Date: 1/10/25 6:28 pm From: Kathleen Carr <kcarr803...> Subject: [NFLbirds] Sad News: Harry Hooper has passed away
I'm sorry to report that Harry Hooper passed away last night, January 9th. His health had been declining throughout December and he was admitted to hospice care in late December.
So sorry to have lost him. I've taken over as section lead for his Christmas Bird Count area after doing the count with him and Lynn Reynolds for 7 years. I will miss his expertise and enthusiasm for all things birding.
I don't know yet if there will be a memorial service, but will pass word along as soon as I know anything.
Date: 1/9/25 8:06 am From: Kathleen Carr <kcarr803...> Subject: [NFLbirds] Western Tanager!
My thanks to Juli deGrummond for helping me ID this female Western Tanager who showed up during my Mon.-Tues. FeederWatch session. We've also had a female Summer Tanager visiting our feeders the past several weeks, dining on grape jelly, suet, and dried mealworms.
Date: 1/6/25 5:34 am From: Don Morrow <donaldcmorrow...> Subject: [NFLbirds] Observing Birds
I went for a walk at Phipps Park on a cool and overcast January morning. I
saw a pair of Carolina Chickadees moving in a shortleaf pine. One chickadee
was hanging upside down searching for seeds in a cone that was not much
larger than itself. The tails of seeds it had already eaten were
helicoptering down in the still morning air. I pulled out my notebook and
logged the feeding observation before moving on.
While watching birds, I have always noticed what they were doing. However,
a few years ago, I started recording and saving my observations of feeding
birds. I decided to note the observations by species and month. So, a
mockingbird eating Yaupon berries on the last day of the month would be one
observation. If I saw the same bird feeding on Yaupon the next day, that
would be a separate observation. I enter the information into an Excel
workbook with two worksheets; one noting bird species and which plants they
feed on by month, and another noting plant species and which birds are
eating their fruits or seeds each month.
I am rapidly approaching 600 observations and have recorded sixty bird
species feeding on sixty-one different plant species.
The data that I have recorded lets me see patterns of bird and plant
behavior over the course of the annual cycle. There is very little feeding
activity during March, April, and May, when most birds are concentrating on
newly-emerged caterpillars. Transiting migrants need the protein to power
their northward journey. Resident birds need the protein to support their
breeding activities. Most plants are early in their annual cycle and are
not producing fruits or seeds. Anyway, they cannot compete against the
available insect prey. Who doesn’t prefer a juicy green caterpillar over
vegetables?
I can see which plants are the most important bird foods. Acorns, pine
seeds and the fruits of cabbage palm are used the most. Other plants with
high usage are black cherry, beautyberry, winged sumac, black gum, Virginia
creeper and wax myrtle.
Some fruits are highly seasonal; black cherry in late summer and Virginia
creeper in Fall migration. Others like acorns and pine seeds provide food
over a long period.
The bird species that I most often see eating fruits and seeds are
Northern Cardinal, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird and Red-bellied
Woodpecker. Although, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Red-winged
Blackbird, American Robin, and Eastern Bluebird come in as a second
less-common tier. Most of these birds are generalist feeders and it is not
surprising that they show up in my records.
Flycatchers: Acadian, Great Crested and Eastern Kingbird, feed on Virginia
creeper and other fruits late in summer and into fall migration. Hungry
phoebes add winged sumac and sugarberry to their diets in the winter months.
Warblers show up in my records. Yellow-rumped Warblers eat a lot of fruit
in the winter. Not just wax myrtle, but also winged sumac, cabbage palm,
red cedar, and poison ivy. Pine Warblers eat insects, but supplement their
diet mainly on pine seeds and also snack on black gum, sweetgum, and
cabbage palm.
Wild fruits are important to Fall migrants. Thrushes, grosbeaks, tanagers
and orioles feed on yaupon, cabbage palm, Virginia creeper, black gum and
sweetbay magnolia.
This is not science. I occasionally sit down to watch a tree or bush for
an hour, but it is mostly random observations as I wander through the
woods. It enriches my birding experience. Instead of just what birds did I
see, I have the added dimension of logging feeding records. On my walk this
morning, I had not only twenty-three species of birds, but I also had
chickadees feeding on pine seeds and White-throated Sparrows and Northern
Cardinals eating the dried fruit leather on desiccated beautyberries.
I also caught a falling leaf, something that I have been doing for over
seventy years. It is important to take every opportunity to experience
childlike wonder.
