• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

DISNEYLAND/KISSIMEE:TRIALS & TORTURES (1 Viewer)

 
Here's hoping this is of some help too- I went on a 'family holiday' to Florida in spring 1999. I saw the following at Epcot (which is good anyway):

Purple Martin, Bald Eagle, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Turkey & Black Vultures, White Ibis, Anhinga and Chimney Swift amongst others.

Don't let others put you off - you can't fail to see some good birds!!!!

The following were enjoyed at Seaworld (another fantastic place!):

Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Pied-billed Grebe, Red-bellied Woodpecker, D.C. Cormorant, Tricolored and Green Herons, Snowy & Great White Egrets, Fish Crow and the 2 Vultures again.

Everywhere you will find:

Mourning Dove, Loggerhead Shrike, Northern Mockingbird, Killdeer, the 2 Grackles and Red-tailed Hawk.

I even had these in International Drive:

Common Yellowthroat, Ovenbird, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Gray Catbird, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Red-winged Blackbird, Cape May Warbler,American Redstart, Least Tern, Red-winged Blackbird and White-winged Dove.

Do try and visit Kissimmee State Park no matter what. You should see:

Snail Kite
Bachman's Sparrow
Sandhill Crane
Red-shouldered Hawk
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Bobwhite
Florida Scrub Jay
and loads of 'gators!! + Racoon + 9-banded Armadillo!

I also managed Whooping Crane and Barred Owl the day I went!! You should easily see Northern Parula, Pine Warbler, Summer Tanager and White-eyed Vireo.

Have a nice trip.

Terry
The Exmouth Birder
 
Terry Smith said:
Here's hoping this is of some help too- I went on a 'family holiday' to Florida in spring 1999. I saw the following at Epcot (which is good anyway):

Purple Martin, Bald Eagle, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Turkey & Black Vultures, White Ibis, Anhinga and Chimney Swift amongst others.

Don't let others put you off - you can't fail to see some good birds!!!!

The following were enjoyed at Seaworld (another fantastic place!):

Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Pied-billed Grebe, Red-bellied Woodpecker, D.C. Cormorant, Tricolored and Green Herons, Snowy & Great White Egrets, Fish Crow and the 2 Vultures again.

Everywhere you will find:

Mourning Dove, Loggerhead Shrike, Northern Mockingbird, Killdeer, the 2 Grackles and Red-tailed Hawk.

I even had these in International Drive:

Common Yellowthroat, Ovenbird, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Gray Catbird, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Red-winged Blackbird, Cape May Warbler,American Redstart, Least Tern, Red-winged Blackbird and White-winged Dove.

Do try and visit Kissimmee State Park no matter what. You should see:

Snail Kite
Bachman's Sparrow
Sandhill Crane
Red-shouldered Hawk
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Bobwhite
Florida Scrub Jay
and loads of 'gators!! + Racoon + 9-banded Armadillo!

I also managed Whooping Crane and Barred Owl the day I went!! You should easily see Northern Parula, Pine Warbler, Summer Tanager and White-eyed Vireo.

Have a nice trip.

Terry
The Exmouth Birder
Click to expand...


Kissimmee State Park is a great site and well worth a visit more so than Merrit Island especially in July. Bachman's Sparrow is difficult in the summer but not impossible and you should see Wild Turkey with a bit of luck. Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area and Joe Overstreet Road however is a better alternative (except you wont see scrub-jay). You should see Red-cockaded Woodpecker there though (Jays are better and an endemic though). Both sites can be visited in one day but because of the Lake it takes up time driving between the two. You can see Whooping Cranes at Joe Overstreet and it is a good site for both Snail Kite and Wild Turkey as well as Northern Caracara. Either site will be enjoyable if you have the time.
However if the family need to be enticed into spending the day birding with you they have to have something to do. If you went to the Kennedy Space Center area they would definetly enjoy the Blackpoint Wildlife Drive at Merrit Island NWR (they would see Alligators, Turtles, Snakes etc) and nearby you can see Manatees. If that doesnt tickle their fancy drop them off at the beach! The water will be 70 degrees plus in July, like having a bath and the sand is clean and golden.
 
Limeybirder said:
Kissimmee State Park is a great site and well worth a visit more so than Merrit Island especially in July.
Click to expand...

Are you serious?...certainly not in my experience.
Also worth pointing out that Kissimmee State Park is a long drive from Kissimmee and is not 'birdable' by car, which may not suit Steve's arrangements.
 
Grousemore said:
Are you serious?...certainly not in my experience.
Also worth pointing out that Kissimmee State Park is a long drive from Kissimmee and is not 'birdable' by car, which may not suit Steve's arrangements.
Click to expand...

You are right in that its not very birdy from a car but who wants to sit in a car and bird all day, his family will soon get bored of that. Yes it is a fairly long drive but no more so than Merrit Island especially with traffic on the east side of Orlando.

