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Scissor-tailed Flycatcher |
Well, I must say it's been a pretty good year. I made my goal for the year, and then some. I wanted to see 250 birds in the State of Florida, and I found 259, and I also found 272 total this year (including visits to TX, MD and VA). I also have discovered the fun of keeping track of county lists. I've decided to keep track of three counties near where I live, and hear are my totals for this year: Seminole (170 species), Orange (174 species) and Brevard (170 species).
![Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_t1loMQUyfMFFqO0aCNGptt90u_wtbg8AEQ12ucn6Bm3iL2u-ZVNO5DAblJCCLrFUaJp1NxZGyllj2mKEVVemlqSdyyqHQQc0F2bju3JFF4sP-wgDTAqwX3ngGg9SB1GcYbpLNkS7q6TRp9ZbTFZ287D_g8MR7JnsmdXQ=s0-d) |
Nelson's Sparrow |
![Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sxmL8Jq-T-YtN_13cw4836BDrx2yPDDS4Qzv42LSIYQU1-hwan0C2DifrUOVlT-iQDZ9cFTmdVY3lNk8ErcbkAaqHDD6ZCeb6GlPdTVGFc9VyASah70B2Q-NMhDuDPjwRggWyT6ZwwJLQlBGehDHzDF8aRaKmjdK4kQFc=s0-d) |
Grasshopper Sparrow |
I also added 76 life birds to my list, thanks in part to the ABA allowing me to count the Nanday Parakeet. I've included a list of them below in the order that I found them. The list I'm including below comes straight from eBird, so you may notice a Budgerigar listed, even though I don't believe it's ABA countable.
Species |
Location |
State |
Date |
White-winged Scoter |
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge |
MD |
6-Jan-12 |
Great Black-backed Gull |
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge |
MD |
6-Jan-12 |
Orange-crowned Warbler |
Mead Botanical Gardens |
FL |
21-Jan-12 |
Nanday Parakeet |
Fort De Soto County Park |
FL |
30-Jan-12 |
American Oystercatcher |
Fort De Soto County Park |
FL |
31-Jan-12 |
Lark Sparrow |
Fort De Soto County Park |
FL |
31-Jan-12 |
Vermilion Flycatcher |
Orlando Wetlands Park |
FL |
5-Feb-12 |
Wilson's Plover |
Fort De Soto County Park |
FL |
25-Feb-12 |
Gray Kingbird |
Viera Wetlands |
FL |
10-Mar-12 |
White-winged Dove |
Kaliga Park |
FL |
30-Mar-12 |
Worm-eating Warbler |
Mead Botanical Gardens |
FL |
14-Apr-12 |
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher |
White Rock Lake- Sunset Bay area |
TX |
17-Apr-12 |
Harris's Sparrow |
White Rock Lake- Sunset Bay area |
TX |
17-Apr-12 |
Great-tailed Grackle |
White Rock Lake- Sunset Bay area |
TX |
17-Apr-12 |
Western Kingbird |
Trinity River Audubon Center |
TX |
19-Apr-12 |
Chuck-will's-widow |
Mead Botanical Gardens |
FL |
21-Apr-12 |
Eastern Screech-Owl |
Mead Botanical Gardens |
FL |
24-Apr-12 |
Magnolia Warbler |
Mead Botanical Gardens |
FL |
5-May-12 |
Blackpoll Warbler |
Central Winds Park |
FL |
7-May-12 |
Common Nighthawk |
Merritt Island NWR--Black Point Wildlife Dr. |
FL |
22-May-12 |
Bachman's Sparrow |
Wekiwa Springs SP |
FL |
24-May-12 |
Sandwich Tern |
Tierra Verde Ponds |
FL |
27-May-12 |
Magnificent Frigatebird |
Fort De Soto County Park |
FL |
27-May-12 |
Red Knot |
Fort De Soto County Park |
FL |
27-May-12 |
White-rumped Sandpiper |
Fort De Soto County Park |
FL |
27-May-12 |
Brown-headed Nuthatch |
Econ River Wilderness Area |
FL |
9-Jun-12 |
Yellow-throated Vireo |
Lake Lotus Park |
FL |
29-Jun-12 |
Fork-tailed Flycatcher |
Lake Apopka Loop Trail -- Northeast Section |
FL |
15-Jul-12 |
Budgerigar (not countable) |
Springfield Plaza |
VA |
22-Jul-12 |
Prothonotary Warbler |
Occoquan Bay NWR |
VA |
23-Jul-12 |
Field Sparrow |
Occoquan Bay NWR |
VA |
23-Jul-12 |
Louisiana Waterthrush |
