ML608595319

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

This is a truly wacky and unexpected first state record! Unprecedented invasion of the species into the interior eastern US on the coattails of hurricane Idalia that passed through Florida last week. These birds showed up yesterday on a farm pond and seemed undeterred by the landowner fishing; word only just got out today about their presence. Could these be the two birds that were a one day wonder in Ohio earlier this week? I would bet not. With the nearest known nesting locations for American flamingos in the Caribbean and Yucatán peninsula, it’s hard to fathom these individuals of a non-migratory species, traveling hundreds of miles across the Gulf of Mexico, making landfall on the gulf coast, and then flying several hundred more miles inland before winding up in central Pennsylvania. But that’s what happened! One adult, very pinkish, the other immature, with lighter pink tones. Both birds appeared healthy, feeding in the shallows, mixing the mud with their long legs. and occasionally stretching their wings. Personal curiosity as to why dozens of hurricanes have made similar tracks across the gulf, making landfall in the SE US, and never bringing this flamingo invasion. Secondly, now that it’s happened for a species that is not known for long distance flying, I wonder if the larger flocks turning up on the gulf coast will be the origin of a future breeding population on US soils, potentially establishing new breeding records for several gulf coast states? Or will these birds somehow find their way back to the Caribbean and Yucatán? Time will tell. Certainly these two birds will continue to wander as temperatures turn more fall like in the Northeast. Hopefully they get their compass course set south soon!

Technical information

Model

iPhone 12

Lens

iPhone 12 back dual wide camera 4.2mm f/1.6

ISO

32

Focal length

4.2 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/1.6

Shutter speed

1/428 sec

Dimensions

4032 pixels x 3024 pixels

Original file size

2.33 MB