Mid-July in Florida means the summer heat is in full swing, and so are the “doldrums.” With 185 Florida year-birds already on our list for 2015, finding new species is getting harder. It’s the perfect time to start chasing some of the state’s rare birds, and thanks to alerts from eBird and local birding groups, we knew exactly where to go.
A Weekend for Ani and Geese
Our first chase began on a Sunday with a 210-mile drive across the state to Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. We were after a pair of Smooth-billed Ani—a species more commonly found in the Caribbean and South America but known to show up in South Florida. We arrived before noon and, thanks to a group of fellow birders on the Marsh Trail, we quickly located our target bird. In just an hour, we managed to see 16 species, including a fantastic Snail Kite as we were leaving the refuge.
Since we were already in the Palm Beach area, we decided to search for the Egyptian Goose, which was added to the ABA (American Birding Association) list in 2014. The Lake Worth Golf Course near Snook Island Natural Area is a great spot, and we were happy to find a flock of six. After our successful birding, we celebrated with a late lunch at the Rhum Shak, a local spot that was holding a BBQ fundraiser. It’s always great to see a business giving back to its community.
A Wild Flamingo on the West Coast
The following weekend, a thrilling report came in on the Bird Brains email list: an American Flamingo was seen at Lovers Key in Lee County. We had seen flamingos before at Periwinkle Park & Campground on Sanibel Island back in 1983, but since it’s a bird sanctuary, we’ve always questioned if they counted toward a list. We’d love to hear from anyone with more information about the birds at that park from the 1980s!
So, we made the drive to Lovers Key and scanned the water near New Pass on Big Hickory Island. We quickly spotted the American Flamingo about a half-mile away. It was unbanded, which meant it was likely a wild bird rather than an escapee. After about 30 minutes, we had tallied nine species, including a Magnificent Frigatebird, before heading home.
Hawks, Shorebirds, and a Lesson in Identification
The next weekend, we looked for another Florida rarity: the Short-tailed Hawk. Luckily, they are seen somewhat regularly at Sawgrass Lake Park, just 20 minutes from us. With only an estimated 500 of these hawks in the U.S. (all in Florida), it was a great find. During our hour of birding, we spotted a dark morph Short-tailed Hawk, along with a Swallow-tailed Kite, a Yellow-crowned Night Heron, and our first-ever Black-bellied Whistling Duck at Sawgrass.
Next, we made our way to Gandy Beach, one of our favorite spots for shorebirds. This time of year, the shorebirds are starting to show their impressive breeding plumage. We saw an incredible 13 species and over 200 individuals, including five species of terns (Least, Black, etc.) and shorebirds like Semipalmated Plover (with its “candy corn” bill), Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Least Sandpiper, and Short-billed Dowitcher.
Our last weekend in July found us in Orlando for the Printing Association of Florida Print Awards. Sharon was there for a board meeting and to accept four awards for her team. On Saturday morning, we took a break to bird the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, a one-way, 11-mile route. We were hoping to find a recently reported Pectoral and Stilt Sandpiper. We spent three hours on the drive, seeing 23 species, including all the usual herons and egrets, Glossy and White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Black-necked Stilt, and both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs. Unfortunately, rain forced us to cut our trip short, and the sandpipers will have to remain on our needs list for now.
How to Tell Yellowlegs Apart
During the March 2011 Big O Birding Festival, our tour leader, Paddy Cunningham, taught us a great trick for telling Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs apart. While the Greater is larger (as seen in the side-by-side photo), a good field test is to pretend the bill is broken off and you put it through the back of the head. If the bill were to extend through the head, it’s a Greater. If the bill is about the same length as the head, it’s a Lesser. This tip has helped us many times in the field and is a lesson we’ll never forget. Paddy is a great teacher and guide for South Florida rarities!
While it was a lot of travel for only four new year-birds, every day spent birding is a good day. We’re in mid-July, and the chase for 500 continues!
Next up: Puffins, Gannets and Murres – O Canada
Trip : Total Species: 54 Year Birds: 4 Life Birds: 1
2015 : Year Birds: 402 Life Birds: 44
Here’s the list: 2015 Bird List
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