Secretary’s Report
Submitted by Reed Bowman
Board of Directors Meeting, 4 October 2002
Accomplishments
The Records Committee of the Florida Ornithological Society met at the Archbold Biological Station 21-22 June 2002. Members present and their term of expiration on the FOSRC were Reed Bowman, Secretary (2005), Todd Engstrom (2002), Lyn Atherton (2003), Andy Kratter (2004), Jon Greenlaw (2006), Fred Lohrer (2007), Mickey Wheeler (2008), were present.
1. The committee welcomed Andy Kratter, who was appointed to the FOSRC to replace Bob Duncan who resigned this winter. The committee thanked Bob for his contributions to the FOSRC, both as a member and as a contributor, and urged that he continue to submit reports.
2. The committee considered the following reports:
01-454 Bewick’s Wren, Gulf Breeze (Escambia). Accepted 7-0. Not on review list, but collapse of eastern North American population justifies review. Written description of key characteristics: long tail, white eye stripe, white belly and breast, overall color and size.
01-455 Flammulated Owl, Navarre Beach (Santa Rosa), photo. Accepted 7-0. Photo diagnostic, rufous color-morph with distinctive cinnamon-rufous around facial disk, dark eyes.
01-456 Zenaida Dove, Sugarloaf Shores (Monroe). Accepted 6-1. Written description noted shorter tail, overall color, and white trailing edge to secondaries; however no description of tail shape.
01-457 Manx Shearwater, Lloyd Beach St. Park (Broward), photo. Accepted 7-0. Bird found dead on beach. Photos diagnostic showing overall size, all dark back, light undertail coverts, all white wing lining and relatively long, large bill
02-458 Pink-backed Pelican, Marco Island (Collier), photos. Not Accepted 0-7. Photos diagnostic to species, but captive origin likely. A free-flying male kept in Ft. Lauderdale was absent from its home at the time of observation, but subsequently returned.
02-459 Tropical Kingbird, Englewood (Charlotte). Not Resolved 5-2. Written description consistent with Tropical or Couch’s Kingbird. Vocalization stated to be Tropical, but not described at all in report.
02-460 Thayer’s Gull, Ft. DeSoto (Pinellas), photos. Accepted 6-0-1. Photos diagnostic of 1st winter bird. Small, roundish head, relatively small bill, very evenly distributed mottling on back, primaries darker than mantle, tail slightly lighter than primaries, primaries with white edges, dark bill, pink legs
02-461 Flammulated Owl, St. George Island (Franklin), photo. Not Resolved 1-1-5, tabled pending further review. Photo blurry and difficult to distinguish key details. Eye color not visible. Small ear tufts, with rufous edge to facial disk. Grey morph. Need to evaluate extent of rufous in grey morph screech owls.
02-462 California Gull, Pensacola Beach (Escambia). Not Accepted 0-7. Written description generally consistent. Leg color not entirely consistent and eye color too variable in L. argentatus to eliminate that species. No mention of wing mirror patterns. Description not sufficient to confirm identification.
02-463 Caribbean Martin, Key West (Monroe), photo. Not Resolved 0-0-7, tabled pending further review. Video difficult to review, written description of males, but mostly females observed in video. Compare with variation in other similar martins for both males (Sinaloa Martin) and females (Purple, Cuban, and Sinaloa Martins).
02-464 MacGillivray’s Warbler, Fern Forest Nature Park (Brevard). Accepted 7-0. Written description of key characteristics: grey hood and throat, eye crescents, dorsal, ventral color, and vocalization. Clearly eliminated other similar species.
02-465 Iceland Gull, Pompano Beach (Broward), photos. Accepted 7-0. Photos distant but diagnostic. Small, all white 1st winter gull with dark bill and eyes. In flight, tail without terminal band
02-466 White-faced Ibis, Lakeland (Polk), photos. Accepted 7-0. Photos diagnostic. Overall body color, pink facial areas and red iris suggest subadult. No intermediate characteristics to suggest possible hybrid.