Date: 1/5/25 10:50 am From: Galveston Ornithological Society <galornsoc...> Subject: [NFLbirds] possible coastal caracara explanation
I believe there is a larger picture to the caracara enigma. There are several bird species and other creatures like various reptiles who all share a common event. The Florida Peninsula has a number of species not normally seen in the East, but are quite common further West, like Texas and beyond. The habitat of Central Florida (particularly) is more like states further west, arid and hot, etc. I have read that the hypothesis describes a contiguous habitat connecting South Florida to Texas, etc., with ancestral species being found across this ancient swath. Species included in this phenomenon include birds such as caracara, Sandhill Crane, Burrowing Owl, scrub-jay types, etc., reptiles including Indigo Snake, Gopher Tortoise, etc., and likely Gopher and Crawfish Frogs. Mammals include Armadillo and it gets pretty hairy after that. Bad joke. But mammals are not my thing.
Anyway, when the Wisconsin Ice Age waned, sea levels rose up to places like Cody Scarp, just south of Rickards High School, and available habitat for these dry land organisms vanished. This separated the Florida populations from Texas ones and in many cases, like the frogs and gopher tortoises, they speciated. Others have evolved into separate races (subspecies), the last step before speciation. Some like the cranes have re-populated certain agreeable habitats like in the Coastal Plain of Eastern Mississippi, others eke out a living in larger swaths. And in just the past fifty or so years, we have seen the armadillos in Texas and Florida reconnect along this corridor, in a different kind of migration from the typical spring-fall migration we see so profoundly with birds.
This is exactly what I think is going on with caracaras. They have moved east into Louisiana from Texas, and they have been seen apparently on rare occasions along coastal Florida Panhandle. Limpkin have moved further west from Florida and have populated scattered sites in Louisiana and Texas. [If you aren’t shaking your head in near disbelief, you need to read that again!] Unsuccessful species like scrub-jays and Burrowing Owls haven’t gone very far but in Texas we see BUOWs occasionally go as far as East Texas and barely into Louisiana. So I have no problem believing caracaras along the Florida Panhandle Coast.
I suspect the reason we have never had a caracara reported in Leon County is that it’s not exactly on the coastal tract from the Peninsula to Alabama and beyond. Could one veer off to the north and get seen by a sharp-eyed birder? Of COURSE!!! My only point was that for a new county record, those two photos just don’t “do it.” Note: I never read any account of this bird and perhaps if she saw more than the images show, it’s all good. And for God’s sakes (since it’s Sunday), this is not a measure of her birding skills. It’s about doing science right, so future books provide accurate information to the public. It matters. It’s not about somebody’s Leon County List, or life list, or our CBC vs. Gainesville’s (God, I hope we in that one!) or whatever. And personalities, feelings, men vs. women in the field, list competition and anything else must stand aside and let science do its job. She has done everything she can do and done it right.
Because of that, and only that, I have not seen enough evidence to make that camera blip a new species for the county of my birth. Go find it and blast it with your Nikon! Or have folks view it and write up descriptions. But absent that, let it drop and don’t muddy our avian historical records with a maybe bird.
Date: 1/5/25 8:10 am From: Lucy and Bob Duncan <robertaduncan...> Subject: [NFLbirds] Crested Caracara in NW FL
There are two records of Crested Caracara in extreme NW Florida:
March 1, 2001. (Okaloosa County). Crested Caracara at Destin Pass (west side) seen well by Lucy and Bob Duncan. Perched in a dead pine, then flew down to the ground into tall marsh grasses.
December 12, 2023. (Escambia County). Crested Caracara seen by Ann Forster from her balcony. The caracara flew by at eye level getting the heck chased out of it by a Bald Eagle.
Lucy Duncan
On Sunday, January 5, 2025 at 07:25:23 AM CST, <dotrobbins...> <dotrobbins...> wrote:
Let's not forget the records a few years ago of the Caracara in Franklin county, found by Melissa Forehand and seen by a few (not me alas, tho I tried). I think that may be the occurrence Bendy was referring to. Caracaras may be sedentary--until they're not. There are many records, documented in ebird, of them showing up in various states north of us. They have demonstrated a tendency for far flung vagrancy, when the spirit and conditions take them. Dotty RobbinsHigh Springs
---------- Original Message ----------
From: "Galveston Ornithological Society" <galornsoc...>
To: "'Nfl Birds'" <nflbirds...>
Subject: [NFLbirds] the stuff of science
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2025 20:23:33 -0600
Earlier I indicated that I doubted the identification by some over the photos shared by Bendy, who is a responsible enough birder to have gotten her best photos of this bird in question. Believe me, after watching my dad frustrated over decades of rare birds with no real evidence, the enthusiasm for cameras these days is heartening.
