FLORIDA 
Catching a ride in the back seat of Bankert's car, this Brown Noddy in Brevard County, 
Florida 20 August 20Q8 was one of many grounded by Tropical Storm Fay. After rest- 
ing and drying off on Bankert's porch, the tern took flight for parts unknown. Pho- 
tograph by Andy Bankert. 
15 at Everglades Agricultural Area, Palm 
Beach 17 Aug (Brian Hope, MBe); 185 Red- 
neckeds were at Ft. George Inlet, Duval 21 
Aug (BW); one Red-necked was at L. Weir, 
Marion (MH) and 5 at L. Apopka 22 Aug 
(HR); 30 Red-neckeds and one Red were on a 
flooded soccer field at Fernandina Beach, 
Nassau (ph. PL); and 65 Reds were on New- 
nans L. 22 Aug (ph. BW). A single Red 
Phalarope at Merritt Island N.W.R. 22 Sep 
(ph. Joyce Stefancic) was not associated with 
any apparent storm. 
More than 25 Franklin’s Gulls moved 
through Florida this season, with a high 
count of 10 at Ponce de Leon Inlet 11 Nov 
(MBr) and singles inland at Clewiston, 
Hendry 10 Nov (EK) and Myakka River S.P. 
20-24 Nov (ph. OC). Although a few summer 
in Florida, up to 53 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 
at Key Biscayne 4-18 Aug (RD) was a large 
number so early in the season. Rare on the 
Gulf, a Great Black-backed Gull was at Ft. 
Pickens 13 Nov (Sally Shultz), as was an ear- 
ly Glaucous Gull 14 Nov (ph. Kirsten 
Dahlen). The tropical storm systems brought 
Brown Noddies and Sooty and Bridled Terns 
to beaches of the w. panhandle, the Atlantic 
coast, and inland (except for noddies). In- 
land, Sooty Terns were seen at L. Seminole (3; 
AW), L. Weir (5, MH), Hontoon 1., Volusia 
(fide MBr, *UCF), L. Apopka (16; HR), and 
Viera Wetlands (AB), with up to 100 at New- 
nans L. 21-23 Aug (AK). The only Bridleds 
reported inland were up to 6 at L. Apopka 20- 
21 Aug (HR). Robinson noted that as Tropical 
Storm Fay passed through L. Apopka, most of 
the Sooty and Bridled Terns (all ads.) flew 
northward, heading into the wind; none re- 
mained in the area following the passing of 
the storm. While numbers 
of pelagic Sooty Terns were 
driven inland, it was inter- 
esting that few of the com- 
mon coastal Royal (16) and 
Sandwich (15) Terns were 
found. Single Parasitic 
Jaegers added to the pelagic 
show at L. Apopka 20 Aug 
(HR) and Newnans L. 23-24 
Aug (BW, GZ). Single Long- 
tailed Jaegers were reported 
from the Atlantic at Ponce 
de Leon Inlet 20 Aug (MBr) 
and Ft. George Inlet 22-24 
Aug (BW). A jaeger at L. 
Seminole 28 Aug (]F) was 
tentatively identified as 
Long-tailed. Florida’s 3rd 
record of Thick-billed 
Murre was of one found 
dead at Sebastian Inlet S.P, 
Brevard 16 Nov (Terese Harber, *UF). 
ANIS THROUGH WAXWll^GS 
Rare and endangered in Florida, Smooth- 
billed Anis were reported in Miami, Miami- 
Dade 29 Sep (Bob Showier et al.), at Loxa- 
hatchee N.W.R., Palm Beach 2 Oct (2; Kevin 
Hatcher), and on Old Griffin Rd. at Dania 
Beach, Broward 26 Nov (7; LaM). Rarely seen 
in migration, a Lesser Nighthawk at Semi- 
nole, Pinellas was captured and released 18 
Nov (ph. SP). Fred Basset banded humming- 
birds in the panhandle and n. peninsula, in- 
cluding 2 Buff-bellieds at 
Tallahassee, one at Mims, 
Brevard (2nd for county), 
and another a recapture 
from the previous year at 
Panama City, Bay; a 
Black-chinned was recap- 
tured at Pensacola for the 
5th year; and a Calliope 
was banded in Tallahas- 
see. A male Rufous was 
far s. at Castellow Ham- 
mock Park, Miami-Dade 
9 Nov (JHB), while far- 
ther n., a banded female 
returned to Valrico, Hills- 
borough 15 Aug for a 6th year (Steve Backes)! 
