10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2012

Razorbills ( Alca torda ) have invaded the coastal waters of Florida on an unprecedented scale this December of 2012. The impacts of such enormous hurricanes and their accompanying surge on marine ecosystems are not well studied or understood but it may be related to the unprecedented invasion of Razorbills in Florida.

Florida 215

Florida Cuba 2012 Bahamas 215

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 20, 2020

Luis Gonzalez is a Miami resident and IT major who was originally born and raised in Cuba. His only birding regret was not starting sooner while he was still in Cuba and his final goal is to be able to bird at least once on every continent of the world, although he is mostly a Florida birder. And something different I got!

Canada 165

Canada Cuba Miami Florida 165

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

The brilliant orange coloration and rich, haunting song of the Spot-breasted Oriole ( Icterus pectoralis ) makes this species one of my favorite permanent residents in southeastern Florida, even though it is an introduced exotic. How can an introduced species be a favorite among birders?

Miami 174

Miami Costa Rica Florida 2005 174

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2013

I always like to see the look of surprise on a visiting birder’s face when I tell them that the Prairie Warblers and Yellow Warblers in southern Florida are restricted to mangrove habitats. Everyone, I would like you to meet the ‘Florida’ Prairie Warbler ( S. Petersburg area on the west coast.

Florida 185

Florida Breeders Miami Tampa 185

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 5, 2012

Carlos Sanchez is an excellent birder, a Miami resident, and a polyglot. If you have been out birding in southeast Florida there is a good chance that you have run into him in the field. Matheson to preserve the wild and natural beauty of the area , this venerable park is the oldest in Miami-Dade County.

Miami 161

Miami Florida Birds Pelicans 161

10,000 Birds

APRIL 12, 2013

Brown-crested Flycatcher ( Myiarchus tyrannulus ) is a widespread bird species of scrub and wooded habitats with a range extending from southern Texas and the southwestern United States, through Central America, and down south all the way to northern Argentina. In Florida, the species shows up annually (and in multiples!)

Florida 183

Florida United States Texas Miami 183

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2020

As the cold fronts begin to sweep through the northern states ushering in a wave of seasonal change and color, South Florida becomes a gathering place for migratory birds far and wide across the country. Black-bellied Plover is a common migrant in South Florida, occurring at both inland and coastal sites. Tricolored Heron.

Florida 253

Florida Miami Birds Falcons 253

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 9, 2013

On a Big Year, every species counts equally, even the lowly House Sparrow. As of my writing this he is off to a roaring start with 169 species recorded already. Rangel Diaz is doing a big year in Miami-Dade County, Florida, hoping to reach 300 species, and keeping a blog about it. What records will fall in 2013?

2013 196

2013 New Jersey Los Angeles North Carolina 196

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 13, 2012

Nonetheless, this bird is one of the most interesting species in the avifauna of southeast Florida for many reasons — an interesting biology that parallels that of several pigeon species in the Old World Tropics as well as its limited distribution in the state.

Florida 159

Florida Miami Bahamas Mexico 159

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2013

Much like how Everglades National Park flanks the western border of metropolitan Miami, Florida, Saguaro National Park flanks both the eastern and western outskirts of Tucson, making for easy access to residents and tourists alike who spend time in that city. Many bird species were observed feeding in the blooms of these cacti.

Arizona 163

Arizona Tucson Miami Shelters 163

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

I challenge that false notion and welcome those to visit Anhinga Trail in late winter and see one of the great wildlife spectacles of Florida. Regardless, it is still freshwater wetland birding in Florida at its best.

Wildlife 129

Wildlife Florida Miami Alligators 129

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

For many in the birding community, Miami is a destination meant only for ticking off ABA-countable exotics such as Spot-breasted Oriole or Red-whiskered Bulbul. For others, it is simply a launching point to Everglades National Park or the Florida Keys. Song Sparrow is a genuine rarity in Miami-Dade.

