Alachua Avifauna: READ BETWEEN THE SEASONS

The winds out on the prairie have been shifting the last few weeks. Those northerly winds have pushed the last of the fall migrants towards and further on from us, and at the same time pushing those wintering species our way as well. Early western vagrants and late fall migrants have occupied the same scene and it's been quite sublime for area birders.

Female vermilion flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus)

Dunlin (Calidris alpina) and least sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)

Dunlin foraging

Long-billed dowitchers (Limnodromus scolopaceus) and lesser yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)

Pectoral sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) with least sandpiper

The notorious kaleidoscope sunsets on the prairie have been enjoyed by such varying species such as ash-throated, scissor-tailed, vermilion (our female from last year - older and wiser, and according to John, turning the tables on the eastern phoebes this year) and least flycatchers, several sparrows species, a slew of shorebird species, and now the waterfowl. The sparrows arrived a little earlier this winter, but who is going to complain? Our most common, savannah, showed up early and are already being seen in near-typical numbers. We've already hosted a surplus of interesting species such as lincoln's, clay-colored, and nelson's, while other more common species such as white-crowned, swamp, and chipping have checked in. As for the waterfowl, our summer resident duck species (mainly wood duck, blue-winged teal, and mottled duck) have been accompanied by green-winged teal, northern pintail, gadwall, and ruddy ducks.

Least flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) above and below

American pipit (Anthus rubescens) above and below

The last of the fall migrant warblers are still here, but their presence is rapidly fading. Luckily, we're still able to find american redstart, northern parula, tennessee, and northern waterthrush mixing and mingling with our winter species (i.e. orange-crowned, palm, and yellow-rumped). So enjoy these few weeks where these fall migrants and winter residents are thrown into a non-violent vortex of a birding smorgasboard. Thankfully for FL birders this natural phenomenon isn't restricted to Alachua County. The entire state has been treated to some truly awesome species stopping by to catch a bite and either move on or settle in. Species such as scissor-tailed flycatchers, western flycatchers, sulfur-bellied flycatchers, black scoters, western tanagers, purple sandpiper, red-throated loon, red-footed booby, franklin's gull, cape may warbler, and townsend's solitaire have been reported from Pensacola to Homestead. It's been an incredible run as of late, and let's hope it continues.