Compiled by Brian Rapoza
Last updated September 5, 2025
Please post updates for the following on eBird (providing the specific location where the bird was seen is always appreciated) or on either of our Bird Boards (website and Facebook):
Recent Reports
Tropical Kingbird
Lakes Park, Lee County: Last reported September 5 (eBird) Photo Directions: From I-75 in Ft. Myers, take Alico Road (CR 840, Exit 128) west 3.6 miles to US 41 (Tamiami Trail). Turn right and drive north 2.7 miles to Gladiolus Drive (CR 865). Turn left and drive west 0.5 miles to the park entrance (parking fee, open 7:00 AM to sunset. The bird has been seen north of the amphitheater along the main lake, as well as along the trail on the east side of the park, near the private boardwalk that leads to an RV park. Map
Thick-billed Vireo
Long Key State Park, Monroe County: Last reported September 3 (eBird) Video Directions: The park entrance is at MM 67.5 on US 1 in the Florida Keys (fee, open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM). Turn left after the entrance station to reach the Golden Orb Nature Trail parking area. The bird has usually been seen near a bench on the upland section of the nature trail. Use the trailhead on the north side of the parking area to access this area. Map
Small-billed Elaenia
Florida Gulf Coast University Food Forest, Lee County: Last reported September 1 (eBird) Photo Directions: From I-75, exit at Corkscrew Road (CR 850, Exit 123). Drive east 0.5 miles to Ben Hill Griffin Parkway. Turn left and drive north 2 miles to FGCU Blvd. Turn right and drive east 0.2 miles to FGCU South Court. Turn right and drive south 0.2 miles to the Food Forest parking area. The bird has been seen in a Barbados cherry tree next to the forest’s northwest entrance. Map
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Gladeview Road, Palm Beach County: Reported September 1 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From Florida’s Turnpike in West Palm Beach, exit at Southern Boulevard/SR 80. Drive west 13.5 miles to CR 880. Turn left and drive west 6.8 miles to Gladeview Road (unpaved). No specific location has been provided for this sighting. Map
Rufous Hummingbird
Florida Gulf Coast University Food Forest, Lee County: Reported August 31 (eBird) Photo Directions: From I-75, exit at Corkscrew Road (CR 850, Exit 123). Drive east 0.5 miles to Ben Hill Griffin Parkway. Turn left and drive north 2 miles to FGCU Blvd. Turn right and drive east 0.2 miles to FGCU South Court. Turn right and drive south 0.2 miles to the Food Forest parking area. The bird was seen in a firebush near the forest’s northwest entrance. Map
American Flamingo
Blimp Road, Cudjoe Key, Monroe County: Last reported August 30 (eBird) Photo Directions: From U.S. 1 on Cudjoe Key, turn right on Blimp Road. Drive north 0.6 miles to Spain Road. The bird has been seen in a wetland north and east of this intersection. Map
Older Reports
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Charles Deering Estate, Miami-Dade County: Reported August 29 (eBird) Photo Directions: From Florida’s Turnpike, Exit at Coral Reef Drive (SW 152 Street, Exit 16). Drive east 4.5 miles to SW 69 Court. The bird was seen on a dead tree on the Deering Estate property, located on the south side of Coral Reef Drive near this intersection. Map
Thick-billed Vireo
Florida Atlantic University Ecological Site, Boca Raton, Palm Beach County: Last reported August 23 (eBird) Photo Directions: From I-95 in Boca Raton, exit at Spanish River Blvd. (NW 40 St., Exit 48). At Spanish River Blvd., drive south 1 mile on NW 8 Ave./FAU Blvd to the parking area for the ecological site’s Tortuga Trail system. The bird has been seen on the green trail between intersections with the red trail and blue trail. Map
South Florida as defined here includes the following counties: Broward, Collier, Hendry, Lee, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach. Only sightings at publicly accessible locations are listed here. Click on each county to view that county’s eBird Rare Bird Alert.
Click here for locations to see regularly occurring south Florida specialties. Click here for directions to those locations.
Banner photo: White-tailed Tropicbird by Daniel Gribbin