swamp_rattler
Well-known member
Hello all,
I'll be in Florida in late June, basically for a family reunion sort of deal (which I'm dreading), but I'm going to sneak away every chance I get for some birding and herping. I'll be working out of Tampa, where the family has rented a home for the week. I'm trying to find sites near Tampa (within two hours), but I'm hoping to make it further south as well (Ding Darling, maybe the Everglades).
I haven't been to Florida since I was 13 (back in 1994), and although I was very much interested in birds I didn't have binoculars and actual field birding was minimal. So in essence, it really is my first birding trip to Florida.
I have a list of 32 birds I came up with that I feel are possible (I'm not including extra hard birds like Masked Duck or localized exotics in the Miami area such as Spot-breasted Oriole. I'm keeping this first trip simple!
Naturally, I have several questions:
--Any nice area to find and get close to (for photography's sake) waders? I'd love to see the following lifers (along with your other cool species I've already seen): Reddish Egret, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Limpkin, and Wood Stork?
-- Any reliable areas in the area for Purple Gallinule? I guess you hear lots of requests for this one...but they're sooooo pretty!
--How's the shorebirding situation? Would Honeymoon Island be good for American Oystercatchers, Wilson's and Snowy Plovers, and Willets? Is it likely to see lazy shorebirds that never migrated out of the area, such as Western Sandpipers, Red Knots, or Piping Plovers?
--Do Gray Kingbirds and Black-whiskered Vireos occur commonly this far north? Or am I better off trying Sanibel Is. for those two plus Mangrove Cuckoo?
--What's a good recommendation for central FL birding...for Florida Scrub Jays, Burrowing Owls, Crested Caracara, Bachman's Sparrow, etc?
Anything else you wanna throw in, I'm all ears.
I have Pranty's newest ed. of his ABA birdfinding guide, and I just ordered Brian Rapoza's newer guide.
Thanks!
I'll be in Florida in late June, basically for a family reunion sort of deal (which I'm dreading), but I'm going to sneak away every chance I get for some birding and herping. I'll be working out of Tampa, where the family has rented a home for the week. I'm trying to find sites near Tampa (within two hours), but I'm hoping to make it further south as well (Ding Darling, maybe the Everglades).
I haven't been to Florida since I was 13 (back in 1994), and although I was very much interested in birds I didn't have binoculars and actual field birding was minimal. So in essence, it really is my first birding trip to Florida.
I have a list of 32 birds I came up with that I feel are possible (I'm not including extra hard birds like Masked Duck or localized exotics in the Miami area such as Spot-breasted Oriole. I'm keeping this first trip simple!
Naturally, I have several questions:
--Any nice area to find and get close to (for photography's sake) waders? I'd love to see the following lifers (along with your other cool species I've already seen): Reddish Egret, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Limpkin, and Wood Stork?
-- Any reliable areas in the area for Purple Gallinule? I guess you hear lots of requests for this one...but they're sooooo pretty!
--How's the shorebirding situation? Would Honeymoon Island be good for American Oystercatchers, Wilson's and Snowy Plovers, and Willets? Is it likely to see lazy shorebirds that never migrated out of the area, such as Western Sandpipers, Red Knots, or Piping Plovers?
--Do Gray Kingbirds and Black-whiskered Vireos occur commonly this far north? Or am I better off trying Sanibel Is. for those two plus Mangrove Cuckoo?
--What's a good recommendation for central FL birding...for Florida Scrub Jays, Burrowing Owls, Crested Caracara, Bachman's Sparrow, etc?
Anything else you wanna throw in, I'm all ears.
I have Pranty's newest ed. of his ABA birdfinding guide, and I just ordered Brian Rapoza's newer guide.
Thanks!