Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 43, No. 1 March 2015 Pages 1-46 FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Founded 1972 OFFICERS President: R. Todd Engstrom, 309 Carr Lane, Tallahassee, FL 32312. E-mail; engstrom® bio.fsu.edu Vice President: Marianne Korosy, 2021 Oak View Lane, Palm Harbor, FL 34683. E-mail: mkorosy@gmail.com Secretary: Cole Fredricks, 325 Ruby Lake Loop, Winter Haven, FL 33884. E-mail: cfredricks@tampabay.rr.com Treasurer: Charles H. Fisher, Jr., 4806 W. Beach Park Dr., Tampa, FL 33609. E-mail: chf 1 sher cp a@hotmail . com Editor, Florida Field Naturalist: Scott Robinson, Florida Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: srobinson@ flmn b.ufl.edu Directors, Terms Expiring Spring 2015 R. Todd Engstrom, 309 Carr Lane, Tallahassee, FL 32312. E-mail: engstrom@bio.fsu.edu Karl Miller, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 1105 SW Williston Road, Gainesville, FL 32601. 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The Florida Ornithological Society web site is at www.fosbirds.org THIS PUBLICATION IS PRINTED ON NEUTRAL PH PAPER Florida Field Naturalist ISSN 0738-999X PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Editor: Scott Robinson, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, RO. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: srobinson@flmnli.ufl.edu Managing/Copy Editor: Tom Webber, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, P.O. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800. E-mail: twebber@flmnh.ufl.edu Associate Editor (for bird distribution): Bruce Anderson, 2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, FL 32792. E-mail: scizortail@aol.com Editor of the EOS newsletter, Snail Kite: Selena Kiser, 1740 Augustine Place, Tallahassee, FL 32301. E-mail: beenebat@netscape.net Editor of Special Publications: Jerome A. Jackson, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Ft. Myers, FL 33965. E-mail: jjackson@fgcu.edu Web Page Editor: Eugene Stoccardo, 331 Roswell Ave., Orlando, FL 36803. E-mail: Garberia@hotmail . com INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS The Florida Field Naturalist is a fully refereed journal emphasizing biological field studies and observations of vertebrates, especially birds, in or near Florida and the nearby West Indies. We welcome submission of original manuscripts containing new information from these areas. We encourage electronic submission of manuscripts. Please consult recent issues of the journal and the FOS website (http://www.fosbirds.org/ content/publications) for style, noting especially that manuscripts should: (1) be double-spaced throughout, including tables and figure captions; (2) include the scientific name at the first mention of each species; (3) include capitalized standard English names for all birds, but lower case for English names of other organisms; (4) use metric units for all measurements; (5) use the form “7 June 2003” for all dates; (6) use the 24-hour clock for all indications of time (e.g., 0800, 1400); (7) use the following abbreviations: s (second), min (minute), h (hour); (8) use active voice where at all possible. Submit manuscripts, and books for review, to the Editor, Scott Robinson. Monograph- length manuscripts may be submitted for consideration to Jerome A. Jackson, Editor of Special Publications. Field observations should be sent to the Chair of the Field Observations Committee, Brian Ahem (barredantshrike@gmail.com; see Field Observations, this issue). Reports of birds for which the FOS Records Committee requires documentation (see http:// fosbirds.org/content/records-committee) should be sent to the Secretary of the Committee, Jon S. Greenlaw, 10503 Mistflower Lane, Tampa, FL 33647-3544; E-mail: jgreenlaw@ earthlink.net Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 43, No. 1 March 2015 Pages 1-46 CONTENTS ARTICLES Nesting and hybridization of a Tropical Kingbird {Tyrannus melancholicus) and Gray Kingbird {T. dominicensis) in Sarasota, Florida Stu Wilson, Ruth Ellen Peipert, John Ginaven, and Barry Rossheim 1-11 Breeding ecology of the Florida Nighthawk {Chordeiles minor chapmani) Jo-Ann Jennier 12-18 TWENTY-THIRD REPORT OF THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2013 Jon S. Greenlaw 19-36 FIELD OBSERVATIONS Summer Report: June-July 2014 Brian Ahern 37-44 ANNOUNCEMENTS Friends of FFN 45 FOS Special Publications 46 Florida Field Naturalist PUBLISHED BY THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY VoL. 43, No. 1 March 2015 Pages 1-46 Florida Field Naturalist 43(1):1-11, 2015. NESTING AND HYBRIDIZATION OF A TROPICAL KINGBIRD {Tyrannus melancholicus) AND GRAY KINGBIRD (T. dominicensis) IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA Stu Wilson Sarasota, Florida E-mail: stuwilson@comcast.net Ruth Ellen Peipert Cary, North Carolina E-mail: repeipert@gmail.com John Ginaven Longboat Key, Florida Barry Rossheim Venice, Florida E-mail: nethoppers@msn.com Abstract. — This paper documents a series of unusual events that occurred in Sara- sota, Florida in spring and summer of 2013 centered around a female Tropical Kingbird, a rare hird for the state. After being discovered by local birders in the parking lot of an upscale shopping area, the female was observed as she interacted with Gray Kingbirds, constructed at least two nests, and subsequently fledged four young. Just prior to fledg- ing, a male Tropical Kingbird appeared and kept company with the female, but did not undertake all expected male parental duties. The end result was a successful nesting effort which produced what the authors believe to be Tropical Kingbird x Gray Kingbird hybrid young. The Tropical Kingbird {Tyrannus melancholicus) is a conspicuous, widespread tyrannid ranging from central Mexico to central Argentina (Howell and Webb 1995). A classic “wire bird,” it is common along roadsides and in open areas, thriving in gardens, plazas, and other human-modified landscapes. Its U.S. distribution is limited to the Pacific coast (Garrett & Dunn 1981), southeastern 1 2 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Arizona, the Big Bend and Rio Grande Valley and Lower Coast regions of Texas (Phillips 1994), and southern Florida (Ayers et al. 1980). There are confirmed breeding records only from the Arizona and Texas sites. In Florida, Tropical Kingbird was classified as a Review species by the Florida Ornithological Society’s Records Committee (FOSRC) with, as of fall 2013, only 17 prior accepted sight records and no breeding records (Greenlaw et al. 2014). The nearest breeding population is on the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. Gray Kingbird (T! dominicensis) is a fairly common breeding bird along both coasts of Florida, largely absent from the state in winter (Smith and Jackson 2002). Study Site Our study area was located in a back parking lot that serves restaurants and other retail businesses located along the north quadrant of St Armands Circle, an upscale shopping area on Lido Key (sometimes referred to as St Armands Key) in Sarasota, Florida (Sarasota County). The parking lot is about two acres in area and dotted with small live oak {Quercus virginiana) and green buttonwood {Conocarpus erectus) trees. It’s frequently busy with automobiles and pedestrians, and holds a fire station, overhead utility wires, and trash dumpsters. Lido Beach and the Gulf of Mexico lie about 0.4 miles west while Sarasota Bay is about 0.1 miles to the east. Methods From May through September of 2013, a core group of nine volunteers, including the co-authors, contributed nearly 400 hours to on-site monitoring of the study area. Initial monitoring was rather casual. However, once it became apparent that the subject Tropical Kingbird was actively attempting to nest, it was agreed that organized data collection should be undertaken to document the breeding behavior and perhaps reveal clues as to the identity of a male parent. Formal monitoring of the nest took place throughout the month of June 2013 which encompassed the egg hatching and nestling stages. The protocol entailed standardized data collection sheets, a dedicated group of volunteers, and twice-daily shifts. Observers were required to note behaviors at the end of single minute intervals for thirty minutes. By the end of June, when the young had fiedged, the data collection sheets were set aside and informal monitoring resumed. A detailed behavioral analysis of the formal data collected during June is beyond the scope of this paper (and — the possible subject of a future paper), but the exercise was invaluable in ensuring observer coverage during this critical period. Wilson et al . — Kingbird Hybridization 3 Results Discovery . — On 3 May 2013 at St Armands Circle, Peipert noted several active kingbirds, one with a yellow belly. In the Sarasota area. Western Kingbird {T. verticalis) is the “expected” yellow-bellied kingbird but even it is considered a rare passage migrant. No records for Tropical, Cassin’s {T. vociferans), nor Couch’s Kingbird {T. couchii) exist from Sarasota County, although state records exist for the former two. On 4 May 2013, Wilson and Ginaven visited the site and found the bird of interest interacting with two Gray Kingbirds (contra Anderson 2014). The subject bird’s tail was notched rather than squared-off, lacked a white edge on the outer feathers, and was grayish-brown rather than blackish; the bill was large; the bright yellow on the underparts rose to the bend of the wing rather than stopping at the upper belly; and the back had a greenish tinge (Fig. lA). Finally, the subject bird’s vocalization was a “twittering trill” {pip -pip -pip -pip) readily separating it from the vocalizations of the similarly-plumaged Couch’s (single kip notes and hreeeer), Cassin’s (chi-bew), and Western (whit notes in varying cadence) kingbirds (Dunn and Alderfer 2011). This was Sarasota County’s first record of Tropical Kingbird and accepted by the Florida Ornithological Society’s Records Committee (Catalog Figure 1. A) Female Tropical Kingbird photograph taken by Claire Herzog at study site on 24 June 2013. Note the sub-ocular mark on the left cheek which allowed for ready identification of the subject bird. B) Photograph of nest and contents taken by Ruth Ellen Peipert on 2 June 2013. 4 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST #2013-955) (Pranty 2013, Ahern 2014a). The 17 previous Tropical Kingbird records for the state are concentrated in the southern half of the peninsula, from Miami-Dade to Hillsborough County (a range that includes the study site), with three additional from the panhandle. Breeding behavior . — On 5 May 2013, Rossheim observed the Tropical Kingbird carrying nesting material into a live oak and photographed the bird sitting on a nest in the same tree. Given this nest-building behavior, it was assumed the Tropical Kingbird was a female (Oniki and Willis 1983). Around mid-month May it was observed that the female Tropical Kingbird seemed to have abandoned the original nest in favor of another just a few meters away in the same tree, on occasion robbing the initial nest for materials to construct the second. Toward the end of May, the bird spent longer periods nest- sitting. At this point, organized data collection was undertaken to better document the breeding behavior and perhaps reveal clues about the identity of the male parent. Formal monitoring of the nest began on 1 June 2013. Female Tropical Kingbirds are responsible for nest-building and incubation (Oniki and Willis 1983), with the male’s duties limited to assisting with the feeding of the young and defense of the nest (Skutch 1960). Indeed, up to and through the incubation period, no male Tropical Kingbird was observed. Pre- fledge monitoring . — Through the first 10 days of June, the female Tropical Kingbird spent approximately 75% of the time on the nest, strongly suggesting that she was incubating eggs. Departures from the nest were for the purposes of feeding herself (almost exclusively fiying insects) and perching for short periods on nearby trees and wires. Mean length of incubation bouts was 18 minutes (N = 9, SD = ± 7). A photograph revealed the presence of four creamy white eggs with brown blotching/spotting (Fig. IB). By 10 June 2013, the female’s forays off the nest were longer with more time spent chasing off perceived threats, chiefiy Fish Crows {Corvus ossifragus). On 11 June 2013, observers with good optics were able to catch glimpses of a downy head in the nest. Based on these observations, it is likely that a first egg hatched on or about 10 June 2013, suggesting that the first egg was laid about 23 May 2013 (Oniki and Willis 1983). Observers were soon able to determine that there were four hatchlings in the nest. Monitoring also revealed the steady presence of nearby Gray Kingbirds . These birds were seen on the parking lot wires, and frequently atop a pink trumpet tree {Tahehuia heterophylla) and a Queen’s crepe mjn-tle {Lagerstromia speciosa) approximately 120 m to the south-southwest and over a row of buildings. On 11 June 2013 observers confirmed an active Gray Kingbird nest in the latter tree with at least one nestling. Wilson et al . — Kingbird Hybridization 5 On 22 June 2013, the Tropical Kingbird nestlings were banded (all four, contra Anderson 2014) and bled (just two) by staff from Archbold Biological Station (USGS BBL Permit #07732 issued to Dr. Reed Bowman, expiration 31 January 2016). Since no male parent had yet presented himself, it was hoped that a DNA analysis of the blood would reveal the male parentage of the nestlings. On 23 June 2013, observers detected the arrival of a second Tropical Kingbird to the nest vicinity (contra Anderson 2014). In attempting to ascertain the sex of the new arrival, observers learned that the “dawn song” (a series of short notes and thin ascending trills pit-pit-prrrr-pit-prrrr) is delivered repeatedly just before sunrise and only by male Tropical Kingbirds (Smith 1966). On 29 June 2013 this dawn song was recorded, confirming the second Tropical Kingbird to be a male. Separation of the two kingbirds was facilitated by a dark sub- ocular mark on the left cheek of the female which she bore through the majority of her residency (Fig. lA). During the period 10-29 June 2013, the female Tropical Kingbird spent the majority of her time foraging for prey and returning to the nest to feed nestlings. Although the male Tropical Kingbird faithfully remained in the nest vicinity during this period and sometimes assisted the female in chasing off threats (contra Anderson 2014), he tended to follow the female on her rounds and was never observed directly feeding the nestlings. Therefore, the male Tropical Kingbird’s role in the breeding effort, if any, remained unclear. Post- fledge monitoring . — The first nestling fledged on 27 June 2013 when observers noted it flying short distances from branch to branch in the nest tree. The final nestling Hedged on 28 June 2013. In the weeks following, the fledglings remained in the natal area, which allowed observers to study details of plumage. A description follows (Fig. 2); Pale underparts with just a faint hint of yellow wash on the belly and slightly deeper yellow on the undertail coverts, gray backs, dark remiges edged in yellow, brown wing coverts edged in light brown, brown rectrices edged in light brown, gray crown, loral and postocular gray smudge, and long dark bills. The only sign of bright yellow was on the underwing coverts and axillaries, a characteristic only visible on a bird in flight. One of the fledglings, the “runt,” was notably smaller than its three siblings. Juvenal plumage for a Tropical Kingbird is similar to definitive alternate plumage (Pyle 1997, Sibley 2014). In terms of obvious field marks, this suggests a greenish back and a bright yellow belly. The appearance of the subject fledglings, specifically the gray back and the lack of a yellow belly, suggested uncertain parentage. Through the first week of July, the fledglings continued to be fed by the female Tropical Kingbird from perches on the trees and wires about 6 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Figure 2. Photograph of three fledglings begging from their mother, taken by Claire Herzog on 7 July 2013. the parking lot. The first date that a fiedgling was observed sallying and capturing an insect on its own was 8 July 2013. Toward mid- July, observers attentive to the vocalizations of the fiedglings detected that they produced a subtly two-part pe-cheer' typical of Gray Kingbird rather than the twittering and accelerating pit-pit-pit-pit of Tropical (Dunn and Alderfer 2011). Also beginning in July, a number of Gray Kingbirds (at least two adults and up to three juveniles (Fig. 3A)) began to gather on nearby wires approximately 140 m to the west of the Tropical Kingbird natal area. Interaction amongst these birds and the Tropical Kingbird family was minimal, although the female Tropical Kingbird was noted to drive off Gray Kingbirds whenever one ventured into the natal parking lot. On 9 July 2013, an Eastern Kingbird {T. tyrannus) appeared in the natal area, and then periodically over ensuing weeks, and was driven off each time by the female Tropical Kingbird. All four juveniles continued to be accounted for until 12 July 2013, when only three juveniles were observed. The fourth juvenile was not observed thereafter, and it’s not known whether this bird perished or dispersed naturally. On 