Florida trip report header

Systematic list - part 6: Osprey, Kites, Harries and Hawks

 

Osprey Pandion haliaetus (70)

Common everywhere but especially so along the west coast.

click for larger image click for larger image

adult Osprey, Tamiami Trail (S-333), 14th April

 

click for larger image click for larger image

juvenile Ospreys, Lovers Key State Park, 15th April

 

click for larger image click for larger image

Ospreys, Flamingo, 24th April (left) and 18th April (right)

 

Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus (26)

Small numbers were seen at several different locations, though none east of Snake Road and the Everglades and none in the Keys. Only one bird was seen perched, and that too briefly to get a photo. Although I knew I stood a good chance of finding these I didn't expect them to be quite so easy. These are truly impressive birds, well up there in my top birds of all time, so please forgive the plethora of photos!

click for larger image click for larger image
click for larger image click for larger image
click for larger image click for larger image

Swallow-tailed Kite, Corkscrew Swamp, 16th April

 

click for larger image click for larger image

Swallow-tailed Kites, Alva, 15th April (left) and Snake Road/Seminole Reservation, 25th April (right)

 

Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis (1)

1 seen from one of the Airboat concessions along the Tamiami Trail at Miccosukee (though not the abandoned one that's famous for this species). It was a bit too distant for photos though views were clear enough through the 'scope.

 

Northern Harrier Circus (cyaneus) hudsonius (2)

1 Lake Edna (Middle Keys) 23rd and 1 Snake Road 25th. Both were ring-tails.

click for larger image click for larger image

Northern Harrier, Lake Edna, 23rd April

 

Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus (1)

1 Dry Tortugas (Garden Key) 22nd.

 

Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus (40)

Common and often absurdly tame. Records were fairly widespread, although none in the Miami metropolitan area (unless 1 at Loxahatchee was just in). The southern Florida race extimus is much paler than the birds I have seen previously (in California, elegans).

click for larger image click for larger image

Red-shouldered Hawk, Tamiami Trail Loop Road, 14th April

 

click for larger image click for larger image
click for larger image click for larger image

Red-shouldered Hawk, Corkscrew Swamp, 16th April

 

click for larger image click for larger image

Red-shouldered Hawk, Washington Loop Road, 14th April (left) and just outside the Everglades, 18th April (right)

 

click for larger image click for larger image

juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk, just outside the Everglades, 18th April

 

click for larger image click for larger image

Red-shouldered Hawks, Snake Road/Seminole Reservation, 25th April

 

Click here to carry on...

Or here to return to the sytematic list index

Or here to jump to itinerary.