking dragonflies out of the air as they flew past, and upward sallies to capture other aerial prey. Prey, including the wings of the dragonflies, was swallowed whole. The wagtail bobbed its entire hind end frequently, in the manner of a waterthrush {Seiurus spp.), and, when walking, also bobbed its head back and forth. The wagtail appeared to ignore the birders, sun-bathers, and oth- ers present on or near the beach, and occasionally approached observ- ers to within 6-7 m. It often uttered a two-note call, accented on the second syllable, that was reminiscent of an American Pipit {Anthus rubescens). Other behaviors observed included preening, scratching its 119 120 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Figures 1 and 2. White Wagtail, Motacilla alha^ at Moon Lake Park, Pasco County, Florida, 18-22 March 2007. The wagtail is a male, mostly in first-alter- nate plumage. It belongs to the western form of the subspecies M. a. alba, which breeds in southern Greenland, Iceland, and across continental Europe, and winters from continental Europe to northern Africa. Note that the outer- most tertial (Tl) is missing from each wing, exposing the worn retained juvenal primaries. This individual furnished the first report and record of any wagtail for Florida, and marked the 500th bird species verifiably recorded in the state. Its presence 12 km inland from the Gulf of Mexico during its northbound mi- gration is difficult to explain. Photographs by David Faintich, 18 March 2007. Pranty— First Florida Record of White Wagtail 121 head, resting, defecating, and frequently scanning the sky, presumably for aerial predators. The wagtail sought the shade created by a sign on the beach; afternoon temperatures during 19 March were in the high 70’s F with little cloud cover. After foraging actively for 85 minutes on 19 March, the wagtail flew up and over the cypresses toward the north- northeast. It clearly foraged and roosted elsewhere, but birders did not locate these sites. While under observation, the wagtail did not interact with any other birds at Moon Lake Park; the only other species seen on the beach were several medium-sized wading birds, one Killdeer (Charadrius vo- ciferus)y three American Crows (Corvus hrachyrhynchos), and one East- ern Bluebird {Sialia sialis). Three raptors that prey on landbirds were observed over the park during times when the wagtail was absent: one Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus), one Cooper’s Hawk (A. coo- perii), and one Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus). Description— The White Wagtail was a slim terrestrial landbird with a long, slender tail (perhaps 40% of its body length) and pied plumage. The head was white with a black hindcrown, nape, and throat that extended downward to encompass the entire breast (Figs. 1, 2). The black throat and nape were narrowly separated by a vari- ably-shaped white “wedge” that extended down onto the lower neck. The underparts were white with a small blackish area on the belly that appeared to be absent or molting feathers. The uppertail coverts, rump, and mantle were medium-gray and contrasted sharply with the black nape. The carpal areas were grayish-brown, the median coverts black- ish, and the primaries and secondaries brown. A rather bold, white up- per wingbar was present on each wing but each lower bar had mostly worn away. Two generations of median and greater coverts were clearly visible, with the outer coverts extensively brown-centered and with their whitish tips almost worn away. The tertials were brownish with black centers and bold white edges. The outermost tertial (Tl) on each wing was absent, exposing the primaries. The brownish-black in- ner and white outer rectrices were abraded. The eyes, bill, legs, and feet were black; the legs were unbanded. The large eyes were conspic- uous against the white face. Taxonomy— The White Wagtail is a polytypic species comprised of two groups that until recently were considered separate species. The \¥hite Wagtail was composed of six subspecies (alba [including “dukhunensis”]^ baicalensis, ocularis, personata, suhpersonata, and yarrellii), while the Black-backed Wagtail (Motacilla lugens) was com- posed of three subspecies (alboides, leucopsis, and lugens). With the re- cent (re)-merger of the two groups into a single species (Banks et al. 2005), the White Wagtail is comprised of nine subspecies (Alstrom and Mild 2003). 122 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST With its wholly black chin, throat, and breast, the Moon Lake Park wagtail was mostly in alternate plumage. The sharp contrast between the black nape and the medium-gray mantle sexed the bird as a male, and its worn, retained juvenal remiges and rectrices aged it to 8-10 months old. Its plumage was therefore categorized as First-Alternate or First-Summer (Alstrdm and Mild 2003). Since it was mostly in alternate plumage, the Moon Lake Park White Wagtail could be identified to sub- species. Its medium-gray mantle immediately ruled out the four black- backed races {alhoides, leucopsis, lugens, and yarrellii). Four of the five gray-backed subspecies could also be eliminated: haicalensis, which has a white chin, throat, and wing-panels; ocularis, which has a black eye- line and white wing-panels; per sonata, which has a dark-gray mantle and largely black head; and subpersonata, which has a largely black head and white wing-panels (Alstrom and Mild 2003), The eastern form of alba C'dukhunensis’' often considered a separate subspecies) was ruled out because it has broader white wing-bars that sometimes form a wing-panel (Alstrom and Mild 2003). Thus, the Moon Lake Park White Wagtail was of the western form of alba, which breeds in southern Greenland, Iceland, and across continental Europe, and winters from continental Europe to northern Africa (Alstrom and Mild 2003). Discussion The Moon Lake Park White Wagtail furnished the first report and record for Florida, being accepted by the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (#07-634) as species #500 for Florida (A.W Kratter in litt.). There are four other observations of the White Wagtail in the Southeast: an adult lugens at Cedar Island, North Carolina on 15 May 1982 (LeGrand 1982); an adult ocularis at Johnson’s Bayou, Louisiana on 12 October 1996 (Jackson 1997); an alternate-plumaged male ocu- laris at Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina during 16-21 April 1998 (Behrens 1998, Bearden et al. 2004); and a juvenile-“-prob- ably alba— -at Sandling Beach State Recreation Area, North Carolina on 22 October 2002 (Bearden et al. 2004). Additionally, a Citrine Wag- tail (Motacilla citreola) was photographed at Starkville, Mississippi during 31 January- 1 February 1992 (DeBenedictis 1995), and a ‘Wel- low” Wagtail, tentatively identified as an Eastern Yellow Wagtail (M. tschutschensis) was observed at Fort Morgan, Alabama on 29 Septem- ber 2003 (Banks et al. 2004, Duncan and Duncan 2004). It is difficult to explain the presence of a western alba White Wag- tail 12 km inland from the central Gulf coast of Florida during the lat- ter half of March. Florida is within the latitudes in which White Wagtails winter (Alstrdm and Mild 2003), so the wagtail may have win- tered locally. (Moon Lake Park is an unremarkable spot that seldom is Pranty— First Florida Record of White Wagtail 123 birded.) Alternatively, the wagtail could have been northbound from a wintering site farther south. Or the wagtail may have flown west across the Atlantic Ocean from its African wintering grounds and ar- rived in Florida, although its appearance near the Gulf coast makes this scenario seem unlikely Perhaps the Moon Lake Park White Wag- tail simply was “lost;"’ other wagtails in the Southeast have been ob- served during unseasonable periods and always for very brief periods (see above). Acknowledgments I thank David Faintich, Dency Kahn, and Dave Pierce for discovering and document- ing the wagtail and for contacting local birders so quickly; Wes Biggs for calling me about the wagtail on 19 March (“Bill, you dumb ass, where are you?”); David Faintich, Arnette Sherman, Paul Sykes, and Ken Tracey for sharing their photographs or obser- vations; Bob Duncan for other information; and Mark Berney, David Faintich, and Andy Kratter for improving drafts of this paper. Literature Cited Alstrom, P., and K. Mild. 2003. Pipits and Wagtails, Princeton University Press, Prin- ceton. Banks, R. C., C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, J. D. Rising, and D. F. Stotz. 