Mike Manetz, Bob Carroll, Tedd Greenwald, and Mary Ellen Flowers relocated the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher that Linda Holt found this afternoon. Bob tells me that it was considerably farther south than first described: “The bird is actually closer to Newberry than I thought. It’s about two miles north of Newberry on US-41 near a subdivision called Newberry Hills. It’s hanging out in the field on the west side of the road about 100 yards north of the entrance to the subdivision. I parked on the east side and well off of the road so as not to scare the bird away. I suggest turning into the subdivision, but making a left onto the grass after traveling only about 15 feet from US-41. Drive along the tree line that parallels the road for about a hundred yards and scan the wires and fence to the west.”
I’m passing along that information in case you want to try for the bird this weekend. But you should be aware that, of the 13 previous occurrences of Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in Alachua County, one stayed for a week and one stayed for two days, but all the rest were one-day wonders.
It was Alachua County Year Bird #255 for Mike, which ties the record for most species seen in the county in a single year. All he needs now is a Herring Gull or a Snow Goose to break the record. (Mike set the existing record too. He’s the only birder capable of competing against himself!)
The flycatcher is an adult with salmon sides and a long tail. Tedd emailed the nice photo below:
