South Florida Rare Bird Update
Compiled by Brian Rapoza
Last updated November 18, 2018
Please post updates on the TAS BirdBoard, positive or negative, for the following:
Recent Reports
La Sagra's Flycatcher
South Pointe Park, Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County: Last reported November 18 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From I-95, exit at I-395 (Exit 3). Drive east 3.5 miles over the MacArthur Causeway to Alton Road. Turn right and drive south 0.5 miles to South Pointe Drive. Turn left and drive east 0.1 mile to Washington Avenue. Turn right and drive south to the parking area (fee, open sunrise to sunset). The bird has been seen in trees in the east end of the parking area, near the Smith and Wollensky restaurant. Map
Spotted Towhee
Dr. Von D. Mizell Eula Johnson/John U. Lloyd Beach State Park, Broward County: Last reported November 17 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From I-95, exit at Sheridan Street (Exit 21). Drive east 2.8 miles to SR A1A. Turn left and drive north 1.5 miles to the entrance (fee, open 8:00 AM until sunset). From the entrance, drive north to the Barrier Island Nature Trail, at the north end of parking area 1. At the north end of the trail loop, take a spur trail, marked by a rope barrier and a "no entry" sign (permission to enter this area has been granted by the park manager). The bird was last seen on a makeshift trail about 200 yards beyond a dirt mound at the end of the spur trail, which is about 100 yards north of the rope barrier. Map
Smooth-billed Ani
Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Palm Beach County: Last reported November 13 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From Florida's Turnpike, exit at Boynton Beach Boulevard Exit 86). Drive west 2 miles to US 441. Turn left and drive south 2 miles to the entrance (fee, open sunrise to sunset). The bird was seen on the Marsh Trail, near the wooden boardwalk south of the parking area. Map
Older Reports
Smooth-billed Ani
Dr. Von D. Mizell Eula Johnson/John U. Lloyd Beach State Park, Broward County: Reported November 10 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From I-95, exit at Sheridan Street (Exit 21). Drive east 2.8 miles to SR A1A. Turn left and drive north 1.5 miles to the entrance (fee, open 8:00 AM until sunset). From the entrance, drive north to the Sea Grape Pavilion parking lot. The bird was seen around the parking lot and in sea grapes between the parking lot and the beach. Map
Neotropic Cormorant
Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Palm Beach County: Last reported November 10 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From Florida's Turnpike, exit at Atlantic Avenue (Exit 81). Drive east 1.7 miles to Jog Road. Turn left and drive north 1.5 miles to the entrance (no fee, open sunrise to sunset). From the boardwalk t-intersection, turn left. The bird has been seen around the tree island near the "wading bird" sign. Map
Bananaquit
A. D. Barnes Park, Miami-Dade County: Last reported November 10 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From the Palmetto Expressway, exit at Bird Road (SW 40 Street). Drive east 0.5 miles to SW 72 Avenue and turn left to the park entrance (no fee, open 7:00 AM until sunset). At the t-intersection, turn left and drive north through the nature center entrance gate. The bird has been seen in a firebush near the nature center trailer. Map
Tropical Kingbird
Browns Farm Road, Palm Beach County: Reported November 5 (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 14.7 miles to Browns Farm Road. Turn left and drive south 12 miles to where the pavement ends. The bird was seen at the end of the road. Map
South Florida as defined here includes the following counties: Broward, Collier, Hendry, Lee, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach. Click here for locations to see regularly-occurring south Florida specialties. Click here for directions to those locations. BirdBoard reports for these species are also appreciated.