The 80 Christmas Bird Counts conducted in Florida during the 120th season set the record for the most counts held in the state, a trend that has been the norm for the past 12 seasons. Three counts not run during the 119th season—Biscayne N.P., Boca Raton, and Estero Bay—resumed this season, the Big Cypress CBC was not run, the Christmas CBC was missed for the second year, and the inaugural Clay County East CBC was run. Florida’s 80 CBCs accounted for 9693 accepted observations of 355 taxonomic forms and 1,455,060 individuals; the latter is the next-to-lowest total over the past 10 CBC seasons. The taxonomic forms comprised 288 native species or natural vagrants, the reintroduced Whooping Crane, all 15 extant “countable” exotics (the Scaly-breasted Munia population is newly considered established), 27 “non-countable” exotics, one hybrid/backcross (Mallard × Mottled Duck), one color morph (“Great White Heron”), one intergrade (“Wurdemann’s Heron”), and 21 species-groups (e.g., plover species, Ruby-throated/Black-chinned hummingbird). Four other species, Ross’s Goose, Neotropic Cormorant, Smooth-billed Ani, and Bullock’s Oriole, were found exclusively during count-week.
Accepted species totals ranged from 25 (at Dry Tortugas N.P., where the park superintendent has severely reduced participant effort in recent years) to 170 (at Gainesville, remarkably an inland count). Seven other CBCs, all of them coastal, exceeded 149 “countable” species: Sarasota (164), Alafia Banks (160), St. Marks (158), North Pinellas (157), Jacksonville (155), St. Petersburg (155), West Pasco (155), and South Brevard County (150). Five CBCs, including three inland (*), tallied more than 50,000 individuals: Cocoa (134,837, including 100,000 Lesser Scaup), *Kissimmee Valley (70,613, including 40,000 Tree Swallows and 12,500 American Coots), *Gainesville (61,193), Alafia Banks (56,550), and *Econlockhatchee (52,238).
This summary follows the current taxonomy (species arrangement) and nomenclature (species names) of the American Ornithological Society (formerly the American Ornithologists’ Union), so the order differs considerably in places from the older taxonomy used for CBCs. Additionally, rare species or high numbers that were not documented sufficiently are not included here. Bold-faced numbers denote high counts since the 102nd CBC season, when I became Florida CBC Editor.
Four species were tallied on all 80 counts: Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Belted Kingfisher, and Yellow-rumped Warbler. Seven species exceeded 50,000 individuals statewide: Lesser Scaup (149,515), Tree Swallow (110,787), American Robin (76,958), Fish Crow (72,141), White Ibis (70,888), Laughing Gull (67,435), and Red-winged Blackbird (56,077). In contrast, 16 native species or natural vagrants were each documented by a single individual (excluding count-week birds): Greater White-fronted Goose (Emeralda–Sunnyhill), Long-tailed Duck (Cedar Key), Red-throated Loon (Panacea), Cory’s Shearwater (West Palm Beach), Purple Sandpiper (Jacksonville), Heermann’s Gull (West Palm Beach), Scaly-naped Pigeon (Sanibel–Captiva), Chuck-will’s-widow (Long Pine Key), Vaux’s Swift (Gainesville), Buff-bellied Hummingbird (Kissimmee Valley), Say’s Phoebe (Brooksville), La Sagra’s Flycatcher (Long Pine Key), Golden-winged Warbler (Kendall Area), Swainson’s Warbler (Dade County), Western Tanager (Gainesville), and Hooded Oriole (´ˇ°ůľ±±č±đ°ě˛ąâ€“B˛ą˛â±č´Ç°ůłŮ).