14 July 2013, the female Tropical Kingbird was observed feeding the remaining juveniles while they also hunted on their own. The last date the female was observed feeding a fiedgling was 18 July 2013. On or shortly after this date, observers noted the Wilson et al . — Kingbird Hybridization 7 Figure 3. A) Photograph of juvenile Gray Kingbird (left) taken on 11 July 2013 and B) last remaining subject juvenile kingbird (right) on 1 August 2013. Each photograph taken from study area by Rick Greenspun. female Tropical Kingbird driving off a begging fledgling. The last date that all three remaining fledglings were confirmed was 19 July 2013. Thereafter, only one juvenile remained in the near vicinity. Again, it is not known whether these two birds perished or dispersed naturally. The last remaining juvenile continued to be observed sporadically on the fringes of the natal area. It had been observed being driven off by the female Tropical Kingbird, perhaps explaining its tentative presence. On 30 July 2013 the lone remaining juvenile was spotted after an absence of several days. At this time observers noted a slight change in appearance where the faint yellow wash on the underparts had intensified locally on each central flank (Fig. 3B). Otherwise, the juvenile had a gray back and pale underparts and continued to strongly resemble a Gray Kingbird. Unfortunately, there were no further opportunities to study plumage details as the last remaining juvenile was last seen on 1 August 2013. Prior to dispersal of the fledglings, the male Tropical Kingbird remained the female’s loyal companion, but was never observed feeding a fledgling and assisted in chasing off threats only when initiated by the female. In August and September the two adult Tropical Kingbirds remained loyal to the natal parking lot and were reliably found FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST mornings and evenings, often with little effort, on every visit. Their mid- day whereabouts were unknown. The two appeared quite compatible and vocalized frequently to each other (contra Anderson 2014). When one landed near the other on a perch there was often an accompanying “wing flutter.” The female remained dominant, and continued to chase off perceived threats (Fish Crows, Cooper’s Hawk {Accipiter cooperii), etc) which entered the parking lot. This continued defense of the natal vicinity led some observers to wonder whether she might contemplate another brood, but no copulations nor nest-building activities were noted. During evenings in August and September, the parking lot became something of a “kingbird mecca” with high spot counts of 16 Gray Kingbirds and three Eastern Kingbirds joining the two increasingly tolerant Tropical Kingbirds. Discussion The Sarasota female Tropical Kingbird represents, as nearly as can be determined, the first confirmed breeding record for the species east of the Mississippi River. The authors also believe that the young represent the first known hybridization anywhere of Tropical Kingbird and Gray Kingbird. There are no known regions where a significant population of Tropical and Gray Kingbird are regularly sympatric during the breeding season. This pairing does not imply strongly that introgression between the two species would occur if they were broadly sympatric, since with greater opportunities for choice of mates individuals may preferentially pair with members of their own species. The hypothesis that these young are the result of a hybrid pairing between Tropical Kingbird and Gray Kingbird is derived from a number of observations made over five months of covering the study area. Chief amongst these are: 1) opportunity; 2) field marks; and 3) voice. No male Tropical Kingbird was observed in the study area during the time that the female Tropical Kingbird would have conceived, but numerous Gray Kingbirds were observed. The latter are relatively common breeders in the area, and are especially attracted to the ornamental plantings found in the St Armands Circle area. When the female Tropical Kingbird was initially discovered, she was frequently observed chasing Gray Kingbirds. No data exist on the polygynous tendencies of Gray Kingbirds and, although data are again lacking, male Gray Kingbird breeding behavior (e.g. guards the nest while female builds it) seems to closely mirror that of Tropical Kingbird (Smith and Jackson 2002). Our hypothesis would be that the female Tropical Kingbird, through persistence, mated with a male Gray Kingbird which subsequently remained loyal to his own conspecific nest. Wilson et al . — Kingbird Hybridization 9 The most compelling case for hybridization with Gray Kingbird was noted in the field marks and vocalization of the juveniles. These are summarized in Table 1 (Dunn and Alderfer 2011, Sibley 2014). After 1 August 2013, the two adult Tropical Kingbirds remained in the study area. Breeding Tropical Kingbirds in Arizona leave the state in winter while those in South Texas tend to be resident (Chesser 1995). Where Tropical Kingbirds are resident, they tend to maintain the pair bond year round (Skutch 1954). Local birders were therefore eager to see if the Tropical Kingbird pair would choose to spend the winter in Sarasota and breed in the spring. However, the male Tropical Kingbird was last seen on 14 September 2013 and the female on 28 September 2013 (Ahern 2014b) (but see Postscript below). Hybrid records are normally not the purview of the FOSRC, but the committee agreed to review the Tropical Kingbird x Gray Kingbird hybrid submittal at its regular meeting on 2 August 2014. After discussion, the committee reached an informal consensus of “apparent hybridization” (J.S. Greenlaw, pers. communication). DNA analysis . — It was hoped that a DNA analysis would conclusively establish the identity of the male parent. Blood samples collected by Archbold Biological Station on 22 June 2013 were shipped to two different laboratories (serially rather than coincidently) for analysis. In addition, several other laboratories were contacted. The analytical attempts were prolonged and the unfortunate outcome is that a successful DNA analysis could not be completed. The essential problem is lack of genetic reference materials and information for the putative parent species. Apparently very little DNA work has been done on Tyrannus. Table 1. Summary of significant juvenile kingbird characteristics Characteristic Subject juveniles Pure Gray Kingbird Pure Tropical Kingbird Underparts Back Bill Voice white with faint hint of yellow wash on belly and under- tail coverts* gray long tending toward prominent two-part pe-cheer’ white with very faint yellow wash on undertail coverts (see Fig. 3A) gray long and prominent two-part pe-cheer’ bright yellow from lower breast to undertail coverts greenish long accelerating twit- tering trill *the final juvenile to leave the natal area (1 August 2014) displayed, on that date, diminished yel- low wash on belly and undertail coverts but localized patches of pale yellow on each central flank (see Fig. 3B) 10 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Postscript On 23 April 2014, the female Tropical Kingbird was noted to have returned to the natal parking lot in Sarasota. She then commenced to construct and then disassemble six nests in three different oak trees before settling on a seventh nest in an oak about 25 feet away from the 2013 nesting tree. She fledged (on 4 July 2014) three juveniles from a clutch of four eggs. There have been no confirmed reports of a male Tropical Kingbird this time, and indeed the current juveniles appeared to be matches of last year’s, i.e. pale underparts with a faint yellow wash on belly and undertail coverts, gray backs, long bills, and vocalizations similar to Gray Kingbird. On 24 July 2014, an experienced observer witnessed a Gray Kingbird land on the wire 12 inches from the female Tropical Kingbird and then, with a wing flutter, proceed to hop up onto her back for a split-second before returning to its original position. The female Tropical Kingbird had no visible reaction. She was last seen on 30 August 2014. Acknowledgments Jeanne Dubi, Claire Herzog, Kathryn Young, Shala Rossheim, Nancy Edmondson, Rick Greenspun, Sandy Cooper, and Lou Newman all contributed valuable hours ob- serving the kingbirds as well as taking notes and photographs. Our thanks also go out to staff at Archhold Biological Station, specifically Shane Pruett and Greg Schrott, who banded and bled the nestlings, and Reed Bowman, who provide guidance and oversight. We are grateful to Alex Jahn for constructive suggestions that improved the manuscript. Literature Cited Ahern, B. 2014a. Summer report: June-July 2013. Florida Field Naturalist 42:36-42. Ahern, B. 2014b. Fall Report: August-November 2013. Florida Field Naturalist 42:73-88. Anderson, B. 2014. Florida Regional Report, March through May 2013. North American Birds. 67:435. Ayers, A. Y., P. W. Sykes, Jr., and W. J. Sykes. 1980. Two more records of the Tropical Kingbird in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 8:25-26. Chesser, R. T. 1995. Biogeographic, Ecological, and Evolutionary Aspects of South Amer- ican Austral Migration, With Special Reference to the Family Tyrannidae. Ph.D. Dis- sertation. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. Dunn, J. L., and J. Alderfer. 2011. National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America. 6th edition. National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C. Garrett, K., and J. Dunn. 1981. Birds of Southern California: Status and Distribution. Los Angeles Audubon Society, Los Angeles, California. Greenlaw, J. S., B. Pranty, and R. Bowman. 2014. The Robertson and Woolfenden Florida Bird Species: An Annotated Checklist. Special Publication No. 8, Florida Ornithologi- cal Society, Gainesville. Howell, S. N. G., and S. Webb. 1995. A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Cen- tral America. Oxford University Press, New York. Oniki, Y., and E. O. Willis. 1983. Breeding records of birds from Manaus, Brazil: IV. Tyrannidae to Vireonidae. Revista Brasileira Biologia 43:45-54. Wilson et al . — Kingbird Hybridization 11 Phillips, A. R. 1994. A tentative key to the species of kingbirds, with distributional notes. Journal of Field Ornithology 65:295-306. Pranty, B. 2013. Spring Report: March-May 2013. Florida Field Naturalist 41:130-142. Pyle, P. 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds, Part I. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, California. Sibley, D. A. 2014. The Sibley Guide to Birds. 2nd edition. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. Skutch, a. F. 1960. Life Histories of Central American Birds, II. Pacific Coast Avifauna 34. Cooper Ornithological Society, Berkeley, California. Sketch, A. F. 1954. Life history of the Tropical Kingbird. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New York. 63-65:21-38. Smith, G. A., and J. A. Jackson. 2002. Gray Kingbird {Tyrannus domesticus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Smith, W. J. 1966. Communication and Relationships in the Genus Tyrannus. Publica- tions of the Nuttall Ornithological Club No. 6. Cambridge, Massachusetts. Florida Field Naturalist 43(1):12-18, 2015. BREEDING ECOLOGY OF THE FLORIDA NIGHTHAWK {Chordeiles minor chapmani) Jo- Ann Jennier Department of Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 Fowler Ave. Tampa, Florida 33620 Current address: Ouachita Mountains Biological Station, 281 Polk Road 615, Mena, Arkansas 7195 E-mail: jjennier@msn.com Abstract. — I collected observational data on breeding Florida Nighthawks {Chorde- iles minor chapmani) at two sites in Florida. The number of nests and territories varied by year and site. I found nests in a greater percent of territories in oak scrub (73%, 11 nests in 15 territories) during two seasons (1990 and 1992) than in pine flatwoods (19%, 14 in 72) throughout a seven- year period (1992 - 1997). In oak scrub, 67% of nests fledged at least one young in 1990. In pine flatwoods, 25 - 100% of nests found each year fledged at least one young. Habitat composition was different for the two sites, but con- figuration was similar. At a larger scale, the oak-scrub site is a protected area in a rural setting whereas the pine-flatwoods site is public and bordered by suburban development. The Common Nighthawk {Chordeiles minor) is a neotropical migratory bird that breeds in North America. These aerial insectivores nest in open areas with well-drained soils, depositing two eggs directly on bare ground (Bowles 1921, Gross 1940, Tomkins 1942). They may exhibit nest area fidelity (Gross 1931; Dexter 1952, 1956, 1961), or opportunistically use a variety of breeding sites. Reported nest sites include newly cleared areas (Sutherland 1963), gravel roofs in urban areas (Gross 1940, Dexter 1952, Armstrong 1965, Walbeck 1989, but see Brigham 1989), and recently burned areas (Poulin et al. 1996). Common Nighthawks vigorously defend breeding territories (Armstrong 1965, Caccamise 1974) suggesting that appropriate breeding space may be a limiting factor in the distribution and abundance of this species; however, data on nest-site characteristics and recruitment are meager (Poulin et al. 1996, Perkins and Vickery 2007). Herein I report data on habitat and nests of Florida Nighthawks (C. m. chapmani) from two sites in Florida, one oak-scrub habitat and one pine-flatwoods habitat. Methods Study sites . — Study sites were approximately 190 km apart. Both, Archbold Biological Station in south-central Florida (ABS; 27° 11’ N, 81° 21’ W) and the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area in west-central Florida (LHFDA; 28° 07’ N, 82° 22’ W), were chosen 12 Jennier — Florida Nighthawk Breeding Florida 13 as study cites because they were known for an abundance of nighthawks. I surveyed approximately 405 ha at ABS for Nighthawk territories and nests. Most of ABS habitat is well drained oak-scrub with ephemeral grassy ponds, sand (Pinus clausa) and slash (P. elliottii) pines in upland areas, and small stands of mixed bay-tree species in lower elevation, poorly drained areas. Prescribed burn cycles are part of the ABS manage- ment program for Florida Scrub Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens) and lightning strikes occasionally ignite natural fires (ABS station records). The LHFDA is a multi-use area, combining water supply pumping stations, recreational areas and cypress wetlands in- terspersed with upland areas of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) and fetterbush {Lyonia sp.) Cypress wetlands render nearly one-half of the 1536 ha of LHFDA surveyed inappro- priate for Florida Nighthawk breeding, leaving about 700 ha of dry soils for nesting. Rec- reational areas of the park were enhanced over the course of the study (1992-1997) as the area became surrounded by suburban development (Delis et al. 1996). LHFDA was on a three-year burn rotation schedule subject to change if excessively dry conditions threatened maintenance of the cypress wetlands (Anthony Richards 1992, pers. comm.). Field methods. — Observations were made at ABS most days from 25 May to 4 Au- gust, 1990 and, for two periods, 27 April to 2 May and 26 and 27 May, during 1992. Observations were made at LHFDA one to two times each week during May through Au- gust in 1992 and April to August from 1993 to 1997. Florida Nighthawk territories were identified from observations of male displays, including “peenting” calls and “booming” dives (Miller 1925, Rust 1947), along with chases of intruding nighthawks (Bender and Brigham 1998) 30 to 60 min before sunrise. I systematically searched for nests within an elliptical area indicated by the male’s dives prior to cessation of morning activity. If a nighthawk flushed, I noted sex (presence or absence of the white tail bar of the male), then carefully searched for eggs, chicks, or egg shells. I placed surveyor’s tape approxi- mately 3 m from the nest site to facilitate nest monitoring. If I did not flush a nighthawk, I returned another day to repeat observations of male behavior, and searched a wider area. I monitored nests and territories (daily at ABS and twice a week at LHFDA) until I could no longer locate eggs or young. I measured or visually estimated vegetation height and percentage of substrate with no vegetation when there was no further activity at the nest-site. I defined percent nest success by dividing the number of nests that fledged at least one young (left the nest area by 14 days post-hatch) by the total nests discovered. De- termination of nest success may be confounded by the ability of the precocial chicks to move soon after hatching (Jackson 1985, Kramer and Chalfoun 2012), but I thoroughly searched the nest area for young that left the nest earlier than 14 days post-hatch. Results The male nighthawks indicated similar numbers of territories at both sites among years (Table 1). At ABS, I located nests in 75% (6 of 8, 1990) and 71% (5 of 7, 1992) of the territories I documented, whereas I found nests in 30% (4 nests each year, 13 and 12 territories, 1992, 1993) and 8% (1-2 nests each year in 12 territories, 1994-1997) of the territories at LHFDA. I found nests from pre-egg stage to fledgling stage at both sites (Fig. 1). Most nests at ABS were located in Hypericum dry ponds and Quercus inopina or Lyonia flelds that had been burned within 5 years {N =11 nests, mean = 2.77 years post-burn). LHFDA nests were located in saw palmetto {Serenoa repens) or Lyonia flelds. Vegetation height in the nest areas of both locations ranged from 1.5 m (saw palmetto or Lyonia), 14 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Table 1. Density of territories in ABS and LHFDAwas similar, but reproductive success per male territory-holder was greater at ABS than at LHFDA. ABS had 400 ha of usable area whereas LHFDA had 700 ha of usable area for plotting territory and nest density. Year Location Territories Territories per ha Number of Nests Nests per ha % Success per Nest % Success per Territory 1990 ABS 8 0.0198 6a, d 0.1500 67 50 1992 ABS 7 0.0173 5 0.1250 _b _b 1992 LHFDA 13 0.0185 40 0.0057 75 23 1993 LHFDA 12 0.0171 40 0.0057 75 25 1994 LHFDA 12 0.0171 2-' 0.0029 50 17 1995 LHFDA 12 0.0171 1 0.0014 100 8 1996 LHFDA 12 0.0171 1 0.0014 100 8 1997 LHFDA 12 0.0171 2'' 0.0029 75 17 “Young or eggs missing prior to expected date '’Nests were not followed at ABS in 1992 A predator killed the female at one nest, with eggs destroyed or abandoned ''Two nests were within the same nest area, a possible re-nest by the territorial pair ‘'One of two eggs broken or failed to hatch at one nest to less than three centimeters for lichen and lower herbaceous growth. At ABS, nest-sites contained 30-90% bare sand (N = 7, mean = 67.9%, SE = 8.3); bare ground was less common at LHFDA comprising 5-70% of the nest-site area {N = 6, mean = 35.8%, SE = 12.7). ■ Apr ■ May ■ Jun ■ Jul ■ Aug Figure 1. Frequency of eggs, chicks (cks), or fledglings (fldg) by month at Archbold Biological Station (ABS) and the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (LHF). Jennier — Florida Nighthawk Breeding Florida 15 Nest success per nest located was similar for both locations; 67% in 1990 at ABS, and ranged from 50-75% among years at LHFDA (Table 1). At ABS, about 49% of the territories produced fledglings whereas percent of territories with successful nests at LHFDA ranged from 25% in the best years to 8% in the poorest years (Table 1). For nest success, 6 of 8 nests (67%) were successful at ABS in 1990, and 11 of 14 (79%) of nests found over all years at LHFDA were successful. Documented nest failure included depredation of two incubating females at LHFDA with loss of nest contents; feathers of the females were still at the nest sites with the two eggs untouched in one case and crushed in the other. Feather placement and condition suggested predation by a mammal (G. E. Woolfenden, pers. comm.). There was also one case of egg abandonment. Most apparent failures stemmed from my inability to relocate young within the 14 day time span for expected fledging. Discussion Florida Nighthawks nested in open habitats with well drained soils at both locations. Territory density was similar for ABS and LHFDA (Table 1), but nests were found in a greater proportion of territories in oak-scrub than in pine-flatwoods habitats. Perkins and Vickery (2007) found that 6 of 14 nests (43%) of nighthawks fledged at least one nestling in dry prairie habitat in Florida, a percentage lower than the oak scrub (67%) or pine flatwoods (79% over all years) in my study. Although Perkins and Vickery (2007) had a large sample of nests (14), they did not report information on territories. Documentation of the number of territories in their study would have provided a base line with which to compare the apparent differences in territorial reproductive success I found between ABS and LHFDA. Male Florida Nighthawks possibly prefer territories close to other males by social attraction (Fletcher 2007, Betts et al. 2008), but I could not determine if all males had mates (Gibbs and Faaborg 1990, Vickery et al. 1992, Larison et al. 2001). The observed difference in numbers of nests between the sites may be a function of detection probability (Vickery et al. 1992); territories are easily detected by male behavior, whereas females are cryptic and quiet (pers. obs.). Nest detection requires extensive searching (Martin and Geupel 1993) and is confounded by the mobility of newly hatched chicks (Bowles 1921, Sutherland 1963, Kramer and Chalfoun 2012) or possible movement of eggs by the female (Weller 1958, but see Jackson 1985). Flushing the female (Perkins and Vickery 2007) is common in locating nighthawk nests. Studies of grassland birds often describe several surveyors walking parallel to each other and dragging a line over the habitat (Kantrud and Higgins 1992, Ribic et al. 2012). These methods are 16 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST likely better for nest detection than a single observer working alone. I followed a procedure similar to Rust (1947) in watching male dives, then searching for a nest. During the 36 years of his study, he reported 24 sets of 2 eggs and 3 sets with only 1 egg. It was unclear if 27 was the total number of nests located over the years. There can be numerous causes for avian nest failure. Parks (1946) mentions non- viable eggs as a source of nest failure, but I noted only two occurrences of hatching failure (ABS 1990, LHFDA 1997; Table 1). Exposure to extreme environmental conditions can affect both eggs (Ingels et al. 1984) and chicks (Gross 1931, Dexter 1952, Berry and Bihhy 1981); there was no evidence of weather-induced loss in this study. The loss of adult females at LHFDA, along with the contents of their nests, may be a concern (Gibbs and Faaborg 1990, Reidy et al. 2009). Ground nesting birds are vulnerable to predators (Kantrud and Higgins 1992). For instance, Webb et al. (2012) found that direct predation of female Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) accounted for 13.6% of nest loss and Devries et al. (2003) reported 50% of female Mallards {Anas platyrhynchos) were depredated during nesting. Wang et al. (1995) documented loss of 3 adult Common Poor- wills {Phalaenoptilus nuttallii), a female and 2 males, hy apparent predation. Rust (1947) found the carcass of a dead female Common Nighthawk indicated hy dives of the male over the area. The female had apparently been dead for several days. In my study, I discovered the nests with eggs prior to the depredation events; one 7 days earlier, and the other 13 days earlier. No male attended the dead females, but in 1992 the male had indicated the nest, and in 1993, the male and female were flushed from the ground the week prior to discovery of the nest. Micro-habitat and vegetation configuration were similar at the two sites even though vegetation composition was different. There were also differences on a landscape scale. Florida Nighthawks used areas of palmetto or Lyonia fields that were interspersed among the cypress domes and slash pine forests at LHFDA whereas ABS had a greater diversity of open habitat types. ABS is a protected area in a rural setting; in contrast, LHFDA is bordered by suburban development on the north, south, and west sides (Delis et al 1996). More information on recruitment and habitat use by Common Nighthawks is needed. Of the studies of Common Nighthawks (e.g.. Rust 1947, Selander 1951, Sutherland 1963, Fisher et al. 2004), to my knowledge only one study (Perkins and Vickery 2007) reported reproductive success on a relatively large scale. Basic biology of this widely distributed species warrants further understanding for management options as habitat is increasingly altered for human needs. Jennier — Florida Nighthawk Breeding Florida 17 Acknowledgments I thank R. L. Curry, J. W. Fitzpatrick, and the late G. E. Woolfenden for providing ac- cess to ABS, the Southwest Florida Water Management District Land Resources Depart- ment for access to LHFDA, and Aaron Roth for constructive suggestions that improved the manuscript. Literature Cited Armstrong, J. T. 1965. Breeding home range in the nighthawk and other birds; its evo- lutionary and ecological significance. Ecology 46:619-629. Bender, D. J., and R. M. Brigham. 1998. Inventory Methods for Nighthawk and Poor- will: Standards for Components of British Columbia’s Biodiversity No. 9 Version 2.0. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. Online at (accessed 21 March 2005). Berry, R., and C. J. Bibby. 1981. A breeding study of nightjars. British Birds 74:161-169. Betts, M. G., A. S. Hadley, N. Rodenhouse, and J. J. Nocera. 2008. Social information trumps vegetation structure in breeding-site selection by a migrant songbird. Pro- ceedings of the Royal Society of London B 275:2257. Bowles, J. H. 1921. Nesting habits of the nighthawk at Tacoma, Washington. Auk 28:203-217. Brigham, R. M. 1989. Roost and nest sites of Common Nighthawks: Are gravel roofs im- portant? Condor 91:722-724. Caccamise, D. F. 1974. Competitive relationships of the Common and Lesser nighthawks. Condor 76:1-20. Delis, P. R., H. R. Mushinsky, and E. D. McCoy. 1996. Decline of some west-central Florida anuran populations in response to habitat degradation. Biodiversity and Con- servation 5:1579-1595. Devries, J. H., J. J. Citta, M. S. Lindberg, D. W. Howerter, and M. G. Anderson. 2003. Breeding-season survival of Mallard females in the Prairie Pothole region of Canada. Journal of Wildlife Management 67:551-563. Dexter, R. W. 1952. Banding and nesting studies of the Eastern Nighthawk. Bird-Band- ing 23:109-114. Dexter, R. W. 1956. Further banding and nesting Studies of the Eastern Nighthawk. Bird-Banding 27:9-16. Dexter, R. W. 1961. Further studies on nesting of the Co mm on Nighthawk. Bird -Band- ing 32:79-85. Fisher, R. J., Q. E. Fletcher, C. K. R. Willis, and R. M. Brigham. 2004. Roost selection and roosting behavior of male common nighthawks. American Midland Naturalist 151:79-87. Fletcher, R. J. 2007. Species interactions and population density mediate the use of social cues for habitat selection. Journal of Animal Ecology 76:598-606. Gibbs, J. P., and J. Faaborg. 1990. Estimating the viability of Ovenbird and Kentucky Warbler populations in forest fragments. Conservation Biology 4:193-196. Gross, A. O. 1931. A nighthawk study. Bulletin of the Northeastern Bird-banding As- sociation 1931:42-44. Gross, A. O. 1940. Chordeiles minor minor Coues. Eastern Nighthawk. Pages 206-234 in Life Histories of North American Cuckoos, Goatsuckers, Hummingbirds, and their Allies (A. C. Bent, Ed.). U.S. National Museum Bulletin 176. 1989 reprint, Dover Publications, Inc., New York. Ingels, J., J.-H. Ribot, and B. H. J. de Jong. 1984. Vulnerability of eggs and young of the Blackish Nightjar (Caprimulgus nigrescens) in Suriname. Auk 101:388-391. Jackson, H. D. 1985. Commentary on the alleged transportation of eggs and young by caprimulgids. Wilson Bulletin 97:381-385. 18 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Kantrud, H. a., and K. F. Higgins. 1992. Nest and nest site characteristics of some groundnesting, nonpasserine birds of northern grasslands. Prairie Naturalist 24:67- 84. Kramer, G. R., and A. D. Chalfoun. 2012. Growth rate and relocation movements of Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) nestlings in relation to age. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 124:793-797. Larison, B., S. a. Laymon, P. L. Williams, and T. B. Smith. 2001. Avian responses to res- toration: Nest-site selection and reproductive success in song sparrows. Auk 118:432- 442. Martin, T. E., and G. R. Geupel. 1993. Nest-monitoring plots: Methods for locating nests and monitoring success. Journal of Field Ornithology 64:507-519. Miller, A. H. 1925. The boom flight of the Paciflc nighthawk. Condor 27:141-143. Parks, G. H. 1946. Notes on the behavior of a nesting nighthawk. Bird-Banding 17:55-60. Perkins, D. W., and P. D. Vickery. 2007. Nest success of grassland birds in Florida dry prairie. Southeastern Naturalist 6:283-292. Poulin, R. G., S. D. Grindal, and R. M. Brigham. 1996. Common Nighthawk {Chordeiles minor). In The Birds of North America, No. 213 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). The Acad- emy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the American Ornitholo- gists’ Union, Washington, D.C. Reidy, J. L., M. M. Stake, and F. R. Thompson III. 2009. Nocturnal predation of females on nests: An important source of mortality for Golden-cheeked Warblers? Wilson Journal of Ornithology 121:416-421. Ribic, C. a., M. Guzy, T. Anderson, D. Sample, J. Nack. 2012. Bird productivity and nest predation in agricultural grasslands. USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Cen- ter. Paper 257. Online at < http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgs.npwac/257> (accessed 12 June 2014). Rust, H. J. 1947. Migration and nesting of nighthawks in northern Idaho. Condor 49:177-188. Selander, R. K. 1951. Cock roosts of Nighthawks. Condor 53:302-303. Sutherland, C. A. 1963. Notes on the behavior of Common Nighthawks in Florida. Living Bird 2:31-39. Tomkins, I. R. 1942. The “injury-feigning” behavior of the Florida nighthawk. Wilson Bulletin 54:43-49. Vickery, P. D., M. L. Hunter, and J. V. Wells. 1992. Use of a new reproductive index to evaluate relationship between habitat quality and breeding success. Auk 109:697- 705. Walbeck, D. E. 1989. Observations of roof-nesting killdeer and common nighthawks in Frostburg, Maryland. Maryland Birdlife 45:3-9. Wang, K., M. C. Kalcounis, D. J. Bender, D. L. Gummer, and R. M. Brigham. 1995. Preda- tion on free-ranging Common Poorwills in Saskatchewan. Journal of Field Ornithol- ogy 66:400-405. Webb, S. L., C. V. Olson, M. R. Dzialak, S. M. Harju, J. B. Winstead, and D. Lockman. 2012. Landscape features and weather influenced nest survival of a ground-nesting bird of conservation concern, the Greater Sage-grouse, in human-altered environ- ments. Ecological Processes 1:4. Online at (accessed 12 June 2014). A Springer Open Journal. Weller, M. W. 1958. Observations on the incubating behavior of a Common Nighthawk. Auk 75:48-59. Florida Field Naturalist 43(l):19-36, 2015. TWENTY-THIRD REPORT OF THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2013 Jon S. Greenlaw 10503 Mistflower Lane, Tampa, Florida 33647 Abstract . — The Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee held its annual summer meeting in Gainesville on 17 August 2013. As Old Business, the Committee revisited three (two unresolved and one tabled) reports, and resolved two of them. Only the Tricolored Munia on the Dry Tortugas again remained unsettled over a provenance issue. A total of 83 new reports were evaluated hy the committee this year. Of these reports, 67 were accepted (57 of which were records verified hy specimens, diagnostic photographs, or sound recordings) 13 not accepted, 1 unresolved, and 2 tabled. The no- table rare bird event of the year was a major incursion of Razorbills to Florida waters during the winter. One species (European Turtle-Dove seen in the Florida Keys) was removed from the Florida Bird List, and three species (Costa’s Hummingbird, Fea’s Petrel, Variegated Flycatcher) were added, bringing the net total species on the official list to 516. The twenty-third report of the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (FOSRC) summarizes decisions made hy the committee for the submission year ending in August 2013. The FOSRC critically assesses reports of rare birds in Florida, including potential new records for the state, and evaluates the status of exotic species that may become established. Establishment criteria, last updated in 2004, are specified in the Committee’s Rules and Procedures, which are published on the Florida Ornithological Society’s website at http://www.fosbirds.org/. Submissions are requested for species or distinctive subspecies that are believed to be first-time vagrants in Florida or that are listed as review species or subspecies (http://www.fosbirds.org/official-fiorida-state- bird-list). FOSRC review species or subspecies (= Review List) are mostly taxa on the Official State List for which the FOSRC, in practice, has previously reviewed and accepted 15 or fewer reports (but exceptions may be made to obtain more information on the occurrence of selected taxa in Florida). The Rules and Procedures govern the Committee’s activities. At its annual meeting on 17 August 2013, the FOSRC revisited three (two unresolved and one tabled) old reports and resolved two of them. Only the Tricolored Munia (scientific names below) on the Dry Tortugas again remained unsettled over a perennial provenance issue. A total of 81 new reports were evaluated by the Committee this year. Of these, 67 (83%) were accepted (57 [70%] of which were 19 20 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST records verified by specimens, diagnostic photographs, or sound recordings), 13 (16%) were not accepted, one was unresolved, and two were tabled. The acceptance/non-acceptance rate conforms closely with that reported in 2012 (Greenlaw 2014). One species (European Turtle-Dove seen in the Florida Keys) was removed from the Florida List, and three species (Costa’s Hummingbird, Fea’s Petrel, and Variegated Flycatcher) were added, bringing the net total species on the official list to 516. This reporting year was characterized by an unprecedented irruption of Razorbills into Florida’s waters. The birds appeared on the northeast coast in December and quickly spread southward past Miami and around to the Gulf coast side. They reached as far southwest as Key West and the Dry Tortugas, and northwestward to Pensacola Beach, Escambia County. The records committee accepted selected reports that were verifiably documented to represent the range of localities in Florida where the birds were found. Among the 43 reports (53% of new reports) that