I >J / i; i I B t P. P Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 29, No. 1 February 2001 Pages 1-40 FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Founded 1972 Officers President: JiM Cox, Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Lane, Talla- hassee, Florida 32312-0918. Vice-President: Ann Schnapf, 7217 North Ola Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33604. Secretary: ERIC D. STOLEN, Florida Coop Unit & Dynamac Corp., Dept. Wildlife and Ecology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-0450. Treasurer: SEAN RoWE, 4700 Miramar Road, Cocoa, Florida 32927. Editor of the Florida Field Naturalist: JEROME A. JACKSON, Whitaker Center, Flor- ida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Ft. Myers, Florida 33965. Ex Officio: Immediate Past President: Reed Bowman, Archbold Biological Station, P.O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, Florida 33852. Directors, Terms Expiring in 2000 Lynn Atherton, 1100 Pinellas Bayway 1-3, Tierra Verde, Florida 33715. 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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. THIS PUBLICATION IS PRINTED ON NEUTRAL PH PAPER Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 29, No. 1 February 2001 Pages 1-40 Florida Field Naturalist 29(1):1-12, 2001. WATERBIRD USE OF A HYDROLOGICALLY ALTERED RIVER SYSTEM Stefani L. Melvin Ecosystem Restoration Department South Florida Water Management District 3301 Gun Club Rd., West Palm Beach, Florida 33406 E-mail: smeluin@sfwmd.gov Abstract. — Waterbirds were surveyed monthly from July 1996 to June 1998 in rem- nant river channels within three sections of the channelized Kissimmee River. These data will provide a baseline for future comparisons with post-restoration data in evalu- ating the success of Kissimmee River restoration. Mean number of birds per survey was 10.8 in 96/97 and 11.9 in 97/98. Waterbird abundance was greatest during winter and spring. Twenty-six species representing six orders were recorded. Species from Ciconii- formes and Gruiformes were the most abundant during both sample years. Common Moorhens (Gallinula chloropus) were the most commonly observed species. Mean species richness per survey was very low (2.9 in 96/97 and 3.2 in 97/98) and did not differ signif- icantly among seasons. No historic data exist for waterbird abundance; however^ species richness was lower in the channelized system than in the historic system or another sim- ilar river system in southwest Florida. The Kissimmee Rivers located in central Florida, is the site of the largest river restoration project ever attempted. The project will re- store 104 km^ of river-floodplain ecosystem, including 70 km of river channel and 11,000 ha of wetland habitat. The Kissimmee Basin con- sists of a lower basin, comprising 1963 km^ of river channel and flood- plain, and the headwaters, which include Lake Kissimmee and 18 other smaller lakes ranging from a few hectares to 144 km^ in size (Koebel 1995). The Kissimmee River flows into Lake Okeechobee, and was historically connected hydrologically to the Everglades system. This area is characterized by low topographical diversity and well-de- fined wet and dry seasons. The Kissimmee River is unique among North American rivers be- cause, prior to channelization, large portions of its low gradient flood- plain were inundated for extended periods (>200 days) each year (Toth 1 2 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST et al. 1998). The river channel itself was highly braided with numerous meanders, abandoned channels, and backwater sloughs (Toth 1996) that supported abundant fish and wildlife resources (Perrin et al. 1982). The bird community was diverse, including a variety of wading birds, waterfowl, and other waterbirds that were common in littoral habitats (National Audubon Society 1947“55). Large predatory fishes such as largemouth bass {Micropterus salmoides) and sunfish {Lepomis spp.) were abundant in the river channel, while smaller omnivorous and herbivorous fish thrived in littoral and fioodplain wetlands {Flor- ida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission 1957, Perrin et al. 1982). Between 1962 and 1971, the Kissimmee River was channelized through the construction of a 90-km long, 9-m deep, 100-m wide box- shaped canal (C-38) which stretches from the southern outlet of Lake Kissimmee to the northwest shore of Lake Okeechobee. The channelized system consists of a series of linear fiood storage reservoirs, referred to as “pools”, as well as 109 km of remnant sections of intact river channel. The boundaries of each pool include large water-control structures at the upstream and downstream ends, and the natural edges of the fiood- plain on the east and west (Fig. 1), delineated by a slight increase in el- evation (-Im). Remnants of the original river channel exist on either side of the man-made canal. However, these sections of river channel are no longer connected to each other and exhibit no measurable flow under most hydrologic conditions. Although many of the remnant river sections are connected to the C-38 canal at both ends, the immense car- rying capacity of the canal precludes the flow of water through any of the river channel remnants. Throughout this paper, the term “canal” re- fers to the man-made box canal, while “river channel” refers only to the remnants of the original river channel that still exist within the system. Elimination of seasonally variable flow through the river channel remnants contributed to dramatic changes in habitat structure and quality, resulting in an estimated 40% decline in fish and wildlife hab- itat value since channelization (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1991). Physical and chemical changes to the original river channel include deposition of organic matter (10-30 cm) from decaying vegetation, elim- ination of natural hydrogeomorphic processes such as sand bar forma- tion, and severely reduced dissolved oxygen levels (Toth 1993, 1996). Biological changes to river channels include an increase in floating and emergent vegetation, a shift by benthic invertebrates from lotic species to those indicative of reservoirs (Toth 1993), decreased abundance of large predatory fish, and a decline in smaller omnivorous and herbivo- rous fish populations (Perrin et al. 1982, Miller 1990). Fish species that can tolerate low oxygen conditions, including gar {Lepisosteus spp.) and bowfin {Amia calva), have increased in abundance since channeliza- tion (Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission 1996). Kissimmee River Waterbirds 3 Changes to the waterbird community with channelization of the river were not well documented. However, altered habitat and food web structure likely contributed to decreased use of river channels by shorebirds and wading birds, along with an increase in Cattle Egret {Bubulcus ibis) abundance, similar to what has been reported for flood- plain wetlands in the channelized system (Perrin et al. 1982, Poland 1990). Cattle Egrets were not documented in the Kissimmee Basin prior to 1954 (National Audubon Society 1947-55), however, the con- version of floodplain wetlands to cattle pastures following channeliza- tion greatly increased the availability of habitat for this exotic species and it is now abundant on the floodplain. Quantitative historical data describing the waterbird community of the Kissimmee River are not available, however, some anecdotal re- ports and reference data from other low gradient subtropical systems may be potentially useful for providing insight into species composition in the natural Kissimmee system. The Myakka River, a less-impacted river in southwest Florida, is surveyed monthly by the Florida Depart- ment of Environmental Protection (DEP unpubl. data). Hayes (1996) documented waterbird use of the Paraguay River in South America, a naturally flowing river that is relatively unimpacted by human activi- ties and the Usumacinta-Grijalva delta in Mexico was surveyed from 1971-1979 primarily to determine the population of nesting wading birds (Ogden et al. 1988). Because of its proximity, the Myakka River has the most potential value as a reference site for waterbird use of the Kissimmee River. Because waterbirds use such a diversity of resources, they can pro- vide good information about how the restoration project affects other components of the ecosystem. Therefore, waterbirds have been identi- fied as an important group for evaluating wildlife response to the Kiss- immee River restoration project (Karr et al. 1992, Weller 1995). The objective of this study was to quantify waterbird use of remnant river sections in the channelized Kissimmee River as a baseline for evaluat- ing avifaunal response to the restoration of river channel habitat. Methods This study was designed to satisfy two objectives: (1) determine abundance and di- versity of waterbirds using the Kissimmee River in its current, channelized state, and (2) conduct a repeatable baseline study so that comparable data can be collected from the same area after restoration. Although this portion of the research is not truly exper- imental, when the second portion of data collection has been completed, a Before-After- Control-Impact (Stewart-Oaten and Murdock 1986) method of analysis can be applied to determine the effect of restoration on waterbird abundance and species richness. Three sections of remnant river channel were chosen for study from each of three pools in the channelized system (Fig. 1). Selection criteria included length (longest stretches of remnant channel in each pool) and connection at both ends to the C-38 4 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Area of Detail /\/ Floodplain Boundary /^C-38 Canal A/v Remnant River Channel • Water Control Structure 3 Kilometers Figure 1. Kissimmee River and floodplain with waterbird study areas delin- eated and study sites numbered. canal. All 9 remnant river sections chosen for survey were part of the most recent active river channel prior to channelization. The constructed canal (C-38) was not surveyed be- cause it was not part of the original river system and it will not be present when the sur- veys are repeated. In addition, the canal’s physical characteristics are much different than those of the historic river channel or its remaining sections. The canal is ten times the average width of the river channel, and three times as deep. In general, the canal’s Kissimmee River Waterbirds 5 depth and steep walls make it inhospitable to most species of waterbirds. Therefore, waterbird surveys were limited to river channel sections that still retain some of their original characteristics, and will be intact after the canal has been eliminated. Remnant river sections were surveyed monthly from May 1996 through June 1998. A survey was defined as one visit to one section of remnant river channel. Surveys were conducted on three consecutive days (one pool/day) during the first week of each month, and within three hours of sunrise. An airboat was required for conducting surveys be- cause most river sections were impassable by powerboat and the distance traveled each day prevented the use of a non-motorized boat such as a canoe. Observations were made from 1.6 m above the water surface aboard an airboat travelling at 38 km per hour. Prior to beginning the study, a timed run through each river channel was made at the appropriate speed to determine the length of time required to travel the entire dis- tance. After subtracting 10 minutes for a survey, I knew the maximum number of sec- onds travel time prior to starting the survey which would leave enough distance to complete an entire survey. A randomly selected number of seconds less than the maxi- mum was chosen to establish the start point for each survey. A 10-minute boat survey resulted in an average of 6.3 km of river section traveled. Distance traveled on each sur- vey was slightly variable due to the difficulty in maintaining steady speed around curves in the river channel. I found that a moderately high rate of speed increased my detection rate by minimizing the time available for birds to flush or move into the cover of littoral vegetation before they could be identified and counted. The group “waterbirds” included all species that are generally considered to be depen- dent upon aquatic habitats from the orders Anseriformes, Charadriiformes, Ciconii- formes, Coraciiformes, Gruiformes, Podicipediformes and Pelecaniformes. I was interested only in waterbird use of river channel littoral habitats; therefore, birds using areas out- side of the river banks (e.g, perching in trees) were not included in the analysis. I defined the survey area for this study as the river channel and associated littoral habitat located between the top edges of opposite channel banks. River channels were surveyed sepa- rately from floodplain habitats because the floodplain is so large that aerial surveys were necessary to adequately cover the entire area. Most waterbird species are too small to be identified from the air, and therefore were more accurately surveyed by boat. Survey data were separated into two sample years, July 1996-June 1997 (96/97) and July 1997-June 1998 (97/98). Seasons were defined as the following, similar to other lo- cal studies (e.g, Leonard 1994): winter (December, January, February), spring (March, April, May), summer (June, July, August), and fall (September, October, November). Ini- tial analysis showed no significant difference among sites, therefore, each visit to a site was considered a replication for that month and sample year. Seasonal analysis in- cluded all visits within the 3-month period, resulting in 27 replicate surveys per season within a sample year. Two-way analysis of variance for unbalanced data (PROG GLM; SAS 1990) was used to compare mean number of birds per survey by season and sample year. Differences in means were considered significant if analysis of variance resulted in P < 0.05. If the overall model was significant, a means separation test (Least Squared Mean) was performed to further evaluate differences. Species richness was the maxi- mum number of species recorded per survey. Results A total of 2015 waterbirds was observed during 177 surveys of rem- nant river sections. Mean birds per survey was 10.8 ± 1.3 in 1996/97 and 11.9 ± 1.4 in 1997/98 (Table 1) and did not differ significantly be- tween years (P = 0.56). Thus, both years were combined for seasonal analysis. The interaction of sample year and season was not significant 6 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Table 1. Abundance and species richness of waterbirds observed during river channel surveys in three pools of the Kissimmee River and four seasons from May 1996 through June 1998. Results are from a two-way analysis of variance test and Least Squared Means separation tests. Means with the same letter are not significantly different from each other at P < 0.05. Variable n Mean birds/ survey ± SE Mean species richness/ survey ± SE Species richness range 96/97 87 10.8 ± 1.3 a 2.9 ± 0.02 e 1-9 97/98 90 11.9 ± 1.4 a 3.2 ± 0.02 e 1-10 Fall 47 8.8 ± 1.4 b 2.9 ± 0.3 e 1-8 Spring 44 15.2 ± 2.3 c 3.6 ± 0.4 e MO Summer 40 11.6 ± 1.8 b 2.5 ± 0.2 e 1-6 Winter 46 12.8+ 1.9 b,c 3.1 + 0.3 e 1-7 for mean abundance (P = 0.79). However, there was a significant differ- ence in mean abundance among seasons (P = 0.02). Mean abundance in spring was significantly greater than fall (P = 0.01) or summer (P = 0.01; Table 1). Fall and summer mean abundance were not significantly different (P = 0.88). Winter mean abundance was not significantly dif- ferent from fall (P = 0.11), summer (P = 0.33), or spring (P = 0.10). Twenty-six species of waterbirds representing six orders (Table 2) were observed during surveys of remnant river sections. Common Moorhens were the most commonly observed species in both sample years, making up 36% of total waterbird abundance (Table 2). During both sample years, birds from the order Ciconiiformes comprised the majority of waterbird observations (49%; Table 3). Gruiformes contrib- uted nearly as much to the overall observations (41%), while Anseri- formes represented only 2%. Charadriiformes, Coraciiformes, and Pelecaniformes were represented scarcely (<1% each; Table 3). No birds from the order Podicipediformes were observed during surveys of the channelized Kissimmee River. Mean species richness was 2.9 ± 0.02 in 96/97 and 3.2 ± 0.02 in 97/ 98 (Table 1). No significant differences existed among seasons for spe- cies richness (P = 0.07; Table 1). Waterbird surveys from the channel- ized system show a 35% decrease in the number of species compared to the historic system (Table 1; National Audubon Society 1947-55). The majority of species recorded historically but missing from current sur- veys were shorebirds and waterfowl. Historic surveys list eight species of waterfowl occurring on the Kissimmee River. Currently, only three species have been observed (Blue-winged Teal, Mottled Duck, Wood Duck), representing a 63% decrease in species richness for that group. Seven species of shorebirds were recorded in historic surveys, but I re- corded only one species (Least Tern) during my surveys of remnant river sections. Kissimmee River Waterbirds 7 Table 2. Relative abundance (% of total population) of waterbird species observed during river channel surveys of the Kissimmee River (1996-98). Sci- entific names follow AOU Checklist of North American Birds (1983). Common name Scientific name Relative abundance American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus <1 American Coot Fulica americana <1 Anhinga Anhinga anhinga 7 Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon <1 Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax 2 Blue-winged Teal Anas discors <1 Cattle Egret Buhulcus ibis 7 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 36 Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus <1 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinella 5 Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 5 Great Egret Casmerodius alhus 6 Green Heron Butorides striatus 6 Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis <1 Least Tern Sterna antillarum <1 Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea 9 Limpkin Aramus guarana 3 Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula <1 Purple Gallinule Porphyrula martinica 5 Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis <1 Snowy Egret Egretta thula 1 Sora Porzana Carolina <1 Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor 4 White Ibis Eudocimus albus 7 Wood Duck Aix sponsa <1 Yellow-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax violaceus 1 Discussion Historical accounts from the pre-channelized Kissimmee River de- scribe a diverse waterbird community comprised of shorebirds, water- fowl, wading birds, gulls, terns, and other water-dependent species (National Audubon Society 1947-55). Channelization of the Kissimmee River converted a flowing river into conditions more indicative of res- ervoirs, which is reflected in the species composition of the waterbird community. Species diversity on remnant river-channel sections in the channelized system are low. During this study, only one observation of terns was recorded, while gulls and shorebirds were completely absent. However, recent surveys of the Myakka River in southwest Florida re- port that shorebirds, gulls, and terns make up 4% of waterbird obser- vations from that river (DEP unpubl. data). Waterfowl use of the channelized Kissimmee River also is very sparse, although waterfowl are abundant on the Myakka River, making up more than 12% of all 8 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST . I ® f ^ ® § V, © w S "w ^ ^ S. w ® © P ^ ^ w tt'f ^ QO « ^ ^ ^ egg g g « ■§ " ® s ® “9 a 05 t- ^ 05 ^ © g © o fi d g 3 ® w eS ■3«5 4J © g ® 3 g W M S ^ £J w © ^ u © ft I ® ^ r#4 ® 1 *• * g * £ o 3 © o fi p5 > -f g ^ g t- g © g g o S8 .S ®2 S ft M ^ ^ © w ft 3 41 O o fe © © y S © d cd 0) © © Q rl ^ V. ® fl JLl d +i cd cd d § cd a © CO 00 iO TO O tH CO DO rH CO I-H CO c^ o t-H 05 V ^ i=H tH !>. O rH LO CO IC- O V TO to eq c. TO O d d d ^2 ^ J§ !§ TO © TO © e d 5-i F .o •fl © S ^ TO d o cd 'd m • d © ^ d o 2 ^ Q O O O Ph ft Kissimmee River Waterbirds 9 waterbird observations (DEP unpubl. data). Common Moorhens, a pond“dwelling species, \vere the most abundant bird recorded from the channelized system, and had three times the relative abundance of surveys from the Myakka. Information regarding the presence or absence of individual spe- cies is perhaps the most useful metric for illustrating changes that have occurred in the Kissimmee River waterbird community because of channelization. Changes in the waterbird communities of rivers after implementation of water management projects are well documented in several European rivers (Marchant and Hyde 1980, Round and Moss 1984, Raven 1986, Campbell 1988, Fruget 1992, Roche and Frochot 1993), as well as temperate United States (Stevens et al. 1997). Altered hydrologic regimes, including regulated water levels and reduction in flow, changed the habitat structure and prey availability, resulting in decreased waterbird use of impacted rivers. In the channelized Kissim- mee River system, waterbird species richness in the channelized sys- tem is half of what it was historically (43 species), and 26% less diverse than the Myakka River (33 species; DEP unpubl. data). Although methods for the three studies are slightly different, they are compara- ble from a presence/absence standpoint. Greater species richness in both the Myakka river and the historic Kissimmee river can primarily he attributed to the presence of shorebirds, which were absent from surveys of remnant river sections in the channelized system. The absence of shorebirds from my surveys is likely related to the lack of suitable habitat in the remnant river channels. Littoral habitat in the historic Kissimmee River was diverse and included numerous, well-developed sandbars. Sandbars provide ideal loafing habitat for shorebirds such as gulls, terns, and skimmers. In addition, sand bars support a diverse invertebrate community and variable water depths that are used by birds requiring a variety of foraging conditions. In remnant river sections of the channelized Kissimmee, sandbars do not exist, or are completely covered with organic deposition, and the lack of flowing water precludes the formation of new sandbars. Therefore, this very important habitat for shorebirds, gulls, terns, and skimmers, is not available in the channelized system. Restoration of the Kissimmee River will facilitate the formation of sandbars, especially at curves in the river, fostering an increase in hy- porheic oligochaetes and mollusks (Harris et al. 1995). Probing shore- birds such as Black-necked Stilts, Least Sandpipers, Killdeer, Greater and Lesser yellowlegs, which were abundant in the historic system (National Audubon Society 1947-55) will benefit from this reestab- lished prey source. Species from Order Charadriiformes are expected to be more abundant along the river channel, resulting in relative abundance similar to what is found in the Myakka River system. 10 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Throughout the channelized Kissimmee River, waterbird habitat has been significantly lost or altered. Restoration will re-establish nat- ural water regimes to a large portion of the river channel, restoring habitat structure and ecosystem functions to the river system. Fishes and invertebrates respond quickly to river channel habitat restoration (Wullschleger et al. 1990, Toth 1991), thereby increasing prey avail- ability for waterbirds. In addition, restoration of flow to the river chan- nel limits floating and emergent vegetation to a littoral fringe (Miller et al. 1990), providing a more favorable distribution of open water and vegetated habitats for use by foraging waterbirds. With improved hab- itat conditions, the waterbird community is expected to respond quickly, resulting in decreased abundance of Common Moorhens and Cattle Egrets and increased use by shorebirds, gulls, and terns. Water- bird abundance and species richness are expected to increase signifi- cantly in restored river channels. These changes in the community structure and abundance of waterbirds in restored river channels will provide quantitative measures of restoration success. Acknowledgments I am grateful to W. R Davis for field assistance throughout this study. C. Becker gra- ciously provided data from the Myakka River. D. E. Gawlik, C. Fitz, P. Gronemeyer, L. A. Toth, M. W. Weller, and an anonymous reviewer provided comments on an earlier ver- sion of the manuscript. Literature Cited American Ornithologists’ Union. 1983. Check-list of North American birds. 6th ed. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Campbell, L. H. 1988. The impact of river engineering on water birds on an English low- land river. Bird Study 35:91-96. Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission. 1957. Recommended program for the Kissimmee River Basin. Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission, Talla- hassee. Mimeograph. Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission. 1996. Wallop-Breax F-52-10 Com- pletion Report. Kissimmee River-Lake Okeechobee-Everglades Resource Evaluation. Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission, Tallahassee. Fruget, J. F. 1992. Ecology of the lower Rhone after 200 years of human influence: a re- view. Regulated Rivers: Research & Management 7:233-246. Harris, H. J., M. S. Milligan, and G. A. Fewless. 1983. Diversity: Quantification and ecological evaluation in freshwater marshes. Biological Conservation 27:99-110. Hayes, F. E. 1996. Seasonal and geographic variation in resident waterbird populations along the Paraguay River. Hornero 14:14-26. Leonard, D. L., Jr, 1994. Avifauna of forested wetlands adjacent to river systems in Central Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 22:97-128, Karr, J. R., H. Stefan, A. C. Benke, R. E. Sparks, M. W. Weller, J. V. McArthur, and J. H. Zar. 1992. Design of a restoration evaluation program. Report to South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach. Kissimmee River Waterbirds 11 Koebel, J. W., Jr 1995. An historical perspective on the Kissimmee River restoration project. Restoration Ecology 3:149-159. Marchant, J. H. and P. a. Hyde. 1980. Aspects of the distribution of riparian birds on waterways in Britain and Ireland. Bird Study 27:183-202. Miller, S. J. 1990. Kissimmee River fisheries — a historical perspective. Pages 31-42 in Proceedings of the Kissimmee River Restoration Symposium, Orlando, Florida, Octo- ber 1988 (M. K. Loftin, L. A. Toth, and J. Obeysekera, Eds.). South Florida Water management District, West Palm Beach. Miller, S. J., J. Wood, and L. Perrin. 1990. Vegetation community responses to resto- ration. Pages 97-110 in Proceedings of the Kissimmee River Restoration Symposium, Orlando, Florida, October 1988. (M. K. Loftin, L. A. Toth, and J. T. B. Obeysekera, Eds.). South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach. National Audubon Society. 1947-1955. Audubon warden field reports. Everglades Na- tional Park, South Florida Research Center, Homestead. Ogden, J. C., C. E. Knoder, and A. Sprunt, IV. 1988. Colonial wading bird populations in the Usumacinta Delta, Mexico. Pages 595-606 in Ecologia y conservacion del delta de los Rios Usumacinta y Grijalva. INIREB Division Regional — Tabasco, Govierno del Estado de Tabasco. Perrin, L. S., M. J. Allen, L. A. Rowse, F. Montalbano, III, K. J. Foote, and M. W. Olinde. 1982. A report on fish and wildlife studies in the Kissimmee River Basin and recommendations for restoration. Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission, Okeechobee. Raven, P. 1986. Changes in the breeding bird population of a small clay river following flood alleviation works. Bird Study 33:24-35. Roche, J. and B. Frochot. 1993. Ornithological contribution to river zonation. Ecolog- ica 14:415-434. Round, P. D. and M. Moss. 1984. The waterbird populations of three Welsh rivers. Bird Study 31:61-68. Statistical Analysis Software. 1990. SAS/STAT User’s Guide, Volume 1 & 2, Version 6. SAS Institute, Inc., SAS Campus Drive, Cary. Stevens, L. E., K. A. Buck, B. T. Brown, and N. C. Kline. 1997. Dam and geomorpho- logical influences on Colorado River waterbird distribution, Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA. Regulated Rivers: Research and Management 13:151-169. Stewart-Oaten, A. and W. W. Murdoch. 1986. Environmental impact assessment: “Pseudoreplication” in time? Ecology. 67:929-940. Toland, B. R. 1990. Effects of the Kissimmee River Pool B Restoration Demonstration Project on Ciconiiformes and Anseriformes. Pages 83-91 in Proceedings of the Kiss- immee River Restoration Symposium (M. K. Loftin, L. A. Toth, and J. T. B. Obeysek- era, Eds.). South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach. Toth, L. A. 1991. Environmental responses to the Kissimmee River demonstration project. Technical Publication 91-02, South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach. Toth, L. A. 1993. The ecological basis of the Kissimmee River restoration plan. Florida Scientist 56:25-51. Toth, L. A. 1996. Restoring the hydrogeomorphology of the channelized Kissimmee River. Pages 369-383 in River Channel Restoration: Guiding Principles for Sustain- able Projects (A. Brookes and F. D. Shields, Jr., Eds.). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., New York. Toth, L. A., S. L. Melvin, D. A. Arrington, and J. Chamberlain. 1998. Hydrologic ma- nipulations of the channelized Kissimmee River. Bioscience 48:757-764. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1991. Kissimmee River restoration project: Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Report. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region, Atlanta. 12 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Weller, M. W. 1995. Use of two waterbird guilds as evaluation tools for the Kissimmee River restoration. Restoration Ecology 3:211-224. WULLSCHLEGER, J. G., S. J. MiLLER, AND L. J. Davis. 1990. An evaluation of the effects of the restoration demonstration project on Kissimmee River fishes. Pages 67-81 in Proceedings of the Kissimmee River Restoration Symposium, Orlando, Florida, Octo- ber 1988 (M. K. Loftin, L. A. Toth, and J. T. B. Obeysekera, Eds.). South Florida Wa- ter Management District, West Palm Beach. 13 NOTES Florida Field Naturalist 29(l):13-25, 2001. STATUS, DISTRIBUTION, AND TAXONOMY OF THE SPINDALIS COMPLEX (“STRIPE-HEADED TANAGER”) IN FLORIDA Bill PrantyI’" and P. William Smith" H75 Easy Street, Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida 33825-8003 ^Post Office Box 1992, Ocean Shores, Washington 98569 E-Mail: hirdsmiths@hotmaiLcom ^Current address: Audubon of Florida 410 Ware Boulevard, Suite 702, Tampa, Florida 33619 E-Mail: billpranty@hotmail.com The spindalis group of tanagers, until recently considered a single species, the “Stripe-headed Tanager” (Spindalis zena), arguably is the most frequently-claimed West Indian vagrant to Florida. We have located 50 published and previously unpublished but verifiable reports from the state since 1957, involving 61 individuals (Table 1). This paper discusses only these observations, most of which are unverifiable (sensu Robert- son and Woolfenden 1992). There are possibly a dozen or more additional, unpublished reports from Florida, e.g., see Bonney (1961) and Robertson and Woolfenden (1992). Twelve reports from the state can be verified on the basis of specimen, videotape, or photographic records archived at Tall Timbers Research Station at Tallahassee. Spindalis tanagers reside throughout the Bahamas and Greater Antilles, on Grand Cayman, and on Isla Cozumel off the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico (Garrido et al. 1997, AOU 1998). Following Garrido et al. (1997), the American Ornithologists’ Union (AOU 2000) recently has restored part of the historical taxonomy and nomenclature of this group (Ridgway 1902, Bond 1936) by splitting S. zena (sensu AOU 1998) into four spe- cies. As we discuss below, all verifiable records in Florida pertain to the Western Spinda- lis (Spindalis zena, Fig. 1). On geographical grounds we doubt that any of the other three spindalises recognized by AOU (2000) has occurred in Florida (cf Robertson and Kushlan 1984), DNA studies in progress may recommend further splitting of the West- ern Spindalis (N. Klein in litt.). Results of these studies conceivably could restore the entire taxonomic treatment of Ridgway (1902), who considered S. zena (sensu AOU 2000) itself to consist of four species. We discuss the possible implication of such action, should it ever occur, on Florida reports. Spindalises have been observed in Florida in every month of the year except July (Ta- ble 1), with most reports occurring in April, May, and December (Fig. 2). It seems prema- ture to speculate whether these peaks of occurrence represent distinct “pulses” of visitation by spindalises, or are the result of peaks in observer activity. We note, for ex- ample, that five of the 14 spindalises found during December were discovered on Christ- mas Bird Counts. Sex of the 61 individuals was: 65% males, 26% females, and 8% not specified (Table 1). The preponderance of reports of males possibly simply reflects the distinctiveness of their plumage. Five reports in the state represent multiple individu- als, the most being seven birds at Hypoluxo Island in spring 1973 (Table 1). Contrary to Terres (1980), we know of no reports of spindalises nesting or breeding in the state. All published reports in Florida through 1998 were in counties along the southeast coast or in the Keys. In April 1999, a Western Spindalis was photographed in Manatee County (Fig. 1), the first published record for the Gulf coast (Pranty 1999c), and the first report Table 1. Published or previously unpublished but verifiable spindalis reports in Florida, arranged chronologically. Sex; female, M = male, and U = unspecified. 14 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST 0) > CQ OJ ’—I s to . g § ^ cd ^ 13 m o ^ oq ^ CO « i CD 3 CO O ^ 05 nS 05 ffl > 0) cc H ‘d OJ s 'o 05 Ph m p o CO p 05 > 05 CQ cd cd .s CO CO CO CO CO CD 05 05 C5 bJD •S 'S p D o « ^ ffi CD CO ^ 05 05 D cd D CO 5h CD Ph 05 iX! i-H bJD CC CQ .P - CO B ^ CC 05 l-P rH d p o be CC 'Oi d > g 05 s X S p § ” 8 CO CD cd d cd 03 OJ o 05 d D- 05 t- tH > 05 rH tH !> 05 > d o CO d 1966 .a p U P 42 « tH /T< .a CD fH ^ 05 05 M J Ph fc ^ S S ^ 2 8 td m d a cd d 05 > cd H Oh Ph o cd >5 « iM P a a p o p d cd Q p o p o p o p 03 P m p o .d u cd p 5h d a cd 5h d d 5h d a ?H d a o o o o 3 Ph o 3 Ph g 05 a >> T— 1 < cd p d CO o p Q CX) 03 May Q CO cq cd d Sh d d d d d CO 03 Cd o tH D- oq rH e^- 03 p CO tH rH o d Q) Si o Cd t> rH 03 (03 CO CO CO CO CO lO lO CD CO CO CD CD CD CD CD CO 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 rH rH rH tH rH rH rH rH rH rH No. (03 CO LO CO 00 05 10 'd a 2 § cd o m P p Q cd >> 'p b -4J d d -I cd d d .2 P ?H a 43 O 43 ■d w p a. ^ apq ^ a o bJO .2 2 ^ rd 3 .2 ^ I ^ Jh P O CO O ^ Ph O P d CO p be cd s d d o a > o -(-> o d 43 be d o 43 d p p p > cd 43 s “ §• s 2 ^ S S. P CO a 4J o o 2 d p p d p a CO d ^ CO cd B. p jr ^ 05 be T— I CO d a p p '•S be a ^ CO d Is 3 ^ LO id d cd d ^ .2 a "O d p M 4^ P CO d a o ^ p -r ^ .d CO •PH d "d T a p cd ^ ■d o g o d p d d ^ d ^ d o a i: ^ O CO CO d ^ J3 P -M p p a -d ^ 2 d TO p P CO a ^ a o d CO B 3 2 d •-d d a ^ 3 ^ CQ fH Q M Table 1. (Contineed) Published or previously unpublished but verifiable spindalis reports in Florida, arranged chronologically. Sex: F = female, M = male, and U = unspecified. Notes 15 o m t cc 0) t- ^ (X) 3 ^ rH § "o a to P-l !>. CO 2 P cd ^ 6) ^ o ^ nn o ^ d cd 42 t- t> QO CD CO CO Oi Gi Gi 0 a ^ O O O m m m d d e (V > > 0) (V O) ^ GO CO CO S B oo a rH CO CO t> C3d 05 ’—I S 05 bo 13 'd •is t> ® 2 CO ^ ca CD ^ fH CO p p 43 o cd 0 0 O 0 Xi P Q 0 X Cd 9 0 o 0 O P 0 0 o X 0 P 0 X X 0 cd 0 PQ pq « P m o O S 5 Ph ?H P O ’§ cd g S cd s ?H P o 5-1 P O § S Ph 5h P O B P o 5h m S p u b m p a <3^ cd cd p cd P ZD P 00 X CO a Cd C^- Cd CD Q s < CD t— H P P s Q 6 0 P Q o 0 p p X p o 0 Q >> cd S 00 oq X tH 05 Q O 05 rH T=l CO Cd Cd Cd c^- Cd rH tH CO Cd CD ^ ^ t- E> m 05 05 rH 1— H cd t> D- [>. !>• t-H rH Cd CD CO ID ZD CD CD CD X !>• i>- !>• !>• X X 05 05 05 05 05 (Oi 05 05 05 05 05 tH tH T— I rH t-H i-H rH tH t-H tH rH d 1— H Cd CO lO X t- 00 05 O rH tH 1— H r-H rH rH tH tH tH Cd Pm O P xs p cd oa t> 05 rH ?H P S P O P Q o CQ 'o s ® 2 'p ^ -*-3 P rH m S S o P "p +D, .h g m Q, ^ ^ i ■-g cc p -d Pm 43 o ■d cj ?« 'S a p M o cd a ph a m p p ‘S ^ P 05 Sh 05 -M > Cm-^ O O M 4^ P 0 O 0 •43 ^ a ^ 0 I m O 42 w O be S a ^ 43 p 0 0 42 P Pm %-i d M o ^ O ^Published in certain literature as an immature male, although not obviously so based on Ridgway (1902). Plumage succession in this group is poorly understood and is beyond the scope of this paper, ^As reported, another individual (sex not specified) may have been present at Miami in February 1977. ^Description appears to be that of a first-fall male Pheucticus grosbeak (see text). ^Single males observed three days and “5-6 mi” apart (Ogden 1992) presumably were different individuals. Table 1. (Continued) Published or previously unpublished but verifiable spindalis reports in Florida, arranged chronologically. Sex: F = female, M = male, and U = unspecified. 16 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST c- i> 05 r— t o 00 05 »— ( X 00 05 tH X 00 05 tH Q 0 05 00 05 tH rH d CO 0 o 00 cX) d d o d o 05 05 2 y o CO d 0 >3 m 05 t-H CO w J rH ■§ 0 0 X X 0 CO 0 X rH d 0 d 0 > 0 o' 00 0 p 00 < oo' 00 4«s _4.i < X be Cd 05 4-3 m 05 rH >3 m O) 05 (£ X d X X d 05 tH K X d O 05 tH 0 tP o' f— 1 oo"' CO cd CX) cd cd cd" d p t>- bo 00 d 00 00 d 2 d be 5h d rH o 05 X 05 cd 05 05 o o X 0 o 05 »— 1 B ■& d 1-H 3 1 rH 2 tH 2 ■fi 0 X 2 0 X ■g) d be .a 'm 0 X 05 rH X cd 4-3 CO cd cd 03 o o 4-3 cd >3 4-3 o 0 P P ffi p < P nP < O o o m g I O (U a . •v: PQ o ^ Q o CD g % ■-C Z a . •c ffl o ^ “ 00 ^ LO Q o be •S "m •sS q3 5 2 g ^ Oti ^ cd 2 2 ^ , 0) cd CQ « 0 0) Q O 0) fl cd cd y o CO CO m m o y cd I ^ cd H iP 2 B a cu >> M ^ cd ^ cd ^ P CO cd CO rH D Cd ^ 0) Q PQ .4. S s iS s m be >5 CD ^ W W P. 0) cd 9 o li ^ § < X y 05 03 y y p 5h 5h 0 Q y 0 0 CO a TO Q a a X 0 Q Q cq - 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 (35 05 05 05 rH rH rH rH rH rH rH rH tH rH rH oq CO X X !>• 00 05 o rH (23 oq oq 03 03 03 03 03 00 CO CO 0) 5m 0 0 CO 'y 0 -d _co ;s a -tJ o fl '■a s cd oa c- 05 tH 5h 0 .O S 0 O 0 Q o Cd !P O 2 d d o O 0 0 -M d d o y be S ’§ a d o fe) CO 2 I. xs 2 d o xi 0 CO m d o > o O d be d o t> t> 05 T=^ cd d 5h 0 Cd cd d 2 V X ■B 4-S d 0 5h i X 0 0 0 J2 Cd 0 d 0 5 CO d CS '•'J 0 a a -x cd d Cd a 0 a o y CO 0 d a X 0 t 5h 0 d o a O S cd a a d cd CO Cd ^ i § I S' S X! P_| x! d ^ •d tc ^ S 5 ^ CO d Sh 0 X 0 d ^ d 2 >. 42 2 d O Ph 2, d 0 CO ^ 0 £ g, g|g i g2 0 CO C > a 0 cd o X be & s 9 - 1 4 X 0 a 0 cd x cd .V 0 d ® S 2 d £ X X 2 d « Cd ^ 'O ?4_| M P^ o ^ cd 4-3 d d cd ^ xs ,X 0 4.3 0 • 0 ^ X pX 2 •S o X Sm 0 ■x Cd 0 0 CO Ph X Ph O d 0 d ^ .2 a o d cd x' 0 t . o x, X x 0 £ If CO 0 .S < P M Table 1. (Continued) Published or previously unpublished but verifiable spindalis reports in Florida, arranged chronologically. Sex: F = female, M - male, and U = unspecified. No. Year(s) Date(s) County Location #/sex Refereiice(s) Archived evidence Notes a ^ cd m Is £9 ffl rS & a m 1^ s a U CO ^ lO p. CM DO ^ o CO O ^ Is i4 ei o ® S' CO pH 43 ft ^ o lO CO CM CO t- m S 'm « I s s o . O a ^ rt o o a t| CQ ^ o S cd o CQ m CO u ® a I s 05 § « 05 m ► ® bfl fa CM fa DO 05 05 o S' 05 CM S fa d cd © 05 Ph 0 CM CM hfl 05 m S Ph 05 05 fa f™l fa ^ cd 05 tH 05 fH ■fe d © 'St a m S ^ ^ O O O o fa s s s ^ fa ^ o o o cd ^ cd 05 05 0) m m m ^ cd TO TO fa ^ ,L S ^ 'p S o P P P O 05 m m m fa a a a a TO ^ 5-1 p fa fa"' fa n ft ffl 5-1 < O CM 0 fa CO rH t cd Sh ed fa 05 "ft 05 ^ s fl fa ^ ft 0) ro CO < CO CM f-H fH CM fa fa LO lO 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 TO 05 05 tH t=-H rH t-H tH rH fa lO CO o, « 05 o rH CO CO CO CO CO CO fa fa fa a ft 4-> § fa fa S ^ cd S CM :g s fa fl u © fa d a H © cd o m © © P fa o ^ CM O d fa o S fa fa fa fa b -4-3 ^ d m a ® a © o o d fa +3 .b 2 m ft ^ ■S.2 fa ^ o fa T* © 1-^ = 1 o d S P a © cd © o. fa © 4-5 > O O ffl fa d © o © fa ^ o DO fa .a fa S fa “fag 3 fa d a > s ft r © ^ ® b d ffl ^ o fa fa P O § 17 ^Published in certain literature as an immature male, although not obviously so based on Ridgway (1902). Plumage succession in this group is poorly understood and is beyond the scope of this paper. ^As reported, another individual (sex not specified) may have been present at Miami in February 1977. ^Description appears to be that of a first-fall male Pheucticus grosbeak (see text). ^Single males observed three days and “5-6 mi” apart (Ogden 1992) presumably were different individuals. Table 1, (Continued) Published or previously unpublished but verifiable spindalis reports in Florida, arranged chronologically. Sex: F = female, M = male, and U = unspecified. 18 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST a H (M § - rC a Ph g a h 3 3 Ph ^ o to t- Oi Oi Ph C CO LO O- 05 05 05 05 O .O rO Cd i> 00 05 05 05 05 >> fl fl cd £d f-t ?H Ph Pn O -M M m cu ^ 0) W ^ 05 CO t> Ph m H H Jd ^ cd tS o ^ ^ S o Ph d CO l>- CO cfi -b fee I S .p s pp ^ o £ g ^ ’TS P-i P 05 Cd P3 05 t-H ^ tH a 3 < 4h M O ^ ' O p 05 a ^ a> 3 P-t 05 o w ^ 3 > 3 H ^ ^ H S 0) M ^ 0) “ cd ^ ^ 05 05 05 05 ’-I 05 05 05 rH g rH fl ^ Cd 3 Cd ?H S ?H Ph < Ph Cd ?H 2 p 3 .2 B ^ hP ^ 2 'c Pa cd W Ph O o 0) fH O cd ?H Ph Ph Cd Ph CO 0) .2 ^ ?3 S> « cd Q 5h O <1^ CD T3 Cd c 9 I I P p S O Ph T irH p p CD P CO o 42 < o o CO Gb CO rH CQ CDO ?-H CNJ 00 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 r—{ r=H tH tH T— H tH to CD c- 00 05 o Xf^ to 0) 5h 05 05 CO "05 05 CO 3 Ph HHl O P TO H-; P cd c3 P oi S 05 O) ” I CO P 05 O PQ o p “ p §• s ■s .» 05 ^ Ph .P o ^ ■g ^ Ph^ bo P •C p "O 05 t 05 P CO o ^ Ph O Ph P O CO 3 p CO 05 be p s p s s- I 3 p o 05 CO Cd ..Q CO p o •> .p o H-5 o p P o .p t- e- 05 tH cd P u 05 Ph P 05 05 .P 05 > P P >, 2 P Ph P Cd P 2 ^ 43 ^ "G o Sh 05 CO Ph hj O O C5 g P 05 5-1 05 5h 05 3 p a p CO 05 Ih Ph c5 05 05 r-f P 05 be O p Ph P 42 p Ph I §1 I - I g 42 S CO "P -M -hH Ph ^ -g p a P 3 np '5 t, o O Pop A ^ “ L 5h {P P P 05 g hP ■p .a a P 05 m 43 0) c« Ih Ph3 11 5 ^ ^ 3 p ^ ^ 2 >> o Th ^ II CO > TO 05 P CO Ph ^ Ph O P CO P 3 o p Ph ^ •r P Q M Notes 19 Figure 1. Male Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena zena) at Coquina Bay walk Park, Manatee County, on 26 April 1999. Photographed by Bill Pranty. A photo- graph of this same individual was published in Pranty (1999, North American Birds^ 53j273). for central Florida. Even considering this report, all spindalises found in the state have occurred in Florida’s “Tropical Zone” (Howell 1932:69-72), a biome with a largely West Indian flora growing mostly near the immediate coast south roughly of the 28th parallel. The early status of spindalises in Florida seems to be obscured by the former practice of censoring reports of some West Indian species because it was believed that individu- als found in the state were of captive origin. Robertson and Paulson (1961) lamented that Florida observations of some of these species, including spindalises, were . . per- manently denied an assured place in the record despite several undoubted identifica- tions of free birds.” This statement may have opened the gates for Bonney (1961), who published the first Florida account of a spindalis, at Marathon in May 1961. Louis A. Stimson, then editor of the Field Notes and Observations column in the Florida Natu- ralist, added a 1957 report to Bonney’s (1961) note and alluded to “a couple of other oc- currences.” However, Abramson and Stevenson (1961) dismissed Bonney’s (1961) report: “Though [the spindalis] revealed no signs of previous captivity, it is impossible to deter- mine its origin with certainty, and it would be best to consider it a probable escape[e].” When a spindalis appeared at Key Biscayne in May 1962, Paulson and Stevenson (1962) wrote, “The number of [reports] of this species in recent years is such that a search for a breeding population may be in order.” Three spindalises in the Tavernier area between December 1962 and March 1963 were referred to by Stevenson ( 1963a) as “another possibly valid addendum to the state’s avifauna.” Stevenson (1963a) then con- firmed earlier censorship by stating, “Some previous [observations] from the Keys have not been mentioned in my [earlier] reports because of the question of the bird’s origin.” 20 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Jan Jan Feb Feb Mar Mar Apr Apr May May Jun Jun Jul Aug Aug Sep Sep Oct Od Nov Nov Dec Dec Half-Month Interval Figure 2. Seasonal occurrence of spindalises in Florida, by half-months. Obser- vations were charted from the date of first observation. Reports without dates (i.e., those in May 1962, January 1963, and December 1976) are excluded. Stevenson’s skepticism appears to have ended, however, when he collected a male spin- dalis at Upper Key Largo on 17 June 1963 (Stevenson 1963c). Nevertheless, the notion that spindalises in Florida were either escaped cagebirds or their descendants lingered in some minds to at least the mid-1970s (e.g., Blake 1975). Inferences about spindalis phenology in Florida from limited data such as those in Ta- ble 1 are risky. Eight (40%) of the 20 dated reports involving individuals discovered in winter were of birds that remained in the same location for 10 days or more (Table 2), which suggests that they indeed were wintering. In contrast, only four (14%) of the 28 dated reports of spindalises in all other seasons were of individuals that remained for the same duration (Table 2). Single-day observations represent 50% {n = 24) of all dated re- Table 2. Reported duration of stay of spindalises in Florida, arranged by sea- son. Excluded are one report without specific dates (May 1962) and the speci- men collected on 17 June 1963. In the data columns, the first number refers to the number of reports while the second number (in parentheses) denotes the number of individuals. For ambiguous reports involving multiple individuals, we have presumed that all birds arrived on the earliest published date and all remained to the latest published date. Duration March-May June-July August-No- vember December- February Totals 1 day 9(11) 1(1) 4(4) 10 (10) 24 (26) 2-3 days 2(4) 0 1(1) 2(2) 5(7) 4-6 days 4(5) 0 0 0 4(5) 7-10 days 2(2) 0 1(1) 0 3(3) >10 days 3(9) 0 1(1) 8(8) 12(18) Totals 20 (31) 1(1) 7(7) 20 (20) 48 (59) Notes 21 ports (Table 2). Western Spindalises apparently wander to Florida fairly regularly under favorable conditions. Even small flocks occasionally are found, such as the seven individ- uals at Hypoluxo Island in 1973, or the trio at Greynolds Park in 1999 (Table 1). All these appearances seem to reflect vagrancy, for no pattern exists of reappearance in the same locations over successive years. The appearance of spindalises in Florida may be driven by the fruiting cycles of fructiferous vegetation in their home range (G. Wallace in litt.). A summary of occurrence by decades is provided in Table 3. Between 1961 and 1999 inclusive, spindalises were reported in 25 (64%) of these 39 years. The longest periods without reports were 47 months (January 1968 to November 1971) and 37 months (Jan- uary 1980 to January 1983). The numbers of reports, individuals, and years with reports are similar for the 1960s and 1970s, but notably lower in the 1980s (Table 3), During the 1990s, the numbers of reports and individuals were substantially higher than for those in any of the previous three decades (Table 3). Again, it seems premature to speculate whether the apparent decrease in spindalis occurrence during the 1980s, and the appar- ent increase during the 1990s, reflects factors other than changes in observer activity. Spindalis taxonomy is in flux. AOU (2000) split the “Stripe-headed Tanager” of AOU (1998) and most literature since the 1940s into four species, following Garrido et al. (1997). These are the Western Spindalis (S. zena) of the Bahamas, Cuba, Grand Cay- man, and Isla Cozumel; the Hispaniolan Spindalis (S. dominicensis) of Hispaniola and Gonave Island; the Jamaican Spindalis {S. nigricephala) of Jamaica; and the Puerto Rican Spindalis (S. portoricensis) of Puerto Rico. The Western Spindalis has flve subspe- cies: S. z. townsendi of the Little Bahama Bank (Grand Bahama Island and Abaco); S. z. zena of the remainder of the Bahamas; S. z. pretrei of Cuba; S. z. salvini of Grand Cay- man; and S. z. benedicti of Isla Cozumel, Mexico (Garrido et al. 1997). The other three species are monotypic. The only spindalis with a black-backed male is S. z. zena. All other males, including other subspecies of the Western Spindalis, have greenish backs. The other spindalis spe- cies split by AOU (2000) have visible characters that clearly distinguish both males and females to species, as discussed by Garrido et al. (1997) and Raffaele et al. (1998). [Note that the English names used in those publications differ from the names chosen by AOU (2000)]. Green-backed males and all females of the Western Spindalis may not be identi- fiable in the field to subspecies based on currently known characters (illustrations of some in Garrido et al. 1997). The single Florida specimen of the Western Spindalis (TTRS 2815) is a male S. z. zena (Stevenson 1963c), as are the two males of which photographs have been published (L. Manfredi in Ogden 1992, B. Pranty in Pranty 1999c and this paper). Four additional males, TTRS P736 by I. McLaren, TTRS P738 by M. Meyers, TTRS P734 by C. Miles, and TTRS P710 (videotape) by S. Siegel, also are S. z. zena. Two other male Western Spindalises photographed in Florida, TTRS P726 by G. Hall and TTRS P739 by L. Man- fredi, cannot be identified to subspecies from the photographs, but the observers noted Table 3. Yearly occurrence of spindalises in Florida, arranged by decades. The first published report, from 1957, is excluded. Decade # of Years # of Reports # of Individuals 1961-1969 7 13 13 1970-1979 7 10 16 1980-1989 3 7 8 1990-1999 8 19 23 Totals 25 49 60 22 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST black backs (S. Spmnt and R Sykes in Stevenson [1972], L. Manfredi in litt.). The three females photographed in Florida, TTRS P709 cf. Gustafson (1992), TTRS P737 by A. Binns, and TTRS P293-294 by R. Plockelman, and two additional descriptions of fe- males (FOSRC 88-149 and FOSA 111), are identified readily as examples of the Western Spindalis, but cannot be definitely assigned to subspecies based on present knowledge. FOSRC 83-043 appears to describe a male spindalis, but the back color was not noted. Although the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (FOSRC) ac- cepted FOSRC 83-058 as a male spindalis (Powell 1986), the report appears to describe a first-fall male Pheucticus grosbeak, based upon its “brownish” head, “conical” bill, “dark, almost blackish” back and wings, and pale “bittersweet orange” flanks; the origi- nal observer now agrees with this assessment (B. Neville in litt.). Two additional male Western Spindalises in Florida (Numbers 11 and 50 in Table 1) were reported to have black backs or were identified as S. z. zena, but anecdotal reports of green-backed males also exist. The description of a male in Palm Beach County in May 1963 was thought to refer to S. z. townsendi (G. E. Watson in Langridge 1963), but this opinion apparently was based only on geography, as townsendi is the closest green-backed form. The report of two green-backed males at Grassy Key, Monroe County, in May 1999 (R. and T. Rogers in Pranty 1999b) was not accompanied by a written description, but geography may fa- vor pretrei from Cuba. If the Western Spindalis (sensu AOU 2000) is split further as a result of DNA analy- sis, possibly only males of the currently recognized subspecies S. z. zena would be identi- fiable readily, as stated earlier. We urge birders to take detailed descriptions of all spindalises seen in Florida, and to make every effort to obtain clear photographs or vid- eotapes of them. We also recommend that the FOSRC place the Western Spindalis on its review list to at least facilitate archiving data about future reports. Even then, identifi- cation of the various taxa currently treated as subspecies of the Western Spindalis may not be possible in the field. Acknowledgments. — We thank Jocie Baker, Wes Biggs, Reed Bowman, John Boyd, Howard Langridge, David Lysinger, Larry Manfredi, Steve Mlodinow, Bruce Neville, Robert Pittell, William B. Robertson, Jr., Susan Sigsbee, and Mickey Wheeler for infor- mation on spindalis reports; Adrian Binns, Mary Gustafson, George Hall, Ian McLaren, Larry Manfredi, Martin Meyers, Cliff Miles, and Steven Siegel for providing us with copies of their photographs or videotape to archive at Tall Timbers; Richard Banks for information on AOU Check-list matters; Nedra Klein for information on her DNA stud- ies; and Paul Baicich, Gian Basili, Sandra Bogan, Mike Delany, Todd Engstrom, Holly Lovell, and Tom Webber for other assistance. Some of the work on this paper was con- ducted at the South Florida Research Center at Everglades National Park, and at Arch- bold Biological Station, and we thank the staffs of these organizations. Todd Engstrom, George Wallace, and an anonymous reviewer improved a draft of the manuscript. Literature Cited Abramson, I. J., and H. M. Stevenson. 