The 15,670 Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks—5000+ more than during the 119th season’s record!—tallied on 43 counts indicate population growth on a massive scale, with 6875 (!) at Gainesville, 1100 at Zellwood–Mount Dora, 920 at Sarasota, 750 at Venice–Englewood, and 650 at Bradenton. Fulvous Whistling-Ducks totaled 271 individuals: 270 at Zellwood-Mount Dora and one at Gainesville. Single Snow Geese were south to Tampa and Myakka River S.P., and a Greater White-fronted Goose graced Emeralda–Sunnyhill. Canada Geese, composed almost exclusively of resident exotics, numbered 1487 on 19 counts, with 475 at Jacksonville and 415 at Tallahassee. Lakeland supplied most or all of the state’s exotic swans, with 50 Mute, 16 Black, and two Black-necked. Egyptian Geese continue to expand their population, with 895 individuals on 11 counts, including 250 at Kendall Area, 200 at Fort Lauderdale, and 160 at West Palm Beach. Muscovy Ducks numbered 5143 individuals on 58 counts, led by 650 at Kendall Area and 500 at Fort Lauderdale. Two exotic Cinnamon Teal were at Fort Lauderdale, while a potentially wild male was at Jonathan Dickinson S.P. Eight American Black Ducks were tallied at St. Marks. The White-cheeked Pintail at Fort Lauderdale was one of a duo that has been resident for years, but the one at Naples may have been a vagrant. As always, Lesser Scaup dominated the waterfowl totals, but in much smaller numbers this season. Of the state’s 149,515 individuals, 100,000 were at Cocoa, with 30,000 others at Alafia Banks. Single Greater Scaup were south to North Pinellas and Merritt Island N.W.R. Common Eiders enlivened Cocoa and Dade County. It was a poor scoter winter; statewide totals were 282 Black on 11 counts, and 25 Surf on five; no White-winged Scoters were encountered. A Long-tailed Duck at Cedar Key was the sole Florida report. Highest counts of 3106 Buffleheads statewide were along the northern Gulf coast: 640 at Cedar Key, 550 at Apalachicola Bay–St. Vincent N.W.R., and 420 at St. Marks.
For several years, I have stressed the need to carefully examine Mallards and Mottled Ducks to determine how many of these may be hybrids (or, more accurately, backcrosses). Those that cannot be identified should be listed as “Mallard/Mottled Duck.” The identification of these ducks is so hopelessly confused that I now combine all Mallards, Mottled Ducks, hybrids/backcrosses, and unknowns into a single “Muddled Duck” total, which this year numbered 7719 individuals. I do not believe any Florida CBC that reports dozens of Mottled Ducks and few or no backcrosses or unknowns. With even experienced birders overlooking obvious signs of backcrossing (e.g., heavily streaked cheeks, white in the tail, black uppertail coverts) and misidentifying these birds as Mottled Ducks, I feel that it is no longer possible to determine accurate counts of Mottled Ducks on Florida CBCs.
Northern Bobwhites totaled only 99 individuals on 19 counts, the lowest total in the 19 years that I have been editing Florida’s CBCs. The only double-digit totals were from Gainesville (24), Avon Park A.F. Range (21), and Alafia Banks (14). In contrast, Wild Turkeys numbered 1653 individuals on 49 counts, with 107 at Avon Park A.F. Range, 106 at Flagler, and 98 at West Volusia. Exotic fowl totals were 205 Indian Peafowl on 12 counts and 62 Red Junglefowl on three. An adult American Flamingo present at St. Marks since November 2018 was considered a storm-driven vagrant, while the feral flamingo flock at Hialeah Race Track on the Dade County CBC numbered 227 individuals. Rock Pigeons numbered 9325 individuals on 55 counts, representing a slight increase over the recent downward trend. A Scaly-naped Pigeon photographed on the Sanibel–Captiva CBC represented the first North American record since 1929! Unfortunately, the bird roosted on private property and its presence was suppressed to all but a few birders. White-crowned Pigeons numbered 109 individuals on six counts, with 72 at Long Pine Key. Numbers of Eurasian Collared-Doves continued their decade-long decline, with just 3301 individuals found on 66 counts—their lowest total since I became editor. One Smooth-billed Ani was found count-week at Long Pine Key. Groove-billed Ani was absent from Florida’s CBCs this season.
Three Lesser Nighthawks were at Coot Bay–Everglades N.P. A Chuck-will’s-widow at Long Pine Key was surprisingly the only CBC report. For the fifth consecutive year, a small flock of Vaux’s Swifts wintered at Gainesville, with one individual tallied on the CBC; a Chaetura species at Lake City probably also was a Vaux’s. Florida’s 253 hummingbirds comprised 241 Ruby-throated, one Rufous at Pensacola, one Buff-bellied at Kissimmee Valley, and 10 not identified (or not documented) specifically. Of Florida’s 438 Clapper Rails, 249 on nine counts were along the Atlantic coast, and 189 on 19 counts were along the Gulf coast. Purple Gallinules numbered 552 statewide, with 168 at Emeralda–Sunnyhill, 75 at Lakeland, and 47 at STA5–Clewiston. Double-digit totals for the state’s 76 Gray-headed Swamphens on eight counts were 30 at West Palm Beach, 26 at STA5–Clewiston, and 15 at Orange River. Four Black Rails were at Long Pine Key, with singles at Cocoa and West Pasco. Limpkins continue their increase, with 2265 individuals on 52 counts, including 510 at Gainesville, 170 each at Myakka River S.P. and Sarasota, and 100 at Lakeland. Florida’s 16,379 Sandhill Cranes were found on 55 counts, with 8000 at Gainesville, 1000 at Melrose, and 800 at Lake Placid. Some of the last few Whooping Cranes surviving from an unsuccessful reintroduction program that ended in 2008 were found at Kissimmee Valley (two) and Gainesville and Lake Wales (one each), with another count-week at Lake Placid.
