Florida Easter Week 2015 (1 Viewer)

[ulfg]

I had such good birding in California last winter, so I have decided to spend the Easter week (April 3-11, 2015) in Southern Florida. I am trying to set up a good route for my week, and I hope that you can give me some advice on what’s good and what’s not.

I’ll fly to and from Miami International Airport, so the start and end is down south. I’m using Bill Pranty’s ”Birder’s Guide To Florida” and Rapoza’s ”Birding Florida” (Falcon Guide) for my plans.
My main interest lies in birding and photographing birds, so good photo spots for Florida specialities are welcome.

These are my thoughts for the moment:
April 2 (evening) arrive Miami – 1 day Everglades – 1 day Dry Tortugas – 1 day Viera Wetlands (Caracara) to Three Lakes (evening for Red-cockaded Woodpecker) – next morning back for Red-cockaded and Lake Kissimmee (Snail Kite) – next morning Blue Springs State Park (Manatees) to Merritt Island – next day Merritt Island – next day Corkscrew Swamp - next day Cape Coral and Sanibel Island – last day (April 11) north of Miami to try for sea turtles on the beach.

I have already booked a room on one of the lower Keys and the boat trip to Dry Tortugas, but nothing more is fixed.

Any suggestions and advice are welcome! Plus - does anybody have an idea about Manatees around Apr 7th or Sea Turtles around Apr 11th? Possible or should I forget them?

 

[Zackiedawg]

I'd personally recommend a plan to hit both Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay Wetlands, both side by side in Delay Beach FL - a good one-day stop and chock full of species...also very good around that time of year for migrating birds passing through. Each spring I've had some first-time warblers and other small birds at these parks. A side trip could include Arthur Marshall Refuge nearby.

 

[ulfg]

Thank you! Yes, I've seen that there's a long thread here on this forum about Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay Wetlands. I'll take time and read through it all - the photos in one of the latest posts look very promising!

 

[Zackiedawg]

The two parks that time of year should be pretty good for some Florida standards, like roseated spoonbills, sora rails, wood storks, black-necked stilts, wilson's snipe, painted bunting, least bittern...and are often good for some more rare birds over the past two years - fulvous whistling ducks, mixed cinnamon teals, neotropical cormorants, wurdemann's/white morph great blue herons to point out a few of the more regular visitors and some nesting each year lately. Green Cay is often very good for migrators - prothonotary warblers, tanagers, yellow-breasted chat, to point a few from the past year or so.

 

[csanchez7]

I think you have a good plan. There are few better places to experience warbler/passerine migration than the lower keys and the Dry Tortugas, as well as all the seabirds. Everglades NP is a classic.

You don't have to make a special trip to Viera Wetlands to see Crested Caracara, especially if you decide to visit the Everglades and Green Cay/Wakodahatchee Wetlands (excellent for photography, but I would not give these two sites more than a half-day). There will be a lot of repetition. The Three Lakes WMA/Lake Kissimmee State Park loop should give you Crested Caracara, Bald Eagle, Sandhill Crane, Wild Turkey, Florida Scrub-Jay, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Bachman's Sparrow.

Instead of Corkscrew Swamp, I suggest Fort de Soto Park. Better migrant trap with lots of migrating passerines plus a variety of shorebirds. You can see the cypress swamp when you drive back to Miami along Tamiami Trail (where you can also see Snail Kite).

Overall, you'll be a little early for the main passage of spring migrants but should still be a great trip overall.

Carlos

 

[Jaybrams]

I agree with C. Sanchez. Fort Desoto is held in high regard. While Viera will provide good opportunities, it is fairly long drive from the other southern places you have selected. You might spend more time on the west coast. I personally love Corkscrew, and find it worth a couple of hours, but birding can be unpredictable there.

 

[ulfg]

Thank you csanchez7 and Jaybrams!

I don’t understand how I missed Fort de Soto Park – I guess I was too concentrated on the east coast… anyway, based on what I’ve read now, I think I’ll have the last three days in Western Florida.

This is what I think now about the trip:
Day 1: Anhinga Trail + the Keys (including Key West)
Day 2: Dry Tortugas
Day 3: Everglades (trip to Flamingo)
Day 4: Viera Wetlands and Merritt Island
Day 5: Merritt Island
Day 6: Three Lakes – Kissimmee
Day 7: Fort de Soto Park
Day 8: Sanibel Island – Cape Coral
Day 9: Corkscrew Swamp

This means I will probably skip Blue Springs State Park; I feel a bit uncertain whether the Manatees will be there or not. And I'm even more uncertain about Sea Turtles at that time of year.

I'm still in my planning state, so I am open to other ideas …

 

[Pauhana]

Ft desoto can be very good in spring dependent on weather. If we get some good fronts pushing through the birds will be there. Other good spots on west coast are close by should it be slow at Ft D.

 

[csanchez7]

I would skip Viera Wetlands and add Green Cay/Wakodahatchee -- these two sites offer a lot more specialties to the visiting birder than Viera. If you are driving up from Homestead from your day at the Everglades, it would make sense to stop there on your way to Merritt Island NWR. The birds are closer and better for photography, too.

Make sure to visit the migrant traps and other sites along the Florida Keys like Fort Zachary Taylor SP, Key Largo Botanical Site, etc. These areas rack up a lot of rarities during migration (more so than anywhere else in the state), along with all the Caribbean specialties you will not see north of Miami.

Carlos

 

[ulfg]

Wakodahatchee and Green Cay seem to be good spots, so I think I’ll overnight somewhere near there between day 3 and 4. I can go there in the morning of day 4.

Then, on my way towards Merritt Island, I can stop for an hour or so at Viera Wetlands if I need to photograph Crested Caracara (but perhaps there are better photo spots for the Caracara)?

 

[Brada]

Check Activity

Wakodahatchee and Green Cay seem to be good spots, so I think I’ll overnight somewhere near there between day 3 and 4. I can go there in the morning of day 4.

Then, on my way towards Merritt Island, I can stop for an hour or so at Viera Wetlands if I need to photograph Crested Caracara (but perhaps there are better photo spots for the Caracara)?

Before you make the trip to Merritt & Viera, I would check activity reports. The 2 areas offer a very nice selection of ducks when the conditions are good. Sanibel has not been very good the last couple of years, to much water. Make sure visit Bunche Beach which is on the other side of the bridge. Also check out the burrowing owls in Cape Coral. Wako and Green Cay are awesome, should be a priority. If you venture near central Florida, Circle B Bar reserve is excellent.

 

[ulfg]

I have decided to take Wakodahatchee and Green Cay on Day 4's morning. I see that they both open at 7 am. Is one of these two better to start with? I mean from a birding, photo light or traffic point of view?

And what would be my best option to get photos of Red-cockaded Woodpecker: Three Lakes WMA or Babcock-Webb WMA?