1961. Florida region [Spring 1961 report]. Au- dubon Field Notes 15:402-405. American Ornithologists’ Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds, 7th ed. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. American Ornithologists’ Union (AOU). 2000. Forty-second supplement to the Amer- ican Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American birds. Auk 117:847-858. Atherton, L. S., and B. H. Atherton. 1984. Florida region [Fall 1983 report]. American Birds 38:192-195. Atherton, L. S., and B. H. Atherton. 1986. Florida region [Fall 1985 report]. American Birds 40:100-104. Notes 23 Atherton, L. S., and B. H. Atherton. 1989. Florida region [Fall 1988 reportl. American Birds 43:90-93. Blake, C. H. 1975. Introductions, transplants, and invaders. American Birds 29:923-926. Bolte, W. 1976. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. [1975-1976 Christmas Bird Count]. American Birds 30:347-348. Bond, J. 1936. Birds of the West Indies. Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. Bonney, G. E. 1961. Stripe-headed Tanager (Spindalis zena) on the Florida Keys. Flor- ida Naturalist 34:162-163. Cox, J. 1991a. Field observations winter report: March-May 1991 [error, = December 1990-February 1991]. Florida Field Naturalist 19:90-95. Cox, J. 1991b. Field observations spring report: March-May 1991. Florida Field Natural- ist 19:126-131. Cox, J. 1992a. Field observations winter report: December 1991-February 1992. Florida Field Naturalist 20:81-88. Cox, J. 1992b. Field observations spring report: March-May 1992. Florida Field Natural- ist 20:114-120. Crane, M. 1972. Marathon, Fla. [1971-1972 Christmas Bird Count]. American Birds 26:306-307. Cunningham, R. L. 1966. Florida region [Winter 1965-1966 report]. Audubon Field Notes 20:412-416. 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. Gustafson, M. 1992. Answers to the August photo quiz. Birding 24:315-317. Hoffman, W. 1983. Florida region [Winter 1982-1983 report]. American Birds 37:293- 296. Howell, A. H. 1932. Florida bird life. Coward-McCann, New York. Kale, H. W, II. 1973. Florida region [Spring 1973 reportl. American Birds 27:761-765. Kale, H. W., II. 1976. Florida region [Spring 1976 report]. American Birds 30:828-832. Kale, H. W., II. 1977. Florida region [Spring 1977 report]. American Birds 31:988-992. Kale, H. W, II. 1983. Florida region [Spring 1983 report]. American Birds 37:860-863. Langridge, H. P. 1963. Stripe-headed Tanager in Palm Beach. Florida Naturalist 36:89. Langridge, H. P. 1964. West Palm Beach, Fla. [1963-1964 Christmas Bird Count]. Au- dubon Field Notes 18:186-187. Langridge, H. [P.]. 1973. West Palm Beach, Fla. [1972-1973 Christmas Bird Count]. American Birds 27:314-315. Langridge, H. P. 1980. West Palm Beach, Fla. [1979-1980 Christmas Bird Count!. American Birds 34:485. Langridge, H. P. 1988. Florida region [Spring 1988 report]. American Birds 42:424-426. Langridge, H. P. 1991. Florida region [Spring 1991 report]. American Birds 45:436-438. Langridge, H. P. 1992. Florida region [Spring 1992 report]. American Birds 46:412-415. Langridge, H. P. 1994. Florida region [Spring 1994 report]. Field Notes 48:290-292. Ogden, J. C. 1991. Florida region [Winter 1990-1991 report]. American Birds 45:265-267. Ogden, J. C. 1992. Florida region [Winter 1991-1992 report]. American Birds 46:255-257. Paul, R. 1980. Key Largo-Plantation Key, Fla. [1979-1980 Christmas Bird Count]. American Birds 34:476-477. Paulson, D. R., and H. M. Stevenson. 1962. Florida region [Spring 1962 report]. Audu- bon Field Notes 16:398-404. Powell, P. 1986. FOS records committee report. Florida Field Naturalist 14:104-107. Pranty, B. 1994. Field observations spring report: March-May 1994. Florida Field Natu- ralist 23:118-126. Pranty, B. 1996a. Field observations fall report: August-No vember 1995. Florida Field Naturalist 24:48-59. 24 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Pranty, B. 1996b. Field observations winter report; December 1995-February 1996. Florida Field Naturalist 24:83-92. Pranty, B. 1997a. Field observations winter report: December 1996-February 1997. Florida Field Naturalist 25:111-116. Pranty, B. 1997b. Field observations spring report: March-May 1997. Florida Field Nat- uralist 25:148-158. Pranty, B. 1997c. Florida region [Spring 1997 reportl. Field Notes 51:860-862. Pranty, B. 1998a. Field observations spring report: March-May 1998. Florida Field Nat- uralist 26:128-137. Pranty, B. 1998b. Florida region [Spring 1998 report]. Field Notes 52:320-323. Pranty, B. 1999a. Field observations winter report: December 1998-February 1999. Florida Field Naturalist 27:130-140. Pranty, B. 1999b. Field observations spring report: Mar[chl-May 1999. Florida Field Naturalist 27:182-193. Pranty, B. 1999c. Florida region [Spring 1999 report]. North American Birds 53:271- 274. Pranty, B. 2000a. Field observations fall report; August-No vember 1999. Florida Field Naturalist 28:76-88. Pranty, B. 2000b. Florida [Fall 1999 report]. North American Birds 54:43-46. Raffaele, H., J. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith and J. Raffaele. 1998. A guide to the birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton. Ridgway, R. 1902. The birds of North and Middle America, Part 11. Bulletin of the U.S. National Museum, No. 50. Robertson, W. B., Jr. 1967. Florida region [Winter 1966-1967 report]. Audubon Field Notes 21:407-413. Robertson, W. B., Jr., and J. A. Kushlan. 1984. The southern Florida avifauna. Pages 219-257 in Environments of south Florida: past and present II (P. J. Gleason II, Ed.). Miami Geological Society, Coral Gables. Robertson, W. B., Jr., and D. R. Paulson. 1961. Florida region [Fall 1960 report]. Au- dubon Field Notes 15:26-35. Robertson, W. B., Jr., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida bird species: an annotated list. Florida Ornithological Society Special Publication No. 6, Gainesville. Sprunt, S. 1963. Key Largo-Plantation Key, Fla. [1962-1963 Christmas Bird Count]. Au- dubon Field Notes 17:162-163. Sprunt, S. 1972. Key Largo-Plantation Key, Fla. [1971-1972 Christmas Bird Count]. American Birds 26:303-304. Stevenson, H. M. 1963a. Florida region [Winter 1962-1963 report]. Audubon Field Notes 17:319-323. Stevenson, H. M. 1963b. Florida region [Spring 1963 report]. Audubon Field Notes 17:397-399. Stevenson, H. M. 1963c. Florida region [Summer 1963 report]. Audubon Field Notes 17:454-457. Stevenson, H. M. 1964. Florida region [Winter 1963-1964 report]. Audubon Field Notes 18:346-351. Stevenson, H. M. 1966. Florida region [Fall 1965 report]. Audubon Field Notes 20:30-35. Stevenson, H. M. 1967a. Florida region [Spring 1967 report]. Audubon Field Notes 21:497-500. Stevenson, H. M. 1967b. Florida region [Summer 1967 report]. Audubon Field Notes 21:558-561. Stevenson, H. M. 1968. Florida region [Winter 1967-1968 report]. Audubon Field Notes 22:430-434. Stevenson, H. M. 1972. Florida region [Winter 1971-1972 report]. American Birds 26:592-596. Notes 25 Stevenson, H. M. 1976. Florida region [Winter 1975-1976 report]. American Birds 30:708-711. Stevenson, H. M. 1977. Florida region [Winter 1976-1977 report]. American Birds 31:322-325. Sykes, P. W. 1976. North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida [1975-1976 Christ- mas Bird Count summary]. American Birds 30:168-170. Sykes, P. W 1980. North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida [1979-1980 Christ- mas Bird Count summary]. American Birds 34:338-341. Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. Wamer, N., and B. Pranty. 1996. Florida region [Fall 1995 report]. Field Notes 50:41-44. West, R. L. 1996. Florida region [Winter 1995-1996 report]. Field Notes 50:162-164. West, R. L., and B. H. Anderson. 1999. Florida region [Winter 1998-1999 report]. North American Birds 53:160-163. West, R. L., and N. Wamer. 1993. Florida region fall 1991. American Birds 47:83-84. Woolfenden, G. E. 1973. Florida region [Winter 1972-1973 report]. American Birds 27:603-607. 26 Florida Field Naturalist 29(l);26-28, 2001. FIRST RECORD OF SPOTTED TOWHEE IN FLORIDA Jon S. Greenlaw And R. Todd Engstrom^ ^Archhold Biological Station, Venus, Florida 33960 E-Mail. - jsg@iline. com ^Tall Timbers Research Station 13093 Henry Beadel Lane, Tallahassee, Florida 32312 In 1967 Henry M, Stevenson (HMS) collected a specimen (TTRS 2955) of the Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) 1 mile east of St. Teresa, Franklin Co., Florida. The bird, originally thought to be a male, was taken on 14 December 1967. It was initially depos- ited in the collection at Florida State University (#7035. 5a), but later moved to Tall Tim- bers Research Station where it now resides. Until recently the Spotted Towhee was regarded as conspecific with the Eastern Towhee (P. erythrophthalmus) under the name “Rufous-sided Towhee” (American Ornithologists’ Union 1957, 1995). This specimen constitutes the first and only record of the species from Florida (Bowman 2000), and particularly for this reason we publish data regarding the incident. Electronic images (in bitmap format) of the specimen (Fig. 1) are archived in Florida Ornithological Soci- ety Records Committee files. Other data on the specimen label are “testes 2 mm long”; “skull not completely ossi- fied” [immature]; “T[otal] L[ength] 8.0 in. [inches]”; “iris brownish red.” Specimen mea- surements by JSG (mm) are narial bill length (from distal end of anterior nares), 9.3; exposed culmen length, 12.5; bill depth (across distal edge of anterior nares), 7.7; hallux claw (chord) length, 9.2; tarsus length, 26.0; tail length, 95.0; maximum dimension of rectrix 6 tail spot, 28.5. Richard C. Banks compared the specimen to a series of towhees at the National Mu- seum of Natural History (NMNH) and referred it to P. m. arcticus. Subsequently, Storrs L. Olson (NMNH, in litt. 7 Nov 1996) and James D. Rising (University of Toronto, in litt. 2 May 1997) confirmed this determination. HMS published incomplete details (age and sex unspecified) on the specimen in 1970 (Stevenson and Baker 1970). The additional detail of sex (male, but see below), but not age, was provided in Stevenson and Anderson (1994). Sexual dichromatism is variably developed in Spotted Towhees, from moderate dif- ferentiation in arcticus to slight in the Pacific coast races (Swarth 1913, Greenlaw 1996). In arcticus, feathered areas that are dull black, sometimes with olive or brownish tones, exhibit distinct dusky brown tones in the female. The black versus brown sexual contrast is clearest on body contour feathers, least on the tail, which has a strong black- ish-brown hue in the female. Based on feather coloration, the Florida specimen is clearly a female. The wing chord (83 mm) is typical for female arcticus, but is borderline for a male (Greenlaw 1996, Appendix). S. L. Olson {in litt.) and J. D. Rising {in litt.) also thought that the specimen was a female. The identification of tiny (nonbreeding condi- tion) gonads during carcass autopsy can be problematic in immature birds, and may be influenced by a mistaken judgment of sex based on plumage. The racial determination of female arcticus is relatively straightforward. Among races of Spotted Towhees, only the female of arcticus has distinct brownish tones on its body feathers. Females of other interior races (migratory montanus, curtatus) are slaty, while females of Pacific coast races are blacker still, closely approaching the color of males. The dull brown color of female arcticus is duskier than the rich cinnamon brown of female Eastern Towhees. Measurements of the Florida specimen fall within the ranges of corre- sponding characters in arcticus (Greenlaw 1996, Appendix), although individually none of them is racially diagnostic when compared to measurements of montanus (central Rocky Notes 27 . Art y y ^// Figure 1. Florida’s first record of the Spotted Towhee, dorsal, lateral, and ven- tral views. Specimen is a female, collected by Henry M. Stevenson on 14 Dec 1967 near St. Teresa, Franklin Co. Mountains birds) or curtatus (Great Basin). The rufescent tone in brown feathers on the back^ and the pale buffy clouding of the white scapular spots in the Florida specimen may be characteristic of first Basic plumage in female arcticus (Oberholser 1974). A white supraloral spot at the base of the maxilla on both sides in the Florida speci- men is unusual. Neither S. L. Olson {in litt.) nor J. D. Rising {in litt.) felt that the spot was indicative of hybrid influence in the history of the individual. No other aspect of plumage hue or pattern supports this hypothesis. Olson specifically remarked in this context that patterns of white in the supraloral area, throat, and malar region might represent a primitive pattern that has been obscured by the dark plumage in the Ru- fous-sided towhee group. White patches in these feathers are typical in the green- backed towhee group (P. chlorura, P ocai), and these characters may occasionally ex- press themselves in the dark-backed group as well. The scarcity of records of Spotted Towhees in neighboring southeastern states along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts suggests that these birds are infrequent vagrants in this 28 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST part of the North America. Nearest wintering populations are in southeastern Okla- homa and east-central Texas (Greenlaw 1996). Along the southeast Atlantic coast, North Carolina and South Carolina have single confirmed records of the Spotted Towhee (Hauser 1960, Burton 1970, Post and Greenlaw 2001), and Georgia has a recent photo- graphic record (Davis 2000). Westward along the Gulf coast, at least two sightings (un- verified) are known in Alabama (Imhof 1976; Greg Jackson, pers. comm.), and six (unverified, 23 Dec to 24 Apr) in Mississippi (Terence Schiefer, pers. comm.). In Louisi- ana, examples of Spotted Towhees have been seen or collected between 23 Oct and 13 Apr (Lowery 1974). Others have been reported in the state as recently as Nov 1997 and 1998 (Jackson 1998, 1999). Vagrancy of this species in northeastern Atlantic states also is relatively unusual (e.g., Post 1965, Veit and Petersen 1993, Levine 1998). Thus far, only P. m. arcticus has been collected from the Atlantic coast. Acknowledgments. — We thank Reed Bowman and Glen E. Woolfenden for critiqu- ing the manuscript, and Jose H. Leal for help with digital photography and preparation of the illustration in electronic format. Greg Jackson and Terence Schiefer provided in- formation on the status of the species in Alabama and Mississippi, respectively. Literature Cited American Ornithologists’ Union. 1957. Check-list of North American birds, 5th edi- tion. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. American Ornithologists’ Union, 1995. Fortieth supplement to the American Orni- thologists’ Union Checklist of North American birds. Auk 112: 819-830. Bowman, R. 2000. Thirteenth report of the Florida Ornithological Society Records Com- mittee: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000. Florida Field Naturalist 28:138-160. Burton, E. M. 1970. Supplement. In South Carolina bird life (A. Sprunt, Jr., and E. B. Chamberlain). University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, SC. Davis, R. 2000. Southern Atlantic Coast. North American Birds 54:272-274. Greenlaw, J. S. 1996. Spotted Towhee iPipilo maculatus). In The Birds of North Amer- ica, no. 263 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadel- phia, and American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Hauser, D. C. 1960, A record of Pipilo erythrophthalmus arcticus in North Carolina. Auk 77-349. Imhof, T. A. 1976. Alabama birds, 2nd edition. University of Alabama Press, University, AL. Jackson, G. D. 1998. Central Southern Region. Field Notes 52:71-76. Jackson, G. D. 1999. Central Southern Region. North American Birds 53:62-66. Levine, E. (Ed.). 1998. Bull’s birds of New York State. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. Lowery, G. H., Jr 1974. Louisiana birds. Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, LA. Oberholser, H. C. 1974. The bird life of Texas, VoL 2. University Texas Press, Austin, TX. Post, P. W. 1965. Photographs of New York State rarities. 3. “Spotted” Towhee. Kingbird 15: 202-203. Post, W, and J. S. Greenlaw. 2001. A South Carolina specimen of the Spotted Towhee. Chat 65:34-36. Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Stevenson, H. M., and W. W. Baker. 1970. Records of new avian subspecies in Florida. Florida Naturalist 43:69-70. Swarth, H. S. 1913. A revision of the California forms of Pipilo maculatus Swainson with description of a new subspecies. Condor 15:167-175. Veit, R. R., and W. R. Petersen. 1993. Birds of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Audubon Society. 29 Florida Field Naturalist 29(l):29-32, 2001. FOODS EATEN BY A HIGH-DENSITY POPULATION OF SOUTHERN FOX SQUIRRELS James C. Lee, David A. Osborns and Karl V. Miller Daniel B. Warnell School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 The southern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger niger) and other southeastern fox squirrel subspecies have declined in abundance and distribution during recent years (Loeb and Moncrief 1993). Where they exist, their populations rarely exceed 38 squirrels/km^ (Hil- liard 1979, Edwards et al. 1989, Weigl et al. 1989, Kantola and Humphrey 1990). In con- trast, >75 fox squirrels/km^ was reported on Spring Island, South Carolina (Lee 1999) where they have been abundant for at least 10 years (B. Lampright, Spring Island Trust, pers. comm.). During this period, managers maintained agricultural plantings (wildlife food plots) directed at Spring Island’s fox squirrels. Because food availability might limit southeastern fox squirrel populations (Weigl et al. 1989), we were interested in food use by this high-density population. We suspected that these fox squirrels eat a variety of natural foods, but seasonally supplement their diets by feeding in wildlife food plots. Our objectives were to (1) record observations of feeding by fox squirrels; and (2) identify the most frequently eaten foods during each season. Spring Island is a 1,200 ha sea island located between Beaufort, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. About 1,000 ha of the island are forested with the remainder main- tained as fallow fields, wildlife food plots, and a golf course. During the study, there were about 100 residential, administrative, or recreational buildings on the island. The is- land’s forests are a heterogeneous arrangement of mixed hardwoods, pine (Pinus spp.), and live oak (Quercus virginiana) stands. Loblolly pine (P. taeda), hickories (Carya spp,), cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto), laurel oak (Q. laurifolia), live oak, sweetgum {Liq- uidambar styraciflua), southern red oak (Q. falcata), water oak {Q. nigra), and black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) are common trees. Pecan trees {Carya illinoensis) are present in a few residential plantings. Common understory plants include wax myrtle (Myrica cer- ifera), oaks, sweetgum, sassafras {Sassafras albidum), yaupon holly {Ilex vomitoria), American beautyberry {Callicarpa americana), saw palmetto {Serenoa repens) and greenbriar {Smilax spp.). We trapped fox squirrels in wooden Mosby-style box traps (Day et al. 1980) from Au- gust 1998 to June 1999. Captured squirrels were immobilized with 3-5 ml of methoxy- flurane (inhalation) or 20-30 mg ketamine hydrochloride (intramuscular injection), weighed with a spring scale, and fitted with a radio-collar (Advanced Telemetry Sys- tems, Isanti, MN or Telemetry Solutions, Walnut Creek, CA). We used the homing method (Mech 1983) to locate 17 to 31 radio-collared squirrels at least 30 times per sea- son at random times between 0.5 h after sunrise and 0.5 h before sunset. Seasons, based on plant phenology, were defined as: fall — 1 October 1998 to 15 January 1999; winter — 16 January 1999 to 15 March 1999; spring — 16 March 1999 to 1 June 1999; early sum- mer— June 1999 and July 1999; and late summer — ^August 1999 and September 1999 (Weigl et al. 1989). When we located a radio-collared squirrel, if possible, we watched it through 10 X 50-mm binoculars until it fed, and recorded foods eaten. When unidentified squirrels (i.e., those without radio-collars) were seen feeding, we also recorded foods eaten. Because observations of unidentified squirrels contributed to our account of foods eaten (Table 1), the number of squirrels that we observed is unknown. Each season, to ^Corresponding author 30 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Table 1. Observations of foods eaten by fox squirrels on Spring Island, South Carolina, August 1998-September 1999. Food Season" Fall Winter Spring Early Summer Late Summer Quercus spp. acorns 41.4(12) 42.4 (14) 33.3 (15) 63.6 (7) Pinus spp. seeds 27.6 (8) 39.4 (13) 8.9 (4) 54.6 (6) Carya illinoensis nuts 24.1(6) 6.1(2) 6.7 (3) 9.1(1) Cary a spp. nuts 3.5(1) 6.1(2) 2.2(1) Mushrooms 27.3 (3) 45.5 (5) Triticum aestivum seeds 13.3 (6) Acer rubrum seeds 6.1(2) 8.9 (4) Other*' 3.5(1) 26.6 (12) ''Percent frequency of observations by season (number of observations by season). ‘'Includes tree buds, oak catkins, Liquidamhar styraciflua seeds, Cornus florida fruit and Rubus spp. fruit. help us better understand the availability of fox squirrel foods on Spring Island we re- corded a list of apparent foods based on previous reports (Korschgen 1981, Koprowski 1994) and our perceptions. We did not measure availability of these foods or the propor- tion of each food in the diet. Of foods that we saw fox squirrels eat throughout the year (Table 1), pine seeds and acorns were most frequently eaten. Hard mast (pine seeds, acorns, pecan nuts, and hick- ory nuts) was available year-round, although no fox squirrels were seen eating acorns during late summer or hickory nuts during early summer. Mushrooms were most avail- able during early and late summer, when we frequently observed fox squirrels eating several species of them, including Boletus bicolor. Red maple seeds (samaras) were available during late winter and spring, but few squirrels were seen eating them. Other available foods that we did not see fox squirrels eat were the fruits of black gum, musca- dine {Vitis rotundi folia), cabbage palmetto, and American beautyberry. Buds and cat- kins of trees, especially oaks, were eaten during spring, however we did not see squirrels eating them during winter. Flowering dogwood {Cornus florida) fruits and sweetgum seeds were little-used, although they were available during fall and winter. Blackberry {Rubus spp.) fruits were available during spring and early summer, but only one fox squirrel was seen eating them. During May and June, it was common to see fox squirrels in wildlife food plots where on six occasions they were seen eating wheat {Triticum aestivum) seed heads that were in the milk stage. Our radio-collared squirrels ate wheat in wildlife food plots, but early succession fields (a habitat category that included food plots) was not a preferred habi- tat during any season (Lee 1999). In previous years, particularly years following a poor acorn crop, use of wheat seeds was more apparent than during our study with 4-10 fox squirrels frequently seen in each 1 ha wildlife food plot (Lampright, Spring Island Trust, pers. comm.). Based on our observations, fox squirrel foods were not scarce during any season. Although Weigl et al. (1989) reported that fox squirrels were in poor condition during early summer in North Carolina because of a scarcity of foods, it was common to see squirrels eating hard mast and mushrooms during this season on Spring Island. Weights of fox squirrels captured on Spring Island during early and late summer did not suggest an inadequate food supply (Lee 1999). Although successive seasons of high or Notes 31 low availability of important foods like acorns and pine seeds can result in drastic changes in squirrel abundance (Weigl et al. 1989), we believe that such population fluc- tuations are rare on Spring Island. Spring Island has a variety of pines (i.e., loblolly; longleaf, P. palustris; spruce, R glabra; pond, R serotina; and slash, R elliottii), oaks (live; southern red; water; laurel; and post, Q. stellata), and other food plants to buffer the effects of poor mast production by some trees. In summary, fox squirrels on Spring Island ate a variety of natural foods and season- ally ate foods associated with wildlife food plots. They ate acorns more than other foods in each season except during late summer when pine seeds and mushrooms were the most frequently eaten foods. Extensive use of acorns during spring and early summer might be the most apparent difference in diets of squirrels in our study and those reported for squirrels in lower-density populations (Moore 1957, Weigl et al. 1989). We believe that acorns were available to squirrels during all seasons, whereas acorn supplies typically were exhausted by late spring or early summer in the sandhill habitats studied by Moore (1957, 38 squirrels/km^) and Weigl et al. (1989, 0-28 squirrels/km^). Fox squirrels on Spring Island ate pecans during all seasons except late summer suggesting that they ben- efited from these residential plantings. During spring, they supplemented hard mast con- sumption by eating wheat and newly formed samaras, buds, and flowers of trees. Where fox squirrel conservation is a priority, a diversity of seed trees should be maintained and managers should consider the potential value of wildlife food plots. Plantings that include wheat or similar grains might supplement diets of fox squirrels during periods when nat- ural foods are limited (e.g., following a hard mast failure). Further research should com- pare the value of a variety of plantings to fox squirrels based on their timing and intensity of use. Ideally, these studies will be conducted during years following hard mast failures. Optimal distribution, size, and shape of wildlife food plots must be determined before they are routinely prescribed for management of southeastern fox squirrels. Acknowledgments. — Funding was provided by the Daniel B. Warnell School of For- est Resources, Restoration America, Inc., the Spring Island Trust, and Mclntire-Stennis Project Number GEO-0093-MS. Drs. Helen J. H. Whiffen, Brian R. Chapman, and Rob- ert J. Warren provided helpful comments on this manuscript. Literature Cited Day, G. L, S. D. Schemnitz, and R. D, Taber 1980. Capturing and marking wild ani- mals. Pages 79-128 in Wildlife management techniques manual (S. D. Shemnitz, Ed.). Fourth edition. The Wildlife Society, Washington, D.C. Edwards, J. W., D. C. Guynn, Jr., and M. R. Lennartz. 1989. Habitat use by southern fox squirrel in coastal South Carolina. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 43:337-345. Hilliard, T. H. 1979. Radiotelemetry of fox squirrels in the Georgia coastal plain. M.S. Thesis, University of Georgia, Athens. Kantola, a. T. and S. R. Humphrey. 1990. Habitat use by Sherman’s fox squirrel (Sci- urus niger shermani) in Florida. Journal of Mammalogy 71:411-419. Koprowski, j. L. 1994. Sciurus niger. Mammalian Species, No. 479, 9pp. Korschgen, L. j. 1981. Foods of fox and gray squirrels in Missouri. Journal of Wildlife Management 45:260-265. Lee, j. C. 1999. Ecology of the southern fox squirrel on Spring Island, South Carolina. M.S. Thesis, University of Georgia, Athens. Loeb, S. C. and N. D. Moncrief. 1993. The biology of fox squirrels {Sciurus niger) in the Southeast: A Review. Pages 2-17 in Proceedings of the Second Symposium on South- eastern Fox Squirrels, Sciurus niger (N. D. Moncrief, J. W. Edwards, and P. A. Tappe, Eds.). Virginia Museum of Natural History, Special Publication Number 1. 32 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Mech, L. D. 1983. Handbook of Animal Radio-Tracking. University of Minnesota, Min- neapolis, MN. Moore, J. C. 1957. The natural history of the fox squirrel, Sciurus niger shermani. Bul- letin of the American Museum of Natural History 113:7-71. Weigl, P. D., M. a. Steele, L. J. Sherman, J. C. Ha, and T. S. Sharpe. 1989. The ecol- ogy of the fox squirrel {Sciurus niger) in North Carolina: implications for survival in the Southeast. Tall Timbers Research Station Bulletin 24:1-93. 33 Florida Field Naturalist 29(l):33-40, 2001. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Summer Report: June-July 2000. — The observations listed here are reports of sig- nificant birds or numbers of birds reported to the Field Observations Committee (FOC). Reports submitted to the Committee 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. Reporting seasons are winter (December-Feb- ruary), spring (March-May), summer (June-July), and fall (August-November). Submit reports to regional compilers within two weeks after the close of each season, or to the state compiler within one month. Reports sent via e-mail are greatly preferred over those sent via regular mail. Addresses of the FOC members are found at the end of this report. 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) are marked with an asterisk (*). A county designation {in italics) accompanies the first- time listing of each site in this report. Abbreviations used are: CP = county park, EOS - end of season, HISRA ~ Honeymoon Island SRA {Pinellas), LARA ~ Lake Apopka Resto- ration Area {Orange), MRSP = Myakka River SP {Sarasota), NWR = national wildlife refuge, PPM - Polk phosphate mines, SMNWR = St. Marks NWR {Wakulla), SP = state park, SRA = state recreation area, SRSTF - Springhill Road STF {Leon), STF - sewage treatment facility, and N, S, E, W, etc., for compass directions. Bold-faced species denote birds newly reported or verified in Florida. Summary of the Summer Season Generally, the summer was hot and dry, with many areas reporting above-normal temperatures. In some areas, the severe drought of the previous winter and spring was broken (briefly) by June storms, but rainfall for July again was below average. Water levels improved in central Florida, but the drought continued in the Panhandle, north- ern Florida, and Keys. Heavy shorebird use was reported at Newnans Lake at Gaines- ville and vegetable farmland near Belle Glade, but the former farm fields at Lake Apopka remained dry. Rick Sawicki noted that Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and Black-and- white Warblers were observed in the Keys in mid-July, two to three weeks earlier than usual. It was a slow season for rarities, with only three significant reports: the Red- billed Tropicbird found moribund at Fort Lauderdale, 2 White-cheeked Pintails in Brevard for a single day only, and the Fork-tailed Flycatcher at Lake Apopka that also was a one-day wonder. We welcome John Boyd as the new compiler for southeastern Florida, a region that has been without a compiler for nearly 10 years. Finally, we dedi- cate this report to the memory of Larry Hopkins, a long-time FOS member and Pinellas County birder who died from a brain tumor on 29 July 2000. Species Accounts Common Loon: 1 in breeding plumage at the Suwannee River {Gilchrist) 9-10 Jun (J. Krummrich); 1 at SMNWR 6 Jul (S. Collins); 1 in winter plumage off Hernando Beach {Hernando) 30 Jul (R. Paul, B. Pranty [photo to FOC], A. Schnapf); 4 summered in Pensacola Bay {Escambia and/or Santa Rosa) (B. Duncan). PelagicS: the table below shows the results of two pelagic trips into the Florida Straits SE of Vaca Cut, Marathon {Monroe) by E. and P. Hess: 4 Jun; 15-41 km offshore, winds 8-16 kph, seas 0.3-0. 7 m; 6 Jun; 15-48 km offshore, winds variable 0-8 kph, seas 0.3-0. 7 m. 34 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Species 4 Jun 6 Jun Cory’s Shearwater 3 1 Sooty Shearwater 0 1 Audubon’s Shearwater 46 20 Wilson’s Storm-petrel 1 0 Storm-petrel species 1 0 Masked Booby 0 1 Brown Booby 0 1 Royal Tern 1 0 Bridled Tern 24 18 Sooty Tern 107 134 Bridled/Sooty Tern 0 8 Brown Noddy 4 55 Greater Shearwater: 1 found alive at Vilano Beach (St. Johns) 13 Jun died later (D. Reed, specimen to UF, photos to FOC). *Red-BILLED Tropicbird: 1 immature at Fort Lauderdale Beach {Broward) 11 Jun died the next day (W. George, specimen to UCF). Northern Gannet: 1 immature at Fort Myers Beach (Lee) 23 Jun (C. Ewell, specimen to Archbold Biological Station). American White Pelican: 100+ at MRSP 7 Jun (F. Frazier, T. Elliott) and 200 there 3 Jul (A. and R. Smith); 60 at Shell Key Preserve {Pinellas) 12 Jun (K. Nelson, P. Blair); 65 at SMNWR 8 Jul, and 13 there 19 Jul (J. Dozier); 135 at LARA 26 Jul (H. Robin- son); 18 at Lake Hollingsworth, Lakeland {Polk) 29 Jul (T. Palmer); up to 200 sum- mered at SMNWR (J. Reinman et al.); up to 62 summered at Newnans Lake {Alachua) (J. Hintermister, L. Davis, M. Manetz). Brown Pelican: 1 near Mulberry {Polk) 5 Jun, and 3 at Lakeland 2 Jul (both T. Palmer). AnhingA: 32 over Bartow {Polk) 9 Jun (T. Palmer). Magnificent Frigatebird: 1 female at SMNWR 28 Jun (K. Kramer). American Bittern: 1 at SMNWR 24 Jun (K. Avera, J. Dozier); 1 at LARA 28 Jun (H. Robinson). Least Bittern: 91 at Blue Heron STF {Brevard) 26 Jun (D. Simpson); 47+ at Wakoda- hatchee Wetlands {Palm Beach) 5 Jul (R. Diaz, J. Rosenfield). Great Blue Heron: 135 at Newnans Lake 1 Jul (L. Davis). “Great White Heron:” 1 at New Port Richey late Jun- Jul (S. Morfitt, photo to FOC by K. Tracey); 1 at Merritt Island NWR {Brevard) 2 Jul (D. Simpson). Great Egret: 285 at Newnans Lake 19 Jul (R. Rowan). Little Blue Heron: 100 at Newnans Lake 13 Jul (J. Hintermister, M. Manetz, H. Ad- ams). Reddish Egret: 24 at “Ding” Darling NWR (Lee) 6 Jun (B. Ahern); 1 immature at MRSP 7 Jun (F. Frazier, T. Elliott); 51 at Merritt Island NWR 2 Jul (D. Simpson); up to 12 (including 1 white morph) summered at SMNWR (J. Reinman et al.). Yellow-crowned Night-Heron: 11 at LARA 26 Jun (H. Robinson). White Ibis: breeding at Seahorse Key {Levy) was “pretty much a total loss” (D. Hender- son). Glossy Ibis: 1 in central Pinellas 21-22 Jun (K. Nelson) and 2 others there 21 Jun (L. Snyder). Roseate Spoonbill: 6 at PPM 6 Jun (P. Fellers, R. Etzler); 70+ at MRSP 7 Jun (F. Fra- zier, T. Elliott); 6 at Banana Lake, Lakeland 27 Jun (T. Palmer); 37 at Merritt Island NWR 2 Jul (D. Simpson); 37 total at three sites in SW Pasco 7 Jul (K. and L. Tracey); Field Observations 35 100+ near Belle Glade {Palm Beach) 15 Jul (J. Holstein); 8 at LARA 16-23 Jul (H. Robinson); up to 4 summered at Lake Tohopekaliga {Osceola) {fide L. Cooper); up to 10 summered at Newnans Lake (S. Eoff, L. Davis et al.); up to 35 summered at Ockl- awaha (C. Gruin, E. Scales). VULTURES: “thousands! !),” mostly Black Vultures, at MRSP 3 Jun were “waiting on stuff in the [recedingl water to die” (D. Goodwin, E. Haney). Fulvous Whistling-Duck: 200 near Belle Glade 8 Jul (J. Bouton, C. Ewell, W. Winton). Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: 30+ at MRSP 3 Jun (D. Goodwin, E. Haney); 31 at Bartow 6 Jun (P. Fellers, R. Etzler) and 12 there 10 Jul (T. Palmer); 48 near Belle Glade 15 Jun (W. Zane, A. and B. Liberman), with lesser reports there through the season; 3 at Allen Creek, Clearwater {Pinellas) 16-21 Jun (C. Kelsey, J. Fisher et ah); 16+ at Gainesville 1 Jul (M. Jones, M. Manetz). Canada Goose: 1 at Seminole {Pinellas) 2 Jul was gone within a few hours (P. Blair). Mute Swan: 4 at Kendall {Miami-Dade) 8 Jul (D. Simpson, B. Paxson). GadwalL: 2 at PPM 6 Jun (P. Fellers, R. Etzler) tied the latest “spring” report. American Black Duck: 1 at LARA to 19 Jun (H. Robinson). Mallard: at least 7 summered at LARA (H. Robinson). Mottled Duck: 275+ at MRSP 3 Jun (D. Goodwin, E. Haney); 98 at LARA 19 Jun (H. Robinson); 49 at Newnans Lake 29 Jul (J. Hintermister). *White-CHEEKED Pintail: 2 W of Viera {Brevard) 22 Jul (D. Simpson). Northern Pintail: 1 male at Pembroke Pines {Broward) 8 Jul (D. Simpson, B. Paxson). Blue-winged Teal: 5 at PPM 25 Jun (P. Timmer); 1 male near Belle Glade 8 Jul (J. Bou- ton, C. Ewell, W. Winton) and 2 there 9 Jul (V. McGrath, W. Winton); 2 at SMNWR 16 Jul (J. Dozier); 2 at Sunnyhill Conservation Area {Marion) 27 Jul (E. Scales). Northern Shoveler: 1 at SRSTF 12 Jun (G. Menk). American Wigeon: 1 male at MRSP 3 Jun (D. Goodwin, E. Haney) and 7 Jun (F. Fra- zier, T. Elliott). Ring-necked Duck: 2 at PPM 6 Jun (P. Fellers, R. Etzler) and 1 there 25 Jun (P. Timmer). Lesser Scaup: 1 at PPM 25 Jun (P. Timmer); 1 at SRSTF 29 Jul (M. Collins). Common Eider: 1 female remained at Port Canaveral {Brevard) through 2 Jul (D. Simp- son) at least. Ruddy Duck: 1 at LARA 14 Jun (H. Robinson); 1 at PPM 25 Jun (P. Timmer). Osprey: 62 nestlings in 30 nests at Lake Talquin {Gadsden and Leon) (G. Sprandel). Swallow-tailed Kite: 150 between South Bay and Clewiston {Hendry and Palm Beach), including 22 over Rotenberger WMA, 22 Jul (J. Boyd et al.); up to 200 foraged over marshes W of Palm Bay {Brevard) late Jul-mid Aug (S. Rowe). White-tailed Kite: 1 juvenile at LARA 30 Jun (H. Robinson); 1 adult near Belle Glade 2-22 Jul (J. Bouton, C. Ewell, J. Boyd et al.) and a juvenile there 12 Aug (E. Kwater et al.); 1 W of Kendall 18 Jul-EOS (J. Boyd). Snail Kite: 2 males at Lake Istokpoga 26 Jul (M. McMillian). Mississippi Kite: 1 adult and 1 immature (seen separately) at S Jacksonville 2 Jun-21 Jul (J. Cocke). Northern Harrier: 1 S of South Bay {Palm Beach) 29 Jul (M. Cooper); 4 at LARA 3 Jun, 3 there 6 Jun, and 2 through the summer (all H. Robinson). Sharp-shinned Hawk: singles at LARA 9 and 19 Jun and 12 Jul (all H. Robinson). Cooper's Hawk: 2 adults and 2 young at Brandon {Hillsborough) 15 Jun (E. Kwater); 1 adult at Cape Coral {Lee) 27 Jun (that ate a Eurasian Collared-Dove) and 30 Jul (both C. Ewell); 1 at Florida International University {Miami-Dade) 6 Jul (J. Boyd). Broad-winged Hawk; 1 at Trenton {Gilchrist) 15 Jun (R. Rowan). Short-tailed Hawk: of 6 nests in Highlands, Levy, and Polk, 3 failed and 3 each pro- duced 2 young (K. Meyer); 1 dark morph at Peace River Park {Polk) 17 Jun (T. Palmer); 1 dark morph at Lettuce Lake Park {Hillsborough) 12 Jul (B. Ahern) and 1 36 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST light morph there 16 Jul (D. Simpson); 1 dark morph at Saddle Creek CP {Polk) 28 Jul (P, Fellers). American Kestrel; 1 pair summered in a section of W Duval where they are not known to breed (R. Clark). Black Rail: 2 summered at Kicco WMA {Polk) (T.J. Coburn). Virginia Rail: 1 at Three Forks Marsh Conservation Area {Brevard) 31 Jul (S. Rowe). Purple Swamphen: 1 of the gray-headed subspecies at Wakodahatchee Wetlands 22 Jun (J. Rosenfield, A. Liberman, photos to FOC). Purple Gallinule: 19 at LARA 28 Jun (H. Robinson). American Coot: 58 at LARA 3 Jun (H. Robinson); 30+ at MRSP 3 Jun (D. Goodwin, E. Haney), and 4 there 3 Jul (A. and R. Smith); 215 at PPM 25 Jun (P. Timmer). Snowy Plover: 2 adults and 3 juveniles at Sanibel Island (Lee) 13 Jul (W. Dirks). Wilson's Plover: 1 at Newnans Lake 4-6 Jun (L. and S. Duncan et ah); 17 at Navarre Flats {Santa Rosa) 24 Jul (B. Duncan). Semipalmated Plover: 2 at Newnans Lake to 6 Jun (R. Rowan, M. Manetz, J. Hinter- mister) and 3 there 29 Jul (L. Davis); 1 at SMNWR 24 Jun (J. Dozier, K. Avera); 3 at LARA 23 Jul (H. Robinson). Piping Plover: 2 at Three Rooker Bar {Pinellas) and 1 at HISRA both 8 Jul (P. Blair); 1 at SMNWR 17 Jul (J. Reinman); 1 at Ft. Myers Beach 17 Jul (V. McGrath, W. Win- ton); 1 at Bald Point {Franklin) 22 Jul (G. Sprandel). Black-necked Stilt: 70+ at MRSP 3 Jun (D. Goodwin, E. Haney); close to 1000 near Belle Glade 9 Jul (V. McGrath); ca. 25 young produced at Ocklawaha (E. Scales); 16 adults produced 6 broods at SMNWR (J. Reinman). American Avocet: 3 at SMNWR 4 Jun (D. Simpson) and 1 there 29 Jul (W. Chambers); up to 2 at LARA 9 Jun-23 Jul (H. Robinson). Greater Yellowlegs: 4 in breeding plumage at Weekiwachee {Hernando) 22 Jun (M. Gardler); 5 near Belle Glade 8 Jul (J. Bouton, C. Ewell, W. Winton); reported on 15 of 16 surveys at LARA, with 24 birds on 23 Jul (H. Robinson). Lesser Yellowlegs: 4 at Newnans Lake 28 Jun (B. Simons); up to 11 at LARA 28 Jun- EOS (H. Robinson); 2 near Belle Glade 2 Jul, 100+ there 8 Jul (J. Bouton, C. Ewell, W. Winton), and 100s there 9 Jul (V. McGrath); 1 at MRSP 3 Jul (A. and R. Smith). Solitary Sandpiper; 1 at LARA 12 Jul (H. Robinson); 1 near Belle Glade 19 Jul (A. and B. Hansen); 1 at Carillon, St. Petersburg {Pinellas) 28 Jul (J. Fisher). WiLLET: 6 at Newnans Lake variously 29 Jun-12 Jul (M. Manetz, J. Hintermister); 132 in a flock (>90% in winter plumage) at Hernando Beach 30 Jul (R. Paul, B. Pranty, A. SchnapD. Spotted Sandpiper: singles at SRSTF 1 Jun and 10 Jul (G. Menk); 2 at Alligator Point 3 Jul (J. Dozier); 1 at Newnans Lake 9 Jul (L. Davis); 3 at LARA 16 Jul-EOS (H. Rob- inson); 1 near Belle Glade 19 Jul (A. and B. Hansen); 1 at North Captiva Island {Lee) 20 Jul (V. McGrath). Whimbrel: 6 at Tigertail Beach, Marco Island {Collier) 10 Jul (B. Boeringer). Long-billed Curlew: 3 in Pinellas: singles at Shell Key Preserve 12 Jun (P. Blair, K. Nelson), Three Rooker Bar 30 Jun (P. Blair), and HISRA 22 Jul (A. and R. Smith). Marbled GODWIt; up to 15 summered at SMNWR (J. Dozier et al.); 2 in Escambia 30 Jul (B. Duncan). Red Knot: 1 in winter plumage at SMNWR 4 Jun (D. Simpson); 100 at Shell Key Pre- serve 12 Jun (P. Blair, K. Nelson); 1 at LARA 23 Jul (H. Robinson). Sanderling: 2 at Newnans Lake 29 Jul (L. Davis). Semipalmated Sandpiper: 1 at LARA to 19 Jun, then up to 132 there 4 Jul-EOS (H. Robinson); 120 at SRSTF 1 Jun, and 63 there 6 Jun (both G. Menk); 21 at Newnans Lake 6 Jun (R. Rowan) and 1 there 13 Jul ( J. Hintermister, M. Manetz, H. Adams). Western Sandpiper: 1 at SMNWR 8 Jul ( J. Dozier); 1 at Newnans Lake 8 Jul (L. Davis); up to 16 at LARA 8-23 Jul (H. Robinson); 15 at Ocklawaha 21 Jul (E. Scales). Field Observations 37 Least Sandpiper: up to 3 at LARA to 28 Jun, then up to 108 there 8 Jul-EOS (H. Robin- son); 2 near Belle Glade 8 Jul (J. Bouton, C. Ewell, W. Winton); 2 at Newnans Lake 8 Jul (M. Manetz, H. Adams, L. Davis). White-RUMPED Sandpiper: 3 at Newnans Lake 6 Jun (R. Rowan). Pectoral Sandpiper: 6+ near Belle Glade 8 Jul (J. Bouton, C. Ewell, W. Winton); 2 at LARA 12 Jul, and 32 there 30 Jul (H. Robinson); 3 at Newnans Lake 13 Jul (J. Hintermister, M. Manetz, H. Adams), and 55 there 29 Jul (L. Davis). Dunlin: 1 in breeding plumage at SMNWR 14 Jul (G. Menk, D. Harder). Stilt Sandpiper: 1 in breeding plumage at SMNWR 4 Jun (D. Simpson); 1 in breeding plumage at SRSTF 10 Jul (G. Menk); 1 at Newnans Lake 10 Jul (M. Manetz); 1 at LARA 12 Jul, and up to 12 there 19 Jul-EOS (H. Robinson); 1 at Carillon 28 Jul (J. Fisher). Short-billed Dowitcher: 3 at LARA 8 Jul, and up to 34 there 19 Jul-EOS (H. Robin- son); up to 7 at Newnans Lake 12-19 Jul (M. Manetz, R. Rowan). Long-billed Dowitcher: 1 heard at SRSTF 25-31 Jul (G. and S. Hampton, G. Menk et al). Common Snipe: 1 at Holeyland WMA 29 Jul (M. Cooper). Wilson's Phalarope: 1 adult male near Belle Glade 8 Jul (J. Bouton, C. Ewell, W. Winton); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF (Okaloosa) 14 Jul (D. Ware); 1 at LARA 23 Jul (H. Robinson). Laughing Gull: up to 4 at Newnans Lake 1 Jul-EOS (M. Manetz, J. Hintermister). Ring-billed Gull: 1 at PPM 25 Jun (P. Timmer). Gull-billed Tern: 1 nest with 2 eggs at Island 2D, Hillsborough Bay (Hillsborough) 2 Jun (A. Schnapf, B. Pranty, photo to FOC); 1 at Lake Maggiore, St. Petersburg 10 Jun (K. Nelson, L. Hopkins); 1 at Shell Key Preserve 12 Jun (K. Nelson, P. Blair); 1 at SM- NWR 21 Jun (J. Agius); 1 at Newnans Lake 2 Jul (J. Hintermister). Caspian Tern: 1 at Newnans Lake 9-22 Jul (L. Davis, R. Rowan et al.); 2 at Rotenberger WMA 22 Jul (J. Boyd, J. Villamil, K. Sarsfield). Royal Tern: up to 82 at SMNWR 25 Jun-24 Jul (J. Reinman et al.); up to 2 at Newnans Lake 5-22 Jul (M. Meisenburg, L. Davis). Sandwich Tern: 2 at SMNWR 4 Jun (D. Simpson). Common Tern: 16 at SMNWR 4 Jun (D. Simpson); 1 at LARA 28 Jun (H. Robinson). Forster’s Tern: 1 at LARA 30 Jun, and up to 12 there 8 Jul-EOS (H. Robinson). Least Tern: 1 pair that copulated on the sandy shore of Lake Winder (Brevard) 2 Jun suggested local breeding (S. Rowe); 3 at Newnans Lake 20 Jun (R. Rowan); 110 (70% juveniles) at SMNWR 2 Jul (J. Reinman); 0 nests at Anastasia SRA (St. Johns), 20 nests at Guana River SP (St. Johns) produced some young, and 100 pairs at Fort Ma- tanzas (St. Johns) with unknown breeding success (all information /i25 m) in baldcypress trees in the mixed old-growth stand; the nest trees in 1996-1997 were 125-150 m from the creek. This forest tract is inundated by water during the nesting season except under drought conditions. In 2000, McNair discovered single adult dark-morph birds hunting in loose association with Black (Coragyps atratus) and Turkey (Ca- thartes aura) vultures (cf., Brandt 1924) at distinctive ecotonal sites along or near Istokpoga Canal on 14 March and 30 March. The two sites were located approximately 5 km apart. More importantly, the three dark-morph juveniles tagged at nests at Arbuckle Creek consis- tently occupied the area east and south of the lake from March to Au- gust (K. Meyer, unpubL). Radio locations ranged from Istokpoga Canal Breeding Status of the Short-tailed Hawk 45 southwest to the southern tip of the lake and east to the Kissimmee River. In addition, the two tagged breeding adults from Arbuckle Creek also used this area, but only after their young had left the nest area and prior to autumn migration (K. Meyer, unpubL). The observations reported by McMillian and Meyer confirm the suggestion of Millsap et al. (1996) that Short-tailed Hawks nest along Arbuckle Creek near Lake Istokpoga. McMillian has assiduously searched for nesting Short-tailed Hawks at other potential forest tracts around or near the lake but has not found other breeding pairs. K. Meyer (unpubl.) also has never observed breeding Short-tailed Hawks in this area except at Arbuckle Creek. During the breeding sea- son, this species requires mature baldcypresses or other tall trees (e.g., magnolia; Brandt 1924) in swamp forests (and several other habitat types; see Ogden 1988, Millsap et al. 1996) in which to place their nests. Mature baldcypresses remain along sections of the lakeshore, especially the south and east sides and about three-quarter mile from the lake along the only backwater slough with large trees (baldcypresses with dbh of 1 m) that empties into Istokpoga Canal. The size of this forest tract has remained about 0.4 x 0.4 km since at least 1970. However, agricultural development and suburbanization of the lakeshore have reduced the width of baldcypress stands and other riparian vegetation to a narrow corridor that rarely measures over 50 m wide. Nesting Short- tailed Hawks may require relatively large woodlands (Ogden 1974, 1988; Millsap et al. 1996), at least in landscapes around Lake Istokpoga, although they may select rather small stands within heterogeneous and relatively open landscapes, but these areas are located near larger forest tracts (K. Meyer and T. Dellinger, pers. comm.). Regardless, nesting hab- itat varies and the constitution and scale of critical habitat components are currently being investigated (K. Meyer, unpubl.). The five tagged birds from March to August in the same areas along or near Istokpoga Canal, as well as our discovery of single birds at two sites in mid-to-late March, is clear evidence that these habitats are suitable for foraging by Short-tailed Hawks. The birds were not breeding along the small backwater slough that empties into Istokpoga Canal, nor in 50-year old baldcypresses or other trees that formed a narrow broken corridor along the canal, nor in nearby woodlands in- cluding a blackgum swamp. The three tagged immature hawks may have been on their home or activity range which may have a diameter as large as 2.5 km (Fish-eating Creek; Ogden 1974), but the data clearly document that the presence of birds during spring and early summer cannot be assumed to be breeders. Nonetheless, Short-tailed Hawks are somewhat resilient (cf., Millsap et al. 1996) in their ability to adjust to massive land-use changes that have occurred along or near Istokpoga Creek (now Canal). 