23/6/87 - 11/7/87 Florida

Florida, USA       23^rd June to the 11^th July 1987

 

23^rd June : Flew from Gatwick to Miami Airport.

 

24^th June : All day in the Everglades National Park.

 

25^th June : Tamiami Trail, Everglade City, Tamiami Trail, Everglades National Park.

 

26^th June : Grassy Key, Marathon and Key West.

 

27^th June : Marathon, Key West and Grassy Key.

 

28^th June : Marathon, Everglades National Park and Homestead.

 

29^th June : Tamiami Trail and Boyton Beach.

 

30^th June : Loxahatchee Refuge, Palmdale and Venus.

 

1^st July : Palmdale, Venus, Pine Island, Holiday Inn sandbar in Fort Myers Beach, Big Carlos Pass.

 

2^nd July : John Morris road, Ding Darling Refuge, Sanibel Island, Holiday Inn sandbar, Fort Myers beach.

 

3^rd July : John Morris road, Ding Darling, Big Carlos Pass.

 

4^th July : Big Carlos Pass, Everglades City, Tamiami Trail, Homestead.

 

5^th July : Grassy Key, Marathon.

 

6^th July : Fishing trip from Marathon, Grassy Key and Key West.

 

7^th July : Dry Tortugas, Sugarloaf Key and Stock Island.

 

8^th July : Sugarloaf Key, Marathon, Grassy Key, Kendell and Greynolds Park.

 

9^th July : Loxahatchee Refuge, John Prince Park, Lake Worth Golf Club.

 

10^th July : Loxahatchee Refuge, John Prince Park.

 

11^th July : Greynolds Park, Miami for flight to Gatwick.

 

Systematic List

 

Pied-billed Grebe - Poilymbus podiceps podiceps C

Only seen on six dates in small numbers with a daily maximum of 6 seen at Loxahatchee Refuge on the 9^th.

 

Audubon’s Shearwater - Puffinus lherminieri lherminieri C

A total of 5 were seen from the Marathon Lady off the Vaca Cut near Marathon on the 6/7.

 

Wilson’s Storm-Petrel – Oceanites oceanicus JFC

A Storm-Petrel that JFC saw briefly from the Marathon Lady was almost certainly this species.

 

Brown Pelican - Pelecanus occidentalis carolinensis C

Seen in fair numbers on fourteen dates with a daily maximum of 50 seen at Sanibel Island on both the 1^st and 2^nd.

 

Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus floridanus C

Seen in good numbers on sixteen dates with a daily maximum of 300 seen on the Keys on the 5^th.

 

Anhinga - Anhinga anhinga leucogaster C

Seen in good numbers on thirteen dates with a daily maximum of 40 seen at Loxahatchee Refuge on the 30^th.

 

Magnificent Frigatebird - Fregata magnificens C

Seen in good numbers along the Keys and at Sanibel Island and the surrounding area. Seen on nine dates with a daily maximum of 100 seen on the Dry Tortugas on the 7^th.

 

Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias occidentalis C

Seen every day but two in fair numbers. The various phases were easily see on the Keys.

 

Great Egret - Ardea alba egretta C

Seen every day but two in good numbers.

 

Reddish Egret - Egretta rufescens rufescens C

Seen on eleven dates in small numbers with a daily maximum of 9 seen in the vicinity of Sanibel on the 2^nd.

 

Tricolored Heron - Egretta tricolor ruficollis C

Seen on every day but one in good numbers.

 

Little Blue Heron - Egretta caerulea C

Seen every day but two in good numbers.

 

Snowy Egret - Egretta thula brewsteri C

Seen on ten dates in small numbers.

 

Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis ibis C

Seen on every day but one in large numbers.

 

Green Heron - Butorides virescens C

Seen every day but two in good numbers with a daily maximum of 40 seen along the Tamiami Trail on the 25^th.

 

Black-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli C

Seen at the Big Carlos Pass near Fort Myers, at Greynold’s Park and at the Lake Worth Golf Club on four dates with a daily maximum of 7 at the Golf Club on the 9^th.

 

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - Nyctanassa violacea violacea C

Seen on seven dates in small numbers along the Anhinga Trail, at the Ding Darling Reserve on Sanibel, at Sugarloaf Key and at Greynold’s Park with a daily maximum of 15 being seen at Sanibel on the 3^rd.

