On paper, a Thick-billed Vireo description reads a little like a “LBJ” (little brown job). “Medium sized (5-6 inches), olive-green upperparts, brown iris, pale yellow underparts. Most often heard, not seen. Frequents dense undergrowth and thickets”. Oh….and it’s a Code 4 – meaning it pops over from the Bahamas to southeastern Florida, maybe once every other year. Frankly, I never felt I’d be in the right place at the right time to find this non-migratory bird. Therefore, I never expected to add this accidental US visitor to my life-list. Until President’s Day.
Fortunately for me, I was traveling to Fort Lauderdale very early Monday morning (5:45 flight!), a day after the rare bird report texts came over my phone. Crandon Park, Key Biscayne…..totally doable from Lauderdale. Everything went smoothly and I pulled into an empty Crandon Park Nature Center parking lot at 10am.
My early concern that this was going to be another “needle-in-the-haystack” search was alleviated as I was quickly joined by a woman from Orlando, a man from Milwaukee, a father-son duet from Toronto and a “Big Year” participant from Australia. Within minutes our target vocalized and we caught glimpses of him darting through the, yes….dense undergrowth, hunting for insects.
I had my “lifer” but a photograph seemed impossible. The others also were equipped with cameras but the conditions were not permitting a photograph worthy of this blog. Over the next three hours, perhaps satisfied with (at best) a dark silhouette image of this passerine, the others wished me well and departed. Except for the VERY persistent and friendly Canadians. Not much longer after the self-described “impatient ADD” man from Sydney succumbed to the bugs, the Toronto guys motioned me through the tangles to come to the courtyard. There was our bird, gleaning a meal from an eye-level bush. I think you will agree that he is far from drab or dull but rather, well….spectacular!
Thick-billed Vireo (Key Biscayne)
Code 4! Thick-billed Vireo
birdtalesblog 
I knew first!!
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Crandon Park!
How many times have I been there… Decades ago.
Nice photos.
FFEJ
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Cheers FFEJ!
Beautiful!!!
Thanks Arlin!
Well done
Maguire
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Thanks!
Nicely done, George — glad you got those terrific shots!
Thanks JoePhoto!
Another excellent bird for the list!!!
As is Mace!
Great photo capture, Woody!
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Thanks Mike!
That’s an amazing photo of a beautiful bird! Nice catch, George!
Thanks brother Joe!
My husband and I have become more interested in birds now that we are traveling the US fulltime. Our current campground in New Mexico has Gambel’s quail and white winged doves and a bunch of others that we are trying to identify. Thanks for sharing your latest sighting, George! Hope you are doing well.
Hi Maura! Great to read you. All fine here in 19041. JEALOUS of you!! If/When you return to the area…it would be fun to have a catch-up. best, George