46 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST D. J. Nicholson would not find breeding Short-tailed Hawks today in the areas he originally discovered them in 1910, but the presence of non-breeding birds foraging along or near Istokpoga Canal suggests that habitat maturation coupled with restoration efforts could allow this species to reestablish itself as a breeder in this historical area if no further degradation occurs. Modern scientific data obtained by radio- tagging birds coupled with breeding information obtained much earlier by Nicholson and several other individuals clearly suggests that this historical area should be the focus of restoration efforts around Lake Istokpoga. In the future, forested drainages apart from Arbuckle Creek on the northern shore may contain breeding Short-tailed Hawks. Acknowledgments We thank R. Corado of the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology (WFVZ) for locating and sending us a copy of the incomplete journal of D. J. Nicholson’s trip to Lake Istokpoga in 1910. We have deposited copies of this journal at the Florida Museum of Natural History (FMNH) and Archbold Biological Station. We thank T. Webber, Collec- tions Manager at the FMNH, for allowing access to copies of the field notes and journals of D. J. Nicholson and his brother W H. Nicholson which are the property of the FOS; the originals are archived at the WFVZ. We also thank T. Webber for sharing his infor- mation and correspondence about the collecting activities of C. E. Doe and A. Pirie of the Museum of Comparative Zoology and J. Dean of the National Museum of Natural His- tory for answering our query about the specimens collected by A. H. Hardisty and A. H. Howell. K. Meyer thanks T. Dellinger, T. Morris, R. Ridall, and G. Zimmerman for their dedicated field efforts toward finding nests and radio-tagging Short-tailed Hawks. Finally, we thank two anonymous individuals for their reviews of the manuscript. Literature Cited Bent, A. C. 1937. Life histories of North American birds of prey. Part 1. United States National Museum Bulletin 167. Brandt, H. W. 1924. The nesting of the Short-tailed Hawk. Auk 41:59-64. Houston, C. S. 1981. An assessment of Walter Raine and his Saskatchewan records. Blue Jay 39:168-181. Howell, A. H. 1932. Florida bird life. Coward-McCann, New York. Millsap, B. a., M. S. Robson, and B. R. Toland. 1996. Short-tailed Hawk {Buteo brachyurus). Pages 315-322 in Rare and endangered biota of Florida. Volume V. Birds (J. A. Rodgers, Jr., H. W. Kale, II, and H. T. Smith, Eds.). University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Nicholson, D. J. 1951. Notes on the very rare Short-tailed Hawk. Florida Naturalist 24:32-33. Ogden, J. C. 1974. The Short-tailed Hawk in Florida: (I) Migration, habitat, hunting techniques, and food habits. Auk 91:95-110. Ogden, J. C. 1988. Short-tailed Hawk. Pages 34-47 in Handbook of North American birds. Volume 5. Diurnal raptors, part 2 (R. S. Palmer, Ed.). Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. 47 NOTES Florida Field Naturalist 29(2):47-48, 2001. ON THE RUDDY COLOR OF THE RUDDY TURNSTONE Jack P. Hailman Archbold Biological Station, Old State Road 8, Venus, Florida 33960 Bent (1929:298) remarked of the Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala) that “As it stands motionless it is almost invisible in its coat of dark brown and might easily be mistaken for a knob of rock or bunch of seaweed.” Furthermore, dark, shadowed crevices abound on the rocky Pacific coasts where this species winters. On the other hand, no one seems to have suggested any concealing (or other) function for the ruddy coloration of the Ruddy Turnstone (A. interpres), the Black Turnstone’s only congener. The intensity and persistence into winter of the dorsal coloration of the Ruddy Turn- stone appears to be unique among North American shorebirds, being approached only by a lighter reddish cast peppered with black assumed by some other sandpipers prima- rily during the breeding season. Like these other shorebirds, the Ruddy Turnstone is also brighter in the breeding season, but despite field guides depicting it as having no ruddy in winter, my experience is that wintering individuals in Florida retain a (usually darker) reddish hue. The coloration results mainly from rufous edges or tips of central feathers of the lower mantle (Nettleship 2000; fide in specimen examined, collection at Archbold Biological Station). Ruddy Turnstones may molt into winter (definitive basic) plumage as late as March or April, and then molt into breeding (definitive alternate) plumage from late February to June (Nettleship 2000). Individuals might therefore spend little time in the non-ruddy winter plumage of field guides. The Ruddy Turnstone is a common winter resident on both coasts of Florida, includ- ing the vicinity of Jupiter Inlet, Palm Beach County, Florida, where groups of up to two dozen individuals feed along the ocean beach where my wife and I walk each morning. The birds forage for small invertebrates in windrows (and “surfrows”) of wrack com- posed mainly of gulfweed (Sargassum) in the family Fucaceae of the phylum of brown seaweeds. Two similar species of pelagic Sargassum commonly wash ashore here (Gos- ner 1979), possibly augmented by North American and West Indian benthic species that have broken loose from their attachments. Photographs and paintings of Sargassum in books illustrate live gulfweed, which is yellowish to greenish brown — and is indeed of- ten the coloration of newly arrived jetsam. Dead gulfweed, however, turns a deep red- dish color that is remarkably similar to the dorsal coloration of the Ruddy Turnstones associated with it. Not only do the turnstones forage in the dried, ruddy Sargassum, but perhaps more importantly they rest among bunches of it. A resting turnstone crouches down on the sand, preferring to be in a small depression if one is available. The birds are so cryptic that we have almost stepped on individuals that were in large groups completely unde- tected by us until they scurried away a short distance at the last moment. The Ruddy Turnstone has a widespread wintering range. The species occurs on the Atlantic shores of Europe, North America and South America, as well as on Pacific shores of the Americas and Pacific islands. It seems likely that the bird forages in and rests among wrack throughout its wintering range, although not necessarily always in Sargassum. Nevertheless, other kinds of seaweeds, particularly brown algae, may also dry to a deep reddish hue so that the turnstone’s coloration might provide concealment in most or all parts of its wintering range. 48 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Whether or not the intensified ruddy color in spring provides concealment on the breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra — or conversely serves there to make the bird con- spicuous in courtship or territorial interactions — is an interesting further question. The upperparts of the downy chicks “vary from light buff-gray to cinnamon-buff . . (Nettle- ship 2000:24), somewhat similar to dorsal coloration of the incubating bird, and thus suggesting the possibility of matching nearby vegetation. I cannot find specific color de- scriptions of plants around turnstone nests even though the kinds of plants are known, but the color photograph of an incubating bird shows plant materials of similar hue (Nettleship 2000). The photo also suggests that the black-and-white anterior patterns constitute disruptive coloration, visually breaking up the shape of the bird. With regard to the conspicuousness hypothesis, the species does ruffle the back feathers in aggres- sive display, but the white throat and black breast are apparently the major visual com- ponents of the display (Whitfield 1986). Finally, it is possible that a color pattern can be concealing at a distance (by color matching or disruptive pattern) but also conspicuous up close so that the two hypotheses are not mutually exclusive. In conclusion, the ruddy dorsal coloration of the Ruddy Turnstone provides remark- ably effective crypticity in matching the dried Sargassum in which the birds feed and rest in winter. The function of the brighter ruddy coloration on the breeding grounds may also be concealing, especially in conjunction with the disruptive coloration anterior to the ruddy back. Acknowledgments. — I thank my wife, Elizabeth, for reading the manuscript and especially Glen E. Woolfenden for some useful points about coloration and other issues. Literature Cited Bent, A. C. 1929. Life Histories of North American shore birds. Part 11. United States National Museum Bulletin 146:1-412. Gosner, K. L. 1979. A field guide to the Atlantic seashore. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. Nettleship, D. N. 2000. Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres). In The Birds of North America, no. 537 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Phila- delphia, PA. Whitfield, D. P. 1986. Plumage variability and territoriality in breeding turnstone Arenaria interpres: status signalling or individual recognition? Animal Behaviour 34:1471-1482. 49 Florida Field Naturalist 29(2):49-50, 2001. USE OF RED MANGROVE FOR NESTING BY SNAIL KITES IN FLORIDA Victoria J. Dreitz' and Jamie A. Duberstein'-" ^Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33124 ^Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Florida Gainesville, Florida, 32611 Various aspects on reproduction of the endangered Snail Kite {Rostrhamus sociahi- lis) have been studied throughout its range in the United States since the late 1960s. While several substrates have been documented, including both woody and herbaceous plants, the relative use of a nesting substrate varies between areas and among years (Snyder et al. 1989, Sykes et al. 1995). Commonly used woody plants include: coastal- plain willow {Salix caroliniana), pond apple (Annona glabra), baldcypress {Taxodium distichum), pondcypress (T! ascendens), punktree {Melaleuca quinquenervia), sweetbay {Magnolia virginiana), red bay {Persea borbonia), wax myrtle {Myrica cerifera), button- bush {Cephalanthus occidentalis), and coco plum {Chrysobalanus icaco). Herbaceous species include: sawgrass {Cladium jamaicense), cattail {Typha spp.), giant bulrush {Scirpus validus), and reed {Phragmites australis) (Nicholson 1926; Howell 1932; Stieg- litz and Thompson 1967; Sykes 1987a, b; Beissinger 1988; Bennetts et al. 1988; Snyder et al. 1989; Sykes et al. 1995; Bennetts and Kitchens 1997). Although Snail Kites use a variety of nesting substrates, there has been no published mention of use of red man- grove {Rhizphora mangle) as a nesting substrate. During 1999 we monitored Snail Kite nesting activity throughout central and south Florida as part of an ongoing study from 1995 to 1999 evaluating the influences of envi- ronmental variation on the demography of the Florida population of Snail Kites. We dis- covered three nests in red mangrove built approximately 2 m above water. These nests were located in the stairstep unit of Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park, south of Hwy 441 in Lostman’s Slough. Red mangrove is a woody species that in the southern peninsula of Florida occurs from saltwater inland to near-coastal freshwater within the mangrove fringes (Mitsch and Gosselink 1993). The occurrence of red mangrove as a nesting substrate for Snail Kites is ambiguous for interpretations of shifts in habitat quality. The Snail Kite is a highly nomadic species that moves frequently throughout its range in central and south Florida (Bennetts and Kitchens 1997) and has been seen in mangrove fringes (B. Rob- ertson, pers. comm.). Since 1995, Snail Kites have been reported to nest in the stairstep unit (Bennetts and Kitchens 1997), however, they have never been documented to nest in red mangroves prior 1999, Acknowledgments. — We thank Deborah Jansen and Big Cypress National Preserve for providing assistance in the field and use of their helicopter to check the status of nests in the stairstep unit. We are grateful to Drs. Wiley M. Kitchens and D. L. DeAnge- lis for their support. The US. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Johns River Water Manage- ment District, and the US. Geological Survey provided financial support for this project. Literature Cited Beissinger, S. R. 1988. The Snail Kite. In Handbook of North American Birds. Vol. 4. R. S. Palmer ed. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. Bennetts, R. E., M. W. Collopy, and S. R. Beissinger. 1988. Nesting ecology of Snail Kites in Water Conservation Area 3A. Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Re- search Unit, University of Florida. Unpublished Report No. 31, Gainesville. 50 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Bennetts, R. E., and W. M. Kitchens. 1997. The demography and movements of Snail Kites in Florida. USGS Biological Resources Division, Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (Technical Report No. 56), Gainesville. Howell, A. H. 1932. Florida bird life. Florida Department of Game and Fresh Water Fish, Tallahassee. Mitsch, W. J., and J. G. Gosselink. 1993. Wetlands. 2nd ed. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. Nicholson, D. J. 1926. Nesting habitat of the Everglades Kite in Florida. Auk 43: 62-67. Snyder, N. F., S. R. Beissinger, and R. E. Chandler. 1989. Reproduction and demog- raphy of the Florida Everglade (snail) Kite. Condor 91:300-316. Stieglitz, W. O., and R. L. Thompson. 1967. Status and life history of the Everglade Kite in the United States. Special Science Report B, Wildlife No. 109. US. Dep. Inte- rior, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Washington, D.C. 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.). Acad- emy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and the American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Sykes, P. W., Jr. 1987a. Snail Kite nesting ecology in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 15:57-84. Sykes, P. W., Jr. 1987b. Some aspects of the breeding biology of the Snail Kite in Flor- ida. Journal of Field Ornithology 58:171-189. 51 Florida Field Naturalist 29(2):51-53, 2001. SALMONELLOSIS IN A WILD TURKEY FROM FLORIDA Donald J. Forrester and Marilyn G. Spalding Department of Pathohiology, Box 110880, College of Veterinary Medicine University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is an important game bird in Florida. Legal hunting occurs in each of Florida’s 67 counties and in 1997 more than 12,000 were killed (Linda 1998). An understanding of the health and diseases of Wild Turkeys is important in order to manage this species properly. A synopsis of disease conditions found in Wild Turkeys in Florida from 1969 to 1990 (Forrester 1992) included little on their bacterial diseases. We describe a fatal case of salmonellosis that occurred concurrently with avian pox and leucocytozoonosis in a Wild Turkey from Florida. On 22 January 1997 a juvenile female Wild Turkey was found in a weakened condition on a private ranch managed for cattle and wildlife near Three Lakes Wildlife Manage- ment Area in Osceola County. The bird was captured easily by hand, and died shortly thereafter. The carcass was refrigerated and submitted the next day to our laboratory for determination of the cause of death. It weighed 2.0 kg. A healthy juvenile female Wild Turkey from Florida at this time of year should weigh around 3.4 kg. (Powell 1965). Samples of skin, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, pancreas, duodenum, and cecum were fixed in 10% buffered formalin, embedded in paraffin, sectioned at 5 pm, and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin. Sections of liver and skin were also stained with Periodic Acid Schiffs stain and Brown and Brenn stain. Thin films of heart blood were prepared, fixed with absolute methanol, and stained by standard Giemsa technique at a dilution of 1:10 and pH 7.0 or 7.2 for 1 h. A sample of liver tissue was cultured for aerobic bacteria including Salmonella spp. A Salmonella isolate was submitted to the U.S.D.A. National Veterinary Services Laboratory (Ames, Iowa) for serotyping. The pectoral muscle mass was severely reduced. There were pox-like lesions at the base of the bill and within the dorsal surface of the pharynx involving about one half of the choanal slit. There were also nodules on about 30% of the skin of the head, the lat- eral commissure of the right eye, and the neck. There were nits of chewing lice (Mallo- phaga) on the wing feathers and around the cloaca. The liver was firm and reddish black with sharp margins and diffusely distributed light tan foci on both the capsular and cut surface. Many of these foci had central depressions. The cecae were distended and con- tained white firm caseous cores. The skin sections were characterized by dermatitis with eosinophilic intracytoplas- mic inclusion bodies in the epidermis, diffuse severe hyperkeratosis, and chronic ulcer- ative necrosis, which were consistent with avian pox. Branching septate fungal hyphae extended from the superficial crusts into the dermis. Cecae were distended with fibrino- necrotic cores with large colonies of short gram-negative bacterial rods. The liver was characterized by severe multifocal to bridging hepatic necrosis with similar bacterial colonies. Sinusoids were congested with erythrocytes, mixed leucocytes, and many cells with intracytoplasmic protozoans consistent with Leucocytozoon sp. A few hepatocytes contained protozoal schizonts. There were moderate accumulations of brown pigment in Kupffer cells. Bacterial colonies and necrotic foci were also found in the kidney and spleen. No protozoal organisms were seen in the liver or cecal sections. Blood smears were positive for the protozoan blood parasites Leucocytozoon smithi and Haemoproteus meleagridis. Salmonella tallahassee was isolated from the liver in al- most pure culture. Two other gram-negative enteric rods. Staphylococcus aureus, two other Staphylococcus spp. and a non-hemolytic Streptococcus were present in less than 1% of the culture. 52 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST The primary cause of death of this turkey was considered to be salmonellosis. Avian pox infection and leucocytozoonosis may have been contributing factors, however, the le- sions were not severe enough to cause death. The other bacteria, fungi, and protozoans were considered to be incidental findings. This is the first definitive diagnosis of salmonellosis in Wild Turkeys from Florida. There are two other presumptive (unconfirmed) cases. One was an adult gobbler from Lake X (Osceola County) in 1970 and the other was an adult gobbler from Myakka River State Park (Manatee County) in 1977. Salmonella miami was isolated from the Lake X bird and S. braenderup from the Myakka bird (F. W. White and D. J. Forrester, unpubl. data, J. A. Popp and D. J. Forrester, unpubl. data). Salmonellosis has been reported also as individual cases in Wild Turkeys in other southeastern states (Alabama, Georgia, Virginia; Davidson and Wentworth 1992, How- erth 1985). Howerth (1985) reported miliary pinpoint foci in the liver of a turkey in- fected with Salmonella typhimurium, unlike the large foci of hepatic necrosis (i.e., dead tissue) in our case. Both birds had enlarged cecae with fibronecrotic cores. Because of the similarity of the gross lesions to histomonosis, we recommend that salmonellosis be considered as a differential diagnosis in such cases. Salmonellosis is probably uncommon in this species and of little consequence to tur- keys at the population level. Non-pathogenic enteric infections of Wild Turkeys with vari- ous serovars (varieties) of Salmonella are more common in Florida. Between 1969 and 1982 intestinal contents of Wild Turkeys from Florida were cultured for Salmonella or- ganisms (Akey 1981, White et al. 1981, F. H. White and D. J. Forrester unpubl. data). Thirteen serovars were identified in 23 (5%) of 478 turkeys; positive birds were found in 6 of 19 counties (Alachua, Glades, Hendry, Levy, Osceola, Sarasota). The relationship of Salmonella infections in turkeys, range cattle, and other birds was studied by White et al. (1981) from 1969 to 1979 at Fisheating Creek (Glades County). They identified a number of serovars of Salmonella, four from songbirds (Eastern Towhees {Pipilo erythrophthal- mus\, Common Crackles [Quiscalus quiscula], American Crows \Corvus hrachyrhynchos], and Northern Cardinals [Cardinalis cardinalis]) and one from range cattle that occurred also in Wild Turkeys, which may mean that some of the serovars are cycling among these hosts. The only other reports of Salmonella tallahassee from wildlife in Florida were those of Bigler et al. (1974) and White et al. (1975) of infections in raccoons {Procyon lotor) from Collier County. These ecological relationships need further study. Although not severe in this instance, avian pox infections are common in Wild Tur- keys throughout the southeastern U.S. (Forrester 1991, Forrester 1992) and frequently cause mortality. It was more difficult to assess the significance of the leucocjdozoonosis in this case. Leucocytozoon smithi is transmitted to Wild Turkeys by a number of species of black flies (genus Simulium) (Pinkovsky et al. 1981) and is distributed throughout Flor- ida with prevalences as high as 100% in some areas (Forrester et al. 1974). Byrd (1959) conducted experimental infections and concluded that L. smithi was not a serious pri- mary pathogen for Wild Turkeys. The importance of this parasite may be in its role as a stress factor or in additive effects in cases where other parasites and disease agents are present (Borg 1953, Simpson et al. 1956). More information is needed on the effects of combined infections of various disease agents on Wild Turkeys in Florida and elsewhere. Summary: The primary cause of death of a free-ranging juvenile female Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) from Osceola County, Florida was salmonellosis. Salmonella talla- hassee was isolated from the liver in almost pure culture. Salmonellosis appears to be uncommon in Wild Turkeys and is probably of little importance at the population level. This bird also had concurrent infections of avian pox and leucocytozoonosis. Acknowledgments. — We appreciate the assistance of Mark Banker of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in bringing us this Wild Turkey to examine. We also thank Georgeann Ellis of the Clinical Microbiology Service of the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital for assistance with the bacteriologic stud- Notes 53 ies. This research was supported by the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station and contracts from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Program, Florida Pittman-Robertson Project W-41 and approved as Journal Series No. R-07754. Literature Cited Akey, B. L. 1981. Mortality in Florida Wild Turkey poults {Meleagris gallopauo osceola). M.S. thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville. Bigler, W. J., G. L. Hoff, A. M. Jasmin, and F. H. White. 1974. Salmonella infections in Florida raccoons, Procyon lotor. Archives of Environmental Health 28:261-262. Borg, K. 1953. On Leucocytozoon in Swedish Capercaillie, Black Grouse and Hazel Grouse. Berlingska Boktryckeriet, Lund, Sweden. Byrd, M. A. Observations on Leucocytozoon in pen-raised and free-ranging Wild Tur- keys. Journal of Wildlife Management 23:145-156. Davidson, W. R., and E. J. Wentworth. 1992. Population influences: Diseases and par- asites. Pages 101-118 in The Wild Turkey — biology and management (J. G. Dickson, Ed.). Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA. 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. 1992. A synopsis of disease conditions found in Wild Turkeys {Meleagris gallopauo L.) from Florida, 1969-1990. Florida Field Naturalist 20:29-35. Forrester, D. J., L. T. Hon, L. E. Williams, Jr., and D. H. Austin. 1974. Blood proto- zoa of Wild Turkeys in Florida. Journal of Protozoology 21:494-497. Howerth, E. W. 1985. Salmonellosis in a Wild Turkey. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 21:433-434. Linda, S. B. 1998. Analysis of 1997-1998 statewide and wildlife management area hunter surveys: Methods and results. Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commis- sion, Gainesville, FL. PiNKOvsKY, D. D., D. J. Forrester, and J. F. Butler 1981. Investigations on black fly vectors (Diptera: Simuliidae) of Leucocytozoon smithi (Sporozoa: Leucocytozoidae) in Florida. Journal of Medical Entomology 18:153-157. Powell, J. A. 1965. The Florida Wild Turkey. Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Com- mission Technical Bulletin No. 8, Tallahassee, FL. Simpson, C. F., D. W. Anthony, and F. Young. 1956. Parasitism of adult turkeys in Florida by Leucocytozoon smithi (Lavern and Lucet). Journal of the American Veteri- nary Medical Association 129:573-576. White, F. H., D. J. Forrester, and L. E. Williams, Jr. 1981. Isolations of Salmonella from Wild Turkeys in Florida. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 17:327-330. White, F. H., J. J. Watson, G. L. Hoff, and W. J. Bigler 1975. Edwardsiella tarda infections in Florida raccoons, Procyon lotor. Archives of Environmental Health 30:602-603. 54 Florida Field Naturalist 29(2):54-55, 2001. NOTES ON THE EASTERN PIPISTRELLE IN SOUTHEAST FLORIDA Jeffrey T. Hutchinson and Richard E. Roberts Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks District 5 Administration, 13798 SE Federal Highway, Hobe Sound, Florida 33455 Bat surveys along the Treasure Coast (Brevard, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach counties; Jennings 1958, Robson 1989) have not reported the presence of the eastern pipistrelle {Pipistrellus subflavus). This species has been assumed to be absent from the Treasure Coast and other parts of south Florida, but is common in north Florida and the eastern United States (Barbour and Davis 1969). The nearest known locality record of this species in southern peninsular Florida is just north of Lake Okeechobee in Basinger (Okeechobee Co.), Florida (Davis 1959). Layne (1992b) observed a population of eastern pipistrelles in a basement at Archbold Biological Station in Highlands County during every month of the year except May, but reported no pregnant or lactating females during the summer. An eastern pipistrelle was also reported from the Sugarloaf Key in the lower Florida Keys (Hardin 1975), but it appears this species was a vagrant (Lazell and Koopman, 1985). Circumstantial evi- dence suggests that a storm may have blown the pipistrelle into the lower Florida Keys (Hardin 1975). On 8 June 2000 while mist-netting in Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Martin County, Florida (N26°57’0.54”; W80°10’8.56”), we captured two eastern pipistrelles over the Loxahatchee River. The Loxahatchee River is a tidal, slow-moving, blackwater stream surrounded by cypress swamp. Dominant canopy vegetation is characterized by mature bald-cypress {Taxodium distichum), water hickory {Carya aquatica), and red maple (Acer rubrum). Mist-nets were set across the canopy-covered river just south of the Masten Dam. Both bats were captured simultaneously shortly after sunset at ap- proximately 20:40. One of the pipistrelles was a lactating female (5.5 g) and the other a juvenile female (4.5 g). Two enlarged mammary glands were observed on the adult, indicating she was nursing young. Both bats exhibited fur that extended ca. Us of the way down the anterior portion of their interfemoral membrane. Based on field examination, both pipistrelles exhibited characteristics of the subspecies described by Davis (1957). No reddish colora- tion was observed on the fur. Examination of the fur revealed the base to be brown, the terminal band to be dark brown, and the tips of the guard hairs to be grayish-silver. Overall, both bats exhibited a grizzled silvery-gray appearance. The characteristic tri- colored fur was not evident on either bat. Neither bat was collected as a voucher speci- men because of state park restrictions. On the evening of 15 June 2000 while mist-netting in Seabranch Preserve State Park, Martin County (N27°7’52.27”; W80°9’56.03”) in mature sand pine scrub, one of us (JTH) observed what was believed to be another eastern pipistrelle fluttering near a mist-net. At first glance, it appeared that the creature was a large Polyphemus moth fluttering near the net, but JTH soon realized it was a small bat and most likely an east- ern pipistrelle. Barbour and Davis (1969) describe the flight pattern of the eastern pipis- trelle as weak and similar to the flight of a large moth. In addition, eastern pipistrelles are easily distinguished from other bats in the area by their small size. Because female pipistrelles switch roost sites seasonally depending on their repro- ductive status, it is speculative if both sexes remain in south Florida throughout the year. At Archbold Biological Station, all eastern pipistrelles were observed in structures and no pregnant or lactating females were reported (Layne 1992b). Because the eastern pipistrelle is an obligate hibernator, MacNab (1974) suggested that this species exhibits Notes 55 reverse migration in winter to cave regions of north Florida and Georgia to hibernate. Our capture of a lactating female adds credence to Layne’s (1992b) suggestion that this species, though rare, occurs in south Florida throughout the year and that females se- lect alternative maternity roosts. Recent evidence suggests that female pipistrelles use Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) or snags for maternity roosts (Menzel et al. 1996; Menzel et al. 1999). If female pipistrelles in south Florida select natural maternity sites (e.g., Spanish moss, snags, etc.), this would explain why no pregnant or lactating fe- males were observed using structures at Archbold Biological Station. We suggest that eastern pipistrelles are present throughout the year in south Flor- ida and may reach their southern distribution along an east to west boundary from the north-central section of Lake Okeechobee. With the exception of an eastern pipistrelle reported from the Florida Keys, the capture of two eastern pipistrelles in Martin County represents a distance of ca. 96 linear km southeast and 128 km east from the nearest known locales in south Florida. Other reports (Layne 1992a, Brown and Brown 1993) suggest that additional species of bats that are assumed to be obligate or facultative hi- bernators may seasonally or permanently occur in south Florida. However, due to the paucity of information on bats in south Florida and an ambiguous knowledge of their migratory patterns, it is difficult to state if obligate and facultative hibernators are com- mon in south Florida during summer. Future surveys should provide more insight into the seasonal movement patterns of bats into south Florida. Literature Cited Barbour, R. W., and W. H. Davis. 1969. Bats of America. Univ. of Kentucky Press, Lex- ington. Brown, L. N., and C. K. Brown. 1993. First record of the eastern big-eared bat (Plecotus rafinesquii) in southern Florida. Florida Scientist 56:63-64. Davis, W H. 1957. A new subspecies of the eastern pipistrelle from Florida. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 70:213-216. Davis, W. H. 1959. Taxonomy of the eastern pipistrelle. Journal of Mammalogy 40:521-531. Hardin, J. W. 1975. A new record of Pipistrellus subflavus from Florida. Quarterly Jour- nal of the Florida Academy of Science 47:70-71. Jennings, W L. 1958. The ecological distribution of bats in Florida. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Florida, Gainesville. Lazell, J. D., Jr., and K. F. Koopman. 1985. Notes on bats of Florida’s Lower Keys. Florida Scientist 48:37-41. Layne, J. N. 1992a. Recent records of the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, in southern Florida. Bat Research News 33:1-3. Layne, J. N. 1992b. Status of the eastern pipistrelle Pipistrellus subflavus at its southern range limit in the eastern United States. Bat Research News 33:43-46. McNab, B. K. 1974. The behavior of temperate cave bats in subtropical Florida. Ecology 55:943-958. Menzel, M. A., L. T. Lepardo, and J. Laerm. 1996. Possible use of a basal cavity as a maternity roost by the eastern pipistrelle, Pipistrellus subflavus. Bat Research News 37:115-116. 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. Robson, M. 1989. Status survey of the Florida mastiff bat. Final Performance Report, Nongame Wildlife Section, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Talla- hassee, FL. 17 pp. 56 REVIEWS Florida Field Naturalist 29(2):56-57, 2001. Bird Migration, Weather, and Fallout including the Migrant Traps of Ala- bama and Northwest Florida. — Robert A. Duncan. 1994, second printing 1997. Pub- lished by the author, 614 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561. 95 pp. $9.95 paper. — Migration is one of the wonders of the natural world. Although not limited to birds, we often associate the phenomenon with birds due to the highly predictable and conspicuous nature of bird migration. For people worldwide, the arrivals and departures of birds mark the seasons and bring rhythm to human lives. In North America, we are privileged to watch the comings and goings of a wide variety of Nearctic-Neotropical mi- grants including vireos, wood-warblers, tanagers, buntings, and grosbeaks, many of which are extremely beautiful. Some of the best places to observe these species are along the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean where birds may arrive in spring after long over-water flights or where birds may concentrate in fall prior to their return to tropical wintering grounds. In Florida, we are lucky to have a great many of these migration hot spots and we keenly look forward to spring and fall migration and those days when we hit it just right and find birds dripping from the trees in profusion. However, “hitting it just right” requires more than just good luck. It requires knowl- edge of the geography of one’s region, in that birds tend to be concentrated by certain land features and attracted by particular vegetation types. More importantly, it requires an understanding of the weather and how it provokes migration in birds and affects the way those migratory flights manifest themselves. Any numbers of variations are possi- ble. Depending on the weather, there may be no migration. Alternatively, tremendous numbers of birds may migrate, but they might pass by relatively unseen, or they may be constrained by weather and geography so that they concentrate and “fall out” in great numbers where we can enjoy them. As Duncan points out in this book, huge fallouts are rare events, but you can defi- nitely use a knowledge of weather to ensure that you go birding on the right days and at the right times to maximize the probability of seeing good numbers of migrants. Under- standing weather and bird migration is what this book is all about. Duncan has been birding in the Florida Panhandle since 1968, lives in Gulf Breeze, a well-established mi- grant trap, and is an amateur meteorologist. At the urging of friends and family, he com- bined his two areas of expertise and more than twenty years of data into a book to aid all birders in understanding the relationship between weather and migration. While the target audience is all birders, it is immediately apparent that this book focuses on trans-Gulf migration in the western Florida Panhandle and closely adjacent Alabama. There is ready applicability of the book’s subject matter to the entire Gulf of Mexico coast, and to a more limited degree to the south Atlantic coast from the Caroli- nas through Florida. However, I want to stress that there is indeed a great deal of infor- mation that will aid all birders in understanding weather and migration using the Gulf coast as an example. The book starts with a brief chapter on the phenomenon of migration in Nearctic- Neotropical migrant land birds during spring and fall over and around the Gulf, citing many seminal works on the subject, and a short chapter on how adverse weather can contribute to fallouts. Two chapters describe how weather affects each of spring and fall migration. Another chapter discusses weather and vagrancy and is especially specific to the northern Gulf coast. It addresses factors that might bring tropical vagrants, such as Fork-tailed Flycatcher and Yellow-green Vireo, and western vagrants, such as Ash- throated Flycatcher and Vermillion Flycatcher, to the area. The heart of the book is the chapter entitled, “How to Predict Fallout.” This begins with an explanation of weather resources available to birders and their strong points Reviews 57 and limitations. Then Duncan uses 14 maps to illustrate 12 different weather scenarios, six in each of spring and fall. In each case, he explains what the weather map is telling us and what it means for birding on the day of the observed weather, as well as the day before and the day after. He also provides advice on what weather developments to watch for that may affect the outlook for future birding. This is a very valuable section of the book. The author mixes the good with the bad and makes sure that we under- stand when it will great birding as well as when it will be better to pray for a change. The book includes a guide to migrant traps from Dauphin Island, Alabama east to St. George Island State Park, Florida. Obviously this section is going to be most appreci- ated by birders actually visiting sites along the northern Gulf The Florida sites are all treated in B. Pranty’s A Birder's Guide to Florida (1996. American Birding Association, Colorado Springs, CO.). However, for those specifically hunting migrant land birds, Duncan’s site descriptions are very useful. He also provides a map of St. Andrews State Park, lacking in Pranty, and maps that are more detailed than those in Pranty for St. Joseph Peninsula State Park and St. George Island State Park. The book concludes with a brief chapter on the conservation status of the migrant traps described in the previous section and the importance of maintaining stopover hab- itat for migrants, a brief glossary of weather terms and symbols, a bar-graph style check-list of some Nearctic-Neotropical migrant land birds in the north Gulf coastal re- gion and a more detailed description of weather resources available to birders. The checklist is slightly out of date compared to the new checklist data presented in The Birds of Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties, Florida (R. A. Duncan and L. R. Duncan. 2000, revised 2nd edition. Published by the authors.), but the information is good enough for predicting when the species listed will occur in the region. Although raptors, hummingbirds, flycatchers, swallows and icterids are all mentioned in the text, they are curiously absent from the checklist. Certainly, the number and quality of weather resources available to the public has grown since 1994, especially on the Inter- net, and this may be the part of the book that most shows its age. Despite its regional emphasis, I think this book has a lot to offer birders in others parts of Florida and the United States. For a detailed treatment of migration in general, I would look to other texts such as T. Alerstam’s Bird Migration (1990. Cambridge Uni- versity Press, New York, NY) or, for a less technical treatment, P. Kerlinger’s How Birds Migrate (1995. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA.), but I am not aware of another book that does what Duncan’s does: provide multiple concrete examples of weather con- ditions and their anticipated effect on bird migration and the birds we may observe on the ground. I recommend this book to all birders and professionals with an interest in migration, but will go so far as to say that it is required reading for anyone who wishes to maximize their enjoyment of migration along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. — George E. Wallace, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 3911 High- way 2321, Panama City, Florida 32409-1658. 58 Florida Field Naturalist 29(2):58-59, 2001. Puerto Rico’s Birds in Photographs, 2nd edition. — Mark W. Oberle. 2000. Edito- rial Humanitas, Seattle, Washington, 98112-2936. 132 p. + CD-ROM. Softcover, ISBN 0- 9650104-1-4. $29.95. — Mark W. Oberle’s new edition of Puerto Rico’s Birds in Photo- graphs is really two books in one, a traditional softcover version and a digital version on CD-ROM. The first is compact and can be browsed at leisure and carried into the field, while the second provides details and additional photographs that can be explored as de- sired. Together, these formats seek to illustrate with color photographs all birds known from Puerto Rico, and to provide a synoptic summary of information for each of them. The stated audience for this publication is anyone who wishes to learn about Puerto Rico’s avian “heritage.” In short, it is intended to be a source of general information sup- ported by a portfolio of mostly superb photographs. This book and CD-ROM fulfils this goal admirably. Both English- and Spanish-versions are available on the CD-ROM. The book is an abbreviated “hard-copy” version of the CD-ROM. It meets the needs of those who are not computer-literate, or those who simply wish to carry it afield while leaving the laptop computer at home. Although it is not intended as a field guide, it can serve as a useful adjunct to available guides to West Indian or Puerto Rican birds. It presents a representative selection of photographs (one to three per species) of 181 spe- cies, including all breeding birds, common visitors (migrants), and a few other species that merit attention. In contrast, the CD-ROM contains much additional information. Apart from an ex- tensive bibliography (below), there are background essays on Puerto Rico’s birds and conservation, a list of organizations that support conservation, including those that fo- cus on Puerto Rican issues, and a sample birding tour in the southwest of the island. The main feature is a list of birds, with links to species accounts of over 340 species. Some species are not yet known from Puerto Rico, but occur on neighboring islands. The species accounts are accompanied by a marvelous selection of photographs contributed collectively by 50 photographers. Endemic species are treated separately from non-endemics in the book. This is a problem only if one wishes to quickly compare similar species (e.g. mangos, flycatchers) between the two groups. The nomenclature follows the most recent edition of and sup- plement to the A.O.U. Check-list, so all names are current. Spanish names are provided as well. Each account summarizes information under the headings “Identification”, “Habitat”, “Habits”, “Status and Conservation”, “Range”, and, when appropriate, “Tax- onomy.” The statement on Habits appropriately focuses on what is known about behav- ior and ecology of the species in Puerto Rico, and is well researched throughout. However, information on breeding behavior in some accounts of northern visitors is readily available elsewhere, and is superfluous here. In general, the text is carefully ed- ited and succinctly written, and is very readable. Although few typographic errors are evident, occasional lapses appear in the accounts. One such instance is the unqualified remark in the American Kestrel {Falco sparverius) account that “kestrels in Europe” de- tect the urine and feces of rodents in ultraviolet light, but that such information is un- available for “kestrels in Puerto Rico.” Since the word “kestrel” is otherwise used throughout the account to refer to American (Puerto Rican) birds, unwary or unin- formed readers may be forgiven if they assume that American Kestrels also occur in Eu- rope, rather than another species entirely. In nearly every case, the photographs selected to represent species in the book are good choices. However, the choice for the Lesser Antillean Pewee {Contopus latirostris) presents a puzzle. The adult plumage of this species is frequently portrayed or described in other books, but the immature plumages of this species are rarely mentioned, and ev- idently not well known. Oberle offers three photographs, a small one of an adult (dis- tinctive buff-yellow underparts), and a large and small one (images of same bird) of an Reviev/s 59 apparent immature individual (incomplete grayish-olive “vest” on white underparts). Apart from a vague remark about “duller” immature birds, Oberle provides no special comment on the different plumages, yet the photographs seem to demand some explana- tion. The CD-ROM has an excellent portfolio of photographs of adults. Incidentally, the comment about the species' name (“Contopus portoricensis”) if it were to be regarded as an endemic to Puerto Rico is gratuitous and incorrect, since hlancoi, not portoricensis, is the oldest available specific epithet. The texts of the species accounts in the book and in the CD-ROM differ in a couple significant ways, but otherwise conform closely. The CD-ROM account has a separate heading on “Voice”, but this information is summarized under “Habits” in the book. The book provides no references in individual species accounts and only a short bibliography at the end of the book. The lack of citations in the book prevents internal referencing, but the CD-ROM provides a list of references in each account and a complete bibliography (nearly 700 titles) that is accessed by a hyperlink. This bibliography provides an exten- sive compilation of primary and secondary sources of information on West Indian birds. Differences between species accounts in the two formats reflect their respective strengths or purposes, portability versus detail. For example, the Adelaide’s Warbler (Dendroica adelaidae) account in the book offers three photographs (one of the St. Lucia Warbler [D. delicata], formerly also Adelaide’s Warbler), a slightly abbreviated text (voice is given separate treatment in the CD-ROM), and no references. The CD-ROM provides the same three photographs plus 11 others of Adelaide’s Warblers, and one other of St. Lucia Warbler for comparison. The images in this case are the work of four different photographers. The goal of providing a summary of what is knov/n about Puerto Rico’s birds, accom- panied by a selection of marvelous photographs, has been fully achieved. The book and CD-ROM complement one another well, although the CD-ROM repeats information al- ready available in the book. Many owners probably will use the book as a convenient guide to Puerto Rico’s birds. However, the book does poorly in distinguishing similar species in the descriptions, so users will not find that it substitutes as a field guide, as noted. Many accounts would benefit if the sex of birds in the photographs were identi- fied. Still, the strengths of this publication far exceed any minor issues raised here. I can recommend it highly to anybody interested in West Indian birds in general, and in Puerto Rico’s avifauna in particular. It provides a useful statement of current knowl- edge, and the book would be a valuable field companion. — Jon S. Greenlaw, Archbold Biological Station, Venus, Florida 33960. 60 Florida Field Naturalist 29(2):60-74, 2001. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Fall Report! August-No vember 2000. — The observations listed here are reports of significant birds or numbers of birds reported to the Field Observations Committee (FOC). Reports submitted to the Committee should be in the following format: species, number of individuals, age and sex of the bird(s), color morph if applicable, location (in- cluding county), date, observer(s), and significance. Reporting seasons are winter (De- cember-February), spring (March-May), summer (June-July), and fall (August- November). Submit reports to regional compilers within two weeks after the close of each season, or to the state compiler within one month. Reports sent via e-mail are greatly preferred over those sent via regular mail. Addresses of the FOC members are found at the end of this report. 