The bird is obviously a larger raptor type, vulture, hawk, eagle or whatever. Curiously, part of my inability to affix an ID rests with the two photos appearing quite different, such as one with white on wings and neck (?), and if it is, in fact, holding its wings dihedral, that would immediately eliminate the monohedral caracara. [Or maybe it was flapping.]
That’s why my first glance was reminiscent of a Golden Eagle, likelihood roughly the same as a caracara in Leon County. If an all-knowing Archangel was holding a gun to my head, asking for my best identification, “GOEA” would have been my attempt. Bald Eagles have monohedral wings, TV should be considered (although I doubt that ID), and the dark venter obviously eliminates an Osprey.
I mentioned caracara often expanding their range as an olive branch, but the fact is, I am unaware of any records in the Tallahassee area (remember, I have lived in Texas for thirty years). I am happy to stand corrected. But one image shows no white on the wingTIPS or tail (!) and a caracara should show white on the head. This species has nested occasionally in my yard* – admittedly hard to see well – and never have I seen an angle that depicted a bird like either photo. *palm tree
Maybe others can see things about this bird I cannot, and I try hard to avoid dogmatism with problematic photos (A+ for effort). One need only consider the fall election and FSU’s season: We humans can be damn sure and damn wrong as well. That’s why I felt we should use this bird as a learning tool and not to pad some list (not a reference to Bendy). The minute bias gets thrown into an equation, any hint of science is lost. That’s why competitive bird listing scares me.
So, once again, kudos to Bendy for having the courage to report a nonmigratory bird hardly ever (or never) seen in this part of the State. But if what we accept as records are as difficult as this bird, the future data base is polluted with spurious claims and anything goes. And if you disagree with me, blame my dad who handled more than his share of dogmatic, illogical records with no photos and often angry people who took it personally. The truth was paramount to him, and in the 43 years we coexisted, I never – not one time – knew him to lie. Now the Lyrebird is a common migrant of all seasons, about to fly all the way to the White House. Again.
To be sure, nobody in this discussion is being less than honest, in my view. But let’s be careful what we publish in the books for our chirren and grandchirren.
--
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Date: 1/5/25 5:35 am From: 'M or C Johnstone' via NFLbirds <nflbirds...> Subject: Re: [NFLbirds] the stuff of science
And I believe Don Morrow saw one at SMNWR more recently than the Franklin County bird.
----------------------------------------
From: <dotrobbins...>
Sent: 1/5/25 8:25 AM
To: <galornsoc...>
Cc: <nflbirds...>
Subject: Re: [NFLbirds] the stuff of science
Let's not forget the records a few years ago of the Caracara in Franklin county, found by Melissa Forehand and seen by a few (not me alas, tho I tried). I think that may be the occurrence Bendy was referring to.
Caracaras may be sedentary--until they're not. There are many records, documented in ebird, of them showing up in various states north of us. They have demonstrated a tendency for far flung vagrancy, when the spirit and conditions take them.
Dotty Robbins
High Springs
---------- Original Message ----------
From: "Galveston Ornithological Society" <galornsoc...>
To: "'Nfl Birds'" <nflbirds...>
Subject: [NFLbirds] the stuff of science
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2025 20:23:33 -0600
Earlier I indicated that I doubted the identification by some over the photos shared by Bendy, who is a responsible enough birder to have gotten her best photos of this bird in question. Believe me, after watching my dad frustrated over decades of rare birds with no real evidence, the enthusiasm for cameras these days is heartening.
The bird is obviously a larger raptor type, vulture, hawk, eagle or whatever. Curiously, part of my inability to affix an ID rests with the two photos appearing quite different, such as one with white on wings and neck (?), and if it is, in fact, holding its wings dihedral, that would immediately eliminate the monohedral caracara. [Or maybe it was flapping.]
That’s why my first glance was reminiscent of a Golden Eagle, likelihood roughly the same as a caracara in Leon County. If an all-knowing Archangel was holding a gun to my head, asking for my best identification, “GOEA” would have been my attempt. Bald Eagles have monohedral wings, TV should be considered (although I doubt that ID), and the dark venter obviously eliminates an Osprey.
I mentioned caracara often expanding their range as an olive branch, but the fact is, I am unaware of any records in the Tallahassee area (remember, I have lived in Texas for thirty years). I am happy to stand corrected. But one image shows no white on the wingTIPS or tail (!) and a caracara should show white on the head. This species has nested occasionally in my yard* – admittedly hard to see well – and never have I seen an angle that depicted a bird like either photo. *palm tree
Maybe others can see things about this bird I cannot, and I try hard to avoid dogmatism with problematic photos (A+ for effort). One need only consider the fall election and FSU’s season: We humans can be damn sure and damn wrong as well. That’s why I felt we should use this bird as a learning tool and not to pad some list (not a reference to Bendy). The minute bias gets thrown into an equation, any hint of science is lost. That’s why competitive bird listing scares me.