Casual in the peninsula, an Olive-sided Fly- 
catcher was found at Green Swamp W.M.A., 
Pasco 17 Aug (ph. BP, Eve Dupuis). A Say’s 
Phoebe returned 18 Nov+ to Lake pastureland 
near Astatula, where one wintered last season 
(AV, m.ob.). Lone Vermilion Flycatchers were 
reported at Ft. Walton Beach S.F 23 Oct-29 
Nov (RAD et al), on U.S. 19 near 1-10, Jeffer- 
son 6 Nov (JoH et al.), and at L. Apopka 21 
Nov (HR). The earliest Ash-throated Flycatch- 
er arrived at L. Apopka, where they are annu- ( 
al, 17 Oct, and the high count there was of 4 , 
on 23 Nov (HR). Other Ash-throateds report- ; 
ed were at Bald Pt., Franklin 9-11 Nov (JM, 
ph. AW) and Pelican Island N.W.R., Indian j 
River 28 Nov+ QF, ph. DBa, m.ob.). Pale 
Myiarchus at St. Marks N.W.R. 28 Oct (Bill j 
Phelan) and Dump Marsh 8 Nov (MBe) were 
tentatively identified as Ash-throateds. Brown- 
crested Flycatchers were at two locations 
where they are fairly reliable; L. Apopka 29 
Oct and 28 Nov (HR) and Mosier Hammock, 
Everglades N.P., Miami-Dade 1 & 27 Nov J 
(JHB). A La Sagra’s Flycatcher was pho- 
tographed at No Name Key, Monroe 9 Oct 
(Henry Detwiler). A silent Tropical/Couch’s 
Kingbird in Santa Rosa 2 Aug furnished the | 
9th report of this species pair for the w. pan- ■ 
handle (L&RAD). A Tropical Kingbird was a 
one-day wonder at Ft. De Soto Park 1 Nov 
(RoS), but up to 2 were very vocal at Dump 
Marsh 8 Nov+ (ph., v.r., LaM et al). Single ■ 
Cassin’s Kingbirds were identified at Jack- 
sonville, Duval 10 Oct (ph. Laura Johannsen) ' 
and S.T.A. 5, Hendry 29 Nov (ME et al.) for the . ! 
2nd year. A male Fork-tailed Flycatcher at Pel- i 
ican Island N.W.R. 25 Nov+ (ph. DBa, Joanna 
Webb, m.ob.) was the 2nd for Indian River. j 
Two Bell’s Vireos were in Miami-Dade at F 
Frog Pond W.M.A. (JHB, ph. DBa et al.) and ' 
Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental ' ! 
Area (RD) 12 Oct+; elsewhere, this rare 
species was reported at Mead Garden, Winter ,1 
Park, Orange 4 Oct (2; ph. Reinhard Geisler) ' 
and Sugden Park, Naples, Collier 3 Nov 
(AM). Even rarer, single Warbling Vireos were 
at Gulf Breeze, Santa Rosa 1 & 10 Oct 
(L&RAD), Mead Garden 4, 16, & 28-29 Oct 
(DR, AV, BHA et al), and Mims 23 Oct (Doug 
Stuckey). Between 26 Sep and 27 Oct, an un- 
precedented 24 Philadelphia Vireos were 
found in 13 counties, with a high of 8 at St. 
George L, Franklin 18 Oct QM, RS). Unex- 
pected was an ad. Horned Lark near Frog 
This Thick-billed Murre salvaged in Bre¥ard County on 16 November 2608 provided Flori- 
da's third record. Photograph by Terese Harber. 
68 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