2004. Forty-fifth supplement to the American Orni- thologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 121:985-995. Banks, R. C., C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, J. D. Rising, and D. F. Stotz. 2005. Forty-sixth supplement to the American Orni- thologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 122:1026-1031. Bearden, K. L., S. J. Froning, and C. W. Cook. 2004. First record of White Wagtail in North Carolina. Chat 68:78-82. Behrens, K. 1998. White Wagtail in South Carolina: First record on US eastern sea- board. Chat 62:149-152. DeBenedictis, P. a. 1995. 1994 ABA Checklist report. Birding 27:367-368. Duncan, R. A., and L. R. Duncan. 2004. Central Southern [Fall 2003 regional bird re- port]. North American Birds 58:89-92. Jackson, G. D. 1997. Central Southern Region [Spring 1997 regional bird report]. Field Notes 51:67-72. LeGrand, H. E. 1982. Southern Atlantic Coast region [Spring regional 1982 bird report]. American Birds 36:840-842. 124 Florida Field Naturalist 35(4):124-137, 2007. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Spring Report; March-May 2007. — This report consists of significant bird obser- vations compiled by the Field Observations Committee (FOC). 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 sig- nificance. 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 are found at the end of this report. We greatly prefer observations sent via e-mail. Sight-only observations are considered “reports” while only those supported by veri- fiable evidence (photographs, video or audio tapes, or specimens) are called “records.” Species for which documentation is required by the FOS Records Committee (FOSRC; Bowman 2004, Fla. Field Nat. 32: 7-33) are marked here with an asterisk (*). A county designation (in italics) accompanies the first-time listing of each site in this report. Ab- breviations in this report are: CWA = critical wildlife area, EOS = end of season, NP = national park, NSRA = north shore restoration area, NWR = national wildlife refuge, SP = state park, STA - stormwater treatment area, STF = sewage treatment facility, and N, S, E, W etc., for compass directions. Bold-faced entries denote birds newly reported or verified in Florida, or record numbers. SUMMAKY OF THE SPRING SEASON It was a heady spring, with three “first” records (two found and photographed by Carl Goodrich), plus two additional potential first records (one of these also by Good- rich!), which pushed the Florida list to more than 500 species. Winds during April and May were variable, at times from the east, bringing pelagics to the Atlantic coast and Caribbean- wintering or -migrating species to the “Green Key Migrant Funnel,” and at other times from the west, grounding uncountable numbers of trans-Gulf migrants, in- cluding what must have been thousands of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. The best fallout days were 19-23 April and 15 May; Dale Henderson observed 19 species of wood-war- biers in three hours at Cedar Key 21 April. FOSRC rarities reported this spring (those accepted are marked here with a “+” symbol) were the Trumpeter Swan (of unknown provenance), +Neotropic Cormorant (first Florida record), Yellow-legged Gull, -i-Iceland Gull, -{-Loggerhead Kingbird (first Florida and continental record), Caribbean Martin, +White Wagtail (first Florida record, #500), -hKirtland’s Warbler, +Spotted Towhee, -t-La- zuli Bunting, and +Bullock’s Oriole. Two Superb Starlings photographed in Broward furnished the first record of this exotic. Species Accounts Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: 510 at Gainesville 13 Mar (B. & J. Bolte); 141 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 Apr, and 88 there 1 May (H. Robinson); 50 at The Villages {Sumter) 24 Apr, and 20 at The Villages {Marion) 19 May (J. Dinsmore); 3 adults at Tallahas- see {Leon) 29 Apr-2 May (E, Woodruff, G. Menk); 94 at Viera Wetlands {Brevard) 4 May (D. Freeland); 7 at Mirror Lake, St. Petersburg {Pinellas) 7 May {fide M. Peter- son); up to 11 at Lake Townsen Regional Park {Hernando) 24 May (A. & B. Hansen); 8 at Cutler Ridge {Miami-Dade) 31 May (R. Torres). Field Observations 125 Table 1. “Migrant Funnel” stationary count, Green Key, New Port Richey (Pasco). These results are a compilation of 44 daily counts, 0630-0900 hours, 31 Mar-31 May; counts with few migrants were often ended early. On two days (28 Apr & 8 May), no migrants were observed (K. Tracey et aL). Species listed below numbered 100 or more individuals each. Species Total High Count Date Blackpoll Warbler 940 370 15 May Palm Warbler 519 87 23 Apr American Redstart 417 150 15 May Black-throated Blue Warbler 203 88 15 May Common Yellowthroat 158 30 15 May Cape May Warbler 139 57 23 Apr Prairie Warbler 128 18 22 Apr Identified warblers 2433 707 15 May Unidentified warblers 5775 1275 23 Apr Bobolink 373 62 15 May Gray Catbird 198 33 17 Apr Indigo Bunting 192 163 19 Apr Barn Swallow 184 34 12 Apr Fulvous Whistling-DucK: 140 at T. M. Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area (Brevard) 29 Mar (D. Freeland); 8 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Apr (H. Robinson); 10 at Polk phosphate mines 5 May (P. Fellers). White-faced Whistling-Duck: 1 at Walsingham Park (Pinellas) 23 Mar (1. Hernandez, photo to FOC); 1 with Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks at Circle B Bar Preserve, Lake- land (Polk) 29 Apr & in May (H. Moulden, J. Callaghan, photo to FOC). Canada Goose: 2 at St. Vincent NWR (Franklin) 20 May (B. Stedman). Mute Swan: 1 at a Jacksonville (Duval) borrow pit 15 Mar (R. Clark). Trumpeter Swan: 1 juvenile in a canal (!) near Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP (Okeechobee) 27 Apr-2 May (P. & L. Gray, P. Miller et al., photos to FOC by L. Cooper) furnished the second Florida record. Mandarin Duck: 1 male at Holiday (Pasco) 1 Mar (P. Francois, photo to FOC); 1 male at Madison (Madison) 2 Mar (D. Freeman). Ring-necked Duck: 2 at Viera Wetlands 31 May (A. Banker!). Greater Scaup: 1 capable of flight at Cedar Key 22 May (R. Rowan). Lesser Scaup: 1 at Lake Maggiore, St. Petersburg 29 May (D. Goodwin). Common Eider: 2 at St. Augustine Inlet (St. Johns) to 1 Apr (D. Reed); 2 juveniles at Fort Clinch SP (Nassau) 2 Apr (P. Leary). White-winged Scoter: 1 at Tomoka SP, Ormond Beach (Volusia) 1 Mar (M. Brothers). Bufflehead: 1 at Lake Santa Fe (Alachua) 31 Mar (B. & J. Bolte). Hooded Merganser: 6 chicks fledged from a Wood Duck box at downtown Tallahassee 9 Apr (J. Stevenson). Red-BREASTED Merganser: 15 off Ponce de Leon Inlet (Volusia) 3 Apr (R. Wallace et al.); 1 at Garden Key, Dry Tortugas NP 4 May (B. Mulrooney); 1 female at Old Ingra- ham Highway, Everglades NP (Miami-Dade) 12 May (B. Rapoza); 1 in female-plum- age at Green Key, New Port Richey (Pasco) 31 May (B. Pranty). Red-throated Loon: 1 at Ulumay Sanctuary, Merritt Island (Brevard) 3 Mar (D. Freeland); 1 at Gulf Breeze (Santa Rosa) 8 Mar (J. French). Pacific Loon: 1 in alternate plumage at Fort Pickens (Escambia) 12 Apr (B. & L. Dun- can). 