The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher first reported by Lisa Smith on the 22nd was still present today, seen by me at 11:30, Adam Kent at 3:50, and Jessica Burnett at 4:45. This is the tenth Scissor-tail in Alachua County birding history, and it’s now been present for four days; all previous Scissor-tails have stayed for only a single day except the county’s first ever, which stayed for two, May 13 and 14, 1971, as observed by Robert McFarlane and by a Mrs. Emerson of Greenville Farms, who was credited with the discovery. Directions: Go out Archer Road a little over six miles beyond the interstate to Parker Road (SW 122nd Street). Turn left at the traffic light and go 0.3 mile to SW 99th Avenue. Then turn left again and go 0.3 mile. You’ll see some open acreage on your left with a house set way back. The address is 11616. The bird has been hanging around this property, sitting on fences, sometimes near the road, sometimes way in the back. Occasionally it’s absent for an hour or so. A spotting scope is helpful. Jonathan Mays got some nice pictures (start with this one, and click the arrow on the right to see the others): http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmays/10468499584/
Other local rarities: Keith Collingwood saw the Vermilion Flycatcher at La Chua today and two Yellow-headed Blackbirds and a Bronzed Cowbird at the Hague Dairy yesterday.
No one has reported the Nelson’s Sparrow since the 22nd, when several birders got to see it and Jonathan Mays took this exquisite photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmays/10430622153/in/photostream/
Has anyone gone looking for the Green-tailed Towhees reported on Bolen Bluff?