There were 203 Black-necked Stilts on 11 counts, and 349 American Avocets on nine. American Oystercatcher numbers were way down, but Cedar Key again reigns as the hotspot, providing 460 of the state’s 768 individuals. American Golden-Plovers, irregular in Florida during winter, were photographed at Long Pine Key and St. Marks. Cumulative totals of small plovers were 127 Snowy on 10 counts, 153 Wilson’s on 18, 5604 Semipalmated on 36, and 77 Piping on 11. The state’s 36 Whimbrels were found at Coot Bay–Everglades N.P. (16), Matanzas (11), Cedar Key (5), and West Pasco (4). Single Long-billed Curlews enlivened Cedar Key, Coot Bay–Everglades N.P., North Pinellas, and St. Augustine. Marbled Godwits totaled 266 individuals on 15 counts, with 76 at Coot Bay–Everglades N.P. Red Knots numbered 1144 individuals on 18 counts; highest counts were 360 at Sarasota, 311 at Ponce Inlet, and 166 at Fort De Soto. One Purple Sandpiper was found at Jacksonville, with another count-week at Fort Pierce. Gainesville accounted for 13 of the state’s 52 American Woodcocks.
Pomarine Jaegers numbered seven at West Palm Beach and one at Daytona Beach, while Parasitic Jaegers were tallied at Daytona Beach (two) and Matanzas (one). No Franklin’s Gulls lingered into the CBC season. Florida’s second Heermann’s Gull was found in Brevard County in August 2019 and has been traveling up and down the Atlantic coast since then; it was tallied on a CBC at West Palm Beach. Many Great Black-backed Gulls and (especially) Lesser Black-backed Gulls in southern Florida were not documented; let’s work to improve on this for the 121st season. Four Sooty Terns were at Dry Tortugas N.P. Two Gull-billed Terns at Coot Bay–Everglades N.P represented the only report this season. Twelve Common Terns were documented on four CBCs, with eight at Stuart, two at Panacea, and singles at St. Petersburg and Sarasota. Forster’s Terns numbered 2508 individuals on 51 counts. Black Skimmers totaled 7612 individuals on 31 counts, with 1400 at Cedar Key, 1000 at Naples, 730 at Sarasota, and 700 at Cocoa.
The state’s sole Red-throated Loon was at Panacea. Common Loon numbers were down this season, with 786 individuals on 40 counts; Bay County provided the only triple-digit total, with 143. A Cory’s Shearwater at West Palm Beach was the only shearwater documented. Among the 763 Magnificent Frigatebirds found on 26 counts were 170 at Dry Tortugas N.P., 133 at Key West, 92 at Ten Thousand Islands, and 73 at Sanibel–Captiva. Masked Boobies totaled five at Dry Tortugas N.P. and one at Dade County, while five Brown Boobies were at North Pinellas, with another at Dry Tortugas N.P. Triple-digit counts of Northern Gannets came from Cocoa (265), St. Augustine (116), and Daytona Beach (110). West Palm Beach provided the only Neotropic Cormorant (count-week), where the species has bred—at times with Double-crested Cormorants—since 2012. There were 12,176 American White Pelicans on 51 counts, and 18,575 Brown Pelicans on 54, including 80 inland at Lakeland. Storks and wading birds totaled 142,147 individuals, among these 5281 Wood Storks, 239 “Great White Herons” (including 191 at Coot Bay–Everglades N.P.), 99 Reddish Egrets, 70,888 White Ibises, 9856 Glossy Ibises, and 1363 Roseate Spoonbills. Three White-faced Ibises enlivened St. Marks.