So, once again, kudos to Bendy for having the courage to report a nonmigratory bird hardly ever (or never) seen in this part of the State. But if what we accept as records are as difficult as this bird, the future data base is polluted with spurious claims and anything goes. And if you disagree with me, blame my dad who handled more than his share of dogmatic, illogical records with no photos and often angry people who took it personally. The truth was paramount to him, and in the 43 years we coexisted, I never – not one time – knew him to lie. Now the Lyrebird is a common migrant of all seasons, about to fly all the way to the White House. Again.
To be sure, nobody in this discussion is being less than honest, in my view. But let’s be careful what we publish in the books for our chirren and grandchirren.
Date: 1/5/25 5:25 am From: <dotrobbins...> <dotrobbins...> Subject: Re: [NFLbirds] the stuff of science
Let's not forget the records a few years ago of the Caracara in Franklin county, found by Melissa Forehand and seen by a few (not me alas, tho I tried). I think that may be the occurrence Bendy was referring to. Caracaras may be sedentary--until they're not. There are many records, documented in ebird, of them showing up in various states north of us. They have demonstrated a tendency for far flung vagrancy, when the spirit and conditions take them. Dotty RobbinsHigh Springs
---------- Original Message ----------
From: "Galveston Ornithological Society" <galornsoc...>
To: "'Nfl Birds'" <nflbirds...>
Subject: [NFLbirds] the stuff of science
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2025 20:23:33 -0600
Earlier I indicated that I doubted the identification by some over the photos shared by Bendy, who is a responsible enough birder to have gotten her best photos of this bird in question. Believe me, after watching my dad frustrated over decades of rare birds with no real evidence, the enthusiasm for cameras these days is heartening.
The bird is obviously a larger raptor type, vulture, hawk, eagle or whatever. Curiously, part of my inability to affix an ID rests with the two photos appearing quite different, such as one with white on wings and neck (?), and if it is, in fact, holding its wings dihedral, that would immediately eliminate the monohedral caracara. [Or maybe it was flapping.]
That’s why my first glance was reminiscent of a Golden Eagle, likelihood roughly the same as a caracara in Leon County. If an all-knowing Archangel was holding a gun to my head, asking for my best identification, “GOEA” would have been my attempt. Bald Eagles have monohedral wings, TV should be considered (although I doubt that ID), and the dark venter obviously eliminates an Osprey.
I mentioned caracara often expanding their range as an olive branch, but the fact is, I am unaware of any records in the Tallahassee area (remember, I have lived in Texas for thirty years). I am happy to stand corrected. But one image shows no white on the wingTIPS or tail (!) and a caracara should show white on the head. This species has nested occasionally in my yard* – admittedly hard to see well – and never have I seen an angle that depicted a bird like either photo. *palm tree
Maybe others can see things about this bird I cannot, and I try hard to avoid dogmatism with problematic photos (A+ for effort). One need only consider the fall election and FSU’s season: We humans can be damn sure and damn wrong as well. That’s why I felt we should use this bird as a learning tool and not to pad some list (not a reference to Bendy). The minute bias gets thrown into an equation, any hint of science is lost. That’s why competitive bird listing scares me.
So, once again, kudos to Bendy for having the courage to report a nonmigratory bird hardly ever (or never) seen in this part of the State. But if what we accept as records are as difficult as this bird, the future data base is polluted with spurious claims and anything goes. And if you disagree with me, blame my dad who handled more than his share of dogmatic, illogical records with no photos and often angry people who took it personally. The truth was paramount to him, and in the 43 years we coexisted, I never – not one time – knew him to lie. Now the Lyrebird is a common migrant of all seasons, about to fly all the way to the White House. Again.
To be sure, nobody in this discussion is being less than honest, in my view. But let’s be careful what we publish in the books for our chirren and grandchirren.
--
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To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to nflbirds+<unsubscribe...>
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Date: 1/5/25 5:16 am From: 'M or C Johnstone' via NFLbirds <nflbirds...> Subject: Re: [NFLbirds] the stuff of science
I puzzled over this bird and could not come to a good conclusion, but would like to add two cents; I don't have super high confidence with these observations, but maybe worth considering. I think the apparent overall darkness in the one photo is a photographic contrast anomaly. I feel even more certain that the apparent dark belly in the other photo is actually created by the shadow from the wing and that the bird is entirely light underneath, not white fore and dark aft. I tried downloading the photos and doing some post processing, but that produced nothing useful. At the very least, I think the apparent extent of light and dark on this bird should be taken with some salt.