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) are marked with an asterisk (*). A county designation {in italics) accompanies the first- time listing of each site in this report. Abbreviations used are: BFRA = Brown’s Farm Road area SE of Belle Glade {Palm Beach), CP = county park, ENP = Everglades National Park, EOS = end of season, FDCP = Fort De Soto CP {Pinellas), FWBSTF = Fort Walton Beach STF {Okaloosa), HISRA = Honeymoon Island SRA {Pinellas), MINWR = Merritt Island NWR {Brevard), NWR = national wildlife refuge, PPM = Polk phosphate mines, PPSP = Paynes Prairie State Preserve {Alachua), SP = state park, SRA = state recreation area, SCCP - Saddle Creek CP {Polk), SMNWR = St. Marks NWR {Wakulla), SRSTF = Springhill Road STF {Leon), STF = sewage treatment facility, TCS = Turkey Creek Sanctuary {Brevard), and N, S, E, W etc., for compass directions. Bold-faced species denote birds newly reported or verified in Florida. Summary of the Fall Season The drought continued in the Peninsula through the fall, despite a relatively active hurricane season, but heavy rains provided some relief in the Panhandle. Most notable of the tropical storms was Hurricane Gordon, which moved north through the eastern Gulf 16-17 September, before coming ashore near Cedar Key just before midnight on the 17th. Gordon exited the state west of Jacksonville early on the 18th and left massive fallouts in many areas of the Peninsula. At Sanibel Island 16-17 September, Charlie Ewell reported “thousands” of Common Nighthawks and passerines, and a number of pe- lagic birds — including 300 jaegers, and 8 Brown Noddies sitting in trees — seeking refuge in San Carlos Bay. Dave Goodwin commented that the fallout in Pinellas 16 September was the largest he had seen in his 35 years of birding in Florida, with “hundreds upon hundreds” of migrants. At Turkey Creek Sanctuary in Brevard, 32 species of wood-war- blers were seen this fall. A number of wood-warblers were reported in larger than usual numbers, including Nashville, Cerulean, Kentucky and especially Wilson’s. The latter species staged an unprecedented invasion into Florida. The western Panhandle experi- enced what Bob Duncan called a “wild season,” with 15 species of western vagrants, pos- sibly related to the severe drought in the Southwest. Many rarities were reported this fall, most notably flycatchers. Twelve species require FOSRC review: Bar-tailed Godwit, Heermann’s Gull (the first Florida report), Broad- tailed Hummingbird, Willow Flycatcher, two Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers, TropicaP Couch’s Kingbird, Cassin’s Kingbird, Fork-tailed Flycatcher (the 4th this year!), Bick- nell’s Thrush, MacGiliivray’s Warbler, Brewer’s Sparrow (the first Florida report), and Bullock’s Oriole. Other lesser rarities were also well-represented. Two new exotics were Field Observations 61 reported, one of these videotaped. Finally, this fall report is quite large (just under 8800 words), a trend apparent in recent years, especially with the fall season. The primary reason for such a large report is the number of notable, weather-related sightings, but an ever-increasing number of observers posting to Internet lists is also responsible. Internet postings of rarities that lack satisfactory documentation have become a problem conti- nentwide, and solutions are underway in Florida Field Naturalist and North American Birds. One solution being enacted in Florida is to rely solely on non-Internet observa- tions specifically sent to FOC members by active birders. Beginning with the Winter 2000-2001 report, observations not sent directly to the FOC likely will not be published. Species Accounts Common Loon: 1 in flight S of La Belle {Hendry) 13 Nov (V. McGrath, V. Lucas et ah). Eared Grebe: 4 at LARA 13 Sep and 1 there to 21 Sep (H. Robinson); 2 at FWBSTF 14 Sep and up to 3 there 17 Oct-29 Nov (B. and L. Duncan, D. Ware et al.); 2 at PPM 15 Sep (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 2 (1 in mostly breeding plumage) at SRSTF 28 Sep-6 Oct (G. Menk, T. Curtis et ah), and 1 there 12 Oct-20 Nov (G. Menk et al.). Cory’s Shearwater: 10 off Port Canaveral {Brevard) 8 Nov (B. Pranty et al.). Masked Booby: 1 from Santa Rosa Island {Santa Rosa) 8 Sep (B. and L. Duncan). Brown Booby: 1 juvenile resting on the St. Marks River {Wakulla) 24 Sep (B. Hender- son, D. Wells, details to FOC); 1 juvenile off Port Canaveral 8 Nov (B. Pranty et al.). American White Pelican: 125+ at BFRA 16 Sep (J. Holstein, C. Weber); 150 off Pass-A- Grille Beach {Pinellas) 12 Oct (L. Atherton); 200 over Bald Point {Franklin) 18 Oct, and another 350+ there 26 Nov ( J. Dozier); 50 that summered on Newnans Lake {Ala- chua) had increased to 608 by 25 Nov (L. Davis); 45 at Weekiwachee Preserve {Her- nando) 27 Nov (A. and B. Hansen); 356 at Lake Hollingsworth by 27 Nov (T. Palmer); 11 at Lake Jackson 29 Nov (M. Hill). Brown Pelican: 1 at Newnans Lake 19 Aug (J. Hintermister et ah); 1 at PPSP 24 Aug (P. Lefebvre); 3 at Lake Willis {Orange) 29 Oct (T. Palmer); 4 adults at Lake Istok- poga {Highlands), where birds are becoming regular, 19 Nov (M. McMillian). Great Cormorant: 1 immature at Titusville {Brevard) 25 Nov-EOS (C. and K. Rada- maker [photos to FOC] et al.). Anhinga: 27 over Curry Hammock SP {Monroe) 27 Oct and 11 there 5 Nov (D. Lovitch et al.). Magnificent Frigatebird: 1 over Alligator Point 27 Aug (J. Murphy); 13 over Bald Point 17 Sep (J. Dozier); 14 over Winter Haven {Polk) 17 Sep (P. Fellers, C. Geanan- gel); 1 over St. Joseph Peninsula {Gulf) 14 Oct (G. Sprandel). American Bittern: 1 at PPM 15 Oct (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 1 over Curry Hammock SP 26 Oct (D. Lovitch et al.); 1 ate a banded water snake at Eagle Lakes Park {Collier) 18 Nov (V. Lucas et al.); 1 at Lake Jackson 29 Nov (M. Hill). Least Bittern: 1 at FDCP 18 Sep (L. Atherton, R. Webb). “Great White Heron:” [the same?] 1 E of Eastpoint {Franklin) 16 Aug (J. Dozier) and at Yent’s Bayou {Franklin) 18 Sep (E. Lovestrand); 1 at St. Augustine {St. Johns) 18-21 Aug (D. Reed). Great Egret: 179 at Newnans Lake 8 Aug (H. Adams); 3000+ at BFRA 16 Sep (J. Hol- stein, C. Weber). Snowy Egret: 915 at BFRA 16 Sep (J. Holstein, C. Weber). White x Scarlet Ibis: 1 “pink” ibis at Port Canaveral {Brevard) 18 Nov (F. and Ruth Clark) had been present in the area “for several years” (N. Sekera). Glossy Ibis: 1 at HISRA 14 Oct (P. Blair, K. Nelson). Sacred Ibis {Threskiornis aethiopicus): 2 at the Palm Beach Solid Waste Authority site 13 Aug (P. Merritt, photos to FOC). This is the first published Florida report, but P. William Smith (in litt.) is aware of earlier, unpublished sightings from SE Florida. 62 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Roseate Spoonbill: up to 6 at Newnans Lake to 2 Nov (J. Hintermister et al.); 1 at Weekiwachee Preserve 6 Aug (C. Black); 418 (!) at BFRA 16 Sep (J. Holstein, C. We- ber); 1 at Hernando Beach Park {Hernando) 16 Oct (A. and B. Hansen); up to 16 at many Polk sites variously this fall (P. Fellers, T. Palmer). Wood Stork: 800+ in one field at BFRA 27 Aug (D. Simpson, B. Pranty et al.); 107 at Lake Hollingsworth 29 Aug (T. Palmer). Flamingo species: 1 at Cedar Key {Levy) 25 Sep-3 Oct (D. Henderson); 1 at Pine Island Sound {Lee) 26 Sep (J. Gray, D. Mahan, details to FOC). Greater Flamingo: 2 flying S over Curry Hammock SP 18 Sep {fide C. Borg); 1 at Boca Chica {Monroe) 16 Oct (D. Lovitch, C. Borg); up to 20 at Snake Bight, ENP {Monroe) through the season (D. LaPuma et al.). Black Swan: 2 at Jacksonville Airport {Duval) 9 Aug (R. Norton). Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: 1 pair with 9 day-old chicks at Gainesville {Alachua) 26 Aug (B. Roberts); 1 pair with 6 young at Hamilton phosphate mines 3 Oct (J. Krummrich); 50, including 8 downy young in 2 broods, at PPM 28 Oct (R. Paul, A. Schnapf et al.). Fulvous Whistling-Duck: 300 at BFRA 20 Aug (C. Ewell, W. Winton) and 100+ there 19 Nov (J. Holstein, C. Weber et al.); flocks of 35 and 40 heading NW over Port Canav- eral and just offshore 11 Nov (B. Pranty, D. Goodwin, W. Biggs et al.); 30 flying N past Canaveral National Seashore {Volusia) 26 Nov (J. Puschock). Greater White-fronted Goose: 3 (2 adults with pink bills) at Viera Wetlands {Brevard) 15-19 Nov (W. George et al.); up to 3 (with orange legs and bills) at FWB- STF 17-29 Nov (D. Ware, B. and L. Duncan et al.). Snow Goose: 6 (2 blue morphs) at Bald Point 12 Nov (B. Allen); up to 9 (1 blue morph) at SRSTF 13-19 Nov (G. Menk et ah); 21 flying W over Santa Rosa Sound {Escambia and Santa Rosa) 25 Nov (B. and L. Duncan). Canada Goose: 6 at Bayonet Point {Pasco, where 4 wintered last year to late Mar) 23 Nov-EOS (B. Pranty). Ruddy Shelduck: 4 (3 adults and 1 juvenile) along the Kissimmee River S of Avon Park Air Force Range {Highlands and Okeechobee) 14-15 Oct (D. McCoy, L. Albright et al.). Wood Duck: 2 over Curry Hammock SP 4 Nov (D. Lovitch et al.). American Black Duck: 1 at LARA 1 Nov-EOS (H. Robinson). Mallard: 5 at Newnans Lake 16 Sep (J. Hintermister). Mottled Duck: 44 at LARA 3 Sep (H. Robinson); 62 at Newnans Lake 16 Sep (J. Hin- termister et ah). Blue-winged Teal: 1 at SRSTF 9 Aug (G. Menk, D. Harder); 1000 flew past St. Peters- burg Beach {Pinellas) 17 Sep (L. Snyder). Northern Shoveler: 1 at LARA 16 Aug, and 3 there 20 Aug (H. Robinson); 3 at SRSTF 21 Aug (G. Menk). Gadwall; 2 at E Everglades {Miami-Dade) 4-12 Nov (J. Boyd); 30 over Curry Hammock SP 10 Nov (D. Lovitch et al.). Redhead: 4 at PPM 19 Nov (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 4 at Newnans Lake 25 Nov (L. Davis). Greater Scaup: 1 at SRSTF 18 Nov (G. Menk, K. MacVicar); 2 in N Tampa Bay {Hills- borough) 25 Nov (B. Ahern). Long-tailed Duck: 1 female at SRSTF 17 Nov-EOS (D. Harder et al.). Surf Scoter: 2 flew past Sebastian Inlet (Brevard) 10 Oct (D. Simpson). White-winged Scoter: 2 at Playalinda Beach (Brevard) 18 Sep ( J. Dryja) set the record early fall date. Hooded Merganser: 245 at Newnans Lake 25 Nov (L. Davis). Vultures and Raptors: For the second year, staff of Hawkwatch International (J. M. Climent, D. Lovitch, J. Mauer, G. Phillips) conducted daily counts at Curry Hammock SP, 15 Sep- 13 Nov. Because certain raptors are reluctant to cross large water bodies, Field Observations 63 many birds moving through the Keys turn around and head back NE after passing the watch. In an attempt to account for this behavior, two totals are listed for each species. The ‘"Gross” reflects all birds recorded, while the “Net” is the Gross minus those individuals that move back NE. This system is imperfect (e.g., note the negative Net for Swainson’s Hawk!), but is necessary where migrants are heading in opposite directions. The “High” column represents the highest daily gross count. Species Gross Net High# High date(s) Turkey Vulture 20,144 3,720 3,815 5 Nov Black Vulture 3 1 2 30 Oct Osprey 1,202 984 171 5 Oct Bald Eagle 20 14 3 13 Nov Mississippi Kite 13 13 5 15 Sep, 1 Oct Snail Kite 4 4 1 four dates Northern Harrier 562 492 61 6 Oct Sharp-shinned Hawk 5,626 3,468 760 16 Oct Cooper’s Hawk 1,038 640 114 8 Oct Red-shouldered Hawk 60 10 8 18 Oct Broad-winged Hawk 4,230 1,738 399 25 Sep Swainson’s Hawk 300 -8 103 5 Nov Short-tailed Hawk 40 14 4 12 Nov American Kestrel 3,288 2,770 651 6 Oct Merlin 637 407 56 7 Oct Peregrine Falcon 2,043 1,745 357 8 Oct TOTALS: 39,349 16,127 Swallow-tailed Kite: 56 at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary {Collier) 6 Aug (R. Wooster) was the seasonal high at this roost. White-tailed Kite: 2 adults at Buck Island Ranch {Highlands) 17 Aug (M. McMillian); 1 at Weekiwachee Preserve 26 Oct (A. and B. Hansen); 1 at SMNWR 11 Nov (T. Cur- tis); 1 harassed a Northern Harrier near Lonesome Island Road {Highlands) 13 Nov (V. McGrath, V. Lucas et al.); 3 at Homestead {Miami-Dade) 23 Nov (J. Boyd). Mississippi Kite: 1 at Bald Point 27 Sep (J. Dozier): 1 at Alligator Point 6 Oct (J. Dozier). Snail Kite: 1 at Ten Thousand Islands NWR {Collier) 16 Aug (T. Doyle); 1 at LARA 20 Aug (H. Robinson). Northern Harrier: 1 male at Al-Bar Ranch {Pasco) 24 Aug (B. Pranty); 45 at LARA 29 Oct (H. Robinson). Cooper’s Hawk: 10 at LARA 9 and 16 Aug (H. Robinson). *Broad-WINGED Hawk: singles at LARA 10 and 27 Sep (H. Robinson), FDCP 20 Sep (L. Atherton), and Lutz {Pasco) 8 Oct (D. Bowman); 36, mostly immatures, at Sanibel Lighthouse {Lee) 14-15 Oct (C. Ewell, W. Winton et ah). Short-tailed Hawk: 1 or 2 at LaCrosse {Alachua) 11 Aug-21 Sep (K. Meyer, C. Graham); 2 (1 dark, 1 light) at SCCP 26 Aug, and 2 light morphs there 8 Sep (both P. Fellers); 1 dark morph at Lakes Park, Fort Myers {Lee) 24 Sep (C. Ewell, V. McGrath); 1 dark morph at Sarasota 27 Sep (J. Bouton); 1 at LARA 9 Oct (H. Robinson). Swainson’S Hawk: 4 light morphs at W Kendall {Miami-Dade) 5 Nov (J. Boyd). Red-tailed Hawk: 1 “Krider’s Hawk” at the “Celery Fields” {Sarasota) 23 Nov (K. Allen); 1 “Krider’s Hawk” at Lake Jackson 26 Nov (H. Horne). 64 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Golden Eagle: 1 adult at Hamilton phosphate mines 16 Sep (J. Krummrich) set the earliest fall date. Merlin: 1 at BFRA 9 Aug (F. Frazier). Peregrine Falcon: 5 at HISRA 8 Oct (E. Kwater et ah); 112 at Curry Hammock SP in a single hour 9 Oct (D. Lovitch et al.). Yellow Rail: 1 flushed from an “unmowed patch of grass” at Molino (Escambia) 7 Sep (G. Fleming). Black Rail: 1 flushed at FWBSTF 27 Oct (B. Duncan, E. Case); 1 found injured in a yard at Pinellas Park (Pinellas) 17 Nov was recuperating at Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary (fide J. Fisher). King Rail: 1 at Tierra Verde (Pinellas) 23 Nov-EOS (R. Smith, L. Atherton). Plfrple Gallinule: 14 at LARA 6 Aug; all were gone by 1 Oct (H. Robinson); 4 adults at Edward Ball Wakulla Springs SP (Wakulla) 25 Nov (G. Menk). Common Moorhen: 1080 at PPM 18 Aug (P. Fellers). Sandhill Crane: 6 at the mouth of the Yellow River (Santa Rosa) 21 Nov (E. Lowsma); 7 flew E over N St. Johns 24 Nov (P. Powell). Whooping Crane: 1 at Hernando Airport 20-25 Sep (C. Black). Gray Crowned Crane: 1 unhanded bird roosted at a farm on Orange Lake (Alachua) for the second winter (B. and S. Welkner; seen by R. Rowan 17 Nov). Black-bellied Plover: up to 3 at Newnans Lake 11 Aug-EOS (M. Manetz et al.); 1 in breeding plumage at SRSTF 16 Aug (G. Menk); 77 at LARA 12 Nov (H. Robinson). American Golden-Plover: up to 3 at Viera 8-11 Sep (D. Simpson); 1 at LARA 9-29 Oct (H. Robinson); 1 at FDCP 7 Nov (L. Atherton et ah); 4 in N Jacksonville (Duval) 9 Sep (R. Clark). Snowy Plover: 1 at Talbot Island SP (Duval), where 1 wintered last year, 18 Oct-EOS (P. Leary et al.). Wilson’s Plover: 52 at Fort Myers Beach (Lee) 25 Nov (C. Ewell). Semipalmated Plover: 39 at PPM 18 Aug (P. Fellers); up to 20 at Newnans Lake 7 Aug- 18 Sep (M. Manetz, J. Hintermister et al.). Piping Plover: 1 at Fort Myers Beach 4 Aug and 30 there 25 Nov (C. Ewell); 48 at Big Marco Pass (Collier) 25 Aug (T. Below); 20 at Talbot Island SP 20 Nov included sev- eral birds banded from along the Great Lakes (P. Leary). American OystercatcheR: 1 at Newnans Lake 18 Sep (A. Kratter, R. Rowan et al.). Black-necked Stilt: 2 at Weekiwachee Preserve 20 Aug (C. Black); 1 at FDCP 10 Nov (J. Bouton). American Avocet: 2 at SMNWR 5 Aug (W. Chambers); 1 at SRSTF 12 Aug (H. Horne); 15 at BFRA 12 Aug. (J. Holstein, A. and B. Liberman); 79 at PPM 18 Aug (P. Fellers); up to 2 at Newnans Lake 19 Aug-EOS (J. Hintermister et al.); 16 at N Jacksonville 27 Sep-3 Oct (R. Clark); 26 over Dunedin Causeway (Pinellas) 14 Oct (K. Nelson, P. Blair); 16 at FDCP 17 Oct (L. Atherton et al.); 26 at LARA 1 Nov (H. Robinson); 19 at Peace River Park (Polk) 4 Nov (T. Palmer). Solitary Sandpiper: 1 at Hague Dairy (Alachua) 18 Nov-EOS (M. Manetz, R. Rowan). WiLLET: 1 near Research Road, ENP (Miami-Dade) 19 Aug (D. Cunningham); 2 at Newn- ans Lake 24 Aug-3 Sep (B. Simons, M. Manetz et al.); 1 at LARA 7 Sep (H. Robinson); 150 at St. Petersburg Beach 17 Sep (L. Snyder). Upland Sandpiper: up to 2 at LARA 6-16 Aug (H. Robinson); up to 24 at Homestead (Miami-Dade) 11-18 Aug (C. and L. Manfredi et al.); 1 at W Kendall 11 Aug (J. Boyd); 1 at Jacksonville Airport 14 Aug (R. Norton); 40 S of South Bay 20 Aug (C. Ewell, W. Winton); 1 at Bald Point 22 Sep (J. Dozier). Long-billed Curlew: up to 3 at Cedar Key 25 Sep-EOS (D. Henderson). Hudsonian Godwit: 1 at BFRA 27 Aug (K. Radamaker et al., video to FOC by B. Pranty) and 23 Sep (B. and J. Hope); 1 at Newnans Lake 16 Sep (J. Hintermister, J. Bryan). *Bar-TAILED Godwit: 1 at Snake Bight, ENP (Monroe) 12 Nov (D. LaPuma, photo to FOC). Field Observations 65 Marbled Godwit: 34 at Cedar Key 26 Sep (D. Henderson). Ruddy Turnstone: 1 at Big Marco Pass {Collier) 16 Aug was banded there at least 10 years ago (T. Below). Red Knot: 160 at Fort Myers Beach 4 Aug and 300 there 26 Nov (C. Ewell); 1 at Newn- ans Lake 3 Sep (M. Manetz, J. Hintermister); 2 at BFRA 30 Sep (J. Holstein, C. We- ber, B. Hope et ah); 1 at LARA 22 Oct (H. Robinson). SanderlinG: 250 at St. Petersburg Beach 17 Sep (L. Snyder); 1 at Lake Hollingsworth, Lakeland {Polk) 10 Oct (K. Radamaker). White-rumped Sandpiper: 2 at Newnans Lake 24 Aug (B. Simons); 1 at FWBSTF 4-8 Sep (B. and P. Tetlow, B. and L. Duncan); 52 at N Jacksonville 9 Sep (R. Clark); 1 at LARA 10 Sep (H. Robinson); 1 at the Miami-Dade landfill 12 Sep (L. Manfredi); 2 at BFRA 16 Sep (J. Holstein, C. Weber). Baird’S Sandpiper: 2 at LARA 6 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 at FWBSTF 15-22 Sep (D. Ware, B. and L. Duncan). Pectoral Sandpiper: 94 at Homestead {Miami-Dade) 13 Aug (C. and L. Manfredi); 150 at Newnans Lake 3 Sep (J. Hintermister); 1 at PPM 15 Oct (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Dunlin: 1 in breeding plumage at SMNWR 14 Aug-3 Sep (G. Menk, J. Cavanagh et al.); up to 9 at LARA 12 Oct-EOS (H. Robinson); up to 50 at Newnans Lake 5 Nov-EOS (L. Davis, A. Kent et al.), including 1 on 19 Nov that had slightly paler plumage, an orange upper mandible, and all-white flight feathers (R. Rowan, A. Kent). Stilt Sandpiper: up to 40 at Newnans Lake 5 Aug-5 Nov (R. Rowan, H. Adams et al.); 123 at LARA 18 Oct (H. Robinson); 40 at McKay Bay {Hillsborough) 25 Nov (R. Smith, D. Goodwin et al.); 5 at the “Celery Fields” 28-29 Nov (J. Bouton et al.). Buff-breasted Sandpiper: 2 at SMNWR 29 Aug (J. Dozier) and 1 there 16 Sep (D. and S. Jue); singles at LARA 30 Aug and 24 Sep (H. Robinson); 1 at BFRA 3 Sep (B. Hope, W. George); 2 at Viera 5 Sep (K. LaBorde); 18 at N Jacksonville 9 Sep (R. Clark); 3 at Cape San Bias {Gulf) 18 Sep (T. Menart, H. Loftin, E. Fontaine). RufF: [the same?] 1 at BFRA 19 Aug (B. Hope, W. George), 27 Aug (female; K. Rada- maker, B. Pranty et al.), and 16 Sep (J. Holstein, C. Weber). Short-billed Dowitcher: up to 4 at Newnans Lake 13 Aug-3 Sep (L. Davis, M. Manetz). Long-billed Dowitcher: 1 at Gum Root Swamp 19 Aug (M. Manetz, J. Hintermister); up to 465 at LARA 1 Oct-EOS (H. Robinson), Common Snipe: 2 at LARA 10 Sep (H. Robinson). American Woodcock: 1 at Lake Placid {Highlands) 6 Aug (F. Lohrer); 1 at Brooker Creek Preserve {Pinellas) 16 Sep (D. Goodv/in, E. Haney). Wilson’s Phalarope: up to 3 at Newnans Lake 13 Aug-18 Sep (L. Davis, J. Hinter- mister et al.); 1 at SRSTF 30 Aug-4 Sep (H. Horne); 1 at the Miami-Dade landfill 5 Sep (L. Manfredi); 2 at BFRA 30 Sep (J. Holstein, C. Weber, B. Hope et al.); 5 at PPM 15 Oct (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Jaeger species: 300, mostly Pomarine Jaegers, were “seeking refuge in San Carlos Bay” {Lee) 17 Sep (V. McGrath, C. Ewell et al.). Pomarine Jaeger: 300 at San Carlos Bay {Lee) 17 Sep (V. McGrath); 12 off Port Canav- eral 8 Nov and 9 there 11 Oct (both W. Biggs et al.); 44, most or all Pomarine Jaegers, off Canaveral National Seashore {Volusia) 25 Nov (J. Puschock). Parasitic Jaeger: 2 at Sebastian Inlet 23 Oct (D. Simpson); 2 off Port Canaveral 8 Nov (B. Ahern et ah). Long-tailed Jaeger: 1 immature, believed to be this species, inside Charlotte Harbor 18 Sep (J. Bouton). Franklin’s Gull: single juveniles at Jetty Park {Brevard) 21 Oct (D. Simpson), Sebas- tian Inlet 23 Oct (D. Simpson), LARA 22 Oct (H. Robinson), HISRA 7 Nov (W. Yusek), Newnans Lake 19 Nov (R. Rowan, A. Kent), and Alligator Point 25 Nov (B. and L. Atherton); 1 at FWBSTF 22-29 Nov (D. Ware, B. Duncan et al.; 1 adult at Redington Beach {Pinellas) 30 Nov {fide R. Smith). 66 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST *Heermann’S Gull (Larus heermanni): 1 second-year bird at FDCP 24 Oct-EOS (G. Nelson et aL, photos to FOG by C. Radamaker). Lesser Black-backed Gull: 4 at Huguenot Park {Duval) 24 Aug, and 41 there 12 Oct (both R. Clark); 1 at FDCP 5 Nov (P. Sykes); 1 at Alligator Point 25 Nov (B. and L. Atherton). Great Black-backed Gull: 1 immature at Big Marco Pass 2 Aug (T. Below); 47 at Lit- tle Talbot Island SP and Huguenot Park 16 Sep (R. Clark). Sabine’s Gull: single juveniles off Canaveral National Seashore {Brevard) 22 Oct (D, Simpson) and off Port Canaveral 8 Nov (D. Simpson et aL, photo to FOC by B. Pranty). Gull-billed Tern: 3 at BFRA 12 Aug (J. Holstein, A. and B. Liberman); 1 at Cedar Key 2 Oct (H. Adams); up to 5 at PPM 29 Oct-29 Nov (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Caspian Tern: 25 at Little Talbot Island SP and Huguenot Park 16 Sep (R. Clark); 109 at LARA 12 Nov (H, Robinson); 750 at PPM 19 Nov (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Royal Tern: 7 at PPM 18 Aug (P. Fellers); 500+ at Little Talbot Island SP and Hugue- not Park 16 Sep (R. Clark); 3 at Lake Hollingsworth 2-4 Oct (K. Radamaker). Sandwich Tern: 249 at PPM 18 Aug (P. Fellers); 3 at Banana Lake {Polk) 24 Aug (T. Palmer); 140 at Little Talbot Island SP and Huguenot Park 16 Sep (R. Clark); 2 at Newnans Lake 18 Sep (J. Hintermister, R. Rowan et aL); 1 at Lake Hollingsworth 2 Oct (K, Radamaker). Common Tern: 1 at PPM 18 Aug (P. Fellers); 395 at Little Talbot Island SP and Hugue- not Park 16 Sep, and 3100 there 18 Sep (both R. Clark); 1 at SRSTF 22 Sep (D. Harder); 1000 at FDCP 1 Oct (P. Blair, K. Nelson); 3000 at HISRA 6-8 Oct (E. Kwater et aL). Forster’s Tern: 291 at Little Talbot Island SP and Huguenot Park 16 Sep (R. Clark). Least Tern: 1 at HISRA 7 Nov (W. Yusek), Bridled Tern: 1 at St. George Island SP {Franklin) 7 Sep was associated with a strong- storm (J. Cavanagh); 1 at Huguenot Park 16 Sep (R. Clark); 10 at San Carlos Bay 17 Sep (V. McGrath, C. Ewell et aL); 1 at Matanzas Inlet {St. Johns) 1 Oct (E. Scales, G. Basili et aL). Sooty Tern: 5 off St. Petersburg Beach 17 Sep (L. Snyder); 3 at San Carlos Bay 17 Sep (C. Ewell). Black Tern: 406 at Little Talbot Island SP and Huguenot Park 16 Sep (R. Clark). Bromw Noddy: 8 roosting in trees at Sanibel Lighthouse Beach 17 Sep (C. Ewell, V. McGrath et aL); 1 salvaged at Daytona Beach {Volusia) 30 Sep (T. Rogers, speci- men to UCF). Black Skimmer: 319 at PPM 18 Aug (P. Fellers). White-winged Dove: 1 at Spring Hill {Hernando) 31 JuH4 Aug (A. and B. Hansen); 18 at LARA 19 Sep (H. Robinson); 4 flying N past South Venice {Sarasota) 14 Oct (C. Sample); 35 at Gulf Breeze 21 Oct (B. Duncan), and 1 there 22-29 Nov (C. Kahn, B. Duncan); 1 at St. Petersburg 3 Nov (T. Mann); 1 at Talbot Island SP 16 Nov (fide R. Clark). Lovebird species: 2 captured in Brevard 9 Aug and later sold were identified as Fis- cher’s Lovebirds, but no details were provided {fide E. Slaney). Budgerigar: different singles at Seminole {Pinellas) in Nov (J. Fisher); 1 at Gulf Breeze {Santa Rosa) 30 Nov (C. Kahn, V. Lucas et aL). Helmeted Touraco ( ): 1 at Flamingo Road {Broward) 18 Nov (S. Mumford) is the first Florida report, but no details were submitted. Black-billed Cuckoo: singles at LARA 21 Sep (H. Robinson), Tyndall Air Force Base {Bay) 30 Sep (A. and R. Ingram), and FDCP 12 Oct (L. Atherton et aL). Groove-billed Ani: singles at Cape San Bias 15 Oct {fide M. Collins) and SMNWR 23- 27 Nov (D. Harder, T. Curtis et aL). Barn Owl: 9 at LARA 9 Aug and 7 adults there 30 Nov (H. Robinson). Field Observations 67 Short-eared Owl: 1 found injured at Perdido Key (Escambia) 17 Nov (fide E. Case); sin- gles at LARA 5 and 28 Nov (H. Robinson). Lesser NighthawK: 1 at Cape Sable, ENP (Monroe) 23 Nov (C. J. Grimes). Common Nighthawk: a “phenomenal movement” of 1000 at Sanibel Lighthouse during two hours before dusk 16 Sep (C. Ewell, D. Suitor, V. McGrath); 1 at Alligator Point 12 Nov (J. Dozier). WhiP"POOR-¥/ILL: 1 calling S of Wakulla Springs (Wakulla) 17 Aug (J. Epler); singles at Gainesville 22 and 27 Aug (J. Hintermister, C. Reno); 1 at Loop Road, Big Cypress National Preserve (Monroe) 9 Sep (J. Boyd, B. Boeringer); 1 at Brooker Creek Pre- serve 16 Sep (D. Goodwin, E. Haney). Chimney Swift: 800 at LARA 27 Sep (H, Robinson); singles at St. Joseph Peninsula SP (Gulf) and in Franklin 10 Nov (J. Dozier, J. Murphy, B. Lowrie). Buff-bellied Hummingbird: 1 banded bird at Cantonment (Escambia) 12 Sep returned for its sixth year (B. Kenney, F. Bassett et al.); 1 at Cedar Key 23-24 Oct (D. Henderson). Ruby-throated Hummingbird: single males at Tallahassee 11 Nov (H. Hooper) and 27 Nov (D. Readfield). Black-chinned Hummingbird: 1 female at Bald Point 2 Nov (J. Dozier). *Broad-TAILED Hummingbird: 1 first-year female was banded at Pensacola (Escambia) 30 Nov (B. Lucas, F. Bassett). Selasphorus SPECIES: 1 at Bald Point 12 Aug (J. Dozier); 1 female at Gainesville 26 Aug-end of Sep (J. Bryan); 2 at Cape Coral (Lee) 26-30 Sep with 1 remaining to 4 Oct (C. Ev/ell, A. Salcedo); 1 at S Jacksonville 7 Oct (J. Cocke); 1 at DTNP 16 Oct (C. Borg, D, Lovitch); 1 at Lakes Park, Fort Myers 25 Oct-5 Nov (J. Bouton, A. Salcedo et al.). Rufous Hummingbird: immature males at Tallahassee 25 Nov (fide L. Thompson) and 26 Nov (F. Rutkovsky). Hummingbird species: 1 albino at Pensacola 6 Oct ff (C. Suggs Jr, et ah, photo to FOC). Red-headed Woodpecker: 1 immature at Sanibel Lighthouse 15 Oct (C. Ewell et al.). YellO¥/-BELLIED Sapsucker: 1 in N Brevard 18 Sep (D. Stuckey). Hairy Woodpecker: 1 at LARA 12 and 25 Oct (H. Robinson); 1 at Highlands Hammock SP (Highlands) 14 Oct (B. and L. Cooper et al.). Eastern Wood-Pewee: 4 at FDCP 13 Aug (B. and L. Atherton). Yellovwbellied Flycatcher: 1 at Bald Point 7 Sep (J. Dozier); 1 at San Luis Mission Park (Leon) 8 Sep (D. Harder); 1 at SMNWR 9 Sep (T. Curtis); 1 at Hugh Taylor Birch SP (Broward) called frequently 15-16 Sep (W. George et al.); 1 at PPSP 16 Sep called five times (D. O’Neill); 1 at Catfish Creek Preserve (Polk) 16 Sep called >12 times (P. Fellers); 1 at Spanish River Park (Palm Beach) 18 Sep (B. and J. Hope); 1 banded at RSRSR 20 Sep (P. Small); 1 at Tyndall Air Force Base 29 Sep (T, Menart, H. Loftin, R. Ingram). Acadian Flycatcher: 3 at John Chestnut CP (Pinellas) 19 Aug (R. Smith, B. Hoffman). *WlLLOW Flycatcher: 1 called at Bald Point 23 Sep (J. Dozier), Least Flycatcher: 1 called at SMNWR 3 Sep (T. Curtis); 1 at St. George Island SP (Franklin) 29 Sep (FOS trip); 1 at Dunedin Hammock 30 Sep (P. Blair); 4 at PPSP 29 Oct-1 Nov (M. Manetz, H. Adams); 1 at Seminole (Pinellas) 10 Nov (J. Fisher); singles at LARA 15 Oct and 26-28 Nov (H. Robinson). Eastern Phoebe: up to 257 at LARA 5 Oct-EOS (H. Robinson); 1 at FDCP 9 Oct (L. Atherton et al.). Vermilion Flycatcher: singles at St. George Island SP 11 Oct (J. Cavanagh), Ochlock- onee River SP (Wakulla) 16 Oct (B. Lowrie), Micanopy (Alachua) 31 Oct-EOS (P. Burns et al.), T. M. Goodwin WMA (Brevard) 31 Oct (D. Simpson) for the third year, and Lake Jackson 24-26 Nov (J. Cavanagh, D. and S. Jue); 3 at FWBSTF 10 Oct-EOS (B. Duncan et al.). Ash-throated Flycatcher: singles at FWBSTF 11 Sep (L. Fenimore) and 27 Oct-25 Nov (E. Case, B, Duncan et aL), Gulf Breeze 29 Oct (B. Duncan), St. Sebastian River 68 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Buffer Preserve {Indian River) 31 Oct (D. Simpson), and Lake Jackson 25-26 Nov (J. Dozier, J. Murphy, G. Menk et aL). Brown-crested Flycatcher: 1 at Bald Point 18 Oct (J. Murphy, J. Dozier). * Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher: singles at A. D. Barnes Park (Miami-Dade) 14-15 Sep (R. Diaz et al.) and FDCP 28 Sep (M. Gardler et aL). *Tropical/Couch's Kingbird: 1 at Lutz 21 Oct (D. Bowman), *Cassin’s Kingbird: 1 at FWBSTF 17 Oct (L. Fenimore, D. Ware, L. Duncan et al.). Western Kingbird: 1 at Tram Road STF (Leon) 3 Oct (D. and K. MacVicar); 1 at SM- NWR 29 Oct (D. Morrow et ak); 1 at Viera 4 Nov (C. Pierce, C. Paine); 1 at St, Joseph Peninsula SP 10 Nov (J. Dozier, J. Murphy, B. Lowrie); 9 in Okeechobee 13 Nov (V. McGrath, V. Lucas et ah); 3 at PPSP 23 Nov-EOS (B, Roberts); 2 at Bald Point 26 Nov (J. Dozier, J. Murphy). Eastern Kingbird: 1 over Tallahassee 28 Oct (P. Conover). Gray Kingbird: 50+ at Bayport (Hernando) 13 Aug (C. Black); 2 at LARA 16 Aug (H. Robinson); 1 at SCCP 18 Aug (P. Fellers); 1 at Duette Park (Manatee) 9 Sep (B. Pranty, D. Goodwin, E. Haney); 1 at Gulf Breeze 18-26 Oct (M. and R. Rose); 1 at Odessa (Pasco) 22 Oct (K. Tracey); 1 at Viera 5 Nov (C. Pierce). SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER: 23 reports of up to 35 individuals beginning 7 Oct, includ- ing 3 at Bald Point 10 Nov and 2 there 26 Nov (J. Dozier, J. Murphy et al.), 2 at FDCP 13-15 Nov (L. Atherton et ak), 2 at St, Joseph Peninsula SP 10 Nov (J. Dozier, J. Mur- phy, B. Lowrie), 3 at Curry Hammock SP 11 Nov (D. Lovitch), 2 at FWBSTF 25 Nov (B. and L. Duncan), 3 at Kendall-Tamiami Airport (Miami-Dade) 23 Nov (J. Boyd), and 5 at Key West (Monroe) in late Nov (C. Borg). *Fork-TAILED Flycatcher: 1 adult at Viera 13-15 Aug (D. Simpson et ak, photos by C. Radamaker to FOC). Bell's VireO: singles at Gulf Breeze 15 Sep (B, Duncan), Fort Pickens (Escambia) 16 Sep (B. and L. Duncan), Spanish River Park 18-27 Sep (B. and J. Hope et ak), St. George Island SP 26 Sep (J. Cavanagh), and Birch SP 30 Sep (W. George et ak). Yellow-throated Vireo: 1 still in song at Cross Bar Ranch Wellfield (Pasco) 18 Sep (B. Pranty). Blue-headed Vireo: 1 at O’Leno SP (Columbia) 6 Aug (P. Burns) was record-early, but well-described. Warbling Vireo: 1 at Cedar Key 23 Oct (D. Henderson), Philadelphia Vireo: singles at Tallahassee 24 Sep (B. Bergstrom), 7 Oct (P. Conover), and 10 Oct (D. Harder), Cedar Key 9 Oct (D. Henderson), FDCP 9 Oct (L. Atherton et ak) and 10 Nov (J. Hintermister et ak), Birch SP 11 Oct (W. George), HISRA 28 Oct (R. Smith, P. Blair), and Lakes Park 31 Oct (J. Bouton). Red-eyed Vireo; 50 at FDCP 4 Sep (J. Bouton, B. Ackerman) and 100 there 16 Sep (L. Atherton et ak); 35+ at Fort Pierce SRA (St. Lucie) 18 Sep (J. Brooks). Tree Swallow: 300 at BFRA 6 Aug (D. Simpson). Bank Swallow: 21 at LARA 27 Aug, and 23 there 21 Sep (H. Robinson); 1 at SRSTF 18 Nov (H, Horne, G. Menk). Cliff Swallow: up to 3 at LARA intermittently 9 Aug-5 Oct (H. Robinson); 3 at FDCP 18 Sep (L. Atherton, R. Webb); 8 at PPM 15 Sep (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 1 at St. George Island SP 29 Sep (B. Pranty, D. Goodwin et ak); 1 at HISRA 14 Oct (P. Blair, K. Nelson). Barn Swallow: 710 at LARA 13 Aug, and 335 there 18 Oct (H. Robinson); 30 at FDCP 13 Aug (B. and L. Atherton); 1 albino at Tram Road STF 11 Sep (G. Menk); 7 at SRSTF 12 Nov (G. Menk) and 1 there to 3 Dec (P. Conover, G. Menk). Carolina Chickadee: 1 found at FDCP in Jun remained through fall (L. Atherton et ak). House Wren: 1 at LARA 24 Sep, and 674 there 5 Nov (H. Robinson). Winter Wren: singles at PPSP 29 Oct (M. Manetz) and Fort George Island (Duval) 28 Nov (R. Clark). Field Observations 69 Sedge Wren: 108 at LARA 26 Nov (H. Robinson). Marsh Wren: 1 at LARA 1 Oct, and 126 there 5 Nov (H. Robinson). Golden-crowned Kinglet: 2 at HISRA 4 Nov (W. Yusek); 2 at S Jacksonville 15-17 Nov (J. Cocke); 1 female at Weekiwachee Preserve 17 Nov-EOS (A. and B. Hansen); indi- viduals were “abundant in Gadsden and Leon, and presumably elsewhere in the E Panhandle” (G. Menk). Ruby-crowned Kinglet: singles at Fort George Island 16 Sep (R. Clark), in N Brevard 18 Sep (D. Stuckey), at Zephyrhills (Pasco) 27 Sep (H. Bowen), and Curry Hammock SP 3 Oct (D. Lovitch). Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: 96 at LARA 5 Oct (H. Robinson). Eastern Bluebird: 1 at LARA 12 Oct (H. Robinson). Veery: 1 at Bald Point 29 Aug (J. Dozier); 12 at Bonner Park, Largo (Pinellas) 16 Sep (K. Nelson); 10 at SCCP 17 Sep (P. Fellers). Gray-cheeked Thrush: 1 at Gainesville 17-18 Nov (M. Manetz). *Bicknell’S Thrush: 1 in direct comparison with other thrushes at S Jacksonville 6 Oct. Compared to the Gray-cheeked Thrush, the Bicknell’s was warmer brown, with a slightly reddish tail, and was a bit smaller (J. Cocke). Wood Thrush: singles at Lakes Park 23 Sep (C. Ewell) and in Gadsden 5 Nov (G. Menk, K. MacVicar). American Robin; 262 at LARA 12 Nov (H. Robinson); 75 at Brooker Creek Preserve 12 Nov (A. and R, Smith). Gray Catbird: 1 in full song at W Kendall 13 Aug (J. Boyd); 76 at Crystal River State Buffer Preserve (Citrus) 18 Oct (A. and B. Hansen); 143 at LARA 22 Oct (H. Robin- son). Common Myna: a nest at Clewiston (Hendry) 13 Aug contained at least 2 nestlings (B, Parker); 3 at Haverhill Road (Palm Beach) 15 Sep (J. Holstein). American Pipit: up to 75 at LARA 29 Oct-EOS (H. Robinson). Sprague’s Pipit: 3 in N Jefferson 11 Nov (R. Atchison). Cedar Waxwing: 1 at Sebastian Inlet 10 Oct (D. Simpson). Blue-winged Warbler: among 12 reports 14 Aug- 11 Oct, all were singles except duos at LARA 3 Sep (H. Robinson), Dunedin Hammock Park (Pinellas) 16 Sep (B. Ackerman, M. Peterson et ah), TCS 17 Sep (B, and S. Hills), and St. Petersburg 18 Sep (M, Hoff- man); 14 in Alachua 16 Sep (fide M. Manetz). Golden-winged Warbler: among 8 reports 4 Sep-8 Oct, all were singles except 4 at FDCP 16 Sep (L. Atherton et ah), 2 at TCS 17 Sep (B. and S. Hills), and 2 at Key Vista CP (Pasco) 18 Sep (K. Tracey). “Brewster’s Warbler;” singles at Bonner Park 16 Sep (K. Nelson) and PPSP 27 Sep (J. Skemp), Tennessee Warbler: 50 at FDCP 16 Sep (L. Atherton); 75 at Boyd Hill Nature Park (Pinellas) 16 Sep (A. and R. Smith); 8 at TCS 17 Sep (B. and S. Hills); 7 at LARA 19-21 Sep (H. Robinson); 12 at St. George Island SP 7 Oct (J. Cavanagh, H. Horne, D. Harder). Orange-crowned Warbler: 10 at LARA 19 and 30 Nov (H. Robinson). Nashville Warbler: multiple counts among 19 reports 31 Aug-22 Nov were 8 at FDCP 16 Sep (L. Snyder), 2 at Tram Road STF 13 Oct (D. Harder, G. Menk), 2 at Spanish River Park 14 Oct (B. Hope, C. Weber), and 2 at Lake Jackson 22 Nov (D. and S. Jue). Northern ParulA: 1 at San Luis Mission Park 5 Nov (D. Harder). Yellow Warbler: 11 at FDCP 13 Aug (B. and L. Atherton); 55 at LARA 13 Aug, and 64 there 16 Aug (H. Robinson); 91 flew by Gulf Breeze in 1 hour 13 Aug (B. and L. Duncan). Chestnut-sided Warbler: 12 at FDCP 16 Sep (L. Snyder); 50 at Boyd Hill Nature Park 16 Sep (A. and R. Smith); 6 at TCS 17 Sep (B. and S. Hills); 4 at SCCP 17 Sep (P. Fellers); 6 at LARA 21 Sep (H. Robinson). Magnolia Warbler: 6 at FDCP 16 Sep (L. Snyder); 6 at TCS 17 Sep (B. and S. Hills). 70 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Cape May Waebler: 1 at LARA 21»-24 Sep (H. Robinson). Black-=throated Blue Warbler; 1 at Bonner Park 28 Aug (J. Fisher); 25 at TCS 17 Sep (B. and S. Hills). Yellow-RUMPED Warbler: 1 "Audubon’s Warbler” at FWBSTF 18 Oct had a “bright yel- low throat” (B, Duncan et aL). Black-throated Green Warbler: singles at TCS 5 Nov (C. Pierce) and S Jacksonville 17-26 Nov (J. Cocke). Blackburnian Warbler: among numerous reports were 3 at Sawgrass Lake CP 13 Aug (M. Wilkinson), 27 at John Chestnut CP (Pinellas) 16 Sep (D. Goodwin, E. Haney), 100+ at Sanibel Lighthouse 16-17 Sep (C. Ewell, V. McGrath), 15 at TCS 17 Sep (B. and S. Hills), 19 at Cedar Key 19 Sep (D. Henderson), and 1 at HISRA 10 Nov (W. Yusek et aL). Prairie Warbler: 29 at LARA 21 Sep (H. Robinson); 1 at S Jacksonville 18 Oct-EOS (P. Powell). Bay-breasted Warbler: 2 at Lake Jackson 24 Sep (fide B. Bergstrom); 8 at St. George Is- land SP 7 Oct (J. Cavanagh, D. Harder, H. Horne); 5 at FDCP 9 Oct (L. Atherton et aL). Blackpoll Warbler: 9 at Birch SP 30 Sep (W. George et aL); 9 at TCS and 17 at MINWR 30 Sep (P. Fellers et aL); 1 at FDCP 9 Oct (L. Atherton et aL); 1 at PPSP 14 Oct (A. Kratter). Cerulean Warbler: unprecedented numbers seen this fall, but none were reported W of Wakulla. Among 30 reports 5 Aug-27 Sep were: 6 at Sawgrass Lake CP 13 Aug and 3 there 18 Aug (M. Wilkinson); 2 at FDCP 13 Aug (B. and L. Atherton); 2 at LARA 21 Sep (H. Robinson); 2 at SCCP 8 Sep (P. Fellers); 1 at Holeyland WMA (Palm Beach) 26 Aug (J. Boyd et aL); 2 at Birch SP 28 Aug (W. George, R. MacGregor); 2 at Cedar Key 5 Sep (D. Henderson); 3 at TCS 18-19 Sep (B. and S. Hills); “dozens” at Dunedin Hammock Park 16 Sep (B. Ackerman, M. Peterson et aL); 3 at Spanish River Park 18 Sep (B, and J. Hope); singles at Cross Bar Ranch 8, 18, and 19 Sep (B. Pranty et aL). Black-and-white Warbler: 7 at Sawgrass Lake CP 13 Aug (M. Wilkinson). Aj^ERICAN Redstart: 27 at LARA 21 Sep (H. Robinson). Prothonotary Warbler: 10 at SCCP 3 Sep (P. Fellers). Worm-eating Warbler: 3 in mid.-Pinellas 14 Aug (J. Fisher); 12 at Bonner Park 16 Sep (K. Nelson); 4 at TCS 17 Sep (B. and S. Hills); 1 at LARA 5 Oct (H. Robinson). Swainson’S Warbler: singles at Bonner Park 13 Aug and 22 Sep (J. Fisher), LARA 16 Aug and 21 Sep (H. Robinson), mid-Pinellas 22 Aug (J. Fisher), TCS 17 Sep (B. and S. Hills), Sanibel Lighthouse 18 Sep (V. McGrath), Birch SP 24 Sep (W. George et aL), and RSRSR 27 Sep (P. Small). OVENBIRD: 1 at FDCP 13 Aug (B. and L. Atherton); 3 in mid-Pinellas 14 Aug (J. Fisher); 12 at TCS 17 Sep (B. and S. Hills); 33 at SCCP 22 Sep (P. Fellers); 15 at LARA 24 Sep (H. Robinson); 22 at San Felasco Hammock (Alachua) 24 Sep (J. Hintermister). Northern WaterthrusH: 1 in mid-Pinellas 23 Aug (J. Fisher); 38 at LARA 21 Sep (H. Robinson); 1 at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve (Lee) 19 Nov (L. Atherton, C. Ewell, A. Salcedo). Louisiana Waterthrush: 1 at FDCP 11 Aug (L. Atherton); 2 at SCCP 13 Aug (P. Fellers); 34 at LARA 16 Aug (H. Robinson). Kentucky Warbler: among 15+ reports were: 1 at O’Leno SP (Columbia) 6 Aug (P. Burns); 15 at FDCP 16 Sep (L. Atherton et aL); 2 at Bonner Park 13 Aug (J. Fisher); 3 in mid-Pinellas 14 Aug (J. Fisher); 2 at Spanish River Park 17 Sep (B. Hope); 1 at Cross Bar Ranch 19 Sep (K. Tracey, B. Pranty); 1 at Port Charlotte (Charlotte) 19 Sep (J. Bouton); 1 at LARA 24 Sep (H. Robinson); 1 at W Kendall 30 Sep (J. Boyd). Mourning Warbler: 1 at Spanish River Park 13 Oct (B. Hope). *MacGillivray’S Warbler: 1 at Key West Botanical Gardens (Monroe) 12 Oct (D. Simp- son), Common Yellowthroat: 110 at LARA 12 Nov (H. Robinson). Field Observations 71 Hooded Warbler: 2 at FDCP 11 Aug and 25 there 16 Sep (L. Atherton et al.). Wilson’s Warbler: at least 47 reported beginning 7 Sep, including 7 singles in Pinellas variously 7 Sep-25 Oct (J. Fisher, L. Atherton et ah); 7 singles in Broward variously 17 Sep-EOS (W. George et al.); the E Panhandle was “deluged” with reports begin- ning 29 Sep, with birds at 20 or more locations {fide G, Menk); 7 singles in Alachua variously 11 Oct-EOS (B. Roberts, M. Manetz et al.); 2 at DTNP 16 Oct (C. Borg, D. Lovitch); 3 singles in the Keys 18 Oct (D. Simpson); 9 at W Boca Raton {Palm Beach) 22 Oct and 14 there 29 Oct (B. Hope); 2 at A.D. Barnes Park 28 Oct (J. Rosen- field); 8 at Wellington {Palm Beach) 19 Nov (B. Hope); 2 at Saddle Creek CP 22 Nov (L. Albright); 5 birders at Jacksonville each had singles in their yards variously this fall {fide P. Powell). Canada Warbler: singles at Bonner Park 15 Aug ( J. Fisher), SCCP 26 Aug (L. Albright, P. Fellers), O’Leno SP {Columbia) 8 Sep (P. Burns), Wekiwa Springs SP {Orange) 9 Sep (P. Small), Gainesville 10 Sep (B. Simons), A.D. Barnes Park 14 Sep (L. Man- fredi, J. Boyd et al.), Walsingham CP {Pinellas) 16 and 28 Sep (J. Fisher), Sanibel Lighthouse 17-18 Sep (C. Ewell, V. McGrath, W. Winton), Tallahassee 30 Sep (B. Scott), Seminole 6 Oct (J. Fisher), and Bald Point 9 Oct (J. Dozier). Yellow-breasted Chat: 1 at LARA 2 Aug-3 Sep (H. Robinson); 1 at Matheson Ham- mock CP {Miami-Dade) 2 Sep (M. Cooper et al.); 1 at Birch SP 15-17 Sep (W. George, R. MacGregor); 1 at St. George Island SP 18-26 Sep (J. Cavanagh); 1 at Long Key, ENP {Miami-Dade) 28 Sep (J. Boyd). Summer Tanager: singles at Weekiwachee Preserve 12 Nov (C. Black) and in N St. Johns 23 Nov-EOS (P. Powell). Western Tanager: singles at Matheson Hammock CP 2 Sep (M. Cooper et al.), Miami Shores {Miami-Dade) 5 Oct (D. Wright, M. E. Ahearn), S Jacksonville 7 Oct (J. Cocke), HISRA 14 Oct (E. Kwater et al.), Walsingham Park 19 Oct (L. Atherton et al.), and Bonner Park 19-20 Oct (J. Fisher). Chipping Sparrow: 1 at FDCP 29 Oct (K. Allen). Clay-colored Sparrow: among 17 reports beginning 7 Sep were 2 at FWBSTF 25 Nov (D. Ware, B. Duncan et al.), 3 at Spanish River Park 14 Oct (J. Holstein, C. Weber et al.), 2 at Weekiwachee Preserve 14 Oct ff (A. and B. Hansen, S. Collins et al.), and 2 at LARA 25 Oct-1 Nov (H. Robinson). *Brewer’S Sparrow {Spizella breweri): 1 at Gulf Breeze 22 Oct (B. and L. Duncan, de- tails to FOC) was the first report for Florida. Unfortunately, an attempt to videotape the bird was not successful. Vesper Sparrow: 1 banded at RSRSR 28 Oct (P. Small). Lark Sparrow: singles at FWBSTF 10 Aug (B. Duncan) and 18 Oct (M. Rose, L. Dun- can), Tallahassee 15 Sep-4 Oct (G. Menk), SRSTF 1 Oct (L. Duncan); LARA 1 and 18 Oct (H. Robinson), Flamingo, ENP 2 Oct (C. Borg), Viera 5 Nov (C. Pierce), near ENP {Miami-Dade) 12 Nov (S. Siegel), SMNWR 19-20 Nov (J. Cavanagh, T. Curtis), and Bald Point 26 Nov (J. Dozier, J. Murphy). Savannah Sparrow: 1 at LARA 24 Sep, and 257 there 29 Oct (H. Robinson). Henslow’S Sparrow: 1 at LARA 12 Nov (H. Robinson). Le Conte’s Sparrow: singles at Ocklawaha {Marion) 23 Oct (E. Scales), SMNWR 28 Oct (D. Harder), Bald Point 30 Oct (T. Curtis), Tyndall Air Force Base 5 Nov (H. Horne), and Hague Dairy 12 Nov (M. Manetz). Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow: 1 at Tigertail Beach 11 Nov (P. Bithorn, J. Rosen- field et al.). Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow: 1 at LARA 5 Nov (H. Robinson); 1 at Tigertail Beach 11 Nov (J. Boyd et al.). Seaside Sparrow: 1 at Marco Island 18 Nov (J. Boyd, P. Bithorn et al.); 1 thought to be A.m. peninsulae at FDCP 25 Nov-EOS (A. and R. Smith, D. Goodwin et al.). “Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow:” 1 at E Everglades 19 Nov (J. Boyd). 72 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Song Spaerow: 2 at Brooker Creek Preserve 12 Nov (A. and R. Smith); 9 at LARA 15 Nov (H. Robinson). Lincoln’s Sparrow: 1 at FWBSTF 9 Oct (D. Ware); 1 at Weekiwachee Preserve 20 Oct (A. and B. Hansen); 1 at Spanish River Park 21 Oct (B. and J. Hope); 6 in Alachua 27 Oct-EOS (M. Manetz, B. Muschlitz et aL); 3 at LARA 15 Nov (H. Robinson). Swamp Sparrow: 1 at Valparaiso {Okaloosa.) 16 Sep (P. Baker); 254 at LARA 12 Nov (H. Robinson). White-THROATED Sparrow: 1 in mid-PTOellas 22 Nov (J. Fisher). White-crowned Sparrow: among 10 reports beginning 11 Oct were 5 at Bald Point 30 Oct (T. Curtis), 2 at SRSTF 30 Oct (G. Menk), 2 at Ochlockonee River SP (Wakulla) 28-29 Oct (H. Horne), and 15 at Talbot Island SP 26 Nov-EOS (R. Clark). Dark-eyed Junco: singles at Gainesville 5 Nov (R. Rowan) and Monticello (Jefferson) 6 Nov (R. Atchison). Longspur SPECIES: 1 at Apalachicola Airport (Franklin) 20 Nov that had “a distinct white patch in the wings,” “two white outer tail feathers,” and a call described as a “dry rattle” reminiscent of a “meadowlark” was thought to be a Smith’s Longspur (D. Simpson). Lapland Longspur: 1 at FDCP 14 Nov (D. Roemer, L. Atherton et al.); 1 adult at Taylor Slough, ENP (Miami-Dade) 14 Nov (D. Cunningham). Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 1 at SMNWR 14 Nov (J. Epler). Black-headed Grosbeak: 1 at Gulf Breeze 20-25 Nov (C. Kahn et al). Blue Grosbeak: 1 at Bald Point 14-26 Nov (J. Dozier). Indigo Bunting: 49 at LARA 9 Oct (H. Robinson); 19 at FDCP 9 Oct (L, Atherton et aL); up to 12 at Bald Point 3-13 Nov, and 2 there to 26 Nov (J. Dozier); 4 at Black Swamp (Leon) 4 Nov (G. Menk); 1 at SMNWR 14 Nov (J. Epler). Painted Bunting: singles at SMNWR 3 Sep (T. Curtis), Lutz 1 Oct (D. Bowman), Weeki- wachee Preserve 2 and 20 Oct (A. and B. Hansen), and Gulf Breeze 30 Nov (B. Dun- can); 5 at LARA 5 Oct (H. Robinson). Dickcissel: singles at Bald Point 17 Sep (J. Dozier), Hague Dairy 10 Nov (P. Burns, B. Muschlitz), and Alachua (Alachua) 15 Nov (C. Graham). Bobolink: 40 at SRSTF 7 Sep (G. Menk); 1 at PPM 15 Oct (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 1 at SMNWR 29 Oct (M. Collins). Eastern Meadowlark: 1 at FDCP 13-15 Nov (L. Atherton et al). Yellow-headed Blackbird: singles at Bald Point 20 Aug (J. Dozier), Cape San Bias (Gulf) 26 Sep (T. Menart, E. Fontaine), Hague Dairy 21-25 Oct (M. Manetz, A. Krat- ter et al.), and LARA 26 Nov (H. Robinson); 2 at SMNWR 23 Sep (T. Curtis). Rusty Blackbird: 1 male at Tram Road STF 30 Oct (G. Menk); 2 at Newnans Lake 19 Nov-EOS (R. Rowan), Brewer’s Blackbird: 1 at FWBSTF 16 Sep (D. Ware); 4 at Black Swamp 22 Nov (G. Menk). Common Grackle: 850 at LARA 19 Nov (H. Robinson). Shiny Cowbird: 1 male at LARA 1 and 19 Nov (H. Robinson). Bronzed Cowbird: 1 immature male at Bald Point 21 Aug (J. Dozier et al.). Orchard Oriole: 2 at FDCP 13 Aug (B. and L. Atherton); singles at Royal Palm, ENP (Miami-Dade) 19 Aug (D. Cunningham), Lutz 3 Sep (D. Bowman), Birch SP 5 Sep (W. George et al.), and A.D. Barnes Park 15 Sep (L. Manfredi, D. Simpson, J. Boyd et al.). Baltimore Oriole: 2 at San Luis Mission Park 19 Aug (D. Harder); 1 at Black Swamp 20 Aug (G. Menk); 4 at Seminole 16 Oct (J. Fisher); 3 at Lake Region Village (Polk) 25 Oct-EOS (B. and L. Cooper). *Bullock’S Oriole (Icterus bullockii): 1 immature male at Gulf Breeze 22 Nov-EOS was joined by another immature male 26 Nov (C. Kahn et ah). House Finch: singles at Melbourne (Brevard) 1 Aug (N. Sekera) and Alligator Point 22 Sep (J, Dozier). Field Observations 73 American Goldfinch: 10 at Bald Point 27 Sep (J. Dozier, J. Murphy). Zebra Finch: 1 at Ridge Manor {Hernando) 3 Sep (S. Auld, photos to FOG). Java Sparrow: 2 building a nest in a rain gutter at Cocoa Beach 1 Nov ff (C. Chamberlin). Nutmeg MuniA: “numbers” of birds continue to be seen at feeders in E Pensacola {fide B. Duncan). Tricolored Munia {Lonchura atricapilla): 1 at Largo {Pinellas) 22 Nov (J. Fisher). Contributors: Bruce Ackerman, Howard Adams, Mary Ellen Ahearn, Brian Ahern, Larry Albright, Bonnie Allen, Ken Allen, Roger Atchison, Brooks Atherton, Lyn Ather- ton, Sallie Auld, Pat Baker, Gian Basiii, Fred Bassett, Ted Below, Brad Bergstrom, Wes Biggs, Paul Bithorn, Clay Black, Paul Blair, Bill Boeringer, Chris Borg, Jeff Bouton, Hank Bowen, David Bowman, John Boyd, Jane Brooks, Judy Bryan, Patricia Burns, Ed Case, Jim Cavanagh, Craig Chamberlin, Walt Chambers, Forrest Clark, Ruth Clark [spelled out], Roger Clark [abbreviated R. Clark], Jose Martinez Climent, Julie Cocke, Marvin Collins, Steve Collins, Paul Conover, Buck Cooper, Linda Cooper, Mort Cooper, Dick Cunningham, Tom Curtis, Lloyd Davis, Robin Diaz, Terry Doyle, Jack Dozier, Judy Dryja, Bob Duncan, Lucy Duncan, John Epler, Charlie Ewell, Paul Fellers, Lenny Feni- more, Judy Fisher, Gene Fleming, Eula Fontaine, Frank Frazier, Murray Gardler, Chuck Geanangel, Wally George, Dave Goodwin, Chuck Graham, Jim Gray, C.J. Grimes, Erik Haney, A1 Hansen, Bev Hansen, David Harder, Bob Henderson, Dale Henderson, Michael Hill, Bill Hills, Shirley Hills, John Hintermister, Brett Hoffman, Marti Hoff- man, Jackie Holstein, Brian Hope, Joan Hope, Howard Horne, Ann Ingram, Richard In- gram, Dean Jue, Sally Jue, Charles Kahn, Bev Kenney, Adam Kent, Andy Kratter, Jerry Krummrich, Ed Kwater, Ken LaBorde, David LaPuma, Pat Leary, Paul Lefebvre, A1 Liberman, Barbara Liberman, Horace Loftin, Fred Lohrer, Eric Lovestrand, Derek Lov- itch, Bill Lowrie, Ed Lowsma, Beth Lucas, Vince Lucas, Russ MacGregor, Dottie MacVicar, Keith MacVicar, Darryl Mahan, Mike Manetz, Christine Manfredi, Larry Manfredi, Tim Mann, Jeff Mauer, Dennis McCoy, Vince McGrath, Mike McMillian, Tony Menart, Gail Menk, Peter Merritt, Ken Meyer, Don Morrow, Steve Mumford, John Mur- phy, Barbara Muschlitz, Glen Nelson, Kris Nelson, Rob Norton, David O’Neill, Carol Paine, Tom Palmer, Bob Parker, Rich Paul, Mauri Peterson, Gerard Phillips, Cheri Pierce, Peggy Powell, Bill Pranty, John Puschock, Cindy Radamaker, Kurt Radamaker, David Readfield, Diane Reed, Cathy Reno, Bryant Roberts, Harry Robinson, David Roe- mer, Tommie Rogers, Merilu Rose, Rufus Rose, Jill Rosenfield, Rex Rowan, Fran Rutk- ovsky, Arlyne Salcedo, Charles Sample, Earl Scales, Ann Schnapf, Brenda Scott, Nedra Sekera, Steve Siegel, Bob Simons, David Simpson, John Skemp, Ed Slaney, Parks Small, Austin Smith, Ron Smith, Lee Snyder, Gary Sprandel, Doug Stuckey, Clarence Suggs, Jr., Doug Suitor, Paul Sykes, Betsy Tetlow, Phil Tetlow, Larry Thompson, Pete Timmer, Ken Tracey, Don Ware, Ray Webb, Chuck Weber, Brian Welkner, Sue Welkner, Donna Wells, Margie Wilkinson, Walt Winton, Robbie Wooster, David Wright, and Wilf Yusek. Correction to the Fall 1999 report: The dates for the Cuban Pewee in Palm Beach should be 29 Oct-2 Nov, not the dates listed. Thanks to John Shrader for pointing out this error. Report prepared by Bill Pranty, state compiler (Audubon of Florida, 410 Ware Bou- levard, Suite 702, Tampa, Florida 33619; email billpranty@hotmaiLcom). Other commit- tee members are John H. Boyd III (15770 SW 104th Terrace, Apartment 103, Miami, Florida 33196, email boydj@fiu.edu), Linda Cooper (558 Sunshine Boulevard, Haines City, Florida 33844-9540; email Lcooper298@aoLcom), Bob and Lucy Duncan (614 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561, email duncan44@juno,com), Charlie Ewell (1121 SW 11th Court, Cape Coral, FL 33991, email anhinga42@hotmail.com), Gail Menk (2725 Peachtree Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32304), Peggy Powell (2965 74 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Forest Circle, Jacksonville, Florida 32257), Rex Rowan (2041 NE 15th Terrace, Gaines- ville, Florida 32609, email rexrowan@email.msn.com), and Ron Smith (1767 Colorado Avenue NE, St. Petersburg, Florida 33703, email rsmith52@tampabay.rr.com). 1 V, • ; ‘ - A ^ XV. wu’' ■ ,-i i ■ ;.r.r-; 'iViV-r ■ , ,l;v ? * • ♦ i f - ■ = / ,(>/ .>V ■- ' ».5 .i Air -; 1 > -Ulrc r 7 M.,;,. s . - f ' . . .. ' ' • ■'' ' • > ’ . * * ■• ■' ■• ■ [ i ' •Mirw ♦!»>'; I %V .-■ > • . h. ' •, ;#c- ■ ' t* - - V j.sf. v' . ti t . . rsi<: UitjuN v. ' .Ml liis-wi ;. ■ " • »> . .;•■ ■ ■ I’-^v '' . :, .* ■ *t .■ fi. < jlfeSwi. • ■ I ,<■;. --ia • v'-.r'. 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. Editor of the Ornithological Newsletter: Katy NeSmith, 1018 Thomasville Rd., Suite 200-C, Tallahassee, FL 32303. E-mail: knesmith@fnai.org Editor of Special Publications: Glen E. Woolfenden, Archbold Biological Station, RO. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862. E-mail: gwoolfenden@archbold-station.org Web Page Editor: Eugene Stoccardo, 715 Warrenton Rd., Winter Park, FL 33792-4541. E-mail: scrubjay@gdi.net Archives Committee (Chair): WALTER K. TAYLOR, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816. E-mail: wtaylor@pegasus.cc.ucf edu Editorial Advisory Board (Chair): JAMES A. Rodgers, Jr., Wildlife Research Labora- tory, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 4005 S. Main St., Gaines- ville, FL 32601. Field Observations Committee (Chair): BILL Pranty, Audubon of Florida, 410 Ware Boulevard, Suite 702, Tampa, FL 33619. E-mail: billpranty@hotmail.com Finance Committee (Chair): DAVE GOODWIN, 10775 Village Club Circle N., #104, St. Petersburg, FL 33716. E-mail: robert.goodwin@excite.com Nominating Committee (Chair): JOHN DOUGLAS, 3675 1st Ave., NW, Naples, Florida 34120-2709. E-mail: JLDDOUGLAS@cs.com Grants and Awards Committee (Chairs): STEVE NESBITT, Cruickshank Research Award, 4005 S. Main St., Gainesville, FL 32601. E-mail: nesbits@gfc.state.fl.us Katy NeSmith Cruickshank Education Award, 1018 Thomasville Rd., Suite 200-C, Tallahassee, FL 32303. E-mail: knesmith@fnai.org Records Committee (Managing Secretary): Reed Bowman, Archbold Biological Sta- tion, RO. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862. Conservation Committee (Chair): JiM Cox, Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32312. E-mail: necox@nettally.com Membership Committee (Chair): Bob HENDERSON, 2309 W. Mission Road #A, Talla- hassee, FL 32304-2662. E-mail: bob@rkhenderson.com 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. It welcomes submission of manuscripts containing new information from these areas. Please consult recent issues for style and Vol. 27, No. 1 for detailed information. Submit manuscripts for consideration to the Editor, Jerome Jackson. Mono- graph-length manuscripts may be submitted for consideration to the Editor of Special Publications, Glen E. Woolfenden. Send books and other materials for review to Associate Editor, Reed Bowman. For preliminary assistance regarding submission of manuscripts dealing with bird distribution and rarities contact Associate Editor, Bruce H. Anderson. Reports of rare birds in Florida should also be submitted to the FOS Records Committee Secretary, Bruce H. Anderson. Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 29, No. 2 June 2001 Pages 41-74 CONTENTS ARTICLES A review of the breeding status of the Short-tailed Hawk in the Lake Istokpoga Region, Highlands County, Florida Douglas B. McNair, Michael A. McMillian, and Kenneth D. Meyer.... 