 

Least Bittern - Ixobrychus exilis exilis C

A total of 4 were seen at Paurotis Pond in the Everglades Park on the 24^th, seen very easily at Loxahatchee on each of our three visits with a daily maximum of 7 seen there on the 9^th.

 

Wood Stork - Mycteria americana C

Around 25 were seen soaring around in small groups in the vicinity of Fish-eating Creek on the 30^th, 5 were seen on a small pool along US27 between Palmdale and Clewiston on the 1^st and 1 was seen at Ding Darling on the 2^nd.

 

White Ibis - Eudocimus albus C

Seen every day but two in good numbers.

 

Scarlet Ibis – Eudocimus ruber

A washed out individual was seen at Flamingo on the 24^th. There had been some debate as to whether it was a wild vagrant but looking pink rather than scarlet its origins were presumably dubious.

 

Glossy Ibis - Plegadis falcinellus C

At Loxahatchee 2 were seen on the 10^th.

 

Roseate Spoonbill - Ajaia ajaja C

Seen at the Big Carlos Pass and the Ding Darling Reserve on three dates with a daily maximum of 95 seen on the 3^rd.

 

Wood Duck - Aix sponsa C

A single individual was seen at Loxahatchee on the 30^th.

 

Mottled Duck - Anas fulvigula C

Seen on eight dates with a daily maximum of 75 seen at Ding Darling on the 3^rd.

 

Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus atratus C

Seen on seven dates in good numbers with a daily maximum of 70 seen on the 1^st.

 

Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura septentrionalis C

Seen virtually every day in large numbers.

 

Osprey - Pandion haliaetus carolinensis C

Seen every day in good numbers.

 

Swallow-tailed Kite - Elanoides forficatus forficatus C

Seen on six dates in three main areas being the area between Paurotious Pond and Flamingo, at Everglades City and in the Palmdale area. A daily maximum of 20 were seen around Palmdale on the 30^th. Superb.

 

Snail Kite - Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus C

Always present behind the Miccosukee Restaurant along the Tamiami Trail with 8 seen on the 25^th, 2 on the 29^th and 6 on the 4^th.

 

Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus C

We saw 2 in the pines south of the road leading to the Mahogany Hammock in the Everglades c200m. after turning off and 1 in flight there on the 24^th, 1 over Belle Glade on the 30^th and 1 over the Nine Mile Pond.

 

Cooper’s Hawk - Accipiter cooperi C

Singles were seen at the Nine Mile Pond in the Everglades on the 24^th and on Sugarloaf Key on the 7^th.

 

Red-shouldered Hawk - Buteo lineatus extimus C

Seen on nine dates in good numbers with a daily maximum of 12 seen in the Everglades on the 24^th.

 

Short-tailed Hawk - Buteo brachyurus fuliginosus C

A single individual was seen both perched and in flight along US27 about 5 miles north of Palmdale and Fish-eating Creek on the 30^th.

 

Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis umbrinus C

Singles were seen just north of Palmdale on the 30^th and near Old Venus on the 1^st.

 

Crested Caracara - Caracara plancus audubonii C

A single individual was watched feeding on the road along US74 near Palmdale on the 1^st.

 

Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo osceola C

We saw 10 along Sheppard road near Old Venus on the 1^st.

 

Northern Bobwhite - Colinus virginianus floridanus C

We saw 12 along the Route 731 near Palmdale on the 30^th.

 

Sandhill Crane - Grus canadensis C

We saw 20 feeding in small groups in the vicinity of Palmdale on the 30^th and 5 along Route 74 on the 1^st.

 

Limpkin - Aramus guarauna pictus C

We saw singles on a small pool between Clewiston and Palmdale on both the 30^th and the 1^st and at the John Prince Park on the 9^th.

 

American Purple Gallinule - Porphyrula martinica C

Only seen at Loxahatchee and near the campground at the John Prince Park with around 10 individuals seen at each location.

 

Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus cachinnans C

Seen most days.

 

American Coot - Fulica americana americana C

Seen on a total of five dates in the Everglades and Loxahatchee.

 

American Oystercatcher - Haematopus palliatus palliatus C

Seen at Sanibel, at the Big Carlos Pass and along the sandbar stretching south from the Holiday Inn at Fort Myers Beach with a daily maximum of 13 seen at the Big Carlos Pass on the 3^rd.