were processed this year by email voting, 20 were of Razorbills. Three other reports of this species were assessed at the meeting in August. Another “Razorbill” report turned out to be the second Thick-billed Murre that appeared to be caught up in the Razorbill invasion. All documentation reviewed by the FOSRC is archived in the Ornithology Division of the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. Observers of review-listed species in Florida, and of birds that may he new to the State List, should submit reports to the FOSRC, either by using the online form or by requesting a form from the Secretary of the committee directly (see http://www.fosbirds/org/). A report to the Secretary that includes the basic information on field observations of a rare or unusual species (who, where, when, and diagnostic description based on what the observer saw), with any photographs provided as attachments, also is acceptable. We request that photographs not be sent without a detailed description of the bird, as photographs are not always diagnostic, or they may show only limited parts of the bird being reported. This report was prepared on behalf of all members of the FOSRC serving during the 2012-13 reporting year. The members serving during these reviews and their last year of tenure were Mark Berney (2013), John Murphy (2014), Jon Greenlaw (2015), Ed Kwater (2016), Michael Brothers (2017), Rafael Galvez (2018), and Dave Goodwin (2019). See the FOS website (above) for a list of the current members of the FOSRC and their addresses. Submitters of reports (all submitters are acknowledged below, but only those reports that are accepted include initials of the submitter): Mark Bemey (MBe), Jeff Bouton Greenlaw— T wENTY-Tuim Report, FOS Records Committee 21 (JB), Reed Bowman (RBo), Michael Brothers (MBr), Roy Brown (RBr), Evan Buck (EB), Bob Carroll (BC), Kevin Dailey (KDa), Fred Dietrich (FD), Karen Donnelly (KDo), Lucy and Bob Duncan (L&BD), John Erickson (JE), Cole Fredricks (CF), Rafael Galvez (RGa), Reinhard Geisler (RGe), Earline Gilley (EG), Larry Goodman (LG) , Jon S. Greenlaw (JSG), Bev and A1 Hansen (B&AH), Mitchell Harris (MH), Vaughan Hedrick (VH), Anthony Henehan (AH), Claire Herzog (CH), Monica Higgins (MHi), Leslie Kelly (LK), Brenda Kramar (BK), Nancy LaFramboise (NL), Grover Larkins (GL), Peter and Cynthia Larson (P&CL), Patrick Leary (PL), Patrick and Doris Leary (P&DL), Darcy Love (DL), Tom Mast (TM), Mike Manetz (MM), Larry Manfredi (LM), Jonathan Mays (JMa), A1 Menk (AM), John Murphy (JM), Bill Ossmer (BO), Michael Perez (MP), Bill Pranty (BP), Kimberley Ramos (KR) , Tom Rauch (TR), Diane Reed (DRe), Daniel Robinson (DRo), Barry Rossheim (BR), Rex Rowan (RR), David Shoch (DS), Elliot Schunke (ES), Bob Stalnaker (BS), Don and Lillian Stokes (D&LS), Malcolm Mark Swan (MMS), Steven M. Tennis (SMT), Roberto Torres (RT), Stu Wilson (SW), Andy Wraithmell (AW). Committee News, Formats, and Terminology Committee news . — During 2013, the FOSRC met once on 17 August at the Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville. Mark Berney completed his seventh year on the committee and cycled off. He was replaced by Dr. Andrew (Andy) W. Kratter, who served previously on the committee and was its managing Secretary. Andy brings international field experience and credentials to the committee. He currently also serves on the American Ornithologists’ Union’s North American Classification Committee. The Committee voted to remove the following two species from the Review List: Tropical Kingbird and Say’s Phoebe. Razorbill and Thick- billed Vireo are to be kept on the list for a while longer. Formats and terminology . — We follow the current nomenclature and sequence that are used in the American Ornithologists’ Union check-list (AOU 1998) and its supplements current through July 2013 (http://checklist.aou.org/) in the species accounts. Within accounts with more than one submission on a species, each report is introduced sequentially by catalog number. The initials following the catalog number refer to one or more contributors who supplied information to the committee (see list above). We follow the terminology for age of birds outlined by Kratter 2012). We normally do not review subspecies, but on occasion we accept submissions on distinctive, field-identifiable subspecies whose taxonomic rank may be reevaluated by the AOU in the future. Our use of the words “report” and ‘record” to describe occurrences of species in Florida follows Robertson and Woolfenden (1992), Stevenson and Anderson (1994), and Greenlaw et al. (2014). For each species, I provide a review of the status of the species in Florida mainly based on FOSRC data. 22 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Abbreviations used here are: FWC = Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, NP = National Park, NWR = National Wildlife Refuge, SP = State Park, TTRS = Tall Timbers Research Station, Tallahassee, Florida. Submissions Accepted White-cheeked Pintail, Anas bahamensis FOSRC 2013-987 (RGe). This pintail was observed at a lake near Centennial Trail in Pelican Island NWR, Indian River County, for a period of several weeks. The report submitted to the committee provided information on observations and photographs of the bird from 3 February 2013. The bird associated with wild ducks, including Blue-winged Teal {Anas discors). It appeared to be in good condition and had no leg bands or other tags. A mapped review of reports of this species in Florida by Stevenson and Anderson (1994), updated by JSC (1992-2013), documented occurrences that were concentrated along the Atlantic coast from Indian River County south to Monroe County opposite known wild sources of the species in the Bahamas or Cuba. Few reports were from inland, along the peninsular Culf coast, or from the Panhandle. Under the hypothesis that most occurrences of this pintail in the state represent escapes from private or public collections (an assumption that the committee has made in the past), accumulated occurrences can be expected to occur relatively widely in Florida, especially in densely settled, urbanized areas. Under the alternative hypothesis that many or most White-cheeked Pintails in Florida are natural vagrants from nearby Bahamian or West Indian sources, then the expectation is of occurrences concentrated along the Atlantic coast nearest to sources of potential origin. The evidence to date supports the natural vagrancy hypothesis over a captive origin view for most occurrences found in the state. In this case, the public collections that were contacted reported that their birds were banded and that none were missing. Private waterfowl collections are thought to be widespread in Florida (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992, Greenlaw et al. 2014), but in the experience of B. Pranty (pers. comm.), most of the few collections that are known harbor widely available species, while one in a pond found recently between a shopping center and a residential subdivision in Broward County (2013) had a pair of wild-type A/zas bahamensis and other exotic waterfowl species (see 2013-986 below). The Pelican Island pintail occurred on the Atlantic coast in a relatively isolated, natural area opposite known sources in the northern Bahamas where a vagrant can be expected. Since 1990, the records committee has evaluated five reports of A. bahamensis through August 2013. Only one previous report, from late March 1990 of a bird at Merritt Island NWR, Brevard County, was accepted. It too was near the Atlantic coast in a nature preserve. An early specimen known to Howell (1932) was shot by a hunter in February or March 1912 in the Banana River, Brevard County, and was thought to be “of accidental occurrence” by Howell (see Stevenson and Anderson 1994 and Greenlaw et al. 2014 for reviews). Common Merganser, Mergus merganser FOSRC 2012-947 (AH, KR). An adult male was discovered and photographed on 23 November 2012 along Wildlife Drive in J. N. ‘Ding’ Darling NWR, Sanibel, Lee County. The bird was not reported again after the discovery date. During the early part of the 20th century, the species was widely reported in Florida, even as far south as the Keys (Howell 1932). Since 1992, only four Greenlaw— T wENTY-Tuim Report, FOS Records Committee 23 records (including the current bird) have come to our attention in the state, all from the central Gulf coast and the northeastern peninsula: from Pasco County (1968, 2009), Duval County (2009), and now Lee County. The 1968 record was a male taken as a specimen (now lost) and later photographed as a mount in the hunter’s collection, and was recently reviewed by the committee (Greenlaw 2014). The earliest record is a specimen (TTRS 3216) that was collected in Leon County in December 1953 (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992). The Lee County bird was notable for its location far to the south in the peninsula and for its age and sex. Usually only hen-plumaged birds reach this far south now. Red-necked Grebe, Podiceps grisegena FOSRC 2012-945 (ES, RBr). This grebe was discovered on 13 November 2012 at Lake Elberta, Tallahassee, Leon County. It was verified by photographs. FOSRC 2013-962 (JE). This grebe was discovered on 16 January 2013 off Crowder Landing at the end of Crowder Road, Tallahassee, Leon County. Its identification was verified by photographs. FOSRC 2013-988 (MBr). This single bird was observed on 31 March 2013 off the beach at Tom Renick Park, Ormond-by-the-Sea, Volusia County. The bird was well- observed and described, and represented the first non-Panhandle occurrence in Florida. The Red-necked Grebe is a casual transient and winter visitor in the state (Greenlaw et al. 2014). These three reports represent the fifth, sixth, and seventh accepted in Florida waters by the committee. Earlier records were two from Santa Rosa County (December 2000) and two other sight reports from Santa Rosa County (January 2001) and Escambia County (February 2008). Northern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis FOSRC 2013-990 (MBr). This blue-gray morph individual was found alive on the beach in Daytona Beach Shores, Volusia County, on 14 October 2012. It was brought to the Marine Science Center bird rehabilitation facility in Ponce Inlet, where it later died. The bird was photographed alive. It was preserved as a specimen at the Florida Museum of Natural History (UF 49773, male). This is the eighth record of this species in Florida waters. The first was documented in mid-April 2005 from Brevard County (Kratter and Small 2007). All birds were found on the mid-Atlantic coast from Volusia County south to Palm Beach County where the Gulf Stream is closest to the Florida peninsula and begins to diverge from the coastline. Fea’s Petrel, Pterodroma feae FOSRC 2013-980. This record is unusual because it is based on a published paper on the wintering range of a single banded petrel of this species that was carrying a geolocator (Chesser et al. 2013, Ramirez et al. 2013). This device is a data archiving tag that permits an investigator to recover the track of a bird over a year’s time from information on ambient light level readings with reference to time (latitude and longitude estimates, with an error in this case of about 200 km radius). The marked bird was banded on Bugio Island, Portugal, where it breeds in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. It spent the winter of 2007-2008 in the Georgia Bight and off Florida’s Atlantic coast. Notably, this individual passed along the Florida coast several times during the winter and even crossed the Keys into the Lower Gulf The bird probably spent much of its time, as do other pelagic species off Florida (M. Brothers, pers. communication) in the Gulf Stream, which is taken to be in Florida’s waters. The acceptance of this species on the Florida Bird List is unusual because it was not seen by anybody while 24 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST it was off our shores, and so it was not documented as verifiable in our narrow, traditional sense. Yet, the derived data were summarized and published in a peer-reviewed scientific periodical. The record is potentially verifiable only by somebody who is knowledgeable about transforming the raw data from the logger to the corresponding derived information. Also, in contrast to the action taken by the FOSRC, the second edition of Robertson and Woolfenden’s annotated list of Florida birds (Greenlaw et al. 2014) places the same record into an appendix, pending verification by traditional means. Manx Sheaewater, Puffinus pufftnus FOSRC 2013-969 (RT). This shearwater was observed on 17 December 2012 one mile (1.6 km) off Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County. Photographs showed all flight characters typical of this species. Nine records and three sightings have been accepted previously by the FOSRC, dating back to November 1994 (earliest report; Brevard County) and July 1997 (earliest record; Escambia County). Several earlier specimens are known from Florida, including the first at Juno Beach, Palm Beach County, taken in October 1960 (Stevenson and Anderson 1994). The species chiefly occurs along the full length of the Atlantic coast, but one record and one accepted report also are known from the western Panhandle (FOSRC; Greenlaw et al. 2014). Neotropic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax brasilianus FOSRC 2013-958 (MG). A single bird was discovered and photographed on 9 June 2013 at 11700 Pierson Road, on the southeast corner of Village Park, in Wellington, Palm Beach County. FOSRC 2013-967 (MH). This bird was discovered and photographed on 23 April 2013 at the north end of Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Mosquito Lagoon, Brevard County. Apparently it was not reported again at this location. FOSRC 2013-970 (MBe). This adult male was first observed on 1 December 2012, and subsequently (recognized by a distinctive white patch on the lower neck) on 8 occasions until 23 April 2013. It was one of three individuals of this species that was in the Wakodahatchee Wetlands, 13026 Jog Road, Delray Beach, Palm Beach County, in a colony of breeding Double-crested Cormorants {Phalacrocorax auritus) there. It apparently arrived at and departed from the wetlands as a visitor. Photographs and a plumage character verified this individual. FOSRC 2013-971 (MBe). An adult male, apparently another visitor, was seen on 8 and 15 December 2012, also in the cormorant colony at Wakodahatchee Wetlands. It was verified by photographs and details of morphology and plumage. FOSRC 2013-972 (MBe). Another Wakodahatchee Wetlands bird, an adult female, was the most significant of the three that were found there this season. She was discovered on 1 January 2013 and was last seen on 28 April 2013. She paired with a Double-crested Cormorant and together the mixed pair hatched four young and fledged two of them. Species and sex were verified by photographs and behavior, respectively. This is the first evidence of breeding by this species in Florida. A mixed pair was suspected to have fledged young last year. Seven earlier records and one accepted report are known from Florida, all found since April 2007 (Monroe County). This spate of occurrences suggests that most of these birds are coming from nearby sources. Although one record was of a bird in Wakulla County, this was an outlier; counting the current reports, most were discovered in Palm Beach (5) and Monroe (3) counties. Brevard County has posted two occurrences. The species was first documented in the Bahamas on New Providence in 1994, and breeding was confirmed there in 1998 (Hallett 2006). It Greenlaw— T wENTY-Tuim Report, FOS Records Committee 25 is regarded as a common permanent resident on Great Inagua, but this island in the Bahamas is fairly remote from Florida. Hallett suggested that it may be breeding in small numbers on other islands in the Bahamian archipelago as well. It also is a common permanent resident on Cuba and some of its northern cays (Garrido and Kirkconnell 2000). Given the locations of these populations, and the possibility that numbers of Neotropic Cormorants in some of these colonies may be increasing, it was only a matter of time before they appeared in Florida. Thayer’s Gull, Larus thayeri FOSRC 2013-989 (MBr). This gull was found on 28 February 2013 on the beach near Frank Rendon Park, Daytona Beach Shores, Volusia County. Photographs and a detailed description affirmed the identification. The records committee has accepted six previous records and three reports of this species in Florida. All except one bird observed well in Pinellas County (November 1991) were of individuals photographed on beaches in Volusia, Brevard, and Broward counties during winter and early spring. Elegant Tern, Thalasseus elegans FOSRC 2013-978 (DS). Two long-billed, long-crested Thalasseus terns were observed and photographed on 25-27 April 2013 at Bowman’s Beach, Sanibel, Lee County. They were associated with a resting flock of Sandwich Terns {T. sandvicensis acuflavidus). All visible characters in several photographs supported an Elegant Tern identification. We submitted the photographs to a Mexican biologist. Dr. Enriqueta Velarde, who works with breeding Elegant Terns (e.g., Velarde and Rojo 2012) in Baja California for her assessment of the photographs. She saw no evidence of hybridization and agreed that they were likely Elegant Terns based on