02-467 Ruddy Quail-Dove, Ft. Lauderdale (Broward). Accepted 7-0. Written description of overall color and size, lack of conspicuous white facial stripe, brownish underparts rules of Key West Quail Dove. Description of behavior consistent with Geotrygon.
02-468 Short-tailed Shearwater, Sanibel Island (Lee), photo, specimen. Accepted 6-0-1. First state record. Specimen described in written publication. Mensural and plumage characteristics diagnostic. Specimen cataloged at Florida Museum of Natural History (UF41873).
02-469 Common Merganser, Aripeka (Pasco), photo. Not Resolved 1-0-6, tabled pending further review. Photo of a mounted specimen which has been subsequently lost. Species identification certain, but original data about collection locale, date, etc. lost and information in submitted report second-hand. Request written description from original collector.
02-470 Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Pensacola (Escambia), photos, measurements. Accepted 7-0. Photos and mensural characteristics diagnostic.
02-471 Allens Hummingbird, Pensacola (Escambia), photos, measurements. Accepted 7-0. Photos and mensural characteristics diagnostic.
02-472 Calliope Hummingbird, Niceville (Okaloosa), photos, measurements. Accepted 7-0. Photos and mensural characteristics diagnostic.
02-473 Tropical Parula, Dry Tortugas (Monroe), photo. Not Accepted 0-7. Lack of eye crescent and dark lores consistent with Tropical Parula, but underparts not visible in photos and not described in written account. Appears to be too much grey in lower malar; in TP yellow throat should extend to gape, but this appears to be blue-grey in photos. Photos and written description not sufficient to confirm identification.
02-474 Zenaida Dove, Key Largo (Monroe), photos. Accepted 7-0. Photographs diagnostic: overall plumage color, short tail, white-edged secondaries.
02-475 Kelp Gull, Captiva Island (Lee), photos. Not Accepted 0-7. Leg color ambiguous, appeared more pink than yellow. White in outer primaries not consistent with Kelp Gull. Relatively large mirror on P9 and extensive white from mirror to tip on P10. P10 also extends beyond P9. Details too ambiguous to confirm identification. Identification consistent with Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus).
02-476 Surfbird, Sanibel Island (Lee), photos. Accepted 7-0. Photographs diagnostic: leg color, bill shape, wing and tail marking, plain gray back, overall shape.
02-477 Elegant Tern, Hillsborough Bay (Hillsborough), photos. Accepted 7-0. Photographs and written description diagnostic. Crest long and shaggy, bill thin and long. Adult appeared to be nesting with Sandwich Terns.
02-478 Harris’s Sparrow, Ft. Walton Beach (Okaloosa), photos. Accepted 7-0. Although virtually no written description, photographs diagnostic: pink bill, black bib, dark crown.
02-479 Northern Saw-whet Owl, Lighthouse Point (Broward), photos. Accepted 7-0. Photographs of adult in captivity at a wildlife rehabilitation center are diagnostic. Bird released in Ft. Lauderdale and no subsequent reports.
02-480 Common Redpoll, Lutz (Pasco), photos. Not Accepted 0-7. Poor photograph shows deeply forked tail and heavy streaking on back, consistent with Redpoll; however back appears to show some rose-pink and primary extension relatively short to rule out Carpodacus finches. Very little written description provided.
02-481 Thayer’s Gull, Tallahassee (Leon), photos. Not Accepted 0-7. Photograph shows two-tone bill with more extensive pink at base than described in written account or expected for 1st winter Thayer’s. Back mottled, but splotchy looking rather than the neat markings typical of Thayer’s. Tail as dark as primaries without a white edge. Contrast between dark secondaries and greater secondary coverts too great. Photographs and written description not sufficient to confirm identity.
02-482 Black-headed Gull, Sebastian Inlet (Indian River), photos. Accepted 6-0-1. Photographs diagnostic of 1st year bird: long, red bill, red legs, and dark undersides to primaries distinguished from Bonaparte’s Gull.
02-483 Lazuli Bunting, Ft. DeSoto (Pinellas), photos. Accepted 6-0-1. Photograph diagnostic of distinctive adult plumage: blue upperparts, brownish chest, white underparts, white wing bar.
