South Florida Rare Bird Update
Compiled by Brian Rapoza
Last updated March 3, 2021
Please post updates on the TAS Bird Board, positive or negative, for the following:
Recent Reports
Smooth-billed Ani
L31W Canal, Homestead, Miami-Dade County: Last reported March 3 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From the intersection of Florida's Turnpike and US 1 in Florida City, turn right on Palm Drive (SW 344 Street) and drive west 1.6 miles. Turn left on SW 192 Avenue and drive south 2 miles. Turn right on SW 376 Street (SR 9336) and drive west 5 miles to the L31W Canal, just before Glenn Garrett Memorial Park. Walk north on the dirt road along the east side of the canal about one mile to a bend in the canal, where another dirt road leads east. The bird has been seen near this intersection. Map
Iceland Gull
Carlos Point, Ft. Myers Beach, Lee County: Last reported March 3 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From I-75 in Bonita Springs, exit at Bonita Beach Road (CR 865, Exit 116). Drive west about 13 miles to Carlos Point, on the west side of the Big Carlos Pass bridge (parking is available at the east end of the bridge). The bird was most recently seen among other gulls and terns at the tip of Carlos Point. Map
Neotropic Cormorant
Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Palm Beach County: Last reported March 3 (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). The bird has been seen on a tree island to the left of the "T" in the boardwalk. Map
Peaceful Waters Sanctuary at Village Park, Wellington, Palm Beach County: Last reported February 28 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From Florida’s Turnpike, exit at Lake Worth Boulevard (Exit 93). Drive west 4 miles to 120 Avenue South. Turn right and drive north 0.6 miles to the park entrance (no fee, open sunrise to sunset). No specific location has been provided for this sighting. Map
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Sem-Chi Rice Mill, Palm Beach County: Last reported March 3 (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 4 miles to the Sem Chi Rice Mill entrance road. Turn left and drive 0.7 miles to the rice mill. Several birds have been seen among blackbirds and cowbirds around the mill. Please bird from the road and don't trespass onto the mill property. Map
Black-faced Grassquit
Blue Hole, Big Pine Key, Monroe County: Last reported March 3 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From US 1 on Big Pine Key, turn right onto Key Deer Boulevard (mile marker 30.5). Drive north 2.8 miles to the Blue Hole parking area. The bird has been seen near the Blue Hole overlook or around the parking area. Map
Bell's Vireo
Robert King High Park, Miami-Dade County: Last reported March 2 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From the Palmetto Expressway (CR 826), exit at Flagler Street. Drive east 0.7 miles to the park entrance (no fee, open sunrise to sunset.) The bird has been seen at the north end of the park. Map
Red-legged Thrush
Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Gardens, Stock Island, Monroe County: Last reported March 2 (eBird) Photo
Directions:From US 1 just before the bridge connecting Stock Island and Key West, turn right at College Road. Drive north 0.1 miles to the entrance (fee, open 10:00AM-4:00PM). The bird was last seen near trail marker 65. Map
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Kendall Indian Hammocks Park, Miami-Dade County: Last reported March 1 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From the Don Shula Expressway (SR 874), exit at Kendall Drive (SW 88 Street). Drive west 0.8 miles to SW 107 Avenue. Turn right and drive north 0.4 miles to the park entrance (no fee, open sunrise to sunset). The bird has been seen in trees near the east end of the school. Map
Purple Sandpiper
Convoy Point, Biscayne National Park, Miami-Dade County: Last reported February 28 (Facebook: Tropical Audubon Bird Board) Photo
Directions: From Florida's Turnpike, exit at Speedway Boulevard (Southwest 137 Avenue, Exit 6). Turn left and drive south 3 miles to North Canal Drive (SW 328 Street. Turn left and drive east 4 miles to the park entrance (no fee, open 7:00am-5:30pm). The bird has been seen on the jetty at Convoy Point. Map
Tropical Kingbird
Recreation Road, Weston, Broward County: Last reported February 28 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From US 27, just south of the I-75 interchange, turn right onto Recreation Road. The bird was seen along Recreation Road, near the shopping center just east of the interchange. Map
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Sem-Chi Rice Mill, Palm Beach County: Last reported February 28 (eBird) PhotoDirections: 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 4 miles to the Sem Chi Rice Mill entrance road. Turn left and drive 0.7 miles to the rice mill. Several birds have been seen among blackbirds and cowbirds around the mill. Please bird from the road and don't trespass onto the mill property. Map
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Quiet Waters Park, Deerfield Beach, Broward County: Last reported February 25 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From Florida's Turnpike in Deerfield Beach, Exit at SW 10 Street (SR 869). Drive east 1 mile to Powerline Road. Turn left and drive north 0.3 miles to the park entrance (no fee, open 8:00AM to 6:00PM). The bird was seen in an oak grove near the entrance to the water park. Map
Older Reports
Cuban Pewee
Blue Hole, Big Pine Key, Monroe County: Last reported February 24 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From US 1 on Big Pine Key, turn right onto Key Deer Boulevard (mile marker 30.5). Drive north 2.8 miles to the Blue Hole parking area. The bird has been seen near the Blue Hole overlook. Map
Cinnamon Teal
North River Road, Lee County: Last reported February 21 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From I-75 in Ft.Myers, exit at SR 80 (Exit 141). Drive east 3 miles to SR 31. Turn left and drive north 2.7 miles to SR 78 (North River Road). Turn right and drive east 2.2 miles to a pond on the south side of the road. The bird has been seen in the pond with other teal. Map
Rufous Hummingbird
Zoo Miami, Miami-Dade County: Last reported February 20 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From Florida's Turnpike, exit at SW 152 Street. Drive west 0.7 miles to SW 124 Avenue. Turn left and drive south 1.0 mile to the entrance (fee, open 10:00AM to 5:00PM). The bird has been seen around flowering bushes in the median between the zoo's two parking lots. 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. If any errors are found in this report, please email Brian Rapoza.