Florida Birding

[Moira]

I am going to Florida (Bradenton/Sarasota area) the last week of March/first week of April.  I don't have budget for a guide, but was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for areas to check out and what to look for.  I've been to Sanibel Island (Ding Darling) before and will make a return trip there.  I notice a lot of photographers on another site go to Viera Wetlands.  Any info/comments appreciated.  Thanks.

[Napper]

Hey!

Moira, here is a link I found just prior to our trip to FLA at Christmas.  "Florida Birding trails" they are very detailed, you can download them if you want and print them..


http://myfwc.com/gfbt/guide.htm

[Margaret]

I've been to the Port Charlotte area a few times for a week in March or May and seen lots of great birds without a guide.
Even in the car driving on US 41 you can see egrets, heron, ibis on the verges. Once saw a glossy ibis on the median!
I've had both a swallow tail kite and a tropicbird fly over the highway. I've also seen lots of good stuff in the garden where I stayed: red-bellied woodpecker, Carolina wren, mockers and nearby, scrub jays, pileated wpks. Once, a gorgeous great-horned owl stayed for a while.
Good places to visit:
Boca Grande  -check out area around Harpers Marina for pelicans, herons
Gasparilla Island - great for osprey and Royal terns , gulls
Punta Gorda -Peace River trip - wood stork rookery, different herons
                    Ponce de Leon Park- good at sunset at estuary for different herons (on the way watch for burrowing owl site)
Port Charlotte harbour - black skimmers, terns, heron. Again good at sunset
Myakka River State Park - boat tour worth the trip. IF you miss the last boat it's still worth it to take all the trails.
                     I usually see something interesting at the dam - last time a limpkin, prior several sandhill cranes.
Lemon Bay, Blind Bay pass (nr. Englewood); osprey, gulls, ruddy turnstone
Venice: watch for the (feral) green parrots! Also ibis on the rooftops. Check out the harbour, fishing pier (Sharkeys for lunch) and then there's the ROOKERY - NOT SO EASY TO FIND BUT WORTH IT.
Take US 41, driving north, take first left on Annex after Jacaranda. We visited this twice. At pond on left we saw pr. of common gallinules and green heron. Further in on right: trees full of herons, anhingas and egrets. As we were there in May many young seen. Enjoy! PM me if you want more detail.
P.S. When you're on west coast we expect to be in Pensacola area for a week so we'll be able to compare Coastal Birding!
Any tips from anyone on this area?

[denis]

this is all great information.i,m also planning a trip,out there possibly by the end of march.
thanks for the info.

[Moira]

Hey!

Moira, here is a link I found just prior to our trip to FLA at Christmas.  "Florida Birding trails" they are very detailed, you can download them if you want and print them..


http://myfwc.com/gfbt/guide.htm

Thanks so much.  I am collecting maps, directions, info, etc and will definitely add this to my file.

[Moira]

I've been to the Port Charlotte area a few times for a week in March or May and seen lots of great birds without a guide.
Even in the car driving on US 41 you can see egrets, heron, ibis on the verges. Once saw a glossy ibis on the median!
I've had both a swallow tail kite and a tropicbird fly over the highway. I've also seen lots of good stuff in the garden where I stayed: red-bellied woodpecker, Carolina wren, mockers and nearby, scrub jays, pileated wpks. Once, a gorgeous great-horned owl stayed for a while.
Good places to visit:
Boca Grande  -check out area around Harpers Marina for pelicans, herons
Gasparilla Island - great for osprey and Royal terns , gulls
Punta Gorda -Peace River trip - wood stork rookery, different herons
                    Ponce de Leon Park- good at sunset at estuary for different herons (on the way watch for burrowing owl site)
Port Charlotte harbour - black skimmers, terns, heron. Again good at sunset
Myakka River State Park - boat tour worth the trip. IF you miss the last boat it's still worth it to take all the trails.
                     I usually see something interesting at the dam - last time a limpkin, prior several sandhill cranes.
Lemon Bay, Blind Bay pass (nr. Englewood); osprey, gulls, ruddy turnstone
Venice: watch for the (feral) green parrots! Also ibis on the rooftops. Check out the harbour, fishing pier (Sharkeys for lunch) and then there's the ROOKERY - NOT SO EASY TO FIND BUT WORTH IT.
Take US 41, driving north, take first left on Annex after Jacaranda. We visited this twice. At pond on left we saw pr. of common gallinules and green heron. Further in on right: trees full of herons, anhingas and egrets. As we were there in May many young seen. Enjoy! PM me if you want more detail.
P.S. When you're on west coast we expect to be in Pensacola area for a week so we'll be able to compare Coastal Birding!
Any tips from anyone on this area?

Thanks you so much for this info - sounds wonderful - I will have to plan my time well.    Moira

[Napper]

Hey!

Moira. We spent a week on Anna maria island at Christmas (Townships of Anna Maria & Bradenton beach). You don't have to look very hard to find good birds.

Walk the length of beach, Visit the Pier at the North end of Island. Wood storks stop traffic as they causally cross Marina Drive.

Here is a list of what I spotted around the Island.
Spoonbill's ,Turkey Vultures, White and Brown pelicans, Northern Gannets, Great Blue Herons,Great Egrets, Wood Storks, White Ibis's, Osprey, Red bellied Wood pecker, laughing gulls, Sanderlings, Red Knots, Ruddy Turnstones, Willets, Snowy Egrets. American Oyster Catchers and Magnificent Frigate birds soaring over the beach.

I missed spotting the Skimmers .

Napper

It is also a Sea turtle nesting site.

[Moira]

I've actually been to Anna Maria Island (not too far from where my family lives) but didn't bird at the time.  I am really looking forward to this trip with all the possibilities.  Thanks very much.

[Scott]

Hi Moira,

We spend most of our time in Kissimmee & the Indialantic areas. My two favourite places are the Viera Wetlands & Lake Kissimmee at the bottom of Joe Overstreet (Snail Kites & Whooping Cranes).  I would recommend them both highly the next time you are on the Atlantic side.

Here is a link to the Great Florida Birding Trail Site which will provide a wealth of information.

http://www.floridabirdingtrail.com/

[Scott]

Hi Moira,

Gatorland is also well worth a visit at the end of March as many of the birds (Egrets, Herons & Spoonbills) are nesting.  You can pay for a photographers pass which gets you in around 7:30 a.am & can stay in the park after it closes until Sunset.  Its a small area but the birding is incredible.

http://www.gatorland.com/blogs/rookery

[Moira]

Thanks very much Scott

[Moira]

I'm not even home from Florida yet, but wanted to say thanks to all who provided birding locations.  I have been to most of those suggested and I am overjoyed at what I have seen and photographed.  I will need another two weeks off to post process   Thanks again everyone!