Miami 166

Miami 2015 United States Birds 166

10,000 Birds

APRIL 16, 2013

Mark Kirk and Alisha Belo are doing a southern Africa big year, trying to see 800 species. As of the end of March they had already reached a whopping 652 species ! Ali Iyoob is sitting pretty at 230 species in his North Carolina big year during which he is trying to break the state record of 351. Birding 2013 big year'

2013 184

2013 New Jersey North Carolina Canada 184

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2013

And in modern times, that football powerhouse the University of Miami has as it’s mascot a tough-looking White Ibis, known locally as a “ Hurricane Bird ” for it’s bravery (some may say stupidity) in riding out those massive storms. The group has a worldwide distribution; 28 species living and two additional extinct.

Birds 211

Birds North America Charlotte New Jersey 211

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 9, 2012

Everybody knew ducks, but flamingos represented travel — especially, in those days, to Florida, where the trend of naming things after the species you extirpated to put those things there was already taking strong hold. Flamingos represented Vegas and Miami and pre-Castro Cuba.

Cuba 142

Cuba Miami Massachusetts Ducks 142

Critter News

SEPTEMBER 14, 2009

Here is a synopsis from a Brown University web site about his case : Matthew Block, of Worldwide Primates, Miami, FL, was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison, three years of supervised probation, and a $30,000 fine at a 2-day sentence hearing on April 16, 1993. The principals are Brooke Block (his wife) and Gertie Block (his mother).

Primates 100

Primates 2002 2004 2005 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 18, 2015

You may not have heard about the Florida Bonneted Bat (Eumops floridanus) , and that is fine, not many know this bat even existed. This bat is rare and range-restricted in South Florida, which are some of the reasons it was recently listed as an endangered under the Endangered Species Act. ounces, a body length of 6.5

Bats 166

Bats Florida Endangered Species Cuba 166

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2012

Carlos Sanchez is an excellent birder, a Miami resident, and a polyglot. If you have been out birding in southeast Florida there is a good chance that you have run into him in the field. During the winter, southeast Florida becomes the wood-warbler capital of the ABA area. That’s right.

Florida 158

Florida Miami Cuba Bahamas 158

10,000 Birds

MAY 2, 2016

On my recent short family vacation to Miami, I was granted a single day to get out and really bird like a madman. Of course, I contacted Carlos Sanchez , alleged south Florida birder extraordinaire, to maximize the returns on what time I could spend. We needed countable species! Carlos didn’t even pay for them!

Florida 117

Florida Miami Birds Owls 117

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2013

It is one of three species of ani ( Groove-billed and Greater Anis are the other two) and together form a unique branch in the cuckoo family. Smooth-billed Anis were relative newcomers as breeders to Florida, having only begun nesting since the 1930s. During this time, southern Florida was in a state of ecological chaos.

Florida 190

Florida Virgin Islands Miami Breeders 190

10,000 Birds

MAY 16, 2014

Although many South Florida specialties can be seen throughout the year such as White-crowned Pigeon and Snail Kite , most visiting birders decide to come in the months of April and May in search of summer migrants or secretive birds that only vocalize during the breeding season. Migration starts very early in the sunshine state.

Florida 157

Florida Miami Bahamas Breeders 157

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2012

Oktoberfest, a two week period in the first half of October, is perhaps the most anticipated time of the year for the South Florida birder. Before diving into Oktoberfest, however, a very brief introduction to the dynamics of landbird migration in Southeast Florida is in order. A visit to A.D.

Miami 187

Miami Florida 2012 2011 187

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 29, 2012

Seeing as birds are extremely adaptable creatures as a whole, I have always found it interesting to see which bird species manage to make a living or even thrive among all the concrete, cars, and noise. In fact, several species in Miami-Dade are found exclusively in such habitats.

Miami 124

Miami Fast Food Florida Birds 124

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 26, 2018

We did however gain an extra night, at our expense in Miami, Florida, all of which was in the dark, so I could not even run out and put a couple of birds on a Florida State List. By the time we had ended our visit on the island, I had racked up a total of 58 birds species, with 27 of them new birds on the Little Big Year list.