available evidence. Thick-billed Murre, Uria lomuia FOSRC 2012-926 (P&DL). This alcid was observed and photographed on 15 December 2012 in Simpson’s Creek near the AlA bridge between Big Talbot Island and Little Talbot Island, Duval County. All visible characters in the two photographs pointed to Thick-billed Murre rather than Common Murre (Uria aalge) or Razorbill. The observers identified this bird as a Razorbill when they reported it to the Committee. However, the tail was short and truncated and bill shape (only the apical end of the bill was visible) and amount of white in the marginal wing patch supported Thick-billed Murre. The committee rejected “Razorbill” as a misidentification and accepted Thick-billed Murre as verifiable on the basis of the photographs. FOSRC 2012-928 (ES, AW). This murre was found and photographed on 14 December 2012 beside the fishing pier at Fort Clinch SP, Nassau County. Five records are now known from Florida waters, all from the Atlantic coast from Nassau County south to Palm Beach County. Two are based on photographs and three are specimens. Razorbill, Alca torda FOSRC 2012-923 (CF). Two individuals of this species were observed inshore near the Gulf beach at Stump Beach SP, Charlotte County, on 12 December 2012. Only one of the two birds was verified by a photograph. FOSRC 2012-925 (BK). This single bird was observed on 11 December 2012 inshore off Crandon Beach on Key Biscayne, Miami, Miami-Dade County. It was verified by photographs. FOSRC 2012-927 (PL). This individual was observed on 16 December 2012 in St. Mary’s Inlet channel, Cumberland Sound, near the Fort Clinch shore off the 26 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST fort, Nassau County. It was verified by photographs, and represented the most northeasterly occurrence of the species on the Florida Atlantic coast during the winter incursion of 2012-2013. FOSRC 2012-929 (AM, D&LS). Two independent observations were made of Razorbills at the same location on the same day, 16 December 2012 on the Gulf of Mexico at or near Gulfside City Park, Sanibel, Lee County. Both observers reported only a single bird. Identification was verified by a photograph in each case. FOSRC 2012-930 (AM, D&LS). Two independent observations at the same location on the same day, 16 December 2012, at Blind Pass between Sanibel and Captiva islands, on the Gulf side of the jetty, Lee County. One observer reported a single bird and two others saw two birds. Identification was supported by photographs. FOSRC 2012-931 (KDa). A single bird was observed on 17 December 2012 on the St. Johns River adjacent to Huguenot Memorial Park, Duval County. It was verified by photographs. FOSRC 2012-932 (EB). A single bird was observed on 11 December 2012 in Fort De Soto Park off upper North Beach, Pinellas County. It was verified by a photograph. FOSRC 2012-933 (DRo). A single bird was observed on 18 December 2012 in John’s Pass, Pinellas County. It was verified by a photograph. FOSRC 2012-934 (AH). A single bird was observed 18 December 2012 at Blind Pass between Sanibel and Captiva islands, Lee County. Verified by a photograph, this individual perhaps was one of the birds reported on 16 December at the same locality (see 2012-930 above). Comparison of the images from the two dates suggest they may have been different birds, and are so treated here. FOSRC 2012-935 (TR). A single bird was seen on 18 December 2012 inshore at Tigertail Beach, Marco Island, Collier County. It was verified by photographs. FOSRC 2012-936 (BPr). On 18 December 2012, four alcids in two groups passed Green Key in Robert K. Rees County Park, New Port Richey, Pasco County, flying north over the water inshore. Photographic images documented an elongate tail and a white area expanding behind the eye in one bird at least. The birds displayed a chest-heavy shape rather than the pot-bellied shape of murres (Uria). White underwings, size, and shape discounted Dovekies (Alle alle). FOSRC 2012-937 (KDa). Six birds were observed on 19 December 2012 just off the jetties at the entrance into the St. Johns River at Mayport, Duval County. They were verified by photographs. FOSRC 2012-938 (B&AH). Birds were observed on 17 December 2012 in the bay between the Rod and Reel Pier and City Pier, northeastern Anna Maria Island, Manatee County. As many as 20, perhaps more. Razorbills were seen and photographed at this location for several weeks (JSG, pers. observation). Some of the birds were actively swimming and fishing around the piers, while others could be seen farther offshore in the bay and towards the point connecting with the Gulf. FOSRC 2012-939 (JM). Two dead individuals were found on the beach, and two live birds were in the water on 19 December 2012 at Alligator Point, Franklin County. One of the carcasses was collected as a specimen, and it was this bird that was described and photographed. The records committee’s action affirms occurrence based on the specimen. FOSRC 2012-940 (AW). Two individuals were observed on 22 December 2012 in Apalachee Bay, Wakulla County. They were viewed from the Lighthouse Pond Trail in St. Marks NWR. One bird was verified by a photograph. FOSRC 2013-957 (L&BD, LG). An immature was discovered and photographed on 12 December 2012 beside the Pensacola Beach Pier, Pensacola, Escambia County. Greenlaw— T wENTY-Tuim Report, FOS Records Committee 27 Verified by a photograph, this individual established the westernmost occurrence of the species in Florida during the winter incursion of 2012-2013. FOSRC 2013-959 (RGa, TM, RT). A total of 447 Razorbills were counted on 15 December 2012 from 07:10 to 14:00 during Christmas Bird Count coverage of the Miami Coast, including Government Cut and off Collins Avenue, Miami-Dade County. On 22 December 2012, none were present at Government Cut. Photographs (TM, RT against the Miami Beach skyline) and field sketches (RGa) documented the occurrence of representative individuals seen during this movement. FOSRC 2013-960 (RGa). Two birds were discovered together on 21 December 2012 on the Oceanside off Marathon, from the 15th Street Marina, Vaca Key, Monroe County. Although this report covers the two birds reported here, P&CL also found a single bird at Marathon Shores to the north (photographs) on 16 December 2012. We never received a formal report on the Marathon Shores bird. The Marathon birds were documented by timely, colored held sketches of one of the two birds observed by RGa. FOSRC 2013-961 (RGa). Two live birds and a carcass on the beach were discovered on 18 December 2012 on Garden Key, Dry Tortugas NP, Monroe County. Detailed colored sketch-studies of the head and bill morphology of the dead bird, and photographs of the dead bird, verihed identihcation and occurrence of the species at this location. This record conhrms the most southwesterly occurrence of Razorbills during the winter 2012-2013 invasion by this species into Florida waters. FOSRC 2013-991 (MBr). This bird was found stranded on the beach in New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County on 7 December 2012. It was brought to the bird rehabilitation facility at the Marine Science Center, Ponce Inlet, where it was photographed alive. The bird later died and was preserved as a specimen deposited at the Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville. This record represents the hrst documented occurrence of Razorbills off the Florida coasts during the species’ incursion in the winter of 2012-2013 (MBr pers. communication). These documented occurrences provide a representative record of how quickly this incursion spread between hrst appearance on the northeast Atlantic coast south and west to the Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas, and north and west to Pensacola in the Florida panhandle. Hundreds, perhaps many more, of these birds were seen passing southward past Miami by mid-December. Indeed, by the end of mid-December, Razorbills had spread southward into the Keys and around into the Gulf of Mexico and far west onto the Panhandle. Mortality was reported based on carcasses found on beaches, but many survived and wintered in Florida waters, especially in Gulfside bays, where they provided images of incongruous groupings of Razorbills with Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), wintering Common Loons (Gavia immer), and resident Laughing Gulls {Leucophaeus atricilla). Few birds seemed to linger inshore on the Atlantic coast after the middle of December. Before the incursion, the records committee had affirmed seven records and two sight observations for Florida. Inca Dove, Columbina inca FOSRC 2013-951 (KDa, EG). This small dove was photographed by a non-birder who later on had somebody identify it for her. EG conhrmed (in lift, to JSG) that she took the photo on 12 February 2012 in Riverside Park, Jacksonville, Duval County. This occurrence represents only the third record for Florida, all within a period of a few months. Snowy Owl, Bubo scandiacus FOSRC 2013-948 (BO). This owl was discovered and photographed on 2 January 2013 at Zamora Street 2C, Porpoise Point, Vilano Beach in St. Augustine, St. Johns 28 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST County. This is only the second record for Florida. The first was in December 1999 in Franklin County. Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris FOSRC 2013-949 (FD, ES, RBr). This hummingbird was present in a residential yard on Hunter Woods Lane, Tallahassee, Leon County. It was banded, measured, and photographed in the hand by FD on 29 January 2013, and also photographed by other observers. Identification is verified by measurements and photographs. Five previous records of this species are known in Florida. They extend from Escambia County (the first in September 2004) east to Duval County across northern Florida. Costa’s Hummingbird, Calypte costae FOSRC 2012-924 (FD, ES). This hummingbird was in a residential yard in Walden Circle, Tallahassee, Leon County for at least several days. It was banded, measured, and photographed in the hand by FD on 13 December 2012, when it was affirmed to be a male Costa’s Hummingbird. The committee also received a photograph by ES taken on 14 December. The acceptance of this record makes it the first of this species for Florida. Alder Flycatcher, Empidonax alnorum FOSRC 2012-916 (MM). This Empidonax flycatcher was discovered on 24 September 2012 along Cone’s Dike Trail, Paynes Prairie State Preserve, Alachua County, and revisited on two other days. It was verified by a sound recording of its diagnostic call made on 26 September. FOSRC 2013-953 (RGe, LM). This individual was found on 8 September 2012 at the “The Annex” south of “Lucky Hammock” on Aerojet Road near the entrance to Everglades NP, Miami-Dade County. The species occurs there almost annually. The bird proved to be quite vocal. It was photographed and its call was recorded for verifiability. LM discovered the bird and identified it by its call. This species, along with the Willow Flycatcher {E. traillii), was placed on the review list to accumulate more information on the status and seasonal occurrence of these poorly known species in Florida. The committee constrained reports to include a diagnostic description of the bird and its call or a sound recording (e.g., a video clip), preferably the latter for verifiable documentation. Three previous records and one accepted report, together with the current records, indicate that fall movement is early, varying from late August through late Sep. We have only one spring report, from 24 April (2010). Say’s Phoebe, Sayornis say a FOSRC 2012-914 (TM). This bird was discovered on 7 October 2012 off Old Keystone Road at Brooker Creek Preserve, Pinellas County. Photographs verified its occurrence. FOSRC 2012-944 (LK). Discovered on 8 October 2012 at the Taminco/Air Products industrial site and sanctuary. Pace, Santa Rosa County, this bird too was photographed. FOSRC 2012-946 (MMS). This phoebe was found and photographed on 12 November 2012 at Okaloosa Holding Ponds on Eglin Air Force Base, Okaloosa County. FOSRC 2013-952 (CL). This bird was discovered and photographed on 19 October 2012 along the main entrance road into Weekiwachee Preserve, Hernando County. Previously, the records committee accepted a total of 13 reports for this species in Florida. Nine of these were photographic records. The first record in Greenlaw— T wENTY-Tuim Report, FOS Records Committee 29 Florida was a wintering bird that was discovered and photographed in Orange County, in November 1975 (Greenlaw et al. 2014). The species was removed from the review list by the records committee at its annual meeting this year (2013). Variegated Flycatcher, Empidonomus varius FOSRC 2013-984 (KDa, DRe, JAW). The first in Florida, this flycatcher was discovered on 5 June 2013 along the entrance drive into Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, St. Augustine, St. Johns County. It remained for a single day when it was photographed and video-taped. It was silent during the time it was viewed as it actively hawked for flying insects, usually from a utility wire at the roadside. This species is an austral migrant from temperate South America, among a very few such species found in North America, evidently as a migratory overshoot, during the south temperate migration from March to September or October (Ridgely and Tudor 1994, Schulenberg et al. 2007). Although this was Florida’s first occurrence, at least five other records are known from North America (Maine, Tennessee, Ontario, Washington) (Pranty et al. 2008). Tropical Kingbird, Tyrannus melancholicus FOSRC 2012-915 (JM). This kingbird was discovered and photographed on 9 October 2012 at the northern terminus of Bald Point State Park, Franklin County. A video-tape documented the characteristic call of the species. FOSRC 2013-955 (CH, BR, SW). This individual was a female that was discovered on 3 May 2013 and was monitored daily through the summer (S. Wilson in litt.; S. Wilson et al. in press 2015, FFN Vol. 43 No. 1.). She built a nest where she laid eggs in a young Quercus virginiana growing in a parking lot a few meters west of Sarasota County Fire Station No. 3, 47 N Adams Street, near St. Armands Circle on St. Armands Key, Sarasota County. The nest fledged young as the female alone tended them. No male Tropical Kingbird was present before, during, or for many days after egg-laying; one appeared on 23 June (2013-968) and stayed with female, although it provided no parental care to the young associated with her. FOSRC 2013-963 (RGa, GL, LM). This individual was observed on 19, 20, and 22 November 2012 at Frog Pond Wildlife Management Area, including “Lucky Hammock,” just east of the Everglades National Park boundary on Aerojet Road, Miami-Dade County. It was present at the site at least as early as 8 November (LM). Detailed plumage and call descriptions and a held sketch documented the species, which has been found on other occasions in winter at this location. FOSRC 2013-964 (JB, RGa). This kingbird was discovered on 4 Apr 2013 at Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area west of Krome Avenue near Canal L-29, Miami-Dade County. It was observed again on 13 April at the same location. Its identity was supported by photographs and a diagnostic description of the bird’s distinctive call. FOSRC 2013-968 (CH). A male appeared on 23 June 2013 in the parking lot behind the Fire Station near St. Armands Circle at 47 N Adams Street, St. Armands Key, Sarasota County. This bird (sex verified by a sound spectrogram of a version of its “dawn song”) joined a female already at the site (see 2013- 955), but provided no parental care to her young. The two adults associated closely with one another after the male’s arrival, presumably having formed a pair bond. They remained together into early September after the female’s 30 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST independent young had left the area (S. Wilson in litt.). Species identification was verified hy recorded trill calls typical of the species. The previously accepted, call -verified reports of Tropical Kingbirds, together with the five reports here, bring the total processed by the committee to 18. The species was removed from the review list by the records committee at its annual meeting this year (2013). Tropical/Couch’s kingbird, T^rannus melancholicus/T couchii FOSRC 2012-919 (KDo). This bird was a silent, yellow-bellied Tyrannus kingbird identified as one or the other of these two sibling species, discovered on 29 October 2012, near the South Florida Water Management District structure S151 along canal C-304, Broward County. FOSRC 2013-965 (MHi). This was another silent individual in this sibling species group discovered on 4 June 2013 at the end of Shell Island Road, Rookery Bay, southeast of Naples, Collier County. FOSRC 2013-966 (RGa, MP). This was a third silent individual of this sibling species group discovered on 22 November 2012 in Rocky Glades Public Small Game Hunting Area (“sparrow fields”) on SW 168 Street adjacent to C-357 Canal near the Chekika entrance of Everglades NP, Miami-Dade County. Including these three birds, the FOSRC has accepted nine reports of this kingbird combination since 2007. The plumages and bill morphology of the two species in this sibling group are very similar, so field diagnosis is dependent on hearing their distinctive calls. Since they were accorded species rank (AOU 1983), only the Tropical