Patapsco Valley SP--Marriottsville |
MD |
28-Jul-12 |
Black Tern |
Merritt Island NWR--Black Point Wildlife Dr. |
FL |
4-Aug-12 |
Wilson's Phalarope |
Merritt Island NWR--Bio Lab Rd. |
FL |
4-Aug-12 |
Piping Plover |
Canaveral National Seashore |
FL |
25-Aug-12 |
Bank Swallow |
Central Winds Park |
FL |
30-Aug-12 |
Blackburnian Warbler |
Central Winds Park |
FL |
7-Sep-12 |
Chestnut-sided Warbler |
Mead Botanical Gardens |
FL |
10-Sep-12 |
Tennessee Warbler |
Central Winds Park |
FL |
13-Sep-12 |
Black-capped Petrel |
Pelegic Trip Off Ponce Inlet |
FL |
16-Sep-12 |
Cory's Shearwater |
Pelegic Trip Off Ponce Inlet |
FL |
16-Sep-12 |
Great Shearwater |
Pelegic Trip Off Ponce Inlet |
FL |
16-Sep-12 |
Audubon's Shearwater |
Pelegic Trip Off Ponce Inlet |
FL |
16-Sep-12 |
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel |
Pelegic Trip Off Ponce Inlet |
FL |
16-Sep-12 |
Red-necked Phalarope |
Pelegic Trip Off Ponce Inlet |
FL |
16-Sep-12 |
Sooty Tern |
Pelegic Trip Off Ponce Inlet |
FL |
16-Sep-12 |
Bridled Tern |
Pelegic Trip Off Ponce Inlet |
FL |
16-Sep-12 |
Pomarine Jaeger |
Pelegic Trip Off Ponce Inlet |
FL |
16-Sep-12 |
Canada Warbler |
Mead Botanical Gardens |
FL |
29-Sep-12 |
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher |
Mead Botanical Gardens |
FL |
1-Oct-12 |
Gray-cheeked Thrush |
Mead Botanical Gardens |
FL |
2-Oct-12 |
Blue-winged Warbler |
Central Winds Park |
FL |
9-Oct-12 |
Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
Mead Botanical Gardens |
FL |
13-Oct-12 |
Clay-colored Sparrow |
Mead Botanical Gardens |
FL |
13-Oct-12 |
Rufous Hummingbird |
Mead Botanical Gardens |
FL |
18-Oct-12 |
Bay-breasted Warbler |
Mead Botanical Gardens |
FL |
19-Oct-12 |
Merlin |
Near Geneva Wilderness Area |
FL |
31-Oct-12 |
Clapper Rail |
Merritt Island NWR--Shiloh Marsh Rd. |
FL |
3-Nov-12 |
Red-breasted Nuthatch |
Merritt Island NWR, Courtenay Pkwy |
FL |
4-Nov-12 |
Bonaparte's Gull |
Merritt Island NWR--Shiloh Marsh Rd. |
FL |
10-Nov-12 |
Nelson's Sparrow |
Merritt Island NWR--Shiloh Marsh Rd. |
FL |
10-Nov-12 |
Saltmarsh Sparrow |
Merritt Island NWR--Shiloh Marsh Rd. |
FL |
10-Nov-12 |
Purple Sandpiper |
Lighthouse Point Park |
FL |
10-Nov-12 |
Grasshopper Sparrow |
Ferndale Preserve |
FL |
17-Nov-12 |
Say's Phoebe |
Ranch Rd in Astatula, FL |
FL |
17-Nov-12 |
Snow Bunting |
Canaveral National Seashore |
FL |
22-Nov-12 |
Ash-throated Flycatcher |
Lake Apopka Loop Trail -- Northeast Section |
FL |
24-Nov-12 |
American Pipit |
Lake Jesup CA--Marl Bed Flats |
FL |
26-Nov-12 |
Black Scoter |
Halifax Drive -- Port Orange |
FL |
1-Dec-12 |
Greater Scaup |
Lighthouse Point Park |
FL |
1-Dec-12 |
Northern Gannet |
Lighthouse Point Park |
FL |
1-Dec-12 |
Vesper Sparrow |
Canal St by Lake Jesup |
FL |
4-Dec-12 |
Lesser Black-backed Gull |
Lighthouse Point Park |
FL |
20-Dec-12 |
Barn Owl |
Lake Apopka Loop Trail -- Northeast Section |
FL |
21-Dec-12 |
Short-eared Owl |
Lake Apopka Loop Trail -- Northeast Section |
FL |
21-Dec-12 |
Razorbill |
Lighthouse Point Park |
FL |
26-Dec-12 |
Iceland Gull |
Canaveral National Seashore |
FL |
27-Dec-12 |
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American Oystercatcher |
![Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_siyHK1LDnhLhBk1J503hMzM56CQeXieMicBm1OGKKCXg0D9g8pGvy8DpHAGa94ezUynyhUp9gePx4I81TOewI56Snc2iSSKpU15X00fuBzIMr7wB0rAhltVwP_j30m-jFzEOxY-faUE93DdmUu9svGNGpOXwmosjwPpEs=s0-d) |
Piping Plover |
![Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vyRVLyx0KyHsJnyUdM4LW6TrUxT68RBcyZ6BKTWNm-rawanJL8lNaKF60hIXbbJkord91cQlloZqlcDnXqSkpW1LUSMd_BgGaEpN_SytQ4S7rIQ2egxbFk6DtPj0nS5U6UZHMj8y0IJVEFGnttwaeLyWdDE01bto9Dlw=s0-d) |
Red Knot |
It would be hard for me to pick my favorite finds for this year. Near the top of the list would have to be the flycatchers though: Scissor-tailed, Fork-tailed, Ash-throated, Yellow-bellied and Vermillion Flycatchers, Western and Gray Kingbirds, and a Say's Phoebe. Sparrows have also been fun this year: A Clay-colored right at Mead Gardens, then Nelsons, Saltmarsh, Grasshopper, Vesper, Field, Bachman's, Harris's, and even a Lark Sparrow at Fort De Soto. I also found a fair share new new warblers: Orange-crowned, Worm-eating, Magnolia, Blackpoll, Prothonotary, Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, Tennessee, Canada, Blue-winged, Bay-breasted, and Louisiana Waterthrush. I also enjoyed the shorebirds for this year: Wilson's and Rednecked Phalaropes, American Oystercatcher, Purple Sandpiper, Wilson's and Piping Plovers, Red Knot and a White-rumped Sandipiper (which I've probably seen before before I knew how to identify them). And I've even learned to appreciate gulls and terns, adding Sandwich Terns, Black Terns, Sooty and Bridled Terns, Great Black-backed, Lesser Black-backed, Bonaparte's Gulls, and last but certainly not least, an Iceland Gull.
![Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_s66gUMCqMcOktTXrxL4GBEY3vqfaD4kSKQMmu5qF3duKIQIFNWvZDXAElgdFuj5HLwmOHVep-hRcm4R6ywEvRm6iMEc2rOwvjgqj-pLqUIrQyDThALcq6C22icSqEoT3xf2-JxUBhrPAP0nJ8i-HGi0_Z1CszsxCYgo1A=s0-d) |
Lesser Black-backed Gull |
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Bonaparte's Gull |
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Sandwich Tern |
This year has also been a year where we've been able to see some wonderful birds we don't normally get to see in Florida. We've had Red-breasted Nuthatches come to Florida in unprecedented numbers, a Snow Bunting decided to sunbathe at Playalinda Beach, Scoters have been frequently seen, and a whole slew of Razorbills have invaded Florida's waters, extending south to Miami, rounding the penninsula and being seen even in the panhandle of Florida's gulf coast.
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Razorbill |
There were a few birds I missed seeing, despite valiant efforts: Nashville and Hooded Warbler (which I saw last year but hoped to see again this year). I had a brief glimpse at what I still think was a Wood Thrush, but I didn't get a good enough look to be sure, so I had to log it as Catharus sp. (totally unsatisfying). And even though I found an Orchard Oriole this year in FL, try as I might, I have not been able to find a single Baltimore Oriole anywhere in the state this year.
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Bay-breasted Warbler |
I haven't decided on all the details of my goal for 2013, but at the very least I want to increase my FL life list to 300 species. I need 36 more FL birds to make that happen. That seems pretty doable, so I may need another challenge too. I'm not sure.
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Eastern Screech Owl |
Wow Scott, you had an awesome year birding. Your photos are amazing. I'm so jealous of the shorebirds and gulls! Have a great beginning to the new year.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on a great year Scott! The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is gorgeous! Wishing you another bird filled year:)
ReplyDelete