 

Black-necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus mexicanus C

Seen on eight dates in small numbers with a daily maximum of 6 seen at the ponds along Peachtree Street on Grassy Key on the 8^th.

 

Grey Plover - Pluvialis squatarola C

Seen on eight dates in small numbers.

 

Semipalmated Plover - Charadrius semipalmatus C

Seen on four dates with good numbers seen in the Fort Myers area and 9 on Grassy Key on the 5^th.

 

Wilson’s Plover - Charadrius wilsonia wilsonia C

We saw 2 on the sandy bank at the Holiday Inn at Fort Myers on the 1^st and 2^nd and 5 on the Keys near Marathon on the 5^th.

 

Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus C

Seen in small numbers on seven dates with a daily maximum of 7 seen at Loxahatchee on the 10^th.

 

Short-billed Dowitcher - Limnodromus griseus C

Seen on seven dates in fair numbers with a daily maximum of 70 seen in the Fort Myers area on the 1^st.

 

Marbled Godwit - Limosa fedoa fedoa C

Seen on four dates being encountered at the Big Carlos Pass, the Holiday Inn sandbar and at Ding Darling with a daily maximum of 20 seen on the 1^st.

 

Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus C

We saw a single individual at the Holiday Inn sandbar on the 1^st and 2^nd.

 

Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca C

Seen on five dates in small numbers with a daily maximum of 8 seen on Grassy Key on the 5^th.

 

Lesser Yellowlegs - Tringa flavipes C

We saw a single individual on Grassy Key on the 8^th.

 

Willet - Catoptrophorus semipalmatus C

Seen on ten dates in good numbers with a daily maximum of 40 seen on the 1^st.

 

Turnstone - Arenaria interpres morinella C

Seen on eight dates in small numbers with a daily maximum of 10 seen on the 5^th.

 

Red Knot - Calidris canutus C

We saw 8 at the Holiday Inn on the 1^st and 92 there the following day.

 

Semipalmated Sandpiper - Calidris pusilla C

Seen on three dates in the Fort Myers area with a daily maximum of 40 seen on the 2^nd.

 

Least Sandpiper - Calidris minutilla C

A single individual was seen at Grassy Key on the 5^th.

 

Pomarine Skua - Stercorarius pomarinus C

We saw 2 from the Marathon Lady on the 6^th.

 

Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis C

Seen on four dates in small numbers with a daily maximum of 15 seen on the 1^st.

 

Great Black-backed Gull - Larus marinus C

We saw 4 a the Holiday Inn and 1 on the Dry Tortugas.

 

Herring Gull - Larus argentatus smithsonianus C

We saw a single individual on the Dry Tortugas on the 7^th.

 

Laughing Gull - Larus atricilla megalopterus C

Seen on fourteen dates in good numbers.

 

Gull-billed Tern - Sterna nilotica arenea C

A single individual was seen at Grassy Key on the 6^th.

 

Sandwich Tern - Sterna sandvicensis acuflavidus C

We saw 2 on three dates at the Holiday Inn sandbar.

 

Royal Tern - Sterna maxima maxima C

Seen on nine dates with a daily maximum of 700 seen at the Holiday Inn sandbar on the 2^nd. Superb.

 

Forster’s Tern - Sterna forsteri C

We saw singles at Flamingo on the 24^th, Loxahatchee on the 30^th and from the Marathon Lady on the 6^th.

 

Least Tern - Sterna antillarum antillarum C

Seen on seventeen dates in good numbers.

 

Bridled Tern - Sterna anaethetus recognita C

We saw 70 from the Marathon Lady on the 6^th. Superb.

 

Sooty Tern - Sterna fuscata fuscata C

We visited the breeding colony on the Dry Tortugas on the 7^th. An estimated 100,000 pairs breed on the islands. Superb.

 

Brown Noddy - Anous stolidus stolidus C

We estimated that we saw c.2,000 on the Dry Tortugas on the 7^th. Superb.

 

Black Skimmer - Rynchops niger niger C

At the Fort Myers Beach Holiday Inn sandbar we saw 20 on the 1^st and 15 on the 2^nd.

 

White-crowned Pigeon - Columba leucocephala C

Seen on nine dates being encountered in the Everglades and on the Keys with a daily maximum of 50 seen on both the 25^th and the 5^th.