02-484 Tropical Kingbird, St, Marks NWR (Wakulla), photos. Accepted 6-0-1. Photographs diagnostic of Tropical/Couch’s but with a good written description of Tropical vocalization.
02-485 Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Ft. DeSoto (Pinellas), photos. Photographs diagnostic: rufous tail, heavily streaked breast with pale yellow wash, prominent dark malar stripes converging under chin.
02-486 Elegant Tern, Ft. DeSoto (Pinellas), photos. Accepted 6-0-1. Photographs diagnostic: slim, red bill, long shaggy crest, tail white without any gray.
02-487 MacGillivray’s Warbler, Miami (Miami-Dade). Accepted 7-0. Written description excellent providing all key details and eliminating other similar species.
02-488 Short-eared Owl, Plantation (Broward), photos. Accepted 7-0. Not on review list, but individual likely of Caribbean race and potential taxonomic revision justifies review. Photographs diagnostic for subspecies: buffier overall, less gray, with relatively sparse streaking on breast.
02-489 Cuban Pewee, Dry Tortugas (Monroe). Not Resolved 2-5, tabled pending further review. Written description of behavior and plumage published in Field Notes (1993 50(3): 272) suggests Cuban Pewee, but no description of vocalization or mention of primary extension. Written description not sufficient to confirm identity, especially to rule out Eastern Wood Pewee (Conotopus virens).
02-490 Cuban Pewee, Boca Raton (Palm Beach), audio tape. Accepted 7-0. Transcripts of verbal report communicated to committee, but accompanied with audio tape of vocalizations. Written description consistent but brief, but vocalization is diagnostic.
3. The committee evaluated the following unresolved reports to determine some specific action necessary for resolution:
97-375 Cassin’s Kingbird, Miami (Miami-Dade). Accepted 7-0. Tabled previously to obtain photographs. None obtained, but written description re-evaluated. Excellent description of head, throat and underparts. Diagnostic.
99-389 Thayer’s Gull, Pompano Beach (Broward). Accepted 7-0. Tabled previously to obtain photos. None obtained, but written description re-evaluated. Dark bill with a slightly fleshy base, brown primaries with pale fringes, creamy tertials with brown centers, dark eyes, pink legs.
00-410 Black-headed Gull, Gainesville (Alachua), photos. Accepted 7-0. Tabled previously to obtain photos. Photographs diagnostic.
01-448 Common Paraque, Miami (Miami-Dade): Not Accepted 1-6. An excellent written description based on a very brief observation without binoculars was not resolved at our previous meeting (vote 4-3). No additional details were forthcoming from the observer and after more discussion about the potential for this species as a vagrant in Florida and the observers inexperience with this species, the committee voted again, this time to not accept.
01-446. Western Grebe. Not Resolved 3-3-1. Many attempts made to obtain photographs thought to exist, none successful to date. Written description relatively brief. Make additional attempts to obtain photos.
4. The committee considered the following information about Florida birds:
a) Based on a paper by P. W. Smith, G. E. Woolfenden, and A. Sprunt, Jr., recently published in North American Birds (2000, 54:235-240) , reevaluated the evidence for the occurrence of Loggerhead Kingbird in Florida, the committee continued its reevaluation of the inclusion of this species on the state list. The FOSRC added the Loggerhead Kingbird to its list of species occurring in Florida based on it’s inclusion in the list of verified species in Robertson and Woolfenden (1991). The committee reviewed original photographs used by Robertson and Woolfenden and, more recently, by Smith et al in their reevaluation. None of the photos reviewed appeared diagnostic for Loggerhead Kingbird. In most cases, the birds in the photographs tended to show rounder heads and shorter, more wedge-shaped bills, than is typical of Loggerhead Kingbird. However, additional photographs taken by Lyn Atherton exist and the committee agreed to review these photos before making its final decision. The matter was tabled until the next meeting.
b) Based on a paper by B. Pranty and P. W. Smith recently published in Florida Field Naturalist (2001, 29:13-25) and recent taxonomic revisions in the “spindalis” group of tanagers, prompted a review of an older Stripe-headed Tanager record FOSRC 83-058. The FOSRC voted to reevaluate that record and the report was Not Accepted 0-7. The written account appeared to describe a first-fall male Pheucticus grosbeak.
c) The committee was asked to reevaluate FOSRC 96-354, a record of a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. The committee reviewed the original description and voted not to reevaluate.
d) The committee voted to reevaluate the evidence of Piratic Flycatcher in Florida. Reports, records, and all documentation will be brought to the next committee meeting.
