---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 1995 15:24:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: Phil Hotlen <n8540420 at waldorf.cc.wwu.edu>
To: hos at zoo.ufl.edu
Subject: Backyard lists wanted (fwd)

This was in answer to a recent request for yard lists forwarded thru
various people to Tweeters. My list looks so good (to me, anyway), finally
typed up, and in phylogenetic order too, that I decided to risk ridicule
and send it out. I have added a few more comments. I admit there is
little here of the scientific data that he wanted. Recent hurricane
damage may have degraded the habitat.

My most astounding backyard sighting there was when I was floating on an
air mattress in the pool, looking up at cloud formations. Suddenly,
a Swallow-tailed Kite glided across my field of vision at tree-top level-
wow!


To: Mark Hostetler <Hos at zoo.ufl.edu>

I read a forwarded message on <Tweeters at u.washington.edu> that backyard
bird lists are wanted. I have been casually interested in birds all my
life, and an organized lister (economy class) since 1969 after I returned
from Vietnam. Anyway, I spent a year or so at the home of relatives in the
South Miami area from March, 1978 to April, 1979. (The house has since
been sold). After noticing the wealth of birdlife there, I began to
compile a yard list. The house and yard is a corner lot(s) with varied
ornamental trees, plants, and a long neglected birdbath that I cleaned up
and kept filled with fresh water. The address is: 5440 S.W. 84th Terrace,
Miami, Florida, and is situated near Snapper Creek just east of S.W. 57th
Ave. (Red Road). It is about two miles north of the Famous "Parrot Jungle".
My original notes of the time are in storage (I hope), so I cannot add
more details to this list. All my indicated sightings were made by me
in or from that yard. I don't know why it came out to exactly 50
species, but I suspect I really saw more flyovers, at least, early in that
year.

Before I present my list, I would like to mention a particularly
interesting (and apparently rare) sighting I made, and which I never
reported to anyone. On August 20, 1978 I encountered a Kentucky Warbler at
Chekika Park, Dade County. All the field marks were plainly visible on
this slow-moving understory warbler. Maybe you could forward this sighting
to interested authorities as a single person (unconfirmed) event of possible
historical interest.

Yard List: March 19, 1978 to April 27, 1979
(5440 S.W. 84th Terrace, Miami, Florida)

1. Double-crested Cormorant (flock of 3) (overhead)
2. Magnificent Frigatebird (x1) (overhead)
3. Cattle Egret (x3) (Feb 1) (Neighbors' yard)
4. Turkey Vuture (overhead)
5. Swallow-tailed Kite (4 separate times) (low overhead)
6. Sharp-shinned Hawk (soaring overhead- several times)
7. Osprey (frequently overhead- toward Snapper Creek)
8. American Kestrel
9. Laughing Gull (overhead)
10. Rock Dove
11. Mourning Dove
12. Canary-winged Parakeet (3- flying past) (white wing patch when flying)
13. Orange-fronted Parakeet (x2) (perched in the Silk Oak tree)
14. Amazona sp. (did not allow close approach)
15. Eastern Screech Owl (one sighting, but heard often)
16. Common Nighthawk (overhead)
17. Hummingbird sp. (Nov.25) (probable Ruby-throated)
18. Northern (Yellow-shafted) Flicker
19. Red-bellied Woodpecker
20. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
21. Gray Kingbird
22. Bank Swallow (migrating through)(Aug.)
23. Rough-winged Swallow (several) (Nov.)
24. Barn Swallow (most common swallow) (Aug.)
25. Purple Martin
26. Blue Jay (liked to immitate Screech Owls)
27. Common Crow (overhead) (ID by calls)
28. Fish Crow (flock of 40+) (ID by calls)
29. Red-whiskered Bulbul (often at around 4 p.m.- at the birdbath)
30. Northern Mockingbird (our territorial male sang better than the rest!)
31. Gray Catbird (Dec. 21)
32. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
33. Common Starling
34. Hill Mynah (usually seen/heard(!) around sunrise)
35. Black-whiskered Vireo (April 17, 1979) (no mangroves growing there)
36. Northern Parula Warbler (April 27, 1979)
37. Cape May Warbler (April 17, 1979- male)
38. Black-throated blue Warbler (Sep. 29, 1978- male)
39. Blackpoll Warbler (Spring) (also at Cape Florida Lighthouse Park)
40. Prairie Warbler (also at nearby Matheson Hammock Park)
41. Palm Warbler
42. American Redstart
43. House Sparrow
44. Red-winged Blackbird
45. Spot-breasted Oriole (frequented birdbath)
46. Northern (Baltimore) Oriole (Sep. 19- female, April 17- male)
47. Boat-tailed Grackle (undesireables: always messing up birdbath)
48. Common Grackle
49. Northern Cardinal (resident in neighborhood)
50. Painted Bunting (Nov. 15- at birdbath) (feisty)

Phil Hotlen <n8540420 at henson.cc.wwu.edu>
Bellingham, WA