 

Collared Dove - Streptopelia decaocto C

Pure individuals were seen at Homestead along with a variety of presumed hybrids.

 

(African Collared (Barbary) Dove - Streptopelia roseogrisea risoria C)

Apparently pure individuals were seen at Marathon on the Keys. They are apparently hybridising with Collared Dove which is a more recent introduction.

 

Mourning Dove - Zeanaida macroura carolinenesis C

Seen in good numbers every day but one.

 

White-winged Dove - Zenaida asiatica C

Seen on four dates with a daily maximum of 15 seen at Homestead on the 23^rd.

 

Common Ground-Dove - Columbina passerina passerina C

Seen on ten dates with a daily maximum of 20 seen at the end of Boot Key Bridge Road at Marathon on the 26^th.

 

Key West Quail-Dove - Geotrygon chrysia C

A single individual that had been in residence for some time was seen in mangroves at the end of Boot Key Bridge Road at Marathon on the 28^th. Superb. Apparently only the sixth US record.

 

Canary-winged Parakeet -Brotogeris versicolurus C

We saw a pair flying around calling just south of the Alamo Car Rental depot at Miami on the 11^th.

 

Red-crowned Parrot - Amazona viridigenalis C

We saw 30 arrive into their roost just north of the clubhouse at the Lake Worth Golf Club on the 9^th. Introduced to Florida.

 

Yellow-headed Parrot - Amazona oratrix C

We saw 30 arrive into their roost just north of the clubhouse at the Lake Worth Golf Club on the 9^th. Introduced to Florida.

 

Yellow-billed Cuckoo - Coccyzus americanus C

We saw 2 along the Anhinga Trail and 1 at the nearby Research Station in the Everglades Park on the 24^th and 2 along the levee at Loxahatchee on the 10^th.

 

Mangrove Cuckoo - Coccyzus minor C

We saw 2 leaving mangroves and visiting a large Flame Tree in the garden of a private residence at Everglade City on the 25^th. Superb.

 

Smooth-billed Ani - Crotophaga ani C

We saw a single individual at Eco Pond near Flamingo on the 28^th, 2 at the levee at Loxahatchee on the 30^th and 1 there on the 10^th.

 

Burrowing Owl - Athene cunicularia floridana C

We counted 12 at the Sombrero Golf Course on the 26^th, 1 there the following day, exactly 25 there on the evening of the 5^th and 1 along the US27 between Clewiston and Palmdale. Superb.

 

Common Nighthawk - Chordeiles minor chapmani C

This species proved to be very common with a daily maximum of 200 being seen on the 30^th.

 

Antillean Nighthawk - Chordeiles gundlachii vicinus C

We saw this species perched in the trees at the Sombrero Golf Club, flying around Marathon Airport in the evening and at the college on Stock Island just before reaching Key West. A daily maximum of 5 were seen at the College on the 7^th. Distinguished by call from the Common Nighthawks also seen on the Keys.

 

Chuck-will’s-widow - Caprimulgus carolinenesis C

We saw 2 along the road leading to the Research Station near the Anhinga Trail on the 25^th.

 

Chimney Swift - Chaetura pelagica C

Seen on seven dates in small numbers with a daily maximum of 12 seen at the Lake Worth Golf Club on the evening of the 9^th.

 

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Archilochus colubris C

We saw singles in Everglade City on the 4^th and along Nature Trail C in the John Prince Park on the 10^th.

 

Belted Kingfisher - Ceryle alcyon C

A single individual was seen at the John Prince Park on the 10^th.

 

Red-headed Woodpecker - Melanerpes erythrocephalus erythrocephalus C

We saw 1 along US 27 and 9 along Sheppard road and Route 731 on the 30^th. Superb.

 

Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus C

Seen in small numbers on fifteen dates with a daily maximum of 5 seen along the Tamiami Trail on the 25^th.

 

Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens pubescens C

We saw a single individual in the trees at the opposite end of the lake to the tower in Greynolds Park on the 11^th.

 

Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus auratus C

Seen on thirteen dates in small numbers with a daily maximum of 8 seen on the 30^th.

 

Pileated Woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus pileatus C

Singles were seen at the Loxahatchee HQ on the 30^th and at Sanibel Island on the 3^rd.

 

Great Crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus crinitus C

Seen in small numbers on nine dates with a daily maximum of 8 seen at Mahogany Hammock in the Everglades on the 24^th.