41-46 NOTES On the ruddy color of the Ruddy Turnstone Jack P. Hailman 47-48 Use of red mangrove for nesting by Snail Kites in Florida Victoria J. Dreitz and Jamie A. Duherstein 49-50 Salmonellosis in a Wild Turkey from Florida Donald J. Forrester and Marilyn G. Spalding 51-53 Notes on the eastern pipistrelle in southeast Florida Jeffrey T Hutchinson and Richard E. Roberts 54-55 REVIEWS Bird migration, weather, and fallout including the migrant traps of Alabama and northwest Florida, by Robert A. Duncan George E. Wallace 56-57 Puerto Rico's birds in photographs, 2nd edition Jon S. Greenlaw 58-59 FIELD OBSERVATIONS Fall ReportiAugust-November 2000 Bill Pranty 60-74 €Ll- 35. 1 Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 29, No. 3 September 2001 Pages 75-112 FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Founded 1972 Officers President: PETER G. MERRITT, 8558 SE Sharon St., Kobe Sound, Florida 33455. Vice President: Ann Paul, Audubon of Florida, 410 Ware Boulevard, Suite 702, Tampa, Florida 33619. Secretary: Bob HENDERSON, 2309 W. Mission Road #A, Tallahassee, Florida 32304-2662. Treasurer: Dean Jue, 3455 Dorchester Court, Tallahassee, Florida 32312-1300. Editor, Florida Field Naturalist: JEROME A. JACKSON, Whitaker Center, Arts & Sci- ences, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Fort Myers, Florida 33965. Ex Officio: Immediate Past President: JiM Cox, Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Dr., Tallahassee, Florida 32312. Directors, Terms Expiring in 2002 Michael Legare, 3570 Von Stuben Court, Titusville, Florida 32796-1538 Camille Sewell, 2303 Oak Dr., Fort Pierce, Florida 34949 Directors, Terms Expiring in 2003 Fred Lohrer, Archbold Biological Station, PO. Box 2057, Lake Placid, Florida 33862. Ed Slaney, 2981 Nova Scotia Lane, Melbourne, Florida 32935. Directors, Terms Expiring in 2004 Brenda Rhodes, 2734 Rainbow Circle N, Jacksonville, Florida 32217. George E. Wallace, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 3911 Hwy. 2321, Panama City, Florida 32409-1658. 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 $15 for individual members (overseas $20), $20 for a family mem- bership, $10 for students, and $35 for contributing members. 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. 29, No. 3 September 2001 Pages 75H12 Florida Field Naturalist 29(3):75-80, 2001. AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS NEST ON GRAVEL-COVERED ROOFS IN FLORIDA Nancy J. Douglass^ Jeffery A. Gore^, and Richard T. Pauu ^Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 3900 Drane Field Road, Lakeland, Florida 33811 ^Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 3911 Highway 2321, Panama City, Florida 32409 ^Audubon of Florida, 410 Ware Boulevard, Suite 702 Tampa, Florida 33619 Abstract. — During a statewide survey of gull, tern, and skimmer colonies in Florida from 1998-2000, we found American Oystercatchers (Haematopus palliatus) nesting on 3 gravel-covered roofs, and possibly on 3 others, in the Tampa Bay area along the central Gulf coast. The only previous report of roof-nesting American Oystercatchers in the United States was from a single site on the Atlantic coast of Florida in 1988. We suspect use of roofs for nesting by American Oystercatchers is primarily a response to loss of tra- ditional nesting sites as a result of increased human disturbance and predation. High productivity of undisturbed nesting sites, availability of gravel roofs, and presence of birds that recognize roofs as nesting sites may also be contributing factors. American Oystercatchers {Haematopus palliatus) nest in a variety of coastal habitats (Nol and Humphrey 1994), but in the southeastern United States they most often nest on bare sand or shell substrate in open, sparsely vegetated beach or dune habitat, including barren is- lands of dredged material (Bent 1929, Lauro and Burger 1989). Less of- ten, nesting occurs in marsh vegetation and tidal wrack (Frohling 1965, Lauro and Burger 1989, Shields and Parnell 1990), on forested islands of dredged material (Toland 1992; R. T. Paul, unpubl. data), or among large rocks on breakwaters (J. A. Gore, unpubl. data). In the Netherlands and Scotland, the closely-related Eurasian Oystercatcher {H. ostralegus) occasionally nests on roofs of buildings (Bourne 1975, Mills 1978, Tekke 1978, Munro 1984) and roof-nesting has been well-documented for several larids (e.g., Fisk 1978, Gore 75 76 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST 1991, Sprandel et al. 1998) and plovers (e.g., Stoner 1937, McGowan 1969, Wass 1974, Fisk 1978). American Oystercatchers have been re- ported once with young on a roof (Paul 1988). During a statewide sur- vey of roof-nesting larids in Florida, we incidentally encountered oystercatchers. Here we verify use of roofs by nesting American Oys- tercatchers and list reports from multiple locations in Florida. Methods The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) surveyed gull, tern, and skimmer colonies from 15 May through 30 June of 1998-2000 throughout coastal Florida. That project involved recruiting a network of volunteer observers to report use of roofs by nesting terns {Sterna spp.) and Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger). Volunteers were provided with locations of buildings known to have previously supported nesting colonies based on occurrences compiled from published reports, unpublished FWC oc- currence reports, and personal communications. In addition, volunteers were asked to report other buildings where they saw terns or skimmers flying above the roof Volun- teers did not go onto roofs but observed from the ground or adjacent structures for at least 15 minutes to determine if the roof was occupied. Unexpected reports of oyster- catchers nesting on roofs prompted us to solicit additional information from observers and from unpublished communications. In the second and third year of the project, FWC biologists attempted to confirm the presence of reported roof-nesting oystercatch- ers by accessing the roofs or by viewing them from adjacent buildings. Results We confirmed American Oystercatchers nesting on roofs at 3 loca- tions and suspected nesting at 3 other locations. Listed below are ob- servations for each site from the 1998-2000 survey as well as information collected from earlier years: l.In 1993, a pair of American Oystercatchers nested on a flat gravel roof at the Hyatt Regency Westshore Hotel in Tampa, Hillsborough County, about 30 m from the shoreline of Old Tampa Bay. Two young hatched and one fledged in mid-May (H. . Gartlgruber, pers. comm.). In 1995, R. T. Paul and A. F. Schnapf observed 1 American Oystercatcher chick, estimated to be 3-4 weeks of age. They noted the roof was about 10 m square, covered with light brown “pea gravel” (about 1 cm diameter), and bor- dered on two sides by a wall about 30 cm high. The nest site was a slightly raised mound (<5 cm) of gravel about 15 cm in diame- ter and about 1 m from a wall. In 1996, at least one young was produced (H. Gartlgruber, pers. comm.) and in 2000 a pair of American Oystercatchers again nested on the roof (R. Clark, pers. comm.; N. J. Douglass, unpubl. data). 2.B. Isaacson observed American Oystercatchers nesting on the roof of the Palms of Pasadena Hospital, Pinellas County, about 200 m from the Intercoastal Waterway, for several years prior to Roof Nesting by Oystercatchers 77 our survey and in 1997 she saw 2 recently fledged young on the edge of the roof. On 18 May 1998, she found 1 adult in incubating posture on the roof and on 18 June observed an adult with 1 chick. In April 1999, she saw American Oystercatchers on the roof, but in early May they were not observed. A pair, assumed to be the same birds, appeared shortly thereafter on a nest in a gravel lot across the street. 3. On 18 May 1999, N. J. Douglass and J. A. Gore observed a pair of American Oystercatchers and 1 chick (Fig. 1) approximately 2 weeks of age on the roof of the Patterson Dental building in a business park on the east shore of Tampa Bay, Hillsborough County. The roof was also occupied by a colony of Least Terns. The roof was approximately 100 m x 30 m, 8 m high, and sur- rounded by a 25-cm wall. The roof was covered with a shallow layer of light brown “pea gravel.” On 26 May 2000, we visited the roof and found only Least Terns present. However, an American Oystercatcher was on a similar building approximately 30 m north of the original site. We located a nest with 2 eggs near the middle of this roof It consisted of a gravel mound, approximately 4 cm deep, with a shallow depression in the middle. Figure 1. An American Oystercatcher chick found on the gravel roof of a build- ing near Tampa Bay, Hillsborough County, Florida, 18 May 1999. 78 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST American Oystercatchers possibly nested on 3 other buildings dur- ing our survey. On 16 May 1998^ an American Oystercatcher was ob- served pacing along the edge of a condominium roof on Treasure Island, Pinellas County (H. Warren, pers. comm.). On several dates in May and June 2000, J. Fisher repeatedly observed a pair of American Oystercatchers on a condominium roof in Largo, Pinellas County. On 21 June 2000, N. J. Douglass observed an American Oystercatcher on the roof of another condominium on Treasure Island. Unfortunately, these roofs were not accessible and nesting was not confirmed. No nest- ing was reported from the Brevard County roof where Johnnie Johnson observed American Oystercatchers in 1988 (Paul 1988). Discussion American Oystercatchers typically add material to line their scrapes (Nol and Humphrey 1994) and both American Oystercatcher nests we examined on roofs appeared as mounds of gravel raised nearly 5 cm higher than the surrounding gravel. These mounds may provide sufficient cushion for American Oystercatchers to incubate their eggs on roofs without cracking them, but observations are needed to determine hatching success rates of American Oystercatchers on roofs. Black Skimmers, which are about half the mass of American Oystercatchers and don’t line their nest scrapes, frequently crack their eggs when incubating on gravel roofs because their nest scrapes often extend below the gravel to the hard roof surface (Gore 1987, Coburn 1995). Coburn (1995) found the depth of Black Skimmer nests on roofs ranged from 0.8-3. 9 cm, yet nest depth was significantly correlated with hatching success. Thus a small change in depth of gravel at the nest can determine if eggs hatch. Our few observations suggest that the American Oystercatcher can successfully hatch eggs on gravel roofs despite their body weight. Our observations confirm that American Oystercatchers nest and produce chicks on gravel roofs. Rather than an isolated phenomenon, we believe that roof nesting by American Oystercatchers will become an increasingly common behavior in Florida. American Oystercatchers may be selecting roofs as nest sites for several reasons. First, use of al- ternate or atypical nest sites may be an adaptive response to loss of traditional nest sites and habitats (Lauro and Burger 1989, Shields and Parnell 1990, Toland 1992). Roof nesting by American Oyster- catchers may be a response to the rapid development of and intense recreational pressure on coastal habitats. Toland (1999) found nesting American Oystercatchers in southeast Florida were successful more of- ten on islands that were not frequently visited by humans. Although lack of cover, heat, avian predators, and falls are some of the perils of Roof Nesting by Oystercatchers 79 roof-nesting, roofs are relatively stable habitats that are also relatively well-protected from humans and most mammalian predators, and we suspect fledging success on roofs is high. Roof nesting may also be a response of a locally increasing popula- tion to saturation of available habitat, regardless of trends in habitat availability. Few quantitative data exist to determine trends in Flor- ida’s American Oystercatcher population, but Robertson and Wool- fenden (1992) remarked that populations were continuing to recover from their historic low in the mid 20th century. R. T. Paul (unpubl. data) estimated that the number of American Oystercatchers around Tampa Bay doubled in the 1980s following creation of several large dredged-material islands. If traditional nest sites are locally at a pre- mium, gravel roofs might be attractive alternates. Roofs might allow American Oystercatchers to expand their breeding range into areas that currently contain little suitable nesting habitat, such as extreme southwest Florida (Below 1996). Although roof nesting is likely a function of opportunistic behavior and the increasing availability of roofs near suitable foraging habitat, there may be a component of learned behavior contributing to a grow- ing phenomenon. The high fldelity that American Oystercatchers ex- hibit toward nest sites (Nol and Humphrey 1994) means pairs will likely return to roofs to nest each year. Further, even though fldelity to natal sites has not been demonstrated (Nol and Humphrey 1994), birds fledged on roofs may ultimately associate roofs with nesting habitat. If gravel roofs are widely available near foraging spots and most roof nests are successful, roof-nesting may become more common among American Oystercatchers, as marsh-nesting has in some areas (see Lauro and Burger 1989). Loss of traditional nesting habitat, abundance of gravel roofs along the coast, and presence of birds that recognize roofs as nesting sites may each be contributing to the increase in roof-nesting among Amer- ican Oystercatchers near Tampa Bay. Although many ground-nesting sites in this area are productive, others have been lost due to destruc- tion of the habitat, increased human-related disturbance, or increased predation. Gravel-covered roofs offer abundant alternate nesting habi- tat along much of Tampa Bay If American Oystercatchers continue to nest successfully on roofs in this area, we may see this behavior more frequently in Florida and perhaps elsewhere in the southeast as hu- man activities change the landscape. Acknowledgments We thank Gary Sprandel, Lara Coburn, and Ann Schnapf for assistance and Julie Hovis, George Wallace, Doug McNair, and an anonymous reviewer for helpful comments on an earlier draft. We also thank Barbara Isaacson, Monique Abrams, Helen Warren, 80 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Judy Fisher, Heinz Gartlgruber, and the late Johnnie Johnson for sharing their observa- tions. Literature Cited Below, T. H. 1996. American Oystercatcher. Pp. 230-235 in Rare and Endangered Biota of Florida (J. A. Rodgers, Jr., H. W. Kale, and H. T. Smith, Eds.). Vol. 5, Birds. Univer- sity Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Bent, A. C. 1929. Life histories of North American shorebirds. Part 2. US. National Mu- seum Bulletin 146. Bourne, W. R. P. 1975. Oystercatchers on the roof British Birds 68:302. Coburn, L. M. 1995. Reproductive success of roof and ground nesting Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger) in northwest Florida. M.S. thesis. University of West Florida, Pensa- cola, FL. Fisk, E. J. 1978. Roof-nesting terns, skimmers, and plovers in Florida. Florida Field Nat- uralist 6:1-8. Frohling, R. C. 1965. American Oystercatcher and Black Skimmer nesting on salt marsh. Wilson Bulletin 77:193-194. Gore, J. A. 1987. Black Skimmers nesting on roofs in northwest Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 15:77-79. Gore, J. A. 1991. Distribution and abundance of nesting Least Terns and Black Skim- mers in northwest Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 19:65-72. Lauro, B., and j. Burger. 1989. Nest-site selection of the American Oystercatcher {Hae- matopus palliatus) in salt marshes. Auk 106:185-192. McGowan, A. F. 1969. Wilson’s Plover nesting on roof Florida Naturalist 42:171. Mills, P. R. 1978. Oystercatchers nesting on roofs. British Birds 71:308. Munro, C. a. 1984. Roof nesting Oystercatchers. Bird Study 31:148. Nol, E., and R. C. Humphrey. 1994. American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus). In The Birds of North America, No. 82 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia; and American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Paul, R. T. 1988. The nesting season: Florida region. American Birds 42:1278-1281. Robertson, W. B., Jr., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida bird species: an annotated list. Florida Ornithological Society, Special Publication No. 6. Shields, M. A. and J. F. Parnell. 1990. Marsh nesting by American Oystercatchers in North Carolina. Journal of Field Ornithology 61:431-433. Sprandel, G. L., H. a. Bolte, and D. T. Cobb. 1998. Gull-billed Tern fledged on a roof in northwest Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 26:94-96. Stoner, E. A. 1937. Killdeer nests on roof of building. Condor 39:127. Tekke, M. j. 1978. Oystercatchers nesting on roofs. British Birds 71:308. Toland, B. 1992. Use of forested spoil islands by nesting American Oystercatchers in southeast Florida. Journal of Field Ornithology 63:155-158. Toland, B. 1999. Nest site characteristics, breeding phenology, and nesting success of American Oystercatchers in Indian River County, Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 27:112-116. Wass, M. L. 1974. Killdeer nesting on graveled roofs. American Birds 28:983-984. Florida Field Naturalist 29(3):81-86, 2001. EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT RADIO TRANSMITTER HARNESSES ON THE BEHAVIOR OF FLORIDA SCRUB-JAYS Reed Bowman and David A. Aborn^ ^ Archbold Biological Station, R O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862 E-mail: rbowman@archbold-station.org Abstract. — We evaluated the effect of two harness techniques for attaching radio transmitters to Florida Scrub- Jays by observing both captive and free-flying individuals with attached radios. Observations were made of birds with backpack harnesses and hip-pack harnesses, of control birds without radios, and of birds after the backpack har- nesses were removed. Birds with backpack harnesses tended to be less vigilant and for- aged and preened less than birds with hip-pack harnesses or controls. They appeared to prefer to hop and walk rather than fly short distances, although the harness did not ap- pear to physically constrain flight. They also tended to separate themselves from other family members within their group. The behavior of scrub-jays with backpack harnesses appears to be consistent with previous observations of sick or injured birds. However, af- ter backpacks were removed the behavior of these birds did not differ from birds without transmitters. Hip-pack harnesses did not appear to alter behavior of scrub-jays. Radio telemetry has proven a useful tool for answering a variety of questions in behavioral ecology (e.g., Craighead and Craighead 1972, Rothstein et al. 1984, Cochran and Kjos 1985, Rolando and Carisio 1999, and many others). Transmitters and the method of their attach- ment may have adverse effects on the behavior (Perry et al. 1981, Mas- sey et al. 1988, Hooge 1991, Pietz et al. 1993), survival (Marcstrom 1989, Paton et al. 1991, Paquette et al. 1997), and reproduction (Rotella et al. 1993, Dzus and Clark 1996, Paquette et al. 1997) of the study an- imals. Experimental methods have been useful for evaluating the ef- fects of radio-tagging on a few species (Wanless et al. 1989, Klaassen et al. 1992, Morris and Burness 1992, Wanless 1992), but these methods require careful design and consideration of statistical rigor (White and Garrott 1990) and have been used relatively infrequently. This ap- proach may not be viable for listed species, especially if treatments re- sult in adverse effects, such as observed in Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis; Paton et al. 1991). Another approach that may be suitable for listed species is the observation of captive individuals of the study species (Perry et al. 1981, Smith and Gilbert 1981) or of a surrogate species (Sykes et al. 1990). Careful review of previous studies on conge- ners, other closely related species, or species with similar life histories or ecology may be useful in evaluating potentially adverse methods. 'Current address: Dept, of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, Chatanooga, TN 37403 81 82 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST We used radio-telemetry to study the dispersal behavior of Florida Scrub- Jays {Aphelocoma coerulescens) that occur in a human residen- tial development in Lake Placid, Highlands County, in south-central Florida, approximately 8 km N of Archbold Biological Station. Field work was initiated in June 1998. The Florida Scrub-Jay has declined state-wide by more than 90% over the last 100 years (Woolfenden and Fitzpatrick 1996) and is federally-listed as Threatened. Here, we re- view our procedures to determine the method of attaching radio-trans- mitters least likely to have an adverse effect on the behavior of scrub- jays and report on adverse effects associated with backpack harnesses. Transmitters (Holohil Systems, Ltd., Woodlawn, Ontario) weighed 1.6 g, approximately 2% of the body mass of an adult scrub-jay. Compo- nents were encased in a roughly cylindrical shape (0.25 cm x 2.0 cm) with a (17.3 cm) whip antennae. Under field conditions, the transmit- ters had a life of approximately 12 weeks. We reviewed previous radio- tagging studies to evaluate attachment techniques. We considered backpack and hip-pack harnesses, tail mounts, and glue-on attach- ment techniques. We eliminated the latter two techniques because we concluded that glued-on transmitter likely fall off within 2-3 weeks un- der hot and humid conditions and tail-mounted transmitters were likely to be shed during molt, which occurs during July and August, one of the peak dispersal periods. Initially, we chose a backpack har- ness because previous studies on Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata) (Tarvin 1997, Adkinson, unpubl. data) and scrub-jays (Stith 2000) used this harness without apparent adverse effects on the study animals. The backpack harness was made of lightweight elastic and slipped over the wings and tied across the bird’s chest, with the transmitter sitting in the interscapular region. To test this harness on scrub-jays, we captured four birds sequentially and housed each in a 2.2 m x 1.5 m X 2.2 m flight aviary at Archbold Biological Station. Each bird was released into the flight cage with transmitter attached and observed periodically during daylight hours over 24 h. All birds persistently preened and pecked at the harness and the transmitter antenna. The first bird caught its bill on the harness so we removed the transmitter and released the bird at the capture site. The second bird stopped pecking the harness and antenna within 3-4 hours and eventually preened the transmitter into its back feathers. After 24 h, we removed the transmitter and released the bird at its initial capture location. The last two birds also accepted the transmitter and were released early the next day at their initial capture location with the transmitter attached. After release, both scrub-jays pecked and preened at the harness, but stopped within 4-5 hours, although both continued pecking the an- tenna. We observed both birds continuously; however, their behavior Effects of Radios on Florida Scrub-Jays 83 appeared aberrant throughout the day of and the day following their release. Although fully capable of flight and with no obvious physical impairment due to the harness or the transmitter, both scrub-jays seemed far less active than scrub-jays without transmitters. Both birds appeared reluctant to fly and often would hop from a perch to the ground and then back up again rather than fly Both appeared to be segregated from other members of their group and, overall, gave the impression of being ill. Out of concern for the first bird, we retrapped it within two days and removed the transmitter. We made quantitative observations of the second bird, recording behavior continuously fol- lowing the approach of Altmann (1974). For comparison, we made con- current 15-minute focal behavioral observations (Altmann 1974) of five scrub-jays without transmitters every 1-2 hours. All control birds were banded, but they varied in sex, age, and social status. Within two days of release, the second bird had tangled its bill and tongue in the har- ness, so we recaptured it, removed the transmitter, and released it. Because of these apparent affects on behavior and the threat of en- tanglement, we next opted for the hip-pack harness (Rappole and Tip- ton 1991). One loop of the harness is pulled up as far as possible on the proximal end of the bird’s right thigh, the transmitter is held over the synsacrum, the opposing leg is bent at the tibiotarsal joint, and the other loop pulled up to the proximal end of the left thigh. We used the same lightweight elastic as the backpack harnesses for the hip-pack harnesses. Again, we captured two scrub-jays sequentially and re- leased the birds in a flight cage with transmitter attached. After no ob- vious abnormal behavior, both birds were released early the next morning with transmitters attached. We made concurrent focal behav- ioral observations of these birds and six jays without transmitters for 4-8 h/day for seven days. Two of the control birds were the same as those observed during backpack harness trials. To determine if the behavioral effects were related to the radio- transmitter or an artifact of our small sample sizes, we repeated our fo- cal behavioral observations on three of the jays that had been fitted with the backpack harness, after the harnesses were removed. We com- pared their behavior with the control birds and with themselves when they were wearing backpacks. Behavior of scrub-jays with backpack harnesses differed from jays in the other groups (x^ = 19.21, df = 2, P < 0.001), spending less time foraging and being vigilant, and more time quietly perching than birds with the hip-pack harnesses, controls or the same birds after their backpack harnesses were removed (Table 1). The quiet perching time was often spent in dense foliage, relatively low in oak shrubs, often rel- atively distant from other members of their family group (Table 1). The behavior of scrub-jays with hip-pack harnesses did not differ from con- 84 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Table 1. Behavior of Florida Scrub- Jays with different radio-harness treat- ments. Percentages are the proportion of time engaged in individual behav- iors over the entire observation period. Not all behaviors are included, so percentages do not sum to 100%. Data for perch height and distance to jays are means ± 1 SD of observations recorded during focal observations. Behavior Back-pack (n = 2) Hip-pack (n = 2) Control (n==9) Back-pack removed (n = 3) % time foraging 11% 16% 21% 21% % time perching 33% 2% 2% 1% % time vigilant 50% 76% 65% 71% Perch height 1.71+ 1.90 3.32 + 7.88 2.88+ 1.84 2.34 + 2.02 Distance to jays 18.85 + 21.96 4.62 + 8.22 5.03+12.51 3.08 + 3.30 trols or with the birds after backpacks had been removed. However, the behavior of birds with backpacks was significantly different after their backpacks were removed (x^ = 12.12, df = 2, P < 0.01; Table 1). Standards have been developed for the appropriate weight of the transmitter relative to body mass (Samuel and Fuller 1994, Aldridge and Brigham 1988) or wing-loading (Pennycuick 1969, Caccamise and Heddin 1985) to decrease deleterious effects; however, determining the effects of different attachment methods requires careful, species-spe- cific evaluation. In Florida Scrub-Jays, the hip-pack harness appeared to be a better transmitter attachment method than the backpack har- ness. Although our behavioral data were limited, the patterns seemed to be reasonably consistent. Our past observations of scrub-jays suggest that sick birds often reduce their foraging and vigilance, and perch qui- etly, often at some distance from other members of their family group. Backpack harnesses do appear to alter the behavior of scrub-jays, much in the same manner that the behavior of sick birds is altered. The use of backpack harnesses in studies of dispersal or movements in scrub-jays using radio telemetry would undoubtedly bias the results. We feel our decision of abandoning backpacks in favor of hip-packs was well justi- fied. We observed no aberrant behavior after many hundreds of hours of observing jays during the course of our subsequent studies. Non-har- ness methods also may be suitable depending on the goals of the study. Although rigorous experimental methods may be preferable when evaluating the effects of different attachment techniques, they may not always be appropriate, especially for listed species. Although our sam- ple sizes were small, we evaluated several alternatives to assess the ef- fect of the harness, rather than expose more individuals of a listed species to a potentially dangerous method. Our data were not statisti- cally rigorous; however, they enabled us to detect and avoid an inap- propriate harness technique for our study species. Effects of Radios on Florida Scrub-Jays 85 Acknowledgments This research was partially funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Permits for our research were issued to R. B. by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (# TE824723-3), the U.S. Geological Survey (#07732) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (WB97093). We thank Geoff Carter, Brent Sewall, and Matt Shawkey for field assistance. Dick Conner, Fred Lohrer, Craig Rudolph and Glen E. Woolfenden made helpful comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript. Literature Cited Aldridge, H. D. J. N., and R. M. Brigham. 1988. Load carrying and maneuverability in an insectivorous bat: a test of the 5% “rule” of radio-telemetry. Journal of Mammal- ogy 69:379-382. Altmann, j. 1974. Observational study of behavior: sampling methods. Behaviour 49:227-267. Caccamise, D. F., and R. S. Heddin. 1985. An aerodynamic basis for selecting transmit- ter loads in birds. Wilson Bulletin 97:306-318. Cochran, W. W., and C. G. Kjos. 1985. Wind drift and migration of thrushes: a teleme- try study. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 33:297-330. Craighead, F. C., and J. C. Craighead. 1972. Grizzly bear prehibernation and denning activities as determined by radiotracking. Wildlife Monographs 32:1-35. DZUS, E. H., and R. G. Clark. 1996. Effects of harness-style and abdominal implant transmitters on survival and return rates of Mallards. Journal of Field Ornithology 67:549-557. Hooge, P. N. 1991. The effects of radio weight and harnesses on time budgets and move- ments of Acorn Woodpeckers. Journal of Field Ornithology 62:230-238. Klaassen, M., P. H. Becker, and M. Wagener 1992. Transmitter loads do not affect the daily energy expenditure of nesting Common Terns. Journal of Field Ornithology 63:181-185. Marcstrom, V., R. E. Kenward, and M. Karlbom. 1989. Survival of Ring-necked Pheasants with backpacks, necklaces, and leg bands. Journal of Wildlife Manage- ment 53:808-810. Massey, B. W., K. Keane, and C. Bordman. 1988. Adverse effects of radiotransmitters on the behavior of nesting Least Terns. Condor 90:945-947. Morris, R. D. and G. P. Burness. 1992. A new procedure for transmitter attachment: effects on brood attendance and chick feeding rates by male Common Terns. Condor 94:239-243. Paquette, G. A., J. H. Devries, R. B. Emery, D. W. Howerter, B. L. Joynt, and T. P. Sankowski. 1997. Effects of transmitters on reproduction and survival of wild Mal- lards. Journal of Wildlife Management 61:953-961. Paton, P. W. C., C. j. Zabel, D. L. Neal, G. N. Steger, N. G. Tilghman, and B. R. Noon. 1991. Effects of radio tags on Spotted Owls. Journal of Wildlife Management 55:617-622. Pennycuick, C. j. 1969. The mechanics of bird migration. Ibis 111:525-556. Perry, M. C., G. H. Haas, and J. W. Carpenter. 1981. Radio transmitters for Mourning Doves: a comparison of attachment techniques. Journal of Wildlife Management 45:524-527. PiETZ, P. J., G. L. Krapu, Jr., R. J. Greenwood, and J. T. Lokemoen. 1993. Effects of harness transmitters on behavior and reproduction of wild Mallards. Journal of Wild- life Management 57:696-703. Rappole, j. H. and a. R. Tipton. 1991. New harness for attachment of radio transmit- ters to small passerines. Journal of Field Ornithology 62:335-337. 86 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Rolando, A. and L. Carisio, 1999. Effects of resource availability and distribution on autumn movements of the Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes in the Alps. Ibis 141:125-134. Rotella, J. J., D. W. Howerter, T. P. Sankowski, and J. H. Devries. 1993. Nesting ef- fort by wild Mallards with 3 types of transmitters. Journal of Wildlife Management 57:690-695. Rothstein, S. L, j. Verner, and E. Stevens. 1984. Radio-tracking confirms a unique di- urnal pattern of spatial occurrence in the Brown-headed Cowbird. Ecology 65:77-88. Samuel, M. D. and M. R. Fuller 1994. Wildlife telemetry. Pp. 370-418 in Research and management techniques for wildlife and habitats (T. A. Bookhout, Ed.). 5th ed. The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, MD. Smith, D. G., and R. Gilbert. 1981. Backpack radio transmitter attachment success in Screech Owls iOtus asio). North American Bird Bander 6:142-143. Stith, B. M. 2000. Metapopulation dynamics and landscape ecology of the Florida Scrub- Jay, Aphelocoma coerulescens. Ph.D. dissertation, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL. 392 pp. Sykes, P. W., Jr., J. W. Carpenter, S. Holzman, and P. H. Geissler. 1990. Evaluation of three miniature radio transmitter attachment methods for small passerines. Wild- life Society Bulletin 18:41-48. Tarvin, K. a. 1998. The influence of habitat variation on demography of Blue Jays {Cyan- citta cristata) in south-central Florida. Ph.D. dissertation, Univ. S. Florida, Tampa, FL. 167 pp. Wanless, S. 1992. Effects of tail-mounted devices on the attendance behavior of kitti- wakes during chick rearing. Journal of Field Ornithology 63:169-176. Wanless, S., M. P. Harris, and J. A. Morris. 1989. Behavior of alcids with tail- mounted radio transmitters. Colonial Waterbirds 12:158-163. White, G. C., and R. A. Garrott. 1990. Analysis of wildlife radio-tracking data. Academic Press. San Diego, CA. 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 Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. 87 NOTES Florida Field Naturalist 29(3):87, 2001. GREAT BLUE HERON EATING A PIED-BILLED GREBE Eric D. Stolen Dynamac Corp., Mail Code: DYN-2, Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899 On 17 February 2001 at approximately 11:30, 1 observed a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) eat a live adult Pied-billed Grebe {Podilymbus podiceps). The encounter oc- curred within an 1150-ha impoundment of mostly salt marsh vegetation, located adja- cent to the Indian River at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida. I observed this from a distance of approximately 120 m, while standing on the impoundment perimeter dike. I first noticed the heron, as it stood in an expanse of shal- low, open water, grasping the grebe by the neck in its bill. The grebe appeared to be about one-quarter to one-third the size of the heron, and did not appear to be moving. Approximately two minutes later, the heron flew 100 m with the grebe, and landed on the edge of the open water near some vegetation. The heron then began to dip the grebe into the water and re-position the grebe in the bill. At one point the grebe broke free and moved a few meters away from the heron by kicking its legs rapidly. The heron pursued and stabbed several times at the grebe, and quickly recaptured it. The heron then con- tinued to manipulate the grebe as before. After approximately five minutes the heron began to swallow the grebe, which it accomplished within roughly three minutes. After swallowing the grebe, the heron stood in place for several minutes. At first the heron’s neck was greatly distended, but after about ten minutes the neck appeared to be nor- mal-sized. The observation ended when the heron flew away over the Indian River. The Great Blue Heron is known to take a variety of prey including fish, invertebrates, am- phibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds (Butler 1992). Palmer (1962) summarized ac- counts of Great Blue Herons eating large prey items, including a Clapper Rail (Arnett 1951) and a Wilson’s Phalarope (Packard 1943). To my knowledge this is the first report of a Great Blue Heron eating a Pied-billed Grebe. Literature Cited Arnett, J. H., Jr. 1951. Great Blue Heron captures Clapper Rail. Cassinia 38:32-33. Butler, R. W 1992. Great Blue Heron. In Birds of North America, No. 25 (A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F, Gill, Eds.) The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia; and The American Ornithologist’s Union, Washington, D.C. Packard, F. M. 1943. Predation upon Wilson’s Phalarope by Treganza’s Heron. Auk 60:97. Palmer, R. S. 1962. Handbook of North American birds, Vol. 1. Yale Univ. Press, New Ha- ven, CT. 88 Florida Field Naturalist 29(3):88-89, 2001. “PRACTICE” FORAGING BY A SUB-ADULT GREAT BLUE HERON William E. Davis, Jr. College of General Studies, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 “Play”, including “practice” aggression and foraging, has been reported in at least 14 orders of birds (Fagen 1981), and is thus a widespread, if relatively rare, behavior among birds. I report here on observations of practice foraging behavior (considered a category of play) by a sub-adult Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) at the National Audubon Soci- ety’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, in Collier County, Florida on 5 March 2000. The heron was an immature-plumaged bird. It had a diffuse gray crown with a small patch of white on the back of the crown, and only a hint of the black superciliary stripes that characterize an adult bird (Butler 1992, 1997). It was in a shallow, mostly open pool, but with floating clumps of water lettuce {Pistia stratiodes), and patches of a smaller floating plant (Salvinia sp.). Emergent clumps and decaying stems of alligator flag {Thalia geniculata) and other plant debris cluttered the water. I noticed the heron walking slowly about 30 m from me, in about 0.3 m of water, making repeated strikes with its bill at objects in the water. When I watched through lOx binoculars I found that the bird was not attacking fish, as I had assumed, but rather was striking fragments of floating and submerged plant debris. From 09:28 to 09:40 I counted 70 strikes in which the heron successfully “captured” a piece of plant debris and about 20 stabs, often in rapid succession, in which no object was retrieved from the wa- ter. In three additional cases, I cannot rule out the possibility that the heron caught a small fish, since the captured object appeared to move. However, I believe that in these cases movements by the captured item were the result of the heron shaking its head. All attacks were typical bill-stabs, usually resulting in the heron grasping a piece of subsur- face vegetation, but on several occasions large plant fragments were speared. The plant fragments ranged in size from <2.5 cm to 45-50-cm soggy stems of alligator flag. The heron typically mandibulated the plant fragments in a manner identical to mandibula- tion of captured fish prior to ingestion. It sometimes shook a fragment or tossed a stabbed fragment and re-caught it. In one case, the heron “captured” an eight-inch stick, mandibulated it cross-wise in its bill, and then repositioned it parallel to its bill, with its head slightly raised, simulating ingestion. It then dropped the stick and pursued other plant debris. The extensive mandibulation of the items suggests that the heron was not incidentally spearing the vegetation in efforts to flush prey. Observations ended when the bird flew from my view. Many young birds have been observed performing behaviors variously described as “play” or “practice” that mimic adult behaviors. “Play” in juvenile birds may be a way of developing and practicing skills eventually needed for survival (Kilham (1974). Kilham gave examples of play agonistic behavior, play food storing, and play courtship in cap- tive juvenile woodpeckers. Juvenile herons do not forage as efficiently as adults (e.g., Recher and Recher 1969), and the high mortality rate among immature birds may be in part due to starvation or starvation-induced disease (Bayer 1978, Recher and Recher 1980). The common phenomenon of predatory birds playing with objects suggests that play (or practice) may be important in young birds acquiring skills in prey capture and manipulation (Ficken 1977). Hence, practice foraging might be an expected behavior in immature herons. However, reports of play or practice by herons are few: nestling and fledgling Great Blue Herons stab at inanimate objects (Butler 1992), but adult play is unreported; the same has been reported for Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis; Telfair 1994). Fledgling Tricolored herons (Egretta tricolor) display mock aggression to one another Notes 89 before independence (Frederick 1997). The paucity of practice foraging or other forms of play in herons is puzzling since it occurs with higher frequency in other predatory birds (Ficken 1977, Fagen 1981). Acknowledgments. — I thank Robert W. Butler and James A. Rodgers, Jr. for help- ful comments on the manuscript. Literature Cited Bayer, R. D. 1978. Aspects of an estuarine Great Blue Heron population. In Wading Birds. National Audubon Society, Research Report No. 7:213-218. Butler, R. W. 1992. Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). In The Birds of North America, No. 25 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Butler, R. W. 1997. The Great Blue Heron: A natural history and ecology of a seashore sentinel. UBC Press, Vancouver, B.C. Fagen, R. 1981. Animal play behavior. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. Ficken, M. S. 1977. Avian play. Auk 94:573-582. Frederick, P. C. 1997. Tricolored Heron {Egretta tricolor). In The Birds of North Amer- ica, No. 306 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadel- phia, PA, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Kilham, L. 1974. Play in Hairy, Downy, and other woodpeckers. Wilson Bulletin 86:35- 42. Recher, H, F. and J. a. Recher 1969. Comparative foraging efficiency of adult and im- mature Little Blue Herons {Florida caerulea). Animal Behavior 17:320-322. Recher, H. F. and J. A. Recher. 1980. Why are there different kinds of herons? Trans- actions of the Linnaean Society 9:135-158. Telfair, R. C., II. 1994. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis). In The Birds of North America, No. 113 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. 90 Florida Field Naturalist 29(3):90-94, 2001. FIRST RECORD OF ELEGANT TERN IN FLORIDA Ed Kwater 3803 Cloverhill Court, Brandon, FL 33511 E -mail :Himantopus@aol. com On 3 October 1999, Greg Butcher and I led a field trip to Honeymoon Island State Recreational Area, Pinellas County, Florida, as part of the second annual Florida Bird- ing Festival. At 09:15 we located a large flock of terns {Sterna spp.) at the “Pet Beach,” a long, sandy beach at the southwestern corner of the island. There were at least 4,000 Common Terns {S. hirundo), 500 Forster’s Terns {S. forsteri), and 400 Sandwich Terns {S. sandvicensis), but very few Royal Terns {S. maxima). During our scrutiny of the tern flocks an Elegant Tern {S. elegans) landed directly in front of us. This constitutes the first record of this Pacific Coast species for Florida. The Elegant Tern was present for 45 minutes, allowing approach to within 40 m. De- tailed field notes and photographs were taken. The bird was seen almost daily at the Pet Beach until its final appearance in Pelican Cove at the north end of the island on 22 No- vember 1999 (Pranty 2000). A number of photographs were taken of the bird during its stay and three of these, by Lee Snyder, are reproduced here (Figs. 1-3). Identification of the Elegant Tern was relatively straightforward, and was based on the following characters. In size the bird was noticeably smaller than a Royal Tern but slightly larger than a Sandwich Tern in direct comparison with both species. The fore- head and lores were white and the crown became rather abruptly black with some white flecking and streaking in the fore crown (Fig. 1). One of the most striking features of this bird was the nape that was black with a very long crest of feathers extending down it. These were noticeably longer than the corresponding crest feathers on either a Sand- wich or a Royal tern and they produced a very shaggy, unkempt appearance when raised (Fig. 1). When the crest was lowered, the head took on a much more rounded ap- pearance (Figs. 2 and 3). Most of the ear coverts were also black and this coloration ex- tended to well in front of the eye. The bird had a very thin, white eye ring which can just be seen (Fig. 1). The overall combined effect of these characters was to produce a much blacker-headed appearance than was found on any of the Sandwich or Royal terns present. The underparts were white with a faint pink tinge that was most noticeable on the belly. This suffusion can easily be detected in the color print version of Fig. 1. The upperparts of the bird were a relatively uniform pale gray very similar to those of Sandwich and Royal terns. However the outermost two primaries (p8 and p9, num- bered descendantly) were black with white shaft streaks, contrasting markedly with all the remaining primaries and indicating that they were worn, unmolted feathers (Olsen and Larsson 1995). This character was especially noticeable in flight. Figure 2 shows very fresh and newly molted central and inner primaries (pi to p6). Figure 3 shows p7 as a very short, dark-tipped, actively growing feather. There was also a secondary bar that was slightly darker gray than the rest of the upperwing (Fig. 2). The outermost sec- ondaries were noticeably shorter than the rest, indicating that the bird was also in ac- tive secondary molt. The tail appeared to be slightly longer than on a Sandwich Tern with a slightly deeper fork. There were dark subterminal marks on the outer webs of the outermost two pairs of rectrices (t5 and t6). The bill was distinctive. It was relatively longer and thinner than that of a Royal Tern (almost as long as the head) and drooped slightly along its whole length. The bill was bright orange for most of its length but became yellow on the distal third. There was a very thin black line around the base of the bill, most noticeable at the edge of the feath- Notes 91 Figure 1. Second basic plumage Elegant Tern on the Pet Beach at Honeymoon Island State Recreation Area, Pinellas County, Florida. Note the long, slightly drooping bill (which was orange with the distal third yellow), extensive black on the head completely encircling the eye and long, shaggy nape feathers. Pho- tograph by Lee Snyder, 4 October 1999. ering on the culmen and ending at the gape. The tarsi and feet were black with the legs appearing proportionately longer than on the nearby Sandwich Terns. These field marks and photographs (Figs. 1-3) clearly indicate that this Elegant Tern was in basic 2 (second winter) plumage (Olsen and Larsson 1995). The characters that support this conclusion include the retained outer two juvenal primaries on each wing, the faint secondary bar and the subterminal black marks in the outer two pairs of rectrices. Olsen and Larsson (1995) state that during the second prebasic molt the last juvenal primaries are replaced from September to December, a molt pattern noted in the Florida individual. The possibility of this bird being an Old World species, the Lesser Crested Tern {S. bengalensis), was considered, but dismissed due to the bird’s relatively large size (the Lesser Crested Tern is very similar to Sandwich Tern in size), extremely long nape feathers and slightly drooping two-tone bill (Olsen and Larsson, 1995). The Elegant Tern has a very restricted world range with only five known nesting col- onies along the coasts of southern California and Baja California (Burness et al. 1999). The largest of these colonies, on Isla Rasa in the Gulf of California, contains 22,500 breeding pairs, over 90% of the world population (Clapp et al. 1993). Elegant Terns have 92 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Figure 2. Note the two retained juvenal outer primaries, active secondary molt, and extensive black on the head completely encircling the eye. Photograph by Lee Snyder, 4 October 1999. a rather peculiar post-breeding dispersal pattern in that they move north along the Cal- ifornia coast in large numbers between June and September after the end of the nesting season (Roberson 1985, Small 1994). By November numbers begin to decrease at these northern latitudes (Small 1994) and most of the population winters along the Pacific Coast between Nayarit, Mexico and Chile (Devillers and Terschuren 1977, Howell and Webb 1995). The Florida bird may therefore have been a displaced migrant during this southward journey. There is a relatively limited pattern of vagrancy established for this species. It has been recorded twice in Texas, at Corpus Christi on 25 July 1889 (A.O.U. 1983), and at Lake Balmorhea on 23 December 1985 (Williams 1985). In Arizona there are three records: from Painted Rock Dam on 30 May 1988 (Stejskal and Witzeman 1988), and two different individuals in the Tucson area in May and July, 1990 (Stejskal and Rosen- berg 1990). There is also a record from Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean on 19 April 1969 (Amerson and Shelton 1976). The only previously accepted record from the east coast of the USA is from Chincoteague, Virginia on 20 June 1985 (Wilds 1985, Veit 1985). There have also been several records of Elegant Terns from Europe. In 1974 one was found in a Sandwich Tern colony in Gironde, France, and in 1984 two birds were seen at this location, both of them paired with Sandwich Terns (Alstrom and Colston 1991). In 1982 an Elegant Tern was seen at Carlingford Lough, County Down, in North- ern Ireland and a second individual simultaneously at Ballymacoda, County Cork in Eire (O’Sullivan and Smiddy, 1988). In midsummer 1988 an Elegant Tern was recorded at Zeebrugge, Belgium (Boesman 1992). This report provides the first documented evidence of the occurrence of Elegant Tern in Florida. The record has been accepted by the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee. Amazingly another Elegant Tern was reported from Fort De Soto County Notes 93 Figure 3. Note retained juvenal outer primaries and the black subterminal marks on the outer webs of the outer two pairs of rectrices. Photograph by Lee Snyder, 4 October 1999. Park in Pinellas County, Florida, on 2 December 2000. It was rediscovered on 22 Decem- ber and was present until at least 29 December 2000 (Pranty 2001). Acknowledgments. — I thank Lee Snyder for the use of his excellent photographs in the preparation of this article. I also thank Bill Pranty for useful comments on the first draft. Literature Cited Alstrom, P., and P. Colston. 