Kingbird has been affirmed as a visitor to Florida. It is likely that all or most of the silent kingbirds in this group also have been Tropical Kingbirds. Cassin’s Kingbird, Tyrannus vociferans FOSRC 2013-954 (RGe). This bird was observed and photographed on 17 February 2013 on powerlines near Bunnell, Flagler County. It was first reported on 17 December 2012 and was present until 20 April 2013. Fourteen previous reports have been accepted by the FOSRC since 1985, of which 10 are photographic records. Others have been reported in the state in recent years that were not evaluated by the committee. Thick-billed Vireo, Vireo crassirostris FOSRC 2012-922 (RT). This vireo was discovered on 17 November 2012 near the Deering Estate, SW 164 Terrace and 72nd Avenue, Palmetto Bay, Miami-Dade County, when it was photographed. FOSRC 2013-983 (RGe). This individual was observed and photographed on 7 March 2013 near the No-Name Harbor parking lot in Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP on Key Biscayne, Miami-Dade County. It was present at this location from its discovery on 3 March to at least 20 April. Photographs documented a sharp demarcation between the yellow breast and pale yellowish on the abdomen, but head pattern and bill morphology were typical of the species. Bruce Hallett, who has wide experience with the species in the Bahamas (Hallett 2006), reported that the yellow color of the underparts can be uniform or non-uniform. Since 1989, 15 reports of this species have been accepted by FOSRC in Florida. Ten of these have been photographic records. Bicknell’s Thrush, Catharus hicknelli FOSRC 2012-920 (NL). This thrush was mist-netted, measiu-ed, photographed, and banded on 8 November 2012 at 621 SE Palm Beach Road, Stuart, Martin Coimty. Identification was verified by small wing chord (87 mm), relative length of primaries 8 Greenlaw— T wENTY-Tuim Report, FOS Records Committee 31 and 9, color pattern of the mandible, and pattern of primary emargination (Pyle 1997, Lowther et al. 2001). Photographs in the hand were supportive but not diagnostic. Since 2004 when the FOSRC accepted its first report of this species, a total of 7 reports have been affirmed by the committee. Kirtland’s Warbler, Setophaga kirtlandii FOSRC 2013-956 (BC, AK, JMa, MM, RR). This warbler was discovered on 5 May 2013 and was gone by the next day, on Moonshine Creek Trail, San Felasco Hammock State Preserve northwest of Gainesville, Alachua County. It was verified by photographs. Including this bird, a total of 8 reports of this species have been accepted for Florida. This is the first from an inland county. Six of the eight were along the Atlantic coast from Volusia County south to Broward County, apparently ready to make the water crossing to the Bahamas. The current individual stopped en route across Florida, but evidently kept on going without much delay. Lazuli Bunting, Passerina amoena FOSRC 2013-950 (SMT, RT). An adult male of this species was observed and photographed on 25 March 2013 at a feeder at 438 SW 3rd Avenue, Florida City, Miami-Dade County. Since 1991, the FOSRC has accepted 14 reports (10 records) of this species in Florida. The first record of Lazuli Bunting in Florida was a bird photographed in Sharpes, Brevard County, in mid-March 1977 (Greenlaw et al. 2014). Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta FOSRC 2013-985 (GRD, BPu). This bird was discovered on 24 February 2013 along Pelt Road, south of Atmore off SR-97, Escambia County. It was an adult male that was singing in a population of singing Eastern Meadowlarks (S. magna). Identification was verified by photographs (BPu on 28 February) and song, which was compared in the field to a taped version. The yellow on the throat extended fully to the malar; this character was the key to the identification in this case, as song is known to be copied by Eastern Meadowlarks in some areas of range overlap (Lanyon 1957). Two previous reports have been accepted by the FOSRC, both from the western panhandle in 2007 and 2009. Bullock’s Oriole, Icterus bullockii FOSRC 2012-917 (RGa, BS). This adult male was discovered on 17 October 2012 in Long Key SP, Long Key, Monroe County. It was verified by photographs and supported by a field sketch and colored drawing. FOSRC 2012-918 (VH, L&BD). Another adult male was observed and photographed on 12 November 2012 in a residential yard on the west side of Bayou Texar, Pensacola, Escambia County. It had been present at this location for about a week previously. FOSRC 2013-974 (JM). This subadult male was discovered on 10 January 2013 in the northeast corner of 15 Street and Avenue D, Apalachicola, Franklin County. The report provided details of field observations on the bird, including a field sketch. Previously, the FOSRC has accepted 17 reports of this species in Florida. The earlier history of the species in Florida was obscured by mis-identifications and poorly differentiated descriptions during the years when both Baltimore Oriole (/. galbula) and Bullock’s Oriole were subsumed under the umbrella name “Northern Oriole.” However, this issue was resolved by a review of Florida Icterus specimens in the mid-2000s (Pranty et al. 2005). 32 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Submissions not Accepted Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsii FOSRC 2013-975. Reports were submitted by three observers for the field dates of 11, 12, and 23 January 2013. Four small white-cheeked geese were at a pond just west of the entrance to Apalachee Correctional Institution, between Sneads and Chattahootchee, Jackson County. Correctional officials kept birders away from the pond, so photographs were distant and of relatively poor quality. An authority on this group of geese was hesitant about identification, especially in relation to the small Canada Goose, B. canadensis parvipes. The available information seemed too uncertain to accept the report, even though members on the committee felt the identification by the observers was probably correct. White-cheeked Pintail, Anas bahamensis FOSRC 2013-986. A wild-type twosome (presumptive pair) was observed on 31 March 2013 in a residential subdivision pond at the edge of a commercial area, Tamarac, Broward County. The pintails were associated with a variety of other waterfowl including exotic species, indicating that the pintails were part of a private or neighborhood collection. It was not evident that the pintails and other exotics were free-fi 3 dng or were rendered flight incapable. The committee has received very few or no previous reports of this species in apparent private collections; most have been in parks or other wetland areas near the Atlantic coast not associated with immediate suburban or urban residential developments. This report raises the question on whether private collections that include this pintail are as widespread in Florida as have been asserted by some people. The Field Observation Committee (FOC) of FOS pays attention to free-ranging exotics in Florida, and they too have reported few or no A. bahamensis from urban or suburban residential ponds where private collections may be expected (FOS seasonal reports 1992-current; JSG, unpublished data). Tufted Duck, Aythya fulvigula FOSRC 2012-921. This Ayif/iya duck was photographed with Redheads (A americana) and Lesser Scaup (A. affinis) on 5 November 2012 at the Taminco/Air Products facility on US-90, Pace, Santa Rosa County. Identification was deemed uncertain based on evidence provided. Head shape and bill pattern were typical of Ring-necked Duck. Several members of the committee felt the bird was probably a young male Ring- necked Duck with disheveled or damaged feathers on the back of its head. Common Merganser, Mergus merganser FOSRC 2013-977. This merganser was discovered on 28 March 2013 at Gulf Harbors Golf Course, Floramar Terrace, New Port Richey, Pasco County. The information was insufficient to confirm an identification of this sight report, which was a female or immature male. Manx Shearwater, Puffinus puffinus FOSRC 2012-942. This small black-and-white shearwater was observed on 23 December 2012 and photographed at a distance off the gulf fishing pier, Pensacola Beach, Escambia County. Identification was considered uncertain based on evidence provided. Audubon’s Shearwater (P. Iherminieri) could not be discounted. FOSRC 2012-943. This small shearwater was seen on 3 October 2008 and photographed at a distance on the water off South Beach, Miami, Miami-Dade Coimty. Identification was imcertain based on evidence provided. Audubon’s Shearwater (P Iherminieri) could not be discoimted. Greenlaw— T wENTY-Tuim Report, FOS Records Committee 33 Red-billed Tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus FOSRC 2013-981. This sight report was based on a bird seen on 28 April 2013 on the north side of Juno Beach Pier, Palm Beach County. The brief description failed to rule out several other possible identifications. Rough-legged Hawk, Buteo lagopus FOSRC 2011-835. A single hawk identified as this species was observed on 14 December 2011 and on 2 February 2012 (assumed to be the same individual) in the same area of Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area, Lake County. This report was considered by the committee in June 2011, and was not accepted because of doubts on identification stemming from insufficient information. A second report that existed in 2011 but was inadvertently overlooked then caused the committee to re-open the report in August 2012, with the same result. Western Gull, Larus occidentalis FOSRC 2012-941. A gull thought to be this species was discovered on 20 December 2012 at the Okaloosa Island fishing pier, Okaloosa County. A series of photographs of the bird in flight showing dorsal and ventral details indicated that the bird was a likely American Herring Gull (L. argentatus smithsonianus). Dark first-cycle Herring Gulls often present an identification problem with same-age Western Gulls (Olsen and Larsson 2004). “Cayenne Tern,” Thalasseus sandvicensis euygnatha FOSRC 2012-912. This tern was photographed on 10 August 2012 with adult Sandwich Terns (T. s. acuflavida) in non-breeding plumage on the gulf-side of Longboat Key 2-3 mi [3-5 km] north of New Pass, Sarasota County. It was similar in size, color, and pattern to its Sandwich Tern companions with one exception, that of its bill. The bill appeared to be rather deep-based and was yellow distally with an orange tone basally. Suggestions included an Elegant Tern (T. elegans) variant, an Elegant x Sandwich tern hybrid, or even a Sandwich Tern with aberrant bill color. Typical “Cayenne Terns” have yellow bills that often exhibit a greenish tone basally (not orange) (Mitra and Buckley 2000), and often have patchy orange and black legs (Buckley in litt.). Elegant Terns should be noticeably larger than Sandwich Terns, but in side-by-side comparison, this was not evident in the field or in photographs. Ruddy Ground-Dove, Columhina talpacoti FOSRC 2013-982. This sight report of two birds together was based on observations made on 17 February 2013 on Marsh Trail at Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR, Palm Beach County. The species would be new on the Florida bird list; the committee’s past practice requires that such a report be verifiably documented by diagnostic photographs. The description was insufficient to support this identification. Caribbean Martin, Progne dominicensis FOSRC 2013-976. This Progne martin was photographed on 3 February 2013, and observed again the next day, at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic SP, Key West, Monroe County. Superficially, it was similar to a Caribbean Martin, but a detailed analysis supported the view that it was likely a second year male Purple Martin (P. subis). Subadult male Purple Martins develop variable plumages, but at least some have purple feathers in the vent area and on the flanks before such feathers appear on the white abdomen. The present bird exhibited a combination of faint streaks on the white underparts and spots on the under tail coverts, which are 34 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST absent in Caribbean Martins. The demarcation between the dark feathers on the upper breast and white on the abdomen was set farther forward (rostrally) than is typical in adult males of the Caribbean Martin. Cuban Grassquit, Tiaris canorus FOSRC 2013-993. An adult male of this species was found on 22 July 2013 at the Rosemary Scrub Natural Area, 2901 N Seacrest Boulevard, Boynton Beach, Palm Beach County. The identification was not in doubt, but the provenance was uncertain. The committee felt it was a likely escape from the pet bird trade in the region. Submissions not Resolved, or Tabled White-cheeked Pintail, Anas bahamensis FOSRC 2012-913. An apparent pair of these pintails were discovered on 3 October 2012 on a marshy lagoon in a landfill facility at 23707 SW 97th Avenue, near Cutler, Miami-Dade County. They remained in the area until 5 October, after which they were not seen again. The birds were described as initially skittish; they were unbanded and in fresh plumage. The presence of this pair near the Atlantic coast opposite a potential wild source in the Bahamas and Cuba may be construed as evidence of natural vagrancy to Florida. Those voting in favor of a wild origin weighed the prevailing pattern of occurrences of this species in Florida (see 2013-986 above). Two dissenting views noted the presence of exotic ducks in the area (but not in the same pond or at the same time as the report in question; R. Torres, in litt.). The report was left unresolved. Elegant Tern, Thalasseus elegans FOSRC 2013-979. A single Thalasseus tern was observed and photographed on 22 October 2012 on a public, gulfside beach on Siesta Key at 948 Beach Road, Sarasota County. This tern displayed a yellower bill than is typical for Elegant Terns, but Dr. E. Velarde (Veracruz, Mexico) sent us a photograph of a portion of her study colony on Elegant Terns in western Mexico that shows such birds are present. We tabled the report pending submission of other photographs of the bird and another Thalasseus tern taken at the same site on 23 October. Bahama Warbler, Setophaga flavescens FOSRC 2013-992. This warhler was discovered and photographed on 12 July 2012 at Green Cay Wetlands, 12800 Hagen Ranch Road, Boynton Beach, Palm Beach County. Only one photograph was obtained before the bird moved away. It was shown apparently foraging in a slash pine (Pinus elliottii). Several experienced people thought the bird could be a Bahama Warbler, but the species is resident on two northern islands in the Bahamas and is not known to be a vagrant, even in the Bahamas (White 2001, Hallett 2006). An analysis by M. Berney, which included lightening the original, dark photograph, raised questions about whether the bird might be a variant Yellow-throated Warbler {S. dominica). Because the committee needed time to evaluate geographic variation in mainland Yellow- throated Warblers, we agreed to table the report. Black-faced Grassquit, Tiaris bicolor FOSRC 2013-973. An immature male was observed on 5 May 2013 at Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP along No Name Road, Key Biscayne, Miami-Dade County. It was discovered on 30 April 2013. The identification was not in doubt, but the issue Greenlaw— T wENTY-Tuim Report, FOS Records Committee 35 of provenance arose as it almost always does for species found in the Greater Miami area that are believed to be likely captives. An unsupported assertion that a Miami website offered the species for sale was enough to cast doubt on whether the bird was an escape from a source in Miami. Yet, the bird in this case was not found in urban or suburban residential neighborhoods, but was at a well-known migrant and vagrant hot-spot in a park on the outer coast. The report was left unresolved. Tricolored Munia, Lonchura malacca FOSRC 2010-820. This report continues from last year’s meeting, when it also was unresolved. It concerns a single bird found alive (but later discovered dead, when it was photographed) at Fort Jefferson, Garden Key, Dry Tortugas NP, Monroe County, on an unspecified date in April 2003. The identity was not in dispute. This report has been carried over since the 2011 meeting after submission in October 2010. The issue concerns the likely provenance of the bird. The same quandary existed for two previous reports (1999, 2009) of this species on the Dry Tortugas, namely, can we distinguish natural vagrants from established populations in Cuba from birds that have escaped or were released by Cuban boat immigrants crossing to Florida. No records of this species are known from the Greater Miami region, where exotic birds are available for sale, and are commonly kept in captivity. Those voting in favor of vagrancy felt that the isolated location of the Dry Tortugas, coupled with a known population on Cuba, made vagrancy more likely. The dissenting view argued that human agency versus vagrancy must be considered equally probable under the circumstances. The report remains unresolved. Proposal to Remove a Species from the Florida List European Turtle-Dove, Streptopelia turtur FOSRC 2012-896 (JSG, RBo, BPr). The subject of the proposal in this case was Florida’s only record of a European Turtle-Dove, found on Lower Matecumbe Key on 9 April 1990. It was grandfathered onto the Official Florida List in 1993 when the committee accepted the critically evaluated checklist of birds published in Robertson and Woolfenden (1992) as its baseline list. Still, Anderson and Baker ( 1992) noted that FOSRC had declined to review the record because of “questionable origin,” even in the face of evidence previously provided by Hoffman et al. (1990). The American Birding Association tentatively accepted the record and placed it on a conditional list of “Origin Uncertain” pending additional occurrences of less uncertain origin (Greenlaw et al. 2013). See the last source for a review of the status and history of this record, and for the source of the proposal entertained by FOSRC in this case. The proposal presented to the committee was that the species be retained on the list. The vote was to not accept the proposal, with one person dissenting. European Turtle-Dove is removed from the Florida list. Literature Cited Anderson, B. H., and J. L. Baker. 