Species added to the state and review list
Short-tailed Shearwater
5. The committee evaluated the following information about the establishment of exotic species in Florida:
a) The committee reviewed a pre-publication manuscript documenting the size and trends of Black-hooded Parakeets in Florida. Appendix A of the FOSRC’s Rules and Procedures states that
"Introduced species (deliberate or inadvertent) are deemed to be established if there are persistent records for at least 10 years and satisfactory evidence of maintaining a reasonably stable or increasing population through successful reproduction.”.
The Rules further define “satisfactory evidence” as:
“evidence that the population has reached and is maintaining a size large enough that it is not in serious danger of collapse due to genetic deterioration through inbreeding... “Satisfactory evidence" normally means that at least one detailed study of local population size and breeding biology has been published in a reputable scientific source such as a peer-reviewed journal or technical book. However, explosive population growth by widely evident natural reproduction may be considered "satisfactory evidence" if the population after 10 years can be shown to consist of several thousand freely breeding adults over a wide geographic area.”.
The committee agreed to individually review the submitted manuscript and to return their review and their vote on whether the data contained within the manuscript contained sufficient evidence to deem the Black-hooded Parakeet established in Florida. The committee also agreed to review Appendix A of the Rules and Procedures and offer recommendations for revision if they feel those might be warranted. Reviews and recommendations were to be sent to the FOSRC Secretary by 1 September.
b) The FOSRC Rules and Procedures also dictate that the committee begin a catalog of exotic species reported in Florida. Bill Pranty submitted annotated list of exotic species reported in Florida that the committee has agreed to serve as the base list for the exotic catalog. Only species consistent with the definition of exotic species in the Appendix of the Rules and Procedures will be included in the initial catalog, thus any species that occurs in Bill’s annotated list that is considered established in Florida must first be removed. This process will be on-going.
6. The committee entertained several discussions about the role of the FOSRC in Florida ornithology. First we discussed criteria for inclusion or exclusion of species on review list. Should FOSRC review any species'/subspecies' report that was unusual for the state or a region of the state based on season, nesting, etc., as do several other State Records committees? The FOSRC felt this was the provenance of the Field Observation Committee. These data were published, but there was little review of the submitted reports. This seems like a topic of discussion for the entire
FOS. Second, we discussed if in light of recent taxonomic revisions within Spindalis tanagers, if the Western Spindalis shouldn’t be added back to the species review list. As far as the FOSRC knows, there are no further pending taxonomic revisions for this group, thus the FOSRC voted not to add this species to the review list. However, in some instance it is a good idea to add species verified from Florida or even common in Florida prior to anticipated taxonomic revision.
7. The committee agreed that computerization of the FOSRC catalog should be completed as soon as possible. For review species, the committee agreed that the number of accepted reports per species could be determined and added to the Appendix of the Official State List in the FOSRC annual report. The Secretary is continuing this effort.
8. Todd Engstrom’s term on the FOSRC is expiring, but Todd replaced W. Robertson and has served less than 4 years on the committee, thus is eligible for reappointment. Todd agreed to continue his tenure on the FOSRC and the group voted to submit his name to President Peter Merritt for re-appointment to the committee.
9. Reed has worked with Peter Merritt on developing the FOSRC web page. We discussed other committees web pages and potential changes to ours. Reed will discuss these potential changes with Peter Merritt, including the logical server host for the web page.
Respectfully submitted,
Reed Bowman
Managing Secretary, FOSRC