Date: 5/12/26 6:24 pm From: 'Lucy and Bob Duncan' via NFLbirds <nflbirds...> Subject: [NFLbirds] Status of Florida birds
Hi all,
The discovery of a Glaucous Gull at Ft. Pickens today brings to mind the need for birders to be aware of sources of information that will elucidate the status and distribution of birds in our state. This will eliminate speculation on the status of rare birds they may find. The best source is Florida Bird Species an annotated list 2014 by Greenlaw, Pranty and Bowman. It contains a wealth of information on distribution, dates of occurrence etc. and rare birds vetted through the Florida Ornithological Society's (FOS) Records Committee. It is available from the FOS.
As an example, the Glaucous Gull is "A rare migrant and winter resident along both coasts. Regular along the Atlantic coast south to Brevard County, less frequent farther south and along the Gulf Coast - About 60 reports were known to 1992 with around 85 reports subsequently - seasonal occurrence is early July, mid-Aug, early Oct, and mid-Nov- late May." Two specimens.
Another excellent source of information is Stevenson and Anderson's "The Birdlife of Florida, 1994," a very comprehensive summary of the state's birdlife.
Locally (Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties), we have 23 records of Glaucous Gull since 1982, some with photographs and vetted through the FOS Records Committee. So the information is available to birders.
Bob DuncanGulf Breeze