Bahamas 125

Bahamas Costa Rica Abandon Abandoning 125

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2012

from University of Miami in 1966 and has written over 75 scientific and popular papers and books, including Shorebirds of North America: The Photographic Guide. Although designed as a field guide, it is a hefty book, 376 pages long, covering 336 species. Many species are dimorphic, with females looking different from males.

United States 231

United States Costa Rica Massachusetts North America 231

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2011

Like when Cleveland local Lebron James showed up in Miami and started playing basketball for the Heat. One such controversial bird is the Veraguan Mango , a small hummingbird species that was, until very recently, believed to be a Panamanian endemic. The same can be said of endemic basketball players and their patriotic fans.

Panama 205

Panama Costa Rica 2011 Cleveland 205

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2018

The Miami-Dade County Commission approved development of ‘the largest shopping mall in North America’ with a vote of 9-1 last week. This fragile ecosystem is home to 344 feathered species, 300 fish species (salt- and freshwater), 50 species of reptiles, 40 mammal species, and 36 listed species (threatened and/or protected).

Miami 137

Miami Las Vegas Alligators Minnesota 137

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 15, 2012

Southern Cassowary with chicks by Duncan Wright Carlos Sanchez was particularly appreciative of a new bird for him in Florida. This bird represented only the second documented record of this species in Florida. This may sound mundane, but my Best Bird of the Year is a species we all know quite well in one form or another.

2012 147

2012 Birds Guatemala Florida 147

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2016

All birds are equal on this list; parking lot birds or pelagic species, breeders or fly-overs, all will be accorded the same status and each shall be worth 1 credit on the list. Florida Scrub-Jay – Aphelocoma coerulescens. US-FL-Miami-5801 SW 137th Ave – 25.7129x-80.4144. Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP.

2016 100

2016 Sanctuary Ghana Australia 100

10,000 Birds

JULY 2, 2016

Despite recording 370 species during the month, the list total has advanced by just 45. Just to confuse things a little, only 14 new species were recorded since June 1 st. Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP. Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP. Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP. Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP. 20 Apr 2016. 20 Apr 2016.

2016 100

2016 Sanctuary Ghana Australia 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2016

All birds are equal on this list; parking lot birds or pelagic species, breeders or fly-overs, all will be accorded the same status and each shall be worth 1 credit on the list. Florida Scrub-Jay – Aphelocoma coerulescens. US-FL-Miami-5801 SW 137th Ave – 25.7129x-80.4144. Western Australia. 03 Feb 2016. 13 Feb 2016.

2016 120

2016 Sanctuary Australia Wildlife 120

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2016

All birds are equal on this list; parking lot birds or pelagic species, breeders or fly-overs, all will be accorded the same status and each shall be worth 1 credit on the list. Florida Scrub-Jay – Aphelocoma coerulescens. US-FL-Miami-5801 SW 137th Ave – 25.7129x-80.4144. Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP.

2016 154

2016 Sanctuary Australia Ghana 154

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2016

All birds are equal on this list; parking lot birds or pelagic species, breeders or fly-overs, all will be accorded the same status and each shall be worth 1 credit on the list. Florida Scrub-Jay – Aphelocoma coerulescens. US-FL-Miami-5801 SW 137th Ave – 25.7129x-80.4144. Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP.

2016 100

2016 Sanctuary Ghana Australia 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 4, 2016

All birds are equal on this list; parking lot birds or pelagic species, breeders or fly-overs, all will be accorded the same status and each shall be worth 1 credit on the list. Florida Scrub-Jay – Aphelocoma coerulescens. US-FL-Miami-5801 SW 137th Ave – 25.7129x-80.4144. Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP.

2016 100

2016 Sanctuary Ghana Australia 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 3, 2016

All birds are equal on this list; parking lot birds or pelagic species, breeders or fly-overs, all will be accorded the same status and each shall be worth 1 credit on the list. Florida Scrub-Jay – Aphelocoma coerulescens. US-FL-Miami-5801 SW 137th Ave – 25.7129x-80.4144. Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP.

2016 101

2016 Sanctuary Australia Ghana 101