Sparky Now In the Florida Keys

The latest signals show that Sparrow King roosted near the western extremity of the Florida Keys. He spent the night in a continuous forest near the middle of Marquesa Key, about 30 km (19 miles) WNW of the town of Key West.

This area is known for its high numbers of migrant peregrines and merlins. In the 1980's, Tom Smiley and Bill Mattox, both peregrine experts, trapped birds even further west at the Dry Tortugas. The inimitable Scott Ward had suggested the site to them. I recall one photograph with over a dozen birds in sight at one time in a single tree!

Later on, Casey Lott began observing raptors at Curry Hammock Key further east in the keys (near Marathon Key) and discovered one of the largest known peregrine migrations in the world. And apologies to him if I have gotten any of this information wrong!

Their project is jointly supported by Hawk Watch International and the Florida Audubon Society.

I just talked with Scott Ward this morning. He reports that last week, he visited the Grassy Key site and observed 158 migrant peregrines flashing by in a day. So the Keys are obviously a great place to see migrant falcons in fall.

Sparrow King is generally repeating his route from last year. We expect that his next signals will come in from Cuba, en route to Central America.