1992. Tenth report of the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee. Florida Field Naturalist 22:17-23. Chesser, R. T., R. C. Banks, F. K. Barker, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2013. Fifty-fourth supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 130:558-571. 36 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Gaerido, O. H., and a. Kirkconnell. 2000. Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, New York. Greenlaw, J. S., R. Bowman, and B. Pranty. 2013. Assessment of European Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia turtur) on the Florida Birdlist. Florida Field Naturalist 41:1-8. Greenlaw, J. S., B. Pranty, and R. Bowman. 2014. The Robertson and Woolfenden Florida Bird Species: An Annotated List. Special Publication No. 8. Florida Ornithological Society, Gainesville. Hallett, B. 2006. Birds of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Macmillan Publishers Limited, Oxford, United Kingdom. Hoffman, W., P. W. Smith, and P. Wells. 1990. A record of the European Turtle-Dove in the Florida Keys. Florida Field Naturalist 18:88-90. Howell, A. H. 1932. Florida Bird Life. Florida Department of Game and Fresh Water Fish, Tallahassee. Kratter, a. W., and S. Small. 2007. First record of Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacia- lis) for Florida, and notes on other north Atlantic seabird specimens in 2004-2005. Florida Field Naturalist 35:22-25. Lanyon, W. E. 1957. The Comparative Biology of the Meadowlarks (Sturnella) in Wis- consin. Publications of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, No. 1. Cambridge, Massa- chusetts. Lowther, P. E., C. C. Rimmer, B. Kessel, S. L. Johnson, and W. G. Ellison. 2001. Gray- cheeked Thrush {Catharus minimus). In The Birds of North America, No. 591 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylva- nia. Mitra, S. S., and P. a. Buckley. 2000. Cayenne Tern on Long Island, New York: North America’s fourth. Kingbird 50:358-367. Olsen, K. M., and H. Larsson. 2004. Gulls of North America, Europe, and Asia. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Pranty, B., J. L. Dunn, S. C. Heinl, A. W. Kratter, P. E. Lehman, M. W. Lockwood, B. Mactavish, and K. j. Zimmer. ABA Checklist. Birds of the Continental United States and Canada. American Birding Association, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Pranty, B., A. W. Kratter, and R. Bowman. 2005. Records of the Bullock’s Oriole in Flor- ida. Florida Field Naturalist 33:41-46. Pyle, P. 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds. Part 1. Columbidae to Plo- ceidae. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, California. Ramirez, L, V. H. Paiva, D. Menezes, I. Silva, R. A. P hill ips, J. A. Ramos, and S. Garthe. 2013. Year-round distribution and habitat preferences of the Bugio Petrel. Marine Ecology Progress Series 476:269-284. Ridgely, R. S., and G. Tudor. 1994. The Birds of South America. Volume 2. The Suboscine Passerines. University of Texas Press, Austin. Robertson, W. B., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida Bird Species: An Annotated List. Special Publication No. 6. Florida Ornithological Society, Gainesville. ScHULENBERG, T. S., D. F. Stotz, D. F. Lane, j. P. O’Neill, and T. A. Parker III. 2007. Birds of Peru. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The Birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. Velarde, E., and P. Rojo. 2012. Presumed hybrid Elegant x Cabot’s terns Thalasseus elegans x T acuflavida [sic] in Isla Rasa, Gulf of California, Mexico. Marine Ornithol- ogy 40:25-29. White, T. 2001. The false Kirtland’s: A cautionary tale. Birding 43:34-39. Florida Field Naturalist 43(l):37-44, 2015. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Summer Report: June-July 2014. — This report consists of significant bird observations compiled by the Field Observations Committee (FOC). Electronic submissions to the FOC should be in the following format: species, number of individuals, age and sex of the bird(s), color morph if applicable, location (including county), date, observer(s), and significance. Seasons are winter (December-February), spring (March- May), summer (June-July), and fall ( August-No vember). Submit observations to regional compilers within two weeks after the close of each season, or to the state compiler within one month. Addresses of the compilers follow this report. Sight-only observations are considered “reports” while only those observations supported by verifiable evidence (photographs, video or audio recordings, or specimens) are called “records.” Species for which documentation is required by the FOC and by the FOS Records Committee (FOSRC; ) are marked here with an asterisk (*). A county designation (in italics) accompanies the first-time listing of each site in this report. Abbreviations in this report are: AFB = Air Force Base, AFR = Air Force Range, EOS = end of season, NERR = National Estuarine Research Reserve, NP = National Park, NS = National Seashore, NSRA = North Shore Restoration Area, NWR = National Wildlife Refuge, SF = State Forest, SP = State Park, STA = Stormwater Treatment Area, STF = sewage treatment facility, WMF = Wildlife Management Are, and N, S, E, W, etc., for compass directions. Bold-faced species denote birds newly reported or verified in Florida, or record numbers, -i- Photographs or video- or audio-recordings archived by the FOC are identified by a plus (-I-). SUMMAEY OF THE SUMMER SEASON The weather this season was uneventful. The biggest discovery was Florida’s first Red-necked Stint found at Boca Chica Beach on 16 July by Viktor Nilsson. It was accepted by FOSRC and was seen by other birders through 24 July. A Tropical Kingbird again hedged young at St. Armands Key providing the second breeding record for the state. A male Lesser Goldfinch was photographed visiting a feeder in Melbourne and is under review as a potential first state record. An “Oregon” Dark-Eyed Junco was found at North Anclote Bar on 30 June which provided the first Florida summer record and the first Florida record of this form. Few other FOSRC review species were found this season. Species Accounts Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata): 2 at Edgewater (Volusia) 6-19 Jul (+E. Gudale- wicz et al.) provided the first Florida record of this species native to Australia. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: 1 at Florida Botanical Gardens (Pinellas) 1 Jun (fide R. Smith); as many as 17 at Taminco Sanctuary (Santa Rosa) 2 Jun-28 Jul including 9 recently hedged young on 14 Jul (L. Kelly, L. Goodman, B. Furlow) which provided the first breeding report for the western Panhandle; 11 at Sawgrass Lake Park (Pinel- las) 6 Jun (-I-S. Tavaglione); as many as 3 at Brooker Creek Preserve (Pinellas) 8-17 Jun (fide R. Smith); 5 at Audubon Park, Deltona (Volusia) 28 Jun (M. Brothers); 3 at Snake Key (Levy) 20 Jun (R. Rowan); 2 at Okaloosa STF (Okaloosa) 24 Jun-28 Jul (B. Purdy et al.); 25 in northern Leon 4 Jul (D. Bryan); 10 in Jefferson 7 Jul (M. Smith); 81 adults and 75 ducklings at 3-D spoil island, Hillsborough Bay (Hillsborough) 24 Jul (L. Margeson). 37 38 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Fulvous Whistling-Duck: 6 near M & M Dairy {Duval) to 21 Jun (J. Knoll); 65 at Lake Apopka NSRA {Orange) 27 Jun (H. Robinson); 9 at Lake Hancock Outflow Wetland {Polk) 18 Jul (C. Fredricks, W Jones et al.). Mute Swan: 1 summered at Orlando Wetlands Park {Orange; B. Anderson, J. Thornton). Wood Duck: 1 leucistic at St. Petersburg {Pinellas) 20 Jun (+S. Tavaglione) presumed to be of captive origin. Eurasian Wigeon: 1 male summered at Cape Coral {Lee; C. Ewell et al.) presumed to be of captive origin. Blue-winged Teal: 1 at the Bailey Tract, J. N. “Ding” Darling NWR {Lee) 5 Jul (F. Paulsen). Green-winged Teal: 1 at Lake Hancock Overflow Wetland 29 Jul (C. Fredricks, W. Jones et al.). Redhead: 1 female at Tides Golf Club {Pinellas) to 13 Jun (-i-S. Tavaglione, J. Clayton); 5 at Gulf Harbors Golf Course, New Port Richey {Pasco) 14 Jun (-i-B. Pranty, V. Ponzo); 1 male at Lake Maggiore {Pinellas) 15 Jun (P. Plage); 1 at Holiday {Pasco) 30 Jun (K. Tracey). Ring-necked Duck: 1 male at Pinellas Park {Pinellas) to 17 Jul (-i-W. Meehan et al.); 1 at Bystre Lake {Hernando) 7 Jun (J. McKay). Greater Scaup: 1 female at Gulf Harbors Golf Course, New Port Richey {Pasco) 14 Jun (-I-B. Pranty, V. Ponzo). Lesser Scaup: 1 female at Water Conservation Area II {Lake) 20 Jun (B. Stalnaker, E. Horn). Common Eider: 1 male at Boynton Beach Inlet {Palm Beach) to 15 Jul (flde B. Rapoza). Sure Scoter: 5 summered at Alligator Point {Franklin; J. Murphy, -i-D. Ross). Black Scoter: 29 at Parrish Park {Brevard) to 6 Jun (J. Eager et al.); 4 at Huguenot Memorial Park {Duval) 1 Jun-5 Jul (K. Dailey); 3 at Salt Run {St. Johns) 5-15 Jun (S. Killeen); 2 at Barge Canal Spoil Islands {Citrus) 24 Jun (C. Burney); as many as 23 summered at Alligator Point (J. Murphy, -i-D. Ross). Red-breasted Merganser: as many as 3 summered at Longboat Key {Manatee; J. Gi- naven, S. Wilson). Ruddy Duck: 1 male at Mount Dora {Lake) 15-18 Jun (P. Hueber, B. Sicolo, J. Thornton). Common Loon: 1 at Longboat Key {Manatee) 3 Jun {+S. Wilson); 1 at Gandy Beach {Pinel- las) 10-19 Jun (+D. Sauvageau, M. Burns); 1 near Salt Run 29 Jun-12 Jul (D. Doyle). Horned Grebe: 1 at Caladesi Island SP {Pinellas) 3 Jun (-i-D. Sauvageau); 2 at Bayport Park {Hernando) 3 Jun & 1 there 20 Jun (-i-A. & B. Hansen, S. & J. Mann). Cory’s Shearwater: 1 at St. Augustine Beach {St. Johns) 2 Jun (G. Davis); 1 at Huguenot Memorial Park 2 Jun (K. Dailey); 9 at Apollo Beach, Canaveral NS {Volusia) 2 Jun (-I-M. Brothers). Great Shearwater: 2 at St. Augustine Beach 2 Jun (G. Davis). Sooty Shearwater: 1 at Crandon Park {Miami-Dade) 4 Jun (L. Manfredi). Wilson’s Storm-Petrel: 3 at St. Augustine Beach 2 Jun (G. Davis); 4 at Playalinda Beach, Canaveral NS {Brevard) 4 Jun (C. Cox, R. Smith, E. Plage). Leach’s Storm-Petrel: 2 at Apollo Beach, Canaveral NS 2 Jun (-i-M. Brothers); 2 at Play- alinda Beach, Canaveral NS 4 Jun (C. Cox, R. Smith, E. Plage). Band-rumped Storm-Petrel: 2 at St. Augustine Beach 2 Jun (G. Davis); 1 south of Matan- zas Inlet {St. Johns) 2 Jun (G. Davis); 1 at Apollo Beach, Canaveral NS 4 Jun (M. Brothers); 1 off Alligator Point 19 Jun (J. Murphy). Magnificent Frigatebird: 120 at Tierra Verde {Pinellas) 22 Jul (E. Plage). Masked Booby: 1 subadult at Seahorse Key {Levy) 18 Jul (-i-L. Woodward). Brown Booby: 1 at Lanark Village {Franklin) 9 Jul (J. Murphy); 1 juvenile at Clearwa- ter Beach {Pinellas) 13 Jul (M. Daw); 1 adult at Fort Pickens {Escambia) 18 Jul (L. Duncan). Northern Gannet: 1 juvenile off St. Pete Beach {Pinellas) 8 Jun (T. Ploger). Field Observations 39 *Neotropic Cormorant: present at Wakodahatchee Wetlands {Palm Beach) to 26 Jun (fide B. Rapoza); 1 at Crocodile Lake NWR {Monroe) 1-7 Jun C+L. Manfredi); 1 at Boca Chica Beach {Monroe) 16-21 Jul (D. Simpson, -i-A. Abreu). American White Pelican: 120 at Three Rooker Island {Pinellas) 4 Jun (D. Sauvageau); 18 at Ponce de Leon Inlet (Volusia) 25 Jun (M. Brothers); 60 east of Belle Glade {Palm Beach) 19 Jul (P. Bithom); 80 over Sawgrass Lake Park 30 Jul (-i-S. Tavaglione, J. Clayton). Brown Pelican: 2 at Harry P. Leu Botanical Gardens {Orange) 13 Jun (J. Thornton). American Bittern: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 27 Jun & 30 Jul (H. Robinson); 1 at Auton Road {Pasco) 29 Jun (D. Gagne, -i-T. Kalbach). Great Blue Heron, white morph: 1 juvenile at Lake Apopka NSRA 13 Jun-EOS (H. Rob- inson); 1 at SR-60 Bridge over Lake Kissimmee {Osceola) 14 Jul (-i-C. Fredricks). Glossy Ibis: 2 at Boca Chica Beach 26 Jul (B. Ahern, B. Pranty et ah). White-faced Ibis: 1 adult in alternate plumage at Lake Apopka NSRA 2 Jul (H. Robin- son); 1 at Tallahassee {Leon) 24 Jul (A. Wraithmell). Roseate Spoonbill: 3 pairs nested at Seahorse Key (fide P. Frederick); 2 at Panacea (Wakulla) 15 Jun (D. Bryan); 1 at Gulf Breeze {Santa Rosa) 12 Jul (T. Banfell); 225 coming to a roost at Timucuan Preserve {Duval) 19 Jul (K. Dailey). Swallow-tailed Kite: 280 at Lake Apopka NSRA 29 Jun & 1,760 there 30 Jul (H. Robin- son); 24 in northeastern Jefferson 30 Jul (Am. Smith, An. Smith, M. Smith). Snail Kite: 24 at STA-5 {Hendry) 14 Jun & 32 active nests at STA-5/6 {Hendry) 28 Jul (fide M. England). Mississippi Kite: 1 at Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area {Lake) 5 Jun (-i-R. Stalnaker); 2 adults and two juveniles east of Brooksville {Hernando) 11 Jun (D. Gagne); 1 adult at Heagy Burry Park {Marion) 25 Jun (-i-A. Horst); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 25 Jun (H. Robinson). Cooper’s Hawk: 1 caught a Cattle Egret before being flushed by a Swallow-tailed Kite at Powerline Road {Pasco) 10 Jul (-i-K. Tracey). Broad-winged Hawk: 1 adult at Alachua {Alachua) 18-23 Jun (M. Manetz); 1 adult at Gainesville {Alachua) 28 Jun (S. Ewing). Short-tailed Hawk: 1 at Ormond Beach {Volusia) to 16 Jun (M. Brothers); 1 dark form at Six Miles Cypress Slough Preserve {Lee) 3 & 24 Jun (R. Repenning); 1 dark morph at Lettuce Lake Park {Hillsborough) 4 Jun (K. Allen); 4 dark morphs in Pinellas 7 Jun (E. Plage et ah); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP {Alachua) 8 Jun (A. Zions); 1 at Possum Creek Park {Alachua) 14-31 Jun (B. Carroll, L. Davis); 1 light morph at Lake Seminole Park {Pinellas) 21 Jun (S. Tavaglione et ah); 1 at Sebring {Highlands) 3-8 Jul (M. McMillian); 1 light morph at Bradenton {Manatee) 13 Jul (C. Fisher); 1 dark morph at Key Largo Hammock State Botanical Site {Monroe) 26 Jul (B. Ahern). Black Rail: 2 south of Mahogany Hammock, Everglades NP (Miami-Dade) 23-31 Jul (M. Davis). Sora: 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 3 Jun (B. & -i-E. Simmons). Purple Gallinule: 1 at Six Mile Landing {St. Johns) 15-20 June (D. Reed). Limpkin: 4 summered at Lake Jackson {Leon; H. Hooper, L. Reynolds); 16 at Westside Industrial Park, including 6 chicks {Duval) 1 Jun-EOS (D. Foster). Gray Crowned-Crane: 1 summered at Orange Lake {Alachua ! Marion', B. Ahern, -i-B. Pranty et ah). Black-necked Stilt: 35 pairs at Pinellas Landfill in Jun (fide R. Smith). American Avocet: 7 at Siesta Key Beach {Sarasota) 2 Jun (C. Herzog); 5 at Alafia Banks Sanctuary {Hillsborough) 14 Jun (W. Meehan); 17 at Apalachicola Bay {Franklin) 8 Jul (S. Cerulean); 55 over Lake Seminole Park 13 Jul (+E. & S. Tess); 26 at Hillsbor- ough Bay 19 Jul (J. Guerard). American Oystercatcher: 1 pair with 2 young at Port Orange {Volusia) 10 Jun (M. Broth- ers); 1 adult & 20 juveniles at Cayo Costa SP {Lee) 12 Jul (C. Ewell); 18 at Hillsbor- ough Bay 20 Jul (J. Guerard). 40 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Wilson’s Plover: 20 at Goose Creek Bay (Wakulla) 6 Jul (S. Cerulean); 13 adults & 6 juveniles at Cayo Costa SP 12 Jul (C. Ewell). Piping Plover: 4 at Fort De Soto Park (Pinellas) 18 Jul (D. Sauvageau); 1 at Crandon Beach 21 Jul (E. Coddence). Killdeer: 160 at Lake Apopka NSRA 13 Jul (H. Robinson). Spotted Sandpiper: singles at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 1 Jun (B. Carroll, B. Shea) & 20 Jul (R. Rowan, M. Manetz). Solitary Sandpiper: 1 at Okaloosa STF 24 Jun (B. Purdy); 1 in Jefferson 30 Jul (M. Smith). Greater Yellowlegs: 4 at Three Rooker Island 4 Jun (M. James); 12 at Merritt Island NWR {Brevard) 7 Jun (J. Thornton). Willet: 125 western race at Cayo Costa SP 12 Jul (C. Ewell); 1 western race at Tram Road STF (Leon) 21 Jul (+E. Schunke). Whimbrel: 1 at Apollo Beach, Canaveral NS 4 Jun (M. Brothers, D. Stock); 2 at Sunshine Skyway {Pinellas) 6 Jun (J. Clayton); 7 at St. Vincent NWR {Franklin) 16 Jun (J. Murphy); 1 at Sanibel Island (Lee) 24 Jul (F. Paulsen). Long-billed Curlew: 2 at Alafia Banks Sanctuary 21 Jun (-i-W. Meehan et ah); 1 at Bunche Beach Preserve {Lee) 30 Jul (M. Di Rosa). Marbled Godwit: 1 at Okaloosa STF 22 Jun (B. Purdy); 65 at Fort De Soto Park 12 Jul (P. Plage). Red Knot: 2 at Merritt Island NWR 7 Jun (J. Thornton); 3 at Cayo Costa SP 12 Jul (C. Ewell); 1 at Gandy Beach 29 Jul (C. Gjervold). *Red-necked Stint: 1 adult at Boca Chica Beach 16-24 Jul (-i-V. Nilsson; photos to FOS- RC) provided the first Florida record. Semipalmated Sandpiper: 9 at Merritt Island NWR 7 Jun (J. Thornton); 1 at Paynes Prai- rie Preserve SP 15 Jun had an injured eye (M. Manetz, R. Rowan et ah). Least Sandpiper: 2 at Pa 3 mes Prairie Preserve SP 20 Jul (M. Manetz, R. Rowan). White-rumped Sandpiper: 1 at Apollo Beach, Canaveral NS 4 Jun (M. Brothers, D. Stock); 2 at Ft. Clinch SP {Nassau) 9 Jun (P. Leary); 2 at Three Rooker Island 13 Jun (P. Plage); 1 at Tigertail Beach Park {Collier) 15 Jun (-i-K. Laakkonen); 1 at South An- clote Key {Pinellas) 18 Jun (D. Sauvageau). Pectoral Sandpiper: 1 in northern Jefferson 30 Jun (Am. Smith, An. Smith, M. Smith). Dunlin: 1 at Fort De Soto Park to 7 Jun (T. Ford). Stilt Sandpiper: 5 at Merritt Island NWR 7 Jun (J. Thornton). Ruee: 1 female at Merritt Island NWR to 7 Jun (-i-T. Dunkerton et ah). Short-billed Dowitcher: 52 at Anclote Key Preserve SP {Pasco) 30 Jun (D. Gagne, B. Pranty et al.); 100 at Cayo Costa SP 12 Jul (C. Ewell); 250 at Ben T. Davis Beach {Hillsborough) 23 Jul (C. Fisher). Long-billed Dowitcher: 5 at Belle Glade 29 Jun (+S. McKemy). Wilson’s Phalarope: 2 at CR-833 {Hendry) 30 Jul (D. Simpson). Bonaparte’s Gull: 1 at Guana Tolomato Matanzas NERR {St. Johns) 7 Jun (D. Reed). Ring-billed Gull: 1 immature at Lake Monroe, Sanford {Seminole) to 9 Jun (S. Sim- mons); 1 at Gainesville 13 Jun (L. Davis). Herring Gull: 1 at Longboat Key 20 Jun-8 Jul (S. Wilson). Iceland Gull: 1 summered at Huguenot Memorial Park (K. Dailey). Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 at Longboat Key 20 Jun-8 Jul (S. Wilson); 2 at Indian Shores {Pinellas) 19 Jul (C. Cox, L. Deaner). Great Black-backed Gull: 1 at Alligator Point 1 Jun-11 Jul (J. Murphy); 1 adult at In- dian Shores 21 Jun-21 Jul (-i-A. Nulph); 1 at Treasure Island (Pinellas) 4 Jul-EOS (S. Janes). Sooty Tern: 1 at Dog Island {Franklin) 29 Jul (J. Murphy). Least Tern: 250 at Passage Key NWR {Manatee) 25 Jun (D. Irizarry et ah); 320 at Gandy Beach 20 Jul (P. Plage). Field Observations 41 Gull-billed Tern: 3 at Pinellas County Landfill 8 Jun (-i-R. Smith et al.); 1 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 12 Jun (M. Brothers); 2 at Alafia Banks Sanctuary 14 Jun (W. Meehan); 2 at Gandy Beach 1-2 Jul (J. Clayton, R. Smith); 1 at Pinellas County Landfill 2 Jul (R. Smith); 3 at Lake Hancock Overflow Wetland 29 Jul (C. Fredricks, W. Jones et al.). Caspian Tern: 1 at Lake Monroe, Sanford 17 Jun (Scott Simmons); 2 at Clear Lake (Pas- co) 29 Jun (B. Pranty, E. Dupuis); 1 at Tram Road STF 21 Jul (-i-E. Schunke). Black Tern: 1 at North Key (Levy) 20 Jun (R. Rowan); 93 at Passage Key NWR 25 Jun (D. Irizarry et al.); 43 at Anclote Key Preserve SP 30 Jun (D. Gagne, B. Pranty et al.); 100 at Gandy Beach 21 Jul (-i-J. Clayton). Roseate Tern: as many as 2 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 23 & 26 Jun (-i-M. Brothers et al.); 5 at Marathon (Monroe) 26 Jul (E. Kwater, B. Ahern et al.). Common Tern: 7 at Three Rooker Island 17 Jun (G. Deterra); 38 at South Anclote Key 18 Jun (-I-D. Sauvageau); 20 at Passage Key NWR 25 Jun (D. Irizarry et al.). Arctic Tern: 1 at St. Augustine Beach 2 Jun (G. Davis). Diamond Dove: 1 at Coquina Key (Pinellas) 28 Jul-EOS (-i-J. Mysliwiec). White -WINGED Dove: 8 at Lake Apopka NSRA Jun (H. Rohinson). Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 1 singing male at Brooker Creek Preserve 8 Jun (M. Burns et al.) & 1 there 19 Jun (-i-T. Mast); 1 juvenile at St. Petersburg 27 Jul (J. Clayton). Mangrove Cuckoo: 1 near E. G. Simmons Park (Hillsborough) 7 Jun (K. Allen). Smooth-billed Ani: 1 at Crandon Park 4 Jun (fide Rangel Diaz, -i-L. Manfredi); 1 at Tory Island, Belle Glade 22 Jun (-i-S. McKemy); 1 at Virginia Key (Miami-Dade) 4-25 Jul (J. Crittenden); 1 Boca Chica Beach 16-20 Jul (L. Manfredi et al.). Burrowing Owl: 1 at Eglin AFB (Okaloosa) 7 Jun (B. Purdy, L. Fenimore). Anti lle an Nighthawk: 4 at Marathon Airport (Monroe) 26 Jul (B. Ahern, E. Kwater et al.). Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 20 Jul (M. Burns). Belted Kingfisher: 1 at Key Vista Nature Park (Pasco) 6 Jun (D. Gagne); 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 11 Jun (H. Rohinson); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 23 Jun (C. Par- enteau); 1 at Sawgrass Lake Park 18-24 Jul (-i-S. Tavaglione, J. Clayton); 1 at Vero Beach (Indian River) 20 Jul (B. Wagner). Hairy Woodpecker: singles in Okaloosa 7-29 Jun (B. Purdy, M. Swan); 1 female at Toso- hatchee WMA (Orange) 13 Jun (J. Thornton);! at Faver-Dykes SP (St. Johns) 20-26 Jun (G. Williams); 1 pair at Tiger Bay SF (Volusia) 28 Jun (M. Brothers); 1 at IP Wetlands (Escambia) 5 Jul (J. Callaway). Northern Flicker: 1 at Fort De Soto Park 20 Jul (M. Burns). Crested Caracara: 1 at Orlando Wetlands Park 13 Jun (J. Thornton). Monk Parakeet: 6 at Winter Park (Orange) 1-14 Jun (S. Simmons). Eastern Wood-Pewee: 1 at Guana Tolomato Matanzas NERR 26 Jun (J. Wheat). Acadian Flycatcher: 2 at Apalachicola (Franklin) 7 Jun (A. Schmidt, J. Murphy); 1 along the Wekiva River (Orange) 7 Jun (J. Thornton). Tropical Kingbird: 1 female fledged 3 young at St. Armands Key (Sarasota) for the sec- ond consecutive year (S. Wilson et al.). Tropical/Couch’s Kingbird: 1 at Gulf Breeze 7 Jul (B. & L. Duncan). Eastern Kingbird: singles at Fort De Soto Park 1 Jun & 24 Jul (S. Tavaglione); 1 at Brooker Creek Preserve 8 Jun (-i-T. Mast, R. Smith); 1 at Orlando (Orange) 25 Jun (J. Thornton) where the species is very rare. Gray Kingbird: 6 summered at Alligator Point (J. Murphy); 1 pair fledged 3 young at Gulf Breeze (B. & L. Duncan) ScissoR-TAiLED FLYCATCHER: 1 at Flying Cow Road (Palm Beach) 7 Jun (h-C. Lachance); 1 at Guana Tolomato Matanzas NERR 8-11 Jun (J. Wheat); 1 at Okaloosa STF 24 Jun (B. Purdy); 1 at North Key 30 Jun (E. Anderson); 1 at M & M Dairy 5-6 Jul (K. Dailey). Fork-tailed Flycatcher: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 17 Jul (H. Rohinson). 42 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Yellow-throated Vireo: 1 on nest with 3 young at Lake Eva Park (Polk) 3 Jun (-i-C. Fredricks). Black-whiskered Vireo; 3 at Dry Tortugas NP (Monroe) 22 Jul (F Izaguirre). Florida Scrub-Jay: 1 at Washington Oaks Gardens SP (Flagler) 8-24 Jun (M. Plaster). Purple Martin: A pair were still feeding young in the nest at St. Petersburg 8 Jul 2014 (R. Smith). Tree Swallow: 1 at Cameron Wright Park (Seminole) 15-20 Jun (M. Brothers et ah); 1 south of Lake Louisa Road (Lake) 20 Jun (B. Stalnaker et ah); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 29 Jun (A. & G. Kent); 1 at New Port Richey (Pasco) 11 Jul (D. Gagne). Cliff Swallow: 3 visiting nests at SR-50 bridge over the St. Johns River (Orange) 13 Jun (J. Thornton); 1, 11 km west of Bunnell (Flagler) 5 Jul (-i-M. Brothers). Barn Swal l ow: 25 at Fort De Soto Park 11 Jul (E. Plage). Brown-headed Nuthatch: 5 at Brooker Creek Preserve 8 Jun (E. Plage, R. Smith et ah). Sedge Wren: 1 in song at Avon Park Bombing Range (Polk) 1 Jul (fide G. Schrott); 1 in song at Lake Hancock Overfiow Wetland 29 Jul (C. Fredricks, -i-W. Jones et al.) pro- vided the first Florida summer record. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher; 1 pair fiedged 2 young at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve 3 Jun-5 Jul (S. Tavaglione, J. Clayton) where rarely breeds in southern Pinellas. American Robin: as many as 3 summered at Gainesville, including a pair seen carrying food (G. Parks, -i-S. Ewing et al.); 4 at Ensley (Escambia) 16 Jun (J. Callaway); 2 nest- ing at Fountain of Youth with 1 fiedgling (St. Johns) 23-28 Jun (D. Doyle); 1 east of Brooksville 10 Jul (K. Wood). Gray Catbird: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA 6 Jun (H. Robinson); 2 at Weedon Island Preserve (Pinellas) 13 Jun (-i-S. Tavaglione, J. Clayton); 2 in song at Watermelon Pond (Ala- chua) 28 Jun (-I-S. Ewing et al.); 1 at Cedar Key (Levy) 9 Jul (-i-K. Tracey); 1 at Yearling Trail, Ocala NF (Marion) 30 Jul (-i-P. May). Louisiana Waterthrush: 1 at Newnans Lake (Alachua) 24 Jun (R. Rowan); 1 at Paynes Prairie Preserve SP 5 Jul (L. Davis); 1 at Mosaic Peace River Park (Polk) 8 Jul (C. Fredricks); 1 at Flatwoods Park (Hillsborough) 11 Jul (B. Ahern); 2 at Matheson Hammock Park (Miami-Dade) 31 Jul (C. Sanchez). Northern Waterthrush; 1 at Cedar Point (Duval) 13 Jul (K. Dailey). Black-and-white Warbler: 2 at Newnans Lake 13 Jul (R. Rowan, R. Robinson); 3 at Saw- grass Lake Park 18 Jul (J. Clayton, S. Tavaglione). Prothonotary Warbler: 1 male on territory at the Wekiva River 7 Jun (J. Thornton; singles at Sawgrass Lake Park 12 & 30 Jul (J. Clayton et al.); 2 at Matheson Ham- mock Park 31 Jul (C. Sanchez). Swainson’s Warbler: 1 at Howard Creek (Gulf) 8 Jun (J. Murphy). Kentucky Warbler: 1 at Poe Springs Park (Alachua) 31 Jul (J. Hintermister). Hooded Warbler: 1 at Aripeka Sandhills Preserve (Pasco) 31 Jul (D. Gagne et al.). American Redstart: 1 at Sumica (Polk) 19 Jul (T. Palmer); 1 at A. D. “Doug” Barnes Park (Miami-Dade) 28 Jul (B. Boeringer); 1 at Gainesville 29 Jul (J. Hintermister); 2 at St. Petersburg 30-31 Jul (J. Clayton); 4 at Matheson Hammock Park 31 Jul (C. Sanchez). Northern Parula: 1 pair feeding young at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve 3 Jun (S. Tava- glione, J. Clayton) not known previously to nest in extreme southern Pinellas. Yellow Warbler: 1 at Sawgrass Lake Park 12 Jul (J. Clayton); 2 at Paynes Prairie Pre- serve SP 30 Jul (F. Goodwin); 3 at John Chesnut Park (Pinellas) 31 Jul (T. Mast). Palm Warbler: 1 at Lutz (Hillsborough) 23 Jun (T. Mast). Prairie Warbler: 4 singing males at Double Branch Bay Preserve (Hillsborough) 1 Jun (C. Fisher); 2 singing males at Faver-Dykes SP 5-10 Jun (C. Williams); 1 at Scrub Jay Trail, Clermont (Lake) 26 Jul (J. Thornton); 1 at Gainesville 27 Jul (D. Mickelson); 1 pair with 2 recently fledged young at Tierra Verde 28 Jul 2014 (E. Plage). Yellow-breasted Chat: 6 singing males at Lake Apopka NSRA in Jun (H. Robinson); 2 at Guana River WMA (St. Johns) 8 Jun (J. Wheat). Field Observations 43 Bananaquit: 1 juvenile at Juno Dunes Natural Area {Palm Beach) 19 Jun (+N. Price, J. Wiewora). Lark Sparrow: 1 at Flamingo, Everglades NP {Monroe) 21 Jun (B. Showier). Savannah Sparrow: 1 at Lake Jessup Conservation Area {Seminole) 1-2 Jun (-i-S. Sim- mons). Dark-eyed Junco: 1 Oregon at North Anclote Bar {Pasco) 30 Jun (D. Gagne, -i-B. Pranty, -i-G. Deterra) provided the first Florida summer record of any junco, and the first Florida record of this form. Summer Tanager: 1 singing male at Brooker Creek Preserve 8 Jun (R. Smith, -i-T. Mast); 1 pair summered in northeast Okeechobee (B. Wagner). Blue Grosbeak: 10 singing males summered at Lake Apopka NSRA (H. Rohinson); 1 pair at Brooker Creek Preserve 8 Jun (-i-M. James et ah); 2 singing males at Polk City {Polk) 29 Jun-6 Jul (C. Fredricks, W. Jones); 1 singing male at Zolfo Springs {Polk) 3 Jul (C. Fredricks). Indigo Bunting: as many as 30 at Lake Apopka NSRA Jun (H. Rohinson); 1 singing male at Polk City 29 Jun-6 Jul (C. Fredricks, W. Jones); 1 singing male at KICCO WMA {Polk) 14 Jul (C. Fredricks); 1 near Moore Haven {Glades) 30 Jul (D. Simpson). Painted Bunting: 1 at Lake Apopka NSRA Jun (H. Rohinson). Bobolink: 2 at Werner-Boyce Salt Springs SP {Pasco) 3 Jun (D. Gagne); 1 at Lake Jessup Conservation Area 30 Jun (G. Williams, -i-S. Simmons). Bronzed Cowbird: 1 at Celery Fields {Sarasota) 1 Jun (C. Herzog et ah). Orchard Oriole: 20 singing males at Lake Apopka NSRA in Jun (H. Rohinson). *Lesser Goldfinch: 1 male at Melbourne {Brevard) 15 & 18-19, 26 Jul (-i-L. Pernas-Giz; photos to FOSRC) provided the first Florida record. American Goldfinch: 1 male at Key Vista Nature Park 6 Jun (D. Gagne). Orange-cheeked Waxbill: as many as 13 summered near Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial Park {Miami-Dade; S. Perez). Pin-tailed Whydah: 1 adult male at Seminole {Pinellas) 6 Jul (-i-T. Palik). Contributors: Angel & Mari el Ahreu, Brian Ahern, Ken Allen, Bruce H. Anderson, Eric Anderson, Teresa Banfell, Paul Bithorn, Bill Boeringer, Michael Brothers, Dana Bryan, Christopher Burney, Mark Burns, Jerry Callaway, Boh Carroll, Susan Cerulean, Joanna Clayton, Eloso Coddence, Cameron Cox, Murray Cragin, Jack Crittenden, Kevin Dailey, Gary Davis, Lloyd Davis, Michelle Davis, Matthew Daw, Gail Deterra, Rangel Diaz, Marie Di Rosa, Diana Doyle, Boh & Lucy Duncan, Tom Dunkerton, Eva Dupuis, Jim Eager, Margaret England, Charlie Ewell, Samuel Ewing, Lenny Fenimore, Charlie Fisher, Dave Foster, Cole Fredricks, Peter Frederick, Bruce Furlow, Dave Gagne, Colin Gjervold, Larry Goodman, Frank Goodwin, Wendi Greene, Elsie Gudalewicz, Bev Hansen, Greg Hart, Claire Herzog, John Hintermister, Harry Hooper, Earl Horn, Alice Horst, Paul Hueher, Frank Izaguirre, Wally Jones, Tim Kalhach, Les Kelly, Adam & Gina Kent, Susan Killeen, Jason Knoll, Cheryl Lachance, Keith Laakkonen, Patrick Leary, Mike Manetz, Larry Manfredi, Steve & Jane Mann, Lorraine Margeson, Tom Mast, Peter May, Jim McKay, Susan McKemy, Mike McMillian, Wendy Meehan, Deena Mickelson, John Murphy, J im Mysliwiec, Viktor Nilsson, Amy Nulph, Thom Palik, Tom Palmer, Craig Parenteau, Geoff Parks, France Paulsen, Stephen Perez, Leslie Pernas-Giz, Eric Plage, Peter Plage, Michael Plaster, Valeri Ponzo, Bill Pranty, Nancy Price, Bruce Purdy, Diane Reed, Robert Repenning, Lynn Reynolds, Dottie Robbins, Harry Robinson, Ron Robinson, Daphne Ross, Rex Rowan, Dan Sauvageau, Eli Schaperow, Annie Schmidt, Gregg Schrott, Barbara Shea, Marty Shepherd, Bob Showier, Bob Sicolo, Scott Simmons, Bob & Erika Simons, David Simpson, Amanda Smith, Andrew Smith, Marvin Smith, Ron Smith, Robert Stalnaker, David Stock, Malcolm Swan, Sue Tavaglione, Ed & Sue Tess, John Thornton, Kimberly Tillman, Ken Tracey, Billi Wagner, Bob Wallace, James Wheat, Jane Wiewora, Graham Williams, Stu Wilson, Kristin Wood, Larry Woodward, Andy Wraithmell and Adam Zions. 44 FLORIDA FIELD NATURALIST Report prepared by Brian Ahem, state compiler (629 Gail Avenue, Temple Terrace, Florida 33617, ). Regional compilers are Bruce H. Anderson (2917 Scarlet Road, Winter Park, Florida 32792, ), Kevin Dailey (6661 Beatrix Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32226, ). Bob and Lucy Duncan (614 Fairpoint Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561, ), Charlie Ewell (115 SW 51st Terrace, Cape Coral, Florida 33991, ), Bev Hansen (6573 Pine Meadows Drive, Spring Hill, Florida 34606, ), Paul Miller (Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, 33104 NW 192nd Avenue, Okeechobee, Florida 34972, ), John Murphy (766 Alligator Drive, Alligator Point, Florida 32346, ), and Ron Smith (1500 85th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33702, ). BE A FRIEND OF FFN Florida Field Naturalist is the journal of FOS, an important communication vehicle for the Florida scientific and birding community. Increasing costs need to be offset with a combination of member dues and contributions. Please consider a donation of $50, $100, $200 or more to FRIENDS OF FFN. Your gift will allow FFN to improve its artwork, including four-color photographs of rarities similar to the one of the state’s first Varied Bunting, published in the February 2006 issue, and other improvements in the content and appearance of our journal. Contributions to FRIENDS OF FFN will be added to a special endowment of FOS, the interest of which will be used to improve the journal. Please write a check payable to the Florida Ornithological Society and specify that the gift is for FOS Friends of FFN. Send the check to: John Murphy, Treasurer, Florida Ornithological Society, 766 Alligator Drive, Alligator Point, FL 32346. We thank the following individuals for donating to FRIENDS OF FFN: 2006 Murray Gardler 2007 David B. Freeland 2008 Jack R Hailman Billi Wagner Charles Ewell & Arlyne B. Salcedo Robert & Lucy Duncan John M. Murphy Richard L. West 2009 Judith C. Bryan John M. Murphy Billi Wagner Peggy Powell Peter & Victoria Merritt Jim Cox & Katy NeSmith Robert Budliger William Post David Hartgrove 2010 David Hartgrove Brian Ahern Robert Budliger 2011 David Hartgrove William Post R. Todd Engstrom Anthony White Robert Budliger John M. Murphy Vincent McCrath Michael Brothers Reed & Myra Noss 2012 James E. Cavanagh, Jr. Silvio Crespo, Jr. Robin Diaz David Hartgrove Larry Hribar John M. Murphy Billi Wagner William Post Anthony White Robert Budliger Theodore H. Below 2013 Silvio Crespo, Jr. Larry Hribar Mary Landsman John Murphy Robin Diaz Andrew Kratter Robert & Lucy Duncan Michael Brothers James E. Cavanagh, Jr. Robert Budliger Tim Towles Nancy Prine 2014 Stephen Cross William Courser David Hartgrove John Murphy Robin Diaz Larry Hribar Wilfred Yusek Silvio Crespo, Jr. James E. Cavanagh, Jr. Kevin & Marie Dailey St Johns River WMD (In Memory of Judy Bryan) Richard L. West Billi Wagner William Post John L. Wuepper Michael Brothers Wade Nolan Ann Paul Anthony White Stuart R. Wilson 45 SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS OF THE FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY M. C. Bowman. 1978. Species Index to Florida Bird Records in Audubon Field Notes and American Birds, Volumes 1-30, 1947-1967. Florida Ornithological Society Special Publication No. 1. xii + 43 pages. $4. J. A. Cox. 1987. Status and Distribution of the Florida Scrub Jay. Florida Ornithological Society Special Publication No. 3. vii + 110 pages. $8. R. W. Loftin, G. E. Woolfenden, and J. A. Woolfenden. 1991. Florida Bird Records in American Birds and Audubon Field Notes (1947-1989): Species Index and County Gazetteer. Florida Or- nithological Society Special Publication No. 4. xiv + 99 pages. $8. R. W. Loftin. 1991. West Indian Bird Records in American Birds and Audubon Field Notes (1947-1990): Species Index by Is- lands. Florida Ornithological Society Special Publication No. 5. ix + 90 pages. $8. W. B. Robertson, Jr. and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. 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