Structure does not align with Caracara for me - both pics show a strong dihedral and the wings look relatively long and tapered. None of the raptors with strong dihedrals seem to fit perfectly either. If I were to disregard rarity and assume my white underside suggestion is correct, the best fit I can come up with is first year, light phase Ferruginous Hawk (and I'm not suggesting that is correct!)
BTW, as for the wanderings of Crested Caracara, one was present near Munising, MI in the UP July - mid-Nov 2016 and a look in eBird shows they are prone to wander. Matt Johnstone
----------------------------------------
From: "Nicholas Petryk" <nicholas.petryk96...>
Sent: 1/5/25 7:20 AM
To: Galveston Ornithological Society <galornsoc...>
Cc: Nfl Birds <nflbirds...>
Subject: Re: [NFLbirds] the stuff of science
It’s definitely possible it could be a Caracara! Back in 2017, there was a well documented Crested Caracara in Camilla, GA! It hung out in an agricultural area for a good bit before it moved on. Birds tend to do crazy things haha, there is currently a Ruff and a Purple Sandpiper down in Brevard County! And don’t forget about the Gray Gull that was in Santa Rosa Beach recently. All of these sightings are more rare than a Caracara in North Florida, just my two cents!
Best,
Nicholas Horton
On Jan 4, 2025, at 21:23, Galveston Ornithological Society <galornsoc...> wrote:
Earlier I indicated that I doubted the identification by some over the photos shared by Bendy, who is a responsible enough birder to have gotten her best photos of this bird in question. Believe me, after watching my dad frustrated over decades of rare birds with no real evidence, the enthusiasm for cameras these days is heartening.
The bird is obviously a larger raptor type, vulture, hawk, eagle or whatever. Curiously, part of my inability to affix an ID rests with the two photos appearing quite different, such as one with white on wings and neck (?), and if it is, in fact, holding its wings dihedral, that would immediately eliminate the monohedral caracara. [Or maybe it was flapping.]
That’s why my first glance was reminiscent of a Golden Eagle, likelihood roughly the same as a caracara in Leon County. If an all-knowing Archangel was holding a gun to my head, asking for my best identification, “GOEA” would have been my attempt. Bald Eagles have monohedral wings, TV should be considered (although I doubt that ID), and the dark venter obviously eliminates an Osprey.
I mentioned caracara often expanding their range as an olive branch, but the fact is, I am unaware of any records in the Tallahassee area (remember, I have lived in Texas for thirty years). I am happy to stand corrected. But one image shows no white on the wingTIPS or tail (!) and a caracara should show white on the head. This species has nested occasionally in my yard* – admittedly hard to see well – and never have I seen an angle that depicted a bird like either photo. *palm tree
Maybe others can see things about this bird I cannot, and I try hard to avoid dogmatism with problematic photos (A+ for effort). One need only consider the fall election and FSU’s season: We humans can be damn sure and damn wrong as well. That’s why I felt we should use this bird as a learning tool and not to pad some list (not a reference to Bendy). The minute bias gets thrown into an equation, any hint of science is lost. That’s why competitive bird listing scares me.
So, once again, kudos to Bendy for having the courage to report a nonmigratory bird hardly ever (or never) seen in this part of the State. But if what we accept as records are as difficult as this bird, the future data base is polluted with spurious claims and anything goes. And if you disagree with me, blame my dad who handled more than his share of dogmatic, illogical records with no photos and often angry people who took it personally. The truth was paramount to him, and in the 43 years we coexisted, I never – not one time – knew him to lie. Now the Lyrebird is a common migrant of all seasons, about to fly all the way to the White House. Again.
To be sure, nobody in this discussion is being less than honest, in my view. But let’s be careful what we publish in the books for our chirren and grandchirren.
Date: 1/5/25 4:56 am From: Galveston Ornithological Society <galornsoc...> Subject: RE: [NFLbirds] the stuff of science
You are quite correct about the other three rare birds, but migratory species get lost far more than typically sedentary species like caracaras (five species in the Western Hemisphere). For instance, for some truly nonmigratory species, how often do we see species of tits in Florida, other than the two that reside here? Or why aren’t Carolina Wrens ever seen out West? Or why don’t we get species ending in “woodpecker” that do not normally live in the East? This doesn’t mean it's impossible, but “proof” of their occurrence requires a lot more than tiny images that do not clearly define any species.
But the real issue here is, “Do these two images support the occurrence of a caracara that day?” I want to know what it is about them that says “caracara?” And the answer, “Because I can’t think of what else it could be” is a non-starter.