126 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Table 2. Migrants at Dry Tortugas National Park {Monroe), 19 Apr (M. Gardler). Of the 90 species observed, 25 were wood-warblers. Species Totals Yellow-billed Cuckoo 150 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 150 Eastern Kingbird 100 Swainson’s Thrush 25 Gray Catbird 300 Tennessee Warbler 20 Chestnut-sided Warbler 4 Magnolia Warbler 8 Black-throated Green Warbler 5 American Redstart 20 Worm-eating Warbler 8 Northern Waterthrush 20 Kentucky Warbler 16 Hooded Warbler 45 Summer Tanager 10 Scarlet Tanager 18 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 7 Indigo Bunting 65 Orchard Oriole 85 Baltimore Oriole 15 Horned Grebe: 1 in alternate plumage at St. Marks NWR {Wakulla) 15 Apr (A. Wraith- mell); 1 molting into alternate plumage at Hudson (Pasco) 18 Apr (L. Rothstein); 2 in alternate plumage at Cedar Key 22 May (R. Rowan). Eared Grebe: 1 at Ormond Beach to 5 Mar (M. Brothers et ah). Black-capped Petrel: trios off Ponce de Leon Inlet 3 Apr & 3 May (B. Wallace et ah, photos to FOC). Cory’s Shearwater: 1 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 3 May (B. Anderson et ah). Sooty Shearwater: 1 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 3 May (B. Anderson et ah, photo to FOC by B. Wallace). Audubon’S Shearwater: 60 off Miami (Miami-Dade) 27 Apr (R. Torres, T. Mitchell); 3 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 3 May (B. Wallace et ah); 10 between Key West and Dry Tor- tugas NP 3 May (B. Mulrooney). Wilson’s Storm-Petrel: at least 10 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 3 May (B. Anderson, B. Wal- lace et ah); at least 10 at Canaveral National Seashore (Brevard) 25 May (T. Dunker- ton); 2 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 29 May, and 1 there 31 May (M. Brothers); 2 at Sebastian Inlet SP (Brevard) 29 May (A. Bankert), Leach’s Storm-Petrel: 5 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 3 May (B. Wallace et ah); 1 grounded in a yard at Jacksonville 16 km from the ocean 20 May (fide P. Powell, specimen to UF); 1 at Fort George Inlet (Duval) 27 May (R. Clark); 2 at New Smyrna Beach (Vo- lusia) 27 May (B. Wallace); 4 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 29 May, and 2 there 30 May (M. Brothers); 4 at Sebastian Inlet SP 29 May, and 2 there 30 May (A. Bankert); 1 at Boynton Inlet (Palm Beach) 31 May (M. Berney). Band-rumped Storm-Petrel: 2 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 3 Apr, and 2 there 3 May (B. Wallace et ah). Masked Booby: 67 (64 adults) at Dry Tortugas NP 18 Apr (M. Gardler). Field Observations 127 Brown Booby: 27 at Dry Tortugas NP 18 Apr (M. Gardler); 1 juvenile rescued at New Smyrna Beach 8 May (M. Brothers); 1 sub-adult on the Okaloosa/Walton line 20 May (D, Ware). Red-footed Booby: 1 juvenile dark morph off Ponce de Leon Inlet 3 Apr (M. Brothers, B. Wallace, photo to FOC). Northern Gannet: 121 emaciated birds, mostly yearlings, brought to Marine Science Center, Ponce de Leon Inlet 21 Apr-17 May (M. Brothers); 1 over Winter Park (Or- ange) 17 May (B. Anderson)! American White Pelican: 5400 at Polk mines 15 Mar, and 1100 there 19 May (P. Fellers et ah); 1 at Key West (Monroe) 27 Apr (C. Goodrich); 280 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 30 Apr (R. Rowan). Brown Pelican: 1 at Port Mayacca, Lake Okeechobee (Martin) 19 Apr (D. Simpson); 1 immature at Monteverde (Lake) 30 Apr (T. Rodriguez); 1 near St. Cloud (Osceola) 15 May (B. & L. Cooper). *Ne0TR0PIC Cormorant (Phalacrocorcix brasilianus): 1 at Boca Chica Key (Mon- roe) 13 Apr (C. Goodrich, accepted by FOSRC). Great Cormorant: 1 at John U. Lloyd SP (Broward) 27 Mar-1 Apr (B. Roberts et al., photo to FOC by L. Manfredi). Anhinga: 1 at Rockland Key (Monroe) 12 Mar (B. Mulrooney). American Bittern: 1 at Alturas (Polk) 30 May (C. Geanangel). “Great White Heron:” 1 at Tomoka Landfill (Volusia) 1 Mar (D. Freeland); 1 at Ormond Beach 24 Mar-10 Jun (M. Brothers); 1 at Upthegrove Beach (Okeechobee) 19 Apr (D. Simpson); 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 27 Apr (M. Gardler). “WURDEMANN’S Heron:” 1 at a Polk mine 19 May (P. Fellers). Reddish Egret: up to 7 sub-adults at St. Marks NWR 15-26 Mar (J. Cooke et al.); 5 at St. Vincent NWR 22 May (B. Stedman). Glossy Ibis: 1 at Key West 6-7 Apr (C. Goodrich). White-faced Ibis: 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF (Okaloosa) 18 Apr-22 May (D. Ware); 1 immature at Sanibel Island (Lee) 28 Apr-EOS (C. Ewell et ah, photo to FOC.); 4 at St. Marks NWR 6 May (A. Bankert). Roseate Spoonbill: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 29 Apr-EOS (B. Mollison); 1 pair bred at Gatorland (Polk) 16 May (L. Rosen); 23 at Lake Apopka NSRA 30 May (H. Robinson). Black Vulture: 1 at Seven Springs (Pasco) 12 May (K. Tracey) had been color-tagged at Avon Park 10 Jan 2006 (J. Humphrey). Osprey: 151 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Apr (H. Robinson). Swallow-tailed Kite: 25 at a roost in Walton 12 May (J. Walton); 1 at St. Vincent NWR 18 May (B. Stedman). White-tailed Kite: 3 pairs nested at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP during the season; at least one pair fledged 2 young (P. Miller). Snail Kjte: 3 along the Withlacoochee River 6 km E of Floral City (Citrus) 30 Mar (T. Ritchie); 1 E of Hudson 15 Apr at the same site as Jul 2006 (B. Skiba). Mississippi Kite: 2 at Gainesville 12 Mar (T. Webber); 2 fl5dng N in W Indian River 9 Apr (D. Freeman); 1 at Key Largo (Monroe) 5 May (J. Boyd et al.); 1 at Colt Creek SP 11-15 May (C. Geanangel, B. & L. Cooper); 1 at Largo (Pinellas) 16 May (1. Hernan- dez); 1 at Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve (Hillsborough) 19 May (R. Greenspun, J. Dubi); 1 at Boulogne (Nassau) 21 May (D. Freeland); 1 at Weekiwachee Preserve 23 May (A. & B. Hansen). Bald Eagle: 1 pair bred at the mouth of East River (Santa Rosa) 3 Apr (B. Bremser), and other pairs in the W Panhandle fledged one young at Milton (Santa Rosa) and two young at W Pensacola (fide B. Duncan); 46 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 14 Apr (S. Rayer). Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 May (H. Robinson). 128 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Cooper’s Hawk: 1 female on a nest in a cypress at Wilton Manor {Broward) 17 Apr (B. Anderson). Short-tailed Hawk: 9 reports of 10 individuals (7 dark, 2 light, 1 unspecified) between Cedar Key {Levy) and Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary {Collier) variously this spring in- cluded 1 pair that bred at Sawgrass Lake Park, St. Petersburg (R. Smith, S. Patter- son et ah); as many as 6 pairs in W Pasco this spring (K. Tracey). Swainson’S Hawk: 1 at Key West 9 Mar (C. Goodrich); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 30 Mar (H. Robinson). Crested Caracara: 6 at Viera Wetlands 6 Mar (D. Freeland); 1 at Chuluota {Seminole), 2 at Orlando Wetlands Park {Orange), and 1 at Seminole Ranch Conservation Area {Orange) all 12 May (L. Malo). Merlin: 2 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 10 May (M. Brothers). Peregrine Falcon: 1 at Jupiter Inlet Colony {Palm Beach) 12 May (J. & L. Hailman). Yellow Rail: 1 at Garcon Point {Santa Rosa) 1 Mar (D. Simpson). Black Rail: 2 at St. Vincent NWR 21 May (B. Stedman). SORA: up to 59 at St. Marks NWR 9-30 Apr (A. Wraithmell et ah). Purple Gallinule: 2 N of Carrabelle {Franklin) 22 Apr (J. Murphy). Limpkin: 1 at Key West 21 Mar & 29 Apr (C. Goodrich); 1 along the Choctawhatchee River {Walton) 17-20 May (J. Stahl, photo to FOC); 34 at Lake Townsen Regional Park 25 May (A. & B. Hansen); 35 at Lake Apopka NSRA 30 May (H. Robinson). Black-bellied Plover: 265 at Lake Okeechobee {Okeechobee) 8 May (B. Pranty, P. Gray et ah); 1 at Lake Sampson {Bradford) 25 May (R. Rowan). American Golden-Plover: 1 at Ohio Key {Monroe) 25 Mar (A. Bankert); 1 at Merritt Is- land NWR 28 Mar (D. Freeland); 1 in basic plumage at Ponce de Leon Inlet 12 May (M. Brothers); 2 at Myakka River SP {Sarasota) 26 May (R. Smith). Snowy Plover: 1 at Ponce de Leon Inlet to 6 Apr (M. Brothers). Wilson’s Plover: 37 at Little Estero Island CWA {Lee) 12 May (C. Ewell); 1 at St. Vin- cent NWR 21-22 May (B. Stedman). Semipalmated Plover: 251 at Lake Okeechobee 8 May (B. Pranty, P. Gray et ah); 28 at Polk mines 13 May (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 1 at The Villages {Lake) 16 May (J. Dinsmore); 4 at Lake Sampson 25 May (R. Rowan). Piping Plover: 3 at Fred Howard Park {Pinellas) 23 Mar (M. Gardler); 24 at