South Florida Rare Bird Update
Compiled by Brian Rapoza
Last updated January 21, 2019
Please post updates on the TAS BirdBoard, positive or negative, for the following:
Recent Reports
Smooth-billed Ani
Plantation Preserve, Broward County: Last reported January 21 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From I-595 in Ft. Lauderdale, exit at University Drive (Exit 7). Drive north 1.5 miles to Broward Boulevard. Turn right and drive east 0.8 miles to the entrance (no fee, open sunrise to sunset. Walk east on the trail that begins east of the playground. The bird has been seen from trail marker 350 to marker 650. Map
Eagle Lakes Community Park, Naples, Collier County: Last reported January 19 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From I-75 in Naples, exit at Collier Blvd. (CR 851, Exit 101). Drive south 7 miles to Tamiami Trail (US 41). Turn right and drive west 1.5 miles to the park entrance (no fee, open 8:00AM-10:00PM). The bird has been seen at east end of the west lake, near the pump station. Map
Lark Sparrow
Okeeheelee Park South, Palm Beach County: Last reported January 21 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From Florida's Turnpike, exit at Lake Worth Road (exit 93). Drive east 1 mile to Pinhurst Drive. Turn left and drive north 2.3 miles to Forest Hill Blvd. Turn left and drive west 0.5 miles to the park entrance (no fee, open sunrise to sunset). The bird has been seen in the grassy area just north of the equestrian trailhead, between the fence and the Brazilian Pepper hedges. Map
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Sem-Chi Rice Plant, Palm Beach County: Last reported January 21 (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 entrance road. Turn left and drive 0 .7 miles to the rice plant. A flock has been seen among blackbirds and cowbirds around the rice plant. Map
La Carreta Restaurant, Miami-Dade County: Last reported January 19 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From the Palmetto Expressway (CR 826), exit at Bird Road. Drive west 1 mile to SW 87 Avenue. The restaurant is at the southeast corner of this intersection. The bird was seen among Bronzed Cowbirds in the restaurant's parking lot. Map
Groove-billed Ani
Winding Waters Natural Area, Palm Beach County: Last reported January 20 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From Florida's Turnpike, exit at Beeline Highway (SR 710, Exit 107, 0.5 miles on N Jog Road). Turn left and drive east 1.4 miles to Haverhill Road. Turn right and drive south 0.7 miles to Dyer Blvd. Turn right and drive west to the entrance (no fee, open sunrise to sunset.) From the parking area, take the Wetland Trail leading east around the wetland. The bird was seen along the trail in the northeast corner of the preserve. Map
Neotropic Cormorant
Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Palm Beach County: Last reported January 20 (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
Older Reports
Western Tanager
Country Walk, Miami-Dade County: Reported January 12 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From Florida's Turnpike, exit at Coral Reef Drive (SW 152 Street, Exit 16). Drive west 2 miles to SW 137 Avenue. Turn right and drive north 0.4 miles to Country Walk Drive. No specific location has been provided for this sighting. Map
Smooth-billed Ani
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, Key West, Monroe County: Last reported January 8 (eBird) Photo
Directions: From US 1 (N Roosevelt Boulevard) in Key West, drive west to Truman Avenue. Continue west to Whitehead Street. Turn right and drive 0.5 miles to Southard Street. Turn left and follow the signs to the park entrance (fee, open 8:00 AM until sunset). The bird was seen in an opening between the fort and the moat. 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.