From: Rex Rowan <rexrowan@gmail.com>
To: Alachua County birding report
ATTENTION ALACHUA COUNTY BIRDERS: We are very short handed filling teams for the Fall Migration Count this year. If you can identify all our resident birds and at least some fall migrants and are interested in participating on Saturday, September 19th, please contact Mike Manetz at mmanetz@yahoo.com
Matt O’Sullivan found a Wilson’s Warbler on the 3rd, “on the northern part of Bolen Bluff a little more than half way along and a little before that wooded gully.” Mike Manetz and I had birded the area earlier in the day and had seen nothing more interesting than a Blackburnian Warbler, but we obviously lack Matt’s ability or luck. The bird was still present on the 4th, seen by Bob Carroll, Becky Enneis, and Linda Holt. Wilson’s is usually a late fall migrant, with most detected in October. Previous to this, there was only one September report for the county, involving two birds found by Jack and Jessie Connor and Paul Moler at Newnans Lake on September 25, 1977. I’m aware of only four earlier records anywhere in Florida. Here’s one of Matt’s pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/74215662@N04/20963357058/in/dateposted-public/
Lloyd Davis saw two Soras along the La Chua Trail on the morning of September 3rd, and he got a photo of one: https://www.flickr.com/photos/74215662@N04/20529132734/in/dateposted-public/
I mentioned previously that American Goldfinches were reported during the last week of August, two in High Springs on the 26th and one in west Gainesville on the 29th. The latter was in Ron Robinson’s yard and he got this photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/74215662@N04/20965095979/in/dateposted-public/
Several birders spent time in Evinston on the morning of the 3rd, the day after John Menoski reported a Crested Caracara there, but the bird wasn’t relocated.
David Sibley passes along a pretty reliable way to tell Downy from Hairy Woodpecker (that is, if you can see the mark in question): http://www.sibleyguides.com/2011/03/another-clue-for-identifying-downy-and-hairy-woodpeckers/
The Alachua Audubon field trip schedule is on line (well, mostly). Our first field trip is September 12th. You can see the early trips here (click on the little “+” sign at the right for more information): https://alachuaaudubon.org/classes-field-trips/
I’ve put up blog posts about three wildflowers at the Gainesville Sun web site: “Two Wild Poinsettias” and “Spotted Beebalm.” They can be accessed here, if the Sun’s web site will cooperate: http://fieldguide.blogs.gainesville.com/
Remember to contact Mike Manetz if you can help with the Fall Migration Count.