There were 23,687 Black Vultures on 76 counts, and 46,940 Turkey Vultures on 79.
Totals of selected diurnal raptors included 4073 Ospreys on 77 counts, 1706 Bald Eagles on 71, and 4090 Red-shouldered Hawks on 72. Eight White-tailed Kites were tallied: three at STA5–Clewiston, duos at Avon Park A.F. Range and Long Pine Key, and one at Kendall Area. Highest counts of the state’s 234 Snail Kites on 23 counts were 104 at Gainesville, 49 at Kissimmee Valley, 22 at Jonathan Dickinson S.P., and 11 at Econlockhatchee. Mirroring the situation with Limpkins, the kite increase is caused by the explosion of exotic channeled apple snails in the peninsula (thought to be the result of “aquarium dumping”). Sharp-shinned Hawks rebounded from recent lower totals, with 100 individuals on 52 counts. Cooper’s Hawks continue their increase, with 282 individuals on 72 CBCs. Short-tailed Hawks numbered 74 individuals on 20 counts, with 18 at Kendall Area and 12 at Dade County. No rare owls were reported; totals for the five regular species were 42 Barn on 14 counts; 277 Eastern Screech-Owls on 59; 286 Great Horned on 61; 100 Burrowing on seven; and 431 Barred on 56. Belted Kingfishers were found on every CBC, with a statewide total of 2196 individuals.
Red-headed Woodpeckers numbered 284 individuals on 33 counts. Dryobates totals were 2127 Downy on 74 counts, 26 Hairy on nine, and 72 Red-cockaded on 10; the latter species was recently translocated into Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, thereby furnishing a first for the Fakahatchee CBC. Northern Flickers numbered 634 individuals on 63 counts. Statewide caracara and falcon totals were 84 Crested Caracaras on 18 counts, 2152 American Kestrels on 79, 92 Merlins on 51, and 63 Peregrine Falcons on 30. Twenty-three CBCs reported at least one of the 17 psittacid species found this season; among these were 716 Monk Parakeets on 18 counts, and 804 Nanday Parakeets on 16 counts. This marks the third CBC season where Nandays outnumbered Monks on Florida CBCs, and I expect this trend to continue. The only other psittacid to reach triple-digit individuals was Mitred Parakeet, with 400 at Kendall Area and 23 at Dade County.
Seven Least Flycatchers were found on five counts, including duos at Long Pine Key and Zellwood–Mount Dora, and one north to Gainesville. A Say’s Phoebe was photographed at Brooksville. A male Vermilion Flycatcher graced St. Marks, while a male and a female were found a few miles apart at Zellwood–Mount Dora. Seven Ash-throated Flycatchers were documented on four CBCs: three at Zellwood–Mount Dora, two at Jackson County, and singles at East Pasco and Gainesville. Great Crested Flycatchers totaled 390 individuals on 31 counts mostly in the southern third of the peninsula, with 45 at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, 34 at Ten Thousand Islands, and 32 at Orange River. Single Brown-crested Flycatchers were documented at Gainesville and Long Pine Key. A La Sagra’s Flycatcher at Long Pine Key represented the 12th North American CBC report (with all reports from Florida). A Tropical Kingbird was photographed at STA5–Clewiston. Only seven Scissor-tailed Flycatchers were documented this season: three at Long Pine Key, two at North Pinellas, and singles at Alafia Banks and East Pasco. Bell’s Vireos were at Clermont and Kendall Area, with another count-week at Gainesville. Seven Yellow-throated Vireos each were at Dade County and Kendall Area, with two at Fort Lauderdale, and singles each at Key Largo–Plantation Key and West Palm Beach. The highest counts for the state’s 1610 Loggerhead Shrikes on 68 counts were again from along the southern Gulf coast, with 147 at Peace River, 103 at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, 90 at Naples, 75 at Fort Myers, and 72 at Sarasota. Florida Scrub-Jays numbered 277 individuals on 17 counts. Crow totals were 9821 American on 64 counts, and 72,141 Fish on 68. Carolina Chickadees totaled 2302 individuals on 41 counts, and 3180 Tufted Titmice were tallied on 54. Two Horned Larks were at Jackson County, where the species now is resident. Twenty-two Purple Martins were found on three counts: 14 at Sarasota (where birds arrived back on 27 December 2019!), five at South Brevard, and three at Fort Pierce.