Talbot Is- lands SP 25-27 Mar (P. Leary); 1 at Jupiter Inlet Colony 27 Mar (J. & L. Hailman); 2 at Anclote Key {Pasco) 2 May (K. Tracey). American Oystercatcher: 2 at Pensacola 15 Mar-8 Apr (A. & D. Forster); 3 at Pensa- cola Beach {Escambia) 14 May (B. Duncan); 26 at Little Estero Island CWA 22 May included individuals banded in North Carolina (1), New Jersey (1), and Virginia (3; C. Ewell). Black-necked Stilt: 2 at Inverness {Citrus) 28 Apr, and 4 there 30 Apr (K. Spilios); 406 at Lake Okeechobee {Glades and Okeechobee) 8 May (P. Gray, B. Pranty et ah). American Avocet: 1 at St. Vincent NWR 9 Mar (T. Lewis); 251 at Polk mines 1 Apr, and 49 there to 13 May (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 4 at Honeymoon Island SP {Pinellas) 3 Apr (W. Yusek); 34 in alternate plumage at Eco Pond, Everglades NP {Monroe) 12 May (B. Rapoza). Spotted Sandpiper: 25 at Buschman City Park, Port Orange {Volusia) 25 Apr (B. Orr); 18 at Lake Okeechobee 8 May (B. Pranty, P. Gray et ah); 3 at Lake Townsen Regional Park 24-25 May (A. & B. Hansen); 1 at Lake Sampson 25 May (R. Rowan). Solitary Sandpiper: 1 at Hague 10 Mar (P. Laipis), and 20 there 22 Apr (M. Manetz); singles in W Pasco at New Port Richey 21 Mar & Seven Springs 23 Mar (K. Tracey); 1 at Hardee Lakes Park {Hardee) 7 Apr (B. Ahern); 29 at Fort De Soto Park {Pinellas) 10 Apr (R. Smith); 2 at Inverness 11-17 Apr (K. Spilios); 5 at Orlando 19 Apr (A. Boyle); 52 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Apr (H. Robinson); 4 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 3 May (B. Wallace, B. Anderson et ah); 1 at St. Vincent NWR 18 May (B. Stedman). Field Observations 129 WiLLET: 1 in basic plumage at Lake Okeechobee 13 Apr (B. Pranty, P, Gray et al.); 1 in basic plumage at Marathon Airport {Monroe) 30 May (B. Mulrooney). Lesser YellowlegS: 200+ at Springhill Road STF, Tallahassee 5 Apr (G. Menk); 630 at Lake Okeechobee 13 Apr (B. Pranty, P. Gray et aL), Upland Sandpiper: 1 at Key West 19-22 Apr (M. Gardler, C. Goodrich). Whimbrel: 6 at Coconut Point (Brevard) 7 May (A. Bankert); 7 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 12 May (M. Brothers); 3 at Little Estero Island CWA 12 May (C. Ewell). Hudsonian God WIT: 1 in basic plumage at Alafia Bank {Hillsborough) 19-29 May (C. Cas- sels, photos to FOG); 1 in basic plumage at St. Vincent Island 19-22 May (B. Stedman). Ruddy Turnstone: 10 at Lake Okeechobee (Glades) 8 May (B. Pranty, P. Gray et al.). Red Knot: singles at Lake Okeechobee 13 Apr (Okeechobee) & 8 May (Glades; B. Pranty, P. Gray); 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Apr, and 1 there 4 May (H. Robinson); 1000 at Fort George Inlet 9 May included color-marked birds banded in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile (P. Leary); 800 at Nassau Sound (Duval) 20 May (P. Leary). Sanderling: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 4 May (H. Robinson); 2 in basic plumage at Lake Okeechobee 8 May (B. Pranty, G. Schrott et al.). Semipalmated Sandpiper: 3700 at Polk mines 19 May (P. Fellers); 500 at Huguenot Me- morial Park (Duval) 27 May (R. Clark). Least Sandpiper: 10,500 at Polk mines 13 May (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Peep species: 16,000 at Lake Okeechobee 13 Apr, and 6650 there 8 May (B. Pranty, P. Gray et al.). White-rumped Sandpiper: 1 at Eagle Lakes Park (Collier) 18 Apr (D. Suitor); 1 at St. Marks NWR 27 Apr (B. Anderson et al.); 5 at Merritt Island NWR 1 May (D. Freeland); 3 at Lake Okeechobee 8 May (B. Pranty, G. Schrott); 1 at Hague 11-12 May (P. Burns, B. Carroll); 45 at Cutler Ridge 12 May (R. Torres); 12 at Eco Pond, Ev- erglades NP 12 May (B. Rapoza); 20 at Blue Cypress Lake (Indian River) 17 May (A. Bankert); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 18 May (L. Atherton); 8 at Polk mines 19 May (P. Fellers); 2 at Cedar Key 23 May (R. Rowan); 23 at Lake Apopka NSRA 25 May (H. Robinson); 1 at Viera Wetlands 26 May (T. Dunkerton). Pectoral Sandpiper: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 18 Mar (P. Laipis); 29 at Lake Apopka NSRA 11 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 at Lake Okeechobee 13 Apr (B. Pranty, P. Gray et al.); 1 at Eco Pond, Everglades NP 22 Apr (J. Boyd); 1 at St. Marks NWR 6 May (A. Bankert); 1 at Tallahassee 7 May (R. Lengacher); up to 4 at St. Vincent NWR 18-22 May (B. Stedman). Dunlin: 1 aberrant bird (white around the bill and eyes, white nape, orange bill and legs) at Shiloh Marsh, Merritt Island NWR (Brevard) 24 Mar (S. Winston, photo to FOC); 21 at Lake Okeechobee 13 Apr (B. Pranty, P. Gray et al.); 27 at Polk mines 13 May (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Curlew Sandpiper: presumably the same 1 at Huguenot Memorial Park 30 Mar (B. Richter), and in alternate plumage at Nassau Sound 20 May (P. Leary, photos to FOC). Stilt Sandpiper: 2 at Springhill Road STF 15 Mar (G. Menk); 1 N of Brooksville 25 Mar (M. Gardler); 455 at Lake Okeechobee 13 Apr (B. Pranty, P. Gray et al.); 273 at Polk mines 28 Apr (P. Fellers); 290 at Lake Apopka NSRA 11 May (H. Robinson); 1 at St. Vincent NWR 19-22 May (B. Stedman). Buff-breasted Sandpiper: 6 at Lake Okeechobee 13 Apr included 1 in courtship dis- play (B. Pranty et al., photo to FOC); 1 at King Ranch, Everglades Agricultural Area (Palm Beach) 22 Apr (M. Berney); 1 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 30 Apr (M. Brothers). Long-billed Dowitcher: 390 at Polk mines 15 Mar (P. Fellers et al.); 7 N of Brooksville 25 Mar (M. Gardler); 35 at Springhill Road STF 5 Apr (G. Menk); 10 at Hardee Lakes Park 7 Apr (B. Ahern); 1180 in alternate plumage at Lake Okeechobee 13 Apr (B. Pranty et al.); 77 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 May (H. Robinson). Wilson’s Snipe: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 26 May-EOS (S. Flamand). 130 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST American Woodcock: 3 newly hatched chicks at Osteen (Volusia) 9 Mar were killed by a cat (fide A. Vinokur; specimens to UCF). Wilson’s Phalarope: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 16 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 at St. Marks NWR 29 Apr-7 May (J. Murphy, J. Cavanagh et ah); 1 at Flamingo, Everglades NP (Monroe) 19 May (J. & G. Robinson). Red-necked Phalarope: 2 off Miami 27 Apr (R. Torres, T. Mitchell); 7 between Key West and Dry Tortugas NP 3 May (B. Mulrooney); 1 female in alternate plumage at Lake Okeechobee 8 May (B. Pranty, G. Schrott); 1 female at Merritt Island NWR 20- 31 May (T. Dunkerton, A. Banker! et al.); 1 at Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area (Lake) 26-27 May (A. Luzader). *Yellow-LEGGED Gull (Larus michahellis): 1 putative juvenile at Tomoka Landfill 5 Mar (B. Wallace, under review by FOSRC). *ICELAND Gull: 1 second-year at Ponce de Leon Inlet 4-5 Apr (M. Brothers, B. Wallace, accepted by FOSRC). Glaucous Gull: 1 at Milton 30 Mar (H. Moore); 1 second-winter at Destin (Okaloosa) 7 Apr (S. Barlow). Lesser Black-backed Gull: 25, including 9 “intermedius-types” at Crandon Beach 4 Mar, and 46 there 16 Apr (R. Diaz); 1 in alternate plumage at Dunedin Causeway 12 Mar (M. Gardler); 2 (adult and third-year) at Lake Okeechobee 13 Apr (B. Pranty et al., photos to FOC). Black-legged Kittiwake: 1 resting on the beach at Guana Reserve (St. Johns) 29 March (L. Melch, photos to FOC). Brown Noddy: 1 at Sebastian Inlet SP 31 May (A. Banker! et al.). Black Noddy: 1 immature at Dry Tortugas NP 19 Apr-5 May (B. Mulrooney, photos to FOC). Sooty Tern: 500+ off Ponce de Leon Inlet 3 Apr, and 200+ there 3 May (B. Wallace et al.). Bridled Tern: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 16 Mar (H. Robinson); 50+ between Key West and Dry Tortugas NP 3 May (B. Mulrooney). Least Tern: 2 at Lake Apopka NSRA 18 Mar, and 77 there 15 Apr (H. Robinson); 23 at Honeymoon Island SP 26 Mar (W. Yusek); 34 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 27 Mar (M. Brothers); 150 nests at Little Estero Island CWA 12 May were later lost to Tropical Storm Barry's, storm tide (C. Ewell). Gull-billed