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Systematic list - part 2: Shearwaters, Storks, Frigatebirds and Boobies

 

Audubon's Shearwater Puffinus lherminieri (3)

3 from MV Playmate between Key West and Dry Tortugas 20th.

Audubon's Shearwater, from MV Playmate to Dry Tortugas, 20th April

 

Wood Stork Mycteria americana (150)

Largest numbers were at two breeding colonies: c. 100 Everglades (Pouratis Pond) 18th & 24th and c. 40 Wakodahatchee 25th & 27th. Elsewhere much smaller numbers (up to 4) seen at several sites inlcuding Tamiami Trail (S-334 and between there and S-333), Corkscrew Swamp, Green Cay and Loxahatchee.

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Wood Stork, Pouratis Pond (Everglades), 24th April

 

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Wood Stork, Corkscrew Swamp, 15th April (left) and Wakodahatchee, 27th April (right)

 

Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens (90+)

25 at various sites on the west coast (including 13 Ding Darling 16th), 9 at various sites between Key Largo and Key West, c. 10 from the MV Playmate both to and from Dry Tortugas (excluding those at Dry Tortugas). At Dry Tortugas many seen over and around Garden Key and c. 50 (guess) around the breeding colony on Bush Key.

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Magnificent Frigatebird, Stock Island, 19th April

 

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Magnificent Frigatebirds, from MV Playmate to Dry Tortugas, 20th April

 

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Magnificent Frigatebirds, Garden Key, Dry Tortugas, 20th April

 

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Magnificent Frigatebirds, Bush Key, Dry Tortugas, 21st April

 

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Magnificent Frigatebirds, Marco Island, 14th April (left) and Garden Key, Dry Tortugas, 21st April (right)

 

Masked Booby Sula dactylatra (75)

75 Dry Tortugas (Hospital Key) 20th, seen from MV Playmate - apparently the only breeding colony in North America.

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Masked Boobies, Hospital Key, Dry Tortugas, 20th April

 

Brown Booby Sula leucogaster (12)

12+ from MV Playmate between Key West and Dry Tortugas 20th. I think we also saw some on the return journey but I didn't note them down and can't remember for certain.

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Brown Boobies, from MV Playmate on approach to Dry Tortugas, 20th April

 

Northern Gannet Morus bassanus (4)

3 from MV Playmate between Key West and Dry Tortugas 20th and 1 Dry Tortugas (around Garden Key) 21st.

 

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