FLORIDA 
Two Northern Fulmars, a light morph in Palm Beach 6 October 2008 (right) and a dark morph in Brevard 1 6 October 2008, repre- 
sent Florida's second and third records. Photographs by Mitchell Harris (left) and Greg Adler (right). 
10 Sep (3; RD, RT), four days after Tropical 
Storm Hanna passed. A Band-rumped Storm- 
Petrel was found dead in Pinellas 22 Aug (fide 
SP), a probable victim of Tropical Storm Fay, 
as was a Leach’s Storm-Petrel found alive 100 
km inland at Newnans L., Alachua (BW). A 
Leach’s Storm-Petrel at Titusville, Brevard 6 
Oct (ph. TD) was 15 km inland, far from 
pelagic waters; there had been no tropical 
storm activity for several weeks prior. A late, 
moribund Wilson’s Storm-Petrel at Perdido 
Key, Escambia 23 Sep (Sue Yates) was like- 
wise apparently not associated with any 
storm. Single moribund White-tailed Trop- 
icbirds were stranded on beaches at New 
Smyrna, Volusia 23 Aug (MBr, *UCF) and In- 
dialantic, Brevard 2 Sep (fide AK, *UF), per- 
haps results of Tropical Storm Fay and Han- 
na. Another was at Sebastian Inlet S.P, Indian 
River 22 Sep (Niki Desjardin, *UCF). Storms 
in the Gulf brought imm. Masked Boobies 
ashore in Pinellas (fide SP) and at Pensacola 
Beach, Escambia (L&RAD) 24 Aug. Five 
imm. Brown Boobies were reported on the 
Atlantic beaches in Duval 21 Aug (BW) and 
17 Sep (2; Pete Johnson), New Smyrna Beach 
6 Sep (Laura Smith, *UCF), and Port 
Canaveral 9 Sep (ph. DBa), and 2 were in the 
panhandle in Escambia at Pensacola Beach 
and Ft. Pickens, 14 & 15 Sep respectively 
(fide L&RAD). Turbulent weather of the trop- 
ical storm systems increased Magnificent 
Frigatebird numbers on both coasts, and 
Tropical Storm Fay and Hanna brought sin- 
gles inland to Newnans L. 23 Aug (GZ) and 5 
Sep (Lloyd Davis). Single White-faced Ibis 
were photographed at St. Marks N.W.R., 
Wakulla 28 Oct (AW) and Hague, Alachua 17 
Nov Qohn Killian), the two most reliable lo- 
cations for this rare but annual species. 
Rarely documented, an imm. Golden Eagle 
was photographed at Big Cypress Indian 
Reservation, Broward 30 Oct (Linda Billie). 
An amazing 638 Peregrine Falcons passed 
over Curry Hammocks S.P. 11 Oct, setting a 
single-day record (KR, RaS, JEa). 
PLOVERS THROUGH ALCIDS 
Less rare than usual, at least 14 of the more 
than 20 American Golden-Plovers scattered 
throughout the e. peninsula this season were 
associated with the two tropical storms; there 
was a high count of 5 at Viera Wetlands, Bre- 
vard 13 Sep (KL, BP). Rare along Florida’s At- 
lantic coast and Florida Bay, Snowy Plovers 
strayed to Curry Hammocks S.P. 20 Oct 
OEa), Crandon Park 30 Oct-r (LaM), and Tal- 
bot L, Duval 9 Nov (PL) where Snowy 
Plovers have been found every fall since 
1999. Following Tropical Storm Fay, the 
fields at L. Apopka were flooded, attracting 
shorebirds; a Wilson’s Plover there 10 Sep 
(HR) was only the 5th report inland in the 
state. Also likely associated with Tropical 
Storm Fay. lone Willets, only occasional in- 
land, were found at L. Apopka 22 Aug (HR) 
and Tallahassee 26 Aug (GM), while another 
at L. Seminole, Jackson 7 Oct (ph. AW) 
marked this county’s first record. Lone Mar- 
bled Godwits paused inland at L. Apopka 3 
& 5 Sep (HR) and S.T.A. 5 on 20 Sep (ME et 
al.). Other sandpipers that are rare inland in- 
cluded Ruddy Turnstones at Bunnell, Flagler 
6 Sep (1; DF), L. Apopka 7 Sep (4; HR), Tal- 
lahassee 11 Sep (1; GM), and Viera Wetlands 
12 Sep (2; AB) and single Sanderlings in Tal- 
lahassee 26 Aug (MF), 11 Sep, and 2 (GM) & 
9 (AW) Oct. High counts of Red Knots in- 
cluded 350 at Caledisi Island S.P, Pinellas 19 
Sep (EK); 1200 at Ft. De Soto Park 25-26 Oct 
(RoS, MH); and 200 at Merritt Island N.W.R. 
21 Oct (TD). A Semipalmated Sandpiper lin- 
gered until 16 Nov at Paynes Prairie Preserve 
S.P, Alachua (ph. Angela Luzader). White- 
rumped, Baird’s, and Buff-breasted Sand- 
pipers were in greater numbers than usual. 
Mostly in ones or twos, about 20 of the more 
than 30 White-rumpeds reported were in the 
e. peninsula, and most dates fall within the 
passing of the two tropical storms. Similarly, 
15 Buff-breasteds were scattered in 10 coun- 
ties in the e. peninsula. Unprecedented num- 
bers of Baird’s included 2 at Ft. Walton Beach 
S.E 14 Aug, 4 at Ft. Pickens 27 Aug (3) and 
4 Sep (L&RAD), and singles at Frog Pond 
W.M.A., Miami-Dadc 9 Aug (LaM), near Avon 
Park, Polk 17 Aug (DR), L. Apopka 23 Aug 
(HR), Honeymoon Island S.P, Pinellas 4-6 
Sep (ph. DG, BHA et al.), and Opal Beach, 
Santa Rosa 20 Sep (ph. AH). Tropical Storm 
Fay “rained” phalaropcs; Wilson’s Phalaropes 
came through in force, with a high count of 
Casual in Florida away from Florida Bay were two single American Flamingos, presumably of wild provenance, in autumn 
2008; one visited the Panhandle on the Gulf 5 September through 1 October (left; here in Okaloosa County 28 September), 
and one was discovered in Volusia County on the Atlantic coast 1 1 October (right). Photographs by Lucy Duncan (left) and 
Michael Brothers (right). 
VOLUME 63 (2009) 
NUMBER 1 
67 
