Florida sites for specialities (1 Viewer)

[lgonz1008]

Hi Igonz, I've been checking out your site recommendations on maps etc, and they'll certainly form the backbone of the Florida part of our trip. I can't thank you enough for this👍. I have a couple of questions on two of the sites, so I hope you don't mind me bothering you for some more information:

1. Do you have directions on where to go at St Marks NWR for the sparrows? Looks like a big area

2. I've found Crandon Park and it looks to be the northern part of an island. When you say the south beach section is good for Piping Plover, is that still within the north half of the island? And which side of the island (West or East) is it best to look for them? Also (more for family non-birding reasons) it looks like we'll do a drive down to the Keys. If I miss the plovers at Crandon Park is there a site you'd recommend for Piping Plover on the Keys?

1. The main trail they are reported is the road from the visitor center to the lighthouse and the surrounding pools. Seaside is the more common species, followed by Nelson's and Saltmarsh is the rarest of the three there. Here is the eBird hotspot: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L578621
2. Crandon Park is on the northern half of Key Biscayne, but the park is split into North and South and you can't drive between the two areas without going through the main road of the island. South beach refers to the southern entrance of the park that leads to where once the Miami Zoo was found (you can thank this park for the fact that Egyptian Goose, Muscovy Duck and Indian Peafowl are countable exotics in South Florida). Here is a pin to the parking lot to go to when aiming for the plovers, once there just get to the beach and walk (usually southwards) until you see the roosting shorebirds.
   • Crandon Park is the only reliable site for the species, the population that breed in the Atlantic Coast normally winters in Bahamas and only a small number of birds winter in the area, the park turned out to be that place since it is the last remnant of open beach that hasn't been too horribly urbanized in Miami

 

[Larry Sweetland]

1. The main trail they are reported is the road from the visitor center to the lighthouse and the surrounding pools. Seaside is the more common species, followed by Nelson's and Saltmarsh is the rarest of the three there. Here is the eBird hotspot: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L578621
2. Crandon Park is on the northern half of Key Biscayne, but the park is split into North and South and you can't drive between the two areas without going through the main road of the island. South beach refers to the southern entrance of the park that leads to where once the Miami Zoo was found (you can thank this park for the fact that Egyptian Goose, Muscovy Duck and Indian Peafowl are countable exotics in South Florida). Here is a pin to the parking lot to go to when aiming for the plovers, once there just get to the beach and walk (usually southwards) until you see the roosting shorebirds.
   • Crandon Park is the only reliable site for the species, the population that breed in the Atlantic Coast normally winters in Bahamas and only a small number of birds winter in the area, the park turned out to be that place since it is the last remnant of open beach that hasn't been too horribly urbanized in Miami

Brilliant! Thanks again 😊