1991. A field guide to rare birds of Britain and Europe. Harper Collins, London. American Ornithologists’ Union. 1983. Checklist of North American Birds. edi- tion. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Amerson, a. B. Jr., and P. C. Shelton. 1976. The natural history of Johnston Atoll, cen- tral Pacific Ocean. Atoll Research Bulletin 192. Boesman, P 1992. Sierlijke Stern te Zeebrugge in Juni-Juli 1988. Dutch Birding 14:161- 169. Burness, G. P., K. Lefevre and C. T. Collins. 1999. Elegant Tern (Sterna elegans). In The Birds of North America, No. 404 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). The Birds of North America Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Clapp, R. B., P. A. Buckley and F. G. Buckley. 1993. Conservation of North Pacific terns. Pp. 154-162, in The Status, Ecology and Conservation of Marine Birds of the North Pacific (K. Vermeer, K. T. Briggs, K. H. Morgan and D. Siegel-Causey, Eds.). Ca- nadian Wildlife Service Special Publication, Ottawa, Canada. 94 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Devillers, P., and J. a. Terschuren. 1977. Some distributional records of migrant North American Charadriiformes in coastal South America. Le Gerfaut 67:107--125, HowelLj S. N. G., and S.Webb. 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Cen- tral America. Oxford University Press. New York. Lefevre, K, and G. P. Burness. 2000. A closer look: Elegant Tern. Birding 32:146-153 O’Sullivan, O., and P. Smiddy. 1988, Thirty-fifth Irish bird report. Irish Birds 3:609-648. Olsen, K. M., and H. Larsson. 1995. Terns of Europe and North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. Pranty, B. 2000. Field observations. Fall report: August-November 1999. Florida Field Naturalist 28:78-90. Pranty, B. 2001. Field observations. Winter report: December 2000-February 2001. Flor- ida Field Naturalist 29:100-112. Roberson, D. 1985. Monterey birds. Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society, Carmel, CA. Small, A. 1994, California birds: their status and distribution. Ibis Publishing Company, Vista, CA. Stejskal, D., and G. H. Rosenberg. 1990. The nesting season: Southwest Region, Ari- zona. American Birds 44:1164-1167. Stejskal, D., and J. Witzeman. 1988, The spring season: Southwest Region, Arizona. American Birds 42:469-472, Veit, R.R. 1985. The changing seasons. American Birds 39:879-884. Wilds, C. 1985. Elegant Tern at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Raven 56:38-39. Williams, F, 1985. The winter season: Southern Great Plains Region. American Birds 40:297-299. 95 Florida Field Naturalist 29(3):95, 2001. LATE RECORD OF LE CONTE’S SPARROW IN FLORIDA Cakla J. Dove^’^ Brian Schmidt' Christina Gebhard', and Eugene LeBoeuf^ ^Smithsonian Institution, Department of Systematic Biology, Division of Birds MRC 116, Washington, DC 20560 2 US, Air Force BASH Team, HQAFSC/SEFW, 9700 Ave., G. SE KirtlandAir Force Base, New Mexico 87117 '•^E-mail: dove.carla@nmnh.si.edu A single female specimen of Le Conte’s Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii) was col- lected on 6 May 2001 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. This specimen (USNM 626515, Tissue # B16645, Field # BKS5482) was obtained from a grassy field on the C-52 North Bombing Range (30°34’37”N, 86°19’54”W) of Eglin Air Force Base, Walton County, Flor- ida. The specific field and preparation notes are as follows: weight 10.3 grams; ovary 3.5 X 2 mm (granular); skull 100% pneumatized; no bursa; seeds in stomach; brown iris; gray bill with black culmen; tan legs; trace body molt. Tissue and gut samples were saved cryogenically. The specimen was prepared as a study skin with a spread wing and is stored at the National Museum of Natural History (USNM), Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. According to reports in Stevenson and Anderson (1994), this represents the latest spring specimen record for Florida. Previous records include reports without specimen verifications in Manatee County on April 26 and May 3, 1925 (Howell 1932) and Dixie County on 5 May 1992 (Stevenson and Anderson 1994). According to Ogden (1971), a re- ported record of 12 May 1967 (Crawford 1981) was re-examined and identified as a Sharp-tailed Sparrow {Ammodramus caudacutus). However, that specimen was not saved or was possibly destroyed by insects (Stevenson and Anderson 1994, R. Crawford pers. comm. 2001). Thanks to G. R. Graves (Smithsonian Institution) for pointing out the importance of this specimen. The collecting expedition to Florida Air Force Bases was made possible by a Legacy Resource Management Program Grant (#DACA87-00-H-0025) to CJD. Thanks to Carl Patrick and the staff at Jackson Guard for hosting our trip. Literature Cited Crawford, R. L. 1981. Bird casualties at a Leon County, Florida, TV tower: a 25-year migration study. Bulletin of the Tall Timbers Research Station. 22:1-30. Howell, A. H. 1932. Florida bird life. Florida Department of Game and Fresh Water Fish in cooperation with Bureau of Biological Survey, U.S. Department of Agriculture, New York. Ogden, J. C. 1971. Regional reports: Florida region. American Birds 25:846-851. Stevenson, H. M. and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. 96 Florida Field Naturalist 29(3);96-98, 2001. GRAY CATBIRDS NESTING IN ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA David L. Leonard, Jr. ^ and Holly B. Freifeld^ ^Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida P.O. Box 110430, Gainesville, Florida 32601 E-mail: dleonard@gru.net ^220 NW 14th Ave., Gainesville, Florida 32601 ^Current address: US. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Room 3-122, P.O. Box 50088, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 The breeding distribution of the Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) in Florida has been reviewed by Stevenson and Menk (1978), Robertson and Woolfenden (1992) and Stevenson and Anderson (1994). Confirmed breeding records exist for the panhan- dle, however peninsular records are very scarce (e.g., Powell 1978). The following sum- mer records exist for Alachua County: one singing in nw Gainesville from 17 July-2 August 1988, one singing at Alachua on 27 June 1994, and one or two observed (if two, never seen together) east of Alachua 27 May-19 July 1996 (R. Rowan, pers. comm.). No evidence of breeding was associated with these observations. The sole breeding record for the species in Alachua County consists of a female observed on a nest without eggs in August 1987 (Stevenson and Anderson 1994). Since the winter/spring of 2000 an assumed pair of Gray Catbirds was observed al- most daily in the authors’ backyard in nw Gainesville. This area of Gainesville is heavily vegetated with a mix of non-native landscape shrubs (e.g., azaleas [Rhododendron sp.]), and native trees (e.g., Carolina cherry laurel [Prunus caroliniana], hackberry [Celtis pal- lida], and oaks [Quercus sp.]). Despite the presence of a singing male, we noted no evi- dence of breeding in 2000. The pair was observed through the fall and winter and beginning in April 2001 the male was heard singing daily. On 25 April 2001 we observed a catbird carrying nesting material and we found a nest on 12 May. The nest contained three eggs and the female was incubating them; on the following day the nest contained a fourth egg (females usually begin incubating after the second egg is laid; Cimprich and Moore 1995). The bulky stick nest was similar to that of other members of the family Mimidae, and was placed 2 m from the ground in a Camellia {Camellia sp.) shrub. The eggs were a uniform turquoise green (Fig. 1). One egg hatched on 25 May 2001, and two additional nestlings were observed on 27 May. We assumed these two hatched on 26 May. The incubation period (from last egg laid to last hatched) was 13 days. Cimprich and Moore (1995) reported a mean incubation period of 12.9 days from last egg laid to last hatched. On 3 June, the nestlings were covered with pin feathers and appeared well fed. The nest was depredated during the night of 3 June or the morning of 4 June and only the unhatched egg remained in the nest. The nest was damaged, and although rac- coons {Procyon lotor) and black rats {Rattus rattus) are frequently observed in the neigh- borhood, identification of the predator would be speculative (see Lariviere 1999). On 10 June, we observed a catbird displaying (i.e., head-down fluffed display [Cim- prich and Moore 19951), and on 16 June we observed three adult birds. On 26 June we observed a catbird carrying food into a heavily wooded lot approximately 100 m from the first nest. On 10 July, we discovered a second nest in the wooded lot. Exotic azaleas and camellia shrubs dominated this area. The second nest was 2.3 m from the ground in a camellia bush. When discovered, a bird was sitting on the nest; we did not flush the bird Notes 97 Figure 1. Gray Catbird nest in Alachua County, Florida. Photo by David Leonard. to check for eggs. On 12 July the female was incubating and the nest contained three eggs. The female was still incubating three eggs on 21 July. On 23 July, the nest con- tained two nestlings and one egg. We checked the nest the following day and the third egg remained unhatched. On 31 July, a single fledgling was observed. Assuming the eggs hatched on 22 July, the 9-day fledgling period falls within the range (8 - 12 days) reported in Cimprich and Moore (1995). We never observed fledglings after 31 July and a catbird continued singing through August. Given that these birds were not banded and we observed more than two catbirds in the area, the two nests may have been the work of different pairs. Given the rarity of nesting records for Alachua County, however, the second nest was likely a second breed- ing attempt by the pair whose nest failed on 3 June. Approximately 5 m from the second active nest, we also found an abandoned nest (in the same species of camellia shrub), which appeared to be a catbird nest; this suggests that Gray Catbirds have bred in this area in previous years. Acknowledgments. — We thank the Franz family for access to their property. The comments of K. Miller improved this manuscript, as did those of two anonymous reviewers. Literature Cited Cimprich, D. A., and F. R. Moore. 1995. Gray Catbird {Dumetella carolinensis). The birds of North America, No. 167. A. Poole and F. Gill, eds. The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA; American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Lariviere, S. 1999. Reasons why predators cannot be inferred from nest remains. Con- dor 101:718-721. Powell, M. C. 1978. A Gray Catbird nest in Duval County, Florida. Florida Field Natu- ralist 6:51. 98 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Robertson, W. B., Jr., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida birds species: an anno- tated list. Florida Ornithological Society, Special Publication. No. 6. Gainesville, FL. Stevenson, H. M., and G. E. Menk. 1978. The breeding status of the Gray Catbird in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 6:13-15. Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. Birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. REVIEW Florida Field Naturalist 29(3):99, 2001. Florida’s Fragile Wildlife. — Don A. Wood. 2001. Florida’s Fragile Wildlife — Conser- vation and Management. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. 212 pages. $39.95. ISBN 0-8130-1888-9. Protecting Florida’s wildlife and biodiversity has been a concern of Floridians for decades, and visionary citizens, academics and politicians have translated that concern into the most aggressive land acquisition program of any state in the nation. As of March 2001, municipal, county, or state governments have acquired approximately 4,500,000 acres. When combined with Federal lands, more than 8,660,000 acres — 25% of the land area of Florida — are in some form of public ownership. In the wake of continuing land acquisition efforts in Florida is the herculean task of land management, which is why this book is so timely. It provides land managers with the fundamental biological information necessary to implement practical management initiatives for the benefit of numerous species. The book covers more than twenty species from numerous taxa and habitats. From beach mice and saltmarsh songbirds to the gopher tortoise and Red-cockaded Wood- pecker, the author provides concise and detailed accounts of each. The strength of the book is in the breadth of information covered. The reader is treated to some basic natural history such as habitat requirements, diet, nesting behavior, and home range size. This information is of interest to any student of nature. The author also provides a conserva- tion status for each species and a description of the factors believed to be limiting their populations. For those interested in monitoring and management, included are survey strategies and habitat management techniques. Suggested management activities range from the simple placement of nest boxes for the southeastern American Kestrel to manip- ulating water levels for the benefit of saltmarsh songbirds and Wood Storks. At the conclusion of each chapter is a list of relevant literature. Unfortunately, refer- ences are only cited in the text when critical management issues are addressed. If addi- tional information on a specific subject is sought, the reader is forced to inefficiently sort through numerous titles and guess which ones may have the desired material. Never- theless, the literature cited sections as presented are valuable contributions to the book. It wouldn’t take many people implementing some ideas in this book to have a posi- tive impact on populations of the target species. But there are risks associated with many of the recommended monitoring and management strategies. The author provides information on capture and handling techniques, but serious consideration must be given to the necessity of such efforts. Fortunately, the author had each species account reviewed by experts, and their names are listed as contributors. In addition, there are legal considerations because many of the species covered are “listed” by the State and Federal government. To address this, an appendix on applicable State and Federal laws is provided. The author has taken great care to ensure the information provided is not misused in a manner that could have negative consequences for the resource. Readers interested in implementing management strategies should not hesitate to consult with others who have expertise on the subject matter. Much of the information presented in Florida’s Fragile Wildlife also appears in the book series on Rare and Endangered Biota of Florida (Ray E. Ashton, Jr., series editor, University Press of Florida, Gainesville). Those individuals who already own the series may not want to spend the $39.95 to acquire this additional reference, but because the book is written to influence management actions, it fills an important niche. It is a re- freshing and practical “how to” guide that is an essential reference for anyone actively involved in land management in Florida. It should also be obtained by college and com- munity libraries. — Gian Basili, 5385 Pelican Way, St. Augustine, FL 32080. 99 100 Florida Field Naturalist 29(3):100-112, 2001. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Winter report: December 2000-February 2001. — This report consists of signifi- cant observations of birds reported to the Field Observations Committee (FOC) or “plucked” from Internet lists. Submissions should be in the following format: species, number of individuals, age and sex of the bird(s), color morph if applicable, location (in- cluding county), date, observer(s), and significance. Seasons are winter (December-Feb- ruary), 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. We greatly prefer observations sent via e-mail. Addresses of the FOC members are found at the end of this report. 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 2000, Fla. Field Nat. 28: 149-160) are marked with an asterisk (*). A county designation (m italics) accompanies the first-time listing of each site in this report. Ab- breviations used are: CP = county park ENP = Everglades National Park, EOS = end of season, LARA = Lake Apopka Restoration Area {Orange unless noted), NWR = national wildlife refuge, PPM = Polk phosphate mines, 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 Winter Season Bob Duncan reported the “astonishing” total of 57 hummingbirds banded in Escam- bia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton this winter, composed of 30 Rufous, 12 Black- chinned, 11 Ruby-throated, 2 Calliope, 1 Buff-bellied, and 1 Broad-tailed. In Franklin, Leon, and Wakulla, the composition of 20 hummingbirds was 13 Rufous, 4 Ruby- throated, 1 Black-chinned, 1 Archilochus spp., and 1 Selasphorus spp. In southeastern Florida, John Boyd reported “a very good winter,” with numerous wood-warblers, spar- rows, and western species observed. Twenty-one (!) FOSRC review species were reported this winter. These were 2 Red- necked Grebes, 2 Western Grebes, 3 White-faced Ibises, a possibly “pure” Scarlet Ibis (of questionable origin), Ross’s Goose, Zone-tailed Hawk, the Heermann’s Gull, Elegant Tern, Calliope Hummingbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Cuban Pewee, 2 or more TropicaPCouch’s kingbirds, 2 Cassin’s Kingbirds, Warbling Vireo, MacGillivray’s War- bler, Yellow-faced Grassquit, Cuban Grassquit (of questionable origin), Lark Bunting, 8 Lapland Longspurs, Chestnut-collared Longspur, and 5 Bullock’s Orioles. Other note- worthy sightings were an unprecedented flight of Red-throated Loons in northeast Flor- ida, further indications of dispersal of Purple Swamphens from Pembroke Pines, 27 species of wood- warblers reported statewide, including 20 species in Everglades Na- tional Park on 21 Jan 2001, the continued “invasion” of Wilson’s Warblers, and impres- sive numbers of Ammodramus sparrows in the Peninsula. This winter, Harry Robinson surpassed 250 surveys of the eastern 3200-ha of Lake Apopka Restoration Area. Since 15 Aug 1998, he has observed 290 species of birds at the Restoration Area! With the Fall 2000 report, Rex Rowan and Ron Smith have “retired” from the FOC. Bev Hansen has taken over responsibility of the Crystal River-to-Gainesville region, while David Powell will compile reports from the St. Petersburg/Tampa region. We have also added Bruce Anderson to the Committee; Bruce will compile reports from the Or- Field Observations 101 lando-Titusville areas. We welcome Bev, Bruce, and David to the Field Observations Committee, and thank Rex and Ron for their excellent work. Continuing a trend evident in recent years, this report is the largest winter report produced by the FOC, exceeding the previous largest (Winter 1999-2000) by over 800 words. One of the culprits is the huge volume of observations posted to any of several In- ternet lists in Florida. Now that all the Florida regional editors of North American Birds are members of the FOC, it is anticipated that efforts to largely eliminate the use of In- ternet postings in formally prepared bird reports will be increasingly successful. Species Accounts Pacific Loon: 1 off St. George Island {Franklin) 10 Jan (A. Knothe). Red-throated Loon: 282 flying S off Talbot Islands SP {Duval) in 30 minutes, 19 Jan (R. Clark), 30+ seen in 20 minutes at Fort Clinch SP {Nassau) 20 Jan (B. Bergstrom), with other large counts reported from the region around the same time {fide P. Pow- ell); 1 at Pensacola Bay, Gulf Breeze {Santa Rosa) 27 Jan-12 Feb (B. and L. Duncan et ak); 4 at Canaveral National Seashore {Volusia) 4 Feb (J. Puschock); 2 at Destin {Okaloosa) 11 Feb (D. Simpson, M. Gardler); 12 off Alligator Point {Franklin) 14 Feb (D. Simpson); 3 at St. Marks NWR (Wakulla) 23 Feb (P. Blair). Common Loon: 94 at Lake Weir {Marion) 17 Jan (E. Scales). PIED-BILLED Grebe: 343 at PPM 2 Dec (P. Fellers, L. Albright). *Red-NECKED Grebe {Podiceps grisegena): single immatures at Gulf Breeze 13-19 Dec and 28 Jan-16 Feb (both B. and L. Duncan et al., details to FOC). Eared Grebe: 14 at several PPM sites 18 Jan (P. Fellers et al.), and 22 at one mine 25 Feb (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 1 at St. Marks NWR 11-14 Feb (K. Allen, D. Simpson). ^Western Grebe: 1 off Fort Clinch SP 2 Jan (K. Knapp); 1 at Sanibel Island {Lee) 12-18 Jan (J. Williams, R. Burk et al., photos posted to the Internet by L. Atherton and C. Ewell). Cory’s Shearwater: 1 at Talbot Island SP 16 Dec (C. Buhrman, A. Turner). Brown Booby: 1 immature off Port Canaveral {Brevard) 4 Feb (D. Simpson). Northern GanneT: 2477 off Canaveral National Seashore 3 Dec (J. Puschock). American White Pelican: 500 at Newnans Lake {Alachua) 17 Dec (A. Kratter, J. Bryan); 3000 at PPM 18 Jan (P. Fellers et al.); 4 at Lake Jackson {Leon) 4 Feb (G. Menk); 800 at Lake Jackson, Three Lakes WMA {Osceola) 16 Feb (D. Freeman, J. Clifton); 100+ at Bystre Lake {Hernando) 21 Feb (S. Collins); 280 at LARA 12 Dec (H. Robinson). Brown Pelican: 11 (5 adults) at Lake Hollingsworth, Lakeland {Polk) 9 Jan (T. Palmer); 1 at LARA 28-31 Jan (H. Robinson); 1 at Lake Kissimmee {Osceola) 16 Feb (D. Free- man, J. Clifton). Great Cormorant: 1 at Titusville {Brevard) remained to 3 Dec (B. Sicolofio^e C. Ewell). Reddish Egret: 1 red morph at St. Marks NWR 24 Dec-2 Jan (T. Kennedy, K. Avera et al.). Yellow-crowned Night-Heron: 1 adult at Pensacola {Escambia) 1 Dec (B. and L. Dun- can, A. Sheppard). *SCARLET IBIS: a possible “pure” immature, with a red body and red- and brown-flecked head at Fort Myers Beach {Lee) seen often in Jan (photos posted to Internet by B. and C. Bruce). Several “Scarlet” or hybrid ibis have been reported from Lee in the past 10+ years, all presumably escapees. Documentation of this individual was not provided. Scarlet x White Ibis: 1 “pink” ibis in central Brevard 5 Feb (D. Simpson); 1 “pink” ibis wintered at Eco Pond, ENP {Monroe) (L. Manfredi et al.). Glossy Ibis: 1 at Weekiwachee Preserve {Hernando) 9 Dec (C. Black); 1 at Lake Jackson 1-3 Jan (G. Menk); 108 at McKethan Lake {Hernando) 12 Feb (A. and B. Hansen). *White-FACED Ibis: up to 3 at St. Marks NWR 11 Feb-7 Mar (K. Allen, J. Cavanagh, L. Atherton [photos posted to the Internet] et al.). 102 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Roseate Spoonbill: up to 16 wintered at Lakeland, at lakes Hollingsworth and Parker (P. Fellers, T. Palmer). Fulvous Whistling-Duck: 298 at Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area {Lake) 28 Dec {fide J. Stenberg). Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: 35 at Paynes Prairie State Preserve {Alachua) 3 Dec (D. Harder); “hundreds” over the Sarasota “celery fields” {Sarasota) 27 Jan (D. Simpson). Greater White-fronted Goose: 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF {Okaloosa) 11 Dec, and 7 there 7-18 Jan (D. Ware, B. Duncan, E. Case et ah); 1 wintered in Santa Rosa (B. Bremser, B. Duncan et ah); 4 orange-billed birds at St. Marks NWR 1-17 Jan (H. Van Tol et ah); 1 at Gainesville {Alachua) 2 Feb (B. Feldherr, M. Landsman). Snow Goose: 8 at Three Lakes WMA 8 Dec (C. Geanangel); 2 immature blue morphs at S Miami-Dade Wetlands 12-18 Dec (L. Manfredi), and 1 immature white morph there 14-23 Jan (B. Rapoza, D, Simpson); 5 at Spanish River Park {Palm Beach) 25 Dec (B. Hope); 3 at Lake Woodruff NWR (Volusia) 25 Jan (W. Biggs, M. Gardler). *ROSS’S Goose: 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 20 Dec ff (D. Simpson, B. Duncan et ah). Canada Goose: 1 at Viera {Brevard) 7 Jan-EOS (D. Novier, B. Anderson et ah). Brant: 1 at Longpoint Park {Brevard) 20 Dec (H. Armstrong [photos to FOC], D. Johan- sen); 2 immatures at Black Point {Miami-Dade) 21-24 Dec (L. Manfredi). Ruddy Shelduck: 2 at DeLand {Volusia) late Jan-2 Feb (S. Nabors). American Black Duck: 1 at LARA 3-12 Dec (H. Robinson); 2 adults at Longpoint Park 11 Jan (D. Simpson). Blue-winged x Cinnamon Teal: 1 cinnamon-colored male with a “diffuse white cres- cent between the eye and bill” at Merritt Island NWR 26 Dec (D. Simpson). Cinnamon Teal: 1 male at Myakka River SP {Sarasota) 21 Jan (D. Powell, videograbs to FOC); 1 male at PPM 20-25 Jan (K. Allen, P. Fellers et ah). Eurasian Wigeon: single males at Merritt Island NWR 17 Dec-2 Jan and Mims {Brevard) 3 Jan (both D. Simpson et ah). Greater Scaup: 2 at LARA 10-21 Jan (H. Robinson). Long-tailed Duck: 2 at Merritt Island NWR 2-19 Dec (B. Sicolo et ah); singles at St. Marks NWR 8 Dec (1. Hernandez), Fort Walton Beach STF 11 Dec-22 Jan (D. Ware et ah), Springhill Road STF {Leon) 20 Dec (D. Harder et al.). Fort Clinch SP 1-8 Jan (P. Leary, D, Simpson et al.), Eau Gallie Causeway {Brevard) 7 Jan (A. and J. Trott), and Tram Road STF {Leon) 9 Jan (G. Menk). Surf Scoter: 20 in Walton 5 Jan (D. Ware); 2 on the St. Johns River at S Jacksonville {Duval) 10 Jan (P. Powell). Common Goldeneye: 2 at Punta Gorda {Charlotte) 6-8 Dec (J. Bouton); 200+ at Fort Is- land Beach {Citrus) 29 Jan (M. Gardler). Bufflehead: 1 female at Hialeah {Miami-Dade) 16 Dec-6 Jan (J. Rosenfield et al.). Hooded Merganser: 1200+ at Punta Gorda 8 Dec (J. Bouton); 480 at Newnans Lake 17 Dec (A. Kratter, J. Bryan); 900 at PPM 6 Jan (P. Fellers, L. Albright). Ruddy Duck: 1315 at PPM 2 Dec (P. Fellers, L. Albright). Osprey: 25 at LARA 4 Feb (H. Robinson). Swallow-tailed Kite: 1 at ENP 23 Feb (C.J. Grimes); 1 in S Jefferson 25 Feb (J. Epler); 3 at Alligator Point {Franklin) 25 Feb (J. Dozier, J. Murphy); 4 at St. George Island {Franklin) and 2 at Apalachicola {Franklin) 26 Feb (both K. Malone). White-tailed Kite: 1 at Big Cypress National Preserve {Collier) 4 Dec (V. Lucas et al.); 2 S of Mahogany Hammock, ENP 27-28 Jan (T. Rodriguez, J. Puschock); 1 at Blue Heron STF, Titusville 8 Dec (R. Peterson et al.); at least 3 at Buck Island Ranch {Highlands) in Jan (M. McMillian et al.); 2 adults at Lake Miccosukee {Jefferson) 6 Jan-EOS were observed courting “often” (M. Miller, B. Bergstrom et al., photos to FOC by E. Hawkins); 1 at Melbourne {Brevard) 8 Feb (T. MacClendon). Snail Kite: 1 at Tampa {Hillsborough) 27 Dec ff (K. Allen et al.). Mississippi Kite: 1 at Cedar Key {Levy) 25 Feb (T. Taylor). Field Observations 103 Broad-winged Hawk: 1 immature at Cape Coral (Lee) 18-19 Dec (J. Bouton, C. Ewell). Short-tailed Hawk: 1 dark morph at Lake Trafford {Collier) 16 Dec (T. Doyle, K. O’Reilly-Doyle); 2 at Ten Thousand Islands NWR 3 Jan (J. and C. Krakowski); sin- gle dark morphs at Lake Istokpoga {Highlands) 20 Jan and 3 Feb (M. McMillian); 1 light morph at Saddle Creek CP, Lakeland 7 Feb (P. Fellers); 2 light morphs display- ing over New Port Richey {Pasco) 10 Feb (K. Tracey et ah); 1 at Gainesville 19 Feb (D. Steadman); 2 on territory at Gulf Hammock {Levy) 23 Feb (K. Meyer); single dark and light morphs wintered at Key West {Monroe) (J. Ondrejko). SWAINSON’S Hawk: 1 at LARA 20 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 dark morph near Chekika, ENP 25 Jan (T. Palmer); 1 near Holey Land WMA {Palm Beach) 26 Feb (D. Simpson). *ZONE-TAlLED Hawk {Buteo albonotatus): 1 over Big Pine Key {Monroe) 3 Dec (T. Wilm- ers), and presumably the same individual over Boca Grande Key, Key West NWR {Monroe) 12 Dec (T. Wilmers, videotape to FOC and FOSRC). Red-tailed Hawk: 1 “Krider’s Hawk” in NE Leon 2-27 Dec (G. Menk, M. Collins, P. Conover); 1 “Krider’s Hawk” near Vilano {St. Johns) 16 Dec (J. Wheat, details to FOC); 1 “Krider’s Hawk” near South Bay {Palm Beach) 25 Jan (T. Palmer); 1 “Fu- erte’s Hawk” at W Kendall {Miami-Dade) 6 Feb (J. Boyd). Golden Eagle: 1 at LARA 12 Dec (H. Robinson). Crested CaracarA: 1 along SR-50 at the St. Johns River {Orange) 9 Dec (D. Freeman et ak); 1 at Viera Wetlands {Brevard) 22 Feb (D. Freeman, G. Beaton). Black Rail: 2 at Salt Springs SP, Bayonet Point {Pasco) 29 Dec (D. Robinson, D. Powell, P. Young). King Rail: 1 at Tierra Verde {Pinellas) 1 Jan (A. and R. Smith). Virginia Rail: 13 seen and “many more” heard in a cattail pond at Hernando Beach Park {Hernando) 28 Jan (C. Black). Purple Swamphen: 87, including 12 at a new site, at Pembroke Pines {Broward) 18 Jan (B. Pranty); 2 at Belle Glade {Palm Beach) 24 Feb (A. and B. Liberman, J. Holstein, C. Weber); 1 just W of Loxahatchee NWR {Palm Beach) 26 Feb (A. and B. Liber- man)— all three Palm Beach swamphens were of the gray-headed (sub)species Por- phyrio [porphyria] poliocephalus, which suggests that they have dispersed from Pembroke Pines, rather than being local escapees. American Coot: 34,600 at PPM 2 Dec (P. Fellers, L. Albright). Sandhill Crane: 1 at S Jacksonville 3 Dec {fide P. Powell); 25 in Walton 7 Jan (P. Gault); 23 at Lake Jackson 3 Jan (G. Menk); 1 at Wacissa Springs {Jefferson) 7 Jan (G. Menk); 1 at Medart {Franklin) 2 Feb ff {fide J. Dozier). Black-bellied Plover: 52 at LARA 3 Dec had dwindled to 1-3 by 14 Jan-EOS (H. Rob- inson); 5 at Newnans Lake 17 Dec (A. Kratter, J. Bryan). American Golden-Plover: 1 at S Miami-Dade Wetlands 31 Dec-7 Jan (L. Manfredi, J. Boyd et ah). Snowy Plover: 10 at Navarre Flats {Santa Rosa) 9 Dec (P. Baker et ah); 7 at Big Lagoon {Escambia) 23 Dec (B. Bremser); 34 at Santa Rosa Island 7 Feb (B. and L. Duncan, E. Case). Piping Plover: 80 at Three Rooker Bar {Pinellas) 8 Feb (P. Blair, W. Yusek). American Oystercatcher: 16 at Pensacola 26 Dec-15 Feb (A. and D. Forster). American Avocet: 1 at Newnans Lake 17 Dec (A. Kratter, J. Bryan); 4 at Springhill Road STF 22 Dec (G. Menk), and 2 there 7 Jan (M. Collins); 120 at PPM 6 Jan (P. Fellers et ah). Solitary Sandpiper: 1 at Gainesville 6 Dec (R. Rowan); 1 at Zephyrhills {Pasco) 21 Dec (D. Powell, K. Tracey [photo to FOC] et ah); 1 at the Naples landfill {Collier) 30 Dec (T. Doyle et ah); 1 at Sarasota {Sarasota) 19 Jan-5 Feb (J. Palmer); 1 at Chekika, ENP 23 Jan (B. and L. Cooper et ah); 2 at Immokalee {Collier) 21 Feb ff (P. Murphy et ah). Long-billed Curlew: 1 off Pinellas Point {Pinellas) 6 Jan (R. Smith); 1 at Bunche Beach 26 Jan-EOS (V. Lucas et ah). 104 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST SanderlinG: 2 at PPM 2 Dec (P. Fellers, L. Albright). Least Sandpiper: 2000 at PPM 2 Dec (P. Fellers, L. Albright); up to 780 wintered at LARA (H. Robinson). White-rumped Sandpiper: 1 at Sarasota 13-18 Jan (V. McGrath et ah, details to FOG by J. Boyd). Purple Sandpiper: 15 at Fort Clinch SP 8-14 Jan (D. Simpson et ah); 3 at Smyrna Dunes CP {Volusia) 15 Jan-9 Feb (P. Fellers, D. Freeman et ah); 2 wintered at Matan- zas Inlet {St. Johns) (G. Basili). Dunlin: up to 4 at LARA to 15 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 albinistic bird at Merritt Island NWR 17 Feb (P. Bowen [photos posted to Internet], S. Gosselin et ah). Stilt Sandpiper: 20 at LARA 12 Dec, and 2 there 15 Dec (H. Robinson); 18 at Newnans Lake 17 Dec (A. Kratter, J. Bryan); 12 at Sarasota 15 Jan (V. McGrath et ah). Long-billed Dowitcher: up to 128 at LARA to 15 Dec (H. Robinson). Common Snipe: 121 at LARA 17 Dec (H. Robinson). American Woodcock: 5 at Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve {Collier) 11 Dec (M. Owen). POMARINE Jaeger: 1 at Sanibel Island 19 Jan (D. Powell, C. Kelsey). Parasitic Jaeger: 2 at Fort De Soto CP 6 Jan (D. Powell) and 1 immature light morph there 7 Jan (R. Smith). Franklin’s Gull: 1 first-winter bird at Fort Walton Beach STF 5-15 Dec (B. Duncan, D. Ware et ah); 1 at St. Marks NWR 16 Dec (T. Curtis); 1 adult wintered at Redington Beach {Pinellas) (J. Fisher et ah). *Little Gull: 1 at LARA 7 Jan (H. Robinson). Bonaparte’s Gull: up to 214 at LARA 22 Dec-11 Feb (H. Robinson); 1 at Pahokee Ma- rina {Palm Beach) 17 Feb (J. Holstein, C. Weber). *Heermann’S Gull: 1 remained at Fort De Soto CP through the winter, although appar- ently the same individual was reported (without details to FOC) farther south along the Gulf coast, on days when it was not seen at Fort De Soto: N tip of Anna Maria Is- land {Manatee) and Passage Key NWR {Manatee) 26 Dec (J. Ginaven), Sanibel Island {Lee) 28-30 Dec {fide C. Ewell), and Longboat Key {Sarasota) 18 Jan (R. McCullock). Herring Gull: 35 at Lake Hollingsworth 28 Jan (B. and L. Cooper); 7 at LARA 17 Jan (H. Robinson). Lesser Black-backed Gull: singles at LARA 24 Jan (H. Robinson) and Key West 28 Feb (J. Ondrejko). Glaucous Gull: 1 at Huguenot Park {Duval) 10 Dec-19 Jan (B. Richter, H. Adams); 1 first-year bird near the Pompano Beach landfill {Broward) 11 Feb-EOS (J. Villamil, K. Sarsfield et ah); 1 first-winter bird at Crandon Park {Miami-Dade) 28 Feb (R. Diaz). Great Black-backed Gull: 1 at Sanibel Island 14 Jan-EOS (C. Ewell et ah); 1 first- winter bird at Fort Pickens {Escambia) 3 Feb (B. Duncan). Gull-billed Tern: 7 at Hernando Beach South {Hernando) 19 Dec (B. Pranty [photos to FOC], B. Ahern); 3 at Pine Island {Hernando) 10 Jan (M. Gardler); 2 at Orlando Wet- lands Park {Orange) 4 Feb (C. Pierce et ah); 2 at Viera Wetlands 22 Feb (D. Freeman, G. Beaton). Caspian Tern: 418 at PPM 2 Dec (P. Fellers, L. Albright); up to 105 at LARA to 15 Dec (H. Robinson). Royal Tern: 6 at PPM 6 Jan (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 6 at Lake Hollingsworth 28 Jan (B. and L. Cooper). *Elegant Tern: 1 at Fort De Soto CP 2-29 Dec (L. Atherton, D. Powell et ah, photos posted to Internet by L. Atherton and C. Kelsey). Common Tern: 100 at Fort De Soto CP 2 Dec (R. Smith et ah) and 1 there 6 Jan (P. Blair, R. Smith, W. Yusek); 1 at Anna Maria Island 31 Jan (P. Blair, W. Yusek). Forster’s Tern: 194 at LARA 25 Feb (H. Robinson). Field Observations 105 Black Skimmer: 115 at Lake Hollingsworth 23 Jan (T. Palmer); 5 at Lake Ivanhoe, Or- lando {Orange) 17 Feb (D. Freeman). White-crowned Pigeon: 1 at Ten Thousand Islands NWR 3 Jan (T. Doyle). White-winged Dove: 1 at St. George Island 2 Dec (H. Horne); 16 at Gulf Breeze 10 Dec (B. Duncan); 2 at Cape Coral 10-15 Dec (C. Ewell); 16 in Okaloosa 18 Dec (A. Knothe et al.); up to 3 at LARA 20 Dec-24 Jan (H. Robinson); 1 at Lutz (Hillsborough) 23 Dec (J. Hartzler); 2 at Orlando 23 Feb (D. Freeman et al.); 1 at Key West 25 Feb-EOS (J. Ondrejko); 5 at Bayonet Point 26 Feb (J. Wagner). Mourning Dove: 1000 at PPM 6 Jan (P. Fellers et al). COCKATIEL: 2 “avicultural color morphs” associated with Monk Parakeets at Busch Gar- dens {Hillsborough) Jan-Feb (C. Cock et al.). Monk Parakeet: a microwave tower at Safety Harbor {Pinellas) in Jan supported a nest of several pairs of parakeets, and also an active Bald Eagle nest (K. Tracey). Rose-ringed Parakeet: 2 at “the traditional roost site” in Royal Palms (Roystonea sp.) at Cape Coral 18 Dec (C. Ewell, J. Bouton). Black-hooded Parakeet: 25 at Walsingham Park {Pinellas) often in winter, including some seen entering cavities also visited by Pileated Woodpeckers (J. Fisher), Blue-AND-YELLOW Macaw: 5 at Fairchild Tropical Gardens {Miami-Dade) 9 Dec (D. Simpson). Groove-billed Ani: 1 near Gibsonton {Hillsborough) 15 Dec (K. Allen). Barn Owl: 10 seen foraging at LARA pre-dawn 7 Feb (H. Robinson). Great Horned Owl: 3 active nests with 2 young each at PPM 3 Jan-EOS (P. Fellers). Short-eared Owl: singles at LARA on four dates in Jan and Feb (H. Robinson). African Gray HORNBILL: 1 at Ridge Manor {Hernando) 30 Dec (C. Black) for the 4* year. Lesser Nighthawk: up to 20 at Flamingo Campground and Eco Pond, ENP 10 Dec-4 Feb (C. J. Grimes et al., video to FOC by B. Pranty); 9 wintered at Loxahatchee NWR {Palm Beach) (B. Hope et al.). Common Nighthawk: 1 seen and heard at Delray Beach {Palm Beach) 21 Feb (B. and J. Hope). Nighthawk species: 1 at Ten Thousand Islands NWR 3 Jan (C. Krakowski, details to FOC). Chuck-WILL’S-WIDOW: 2 at Mary Krome Park, Homestead (Miami-Dade) 23 Jan (B. and L. Cooper et al.); 1 in song at Lutz {Pasco) 10 Feb (D, Bowman); 1 in song at Golden Gate Estates {Collier) 11 Feb (T. Doyle). Ruby-throated Hummingbird: singles at Bald Point {Franklin) 13 Dec (J. Dozier), Newport {Wakulla) to 21 Feb (R. Gidden), and at Tallahassee all winter (H. Hooper, banded by F. Bassett). Black-chinned Hummingbird: 1 wintered at Tallahassee (L. Thompson et al., banded by F. Bassett); 1 female at Spring Hill {Hernando) 12 Feb-EOS (L. Atherton, D. Grimes). *Calliope Hummingbird: singles at Niceville {Okaloosa) 13 Dec (V. Klosiewski et al., banded by F. Bassett) and 30 Dec-28 Feb (J. Moomaw et al., banded by F. Bassett). *Broad-TAILED Hummingbird: 1 female at Pensacola 19 Nov-17 Feb (B. and B. Lucas et al., banded by F. Bassett). Rufous Hummingbird: singles at S Jacksonville 25 Dec-EOS (L. Bremer), Lutz 31 Dec- 1 Jan (D. Bowman), Kendall 20 Jan (P. Comins et al.), Eastpoint {Franklin) 26 Jan (S. Klink, banded by F. Bassett), Spring Hill 12 Feb-EOS (L. Atherton, D. Grimes), and Newport to 25 Feb (R. Gidden, B. Bergstrom); 1 at Alligator Point 8 Jan (J. Mur- phy, banded by F. Bassett) and another at the same feeder that was banded previ- ously; 9 in Leon variously this winter {fide G. Menk) included 3 at the same Tallahassee feeder (F. Rutkovsky et al.). Selasphorus SPECIES: 2 at Mary Krome Park (Miami-Dade) 7 Dec-2 Jan (L. Manfredi); singles at Cedar Key 9 Dec-9 Jan (D. Henderson), Valrico {Hillsborough) 18 Dec-EOS (S. Backes), Crystal River {Citrus) 24 Jan (T. Rogers), and Land O’ Lakes {Pasco) 6-18 Feb (S. Burns, photos to FOC). 106 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Red-headed Woodpecker: 2 adults at different areas of St. Petersburg 7 Jan (J. Hopkins). Yellow-bellied Sapslfcker: 4 in one tree at Orlando Wetlands Park 28 Jan (C. Pierce). Hairy Woodpecker: 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 12 Feb (B. Duncan); 2 at Bear Creek Trails Refuge {Gadsden) 24 Feb (G. Menk, R. Atchison). *CUBAN Pewee: 1 at Key Largo Hammocks State Botanical Site {Monroe) 16 Feb was de- scribed as having a “prominent, swollen, half eye ring on the posterior part of the eye that did not continue to the anterior part” and a “pee, pee, pee, pee” call repeated about 10 times (B. Quinn, M. Haig, details to FOC). Acadian Flycatcher: 1 heard calling on the Orange River (Lee) 10 Feb (L. Cooper). Least Flycatcher: 1 at Eco Pond 21 Jan-EOS (D. Simpson et ah, video to FOC by B. Pranty); 1 at W Kendall 26 Jan-EOS (J. Boyd); up to 3 at LARA to 14 Feb (H. Rob- inson). Eastern Phoebe: 205 at LARA 12 Dec (H. Robinson). Vermilion Flycatcher: singles at St. Marks NWR 24 Dec-1 Mar (B. and S. Donner, J. Cavanagh et ah), Quincy {Gadsden) 31 Dec {fide M. Collins), Micanopy {Alachua) to 15 Dec (C. Lanciani et ah), DeBary {Volusia) 14 Jan (L. Malo), Duda, LARA {Lake) 3- 11 Feb (D. Simpson, T. Rodriguez et ah), with 2 there 25 Feb (J. Puschock), Goodwin WMA {Brevard) to 7 Feb (B. Anderson et ah), and Lake Jackson 15 Feb (G. Menk); 3 adults wintered at Fort Walton Beach STF (B. Duncan, A. Knothe et ah). Ash-throated Flycatcher: singles at Fort Walton Beach STF to 20 Dec (D. Ware, B. Duncan et al.) and 28 Feb (D. Ware), Paynes Prairie State Preserve 3 Dec-EOS (H. Horne, D. Harder et ah). Gumbo Limbo Nature Center {Palm Beach) 18 Dec-16 Jan (B. and J. Hope et ah), and Ocklawaha Prairie {Marion) 19 Jan (E. Scales); 4 wintered at LARA, with all seen 14 Jan (H. Robinson). Brown-crested Flycatcher: 1 at LARA 14 Jan (H. Robinson) and 24 Jan (D. Freeman, J. Clifton); 1 at Snake Bight Trail, ENP {Monroe) 15 Jan-4 Feb (L. Manfredi, D. Sim- pson et ah). *Tropical/Couch’s Kingbird: 1 at Fort Myers Beach 13-17 Jan was thought to be a Tropical Kingbird based on the calls (C. Ewell, T. Hince et ah); 1 at Mahogany Ham- mock, ENP {Miami-Dade) 26 Jan-5 Feb (L. Manfredi et al.) was thought by some to be a Couch’s Kingbird based on the single brit call notes (P. Bithorn, J. Boyd et ah), but a “twittering” call also heard suggested Tropical Kingbird (M. Forman). *Cassin’S Kingbird: 1 near Lake Poinsett {Brevard) 26 Dec-EOS (P. Marvin, B. Ander- son, R. Diaz); 1 at LARA 14 Jan-EOS (H. Robinson). Western Kingbird: 50 reported at 14 sites from Lanark Village {Franklin) to Key West, including 2 at Paynes Prairie State Preserve to 3 Dec (H. Horne, D. Harder), 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 5-20 Dec (B. Duncan, B. Bremser, D. Ware); 4 at Trenton {Gilchrist) 21 Dec (R. Rowan); 4 near Lake Poinsett 26 Dec (P. Marvin); 2 at Government Road {Hendry) 21 Feb (P. Murphy et ah), 5 inBrevard 22 Feb (D. Freeman, G. Beaton), and 24 at LARA 14 Feb (H. Robinson). Eastern Kingbird: 1 in S Miami-Dade 2 Dec (L. Manfredi). Scissor-TAILED Flycatcher: singles at Fort De Soto CP 2 Dec (L. Atherton, J. Fisher et al.), Fernandina Beach {Nassau) 4-14 Dec (P. Leary), Fort Walton Beach STF 5 Dec (B. Duncan) with 2 there 19 Dec (B. and L. Cooper), LARA 14 and 28 Jan (H. Robin- son), and Seven Springs {Pasco) 16 Jan (K. Tracey); 8 at ENP 18 Feb (D. Simpson, C. and K. Radamaker); 2 at Government Road 21 Feb (P. Murphy et ah); 6 at W Ken- dall 26 Jan-EOS (J. Boyd et ah); 21 wintered at Key West (J. Ondrejko). Bell’s VireO: 1 at Eco Pond, ENP 7 Feb (L. Manfredi, C.J. Grimes et al.). Yellow-throated Vireo: singles at Kenwood Elementary, Kendall 9 Dec (J. Rosen- field), Matheson Hammock CP 11 Dec-11 Jan (B. and L. Cooper, P. Bithorn et ah), Spanish River Park 4 Jan (B. Hope), Snake Bight, ENP 21-28 Jan (D. Simpson, J. Boyd), Royal Palm, ENP {Miami-Dade) 27 Jan-25 Feb (J. Boyd), and W Kendall 7 Feb-EOS (J. Boyd). Field Observations 107 Warbling Vireo: 1 at Camp Owaissa Bauer (Miami-Dade) 29 Jan (D. Simpson). Purple Martin: 1 at Amelia Island (Nassau) entered a martin house 15 Dec (C. Wyatt); 1 near Odessa (Pasco) 11 Jan (D. Wassmer); 1 at Port St. Lucie (St Lucie) 18 Jan (D. Hull). Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 1 at Apalachicola National Forest (Franklin) 25 Feb (J. Dozier). Barn Swallow: 1 at Springhill Road STF 3 Dec (P. Conover, G. Menk); 1 at Flamingo, ENP 29 Jan (V. McGrath); 1 at LARA 25 Feb (J. Puschock). Cliff Swallow: several at S Miami-Dade Wetlands 22 Dec (J. Boyd). Cave Swallow: 1 at S Miami-Dade Wetlands 22 Dec (J. Boyd); singles at Wakoda- hatchee Wetlands (Palm Beach) and Loxahatchee NWR 4 Jan (both B. Hope). Brown Creeper: 2 in N Leon 17 Feb (M. Collins). House Wren: 1 wintered at Key West, joined by a second bird 26 Feb (J. Ondrejko); 271 at LARA 12 Dec (H. Robinson). Winter Wren: found at 9 sites in Gadsden, Jefferson, ojidLeon this winter, attributed to birders becoming more familiar with the species’ call notes (fide G. Menk). Sedge Wren: 56 at LARA 6 Dec (H. Robinson). Marsh Wren: 54 at LARA 28 Jan (H. Robinson). Golden-crowned Kinglet: singles at S Jacksonville 13-16 Dec and 8-14 Feb (J. Cocke), LARA 20 Dec (H. Robinson), Geneva (Seminole) 22 Dec (G. Minor), and St. Marks NWR 24 Feb (P. Blair); 4 at Starkey Wilderness Park (Pasco) 29 Dec (D. Robinson, D. Powell). Ruby-crowned Kinglet: “unprecedented numbers” in Palm Beach in Jan (B. Hope). Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: 78 at LARA 4 Feb (H. Robinson). Veery: 1 at N Jacksonville (Duval) 30 Dec (L. Johannsen). SwAiNSON’s Thrush: 1 at Niceville 18 Dec (C. Parkel, details to FOC). Wood Thrush: 1 at Hugh Taylor Birch SP (Broward) 29 Jan-EOS was described as hav- ing a “ruddy head and back, faint white streaks on the cheeks, and large round dis- tinct spots on the underparts down to and including the flanks” (W. George et ah). American Robin: 1 at Key West 27 Feb (J. Ondrejko). Northern Mockingbird: a nest at Gainesville contained 1 downy nestling 15 Feb (M. Meisenburg). American Pipit: 248 at LARA 28 Jan (H. Robinson). Sprague’s Pipit: up to 5 at Apalachicola Municipal Airport (Franklin) through at least 7 Jan (D. Harder, G. Menk et ah). Cedar Waxwing: up to 43 at LARA 4 Jan-EOS (H. Robinson); 3 at Key West 25 Feb and 33 there 27 Feb (J. Ondrejko). Blue-winged Warbler: 1 at West Lake, ENP (Miami-Dade) 4 Feb (R. Diaz, B. Boeringer); 1 male wintered at Key West ( J. Ondrejko). Tennessee Warbler: 1 at W Boynton Beach (Palm Beach) 3 Dec (B. Hope, C. Weber). Orange-crowned Warbler: 36 at LARA 15 Dec (H. Robinson); 4 on the Fort Myers/ Cape Coral CBC (Lee) 18 Dec (C. Ewell, V. McGrath et ah). Nashville Warbler: singles at LARA 2 Dec (C. Pierce et al.) and 24 Jan (H. Robinson), Matheson Hammock CP 13 Dec (L. Manfredi), near Oviedo (Seminole) 30 Dec (B. Anderson), West Boca Raton (Palm Beach) 14 Jan ff (B. Hope et ah). Fern Forest Na- ture Center (Broward) 17 Feb (W. George), and Palm Beach (Palm Beach) 25 Feb (D. Simpson). Northern Parula: 2 singing at Weekiwachee Preserve 16 Feb (A. and B. Hansen); 1 at LARA 18 Feb, and 11 there 25 Feb (H. Robinson). Yellow Warbler: 1 at Belle Glade Marina 17-24 Feb (J. Holstein, C. Weber et al). Magnolia Warbler: singles at Fuchs Hammock (Miami-Dade) 23 Dec (J. Boyd, P. Bithorn), Snake Bight, ENP 21 Jan (S. Backes), West Lake, ENP 28-29 Jan (J. Boyd, D. Simpson), Dupuis Reserve (Palm Beach and Marti/z) 11 Feb (J. Holstein, C. Weber), and Royal Palm, ENP to 3 Mar (J. Boyd et al.). 108 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Black-throated Blue Warbler: singles at Gainesville 17 Dec (M. Manetz), Snake Bight Trail, ENP 21 Jan ff (C. Ewell, A. Salcedo et al.), West Lake, ENP 28 Jan-3 Mar (J. Boyd), and Matheson Hammock CP 24 Feb (D. Simpson). Black-throated Gray Warbler: 1 at Matheson Hammock 3-16 Dec (J. Boyd et al.). Black-throated Green Warbler: singles at LARA 22 Dec (H. Robinson), N Jackson- ville 30 Dec (P. Powell), and at three sites in ENP in Jan-Feb (C. Ewell, T. Doyle et al.); 6 observed variously this winter in Miami-Dade and 1 in Broward {fide J. Boyd). Two of the Miami-Dade birds were photographed ( J. Boyd, to FOC): 1 male at Mathe- son Hammock CP 3 Dec, and 1 female at W Kendall 22 Feb. Prairie Warbler: singles in Leon 5 Dec (J. Murphy), 10 Dec (P. Conover, G. Menk), and 30 Dec (J. Cox), and at St. Augustine (St. Johns) 27 Jan (D. Reed); 4 at LARA 14 Feb (H. Robinson). Palm Warbler: 374 at LARA 7 Jan (H. Robinson). Prothonotary Warbler: 1 at Secret Woods Park, Fort Lauderdale (Broward) 19 Dec (P. Cunningham, W. George). Worm-eating Warbler: singles at Snake Bight, ENP 18 Dec-28 Jan (J. Boyd, L. Man- fredi). West Lake, ENP 28 Jan (J. Boyd), and Matheson Hammock CP 24 Feb (D. Simpson). OVENBIRD: singles at Lake Talquin (Leon) 6 Dec and Limestone (Jefferson) 13 Jan (both G. Menk). Northern WaterthrusH: 1 at Paynes Prairie State Preserve 17 Dec (S. Flamand, R. Leonard); 1 at Black Hammock, Oviedo 30 Dec (B. Anderson); 1 at Gainesville 10 Feb (M. Meisenburg); 2 wintered at LARA (H. Robinson). Louisiana Waterthrush: up to 3 at Snake Bight Trail, ENP 18 Jan-18 Feb (W. Biggs, D. Simpson, L. Manfredi et al.); 1 at LARA 11 Feb (H. Robinson). *MacGillivray’s Warbler: 1 at Fern Forest, Pompano Beach 17 Feb-EOS was thought to be an immature male, with “very obvious and prominent eye crescents,” a gray head, throat, and breast, and a call described as a “sharp tisk’' (W. George et al.). Wilson’s Warbler: 67 variously this winter from Gulf Breeze to Kendall, including 2 at Pensacola 16 Dec (J. Pfeiffer, B. and P. Tetlow), 4 at Fort Myers 18 Dec (V. McGrath), 9 on the Tallahassee CBC 1 Jan (fide G. Menk), 12 in W Palm Beach County [no date supplied] (B. Hope), and 25 variously in Miami-Dade and Monroe (J. Boyd et al.). Yellow-breasted Chat: 9 singles as follows: Gainesville 17 Dec (C. Graham), Honey- moon Island SRA 7 Jan (W. Yusek, photos to FOC), LARA 14 Jan (H. Robinson), Twenty Mile Bend (Broward) 21 Jan (B. Hope), near S Miami-Dade Wetlands 21 Jan (S. Backes), Ocklawaha Prairie Restoration Area (Marion) 9-22 Feb (E. Scales, J. Puschock), Dupuis Reserve (Palm Beach) 11 Feb (J. Holstein, C. Weber), Hickory Mound Impoundment (Taylor) 19 Feb (A. Kent), and 1 of the western subspecies (I.v. auricollis), a “beautiful brilliant orange-breasted bird!,” banded at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (Collier) 17 Feb and recaptured 24 Feb (B. and J. Jackson et al.). Summer Tanager: single females in N St. Johns 3-12 Dec (P. Powell), at Gulf Breeze 11 Dec (B. Duncan), Pensacola 12 Dec (B. Sargent, F. Bassett), Spanish River Park (Palm Beach) 15 Dec-EOS (L. Manfredi, B. Hope et al.), and S Jacksonville 24 Dec- EOS (J. Cocke); single males at Niceville 18 Dec (C. Parkel), and Ponte Vedra Beach (St. Johns) 17 Jan-EOS (S. Wakefield). Western Tanager: 6 singles: Pensacola 16 Dec (B. and P. Tetlow, J. Pfeiffer), Spanish River Park 28 Dec-6 Jan (T. McGrath et al.). West Boca Raton 14 Jan ff (B. Hope et al.). Fort Myers Beach 14-16 Jan (L. Atherton, A. Salcedo et al.), Jupiter Inlet Colony (Palm Beach) 30 Jan (J. and L. Hailman), and Newport 22 Feb (R. Gidden et al.). Western Spindalis: 1 female at Spanish River Park 9 Dec-4 Jan (D. Simpson, B. Hope et al.). *Yellow-FACED GrassquiT: 1 male of the West Indian subspecies at Eco Pond, ENP 20 Jan-5 Feb (C.J. Grimes et al., photos to FOC by C.J. Grimes, K. Radamaker et al.). Field Observations 109 *CUBAN Grassquit: 1 adult male at South Point Park, Miami Beach (Miami-Dade) 10 Dec (D. LaPuma, R. Galvez, details to FOG). All reports in Florida have been pre- sumed to represent escapees. Clay-colored Sparrow: 7 singles from Fort Pickens to S Miami-Dade Wetlands, plus 9 near Lake Wales {Polk) 4 Jan (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel), 2 at LARA to 28 Jan (H. Robinson), and 2 at Holey Land WMA {Palm Beach) 26 Feb (D. Simpson). Field Sparrow: 14 at Talbot Islands SP 18 Jan (R. Clark). Vesper Sparrow: 50 at Apalachicola Municipal Airport 10 Dec (D. Harder et al.); 14 near Withlacoochee River CP {Pasco) 27 Jan (A. and R. Smith). Lark Sparrow: 1 at LARA 12 Dec (H. Robinson); 2 near Lake Wales {Polk) 1-30 Jan (T. Palmer). *Lark Bunting: 1 female at St. Joseph Peninsula SP {Gulf) 28 Dec (J. Dozier et al.). Savannah Sparrow: 228 at LARA 12 Dec (H. Robinson); “very common” in Miami-Dade this winter (J. Boyd). Grasshopper Sparrow: “fairly common” in Miami-Dade this winter (J. Boyd); both these species seem to be under-reported in previous years. Henslow’S Sparrow: 3 at Paynes Prairie 17 Dec (A. Kent); up to 20 at Doe Lake, Ocala National Forest {Marion) 20 Jan-EOS (J. Puschock, E. Scales). Le Conte’S Sparrow: 6 at Paynes Prairie State Preserve 17 Dec (A. Kent); 2 at N Jack- sonville 30 Dec (A. Kent); 1 at Weekiwachee Preserve 14-19 Jan (A. and B. Hansen, C. Black); 2 at Doe Lake, Ocala National Forest 20 Jan-EOS (J. Puschock, E. Scales); 1 at the Sarasota “celery fields” 27 Jan (P. Blair, W. Yusek). Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow: 1 at Eco Pond, ENP 28 Jan (J. Boyd). Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow: 1 at Ten Thousand Islands NWR 18 Dec (T. Doyle); 6 at Fort Island Gulf Beach 29 Jan (M. Gardler, A. and B. Hansen). Seaside Sparrow: 2 at Fort De Soto CP 12 Dec (L. Atherton). Fox Sparrow: singles at Bald Point 5-6 Dec (J. Dozier), Fort Walton Beach STF 20 Dec- 13 Feb (B. Duncan, D. Simpson et al.), San Felasco Hammock 7 Jan (M. Manetz), La- ment {Jefferson) 10 Jan (G. Menk), Lake Miccosukee {Jefferson) 28 Jan (B. Bergstrom et al.), and Ocklawaha Prairie Restoration Area 9-10 Feb (J. Puschock, E. Scales); 2 at Leon Sink {Leon) 6 Jan (D. Harder). Song Sparrow: up to 2 at Eco Pond, ENP 30 Dec-3 Feb (C. J. Grimes et al.); 10 at LARA 1 Jan (H. Robinson). Lincoln’s Sparrow: singles at Fort Walton Beach STF 15 Dec (D. Ware et al.). Fern For- est 26 Dec (W. George et al.), St. Marks NWR 28 Jan (D. and S. Jue), LARA to 31 Jan (H. Robinson), and Viera 5 Feb (D. Simpson); 2 at Withlacoochee River CP 21 Dec (B. Ahern, A. and R. Smith); 2 at Holey Land WMA 26 Feb (D. Simpson). Swamp Sparrow: 94 at LARA 17 Jan (H. Robinson). White-throated Sparrow: 5 near Withlacoochee River CP 21 Dec (A. and R. Smith, B. Ahern); 1 adult at Inglis {Citrus) 29 Jan (M. Gardler); up to 4 wintered at LARA (H. Robinson). White-crowned Sparrow: 1 in S Miami-Dade 4 Dec (L. Manfredi, B. Rapoza); 3 near Withlacoochee River CP 21 Dec (A. and R. Smith, B. Ahern); 3 in Jefferson 14 Jan (G. Menk, M. Collins); 24 at Talbot Islands SP 18 Jan (R. Clark); 7 at Inglis 29 Jan (M. Gardler, A. and B. Hansen); 22 at Paynes Prairie State Preserve 6 Feb (R. Rowan); 1 at Briggs Nature Center {Collier) 19 Feb-15 Mar (V. Lucas et al.); 1 im- mature at W Kendall 28 Feb (J. Boyd); up to 19 wintered at LARA (H. Robinson); 6 near Oviedo 30 Dec (B. Anderson). Dark-eyed Junco: singles at West Lake, ENP 1 Dec (L. Manfredi), S Jacksonville 2-3 Dec (P. Powell), and Crystal River 6 Dec (T. Rogers); 9 at five sites in Leon 1-29 Dec including a flock of 4 {fide G. Menk). 110 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Lapland Longspur: 1 at Apalachicola Municipal Airport 3 Dec (D. Simpson, C. and K. Radamaker, W. Biggs); up to 7 at Huguenot Park 28 Dec-31 Jan (B. Richter, R. Clark, G. Beaton et ah). ^Chestnut-collared Longspur: 1 at N Jacksonville 23 Jan (R. Clark). Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 1 immature male at Gulf Breeze 13 Jan-3 Feb (P. Taylor, F. Bassett); 1 male at Newport 21 Feb (R. Gidden). Black-headed Grosbeak: 1 female at Fort Pickens 3-11 Dec (P. Baker, B. Duncan); 1 fe- male at Fort Walton Beach STF 20 Dec (A. Knothe, D. Simpson). Blue Grosbeak: singles at Bald Point 5 Dec (J. Murphy) and 26 Feb (J. Dozier); 1 at LARA 12 and 17 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 near Oviedo 30 Dec (B. Anderson); at least 4 at W Kendall 6 Feb-EOS (J. Boyd); 1 at Alligator Point 21 Feb (J. Murphy). Indigo Bunting: 2 at Largo 30 Dec (J. Fisher); 1 male at Citrus Park {Hillsborough) 1 Jan (R. Cole); 1 male at Seminole 7-12 Feb (J. Fisher); 8 at Royal Pines Natural Area {Palm Beach) 17 Feb (J. Holstein, C. Weber); 20+ at Holey Land WMA 19 Feb (D. Simpson); 1 at Newberry {Gilchrist) 25 Feb (B. Giambrone); 2 wintered at LARA (H. Robinson). Painted Bunting: singles at LARA to 17 Jan (H. Robinson), in Franklin 13 Jan (J. Do- zier), in Leon 15 Jan (D. Harder), at Gainesville 24 Feb (R. Rowan), and Hague Dairy {Alachua) 24 Feb (S. Duncan); 1 adult male wintered at a Tallahassee feeder for the third consecutive year, with extreme dates of 10 Oct (1999) and 7 Apr (1999) (B. Bu- ford fide R. West). Dickcissel: 1 at LARA 12 Dec (H. Robinson); 1 at Rotenberger WMA {Broward and Palm Beach) 27 Jan (B. Hope); at least 2 at W Kendall 6 Feb-EOS (J. Boyd); 1 at St. Andrews SRA {Bay) 11 Feb (D. Simpson, M. Gardler). Rusty Blackbird: 1 near Oviedo 30 Dec (B. Anderson); 22 at Black Swamp 25 Feb (D. Harder). Brewer’s Blackbird: 1 at Duda, LARA 3 Feb (D. Simpson). Yellow-headed Blackbird: singles at LARA 7 Jan and 4 Feb (H. Robinson), West Boca Raton 14 Jan ff (B. Hope et ak), and Navarre 28 Feb (A. Knothe). Boat-tailed Grackle: 1 “40% white” partial albino at St. Marks NWR 17 Feb (J. Do- zier, B. Bergstrom et ah); 1000 at LARA 10 Jan (H. Robinson). Shiny CowbirD: 6 at Briggs Nature Center 1 Jan-EOS (V. Lucas et ah). Bronzed Cowbird: up to 5 at Sarasota 10 Dec-5 Jan (J. Palmer et ah); 1 female at the Naples Landfill 30 Dec (T. Doyle et ak, photo to FOC); up to 4 wintered at Sk3wiew Golf Course, Lakeland (L. Albright, L. Cooper et ak). Orchard Oriole: 1 adult male in S Miami-Dade 2 Dec (P. Bithorn). Baltimore Oriole: 1 at Pensacola 16 Dec (A. and D. Forster, A. Sheppard); at least 5 at Flamingo, ENP, including an apparent Baltimore x Bullock’s hybrid 3 Jan-EOS (A. Kratter, C.J. Grimes et ak); 1 at River Breeze CP, Oak Hill {Volusia) 6 Jan (T. Rod- riguez); 4 at Weeki Wachee {Hernando) 15 Jan (S. Collins); 1 at Monticello to 10 Feb (R. Atchison); up to 14 wintered at S Jacksonville (J. Cocke); 2 wintered at Lake Re- gion Village {Polk) (B. and L. Cooper). ^Bullock’s Oriole: 1 immature male at Gulf Breeze to 30 Dec (B. and C. Kahn et ak); 1 first-year male at Flamingo, ENP 3 Jan-EOS (A. Kratter et ak, video to FOC by B. Pranty); 1 at Gainesville 18 Feb (A. Kratter, R. Rowan); 1 female and 1 male at Key West 27 Feb (J. Ondrejko). Purple Finch: 2 females at Tallahassee 30-31 Dec, and 1 male there 25 Feb (F. Rutk- ovsky); 1 female elsewhere in Leon 3-4 Jan (T. Curtis). House Finch: 1 at New Port Richey 4 Feb (S. Burns). Pine Siskin: up to 6 at Gainesville 3 Feb-EOS (L. Hensley et ak); 1 at Spring Hill 25 Feb- EOS (M. Lytle, C. Black); 2 wintered at Alligator Point (J. Murphy). House Sparrow: 2 at LARA 10 Jan and 1 there (H. Robinson). Field Observations 111 Contributors: Howard Adams, Brian Ahern, Larry Albright, Ken Allen, Bruce Anderson, Henry Armstrong, Roger Atchison, Lyn Atherton, Kristi Avera, Steve Backes, Peggy Baker, Gian Basili, Fred Bassett, Giff Beaton, Brad Bergstrom, Wes Biggs, Paul Bithorn, Clay Black, Paul Blair, Bill Boeringer, Jeff Bouton, Pam Bowen, Dave Bowman, John Boyd, Linda Bremer, Bill Bremser, Bob Bruce, Carol Bruce, Judy Bryan, Barbara Buford, Charlie Buhrman, Richard Burk, Sandra Burns, Ed Case, Lois Case, Jim Ca- vanagh, Roger Clark, Joie Clifton, Christine Cock, Julie Cocke, Robin Cole, Marvin Col- lins, Steve Collins, Patrick Comins, Paul Conover, Buck Cooper, Linda Cooper, Jim Cox, Paddy Cunningham, Tom Curtis, Robin Diaz, Bob Donner, Sandy Donner, Terry Doyle, Jack Dozier, Bob Duncan, Lucy Duncan, Scot Duncan, John Epler, Charlie Ewell, Bliz Feldherr, Paul Fellers, Judy Fisher, Scott Flamand, Mike Forman, Ann Forster, Dan For- ster, Dot Freeman, Raphael Galvez, Murray Gardler, Patrick Gault, Chuck Geanangel, Wally George, Bob Giambrone, Red Gidden, John Ginaven, Susan Gosselin, Chuck Gra- ham, C.J. Grimes, Debbie Grimes, Mary Haig, Jack Hailman, Liz Hailman, A1 Hansen, Bev Hansen, David Harder, JoAnn Hartzler, Eliza Hawkins, Dale Henderson, Linda Hensley, Irene Hernandez, Tom Hince, Jackie Holstein, Harry Hooper, Brian Hope, Joan Hope, Judi Hopkins, Howard Horne, Dotty Hull, Bette Jackson, Jerry Jackson, Laura Johannsen, Doug Johansen, Dean Jue, Sally Jue, Betty Kahn, Charles Kahn, Clay Kelsey, Tom Kennedy, Adam Kent, Sheila Klink, Veronica Klosiewski, Kenneth Knapp, Alan Knothe, Cynthia Krakowski, Jim Krakowski, Andy Kratter, Carmine Lanciani, Mary Landsman, David LaPuma, Patrick Leary, Ria Leonard, A1 Liberman, Barbara Liberman, Beth Lucas, Bill Lucas, Vince Lucas, Margaret Lytle, Lome Malo, Kate Mal- one, Mike Manetz, Larry Manfredi, Paul Marvin, Ron McCullock, Todd McGrath, Vince McGrath, Mike McMillian, Gail Menk, Ken Meyer, Michael Meisenburg, Michael Miller, Gary Minor, Jan Moomaw, John Murphy, Pete Murphy, Sue Nabors, Dick Novier, Kathy O’Reilly-Doyle, Joe Ondrejko, Mike Owen, Jeff Palmer, Tom Palmer, Charlie Parkel, Roy Peterson, James Pfeiffer, Cheri Pierce, David Powell, Peggy Powell, Bill Pranty, John Puschock, Bob Quinn, Cindy Radamaker, Kurt Radamaker, Brian Rapoza, Diane Reed, Bob Richter, Don Robinson, Harry Robinson, Tom Rodriguez, Tommie Rogers, Jill Rosenfield, Rex Rowan, Fran Rutkovsky, Arlyne Salcedo, Bob Sargent, Kevin Sarsfield, Earl Scales, Alan Sheppard, Bob Sicolo, David Simpson, Austin Smith, Ron Smith, David Steadman, John Stenberg, Pat Taylor, Terry Taylor, Betsy Tetlow, Phil Tetlow, Larry Thompson, Pete Timmer, Ken Tracey, Anthony Trott, Julie Trott, Hans Van Tol, Ann Turner, Juan Villamil, Julie Wagner, Stan Wakefield, Don Ware, Doug Wassmer, Chuck Weber, Rick West, Jim Wheat, Jim Williams, Tom Wilmers, Caroline Wyatt, Paul Young, and Wilf Yusek. Fall 2000 reports not published previously: 1 White-crowned Pigeon at John D. Mac- Arthur SRA {Palm Beach) 28 Oct (Chuck Weber); 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows and 2 White- crowned Sparrows at Loxahatchee NWR 2 Oct (Brian Hope, Doug Beach). The following species were observed at Newnans Lake: 229 Wood Storks 15 Oct (Lloyd Davis), up to 25 Black-necked Stilts to 3 Sep (John Hintermister); 3 Ruddy Turnstones and 3 Sander- lings, both 3-5 Sep (Mike Manetz, Howard Adams); and 1 Royal Tern 13 Aug (Lloyd Davis). Other species in Alachua were 6+ Selasphorus species at Gainesville 26 Aug-EOS (Judy Bryan, Bryant Roberts), 4 Golden-crowned Kinglets at Gainesville 29 Oct (Andy Kratter), and 1 Canada Warbler at San Felasco Hammock State Preserve 11 Oct (Adam Kent). “At least 5" Canada Warblers were at Cedar Key during the fall (Dale Henderson). Report prepared by Bill Pranty, state compiler (Audubon of Florida, 410 Ware Bou- levard, Suite 702, Tampa, Florida 33619; email billpranty@hotmail.com). Regional com- pilers are Bruce H. Anderson (2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, Florida 32792; email scizortail@aol.com, John H. Boyd III (15770 SW 104th Terrace, Apartment 103, Miami, Florida 33196, email boydj@fiu.edu), Linda Cooper (558 Sunshine Boulevard, Haines 112 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST City, Florida 33844-9540; email Lcooper298@aol.com), Bob and Lucy Duncan (614 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561, email duncan44@juno.com), Charlie Ewell (1121 SW 11th Court, Cape Coral, Florida 33991, email anhinga42@earthlink.net), Bev Hansen (6573 Pine Meadows Drive, Spring Hill, Florida 34606; email bevalhansen @earthlink.net), Gail Menk (2725 Peachtree Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32304), David Powell (1407 Storington Avenue, Brandon, Florida 33511; email vireo@vireos.com), and Peggy Powell (2965 Forest Circle, Jacksonville, Florida 32257). Correction: Red-heads are More Faithful In Shane Belson’s note “Simultaneous use of snag by three breeding birds in central Florida” (Florida Field Naturalist 28:115-117, 2000), a major point of the note was missed due to a typographical error. On page 117, Belson intended to stress that Red- headed Woodpeckers are highly territorial and that at Wekiva Springs State Park he had observed marked males that occupied individual snags year round for three or more years. — Ed. ¥ ‘yv- ':'ip ' ■’ ■ ■5;V''’?^!i^*v''2^^ -''■■•''^/:i#'•1^‘'^i5^’^^|a - ' ••.: V .:^^; ■: (T. :■• >. ■. J ;•■' I -?tK?«;’i to- SfewKSEVdBT' i'. ' tI • ';'V4ar'Js® ' .fj •^' ,v : : ■ :; .?• i:>5|k®S ’ 1 \ ' ••■ •?: ■“ ^ .. ^ ^Lig.v.. ^ .,i5^2&.v. - j.< * r,M^ ^,■-■^'4:';i^ 'f#^ 1 - v-*; .l?:.ii'.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. Editor of the Ornithological Newsletter: Katy NeSmith, 1018 Thomasville Rd., Suite 200-C, Tallahassee, FL 32303. E-mail: knesmith@fnai.org Editor of Special Publications: Glen E. Woolfenden, Archbold Biological Station, P.O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862. E-mail: gwoolfenden@archbold-station.org Web Page Editor: Eugene Stoccardo, 715 Warrenton Rd., Winter Park, FL 33792-4541. E-mail: scrubjay@gdi.net Archives Committee (Chair): WALTER K. TAYLOR, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816. E-mail: wtaylor@pegasus.cc.uc£edu Editorial Advisory Board (Chair): JAMES A. Rodgers, Jr., Wildlife Research Labora- tory, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 4005 S. Main St., Gaines- ville, FL 32601. Field Observations Committee (Chair): BILL Pranty, Audubon of Florida, 410 Ware Boulevard, Suite 702, Tampa, FL 33619. E-mail: billpranty@hotmail.com Finance Committee (Chair): DAVE GoODWiN, 10775 Village Club Circle N., #104, St. Petersburg, FL 33716. E-mail: robert.goodwin@excite.com Nominating Committee (Chair): JOHN DOUGLAS, 3675 1st Ave., NW, Naples, Florida 34120-2709. E-mail: JLDDOUGLAS@cs.com Grants and Awards Committee (Chairs): STEVE NESBITT, Cruickshank Research Award, 4005 S. Main St., Gainesville, FL 32601. E-mail: nesbits@gfc.state.fl.us Katy NeSmith Cruickshank Education Award, 1018 Thomasville Rd., Suite 200-C, Tallahassee, FL 32303. E-mail: knesmith@fnai.org Records Committee (Managing Secretary): Reed Bowman, Archbold Biological Sta- tion, P.O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862. Conservation Committee (Chair): JiM Cox, Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32312. E-mail: necox@nettallycom Membership Committee (Chair): Bob HENDERSON, 2309 W. Mission Road #A, Talla- hassee, FL 32304-2662. E-mail: bob@rkhenderson.com 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. It welcomes submission of manuscripts containing new information from these areas. Please consult recent issues for style and Vol. 27, No. 1 for detailed information. Submit manuscripts for consideration to the Editor, Jerome Jackson. Mono- graph-length manuscripts may be submitted for consideration to the Editor of Special Publications, Glen E. Woolfenden. Send books and other materials for review to Associate Editor, Reed Bowman. Reports of rare birds in Florida should also be submitted to the FOS Records Committee Managing Secretary, Reed Bowman. Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 29, No. 3 September 2001 Pages 75-112 CONTENTS ARTICLES American Oystercatchers nest on gravel-covered roofs in Florida. Nancy J. Douglas, Jeffrey A. Gore, and Richard T Paul 75-80 Effects of different radio transmitter harnesses on the behavior of Florida Scrub- Jays. Reed Bowman and David A. Ahorn. 81-86 NOTES Great Blue Heron eating a Pied-billed Grebe. Eric D. Stolen 87 “Practice” foraging by a sub-adult Great Blue Heron. William E. Davis, Jr. 88-89 First record of Elegant Tern in Florida. Ed Kwater 90-94 Late record of LeConte’s Sparrow in Florida Carla J. Dove, Brian Schmidt, Christina Gebhard, and Eugene LeBoeuf. 95 Gray Catbirds nesting in Alachua County, Florida David L. Leonard and Holly B. Freifeld... 96-98 REVIEWS Florida’s fragile wildlife. By Don A. Wood Gian Basili 99 FIELD OBSERVATIONS Fall Report; August-November 2000 Bill Pranty 100-112 CORRECTION: Red-heads are more faithful 112 L. 9-4- 15 ( Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 29, No. 4 November 2001 Pages 113-142 FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Founded 1972 Officers President: PETER G. MERRITT, 8558 SE Sharon St., Kobe Sound, Florida 33455. Vice President: Ann Paul, Audubon of Florida, 410 Ware Boulevard, Suite 702, Tampa, Florida 33619. Secretary: Bob HENDERSON, 2309 W. Mission Road #A, Tallahassee, Florida 32304-2662. Treasurer: Dean Jue, 3455 Dorchester Court, Tallahassee, Florida 32312-1300. Editor, Florida Field Naturalist: JEROME A. JACKSON, Whitaker Center, Arts & Sci- ences, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Fort Myers, Florida 33965. Ex Officio: Immediate Past President: JiM Cox, Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Dr., Tallahassee, Florida 32312. Directors, Terms Expiring in 2002 Michael Legare, 3570 Von Stuben Court, Titusville, Florida 32796-1538 Camille Sewell, 2303 Oak Dr., Fort Pierce, Florida 34949 Directors, Terms Expiring in 2003 Fred Lohrer, Archbold Biological Station, P.O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, Florida 33862. Ed Slaney, 2981 Nova Scotia Lane, Melbourne, Florida 32935. Directors, Terms Expiring in 2004 Judy Bryan, 1924 SW 43rd Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32608. Brenda Rhodes, 2734 Rainbow Circle N, Jacksonville, Florida 32217. 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 $15 for individual members (overseas $20), $20 for a family mem- bership, $10 for students, and $35 for contributing members. 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. 29, No. 4 November 2001 Pages 113=142 Florida Field Naturalist 29(4):113-126, 2001. DEMOGRAPHY AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE BURROWING OWL IN FLORIDA Pamela J. Bowen^ Department of Biology, University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida 32816 Abstract. — Herein I describe the demographic characteristics and distribution of the Burrowing Owl {Athene cunicularia) in Florida. I censused owls in 62 counties between 15 April and 14 August 1999 and recorded 2,509 Burrowing Owls (1,757 adults, 752 young) at 946 territories. These included means of 1.9 adults, 2.4 young, and 1.5 burrows per territory. Non-breeding adults represented 8.2% of adults. I re-censused sites in Punta Gorda in 2000 and burrow reuse was 66.7%, Fifty Burrowing Owl territories were in agricultural habitats, 896 in urban habitats. The largest number of territories, 458 (51.1%), had burrows on vacant residential lots; 408 of these were in southwest Florida. In southeast Florida, the largest numbers of territories were at airports, parks, ball fields, and schools. As human densities increase in southwest Florida, owl territories may be limited to airports, parks, ball fields, and schools as they are now in southeast Florida. In peninsular Florida, Burrowing Owls were spottily distributed from Madison County in the north to Monroe County in the south. I recorded a small disjunct popula- tion in Okaloosa County. Adult Burrowing Owl density in peninsular Florida was 0.014 adults per km^ Highest densities occurred in urban coastal regions of south Florida. Al- though the Burrowing Owl may be colonizing man-made habitats, these habitats may represent “ecological traps” the species is not fully adapted to cope with. In Florida, the Burrowing Owl {Athene cunicularia) was histori- cally associated with prairie habitats (Howell 1932). In the 1890s, col- onies of 200 to 300 Burrowing Owls were described on the Kissimmee Prairie (Nicholson 1954). During the 1900s, the Burrowing Owl ex- panded its northern and southern ranges (Sprunt 1938, Neill 1954, Ligon 1963, Courser 1979). These authors also documented the owFs use of man-made habitats such as pastures, airports, along roads, and heavily cleared areas. A range expansion is generally considered ^Current Address: St. Johns River Water Management District, RO. Box 1429, Palatka, Florida 32177 113 114 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST healthy. However, if a species’ density declines in its original range and populations are concentrated along the edge of its expanded range, population fragmentation may be occurring. In the 1950s, Nicholson (1954) reported a decline in owl populations on the Kissimmee Prairie. Extensive development and the Burrowing Owl’s reliance on transient man-made habitats pose a threat to the species (Millsap 1996) and it was listed as a “Species of Special Concern” by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) in 1979 (Wood 2001). The most extensive survey of the owl’s distribution is included in the unpublished Florida Breeding Bird Atlas (FBBA). Confirmed breeding records for the Burrowing Owl include sites on 159 of the 1,028 United States Geological Survey 7.5 minute topographic maps (Kale et al. 1992). In comparison, other prairie species such as the Crested Caracara {Caracara plancus) and Grasshopper Sparrow {Am- modramus savannarum) were found breeding in 42 and five of the to- pographic maps, respectively. The Burrowing Owl’s distribution was described as being local and spotty, depending on suitable available habitat, throughout a wide area of Florida (Kale et al. 1992). My goals were to map the current Florida range of the Burrowing Owl and to describe its demography including population size, distri- bution, density, and characteristics related to its capacity to expand or decline. I determined regional owl densities and evaluated use of ephemeral man-made habitats to assess the species’ vulnerability in the face of development. Survey Sites and Methodology During the 1991 breeding season, DeSante et al. (1997) evaluated two methods of censusing Burrowing Owls in a 20-county region in California. Using the first method they censused owls in random stratified blocks and found 96 pairs of owls. Using the second method they censused random blocks and nonrandom blocks where Burrowing Owls had bred in the past and found 336 pairs of owls; 308 of the pairs occurred at his- toric breeding sites. Because the use of past breeding sites provided the most accurate count, I used historic and current Burrowing Owl sites as center-points for my censuses. Since median natal dispersal distance of female and male owls in Cape Coral, Florida, was 1,116 m and 414 m (Millsap and Bear 1997), I censused circular areas with a mini- mum radius of 1.5 km extending from a historic or current center-point. Prior to conducting the census, I reviewed (1) data from 407 FFWCC take permits is- sued between 1988 and 1998, (2) 296 FBBA field cards for sites recorded between 1986 and 1990, (3) Florida Natural Areas Inventory’s database with 99 owl sites documented between 1975 and 1997, and (4) FFWCC’s Wild Bird Observation database with 85 sites recorded between 1987 and 1993. 1 also solicited information while giving presentations to Audubon Society chapters, in newsletters, through a web site, from regional FFWCC offices, and from other researchers. I censused 1,035 historic and current Burrowing Owl sites in 62 Florida counties be- tween 15 April and 14 August 1999. I chose this census period because (1) it coincided with the peak of the breeding season when adult owls are most visible, (2) it would allow me to collect data on both adults and young, and (3) it preceded the onset of nocturnal P. J. Bowen— Burrowing Owls in Florida 115 behavior associated with raptor migration (Haug et al. 1993). Franklin, Liberty, Leon, Baker, and Columbia counties were not censused as they lacked suitable owl habitat and historic owl records. I censused sites in Punta Gorda, Florida, in 1999 and 2000 to obtain data on burrow reuse. Most sites, such as pastures and airports, had open grassy areas with few or no trees. I censused sites, at least once, between 08:00 and 20:00. If I saw no owls, but molted feathers, prey remains, or feces suggested they were present, I revisited the site. I con- ducted roadside surveys and used county maps, topographic maps, and DeLorme Street Atlas, a computer map program, to determine the census route for each site. Census stops were made every 0.16 km to provide visual overlap between stops. If vegetation obstructed the view 0.16 km from the last stop, the next stop was made at the first point where the view was no longer obstructed. Census stops continued for a minimum of 1.5 km in all accessible directions or until no suitable owl habitat, open grassy areas with few or no trees, was visible. However, roadside surveys are biased and only provide counts of individuals visible from a road (Bibby et al. 1992). Roadside surveys also re- sult in limited coverage in areas that have few roads. In order to reduce biases associ- ated with roadside surveys, I conducted walking surveys along the perimeter and in the interior of sites where property owners permitted access. Fifty-two volunteers assisted with the census. I established one census team in each county and personally led each team to ensure consistency in reporting. I located owls by pla3dng a recording of the male Burrowing Owl’s primary call and scanning the landscape with binoculars and a 50-mm telescope with an 18 to 36x zoom eyepiece. A tape of the Florida subspecies’ call was played for a minimum of six minutes per census stop. I used a Garmin GPS 12 unit to determine the longitude and latitude of each territory. Burrowing Owls do not defend feeding territories; they only defend nest burrows (Haug et al. 1993). I defined a territory as a burrow or site where breeding adults or young were observed or as a potential breeding site where single adults were observed. Results Demographic Characteristics I recorded Burrowing Owls (1,757 adults, 752 young; Table 1) at 946 territories. The largest number of adult owls was recorded in southwest Florida (Table 1). The mean number of adults per territory was 1.9 and ranged from 1.7 in the panhandle to 1.9 in northwest Flor- ida (Table 1). Mean number of adults per territory was not significantly different among regions (ANOVA F = 1.25, df = 6 and 939, P > 0.05). Single adults were observed at 144 (15.26%) territories. Breeding pairs were observed at 796 (84.32%) territories and three breeding adults were observed at four (0.42%) territories. I observed young Burrowing Owls at 314 territories (Table 1). The largest numbers of young were recorded in southwest Florida (Table 1). Mean number of young per breeding territory was 2.4 (range: 1.9 in south central region to 3.0 in panhandle; Table 1). The largest number of young owls (n =: 428) was observed between 16 and 31 May 1999. I observed single fledglings at 90 (28.6%) territories, two at 89 (28.3%), three at 76 (24.2%), four at 42 (13.4%), five at 14 (4,5%), and six at three (1.0%). 116 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST a fH I X lO f— I d X Q fe •S © a © © Q © Im O m « aw © © g I 3 q OJ +1 lg H 0 §s o o d ^ a g o m ^ o “S I ^ fc3 3 3 P ^ I § ■ss ea O I d -u ca CO ^ 0 ^ tM -rt w ® O I a fc 5 0 -w d o "a 0 CO CD to ^ m t* ZD ^ O 00 ^ CO O « 03 !>■ tH O la 03 cci0”0:i(»oiiLqTOf^ P O P O P A 03 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +i 03 03 iq 00 o CO o P P c4 P P p cd P 0003O'^'03 cot^cocoo-^ocito- COCO'^e303'^r-)10 to 03 !>. COtOOO-^I>-COt>CO O CO O fH to 03 00 to 03 \ m m m . 0 -M Cd ca re\ S 0 0 o « 0 0 ^ ^ -+J ?H ^ 0 © m m pS p m m d 0 © o ^ m © 0 +J +J ‘S 'm © o s ^ O -M m 03 0 0 'o 'o d d P. J. Bowen— Burrowing Owls in Florida 117 The mean number of burrows per territory was 1.5. Most territo- ries (580; 61.31%) had a single burrow Two burrows occurred at 241 (25.48%) territories, three at 93 (9.83%), four or more burrows at 25 (2.64%) territories. Seven (0.74%) territories lacked a burrow. In Punta Gorda in 1999, 1 found 21 active Burrowing Owl territo- ries with 38 adult owls; in 2000, I found 22 active territories with 42 adult owls. In 2000 the same burrows were occupied in 14 (66.7%) of the original 21 territories and seven (33.3%) territories had gone inac- tive. One active territory in 2000 was undetected during the 1999 cen- sus. Two active territories in 2000 were active prior to 1999 but were inactive in 1999. Five (22.7%) new territories, in areas that did not have owls previously, were recorded during the 2000 breeding-season. Habitat Use Most territories (n = 896; Fig. 1) were in urban areas, with a smaller number in agricultural habitats (n = 50). I found no owls in na- tive habitats. In northwest, southeast, and south-central Florida most territories were on airports (n = 8, 110, 22, respectively). Territories in north-central Florida were equally split between airports (n = 16) and residential nature preserves (n = 16). Most Burrowing Owl territories in southwest Florida were on vacant residential lots (n = 408). A chi-square contingency table revealed that burrows in the south- east and southwest regions were not similarly distributed among man- Residential Airport Park, Bali Residential- Agricultural Comm./Govt Golf Course Residential Vacant Lot Field or Occupied Area Facility Nature School Lot Preserve Man-made Habitats Figure 1. Man-made habitats surrounding burrows at Burrowing Owl territo- ries censused in Florida, 15 April-14 August 1999. A residential nature preserve is a tract of land set aside for Burrowing Owls and other protected species in a planned urban development. 118 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST made habitats (x^ = 443.48, df = 5, P < 0.005). Territories in southeast Florida represented 37% of the total territories in southeast and south- west Florida. Therefore, 37% of the burrows in each man-made habitat would be expected to occur in southeast Florida (Fig. 2a). However, 92% of the burrows at airports and 90% of the burrows at parks, ball fields, and schools occurred in the southeast region (Fig. 2a). Territo- ries in southwest Florida represented 63% of the total territories in both regions and 63% of the burrows in each habitat would be expected to occur in southwest Florida (Fig. 2b). Only 8% of the burrows at air- ports and 10% of burrows at parks, ball fields, and schools were in this region (Fig. 2b). In comparison, 91% of the burrows located on vacant residential lots were found in southwest Florida (Fig. 2b). Distribution and Density I recorded Burrowing Owls in 32 counties (Fig. 3). The five counties with the largest numbers of adult owls were Lee (n = 813), Broward (n = 357), Palm Beach (n = 159), Dade (n = 52), and Charlotte (n = 38). In peninsular Florida, Burrowing Owls were spottily distributed from Madison County in the north to Monroe County in the south. A small disjunct population with seven territories was found at Eglin Air Force Base, Okaloosa County. No active territories were found at the previ- ously recorded disjunct population in Duval County. The largest number of territories (n = 503) was in southwest Florida in Lee, Charlotte, Collier, and Hillsborough counties (Fig. 3). Burrowing Owl territories were not uniformly distributed through the peninsula based on the percent of land area in each region (x^ = 2046.1, df = 5, P < 0.001). Based on land area, the largest number of Burrowing Owl terri- tories in south Florida was expected to occur in the south-central re- gion. However, this region had the smallest number of territories (n = 36) in south Florida. The smallest number of owl territories in south Florida was expected to occur in the southwest region, which had the largest number of territories, 503 territories. In north Florida, the larg- est number of territories was expected to occur in northeast Florida; however, the north-central region had the largest number of territories. In south Florida, the largest numbers of Burrowing Owl territories were found in the urban coastal regions. In contrast, the largest number of territories in north Florida was in the interior of the state. The number of adult Burrowing Owls per km^ in peninsular Flor- ida was 0.014 (Table 2). The highest density of adult owls, 0.065 adults per km^, was in southwest Florida (Table 2). The density of adult owls in southwest Florida was 2.3 times higher than the density of adults (0.028 adults per kmO in southeast Florida. The highest density of adult owls in southwest Florida was 65.0 times higher than the lowest density of adults found in northeast Florida (0.001 adults per kmO. The P. J. Pow£;iv— Burrowing Owls in Florida 119 (A) Southeast Region Airport Park, Bail Field, Comm./Govt. Residential Residential or School Facility Occupied Lot Vacant Lot Type of Man-made Habitat Figure 2. Percent of observed Burrowing Owl territories versus expected terri- tories based on man-made habitats surrounding burrows in southeast and southwest Florida, 15 April- 14 August 1999. See Figure 3 for limits of regions. density of Burrowing Owl territories in peninsular Florida was 0.007 territories per km^ (Table 2). The highest density of territories was in southwest Florida and the lowest density was in northeast Florida (Ta- ble 2). When densities were calculated for the entire north and south Florida areas, adult Burrowing Owl density in south Florida (0.026 adults per kmO was 8.7 times higher than in north Florida (0.003 adults per km^). Lee County had the highest density of adult Burrow- 120 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Figure 3. Number of Burrowing Owl territories recorded in peninsular Flor- ida, 15 April-14 August 1999. Black dots represent the location of owl territo- ries. Due to the scale of the map, some dots represent more than one territory. For example, 416 territories were located in Cape Coral, Lee County. ing Owls, 0.391 adults per km^ Broward County had the second high- est density, 0.114 adults per and Palm Beach County had the third highest density, 0.031 adults per km^. Discussion Demographic Characteristics The low mean number of adult Burrowing Owls found in the pan- handle may have been influenced by the sample size (n = 7 territories). P. J. fiow^iv— Burrowing Owls in Florida 121 Table 2, Density of adult Burrowing Owls and territories recorded in peninsu- lar Florida, 15 April- 14 August 1999. Region^ Area (km^) No. of adults No. of adults per km^ No. of territories No. of territories per km^ Southeast 19,915.71 563 0.028 306 0.015 South Central 27,231.55 67 0.003 36 0.001 Southwest^* 14,593.27 946 0.065 503 0.035 Northeast 22,439.19 26 0.001 14 0.001 North Central' 21,815.05 99 0.005 57 0.003 Northwest 20,359.37 44 0.002 23 0.001 Totals 126,354.14 1,745 0.014 939 0.007 ^See Figure 3 for limits of regions. ^Includes one site censused after the census date. 'Includes two sites censused after the census date. while the high mean found in northwest Florida was impacted by two territories with three adults. Occasional polygyny has been observed in Burrowing Owls in Saskatchewan, Canada (Haug et al. 1993). Using DNA fingerprinting, Johnson (1997) confirmed polygynous matings at two of 20 breeding territories in Davis, California. I observed polygy- nous groups at 0.42% of the territories. Single non-breeding adults rep- resented 8.2% of the adult population. Population turnover is usually rapid in small, short-lived birds like the Burrowing Owl and ensures non-breeding populations remain small (Newton 1998). Millsap and Bear (1988) recorded 1.7 and 2.0 fledglings per breed- ing territory in Cape Coral, Florida, in 1987 and 1988. The mean fledg- ing date was 24 May in both years. Mealey (1997) recorded means of 2.37, 2.46, and 2.73 fledglings per territory on his study sites in Dade and Broward counties in 1988, 1989, and 1990, with the largest num- ber of owls in May of each year. Because a minimum of one visit was made per site in my census, it is possible young were not observed at territories breeding late in the season in south Florida or early in the season in north Florida. However, when young were observed, I spent additional time at each site to ensure all young were included in the census. The mean number of young I observed was similar to the means recorded by Mealey (1997) and higher than those recorded by Millsap and Bear (1988). The high regional means I recorded in northwest Flor- ida and the Panhandle were recorded in July and August and may indi- cate a later breeding peak in the northwestern areas of the state. Burrowing Owls prefer nesting in areas with a high density of bur- rows and hypotheses suggest multiple burrows protect owls from avian predators or provide escape burrows for young (Haug et al. 1993). Like the Bald Eagle {Haliaeetus leucocephalus) which constructs alternate 122 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST nests, multiple burrows may provide an alternate nest site in the event a burrow is destroyed. In 924 Bald Eagle territories, the mean number of nests per territory was 1.5 (Stalmaster 1987). No burrows were found at seven Burrowing Owl territories and eggs were laid above ground at four territories. No young were produced at these sites due to egg predation. If alternate burrows had been present, nests might have been successful. Burrow reuse in Punta Gorda was higher than burrow reuse (60.0%) recorded by Mealy (1997). Higher burrow reuse in my study may have been positively influenced by maintenance activities. Prior to the breeding season in Punta Gorda, vegetation obstructing burrow entrances was removed and signs identifying burrows as pro- tected nesting sites were replaced. Habitat Use The low number of territories found in natural and agricultural habitats may be influenced by several factors. First, fewer reports on owl sites in remote natural and agricultural areas were received prior to the census than on highly visible urban sites. Second, roadside surveys do not provide the same level of coverage in natural or agricultural hab- itats as they do in urban habitats (Bibby et al. 1992). Most pastures had one road along a border, while subdivisons had numerous roads in their interior and along borders. It is probable that active Burrowing Owl ter- ritories were missed during my census in areas that could not be viewed from a road and where access for walking surveys was not permitted by property owners. However, coverage may not be the only factor influenc- ing the low number of owls observed in these habitats. I conducted walk- ing surveys in a subset of natural and agricultural sites; the maximum number of adults I recorded was five. Population viability analysis sug- gests small owl populations (n < 5 adults) have a 57.5% probability of ex- tinction within 100 years (Bowen 2000). Large owl populations (n > 30 adults) have a less than 2.0% probability of extinction provided there are no changes in the habitat’s carrying capacity (Bowen 2000). Finally, habitat loss and agricultural land-use changes may have impacted some sites. Central Florida was once estimated to have 830,000 ha of dry prai- rie habitat; in 1995, dry prairie had declined to an estimated 156,000 ha (Shriver and Vickery 1999). Additionally, the number of cattle and calf operations in Florida declined from 17,321 in 1987 to 15,522 in 1992 (Floyd 1997). Two property owners and one birder confirmed owls had occurred in three pastures planted with slash pine. The most likely ex- planation for lack of owls at these three sites was habitat change result- ing from conversion of pastures to silviculture. I recorded the largest number of territories on residential vacant lots. Millsap and Bear (2000) found that (1) nest failures due to human causes increased with increasing development, (2) the number of P. J. Bowen— Burrowing Owls in Florida 123 young fledged per nest decreased as human development exceeded 60%, and (3) owls nesting in sodded lawns on occupied lots fledged fewer young than those nesting in vacant lots. My results and those of Millsap and Bear (2000) suggest the Burrowing Owl faces serious chal- lenges in developing areas. If productivity decreases as vacant lots are converted to occupied lots, owl populations in southwest Florida will probably decline. Burrowing Owls in southeast and southwest Florida were not sim- ilarly distributed across man-made habitats. In 1997, an estimated 2,427,500 people lived in Dade and Broward counties, a density of 76,300 individuals per square-mile (Floyd 1998). In contrast, Lee, Charlotte, and Collier counties were estimated to have 725,500 indi- viduals, a density of 20,600 individuals per square-mile (Floyd 1998). Where human densities are high in southeast Florida, Burrowing Owls occurred in the last available habitat patches with large expanses of open grass. The largest populations occurred at airports; 77 adults were found at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, and 63 adults at Pompano Airport in Broward County Parks, ball fields, and schools only supported small populations. The largest number of adults re- corded at a ball field was 13 at Sunrise Park, Broward County. Florida Atlantic University, larger than most neighborhood schools, had 19 adults, the largest number of adults found at a school. Usually, only one to two pairs of owls were found at schools. The United States De- partment of Agriculture is testing methods to reduce birdstrikes. If air- port habitat patches are eliminated, the size of Burrowing Owl populations in southeast Florida may be significantly reduced. Finally, as human densities increase in southwest Florida, owls in the region may be limited to man-made habitat patches in a pattern similar to those observed in southeast Florida. This pattern was seen in one heavily developed area of Cape Coral where owls had occurred along Pelican Boulevard, between Gleason and Mohawk parkways. In 1999, the area was almost fully developed; one territory was found on a resi- dential lot and three territories occurred at Pelican Elementary School. Distribution and Density The FBBA (Kale et al. 1992) recorded Burrowing Owls in a large area of south-central Florida. Although I found owls in a large area of this region, the population density in the region was low in comparison to densities recorded in the coastal regions of southeast and southwest Florida. Courser (1979) identified owl sites as far north as Suwannee and Duval counties. The FBBA (Kale et al. 1992) recorded a probable breeding site in Madison County and a confirmed breeding site in Du- val County. I recorded a pair of owls in Madison County; however, I did not find Burrowing Owls in Duval County. The lack of owls in Duval 124 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST County may have resulted from habitat changes associated with land use changes. Owls had occurred at Imeson Industrial Park, a former military air base, in Jacksonville. The FBBA (Kale et al. 1992) did not include a record of Burrowing Owls in Okaloosa County. I recorded a small disjunct population (12 adults and six young) on a bombing range at Eglin Air Force Base, Okaloosa County. This site was not con- firmed as a breeding site until 1993, one year after work was completed on the FBBA (Stevenson and Anderson 1994). In 1991, DeSante et al. (1997) recorded 672 adult Burrowing Owls in 20 California counties. The Burrowing Owl density was 0.016 adults per km^ and was higher than the density I recorded in peninsular Flor- ida. Observation time and area coverage may have influenced the dif- ference in densities between my study and the California study (Bibby et al. 1992). The California study covered 21,713 km^ per month while my census covered 31,588 km^ per month. It is possible Florida’s Burrowing Owl populations are not as stable as once believed. In 1992, the Burrowing Owl in California was listed as declining with an estimated 1,000-10,000 pairs; the Burrowing Owl in Florida was listed as stable with 1,000-10,000 pairs (James and Es- pie 1997). In 1987, 1,000 pairs of owls were estimated to occur in Cape Coral, Florida (Millsap 1996). In 1999, 416 territories with 782 adult owls were recorded in Cape Coral. The Burrowing Owl represents a paradox in species conservation. With the largest densities occurring in the most rapidly developing re- gions of Florida, the owl appears to be adapting to anthropogenic envi- ronments. However, the Burrowing Owl’s reliance on ephemeral man- made habitats may ultimately impact its numbers. These habitats may function as “ecological traps” which provide vegetative cues suggesting good nest sites, but result in smaller clutch sizes and increased rates of predation (Gates and Gysel 1978). These man-made habitats may not be representative of the niche the species evolved in and it may be poorly adapted to coping with increased predation or similar pressures (Gates and Gysel 1978). The extirpation of Burrowing Owl colonies at the University of South Florida, Hillsborough County, and Imeson In- dustrial Park, Duval County, suggests Burrowing Owl populations in man-made environments are at risk. The presence of owls in a man- made habitat is probably most indicative of efforts to colonize new hab- itats. True adaptation would be reflected in long-term increases in Bur- rowing Owl clutch sizes, fledgling success, and survival rates in response to the ecological pressures exerted by man-made habitats. Knowledge of Burrowing Owl densities at regional and county levels could provide insight for future monitoring efforts. Lee, Broward, and Palm Beach counties in southwest and southeast Florida had the high- est Burrowing Owl densities. Establishment of annual censuses in these P. J. Bow^iv— Burrowing Owls in Florida 125 areas and long-term regional breeding studies may provide further in- sight into the Burrowing Owl’s adaptive abilities. Although wildlife management is seldom applied to urban environments, its application at airports, ball fields, and schools may provide the best opportunity to preserve a species that has come to rely on urban environments. Acknowledgments I thank W. K. Taylor, J. Weishampel, and J, Stout for making this study possible as part of my Master's thesis at the University of Central Florida. I thank the Florida Or- nithological Society for its financial support through the 1999 Helen G. and Allen D. Cruickshank Research Award and its members, especially B. Pranty, for their input. Staff at Audubon’s Center for Birds of Prey, especially R. Collins and D, Flynt, provided valuable assistance. I thank Audubon of Florida’s members who assisted as volunteers. J. Stewart and J. Bowen provided constant support for which I am grateful. I thank W. K. Taylor for reviewing my initial manuscript and D. Leonard, J. Jackson, and an anonymous reviewer for reviewing my final manuscript. Literature Cited Bibby, C. j., N. D. Burgess, and D. A. Hill. 1992. Bird census techniques. Academic Press Inc., San Diego, CA. Bowen, P. J. 2000. Demographic, distribution, and metapopulation analyses of the Bur- rowing Owl {Athene cunicularia) in Florida. M.S. thesis, University of Central Flor- ida, Orlando. Courser, W. D. 1979. Continued breeding range expansion of the Burrowing Owl in Flor- ida. American Birds 33:143-144. DeSante, D. F., E. D. Ruhlen, S. L. Adamany, K. M. Burton, and S. Amin. 1997. A cen- sus of the Burrowing Owls in Central California in 1991. Pages 38-48 in The Burrowing Owl, its Biology and Management: Including the Proceedings of the First International S5rmposium (J. L. Lincer and K. Steenhof, Eds.). Raptor Research Report No. 9. Floyd, S. S., Ed. 1997. 1997 Florida statistical abstract. 31st ed. Bureau of Economic and Business Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Floyd, S. S., Ed. 1998. 1998 Florida statistical abstract. 32nd ed. Bureau of Economic and Business Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Gates, J. E., and L. W. Gysel. 1978. Avian nest dispersion and fledging success in field- forest ecotones. Ecology 59:871-883. Haug, E. a., B. a. Millsap, and M. S. Martell. 1993. Burrowing Owl {Speotyto cunic- ularia). In The Birds of North America, No. 61 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Howell, A. H. 1932. Florida bird life. Coward-McCann, NY. James, P. C., and R. H. M. Espie. 1997. Current status of the Burrowing Owl in North America: an agency survey. Pages 3-5 in The Burrowing Owl, its Biology and Manage- ment: Including the Proceedings of the First International Symposium (J. L. Lincer and K. Steenhof, Eds.). Raptor Research Report No. 9. Johnson, B. S. 1997. Reproductive success, relatedness, and mating patterns of colonial Burrowing Owls. Pages 64-67 in The Burrowing Owl, its Biology and Management: Including the Proceedings of the First International Symposium (J. L. Lincer and K. Steenhof, Eds.). Raptor Research Report No. 9. Kale, II, H. W., B. Pranty, B. M. Stith, and C. W. Biggs. 1992. Florida breeding bird atlas. Final report to Nongame Wildlife Program, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee, FL. 126 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Ligon, J. D. 1963. Breeding range expansion of the Burrowing Owl in Florida. Auk 80:367-368. Mealey, B. 1997. Reproductive ecology of the Burrowing Owls, Speotyto cunicularia floridana, in Dade and Broward counties, Florida. Pages 74-79 in The Burrowing Owl, its Biology and Management: Including the Proceedings of the First Interna- tional Symposium (J. L. Lincer and K. Steenhof, Eds.). Raptor Research Report No. 9. Millsap, B. a. 1996. Florida Burrowing Owl. Pages 579-587 in Rare and Endangered Biota of Florida. Volume V. Birds (J. A. Rodgers, Jr., H. W. Kale II, and H. T. Smith, Eds.). University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Millsap, B. A., and C. Bear 1988. Cape Coral Burrowing Owl population monitoring: annual performance report. Nongame Wildlife Section, Division of Wildlife, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee, FL. Millsap, B. A., and C. Bear. 1997. Territory fidelity, mate fidelity, and dispersal in an urban-nesting population of Florida Burrowing Owls. Pages 91-98 in The Burrowing Owl, its Biology and Management: Including the Proceedings of the First Interna- tional Symposium (J. L. Lincer and K. Steenhof, Eds.). Raptor Research Report No. 9. Millsap, B. A., and C. Bear 2000. Density and reproduction of Burrowing Owls along an urban development gradient. Journal of Wildlife Management 64:33-41. Neill, W T. 1954. Notes on the Florida Burrowing Owl, and some new records for the species. Florida Naturalist 27:67-70. Newton, I. 1998. Population limitation in birds. Academic Press Limited, San Diego, CA. Nicholson, D. J. 1954. The Florida Burrowing Owl: a vanishing species. Florida Natu- ralist 27:3-4. Shriver, W. G., and P. D. Vickery. 1999. Aerial assessment of potential Florida Grass- hopper Sparrow habitat: conservation in a fragmented landscape. Florida Field Nat- uralist 27:1-9. Sprunt, a., Jr. 1938. Burrowing Owl in the Florida Keys. Auk 55:532-533. Stalmaster, M. V. 1987. The Bald Eagle. Universe Books, New York, NY. Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. Birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Wood, D. A. 2001. Florida’s fragile wildlife: conservation and management. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. 