Jim
From: <nflbirds...> <nflbirds...> On Behalf Of Nicholas Petryk
Sent: Sunday, January 5, 2025 6:20 AM
To: Galveston Ornithological Society <galornsoc...>
Cc: Nfl Birds <nflbirds...>
Subject: Re: [NFLbirds] the stuff of science
It’s definitely possible it could be a Caracara! Back in 2017, there was a well documented Crested Caracara in Camilla, GA! It hung out in an agricultural area for a good bit before it moved on. Birds tend to do crazy things haha, there is currently a Ruff and a Purple Sandpiper down in Brevard County! And don’t forget about the Gray Gull that was in Santa Rosa Beach recently. All of these sightings are more rare than a Caracara in North Florida, just my two cents!
Best,
Nicholas Horton
On Jan 4, 2025, at 21:23, Galveston Ornithological Society <galornsoc...> <mailto:<galornsoc...> > wrote:
Earlier I indicated that I doubted the identification by some over the photos shared by Bendy, who is a responsible enough birder to have gotten her best photos of this bird in question. Believe me, after watching my dad frustrated over decades of rare birds with no real evidence, the enthusiasm for cameras these days is heartening.
The bird is obviously a larger raptor type, vulture, hawk, eagle or whatever. Curiously, part of my inability to affix an ID rests with the two photos appearing quite different, such as one with white on wings and neck (?), and if it is, in fact, holding its wings dihedral, that would immediately eliminate the monohedral caracara. [Or maybe it was flapping.]
That’s why my first glance was reminiscent of a Golden Eagle, likelihood roughly the same as a caracara in Leon County. If an all-knowing Archangel was holding a gun to my head, asking for my best identification, “GOEA” would have been my attempt. Bald Eagles have monohedral wings, TV should be considered (although I doubt that ID), and the dark venter obviously eliminates an Osprey.
I mentioned caracara often expanding their range as an olive branch, but the fact is, I am unaware of any records in the Tallahassee area (remember, I have lived in Texas for thirty years). I am happy to stand corrected. But one image shows no white on the wingTIPS or tail (!) and a caracara should show white on the head. This species has nested occasionally in my yard* – admittedly hard to see well – and never have I seen an angle that depicted a bird like either photo. *palm tree
Maybe others can see things about this bird I cannot, and I try hard to avoid dogmatism with problematic photos (A+ for effort). One need only consider the fall election and FSU’s season: We humans can be damn sure and damn wrong as well. That’s why I felt we should use this bird as a learning tool and not to pad some list (not a reference to Bendy). The minute bias gets thrown into an equation, any hint of science is lost. That’s why competitive bird listing scares me.
So, once again, kudos to Bendy for having the courage to report a nonmigratory bird hardly ever (or never) seen in this part of the State. But if what we accept as records are as difficult as this bird, the future data base is polluted with spurious claims and anything goes. And if you disagree with me, blame my dad who handled more than his share of dogmatic, illogical records with no photos and often angry people who took it personally. The truth was paramount to him, and in the 43 years we coexisted, I never – not one time – knew him to lie. Now the Lyrebird is a common migrant of all seasons, about to fly all the way to the White House. Again.
To be sure, nobody in this discussion is being less than honest, in my view. But let’s be careful what we publish in the books for our chirren and grandchirren.
Date: 1/4/25 6:23 pm From: Galveston Ornithological Society <galornsoc...> Subject: [NFLbirds] the stuff of science
Earlier I indicated that I doubted the identification by some over the photos shared by Bendy, who is a responsible enough birder to have gotten her best photos of this bird in question. Believe me, after watching my dad frustrated over decades of rare birds with no real evidence, the enthusiasm for cameras these days is heartening.
The bird is obviously a larger raptor type, vulture, hawk, eagle or whatever. Curiously, part of my inability to affix an ID rests with the two photos appearing quite different, such as one with white on wings and neck (?), and if it is, in fact, holding its wings dihedral, that would immediately eliminate the monohedral caracara. [Or maybe it was flapping.]
That’s why my first glance was reminiscent of a Golden Eagle, likelihood roughly the same as a caracara in Leon County. If an all-knowing Archangel was holding a gun to my head, asking for my best identification, “GOEA” would have been my attempt. Bald Eagles have monohedral wings, TV should be considered (although I doubt that ID), and the dark venter obviously eliminates an Osprey.
