The Key West citizen., 1954-09-18
Audubon Notes
by FRANCES HAMEs
President, Monroe County
Audubon Soeietv

BY FRANCES HAMEs
President, Monroe County
Audubon Society
Tho purpose Of this society is
to encourage fhe study Of wild
birds, othsr animals. plants, soil
and water; 70 maintain q Sane.
tvsry and otherwise TO aid in the
protection and preservation Of
cur natural resources; TO parii.
eipsis in local, state and nation
aI soNssrvation projects, and to
Inspire Q love Of nature.
This summer while some of you
were vacationing in far.away- -pla-
ces we had interesting visitors -
both birds and people. We believe
more drnithologists are coming
down 10 Key West now as the re.
suit OF our reporting in Audubon
Field Notes, a publication that is
read throughout this County and
Canada. We get a great many re-
quests for additional information
from interested people and some
come down just to look at the
Great White Herons.
A Limpkin was found feeding at
Flaglef and Tropical Streets on
June a by Mrs. Everett Cox, and
was later observed by several
members of the Audubon Society.
The Lilnpkin Is rare winter visi-
tor to Key West but not known to
be here as late as June. This bird.
noted flor his weird night call, and
is com non about Anhinga Trail in
the Everglades National Park,
walked about Mrs. Co.'S lawn as
fearless aly as if he, had been right
at home in the marsh.
A sn) ooth.billed Ami was in the
area Of Tropical and Washington
Streets for several days in June.
He was first seen (heard) on the
morning of our Audubon breakfast
At the County Beach, on the 18th.
A day pr two later =. Wenksbsek
reported seeing him near his house
on Washington Street. Then Mar.
gsrsf Hvndley rushed to the spot
and identified him as the above.
There Are only two or three re.
cords OF this bird in Key West.
One OF the most interesting finds
for the summer was that of Bird
led Terh, on June s, by Mrs. Geo.
Rsnns. She picked up the bird N
. dying condition beside the Cana,
back Of their house on Flagler
Street, and it died shortly after.
George stevenson prepared the
SKIN and took il to Robert Porter
Allen at Tavernier, who confirm.
ed the Identification. Not more
than a dozen Bridled Terms have
been reported in Florida.
The Northern Phalarope observ.
Q oy Ievis Sfimson, and others,
on August Is, is also a new bird
Tor our Field Card. The Phalaropes
are commonly birds of the sea and
we mad not even hoped to see one
close in-shore. This bird was
searching for food in the seaweed
between West Martello Towers and
the end of White Street.
Black necked Stills, Roseate
Spoonbilas and a Reddish Egret
stayed through the summer. Since
1t is evident that we are surely
losing our fresh water ponds. the
birds seemed to know too that this
was the last chance to enjoy Kew
West - and for the first time some
Key Westers have seen Roseata
Spoonbills.
The Cuban Golden Warbler an.
pears to be a common nesting bird
now on the Lower Florida Keys.
We have heard the song and or seen
birds as far up as Big Pine Key.
No nests have beenfound but an
adult and an immature or female
bird were observed closely by
Marie Cobb and | on Little Torch
Key. june 1s. It has been only four
years sir zee this bird was first
found on Key West. The only re.
cords pr@vious to that we're on the
Bay Keys. Native to the mangrove
swamps lof Cuba, Jamaica and
some other islands Of the West In.
dies, this beautiful little warbler i,
definitely (ornitholosists note) ex.
tending bis range.
The practice Of conservatism
is an adt Of patriotism and the
vndsrstsI,dinS Of u, the breach.
Ing Of u and The eoHtribufion TO
", are barfs Of fhs fvndsmen.
rel dvtieb Of . citizen in . free
Seeisty.1 - Sherman Adams.
On the week end OF August %.
we had the pleasure of entertain.
ing Or. ald Mrs. Milton B. Travt.
man and their little daughter,
Beth, from Ohio. DR.. Trautman is
at the University of Ohio, and IS
the author of that much referred.
to publicalt zion Birds of Buckeye
Lake." q copy Of which he left
with US.
Mr.. snd Mrs. Louis Stimson
from Miallni paid us another vis;,