Common Myna

Common Myna
Florida City Cracker Barrel

I had a meeting in Miami last week, and I've never seen a Common Myna.  So I decided to drive a half-hour farther south than my meeting to visit the Cracker Barrel at the end of the Florida Turnpike. I'd been told that's pretty much a guaranteed spot to find them.  It took about 15 minutes before I saw about 15 of them on the power lines behind the Cracker Barrel. That was a lifer for me; well worth the extra hour of driving to locate the bird.  On my way back home, I dropped by some of my favorite South Florida birding locations to see what I might be able to add to my Florida year list. I ended the day with 8 new Florida year birds, including 2 lifers: one countable (Common Myna) and one not (Mitred Parakeet). I was slightly irritated that, on my way back through Miami, I stopped to get gas. Guess what bird I saw fly right by me? Common Myna. Figures. But I wouldn't have been able to get a photo of that bird like the one I got at the Cracker Barrel, so I guess I won't complain.