I mentioned caracara often expanding their range as an olive branch, but the fact is, I am unaware of any records in the Tallahassee area (remember, I have lived in Texas for thirty years). I am happy to stand corrected. But one image shows no white on the wingTIPS or tail (!) and a caracara should show white on the head. This species has nested occasionally in my yard* – admittedly hard to see well – and never have I seen an angle that depicted a bird like either photo. *palm tree
Maybe others can see things about this bird I cannot, and I try hard to avoid dogmatism with problematic photos (A+ for effort). One need only consider the fall election and FSU’s season: We humans can be damn sure and damn wrong as well. That’s why I felt we should use this bird as a learning tool and not to pad some list (not a reference to Bendy). The minute bias gets thrown into an equation, any hint of science is lost. That’s why competitive bird listing scares me.
So, once again, kudos to Bendy for having the courage to report a nonmigratory bird hardly ever (or never) seen in this part of the State. But if what we accept as records are as difficult as this bird, the future data base is polluted with spurious claims and anything goes. And if you disagree with me, blame my dad who handled more than his share of dogmatic, illogical records with no photos and often angry people who took it personally. The truth was paramount to him, and in the 43 years we coexisted, I never – not one time – knew him to lie. Now the Lyrebird is a common migrant of all seasons, about to fly all the way to the White House. Again.
To be sure, nobody in this discussion is being less than honest, in my view. But let’s be careful what we publish in the books for our chirren and grandchirren.
Date: 1/4/25 6:21 pm From: Galveston Ornithological Society <galornsoc...> Subject: RE: [NFLbirds] Possible Crested Caracara
Earlier I indicated that I doubted the identification by some over the photos shared by Bendy, who is a responsible enough birder to have gotten her best photos of this bird in question. Believe me, after watching my dad frustrated over decades of rare birds with no real evidence, the enthusiasm for cameras these days is heartening.
The bird is obviously a larger raptor type, vulture, hawk, eagle or whatever. Curiously, part of my inability to affix an ID rests with the two photos appearing quite different, such as one with white on wings and neck (?), and if it is, in fact, holding its wings dihedral, that would immediately eliminate the monohedral caracara. [Or maybe it was flapping.]
That’s why my first glance was reminiscent of a Golden Eagle, likelihood roughly the same as a caracara in Leon County. If an all-knowing Archangel was holding a gun to my head, asking for my best identification, “GOEA” would have been my attempt. Bald Eagles have monohedral wings, TV should be considered (although I doubt that ID), and the dark venter obviously eliminates an Osprey.
I mentioned caracara often expanding their range as an olive branch, but the fact is, I am unaware of any records in the Tallahassee area (remember, I have lived in Texas for thirty years). I am happy to stand corrected. But one image shows no white on the wingTIPS or tail (!) and a caracara should show white on the head. This species has nested occasionally in my yard* – admittedly hard to see well – and never have I seen an angle that depicted a bird like either photo. *palm tree
Maybe others can see things about this bird I cannot, and I try hard to avoid dogmatism with problematic photos (A+ for effort). One need only consider the fall election and FSU’s season: We humans can be damn sure and damn wrong as well. That’s why I felt we should use this bird as a learning tool and not to pad some list (not a reference to Bendy). The minute bias gets thrown into an equation, any hint of science is lost. That’s why competitive bird listing scares me.
So, once again, kudos to Bendy for having the courage to report a nonmigratory bird hardly ever (or never) seen in this part of the State. But if what we accept as records are as difficult as this bird, the future data base is polluted with spurious claims and anything goes. And if you disagree with me, blame my dad who handled more than his share of dogmatic, illogical records with no photos and often angry people who took it personally. The truth was paramount to him, and in the 43 years we coexisted, I never – not one time – knew him to lie. Now the Lyrebird is a common migrant of all seasons, about to fly all the way to the White House. Again.
To be sure, nobody in this discussion is being less than honest, in my view. But let’s be careful what we publish in the books for our chirren and grandchirren.
We have certainly seen a lot of birds straying from traditional migration
paths and wintering locations. I think this is a great sighting and was
approved by our CBC experts here in Tallahassee. If there is the
possibility of it being a different bird, that ID should be stated.
Thanks Bendy and congrats, Lisa
On Sat, Jan 4, 2025 at 5:18 PM Galveston Ornithological Society <
<galornsoc...> wrote:
> While I do not believe this bird is a caracara, they are certainly
> expanding their range in several parts of the Western World.
>
>
>
> Great to be looking out for the unexpected.
>
>
>
> JS
>
>
>
> *From:* 'bendy32309' via NFLbirds <nflbirds...>
> *Sent:* Saturday, January 4, 2025 9:36 AM
> *To:* Nfl Birds <nflbirds...>
> *Subject:* [NFLbirds] Possible Crested Caracara
>
>
>
> While participating in the CBC in East Tallahassee on January 1, 2025, I
> took the attached photos of a bird flying over a pond. It was later
> suggested to me that this bird could be a Crested Caracara. They have
> been seen this far north in previous years. Please be on the lookout for
> this bird in case it is still in the area.