 

Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus C

A total of 14 were seen over four dates being seen at Paurotis Pond in the Everglades, near Palmdale and at Kendall.

 

Grey Kingbird - Tyrannus dominicensis dominicensis C

Seen on fourteen dates in good numbers with 25 noted on three different dates.

 

Purple Martin - Progne subis subis C

Seen in small numbers on seventeen dates with a daily maximum of 15 seen on the 8^th.

 

Red-whiskered Bulbul - Pycnonotus jocosus C

We saw 8 behind the Methodist Church two blocks east of US1 in Kendall on the 8^th.

 

Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus C

Seen in small numbers on four dates with a daily maximum of 2 at the Cypress Swamp on the 30^th.

 

Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos polyglottos C

Very common being seen daily.

 

Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum rufum C

We saw 2 along FL27 just north of Homestead on the 25^th and singles around Old Venus on the 30^th and 1^st.

 

Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis grata C

We saw 30 on the loop made by the US27, US731 and the US74 near Palmdale on the 30^th and 15 there the following morning.

 

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea caerulea C

We saw a single individual along the small boardwalk along the Tamiami Trail.

 

Loggerhead Shrike - Lanius ludovicianus C

We saw 4 around Old Venus on the 30^th and 12 between there and Fort Myers Beach on the 1^st.

 

Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata C

Seen in small numbers on nine dates mainly being encountered in residential areas with a daily maximum of 15 being seen along the SW104 in Kendall on the 8^th.

 

Florida Scrub-Jay - Aphelocoma coerulescens C

We saw 5 along Sheppard Road on the 30^th and 1 along Route 731 the following day.

 

American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos pascuus C

Seen on eleven dates proving common in the Everglades NP.

 

Fish Crow - Corvus ossifragus C

Seen on three dates proving common at Sanibel.

 

Common Myna - Acridotheres tristis C

We saw a single individual at its nest in a lamp-post at a roundabout in Everglade City.

 

Starling - Sturnus vulgaris C

Common.

 

House Sparrow - Passer domesticus C

Common.

 

White-eyed Vireo – Vireo griseus maynardi C

Seen on three dates at the entrance to the Mangrove Trail at West Lake in the Everglades where the daily maximum of 6 were seen on the 25^th and the form maynardi seen on Sugarloaf Key.

 

Black-whiskered Vireo – Vireo altiloquus barbatulus C

Seen on five dates with many more heard. A daily maximum of 6 were seen on Sugarloaf Key on the 8^th.

 

Pine Warbler – Dendroica pinus C

We saw 15 on the Old Venus Loop on the 30^th.

 

Prairie Warbler – Dendroica discolor C

Seen on eight dates with a daily maximum of 20 seen along the dirt road along Route 939 at Sugarloaf Key on the 7^th.

 

Common Yellowthroat – Geothlypis trichas C

We saw singles along the Anhinga Trail on the 24^th, 1 along the Tamiami Trail on the 25^th and 1 at Sanibel on the 2^nd.

 

Eastern Towhee – Pipilo erythrophthalmus alleni C

Seen on four dates with the daily maximum of 6 seen on both the 1^st and 2^nd.

 

Northern Cardinal – Cardinalis cardinalis floridanus C

This species proved common being seen every day but one.

 

Blue Grosbeak – Guiraca caerulea caerulea C

A single individual was seen on the Dry Tortugas on the 7^th.

 

Red-winged Blackbird – Agelaius phoeniceus floridanus C

Seen daily.

 

Eastern Meadowlark – Sturnella magna argutula C

This species proved common being seen most days.

 

Boat-tailed Grackle – Quiscalus major major C

Seen daily.

 

Common Grackle – Quiscalus quiscula quiscula C

Seen every day but one.

 

Shiny Cowbird – Molothrus bonariensis C

We saw 6 including 5 males at Flamingo on the 24^th and 1 there on the 28^th. A very rare species in the US but perhaps destined to become a pest due to its parasitic behavior.

 

Brown-headed Cowbird – Molothrus ater ater C

We saw 8 at Flamingo on the 24^th, 2 there on the 28^th and 1 at Fort Myers Beach on the 1^st.

 

Spot-breasted Oriole – Icterus pectoralis C

We saw 5 in Greynold’s Park including 1 sat on its nest.