Tern: 1 at Green Key 3 Mar (K. Tracey); 3 at Shell Mound, Lower Suwan- nee NWR (Levy) 8 Mar (B. Ahern); 2 at St. George Island (Franklin) 29 Apr (J. Mur- phy et al.); 1 at Key West 1 May (C. Goodrich); 58, including 13 nests, at Polk mines 13 May (C. Geanangel, P. Timmer); 70, including 31 nests, at Four-Corners Mine (Hillsborough) 19 May; all nests failed by 9 Jun due to rising water levels (P. Fellers). Caspian Tern: 2 in alternate plumage at Green Key 28 May (B. Pranty). Black Tern: singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 15 Apr & 27 May (H. Robinson). Roseate Tern: 30 at Dry Tortugas NP 28 Apr (C. Goodrich); 10 at Key West 30 Apr (C. Goodrich). Common Tern: up to 6 at Lake Apopka NSRA 25 May-EOS (H. Robinson); 3 at Viera Wetlands 26 May (T. Dunkerton); 15 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 29 May-2 Jun (M. Broth- ers); 2 adults at Boynton Inlet 31 May (M. Berney). Arctic Tern: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 25 May-EOS (H. Robinson); 1 at Viera Wetlands 26 May (T, Dunkerton); 1 first-summer at Biscayne NP (Miami-Dade) 27 May (E. Alvear et al., photos to FOC); up to 6 (4 adults) at Ponce de Leon Inlet and 1 at New Smyrna Beach 28 May-2 Jun (M. Brothers, B. Wallace et al.); up to 5 at Sebastian In- let SP 29 May-EOS (A. Banker! et al.); 1 adult at Fort Pierce Inlet (St. Lucie) 30 May (D. Simpson); 1 first-summer at Boynton Inlet 30 May (B. Hope); 1 at Jetty Park, Port Canaveral (Brevard) 31 May (K. LaBorde). Forster’s Tern: 201 at Lake Apopka NSRA 21 Mar (H. Robinson); 349 at Polk mines 19 May (P. Fellers). Field Observations 131 Royal Tern: 1 bird 5 km inland at W Cocoa {Brevard) 23 Mar (D. Freeland); 1 at Lake Santa Fe 31 Mar (B. & J. Bolte); 3 at Polk mines 1 Apr (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 13 May (H. Robinson). Sandwich Tern: 4 at Lake Apopka NSRA 7 May (H. Robinson). Black Skimmer: 1000 at Lake Okeechobee {Okeechobee) 13 Apr (P. Gray et al.); 410 at Polk mines 13 May (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 89 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 May (H. Robinson). African Collared-Dove: 1 in song at Leisure Beach, Hudson 23-24 May (B. Pranty, K. Tracey, photos to FOC). White-winged Dove: 2 in Wakulla 6 Mar (J. Cooke); 9 at Cedar Key 6 Mar (D. Hender- son); 1 at Alligator Point 9 Apr (J. LaVia); 1 on state land at Key Largo 9 Apr (J. Du- quesnel); 2 at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve 29 May (M. Korosy); up to 4 The Villages {Marion) most of the season (J. Dinsmore). Budgerigar: the Pasco population may be limited to 3 birds at Hudson (K. Tracey, B. Pranty), while the Hernando population seems composed of 8 pairs breeding in one yard at Hernando Beach (B. Pranty). Black-hooded Parakeet: 1 at Spring Hill 9 Mar provided the first for Hernando (D. Knodle). Black-billed Cuckoo: 1 at St. George Island 15 Apr (D. & S. Jue, J. Cavanagh); singles at Key West 18, 21, and 23 Apr (C. Goodrich); 4 at Dry Tortugas NP 19 Apr (M. Gardler); 1 at Gainesville 29 Apr (P. Laipis); 1 near Lake Pierce {Polk) 5 May (J. Du Bois); 1 at Cedar Key 26 May (D. Henderson). Cavity-nesting species: cavities in 1 palm at Matheson Hammock Park {Miami-Dade) 27 Mar simultaneously supported apparent nests of Red-crowned Parrot and Eastern Screech-Owl, while a Red-bellied Woodpecker excavated a new cavity (B. Aikins). Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 100 at Key West 11 Apr (C. Goodrich); 13 at Weekiwachee Pre- serve 22 Apr (A. & B. Hansen). Barn Owl: 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 18 Apr (M, Gardler). Burrowing Owl: 2 at River Lakes Conservation Area {Brevard) 18 Mar (D. Freeland). Short-eared Owl: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 & 13 Apr (H. Robinson). Lesser Nighthawk: 2 at Flamingo, Everglades NP 25-26 March (A. Bankert et al.). Chuck-WILL’S-WIDOW: 10 flew in from the Gulf during mid-morning and immediately roosted in vegetation, on the ground, or in car ports at Little Estero Lagoon 31 Mar (C. Ewell et al.); 1 flying N 61 nautical mi off Ponce de Leon Inlet 3 Apr (M. Brothers, B. Wallace). Chimney Swift: 2 at Wekiwa Springs SP {Orange) 21 Mar (D. Simpson). Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 1 female on a nest at Colt Creek SP 11 May-EOS (C. Geanangel, P. Fellers). Calliope Hummingbird: 1 male at Jacksonville remained to 19 Mar (P. Powell). Belted Kingfisher: 1 off Ponce de Leon Inlet 3 May (B. Wallace, B. Anderson et al.); 1 at Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMA {Miami-Dade) 12 May (S. Schneider); 1 fe- male at Grassy Key {Monroe) 12 May (J. Boyd, N. Freedman); 1 at Viera Wetlands 21 May (T. Dunkerton). Red-headed Woodpecker: 1 at Elliot Key, Biscayne NP {Miami-Dade) 9-11 Apr (J. Val- adez); 1 at Honeymoon Island SP 24 Apr (W. Yusek); 1 at St. Vincent NWR 18-22 May (B. Stedman). Downy Woodpecker: 49 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Mar (H. Robinson). Hairy Woodpecker: 1 at the Baird tract, Withlacoochee State Forest {Sumter) 1 Mar (B. Ahern); 1 pair attended nestlings along the Choctawhatchee River {Walton) 29 Mar (L. Duncan et ah); 1 at DuPuis WMA {Martin) 19 Apr (D. Simpson). Acadian Flycatcher: 2 at Dry Tortugas NP 19 Apr (M. Gardler, B. Mulrooney); singles at Key West 20, 21, and 28 Apr (C. Goodrich). Vermilion Flycatcher: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP to 2 Mar (R. Rowan et al.). 132 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Ash-throated Flycatcher: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 28 Mar (H. Robinson). Great Crested Flycatcher: 1 at S Merritt Island (Brevard) 5 Mar (D. Freeland); 45 at Lake Apopka NSRA 16 May (H, Robinson). Brown-crested Flycatcher: 1 at Flamingo, Everglades NP 26 Mar (A. Bankert et ak); 1 at St. George Island SP 15 Apr (J. Cavanagh, D. & S. due, details to FOC). Western Kingbird: 4 at Holiday Recreation Center, Holiday (Pasco) 2 Mar (K. Tracey); 54 at Lake Apopka NSRA 23 Mar (H. Robinson); 60 at The Villages (Marion) 31 Mar, with 5 to 7 May (J. Dinsmore); 1 at Marco Island (Collier) 18 Apr (D. Suitor); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 28 Apr (B. Orr); 1 at St. Marks NWR 30 Apr (A. Wraithmell); 1 at Bald Point (Franklin) 12 May (J. Murphy); 1 at Gulf Breeze 13-18 May (B. Duncan). Eastern Kingbird: 1 at Gainesville 15 Mar (S. Hofstetter); 50 at Key West 17 Apr (C. Goodrich). Gray Kingbird: 1 at Key West 28 Mar (C. Goodrich). *Loggerhead Kingbird {Tyrannus caudifasciatus): 1 at Fort Zachary Taylor SP, Key West 8-27 Mar (C. Goodrich et al., photos to FOC) furnished the first record for Florida and North America. SciSSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER: 7 at Driggers Road (Highlands) 9 Mar (M. McMillian); 3 at The Villages through Mar, with 1 to 25 Apr (J. Dinsmore); 30 at Stock Island (Mon- roe) 28 Apr (D. Freeland et al,); 1 at Astatula (Lake) 21 May (G. Quigley). Yellow-throated VireO: 1 in song near Alderman’s Ford Park (Hillsborough) 28 May (K. Tracey). Warbling Vireo: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 16-18 Apr (L. Atherton et al.). Philadelphia Vireo: 2 at Key West 7 Apr (C. Goodrich). Red-eyed Vireo: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 9 Mar (H. Robinson). Black-whiskered Vireo: 1 at Key West 9 Mar ff, and 8 there 11 Apr (C. Goodrich et al.); 13 banded at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP (Miami-Dade) 3 Mar-7 May (R. Diaz); 1 at Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area (Miami-Dade) 12 Apr (B. Rapoza); 1 at Captain Forster’s Hammock (Indian River) 12 May (R. Smith, B. Ahern). *Caribbean Martin (Progne dominicensis): 1 putative male at Key West 28 Mar (C. Goodrich, under review by FOSRC) would furnish the first for Florida and North America if accepted, but identification of Progne species from photographs is prob- lematic at best. Tree Swallow: 8 at Polk mines 19 May (P. Fellers); 1 at Newnans Lake 24 May-EOS (R. Rowan). Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 6 at Jacksonville 8 Mar (J. Cocke); several along the Peace River (Hardee) 7 Apr examined cavities in the riverbank (P. Miller). Bank Swallow: 1 at Viera Wetlands 4 Mar (D. Freeland); 4 at Cape Canaveral 16 Apr (T. Dunkerton); 1 at Upthegrove Beach 19 Apr (D. Simpson); 1 at St. George Island 29 Apr (J. Murphy, J. Cavanagh); 2 at Polk mines 19 May (P. Fellers); 1 in Leon 27 May (S. McCool); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 30 May (H. Robinson). Cliff Swallow: singles at Lake Apopka NSRA 25 Mar & 24 Apr (H. Robinson); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 6 Apr (S. Patterson); 1 at Boyd Hill Nature Park, St. Petersburg 7 Apr (R. Smith); 1 at Bald Point 15 Apr (J. Murphy); 2 at St. George Island 15 Apr (A. Wraithmell); 3 at Cape Canaveral 16 Apr (T. Dunkerton); 1 at Key West 28 Apr (C. Goodrich). Cave Swallow: 2 at Key West 26 Mar (C. Goodrich); 2 of the Mexican race at Fort Pick- ens 12 Apr (B. & L. Duncan); 3 of the Mexican race at Bald Point 15 Apr (J. Murphy); 15 at Cape Canaveral 16 Apr (T. Dunkerton). Barn Swallow: 1 at W Cocoa 6 Mar (D. Freeland); 250 at Lake Apopka NSRA 16 Apr, and 200 there 7 May (H. Robinson); 300 at Upthegrove Beach 19 Apr (D. Simpson). Brown Creeper: 1 along the Choctawhatchee River (Holmes) 20 Apr (J. Stahl). House Wren: 1 at Key West 7 Apr (C. Goodrich); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 May (H. Robinson). Field Observations 133 Golden-crowned Kinglet: 3 at Goethe State Forest (Levy) 8 Mar (B. Ahern); 1 at Gainesville 27 Mar (E, Scales). Ruby-crowned Kinglet: 1 at Winter Park 19 Apr (B. Anderson); 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 3 May (B, Mulrooney). Eastern Bluebird: 1 migrant banded at Wekiwa Springs SP 25 Mar (A. Boyle); 6 mi- grants at Lake Apopka NSRA 23 Mar (B. Anderson, A. Vinokur), Veery: 1 at Lori Wilson Park, Cocoa Beach (Brevard) 21 May (D. Richardson, B. Ander- son). *Bicknell’S Thrush: 2 banded at Cape Florida SP 12 May (M. Davis, R, Diaz, accepted by FOSRC). Hermit Thrush: 1 at Gainesville to 1 May (S. Flamand); 1 at Garden Key, Dry Tortugas NP 4 May (B. Mulrooney, photos to FOC). Wood Thrush: 1 at Key West 16-21 Apr (C. Goodrich); 7 at Green Key 17 Apr (K Tracey, B. Pranty); 3 at Dry Tortugas NP 19 Apr (M. Gardler); 1 at St, Sebastian River Pre- serve SP (Brevard) 21 Apr (D. Simpson); 3 at Fort De Soto Park 23 Apr (B. Ahern et aL). Gray Catbird: 60 at Cape Florida SP 8 Apr (R, Diaz); 60 at Key West 11 Apr (C, Good- rich). Northern Mockingbird: 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 28 Apr-4 May (B. Mulrooney et aL). Bahama Mockingbird: 1 at Evergreen Cemetery, Fort Lauderdale (Broward) 7-8 Apr (M. Stickel et aL); 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 4-5 May (B. Mulrooney, photos to FOC); 1 at Cape Florida SP 9 May (J. Boyd et aL). Brown Thrasher: 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 20-23 Apr (M. Gardler). Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus): 2 (1 banded) thought to be nesting in a coconut palm at Hallandale Beach (Broward) in May (L. Manfredi et aL, photo to FOC) furnished the first record for Florida. Common Myna: 1 pair at Flamingo, Everglades NP 27 May (M. Berney); 1 pair bred at Punta Gorda (Charlotte) 18 May-EOS (T. Zinneman et aL); 1 pair bred at Fort Myers 6 May (C. Ewell). *White Wagtail (Motacilla alba): 1 first-year male M. a. alba at Moon Lake Park, Port Richey 18-22 Mar (D. Faintich et aL, accepted by FOSRC) furnished the first record for Florida. Cedar Waxwing: 500 at Florida International University (Miami-Dade) 21 Mar (J. Boyd); 2240 at Lake Apopka NSRA 8 Apr (H. Robinson); 400 at West Kendall (Miami- Dade) 12 Apr (J. Boyd); 200 at Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area 11 May (J. Dins- more); 2 at Hilliard (Nassau) 21 May (D. Freeland); 6 at Winter Park 22 May (B. Anderson). Blue-winged Warbler: 14 reports of 22 individuals variously 4-24 Apr, with 1 at Sparr (Marion) 4-14 Apr (C. Retey); 4 at Fort De Soto Park 11 Apr (B. Ahern, J. Gaetzi), and 2 there 21 Apr (P. Fellers et aL); 3 at Cedar Key 17 Apr (M. Jones); 2 at St. George Island 19 Apr (J. Cavanagh); and 2 at Dry Tortugas NP 19 Apr (M. Gardler, B. Mulrooney). Golden-winged Warbler: 1 at St. Marks NWR 28 Apr (D. Houle); 1 at Viera Wetlands 12 May (D. Freeland et aL). ^^Brewster’S Warbler:” 1 female at Key West 11 Apr (C. Goodrich). Nashville Warbler: 1 at Lake Munson (Leon) 3 Mar (E. Woodruff); singles at A. D. Barnes Park (Miami-Dade) 4 Mar (B. Rapoza) & 15 Mar (R. Diaz); 1 at Lake Woodruff NWR (Volusia) 5 Mar (B. Orr); 1 male at Lutz (Pasco) 13 Mar (D. Bowman); 1 at Plan- tation Key (Monroe) 3 Apr (B. Mulrooney); 1 male at Captiva Island (Lee) 28 Apr (V. McGrath); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 23 May (T. Dunkerton). Yellow-rumped Warbler: 3130 at Lake Apopka NSRA 4 Mar (H. Robinson); 1 at Newnans Lake 13 May (J. Bryan); 1 at Gainesville 15 May (R. Robinson). *Kirtland’S Warbler: 1 female at Sebastian Inlet SP 10-12 May (D. Simpson et aL, photos to FOC by R. Smith). Prairie Warbler: 152 at Cape Florida SP 8 Apr (R. Diaz). 134 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Palm Warbler: 375 at Lake Apopka NSRA 4 Mar (H. Robinson); 100 at Key West 6 Apr (C. Goodrich); 115 of the W race at Cape Florida SP 8 Apr (R. Diaz); 1 at Coconut Point 7 May (A. Bankert). Blackpoll Warbler: 40 at Key West 29-30 Apr (C. Goodrich); 17 at Lake Apopka NSRA 11 May (H. Robinson); 55 at Birch SP 12 May (M. Berney et ah); 120 at Cape Florida SP 12 May (R. Diaz); 1 female S of Monroe Station {Collier) 27 May (T. Doyle). Cerulean Warbler: single males at Cedar Key 16 & 23 Apr (D. Henderson); 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 19 Apr (M. Gardler, B. Mulrooney); 1 male at Suncoast Seabird Sanctu- ary (Pinellas) 20 Apr (S. Patterson); 2 at Fort De Soto Park 21 Apr (P. Fellers); 1 male at Captiva Island 28 Apr (V. McGrath). Black-and-white Warbler: 50 at Key West 23 Apr (C. Goodrich). American Redstart; 134 (54 banded) at Cape Florida SP 11 May, and 450 (28 banded) there 12 May (R. Diaz). Prothonotary Warbler: 10 at Key West 11 Apr (C. Goodrich). Worm-eating Warbler: 1 at Alachua 30 Mar (B. Wallace); 8 at Key West 11 Apr (C. Goo- drich); 5 at Fort De Soto Park 23 Apr (B. Ahem et al.); 1 at Boulogne 21 May (D. Freeland). Swainson’S Warbler: 1 at Key West 23 Mar, and 10 there 11 Apr (C. Goodrich); 1 at Tallahassee 1 Apr (B. Phelan); singles at Evergreen Cemetery 7-8 Apr & 20 Apr (M. Berney et al.); 2 at Cedar Key 9 Apr and 1 there 21 Apr (D. Henderson); 7 at Fort De Soto Park 11 Apr (J. Gaetzi, B. Ahern et al.); 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 19 Apr (M. Gardler, B. Mulrooney). Ovenbird: 1 at Leon Sinks (Leon) 25 Mar (M. Collins); 50 at Key West 11 Apr (C. Goo- drich); 27 banded at Cape Florida SP 28 Apr, and 100 (27 banded) there 9 May (R. Diaz). Northern Waterthrush: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 10 Mar (R. Rowan); 1 at Dunedin Hammock 23 Mar (M. Gardler); 1 at Tallahassee 24 Mar (P. Homann); 50+ at Cape Florida SP 9 May (R. Diaz); 3 at Lake Apopka NSRA 20 May (H. Robinson); 1 at Newnans Lake 24 May (R. Rowan). Louisiana Waterthrush: 1 at Bonner Park, Largo (Pinellas) 16 Mar (1. Hernandez); 10 at Lake Apopka NSRA 19 Apr (H, Robinson). Connecticut Warbler: 15 (3 females, 12 males) banded at Cape Florida SP variously 8-12 May (R. Diaz), and 1 there 22 May (A. Bankert); 2 at Birch SP 9 May (M. Berney et al.); 2 at A. D. Barnes Park 9 May (B. Rapoza); 1 at Bill Sadowski Park (Miami- Dade) 9-14 May (R. Torres); 1 at Pinecraft Park (Sarasota) 10 May (E. Miller, J. Car- lock); 1 at Buschman Park, Port Orange 11 May (M. Brothers); 1 at Mead Garden, Winter Park 14 May (B. Anderson); singles at Green Key 14 & 15 May, and 2 there 22 May (K. Tracey, J. McKay et ah); 1 at Lori Wilson Park, Cocoa Beach 20 May (D. Ri- chardson); 1 at Marathon (Monroe) 22 May (A. Bankert; specimen to UCF); 3 at Fort De Soto Park 23 May (T. Dunkerton); 3 at Plantation Key 8 May (B. Mulrooney). Mourning Warbler: 1 male at Cape Florida SP 8 May (R. Diaz). Common