Nine Red-whiskered Bulbuls were tallied at Kendall Area. Kinglet totals were 10 Golden-crowned on seven counts and 2888 Ruby-crowned on 58. It was a poor season for Red-breasted Nuthatches, with two at Pensacola providing the only CBC report. Twenty-three White-breasted Nuthatches were at Tallahassee; reports from two other CBCs were not documented. Brown-headed Nuthatches totaled 621 individuals on 37 counts. Brown Creeper was not found this season. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, found on every Florida CBC except Dry Tortugas N.P., totaled 14,435 individuals. Duos of Winter Wrens were at Gainesville, Ichetucknee–Santa Fe–O’Leno, and Jacksonville. Totals for the state’s exotic sturnids were two Common Hill Mynas and four Common Mynas at Kendall Area, and 30,796 European Starlings on 73 counts. Eastern Bluebirds totaled 4186 individuals on 57 counts, with 275 at Jackson County, and 250 each at Gainesville and Pensacola. Single Wood Thrushes were documented at Gainesville and Sarasota. American Robins numbered 76,958 individuals on 64 counts, with 20,000 at South Brevard, 4700 at Flagler, and 4000 each at Emeralda–Sunnyhill and Merritt Island N.W.R. There were 3121 Cedar Waxwings on 47 counts. Scaly-breasted Munias, recently added to the Official Florida Bird List as an established exotic based on a growing population in the western Panhandle, numbered 134 at Pensacola and 92 at Kendall Area; three at Gainesville were considered to be local escapees/releases. There were 1455 House Sparrows on 57 counts, including 96 at Sarasota, 92 at Dade County, 71 each at Pensacola and Venice–Englewood, and 70 at Bay County. Two Sprague’s Pipits were at their usual wintering site at Apalachicola Bay–St. Vincent N.W.R. House Finches numbered 1182 individuals on 52 counts, with 168 at Jackson County, 151 at Pensacola, and 150 at Choctawhatchee Bay. No Purple Finches were reported this season. As further evidence of a poor “winter finch” year, only two Pine Siskins were found statewide, with both at Tallahassee.
Twenty species of sparrows were accepted; the rarest were a Clay-colored Sparrow count-week at Brooksville, a Lark Sparrow at South Brevard, three Fox Sparrows at Gainesville, and single LeConte’s Sparrows at Aripeka–Bayport, Gainesville (count-week), Panacea, and St. Marks. Field Sparrows numbered 90 individuals on 19 counts, their best total in several years. Seaside Sparrow numbers on Florida CBCs fluctuate dramatically; this season, 112 were found on seven counts: 19 on six counts along the Gulf coast, south to Cedar Key, and 90 at Jacksonville, representing the only Atlantic coastal count. Nelson’s Sparrows numbered 56 individuals on 10 counts, while only eight Saltmarsh Sparrows were found, at Jacksonville (five), Fort De Soto (two), and St. Augustine (one). Fourteen Henslow’s Sparrows were tallied: eight at Gainesville, three at St. Marks, two at Panacea, and one at Zellwood–Mount Dora. There were 11 Lincoln’s Sparrows at Long Pine Key, with singles at Clay County East and Zellwood–Mount Dora. Swamp Sparrows numbered 1640 on 60 counts, with 335 at Gainesville, 141 at Zellwood–Mount Dora, 96 at Kissimmee Valley, and 85 at West Pasco.
Nine Yellow-breasted Chats were found: five at Long Pine Key, and singles at Coot Bay–Everglades N.P., Gainesville, Kendall Area, and Matanzas. Single Yellow-headed Blackbirds brightened up Kendall Area and Sarasota. Eastern Meadowlarks totaled 1603 individuals on 57 counts, including 144 at Gainesville, 130 at Jackson County, 95 at Lake Placid, and 78 at Long Pine Key. The male Hooded Oriole discovered on the Aripeka–Bayport count established the third Florida record and the first Florida CBC record; it remained for five more days and was enjoyed by many birders. Twenty-two Spot-breasted Orioles were tallied: seven at Kendall Area, six at Fort Lauderdale, four at Dade County, three at West Palm Beach, and two at Boca Raton. Fifty-nine of the state’s 113 Baltimore Orioles were at Gainesville; the next-highest counts were nine at Melrose and eight at Lakeland. Single Shiny Cowbirds were found at Apalachicola Bay–St. Vincent N.W.R. and Naples. Bronzed Cowbirds totaled 80 on three counts: 77 at Kendall Area, two at Sarasota, and one at Fort Lauderdale. There were 18,701 Brown-headed Cowbirds on 56 counts, with 5600 at Lakeland, 1400 at Ichetucknee–Santa Fe–O’Leno, 1200 at Kissimmee Valley, 1080 at Alafia Banks, and 1050 at Brooksville. Rusty Blackbirds were at Gainesville (24) and Panacea (one). No Brewer’s Blackbirds were found this season. Grackle totals were 37,258 Common on 74 counts and 24,114 Boat-tailed on 70.