127 NOTES Florida Field Naturalist 29(4):127-128, 2001. FIRST VERIFIABLE RECORD OF THE RED-NECKED GREBE IN FLORIDA Robert A. Duncan 614 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561 On 13 December 2000, while scouting Santa Rosa Sound from South Shoreline Park in Gulf Breeze, Santa Rosa County, Florida for the Pensacola Christmas Bird Count, I spotted an unusual-looking grebe. The bird was preening 100 to 130 meters from the beach. At the time a fresh east wind was blowing and the water was choppy causing the bird to bob up and down. The sky was overcast but there was sufficient light as it was about 1015 CST. Upon getting the bird in my 22x telescope, I suspected it was a Red- necked Grebe {Podiceps grisegena). Eared Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) had been in the area since September, and Horned Grebes {Podiceps auritus) were in the vicinity of the bird under observation, allowing easy identification as the Horned Grebes have distinct white cheeks and throats by this time of year. The bird had a dusky dark back and sides to the waterline, as well as a dark crown and cheeks. A whitish area extended from the base of the bill rearwards to the back of the face arching upward and framing the face with a whitish L-shape, contrasting with the crown, cheeks and the back of the neck. The front of the neck and breast was dark, but not as dark as the back. The bill was long and heavy and about the same length as the head. It was dull yellow. A Red-breasted Merganser {Mergus serrator) occasionally swam within a few yards of the bird allowing good size comparison, and I noted the grebe was a few inches smaller. A Horned Grebe that surfaced close to the bird was no- ticeably smaller. I concluded that the bird in question was a first winter Red-necked Grebe, confirmed by consulting the National Geographic Society Field Guide to the Birds of North America. I returned home and called Ed and Lois Case who located the grebe in the same gen- eral vicinity about three hours later. Lois Case photographed the bird (to Florida Orni- thological Society Records Committee). The next morning a dozen birders were also able to see the grebe in the same general location where it lingered until 19 December and was seen by over fifty observers. In the United States the Red-necked Grebe breeds from west and central Alaska, north and central Canada, south to central Washington, northern Montana, northeast- ern North Dakota, and southern Minnesota. It winters from its southern breeding grounds south to southern California, the northern Gulf Coast, and Florida (Stevenson and Anderson 1994). Stevenson and Anderson (1994) considered it casual, primarily in winter, based on about forty reports since Howell, and the reliability of some of the ob- servers, though there were no specimens or photographs. Robertson and Woolfenden (1992) accorded it unverified straggler status based on a lack of direct evidence, though they acknowledged the probability that it is a rare, irregular winter visitor. Duncan and Duncan (2000) cite four prior reports of Red-necked Grebe from the northwest Florida panhandle. Of the two spring sightings from March (1979) and April (1967), the April bird remained in the area six days. In each December report (1973 and 1981) the grebe was seen only one day. All sightings of Red-necked Grebes in northwest Florida have been in bays, bayous, or the sound. Lois Case’s photograph provided the first tangible evidence of the Red-necked Grebe’s occurrence in Florida. The record (01- 437) was accepted by the FOSRC in July 2001. On 28 January 2001, 1 discovered another Red-necked Grebe in Pensacola Bay while scanning the water for a Red-throated Loon (Gauia stellata) that had been present the 128 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST previous day in front of my home in Gulf Breeze. This individual in juvenal plumage lin- gered until 16 February and was seen by over forty observers. It had attained first win- ter plumage by the time of its last sighting. This sighting (01-442) was also accepted by the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee in July 2001. Literature Cited Duncan, Robert A., and Lucy Duncan. 2000. The birds of Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa Counties Florida. Published by the authors. Gulf Breeze. Robertson, W. B., Jr., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida bird species: an annotated list. Florida Ornithological Society, Special Publication No. 6, Gainesville. Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. 129 Florida Field Naturalist 29(4): 129, 2001. SOME ERRONEOUS WCTV TOWER DATES Robert L. Crawford 208 Junius St., Thomasville, Georgia 31792 Crawford and Engstrom (2001) published results obtained from analyses made poS“ sible by entering the 1955-1983 WCTV tower bird mortality data into a computer spreadsheet. The WCTV study in Leon County Florida, was begun by Herbert L. Stod- dard, Sr., and continued by personnel from Tall Timbers Research Station after 1967. Altogether through 1983, about 44,007 birds of 186 species were found on 3579 mornings of about 10,300 search days. Four species accounts of the data were published, the last by me (Crawford 1981), which summarized the first 25 years. Therein, I strove to correct errors that had crept into the earlier publications, but I missed or created oth- ers. The spreadsheet allows an accuracy and stability hitherto unattainable. I wish to correct two previously published errors just discovered that were given special attention by Robertson and Woolfenden (1992) and Stevenson and Anderson (1994). The first is the record of a Louisiana Waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla) on 9 June 1975 (Crawford 1981:21, Stevenson and Anderson 1994:587-588); this should be 9 July 1975. The second is a House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) record from 29 October 1971 (Crawford 1981:22, Robertson and Woolfenden 1992:151, Stevenson and Anderson 1994:690); this should be 29 November 1971. I made these errors and I appreciate the opportunity to correct them. Literature Cited Crawford, R. L. 1981. Bird casualties at a Leon County, Florida TV tower: a 25-year mi- gration study. Bulletin of the Tall Timbers Research Station 22:1-30. Crawford, R. L., and R. T. Engstrom. 2001. Characteristics of avian mortality at a north Florida television tower: a 29-year study. Journal of Field Ornithology 72:380- 388. Robertson, W. B., Jr., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida bird species: an annotated list. Special Publication No. 6, Florida Ornithological Society, Gainesville, FL. Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The Birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. 130 Florida Field Naturalist 29(4):130-141, 2001. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Spring Report; March-May 2001. — This report consists of significant observa- tions of birds reported to the FOS Field Observations Committee (FOC). Submissions 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. We greatly prefer observations sent via e-mail. Addresses of the FOC members are found at the end of this report. 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 2000, Fla. Field Nat. 28: 149-160) are marked with an asterisk (*). A county designation {in italics) accompanies the first-time listing of each site in this report. Ab- breviations used are: CP = county park, DTNP = Dry Tortugas NP {Monroe), ENP = Ever- glades NP, EOS = end of season, FDCP = Fort De Soto CP {Pinellas), LARA = Lake Apopka Restoration Area {Orange), MCA = Marsh Conservation Area, NP = national park, NWR = national wildlife refuge, PPM = Polk phosphate mines, SMNWR = St. Marks NWR {Wakulla), 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 high counts. Summary of the Spring Season Strong east winds blanketed the Peninsula from late Apr into mid-May, pushing northbound migrants west of their normal routes and bringing storm-petrels to Atlantic beaches. Caribbean-wintering species, such as Cape May, Blackpoll, and Black-throated Blue Warblers, American Redstarts, and Common Yellowthroats, were abundant along the Gulf coast and in the Keys. In contrast, migrants that winter in the Tropics, such as thrushes. Scarlet Tanagers, and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, were conspicuously absent (a “trans-Gulf-less season,” according to Charlie Ewell). On the other hand, birding in the Western Panhandle was “boring” with no fallouts (“not even a minor one”) according to Bob and Lucy Duncan. FOSRC rarities seen this spring were two White-faced Ibises still at St. Marks NWR, two (or three?) Masked Ducks at Pembroke Pines, the Heermann’s Gull still at Fort De Soto CP, Elegant Tern back at Fort De Soto, Cassin’s Kingbird still at Lake Apopka, Couch’s/Tropical kingbirds at Everglades NP, Dry Tortugas NP, and Gulf Breeze, MacGillivray’s Warblers near Fort Lauderdale and Miami, the Green-tailed Towhee at New Port Richey, Lazuli Buntings in St. Lucie and at Fort De Soto, and the Bullock’s Ori- ole still at Flamingo. Other interesting reports were the Black-capped Petrel found in- land, Crested Caracara at Destin, large numbers of Arctic Terns along the Atlantic coast, the western Warbling Vireo at A.D. Barnes Park, Sedge Wren at Tallahassee reportedly carrying a fecal sac, three Bahama Mockingbirds in southern Florida, the Townsend’s Warbler at Sanibel Island, and “Gambel’s” White-crowned Sparrow at Dry Tortugas. This report was prepared solely from observations specifically sent to the FOC. How- ever, following “final” compilation, a review of several hundred Internet postings revealed that a maddeningly large number of significant observations was never submitted to the Committee (i.e., the equivalent of 33 pages!). Because reviewing Internet posts has taxed the Committee (or at least the State Compiler!) beyond tolerable limits, and in or- der to reign in the size of the FOC reports, only the most significant of these Internet Field Observations 131 postings have been added here. Those who take the time to post observations to the In- ternet need to understand the importance of formally submitting these same observa- tions to seasonal compilers for Florida Field Naturalist and North American Birds. Species Accounts While searching for a Green-tailed Towhee reported the previous week, K. Tracey dis- covered the “Green Key Migrant Funnef’ at New Port Richey {Pasco) 2 May. News of the discovery attracted several observers daily, 3-13 May. From daybreak to about 0900 hrs, hundreds of migrants, mostly wood-warblers, streamed by the narrowest point on the key, heading east. Most birds flew by from waist-level to perhaps 40 feet up, although the Bob- olinks flew much higher. During peak periods, 2 or 3 birds per second passed the observa- Table 1. Selected species observed on the first seven stationary counts at Green Key Road, Pasco County; later counts reported far fewer individuals. Data provided by K. Tracey. Species 3 May 4 May 5 May 6 May 7 May 8 May 9 May Merlin 1 1 Solitary Sandpiper 1 4 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2 Barn Swallow 4 2 Red-eyed Vireo 1 Gray Catbird 35 3 4 10 24 13 11 Northern Parula 36 3 13 9 26 7 11 Prothonotary Warbler 1 Black-and-white Warbler 40 16 31 12 18 7 10 Worm-eating Warbler 1 Blackpoll Warbler 65 70 253 125 78 46 70 Black-throated Blue Warbler 67 8 47 11 28 7 33 American Redstart 208 50 110 44 96 44 109 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 2 1 1 3 Cape May Warbler 14 4 16 11 7 2 5 Bay-breasted Warbler 1 Blackburnian Warbler 2 Magnolia Warbler 1 1 3 4 2 Prairie Warbler 4 4 10 8 11 2 2 Palm Warbler 5 4 9 9 3 2 11 Ovenbird 4 5 17 16 4 3 2 Northern Waterthrush 13 2 2 2 Common Yellowthroat 39 16 48 23 56 39 35 Unidentified wood-warbler 420 1310 948 578 936 369 707 Blue Grosbeak 1 Indigo Bunting 1 3 Swamp Sparrow 1 1 Bobolink 101 36 56 71 21 Baltimore Oriole 1 1 Totals 943 1619 1569 926 1372 573 1024 132 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST tion point, providing challenges for the observers, and for the data compiler (L. Tracey), who deftly handled simultaneous shouts of “Redstart!” or “Black-throated Blue!” It was not certain whether the birds had roosted on the island or were simply migrating past it after having been blown over the Gulf the previous night. Flights were heaviest during the hour after sunrise, when poor lighting conditions prevented identification of all but a few birds (e.g., male American Redstarts), and totals declined steadily afterward. Common Loon: 3 over Alachua 2 Apr, and 5 over O’Leno State Park {Columbia) 26 Apr (both J. Hintermister). Eared Grebe: 27 at PPM 4 Mar (P. Fellers) and 8 there 1 Apr (P. Timmer, C. Geanan- gel); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF (Okaloosa) 21-23 Mar (D. Ware, B. Duncan). Black-capped Petrel: 1 at Lake Griffin (Lake) 2 Mar died the next day (J. Puschock, E. Scales, specimen to UCF). Sooty Shearwater: 1 at DTNP (Monroe) 5 May (W. Biggs et ah). Storm-petrels: perhaps the highlight of the season was the great numbers of storm-pe- trels observed from land, 30 Apr- 13 May. Hundreds of storm-petrels were reported by dozens of observers from St. Augustine to Miami — the equivalent of 15 pages of ob- servations was posted to a single Internet listserv! Consequently, this report can only summarize the event, concentrating on verifiable evidence. Band-rumped, Leach’s, and Wilson’s storm-petrels were all reported, but only the latter two species were ver- ified. 17 specimens (9 Leach’s and 8 Wilson’s) were salvaged (to UCF and UF), and at least 6 others (5 Leach’s and 1 Wilson’s) were photographed (K. Radamaker). Many of the storm-petrels initially identified as Band-rumped were subsequently retracted or questioned. The three most significant storm-petrel observations follow: “close to 100” at Playalinda Beach, Canaveral National Seashore (Brevard) 4 May (K. Rada- maker, D, Simpson); 30+ Leach’s at Playalinda Beach 5 May (D. Novier et ah); hun- dreds 0-70 km off Jacksonville (Duval) 12 May (fide R. Clark). Band-rumped Storm-Petrel: 1 at Rebecca Channel (Monroe) 26 Apr (L. and P. Hockey); 1 that landed on a boat off Pensacola (Escambia) 4 May (J. Mills) was identified in the hand (B. and L. Duncan) then released. White-tailed Tropicbird: 1 immature ca. 32 km off Jacksonville 13 May (R. Clark), and 1 adult reported by the ship’s captain 67 km out the previous day. Masked Booby: 3 “fuzzy, large chicks” at DTNP in late Apr (P. Lehman et ah). American White Pelican: 1372 at Lake Hamilton (Polk) 25 Mar (B. and L. Cooper); 234 at Lake Jackson (Osceola) 28 Apr (S. Pence); 43 at Newnans Lake (Alachua) 10 May (J. Hintermister); 1 at DTNP 19-26 Apr (P. Lehman et ah); 209 at Twenty-Mile Res- toration Area (Palm Beach) 12 May (A. and B, Liberman); 590 at LARA 31 May (H. Robinson). Brown Pelican: 6 in Polk variously 3 Mar-9 May (T. Palmer); 1 at Lake Weir (Marion) 20-21 Mar (E. Scales). Magnificent Frigatebird: 1 at Bald Point 20 May (N. Vienders); 5 over Fort Pierce (St. Lucie), about 7 km inland, 30 May (D. and H. Hull). American Bittern: >4 at Lake Miccosukee (Jefferson) 18 Apr (M. Hill). Least Bittern: 1 at SMNWR 14 Mar (J. Dozier). Reddish Egret: 1 white morph at SMNWR 12 Mar (J. Dozier). Glossy Ibis: 2 at Key West (Monroe) 15 Apr (J. Ondrejko); up to 8 at DTNP 26 Apr-6 May (P. Lehman, T. Doyle et ah). *White-FACED Ibis: 2 remained at SMNWR to 7 Mar (J. Cavanagh). Roseate Spoonbill: 6 at T.M. Goodwin WMA (Brevard) 19 Mar (S. Rowe); up to 20 at St. Johns Water Management Area (Indian River) all May (S. Rowe). Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: 68 at Bartow (Polk) 4 Mar (P. Fellers); 1 at Johnson 10 May was the first for Putnam (T. Harris); 150 at St. Johns Water Management Area 16 May (S. Rowe); up to 4 at Viera (Brevard) 18 May-EOS (D. Feuss). Field Observations 133 Greater White-fronted Goose: 1 at Big Sabine {Escambia) 14 Mar (B. Duncan), Canada Goose: 17 at Lake Marion {Polk) 25 Mar (T, Palmer). Brant: 2 at Honeymoon Island SRA {Pinellas) 4 Mar (W. Yusek). Mute Swan: 1 pair with 5 chicks at Lake Eola, Orlando {Orange) 28 Apr (B. Pranty, G. Stoccardo). Black Swan: 1 pair with 2 chicks at Lake Eola 28 Apr (B. Pranty, G. Stoccardo). Wood Duck: 51 in a flock at Lake Hartridge {Polk) 27 May (T. Palmer). Green- WINGED Teal: 1100 at PPM 6 Mar (P. Fellers et al.). American Black Duck: 2 at Whaley’s Landing {Osceola) 22 Mar (D. Freeman, J. Clifton). Cinnamon Teal: 1 male at PPM 3 Mar (P. Fellers et al). Lesser Scaup: 2900 at Lake Juliana {Polk) 23 Mar (P. Fellers). Long-tailed Duck: 1 at SMNWR 20 Apr (A. Knothe); 1 picked up near Cocoa {Brevard) ca. 30 Apr {fide T. MacClendon). Hooded Merganser: 1 at Grassy Key {Monroe) 25 Mar (J. Boyd). Red-breasted Merganser: 1 at Walsingham Park, Largo {Pinellas) 21 May (J. Fisher). *Masked Duck: at least 2 males at Pembroke Pines {Broward) 19 May-EOS (D. Lysinger, K. Sarsfield et al., photos to FOC by J. Boyd, videos by D. Powell and B. Pranty). P. Bithorn thought that three males may have been present, based on possible plum- age differences he observed. Swallow-tailed Kite: 1 at FDCP 30 Mar (1. Hernandez, J. Hopkins); 1 at Walsingham Park 28 Mar (J. Fisher); 1 headed NE over Loggerhead Key, DTNP 21 Apr (P. Leh- man et al.); 3 that flew W toward the Gulf over FDCP 15 May were thought to be southbound (L. Atherton); 60 over Tram Road STF {Leon) 15 May (G. Menk et al.); 20 over Torreya SP {Liberty) 26-27 May (G. Stoccardo). White-tailed Kite: 1 at Tate’s Hell State Forest {Franklin) 12 Mar (M. Evans); 1 at Cy- press Lake {Osceola) 22 Mar (D. Freeman, J. Clifton); 1 nest at Pembroke Pines fledged 2 young in late May (W. George et al.). Snail Kite: 1 at East Lake, Tampa 1 Apr ff (D. Wassmer, L. Saul, photos to FOC); 1 at Bonita Springs {Lee) 3-12 May (D. Suitor); 1 male at Picayune Strand State Forest {Collier) 4 May and a female there 11-18 May (T. Doyle et al.). Mississippi Kite: 7 at Gulf Hammock {Levy) 2 May (T. Rogers); 70 over Tram Road STF 15 May (G. Menk et al.); 20 over at Torreya SP 26-27 May (G. Stoccardo). Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1 flew N over Fort Clinch SP {Nassau) 18 May (P. Sykes). Cooper’s Hawk: 1 at Pembroke Pines 26 May (W. George, T. Center); 1 pair at Boyd Hill Nature Park {Pinellas) fledged 2 young (R. Smith); 1 pair at Winter Haven {Polk) fledged 1 young (C. Geanangel). Broad-winged Hawk: 2 at Treasure Shores Park {Indian River) 30 Mar (D. Simpson). Short-tailed Hawk: 1 dark at Glen Lakes development {Hernando) 2 Mar (M. Gardler); 1 light at Saddle Creek CP {Polk) 8-30 Mar (P. Fellers, L. Albright); 1 at Gainesville {Alachua) to 14 Mar (D. Steadman); 1 dark at Weekiwachee Preserve {Hernando) 31 Mar (C. Black, P. Young), and 1 light there 3 May (P. Young); 2 dark over Fort Drum MCA {Indian River) 11 Apr (J. Bryan, S. Rowe); 1 dark at Fairways Country Club {Orange) 5 and 22 Apr (J. Clifton) for the third consecutive year; 1 light at Lake Re- gion Village {Polk) 21 Apr (B. Cooper); single darks at St. Johns River Aquatic Pre- serve {Lake, Seminole, and Volusia) 27 Apr and 11 May (L. Malo et al.); 1 dark at Spring Hammock Preserve {Seminole) 5 May (L. Malo et al.); 1 dark over St. Sebas- tian River State Buffer Preserve {Brevard) 29 May (D. Simpson); 1 mixed pair (dark female, light male) that nested next to a suburban backyard at New Port Richey (K. Tracey et al., female incubating 11 Apr, nestling radiotagged by K. Meyer 23 May) was the first known breeding report for Pasco. Swainson’S Hawk: 1 adult light morph at Buckhead Ridge {Glades) 1 Mar (M. Reyman); 1 N of Holey Land WMA {Palm Beach) 2 Mar (D. Simpson); 1 along Browns Farm Road {Palm Beach) 25 Mar (B. Hope). 134 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Crested CaracarA: 1 at Destin Pass (Okaloosa) 1 Mar (B. and L. Duncan) was the first for the W Panhandle; 1 at Dupuis State Reserve (Martin or Palm Beach) 3 Mar (J. Holstein, C. Weber et al.); adults fed 2 juveniles at Moccasin Island (Brevard) 8 May (K. Snyder); 1 juvenile at Belle Glade Marina (Palm Beach) 12 May (C. Weber, G. Hunter); 1 juvenile at St. Johns MCA (Brevard and Indian River) 25 May (S. Rowe). Merlin: 1 at Kissimmee (Osceola) 27 May (P. Fellers, S. Riffe). Peregrine Falcon: 72 flew past Guana River SP (St. Johns) in two hours 25 Mar (D. Reed); 13 over S Jacksonville in 1 hr 3 Apr (J. Cocke). Wild Turkey: 1 at Walsingham Park 16 Mar (J. Fisher). Black Rail: 1 called at Fort Drum MCA 10 Apr (S. Rowe). SORA: 2 at Boca Ciega Park, Seminole (Pinellas) 12 May (J. Fisher). Purple Gallinule: 1 at Boca Ciega Park 11 May-EOS (L Hernandez, J. Fisher). Limpkin: 1 at Key West 1 Apr (J. Ondrejko); 1 at Lower Matecumbe Key (Monroe) 3 May (S. Lindsay). Sandhill Crane: 1 at Walsingham Park 28 Mar (J. Fisher); 1 pair in Orange attempted breeding three times (building three separate nests) Mar-May, but were unsuccessful each time (B, Payne). American Golden-Plover: 1 at LARA 25 Mar and 2 there 27 Mar (H. Robinson); up to 2 at DTNP 16-22 Apr (L. Manfredi, P. Lehman et al.). Snowy Plover: 1 chick at Honeymoon Island SRA 20 May was killed and carried off by a Wilson’s Plover (L. Kenney). Wilson’s Plover: 4 pairs nested at Fort Clinch SP 17 May (P. Sykes). Semipalmated Plover: 80 at Newnans Lake 10 May (J. Hintermister); 115 at PPM 12 May (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 10 at Middle Lake, St. Joseph (Pasco) 12 May (D. Powell); 1 at Springhill Road STF (Leon) 28 May (D. Harder). American Oystercatcher: 1 at Gulf Breeze (Santa Rosa) 7 May (B. Duncan). Black-necked Stilt: 416 at Twenty-Mile Restoration Area 12 May (A. and B. Liber- man). American Avocet: 2 at Newnans Lake to 28 Apr (M. Manetz); 7 at SMNWR 21 May (J. Dozier). Solitary Sandpiper: 2 at Hague Dairy (Alachua) 17 Mar (B. Muschlitz); 8 at LARA 26 Apr (H. Robinson); 5 at Marathon Airport (Monroe) 8 May (B. and L. Cooper); 13 along the St. Johns River (Lake, Seminole, and Volusia) 11 May (L. Malo et al.). WiLLET: 400 at Pensacola 23 Apr (A. and D. Forster); 1 at LARA 24 May (H. Robinson). Spotted Sandpiper: 81 at Chassahowitzka NWR (Citrus) 27 Apr (T. Rogers); 42 along the St. Johns River (Lake, Seminole, and Volusia) 11 May (L. Malo et al.). Upland Sandpiper: >3 at LARA 27 Mar-8 Apr (H. Robinson); 4 in Osceola 27 Apr (W. Biggs). Ruddy Turnstone: 1 at Newnans Lake 10 May (J. Hintermister). Red Knot: 525 at Little Estero Lagoon, Fort Myers Beach (Lee) 2 May (C. Ewell, A. Sal- cedo); 12 at LARA 14 May (H. Robinson). SanderlinG: 1 at Newnans Lake 10-12 May (J. Hintermister, L. Davis). Semipalmated Sandpiper: 14,526 at PPM 12 May (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel) exceeds the previous Florida high count by several thousand individuals. White-rumped Sandpiper: 5 at Newnans Lake 10 May (J. Hintermister); 18 at PPM 12 May (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel); 1 at Naples (Collier) 25 May (D. Suitor); >50 at Mer- ritt Island NWR 26 May (D. Simpson); 15 at Springhill Road STF 30 May (G. Menk). Baird’S Sandpiper; 1 at PPM 12 May (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Pectoral Sandpiper: 45 at LARA 22 Mar and 40 there 2 Apr (H. Robinson). Purple Sandpiper: >3 at Matanzas Inlet (St. Johns) to 12 May (G. Basili, E. Scales et al.); 2 in breeding plumage at Fort Clinch SP 17 May (P. Sykes). Dunlin: 1000 at SMNWR 24 Mar (P. Fellers et al.); 1 in breeding plumage at PPM 12 May (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Field Observations 135 Curlew Sandpiper: 1 in breeding plumage at Boca Chica Key {Monroe) 25-28 Apr (R. Donovan, W. Zuzevich et al., photos to FOC by G. Rosenberg). RufF: 1 female at Fort Walton Beach STF 1 Mar (B. Duncan, D. Ware et ah). Long-billed Dowitcher: 585 at Lake Hollingsworth {Polk) 13 Mar (P. Fellers). Red-necked Phalarope: 7 between Key West and DTNP 26 Apr (P. Lehman et ah). Parasitic Jaeger: 1 “near-adult” between Key West and DTNP 20 Apr (P. Lehman et ah); 1 adult 5 km S of Pensacola Bay Pass {Escambia) 27 May (E. and L. Case). Franklin’s Gull: 1 adult at Redington Beach {Pinellas) to 29 Apr (J. Fisher, 1. Hernan- dez et ah). *Heermann’S Gull: 1 second-year bird remained at FDCP through the spring (L. Atherton et al.). Lesser Black-backed Gull: 45 at the Pompano Landfill {Broward) 3 Mar (B. and J. Hope); 1 first- winter bird at Key West 19 Apr (P. Lehman et al.). “Glaucous x Herring Gull (?):” 1 first-year bird, believed to be of this parentage, at Fort Clinch SP 17 May (P. Sykes, details to FOC). Great Black-backed Gull: 2 first-winter birds at DTNP Mar-28 Apr (P. Lehman, J. Boyd et al.). Sabine’s Gull: 1 immature near DTNP 15 Apr (L. Manfredi). Royal Tern: 2 at Gainesville 26 Apr (M. Landsman); 3 at PPM 12 May (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). *Elegant Tern: 1 male in breeding plumage at FDCP 20-29 Apr courted then copulated with a Sandwich Tern 26 Apr (L. Atherton et al., photos to FOC). A search for the Elegant Tern among the Sandwich Tern rookery nearby at Egmont Key NWR 22 May was not successful (A. and R. Paul). Roseate Tern: 140 W of Key West 20 Apr (P. Lehman et al.); 3 at Boynton Beach {Palm Beach) 7 May (B. Hope); 17 at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea {Broward) 7 May (W. George, R. MacGregor); 25 adults at Key West 20-21 May (J. Ondrejko). Common Tern: 1 at LARA 8 May (H. Robinson). Arctic Tern: 2 at Playalinda Beach 4 May (D. Simpson) and 1 there 9 May (J. Puschock); 9 at Sebastian Inlet SRA {Brevard and Indian River) 7 May (L. Manfredi); 4 at Boynton Beach 7 May (B. Hope); up to 10 at Miami Beach 7-10 May (P. Bithorn, J. Boyd et al.); 7 in Broward 8-10 May and another at West Lake Park, Holl5rwood ca. 1.2 km inland, 9-22 May (W. George et al., specimen to UCF); 1 ca. 32 km off Jacksonville 13 May (R. Clark). Forster’s Tern: 40 at LARA 31 May (H. Robinson). Least Tern: >2 at Lake Jackson {Leon) 31 Mar (M. Evans, G. Menk). Bridled Tern: 50 working a weedline W of Key West 20 Apr (P. Lehman et al.); 2 ca. 32 km off Jacksonville 13 May (R. Clark). Sooty Tern: 19 ca. 32 km off Jacksonville 13 May (R. Clark). Brown Noddy: 1 ca. 42 km off Cape Canaveral 27 May (D. Simpson). Black Skimmer: 155 at Lake Hollingsworth 13 Mar (P. Fellers). White-crowned Pigeon: 1 at Hugh Taylor Birch SP {Broward) 5 Apr (R. MacGregor, W. George). White-winged Dove: 1 at St. Petersburg {Pinellas) 14 Mar and 14 Apr (A. and R. Smith); 1 at Newberry {Alachua) 2 Apr (L. Davis); 2 adults and 2 juveniles at Minneola {Lake) 5 May (J. Cline); 2 S of Fellsmere {Indian River) 7 May (S. Rowe); 1 at Green Cove Springs {Clay) 12 May (C. Green); 2 at Three Forks MCA {Brevard) 16 May (S. Rowe); 1 at Blue Cypress MCA {Indian River) 16 May (S. Rowe). Mourning Dove: 1 nest with nestlings at DTNP 1 Apr (D. Simpson). Common Ground-Dove: 54 at LARA 27 May (H. Robinson). Peach-faced Lovebird: 2 fought with 2 European Starlings over a cavity at Green Key 30 Mar (J, McKay). Monk Parakeet: 1 at Gainesville {Alachua) 17 Mar (A. Begazo, A. Kent); 1 at Apopka {Orange) 12 May (C. Pierce). 136 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Rose-ringed Parakeet: 6, including juveniles, at St. Augustine (St. Johns) 27 May (J. Holstein). Black-hooded Parakeet: 1 inside a cavity in a power pole at Anclote (Pasco) 26 May (K. Tracey, photo to FOG). Red-masked Parakeet: 2 at Key West 26 Mar (D. Simpson). Blue-crowned Parakeet: 5 at Bradenton (Manatee) 27 May (fide W. Stinehelfer). White-fronted Parrot: 2 at Matheson Hammock CP (Miami-Dade) 31 Mar (D. Simp- son). Orange-winged Parrot: 1 at Patrick Air Force Base (Brevard) 6 May (D. Simpson). Black-billed Cuckoo: 1 at Key West 25 Apr (J. Ondrejko); 1 at ENP (Miami-Dade) 7 May (S. Lindsay). Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 2 at Cedar Key (Levy) 30 Mar (D. Henderson). Turaco SPECIES: 1 at Fort Lauderdale in Apr (C. Engle) was described as being brown with red in the hind wings. This bird was originally reported as a “Helmeted Turaco” 18 Nov 2000 (S. Mumford), but no species has that English name. Burrowing Owl: 5 pairs at Eglin Air Force Base (Okaloosa) all spring (fide L. Feni- more); 1 at DTNP 8 Apr (D. Simpson et ah). Short-eared Owl: 1 at DTNP 17 Apr (L. Manfredi, C. Ewell et ah); 1 at Key West 9 May (A. Knothe). Lesser Nighthawk: singles at FDCP 31 Mar (male) and 1 May (female; L. Atherton et ah). Black-chinned Hummingbird: 1 male at Valrico (Hillsborough) 31 Mar (S. Backes). Broad-tailed Hummingbird: 1 at Pensacola remained to 4 Apr (B. Lucas et ah). Rufous Hummingbird: singles at Bald Point 9 Mar (J. Dozier), Alligator Point 19 Mar (unbanded male; J. Dozier), 28 Mar (banded male; J. Murphy), and 6 Apr (banded fe- male; J. Dozier), and Tallahassee 5 and 9 Apr (F. Rutkovsky et ah). Red-headed Woodpecker: 1 immature at Sanibel Lighthouse Park (Lee) 28 Apr (C. Ewell). Downy Woodpecker: the first breeding report at FDCP was established 2 May, when both adults carried food into a cavity (B. and L. Atherton). Hairy Woodpecker: 1 male in N St. Johns, where “becoming very rare,” 11-30 Mar (P. Powell); 1 pair along the Tamiami Trail in extreme NW Miami-Dade 12 May (J. Boyd). Northern Flicker: 1 female at John Pennekamp Coral Reef SP (Monroe) 29 May had an upper mandible that was twice the length of the lower, and that curved to the left (K. Burgener). Least Flycatcher: singles wintered at W Kendall (Miami-Dade) to 14 Mar and Eco Pond, ENP to 14 Apr (both J. Boyd); 1 at LARA 19 Apr (H. Robinson). Eastern Phoebe: 3 sang at Torreya SP 26-27 May (G. Stoccardo). Vermilion Flycatcher: 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF remained to 1 Mar (B. and L. Dun- can et ah); 1 at Lake Jackson 4 Mar (D. Harder); 1 at SMNWR to 5 Mar (J. Cavanagh, B. and S. Donner). Ash-throated Flycatcher: 1 at LARA to 4 May (H. Robinson); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF to 12 May (D. Ware et ah). Brown-crested Flycatcher: 1 at LARA to 11 Mar (H. Robinson). Western Kingbird: 35 at LARA 8-11 Apr, and 2 to 14 May (H. Robinson); 1 at FDCP 1 May (L. Atherton et ah); 1 at Fort Pickens 8 May (B. Duncan). *Cassin’S Kingbird: 1 at LARA to 16 Apr (H. Robinson). *Tropical/Couch’S KINGBIRD: 1 at Mahogany Hammock, ENP 12 Mar (T. Aversa); 1 at DTNP 14 Apr (L. Manfredi); 1 at Gulf Breeze 8 May (B. Duncan). Gray Kingbird: singles at Key West 15 Mar (J. Ondrejko), Crawfordville (Wakulla) 11 Apr (S. P. MacCumhail), and LARA 22 Apr and 27 May (H. Robinson). SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER: 1 at Avon Park Air Force Range (Highlands or Polk) 18 May (J. and T. Steurer), Bell’s VireO: 1 at Tallahassee 17 Mar (D. Harder). Field Observations 137 Yellow-THROATED Vireo: 1 sang at Black Swamp 2 Mar (G. Menk). Warbling Vireo: 1 apparent V.g. swainsonii at A.D. Barnes Park (Miami-Dade) 27 Mar-8 Apr (P. Bithorn, J. Boyd [photos to FOG] et ah). Philadelphia Vireo: 1 at Matheson Hammock CP 31 Mar (D. Simpson). Red-eyed Vireo: 2 at Starkey Wilderness Park (Pasco) 15 Mar (T. Aversa). Black-whiskered Vireo: singles at Key West 22 Mar (J, Ondrejko), (singing) Jungle Trail (Indian River) 30 Mar (D. Simpson), FDCP 20 Apr and 11 May (L. Atherton et aL), and (singing) Chassahowitzka NWR 27 Apr (T. Rogers) that was the first for Citrus. Purple Martin: 6 flew N over Fort Clinch SP 18 May (P. Sykes); 100 or more at a “fall” roost at the US-98 bridge across Ochlockonee Bay (Franklin) 29 May (J. Dozier). Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 1 at Bald Point 3 Mar (B. Allen); 1 at Lake Jack- son 6 Mar (G. Menk); 4 nested in a seawall drainpipe at Bradenton 26 May (W. Stine- helfer); 4 adults fed 3 young at Kissimmee 27 May (P. Fellers, S. Riffe). Bank Swallow: 2 flew N over Fort Clinch SP 18 May (P. Sykes); 1 at LARA 24 May (H. Robinson). Cliff Swallow: 1 at Tierra Verde (Pinellas) 31 Mar (P. Blair et aL); 2 at Bald Point 31 Mar (J. Dozier); duos at LARA 26 Apr and 27 May (H, Robinson); 1 at Gulf Hammock 2 May (T. Rogers). Cave Swallow: 1 at LARA 18 Mar (H. Robinson); singles at DTNP 6-9 Apr (D. Simpson) and 26 Apr (P. Lehman et aL); 1 immature at Jupiter Inlet Colony (Palm Beach) 12 May (J. Hailman, sketch to FOC). Barn Swallow: 38 flew N over Fort Clinch SP 18 May (P. Sykes). Carolina Chickadee: 1 at a Lakeland yard 24 May (M. Chakan). Red-breasted Nuthatch: 1 at Cedar Key (Levy) 21 Apr (D. Levey). House Wren: 1 at Key West to 6 May (J. Ondrejko). Sedge Wren: 2 at FDCP 26 Apr, with 1 remaining to 10 May (R. Webb, L. Atherton et aL), and another there 12 May (L. Atherton, K. Allen); 1 near Mahogany Hammock, ENP 7 May (S. Lindsay); 1 at Orlando Wetlands Park (Orange) 12 May (C. Pierce); 1 reportedly carrying a fecal sac at Black Swamp (Leon) 26 May (D. Harder, no other details provided). Marsh Wren: 1 at FDCP 2-10 May (L. Atherton, M. Wilkinson et aL); 1 sang at Orlando Wetlands Park 12 May (C. Pierce); 1 at Largo 24 May (J. Fisher). Golden-crowned Kinglet: singles at O’Leno SP (Alachua) 1 Mar (J. Hintermister), Glen Lakes development 2 Mar (M. Gardler), Flatwoods Park (Hillsborough) 13 Mar (D. Powell, B. Pranty, H. Lovell), and High Springs (Alachua) 29 Mar (D. Robbins). Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: 1 at FDCP 1 May (M. Wilkinson). Wood Thrush: 1 wintered at Birch SP to 3 Apr (W. George et aL); 1 at Cedar Key 30 Mar (D. Henderson); 1 sang at Bonner Park (Pinellas) 24 Apr (1. Hernandez); 1 at Weeki- wachee Preserve (Hernando) 28 Apr (P. Young). American Robin: 1 sang at Bald Point 24 Apr (J. Dozier). Bahama Mockingbird: 1 at John U. Lloyd SP (Broward) 27 Apr-1 May (R. MacGregor et aL, photos to FOC by K. Radamaker) had recently lost its tail and had badly ruffled rump feathers, causing some to wonder about a possible captive origin; 1 at Indige- nous Park, Key West 29 Apr-2 May (D. Simpson, J. Ondrejko et aL); 1 at DTNP 13 May (D. Simpson). Common Myna: 1 pair nested in a power pole at Key West 24 Mar (J. Ondrejko); 1 at De- Land (Volusia) 5 Apr (K. Tracey, photo to FOC); 6 at Islamorada (Monroe) 25 Apr (P. Lehman et aL). Cedar Waxwing: 400+ at St. Augustine 17 Mar (J. Holstein); 2500 at New Port Richey 21 Mar (K. Tracey); 450 at LARA 4 May (H. Robinson); 12 at Winter Park (Orange) 25 May (B. Anderson). Blue-winged Warbler: 1 at Cedar Key 31 Mar (D. Henderson); 1 at Alligator Point 10 May (J. Murphy). 138 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Tennessee Warbler: 1 near Loxahatchee {Palm Beach) 11 Mar (B. Hope, C. Weber). Nashville Warbler: 1 female inPalm Beach 1 Mar (D. Simpson); 1 at Orlando 4-13 Apr (J. Clifton); 1 at San Felasco Hammock Preserve SP {Alachua) 13-15 Apr (M. Manetz, D. Robbins). Yellow Warbler: 1 sang at Lake Jackson 13 May (P. Conover). Chestnut-sided Warbler: 1 male at MacArthur Beach SP {Palm Beach) 14 Apr (C. We- ber). Magnolia Warbler: 1 at Fort Meade {Polk) 31 Mar (T. Palmer); 1 “ugly, molting bird” at A.D. Barnes CP 13 Apr was thought to have wintered locally (P. Lehman et al.). Black-throated Blue Warbler: 13 at O’Leno SP {Alachua) 12 May (J. Hintermister, C. Parenteau); singles at Fort Clinch SP 17 and 18 May (P. Sykes); 3 at St. Augustine 18 May (J. Holstein). Yellow-RUMPED Warbler: 1400 at Starkey Wilderness Park 15 Mar (T. Aversa). Black-throated Green Warbler: 1 male at Dupuis State Reserve 3 Mar (J. Holstein, C. Weber et al.). Townsend’s Warbler: 1 male at Sanibel Lighthouse Park 15-18 Apr (V. McGrath, C. Brine et al., videograbs to FOC by B. LaFramboise). Blackburnian Warbler: 1 male at FDCP 31 Mar (L. Atherton et al.). Blackpoll Warbler: 9 at LARA 14 May (H. Robinson); 2 at Fort Clinch SP 17 May (P. Sykes). Cerulean Warbler: 1 male at FDCP 1-6 Apr (L. Atherton et al.). American Redstart: 83 at Bayport {Hernando) 10 May (C. Black); 28 at O’Leno SP 12 May (J. Hintermister, C. Parenteau); 48 at LARA 14 May (H. Robinson). Prothonotary Warbler: 1 sang at Paynes Prairie State Preserve 9 Mar (H. Adams); 13 along the St. Johns River {Lake and Volusia) 27 Apr (L. Malo et aL). Worm-eating Warbler: 1 at Tallahassee 30 Mar (B. Scott); 1 at St. George Island {Franklin) 30 Mar (S. Klink). Swainson’S Warbler: 1 at Boca Ciega Park 27 Mar (J. Fisher); 1 at O’Leno SP 29 Mar (P. Burns); 1 at Cedar Key 30 Mar (D. Henderson); 4 at FDCP variously 24 Apr-4 May (L. Atherton et al.); 1 at LARA 16 Apr (H. Robinson); 2 at Birch SP 17 Apr, and 1 there 26 Apr {fide W. George). OvenbirD: 16 at Boca Ciega Park 10 May (J. Fisher). Northern Waterthrush: 12 at O’Leno SP {Alachua) 12 May (J. Hintermister, C. Parenteau); 2 at Fort Clinch SP 18 May (P. Sykes). Louisiana Waterthrush: 1 of 2 at DTNP 27 Apr was eaten by a Cattle Egret (P, Leh- man et al.); 1 at LARA to 8 May (H. Robinson). Kentucky Warbler: singles at LARA 2 Apr and 14 May (H. Robinson); 1 at Miami Shores 17 May (D. Wright). Connecticut Warbler: 1 at Key West 1 May (D. Simpson); 6 at FDCP variously 5-15 May, with 5 on 12 May (L. Atherton, M. Wilkinson et al.); 4 in mid-Pme//as variously 13-16 May (J. Fisher); 1 at Miami Shores 16 May (D. Wright); 1 female at S Merritt Island 18 May (B, Paxson); 1 male at Lori Wilson Park, Cocoa Beach {Brevard) 19 May (B. Paxson et al.); 1 at Birch SP 19 May (W. George, M. Berney, R. MacGregor). *MacGillivray’S Warbler: 1 at Fern Forest Park {Broward) to 10 Mar {fide W. George); 1 female at A.D. Barnes Park 20 Apr-4 May (R. Diaz et al., details to FOC by P. Lehman). Common Yellowthroat: 24 moved through Fort Clinch SP in 6 hrs 18 May (P. Sykes). Hooded Warbler: 1 sang at SMNWR 12 Mar (J. Dozier); 1 at Flamingo, ENP 12 Mar (T. Aversa); 3 at San Felasco Hammock 21 Mar (B. Muschlitz, M. Landsman); 12 at Cedar Key 30 Mar (D. Henderson). Wilson’s Warbler: 1 at Boca Ciega Park 11-30 Mar (J. Fisher); 1 at Black Swamp 28 Mar (D. Harder); 2 at Largo to 31 Mar (J. Fisher et al.); 1 at Gainesville 12 Apr (G. Kiltie); “several” wintering birds in Miami-Dade and Monroe lingered into Apr (J. Boyd et al.); 1 at O’Leno SP {Columbia) 15 Apr (J. Hintermister, A. Kent, M. Manetz); singles at Field Observations 139 Dry Tortugas 16-17 Apr (L, Manfredi et al.) and 20-22 Apr (P. Lehman et al.), and duos there 23-24 Apr (T. Doyle, K. O’Reilly-Doyle et al.) and 5 May (W. Biggs et al.); singles at FDCP 22-24 Apr (J. Hintermister et al.) and 1 May (M. Wilkinson); 1 at Sanibel Lighthouse Park 26 April (V. McGrath). Yellow-breasted Chat: 1 at Hone5mioon Island SRA 31 Mar (W. Yusek); 5 at LARA 27 May (H. Robinson); 3 sang at Crystal River State Buffer Preserve (Citrus) 20 Apr (A. and B. Hansen et al.); 1 at FDCP 12 May (L. Atherton); 2 at O’Leno SP 12 May (J. Hinter- mister, C. Parenteau); 6 at Florida Caverns SP (Jackson) 24 May (B. and L. Cooper), Western Tanager: 1 at Delray Oaks (Palm Beach) 4 Mar (B. Hope); single females in Lee at Captiva Island 24 Mar, and Six Mile Cypress Preserve 1 Apr (both V. McGrath). *Green-TAILED Towhee: 1 glimpsed at Green Key 24 Apr (N. LaFramboise) was described as having an unmarked olive-green back, wings, and tail with a bright rufous crown. Clay-colored Sparrow: 2 at SMNWR 26 Apr (J. Dozier); singles at DTNP 4-5 May (W. Biggs et al.). Lark Sparrow: 1 at FDCP 7 Apr (L. Atherton). Savannah Sparrow: 1 at Orlando Wetlands Park 24 May (C. Pierce). Grasshopper Sparrow: 1 at DTNP 21-22 Apr (P. Lehman et al); 3 at FDCP variously 22-28 Apr (L. Atherton et aL); 1 at Moccasin Island (Brevard) 3 May (J. Bryan). Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow: 2 along Coastal Prairie Trail, ENP (Monroe) 10 Mar were identified as A./x. subvirgatus (J. Boyd). Fox Sparrow: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP (Alachua) 10 Mar (A. Kratter). Lincoln’s Sparrow: singles at LARA 25 Mar (H. Robinson), Bonner Park 30 Mar (P. Blair), FDCP 24 Apr (L. Atherton et al.). Alligator Point 3 May, and Bald Point 5 May (both J. Dozier). Swamp Sparrow: 3 at Alligator Point 3 May (J. Dozier); singles at FDCP 3 May and 5-7 May (L. Atherton et al.). Honeymoon Island SRA 12 May (D. Goodwin, E. Haney), Brooker Creek Preserve (Pinellas) 12 May (L. and R. Smith), and LARA to 20 May (H. Robinson). White-throated Sparrow: 1 at Bald Point 12 May (J. Dozier). White-crowned Sparrow: 1 immature at Briggs Nature Center (Collier) 14 Mar (T. Aversa); 1 Z.L gambelii at DTNP 26-28 Apr (P. Lehman, T. Doyle et al.); 1 at LARA to 29 Apr (H. Robinson). Blue Grosbeak: 32 at LARA 4 May (H. Robinson); 1 sang at Brooker Creek Preserve, where birds have bred the past five years, 12 May (L. and R. Smith). Indigo Bunting: 56 at Hackberry Hammock (St. Lucie) 17 Mar (S. Comer); 25 at LARA 19 Apr (H. Robinson). *Lazuli Bunting: 1 male at Hackberry Hammock 25 Mar-8 Apr (S. Comer, photo to FOC); 1 male at FDCP 18-24 Apr (J. Hopkins, M. Wilkinson et al., photo to FOC by K. Tracey). Painted Bunting: 1 male wintered at Tallahassee to 7 Apr (B. Buford); 2 females at Key Vista Nature Park, Anclote 1 May (K. Tracey); 8 at LARA 4 May (H. Robinson); 1 at PPM 12 May (P. Timmer, C. Geanangel). Dickcissel: >6 at W Kendall to 10 Apr (J. Boyd et al.); 1 at LARA 2-6 May (H. Robinson). Bobolink: 2 at SMNWR 24 Mar (J. Dozier, J. Murphy); 1 at Fort Walton Beach STF 12 Apr (B. Duncan, E. Case); 593 at LARA 26 Apr (H. Robinson); 200 at Lakeland 30 Apr (C. Geanangel); 1 at Key West to 15 May (J. Ondrejko). Brewer’s Blackbird: 2 males at DeFuniak Springs (Walton) 12 May (J. and L. McDaniel). Shiny Cowbird: 6 at Briggs Nature Center 14 Mar (T. Aversa); 1 male at Palm Harbor (Pinellas) 17 Mar (J. Calhoun); 1 sang at FDCP 18-27 Apr (J. Bouton et al.); a “poor showing” at DTNP, with just 1 bird there 26 Apr (P. Lehman et al.); up to 6 males and 2 females at Key West all spring (J. Ondrejko). Bronzed Cowbird: 1 male at Skyview Country Club, Lakeland through 8 Mar (P. Fellers et al.). Brown-headed Cowbird: >2 males and 1 female at Key West 3 May-EOS (J. Ondrejko). 140 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Orchard Oriole: 2 at SMNWR 14 Mar (J. Dozier, J. Cavanagh); 5 at LARA 20 May (H. Robinson). *BulL0CK’S Oriole: 1 first-year male remained at Flamingo, ENP to early Apr, by which time it had begun singing (C. J. Grimes et ah). House Finch: singles at Spring Hill {Hernando) 10 Mar (M. Lytle) and (singing) 6-7 Apr (D. Robinson, P. Young); 1 sang at Daytona Beach (Volusia) 7 Apr (D. Hartgrove); 1 bird incubating at Ocala 12 Mar (M. Paczolt); a nest at Gainesville 7 May contained nestlings close to fledging (R. Norton). Pine Siskin: 2 at Gainesville to 28 Apr (L. Hensley). Nutmeg Mannikin: 6 (2 adults and 4 immatures) at W Kendall 7 Apr (P. Bithorn et al.). Tricolored MuniA: of >6 at Pensacola in Oct 2000 and Apr-May 2001 (B. Hall, photo to FOG), some showed characters of this species (fide K. Garrett), while others may have been avicultural hybrids {fide P. W. Smith). American Goldfinch: 4 at Weedon Island Preserve {Pinellas) 12 May (B. Hoffman, B. Ackerman). Contributors: Bruce Ackerman, Howard Adams, Larry Albright, Bonnie Allen, Ken Allen, Bruce Anderson, Brooks Atherton, Lyn Atherton, Tom Aversa, Steve Backes, Gian Basili, Alfredo Begazo, Mark Berney, Wes Biggs, Paul Bithorn, Clay Black, Paul Blair, Jeff Bouton, John Boyd, Charlie Brine, Judy Bryan, Barbara Buford, Ken Burgener, Pat Burns, John Calhoun, Ed and Lois Case, Jim Cavanagh, Ted Center, Mike Chakan, Roger Clark, Joie Clifton, Jerry Cline, Julie Cocke, Sam Comer, Paul Conover, Buck and Linda Cooper, Lloyd Davis, Robin Diaz, Ronnie Donovan, Bob and Sandra Donner, Terry Doyle, Jack Dozier, Bob Duncan, Lucy Duncan, Christine Engle, Michael Evans, Charlie Ewell, Lennie Fenimore, Paul Fellers, Don Feuss, Judy Fisher, Ann Forster, Dan Forster, Dot Freeman, Murray Gardler, Kimball Garrett, Chuck Geanangel, Wally George, Dave Goodwin, Charles Green, C.J. Grimes, Jack Hailman, Bruce Hall, Erik Haney, David Harder, Tim Harris, David Hartgrove, Dale Henderson, Irene Hernandez, Michael Hill, John Hintermister, Ladd and Petra Hockey, Brett Hoffman, Jackie Holstein, Brian Hope, Joan Hope, Judi Hopkins, Dotty and Hank Hull, Gloria Hunter, Lillian Kenney, Adam Kent, Grace Kiltie, Sheila Klink, Alan Knothe, Andy Kratter, Bill LaFramboise, Nancy LaFramboise, Mary Landsman, Paul Lehman, Doug Levey, Al and Barbara Liberman, Stephen Lindsay, Holly Lovell, Beth Lucas, David Lysinger, Travis MacClen- don, S.P. MacCumhail, Russ MacGregor, Lome Malo, Mike Manetz, Larry Manfredi, Jaque and Lee McDaniel, Vince McGrath, Jim McKay, Gail Menk, Ken Meyer, Joe Mills, Steve Mumford, John Murphy, Barbara Muschlitz, Rob Norton, Dick Novier, Kathy O’Reilly-Doyle, Joe Ondrejko, Mike Paczolt, Tom Palmer, Craig Parenteau, Ann and Rich Paul, Bob Paxson, Becky Payne, Steve Pence, Cheri Pierce, David Powell, Peggy Powell, Bill Pranty, John Puschock, Kurt Radamaker, Diane Reed, Michael Reyman, Sue Riffe, Dottie Robbins, Don Robinson, Harry Robinson, Tommie Rogers, Gary Rosen- berg, Sean Rowe, Fran Rutkovsky, Arlyne Salcedo, Kevin Sarsfield, Lilian Saul, Earl Scales, Brenda Scott, Ann Simmons, David Simpson, Austin Smith, Lori Smith, P. Will- iam Smith, Ron Smith, K. Snyder, David Steadman, John and Tim Steurer, Ted Stevens, Gene Stoccardo, Doug Suitor, Paul Sykes, Wes Stinehelfer, Pete Timmer, Ken Tracey, Linda Tracey, Nico Vienders, Don Ware, Doug Wassmer, Ray Webb, Chuck Weber, Mar- gie Wilkinson, David Wright, Paul Young, Wilf Yusek, and William Zuzevich. Correction to Fall 200 report: the Gray-crowned Crane at Orange Lake reported by Rex Rowan was seen in Marion, not Alachua. Fall 2000 observations not reported previously: White-fronted Parrot: 2 at Bradenton 23 Nov (Wes Stinehelfer); Golden-winged Warbler: 1 at Crystal River was the first for Cit- rus (Tommie Rogers). Field Observations 141 Winter 2000-2001 observation not reported previously: Painted Bunting: 28 at Hack- berry Hammock {St. Lucie) 26 Jan (Sam Comer). Report prepared by Bill Pranty, state compiler (Audubon of Florida, 410 Ware Bou- levard, Suite 702, Tampa, Florida 33619; e-mail billpranty@hotmail.com). Regional com- pilers are Bruce H. Anderson (2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, Florida 32792; e-mail scizortail@aoLcom), John H. Boyd III (15770 SW 104th Terrace, Apartment 103, Mi- ami, Florida 33196, e-mail boydj@fiu.edu), Linda Cooper (558 Sunshine Boulevard, Haines City, Florida 33844-9540; e-mail Lcooper298@aol.com), Bob and Lucy Duncan (614 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561, e-mail duncan44@juno.com), Charlie Ewell (1121 SW 11th Court, Cape Coral, Florida 33991, e-mail anhinga42@earth- link.net), Bev Hansen (6573 Pine Meadows Drive, Spring Hill, Florida 34606; e-mail bevalhansen@earthlink.net), Gail Menk (2725 Peachtree Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32304), David Powell (1407 Storington Avenue, Brandon, Florida 33511; e-mail vireo@vireos.com), and Peggy Powell (2965 Forest Circle, Jacksonville, Florida 32257). FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS Species Index to Florida Bird Records in Audubon Field Notes and Amer- ican Birds Volumes 1-30 1947-1976, by Margaret C. Bowman. 1978. Florida Or- nithological Society Special Publication No. 1. Price $4.00. The Carolina Parakeet in Florida, by Daniel McKinley. 1985. Florida Ornitho- logical Society, Special Publication No. 2. Price $6.00. Status and Distribution of the Florida Scrub Jay, by Jeffrey A. Cox. 1987. Florida Ornithological Society, Special Publication No. 3. Price $8.00. Florida Bird Records in American Birds and Audubon Field Notes 1947- 1989, by Robert W. Loftin, Glen E. Woolfenden, and Janet A. Woolfenden. 1991. Florida Ornithological Society, Special Publication No. 4. Price $8.00. West Indian Bird Records in American Birds and Audubon Field Notes (1947-1990): Species Index by Islands, by Robert W. Loftin. 1992. Florida Or- nithological Society, Special Publication No. 5. Price $8.00. Florida Bird Species: An Annotated List, by William B. Robertson, Jr. and Glen E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida Ornithological Society, Special Publication No. 6. Price for FOS members $14.95 (soft cover), $19.95 (hard cover); nonmembers $17.95 (soft cover), $22.95 (hard cover). Order prepaid from the Secretary; add $1.00 handling and shipping for Spe- cial Publications No. 1-5; add $2.00 handling and shipping for Special Publication No. 6. Florida residents add 7% sales tax to the total. Make checks payable to the Florida Ornithological Society. t**4^ IT» 1 t^-tajUft liCIlf^ir • ■* ilt ' /V rw;- — * . . r- ( ' u ' !L •V«m.-t.'i. _ I if S ’ r’n’cn.'.VL C'n-.--' * ' ‘!.;'r.' j; f . ' liy ffW^'1 4 •nfiiiBiei*', k-t M’l-ii ) /- ., «'’* •!• r rL I-*''','*' •L-»hi** *4 ■4. •’ • li-* ' fi' *'i » ». 1 *.- fH#-- { j^.ti ,. KiCK»f «'.'i yJwijin. 1^1. nw-" ' I. •r-v ’V'-VtV ^,, '-.ri .^^!^ :W.,a. ' ^ '• r .*«. '■ ’/i# .(fi vkl' iM. ‘ . '•’ '■ ■■ ;-‘y Vav . .. » ./ ■{« lit ruirt^A^fiiipt '* -■■' •. T.,.-i. , .. I .V. -I ’.1,-1. : ^ »f, .a,?.v:h', ,;4,?;.-tv . ■ .i V, M ' ,ti Aiu«r^»^ i i.a* .tjntft^jSkMUow K.vU, :J' ^nuv ^ :--MV,7r^ *:. »%Uiwk In- U .r •• 7; ^Im.. . :>*„ * - . ■-..*(<« -.ur. < : 0sv.|^» >■ , >j. , )‘' ;t"vV* Ji-' ^v.„t '**(^*y ' '^Attf^'l-/ >*! .) L'.'^fpyJfVg ;v. '■'. . i... j., ■ ..*.U4fr- M.,t . \U.Ve b ,;!^' : •>■>• f’»^ ■■ ■ ; s ., ' ■ W #■ -J ijr > 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. Bruce Anderson, 2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, FL 32792. E-mail: scizortail® aol.com Editor of the Ornithological Newsletter; Katy NeSmith, 1018 Thomasville Rd., Suite 200-C, Tallahassee, FL 32303. E-mail: knesmith@fnai.org Editor of Special Publications: Glen E. Woolfenden, Archbold Biological Station, RO. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862. E-mail: gwoolfenden@archbold-station.org Web Page Editor: Eugene Stoccardo, 715 Warrenton Rd., Winter Park, FL 33792-4541. E-mail: scrubjay@gdi.net Archives Committee (Chair): WALTER K. TAYLOR, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816. E-mail: wtaylor@pegasus.cc.ucfedu Editorial Advisory Board (Chair): JAMES A. RODGERS, jR., Wildlife Research Labora- tory, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 4005 S. Main St., Gaines- ville, FL 32601. Field Observations Committee (Chair): Bill Pranty, Audubon of Florida, 410 Ware Boulevard, Suite 702, Tampa, FL 33619. E-mail: billpranty@hotmail.com Finance Committee (Chair): Dave Goodwin, 10775 Village Club Circle N., #104, St. Petersburg, FL 33716. E-mail: robert.goodwin@excite.com Nominating Committee: Bruce Anderson, Chair, 2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, FL 32792. E-mail: scizortail@aol.com Grants and Awards Committee: (Chair, Cruickshank Research Award) STEVE NES- BITT, Wildlife Research Laboratory, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commis- sion, 4005 S. Main St., Gainesville, FL 32601. E-mail: nesbits@gfc.state.fl. us (Chair, Cruickshank Education Award) Katy NeSmith, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 1018 Thomasville Rd., Suite 200-C, Tallahassee, FL 32303. E-mail: kne- smith@fnai.org Records Committee (Managing Secretary): Reed Bowman, Archbold Biological Sta- tion, RO. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862. Conservation Committee (Chair): JiM Cox, Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32312. E-mail: necox@nettally.com Membership Committee (Chair): ERIC STOLEN, Dynamac Corp., Mail Code: DYN-2, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899. E-mail: stoled@kscems.ksc.nasa.gov 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. It welcomes submission of manuscripts containing new information from these areas. Please consult recent issues for style and Vol. 27, No. 1 for detailed information. Submit manuscripts for consideration to the Editor, Jerome Jackson. Mono- graph-length manuscripts may be submitted for consideration to the Editor of Special Publications, Glen E. Woolfenden. Send books and other materials for review to Associate Editor, Bruce Anderson. Reports of rare birds in Florida should also be submitted to the FOS Records Committee Managing Secretary, Reed Bowman. Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 29, No. 4 November 2001 Pages 113-142 CONTENTS ARTICLES Demography and distribution of the Burrowing Owl in Florida. Pamela J Bowen 113-126 NOTES First Verifiable Record of the Red-necked Grebe in Florida. Robert A. Duncan 127-128 Some Erroneous WCTV Tower Dates. Robert L. Crawford 129 FIELD OBSERVATIONS Spring Report: March-May 2001 Bill Pranty 130-141