Yellowthroat: 100 at Key West 23 Apr (C. Goodrich); 200+ (31 banded) at Cape Florida SP 10 May, 225+ (87 banded) there 11 May, and 420 (55 banded) there 12 May (R. Diaz). Hooded Warbler: 50 at Fort De Soto Park 11 Apr (J. Gaetzi et al.). Wilson’s Warbler: 1 at Alachua 16 Mar (B. Wallace); 1 at Sarasota (Sarasota) 8 Apr (A. Bishop); 1 at Gainesville 18 Apr (G. Parks). Yellow-breasted Chat: 12 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 May (H. Robinson). Summer Tanager: 15 at Fort De Soto Park 21 Apr (P. Fellers et al.). Scarlet Tanager: 8 at Key West 11 Apr (C. Goodrich); 4 at A. D. Barnes Park 18 Apr (J. Boyd); 9 at Fort De Soto Park 21 Apr (P. Fellers et al.). Western Tanager: the wintering female and male at Tallahassee were last seen 19 Apr (F. Rutkovsky). Western SpindaliS: 1 olive-backed male at Evergreen Cemetery to 28 Apr was “quite territorial . . . chasing other species, especially [European] Starlings” (M. Berney et Field Observations 135 al); 1 female at Oleta River SP (Miami-Dade) 27 Apr (V. Rothman, details to FOC); 1 female at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Boca Raton {Palm Beach) 28-29 Apr (P. Co- hen, B. Hope et al.). ^Spotted Towhee: 1 at Alligator Point 10 Mar-24 Apr (J. Murphy et al., accepted by FOSRC) furnished the second Florida record. Chipping Sparrow: 1 at Gainesville 28 May (L. Keen). Lark Sparrow: 1 heard singing at Bradenton {Manatee) 4 Mar (J. Dubi). Savannah Sparrow: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 13 May (H. Robinson); 1 at a Polk mine 13 May (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Grasshopper Sparrow: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 26 Apr (L. Atherton et al.). Le Conte’s Sparrow: 2 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 6 Mar (R. Rowan et al.); 3 banded at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP 10 Mar (M. Korosy); 1 at Lake Jackson 9-13 Apr (J. Cavanagh). Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow: 2 in W Pasco 1 May (K. Tracey). Seaside Sparrow: 1 at Pensacola {Escambia) 1 Apr (A. & D. Forster). Song Sparrow: 1 in Walton 12 May (J. Walton). Lincoln’s Sparrow: 1 near Falling Waters SP {Washington) 27 Mar (B. Ahern); 1 at Long Key SP {Monroe) 8 Apr (B. Mulrooney); 1 at Key West 10 Apr (C. Goodrich); 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 19 Apr (B. Mulrooney). Swamp Sparrow: 1 at Coconut Point 29 Apr (A. Bankert); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA to 9 May (H. Robinson). White-throated Sparrow: 7 at Lake Lotus Park, Altamonte Springs 10 Mar, and 2 there to 14 Apr (P. Hueber); 1 adult white-striped morph at Dry Tortugas NP 3 May (B. Mulrooney). White-crowned Sparrow: 14 at Lake Apopka NSRA 16 Mar (H. Robinson). Dark-eyed Junco: 1 at Gainesville 18 Mar (R. Robinson). Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 58+ variously in Alachua 14-24 Apr (L. Hensley, M. Jones et al.); “dozens” at Dunedin 22 Apr (S. Robinson); 15 at Fort De Soto Park 23 Apr (B, Ah- ern et al.); almost every feeder at Jacksonville reported one or more during late Apr- early May {fide P. Powell). Blue Grosbeak: 1 at Key West 10 Mar (C. Goodrich); 12 at Fort De Soto Park 23 Apr (J. Gaetzi et al.); “too many [reports in NE Florida] to list” {fide P. Powell). *Lazuli Bunting: 1 second-year male at Oviedo 4-6 Apr (M. Acken et al., accepted by FOSRC). Indigo Bunting: 100 over Palm Harbor {Pinellas) in 1.5 hours 19 Apr (M. Korosy); 250 at Fort De Soto Park 19 Apr (L. Atherton, J. Gaetzi et al.); 80 at Key West 19 Apr (C. Goodrich); “the most migrants in years” in NE Florida! Many feeders reported around 20 at a time, one row of feeders near Palatka {Putnam) had 100 at once {fide P. Pow- ell); one pair bred near Orangedale {St. Johns), the first nesting there by this species in several years (P. Powell). Painted Bunting: 9 in Alachua variously 1 Mar-29 Apr (M. Manetz et ah); up to 4 at Ce- dar Key 1 Mar-23 Apr (D. Henderson); 4 at Key West 21 Mar (C. Goodrich); 2 at Dunedin Hammock 23 Apr (I. Hernandez); 1 at Fort De Soto Park 26 Apr (L. Ather- ton et ah); 5 at Lake Apopka NSRA 1 May (H. Robinson); 1 female at New Port Richey 31 May (E. DuPuis). Dickcissel: 1 near Flamingo, Everglades NP 3 Mar (J. Boyd et ah); 1 at Cedar Key 19 Mar-20 Apr (D. Henderson); singles at Fort De Soto Park 15, 26, and 28 Apr (L. Atherton, A. Bankert et ah); 1 at Key West 16 Apr (C. Goodrich); 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 19 Apr (B. Mulrooney, M. Gardler); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Apr & 27 May, and 2 there 29 Apr (H. Robinson). Bobolink: 30+ at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP 1 Apr (P. Miller); 595 at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Apr (H. Robinson); 25 at Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area 13 May (J. Dinsmore). 136 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Yellow-headed Blackbird: 1 first-year male in Calhoun 6 Mar (T. McClendon); 1 fe- male at Punta Gorda 30 Mar (T. Licata, T. Zinneman, photo to FOC); 1 female at Fort Walton Beach STF 14 Apr (B. Duncan). Rusty Blackbird: 2 (male & female) at Disney conservation land {Osceola) 9 Mar (C. Newton); 12 at Tallahassee 12 Mar (S. McCool); 3 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP to 14 Mar (R. Rowan). Brewer’s Blackbird: 1 male at Homestead (Miami-Dade) 19 Mar (J. Boyd, L. Manfredi, photo to FOC); 1 male at River Lakes Conservation Area 26 Mar (D. Freeland). Common Grackle: 1 at Dry Tortugas NP 28 Apr (C. Goodrich). Shiny CowbirD: 3 at Eagle Lakes Park 18 Apr (D. Suitor); 1 male at Green Cay Wet- lands 22 Apr (M. Berney); 1 at Key Largo 26 Apr (D, Freeland); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Apr & 1 May (H. Robinson); 1 at Key West 1 May (C. Goodrich); 4 (2 females & 2 males) at Dry Tortugas NP 4 May (B. Mulrooney); 3 (1 female & 2 males) at Fla- mingo, Everglades NP 12 May (B. Rapoza) & 27 May (M. Berney); 1 male at Ponce de Leon Inlet 16 May (B. Orr); 1 adult male at Alligator Point 22 May (J. Murphy); 1 at Alachua 29 May (M. Reetz, specimen to UF). Bronzed CowbirD: 8 at Eagle Lakes Park 6-18 Apr (D. Suitor), and 2 there (1 male dis- played to 1 female) 28 Apr (B. Mulrooney); 2 (female & male) at Flamingo, Everglades NP 30 Apr (B. Mulrooney). Orchard Oriole: 15 at Clearwater {Pinellas) 20 Apr (L. Childress); 8 at Key West 20-21 Apr (C. Goodrich); 20 at Fort De Soto Park 21 Apr (P. Fellers et ah); 1 first-summer male at Belle Glade Marina {Palm Beach) 19 May (M. Berney). *Bullock’S Oriole: 1 female at Tallahassee to 12 Mar (F. Rutkovsky, J. Cavanagh). Purple Finch: 1 at Gainesville to 10 Mar (R. Robinson); 8 (females and males) at Niceville {Okaloosa) 12 May (P. Baker et aL). House Finch: 1 yellow-variant male at A. D. Barnes Park 4 Mar-21 Apr (B. Rapoza et al.); 2 (female & male) at Ponce de Leon Inlet 5 May (B. Orr); 2 (female & male) at Vero Beach 9 May (B. Wagner); 2 (female & male) at Dunedin {Pinellas) 27-28 May (S. Robinson); 10+ at San Antonio {Pasco) throughout May (S. Phillips); 1 pair and 1 fledgling at Brandon {Hillsborough) during late May (D. Goodwin). Pine Siskin: 1 at Gainesville 7 Mar (J. Watson); up to 2 at Altamonte Springs 1-18 Apr (G. Bretz). Pin-tailed Whydah: 1 male starting to molt into alternate plumage at Milton {Santa Rosa) in late May & 7 Jun (A. Stalcup). Contributors: Mary Acken, Brian Ahern, Bruce Aikins, Elsa Alvear, Bruce Ander- son, Lyn Atherton, Pat Baker, Andy Bankert, Steve Barlow, Mark Berney, Allison Bishop, Bill & Jan Bolte, Dave Bowman, John Boyd, Andrew Boyle, Bill Bremser, Dawn Bretz, Michael Brothers, Judy Bryan, Patricia Burns, John Callaghan, Janet Carlock, Bob Carroll, Carol Cassels, Jim Cavanagh, Liz Childress, Roger Clark, Julie Cocke, Pinya Cohen, Marvin Collins, Buck & Linda Cooper, Judy Cooke, Michelle Davis, Robin Diaz, James Dinsmore, Terry Doyle, Jim Du Bois, Eva DuPuis, Jeanne Dubi, Bob Dun- can, Lucy Duncan, Tom Dunkerton, Jim Duquesnel, Charlie Ewell, David Faintich, Paul Fellers, Scott Flamand, Ann & Dan Forster, Paul Francois, Nancy