Preliminary CBC Results

By Dave Freeland

The 56th annual Cocoa Christmas Bird Count was conducted December 16 in balmy, overcast weather and a less-than-wonderful array of bird species and numbers. Still, 160 species were noted, including the CBC's first-ever Pacific Loon, a second count record of Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and a third-ever Red-throated Loon. Also seen: Black Scoter, Broad-winged Hawk, Crested Caracara, Long-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Black-backed Gull, White-winged Dove, Whip-poor-will, American Redstart, Grasshopper Sparrow and White-crowned Sparrow.

It was a bonanza weekend for Carl Goodrich as he and I joined Jeff Lauffer and Trudy Widick in spotting a Merritt Island NWR count-first Dovekie flying over the Atlantic Ocean from Playalinda Beach yesterday (December 18). What a week in Central Florida for this visiting Key West expert! The Pacific Loon was spotted twice flying over the Banana River from Merritt Island by Goodrich, a veteran observer well familiar with the species from his Massachusetts birding days. It can be watched for by other interested birders from the base of Honeymoon Hill on South Tropical Trail (Route 3), Merritt Island. Scan the Banana River to the east. Please report further observations to Dave Freeland at _freela148@aol.com_ (mailto:freela148@aol.com) .

The Red-throated Loon, also found by Goodrich and later photographed at more distant range, can be seen from Osteen Park, also on South Tropical Trail, Merritt Island, in the Indian River. Osteen Park is one half-mile south of Route 520 on the right side of the road. Walk through the park to the riverside viewing platform.

The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher had been present for about a week at the intersection of Tucker Lane and Providence Road in West Cocoa. Tucker Lane is a turn southward off Route 520 just west of I-95 Interchange 201.