This season, 24 species of wood-warblers were accepted. Rarest among these were a Golden-winged Warbler at Kendall Area (furnishing the second Florida winter record), a Swainson’s Warbler at Dade County, single Blue-winged Warblers at Cocoa and Long Pine Key, Worm-eating Warblers documented at Dade County and Kendall Area, single Wilson’s Warblers at Gainesville and Kendall Area, and Louisiana Waterthrushes at Dade County, Gainesville, and Long Pine Key. Five wood-warblers exceeded 1000 individuals statewide: 33,582 Yellow-rumped on 79 counts, 19,704 Palm on all 80 counts; 7876 Pine on 71; 3161 Common Yellowthroats on 77; and 1103 Black-and-white on 75. In terms of the numbers of less-common wintering wood-warblers, Kendall Area rules supreme over other Florida CBCs. Consider these totals from this season: 61 American Redstarts, 12 Cape May Warblers, 145 Northern Parulas, and 10 Magnolia, 30 Black-throated Blue, 58 Prairie, and 25 Black-throated Green warblers! Summer Tanagers totaled 24 on 10 counts, including nine at Kendall Area, five at Gainesville, and two at Dade County. A Western Tanager photographed at Gainesville was the only documented report. Northern Cardinals were tallied on every CBC except at Dry Tortugas N.P.; highest counts were 800 at Gainesville, 300 at Ichetucknee–Santa Fe–O’Leno, 235 at Tallahassee, and 200 each at Jacksonville and Pensacola. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were documented at Dade County and Sarasota. Two Blue Grosbeaks were at Zellwood–Mount Dora, with others at Alafia Banks and Gainesville. Painted Buntings numbered 495 individuals on 40 counts, with 65 at West Palm Beach, 63 at Kendall Area, 42 at Fort Pierce, and 34 at Stuart.
For the eleventh year, Bruce Anderson reviewed most of the ~165 documentation forms received from (only) 43 counts. Bruce and I deleted undocumented reports of 21 extremely rare or often-misidentified species from 15 counts; the deleted reports represent 0.22 percent of all the sightings from this season. One CBC had four species deleted, another lost three species, two others lost two species each, and each of 10 counts had one species deleted. Species deleted from Florida’s CBCs were Common Merganser, Broad-winged Hawk (from four counts), Common Tern, Barn Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Winter Wren, Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Worm-eating Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow Warbler (from two counts), Black-throated Blue Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, “ĂŰčÖAPP’s” Yellow-rumped Warbler, Rusty Blackbird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Lincoln’s Sparrow. Bruce and I appended 64 other sightings with the “Details Desired” editorial code, and 30 others with the “Questionable Number” code; the latter was used primarily for Mottled Duck totals.
Bruce and I appreciate the efforts of all of Florida’s CBC compilers and participants. We especially thank the compilers of the following counts for their care and attention to detail: Alafia Banks, Apalachicola Bay–St. Vincent N.W.R., Aripeka–Bayport, Cedar Key, Cocoa, Fort De Soto, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Green Swamp, Jacksonville, Kendall Area, Lake Placid, Lakeland, Myakka River S.P., Panacea, Sarasota, South Brevard, Tampa, West Palm Beach, and West Pasco.
Congratulations to Dave Goodwin of St. Petersburg, who participated on his 300th CBC, at Tampa on 4 January 2020! And now a personal note to Ken and Linda Tracey, former New Port Richey residents, who recently moved to California. The Traceys have been stalwarts on the three CBCs held in Pasco County for more than 20 years, and Ken’s herculean scouting and planning talents were largely responsible for the exceptional species totals at West Pasco, topping out at 175 species during the 109th season. Best of luck, Ken and Linda—and have fun with all those new California birds! Bruce Anderson and Valeri Ponzo proofed this summary, and Val provided critical support.