>
>
>
> Brenda S. Scott
>
> Tallahassee, FL
>
> <bendy32309...>
>
>
>
> See nature photos at link below:
>
>
>
>
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/bendy32309/ >
>
>
>
>
> Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
>
>
>
>
>
> --
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> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nflbirds/<1572822753.822625.1736004993145...> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nflbirds/<1572822753.822625.1736004993145...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
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>
Date: 1/4/25 2:18 pm From: Galveston Ornithological Society <galornsoc...> Subject: RE: [NFLbirds] Possible Crested Caracara
While I do not believe this bird is a caracara, they are certainly expanding their range in several parts of the Western World.
Great to be looking out for the unexpected.
JS
From: 'bendy32309' via NFLbirds <nflbirds...>
Sent: Saturday, January 4, 2025 9:36 AM
To: Nfl Birds <nflbirds...>
Subject: [NFLbirds] Possible Crested Caracara
While participating in the CBC in East Tallahassee on January 1, 2025, I took the attached photos of a bird flying over a pond. It was later suggested to me that this bird could be a Crested Caracara. They have been seen this far north in previous years. Please be on the lookout for this bird in case it is still in the area.
Date: 1/4/25 7:36 am From: 'bendy32309' via NFLbirds <nflbirds...> Subject: [NFLbirds] Possible Crested Caracara
While participating in the CBC in East Tallahassee on January 1, 2025, I took the attached photos of a bird flying over a pond. It was later suggested to me that this bird could be a Crested Caracara. They have been seen this far north in previous years. Please be on the lookout for this bird in case it is still in the area.Brenda S. ScottTallahassee, <FLbendy32309...> See nature photos at link below:http://www.flickr.com/photos/bendy32309/Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Date: 12/19/24 5:50 am From: 'bendy32309' via NFLbirds <nflbirds...> Subject: [NFLbirds] Winter Hummingbird
We had our first winter hummingbird ever at the feeder in east Tallahassee on the morning of December 18, 2024. A possible Black-chinned.Brenda S. ScottTallahassee, <FLbendy32309...> See nature photos at link below:http://www.flickr.com/photos/bendy32309/Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
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Date: 12/18/24 3:00 pm From: Don Morrow <donaldcmorrow...> Subject: [NFLbirds] The Flamingo at SMNWR
Recently, Wakulla resident Bruce Means went fishing and saw a large pink
bird on an oyster bar off the St. Marks Lighthouse. He posted a picture of
the flamingo to Facebook along with photos of several impressive fish that
he had caught. The local birding community was impressed and not by the
fish. Birders flocked to the refuge to look for the bird.
The flamingo was relocated several times on oyster bars near the mouth of
the St. Marks River. It is now being seen on the interior ponds at St.
Marks and the question has arisen, “Is this the return of Pinky?”
In late October of 2018, following the passage of Hurricane Michael, a
flamingo showed up at the refuge and was promptly dubbed “Pinky”. Except
for a few brief absences, Pinky stayed for five years. Last year Hurricane
Idalia pushed large numbers of migrating flamingos north. They were seen
across the eastern US, as far north as the Great Lakes. At one point, there
were seven flamingos at the refuge. Apparently caught up in this Pink Wave
after Hurricane Idalia, Pinky disappeared when the Idalia flamingos left.
Hurricane associated flamingos are not new. St. Marks has a long history of
Hurricane driven flamingos. In previous flamingo sightings at the refuge in
the 1960s, 70s and 90s, birds had been discovered shortly after a hurricane
made landfall. We are only three months past a close brush with Hurricane
Helene and this flamingo could have arrived on that storm. Also, there are
still occasional Florida sightings of leftover Idalia flamingos and one of
them could have wandered up the coast.
A lot of people want to believe that this is the return of Pinky. Now,
Pinky was an odd flamingo and may have longed for the solitude that it
found on the refuge. Rita, who runs the Nature Store at the refuge, tells
me she noticed that this flamingo has the same pink birthmark that Pinky
had. However, Rita sells flamingo-themed gear at the nature store and may
not be completely objective.
Flamingos are not rare. However, even there are several hundred thousand of
them, mainly in the Caribbean, it seems odd that a lone flamingo would
decide to fly up to the northern Gulf coast. I have considerable doubt that
this is the same flamingo that spent five years at the refuge. However,
this flamingo is pink, just like Pinky was and it could be the same bird.
