From: Rex Rowan <rexrowan@gmail.com>
To: Alachua County birding report
John Martin saw a Short-tailed Hawk in NW Gainesville on the 8th. Here’s what he wrote in his eBird description: “Dark morph, circling relatively low over NW 48th Street near Hunters Crossing. All dark except for thin banding visible on tail and flight feathers, wings distinctly upswept. Original impression was of a distant circling black vulture, but as I got closer could see the lightness under the tail and wings; no white patches at the wingtips. Pulled over and viewed only for a minute before it moved beyond the tree line associated with Hunters Crossing apartment complex.” If it’s resident in the neighborhood, you might see it rising up with the vultures in the morning. Magnolia Parke and Possum Creek Park both seem like nearby places that might serve for a sky watch.
John pointed out a Least Tern to Mike Manetz at Palm Point on the evening of the 9th. That’s probably a recurring bird at Newnans and maybe other local lakes. They nest on the roof of the high school in Keystone Heights, so Lake Santa Fe might be a good place to look for them if you have access to a boat.
A few Tree Swallows are still lingering at Paynes Prairie. They were seen in the first few days of the month by Lloyd Davis, Mike Manetz, and Matt O’Sullivan, but as recently as the 7th Lloyd saw three at Sweetwater Wetlands Park and one at La Chua, and Peter Polshek saw one today: “observed from La Chua observation platform mid-morning feeding low over the main open water area.”
If you still need Eastern Wood-Pewee for the June Challenge, try San Felasco Hammock’s Spring Grove Trail AKA the Yellow Trail. From the parking lot on Millhopper Road, cross over to the north side and walk down to the informational kiosk. Go left there, and walk until you get to the intersection with the Hammock Cutoff. Peter Polshek saw one there on the 7th, and Mike Manetz found it there today, though he had to wait a few minutes for it to show up.
Peter also reports a Prothonotary Warbler at River Styx on the 6th. Others have mentioned hearing Acadian Flycatchers calling from the swamps on the west (Micanopy) side of the bridge.
Barn Owl can be tough, but Deena Mickelson wrote on the 7th: “Cindy Boyd spotted two adult Barn Owls at La Chua tonight at exactly 8:30 p.m. I would have completely missed them if she hadn’t practically yelled at me to look up as they flew right past us along the water at the end of the boardwalk. They came from the direction of the far corner if you were looking from that ‘gazebo’ (to the right of and behind where the Great Blue Heron nests), and flew along the water’s edge on the side of the trail, and out towards the Prairie.” Mike Manetz saw it the next evening: “Brad Hall and I saw it flying out at 8:50, above treetop level, heading south more or less up the canal.” Please note that the gate to the La Chua parking lot closes at 8:00, after which you can’t get in (though you can get out, by driving up to the gate and triggering its automatic opening device).
Don’t forget that American Robins are back at NE 7th Street (the 2000 block, more or less). This is a residential neighborhood, so listen for the singing robin and, once you’ve located it, wait for it to show itself. Don’t spook the robins or the neighbors.
If you’re a frequent birder in Alachua County, send me a picture of yourself so that you can be included in this rogue’s gallery: https://alachuaaudubon.org/meet-the-birders/
Remember that you can add your Alachua County life list to those already on this page. We’d like it if you did: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sVSSm0cEbsRkpGOMGvSlKMrvQp2KJ78iXJeU5kidyY4/edit?usp=sharing
Also remember to let me know if you’re going on the Burrowing Owl field trip on the 13th. So far we have 29 participants. Directions: From Gainesville go west on State Road 26 (Newberry Road) to Newberry. Turn left at the traffic light at the junction of 26 and State Road 41 and go south 2.9 miles to SW 46th Avenue. Turn right and go 1.2 miles to SW 250th Street. Turn left – it’s a dirt road – and go all the way to the end, which is 3.8 miles. There’s a county park there, and that’s where we’ll meet at 7:30 a.m. on the 13th.