Freedman, David Freeland, Dot Freeman, Jere French, Jill Gaetzi, Murray Gardler, Chuck Geanangel, Carl Goodrich, David Goodwin, Paul & Laurie Gray, Rick Greenspun, Jack & Liz Hailman, Al & Bev Hansen, Dale Henderson, Linda Hensley, Irene Hernandez, Steve Hofstetter, Peter Homann, Brian Hope, David Houle, Paul Hueber, John Hum- phrey, Marcy Jones, Dean & Sally Jue, Larry Keen, Jackie Kern, Don Knodle, Marianne Korosy, Ken LaBorde, Phil Laipis, Pat Leary, Rob Lengacher, Laura Levin, Thom Lewis, Tony Licata, Angela Luzader, Lome Malo, Mike Manetz, Larry Manfredi, Tom Mast, Travis McClendon, Sean McCool, Vince McGrath, Powers McLeod, Linda Melch, Gail Menk, Scott Merrill, Edith Miller, Paul Miller, Trey Mitchell, Barbara Mollison, Field Observations 137 Heidi Moore, Herman Moulden, Brennan Mulrooney, John Murphy, Chris Newton, Brenda Orr, Scott Patterson, Geoff Parks, Mauri Peterson, Bill Phelan, Sharon Phillips, Peggy Powell, Bill Pranty, Gallus Quigley, Brian Rapoza, Stefan Rayer, Diane Reed, Matthew Reetz, Carolyn Retey, Dexter Richardson, Bob Richter, Tom Ritchie, Bryant Roberts, Dotty Robbins, Gary & Jocelyn Robinson, Harry Robinson, Ron Robinson, Su- san Robinson, Tom Rodriguez, Larry Rosen, Victoria Rothman, Lance Rothstein, Rex Rowan, Fran Rutkovsky, Earl Scales, Susan Schneider, Greg Schrott, David Simpson, Bud Skiba, Ron Smith, Ken Spilios, Justyn Stahl, Anna Stalcup, Barbara Stedman, Jim Stevenson, Monte Stickel, Doug Suitor, Linda Terry, Pete Timmer, Roberto Torres, Ken Tracey, Juan Valadez, Alex Vinokur, Billi Wagner, Bob Wallace, John Walton, Don Ware, Joshua Watson, Tom Webber, Meret Wilson, Jennifer Winters, Ed Woodruff, Andy Wraithmell, Wilfred Yusek, and Tom Zinneman. Winter 2006-2007 report not published previously: Western Tanager: 1 adult male at Perdido Key (Escambia) 23 Feb (Mickey Quigley). Corrections to the Spring 2006 report: Lesser Nighthawk: the bird at St. George Island 27 Apr was identified later as an Antillean Nighthawk, which was also included in the report, so the Lesser Nighthawk report should be deleted. Northern Rough- winged Swallow: the date for one at Lake Jackson (Leon) should be 3 Mar, not 13 Mar. Cave Swallow: 3 at Bald Point 11 Apr should be attributed to John Murphy, not Gail Menk. We thank Gail Menk and Andy Wraithmell for bringing these errors to our atten- tion. Correction to Fall 2006 report: The possible hybrid ibis at Fort Walton Beach, re- ported as a Glossy x White-faced Ibis, was thought to be a Glossy x White Ibis. Report prepared by Bill Pranty, state compiler (8515 Village Mill Row, Bayonet Point, Florida 34667-2662; ). Regional compilers are Brian Ahern (629 Gail Avenue, Temple Terrace, Florida 33617; brianahern@aoLcom), Bruce H. Anderson (2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, Florida 32792; ), John H. Boyd III (15291 SW 108th Terrace, Miami, Florida 33196; ). Bob and Lucy Duncan (614 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561; ), Charlie Ewell (115 SW 51st Terrace, Cape Coral, Flor- ida 33991; ), Bev Hansen (6573 Pine Meadows Drive, Spring Hill, Florida 34606; ), Gail Menk (2725 Peachtree Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32304; no e-mail), Paul Miller (Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, 33104 NW 192nd Avenue, Okeechobee, Florida 34972; ), and Peggy Powell (2965 Forest Circle, Jacksonville, Florida 32257; ). BE A FRIEND OF FFN Florida Field Naturalist is the journal of FOS, an important com- munication 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 im- provements in the content and appearance of our journal. Contributions to FOS 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 So- ciety and specify that the gift is for FOS Friends of FFN. Send the check to: Peter G. Merritt, Treasurer, Florida Ornithological Society, 8558 SE Sharon Street, Kobe Sound, FL 33455. We thank the following individuals for donating to FOS Friends of FFN: 2006 Murray Gardler 2007 David B. Freeland ■■ 1 ’-•X' -i"'” ' ■■ ' r _2* - 'S „*. ■„? ■■ .- '' '. '*. Sh* ^ ji ■ S'- y,;iM.:, -;■- i* i ^ ’'’■ >!.-4.J N.k:sO?S{^ ,...»•, ^ I ' v,!!' i^sutwji ‘ii'Vl-- i'rf v'u! "Sifrife ;! . - i .-.chl 'ki^'ihyKl ■>" ' (*filiu,ufj'lJXjrM.r,!. J '■■' '■'-'"^^y “*■ OV' )••■<.•- V-t... Ra- ! .'"'■ ii?4witnivtTii' vinwwk; r’;a! •■ ■ ) u4;i ■ 's^*! •.:■ %«..•..»».•» w^wiAr U> y;u^ J'i'i • •'' t'lw xhiitV ■ ;if -t i/' : "'ij . r\fei w' ‘ ^ '*’'1 ” ^: (o i-n<- :■ . ' '*' u^^ ^ ^ 1'^ \h‘ «vhicix ■ u.im* U>'hriprTUV%* •t U Uki FJ-', :• uxfA.' S^raaithi ■ ; f i-' • ;** %.eifeiy, /“ ' "i-- . ,. '^" ■ .F ' . ^VUU'! jj|. ceef W 'i" =<«»• ' »• ..>.!. . . ■ IlfIgS'Mi ■ ■■ ,r. M .1 ■< „ > ^ . ■ 'i. ■ .-- ,»*.#!'*•♦»( 'll i*-^7 ,• ' V wv. - - Mw;* {p* * l♦»".r,• ;)lvj ' . . • •.• > I' ;• i ' « r • * ( .. 1' 'M «f|i|||ttrfA.||*ii t#'|hi|b^ i; jdthAr^; \ -JI * '■ - * h.cl lain :! ol ;-^.#.5<^;v'rt-*:^K! ■ ^ sa^ A .y © <■■• !' ^viii ,j;):'4.ttj.,^:ir 1-^’- . [B v*t .'. 1 • V 7'^'4 n-. i f f'r7- - ,1 ■ - .,.. . . ; 1^ i: . h i ■; ■4s*.' Vj '-'l.'M ruH\ X jJi' f* . ..<•( • -■( A .< > ;,4,',) . ^Hr,'' •■ ' ' . ’"''’•i;'^ '* I*ki^'’»'';''|* Ai* ''"■'5 tv tv V. ,'iV'vf^' '^ -.iK ‘'..4f'-‘-V' / ; [jj- vj'>n.'^ 'i^!, '!' , < ,.ap. ' \‘\A i , .,•*^ Florida Field Naturalist ISSN 0738-999X PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Editor: ScOTT ROBINSON, Florida Museum of Natural History, RO. Box 117800, Univer- sity of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: srobinson@flmnh.ufl.edu Managing/Copy Editor; TOM WEBBER, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, P.O. 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: TOM PALMER, 1805 26th Street, N.W, Win- ter Haven, FL 33881. E-mail: tomp47@yahoo.com Editor of Special Publications: Reed F. Noss, University of Central Florida, Depart- ment of Biology, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816-2368. E-mail: rnoss@mail.ucfedu Web Page Editor: STEPHEN Bankert, 365 Spoonbill Lane, Melbourne, FL 32951. E-mail: webmaster@fosbirds,org INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS The Florida Field Naturalist is a fully refereed journal emphasizing biological field studies and observations of vertebrates, especially birds, in and near Florida and the nearby West Indies. We welcome submission of original manuscripts containing new information from these areas. We encourage electronic submission of manu- scripts. Please consult recent issues of the journal and the FOS website (http:// www.fosbirds.org/FFN/FFNGuidelines.htm) for style, noting especially that manu- scripts 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 standardized English names for all birds, but lower case for English names of other organisms; (4) include 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 for Florida Field Naturalist to the Editor, Scott Robinson. Monograph-length manuscripts may be submitted for consideration to Reed F. Noss, Editor of Special Publications. Books and other materials for review should be submit- ted to Reed Bowman, Associate Editor for Reviews. Field Observations should be sub- mitted to the Chair of the Field Observations Committee, Bill Pranty (see Field Observations, this issue). Reports of rare birds in Florida (see Field Observations, this issue) should be submitted to the Managing Secretary of the FOS Records Committee, Andrew W Kratter, Florida Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 117800, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800; E-mail: kratter@flmnh.ufl.edu. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES 3 9088 01432 6060 Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 35, No. 4 November 2007 Pages 105-138 CONTENTS ARTICLES Shorebird occurrence at three sites in Franklin County, Florida: 1994-2005 Gary L, Sprandel 105-113 First record of the Greater Flamingo for northeastern Florida Bill Pranty and Gianfranco D. Basili 114-118 First record of the White Wagtail in Florida Bill Pranty 119-123 FIELD OBSERVATIONS Spring report: March-May 2007 Bill Pranty 124-137 ANNOUNCEMENTS Friends of FFN 138 ) il; 1’ i 1: K I