It pretty much depends on what he wants and I was trying to say wherever he goes he'll see some terrific birds. I was trying to offer options. From a personal point of view I enjoy the areas surrounding Lake Kissimmee more than MINWR, as I have fond memories there during a birding trip Dad and I took in 2003 (our 2nd trip to the 'sunshine state' and when I met my wife) which is why I mentioned it. I also took my best man, his girlfriend and my Dad birding there in January 2 days before my wedding and we had a great day, saw all the areas specialities (Florida Scrub-jay, Northern Caracara, Snail Kite, Bachmans Sparrow, Whooping Crane, Sandhill Crane, Wild Turkey and a very confiding Fox Squirrel) with no crowds, very peaceful.
Dont get me wrong MINWR is one of the states best birding sites and he will enjoy it immensely.

Now if life were much simpler he could up to the panhandle for some really good birding! If you are ever in the neighbourhood Grousemore drop me a line we always have room at the inn for visiting birders and friends.
 
Thanks Guys. I'll follow up on the links. Not sure how much time I'll get to take in Kissimee park area but I'll try to slip it in the itinerary ;) . Regardless of whether I get out birding much or not I feel much happier about the prospect of going as it sounds like quite a birdy area -even in the theme parks. Almost everything I see will be new & to put it into perspective it sounds like a triplist of 60+ species will be easily possible -I would struggle to better that on a dedicated birding trip to the Canary Islands!!
Thanks again for all your help
........... Oh, and have a nice day! ;)
 
Limeybirder said:
You are right in that its not very birdy from a car but who wants to sit in a car and bird all day, his family will soon get bored of that. Yes it is a fairly long drive but no more so than Merrit Island especially with traffic on the east side of Orlando.

It pretty much depends on what he wants and I was trying to say wherever he goes he'll see some terrific birds. I was trying to offer options. From a personal point of view I enjoy the areas surrounding Lake Kissimmee more than MINWR, as I have fond memories there during a birding trip Dad and I took in 2003 (our 2nd trip to the 'sunshine state' and when I met my wife) which is why I mentioned it. I also took my best man, his girlfriend and my Dad birding there in January 2 days before my wedding and we had a great day, saw all the areas specialities (Florida Scrub-jay, Northern Caracara, Snail Kite, Bachmans Sparrow, Whooping Crane, Sandhill Crane, Wild Turkey and a very confiding Fox Squirrel) with no crowds, very peaceful.
Dont get me wrong MINWR is one of the states best birding sites and he will enjoy it immensely.

Now if life were much simpler he could up to the panhandle for some really good birding! If you are ever in the neighbourhood Grousemore drop me a line we always have room at the inn for visiting birders and friends.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with you if it wasn't JULY we are talking about...90 degrees and humid, they'll be glad of the A/C in the car!

Thanks for the offer, in fact I passed through your area last week whilst returning from the Carolinas. Only had time for half a day at St Marks, but thoroughly enjoyed it, Very friendly place.
Had some good birds, but missed Acadian Flycatcher, despite hearing them calling everywhere!

ps MINWR is free and Steve's from Scotland ;)
 
Grousemore said:
ps MINWR is free and Steve's from Scotland ;)
Click to expand...
Now now Trev. thats a spurious stereotype, you'll be saying we're a nation of scientific geniuses who are crap at football next!! :eek!:
 
Grousemore said:
I'd agree with you if it wasn't JULY we are talking about...90 degrees and humid, they'll be glad of the A/C in the car!

Thanks for the offer, in fact I passed through your area last week whilst returning from the Carolinas. Only had time for half a day at St Marks, but thoroughly enjoyed it, Very friendly place.
Had some good birds, but missed Acadian Flycatcher, despite hearing them calling everywhere!

ps MINWR is free and Steve's from Scotland ;)
Click to expand...

LMFAO

Yeah Id forgotten that and his family wont be used to the heat either.

It'll be the opposite for my wife and I when we cross the pond for 3 weeks at xmas. We are gonna make a trip upto Scotland for a few days so I can see the last British Breeding bird that I need, WTEAgle. Scotland in December is gonna be very different weather wise!!! The word Eskimo springs to mind. I think its a lot harder getting use to cold than it is to heat. I lived in Scotland for 4 years and I never got used to the winters. Beer and Whiskey was good though.
 
Steve G said:
Thanks Guys. I'll follow up on the links. Not sure how much time I'll get to take in Kissimee park area but I'll try to slip it in the itinerary ;) . Regardless of whether I get out birding much or not I feel much happier about the prospect of going as it sounds like quite a birdy area -even in the theme parks. Almost everything I see will be new & to put it into perspective it sounds like a triplist of 60+ species will be easily possible -I would struggle to better that on a dedicated birding trip to the Canary Islands!!
Thanks again for all your help
........... Oh, and have a nice day! ;)
Click to expand...

Most of the areas around where you'll be staying will have trees and bushes and small retention ponds and lakes. When my family came over for our wedding in January, Dad had all kinds of stuff in and around the garden of where they stayed. I think 60 species is a low estimate, I would've given you a very realistic chance of seeing between 80-100 species.
 
Hi Steve,

Don't despair mate !!

Florida is superb for birds

I stayed in Kissimmee (hidden springs circle) and most days whilst swimming or sunbathing at the house I would watch vultures circling pretty close at times and every morning would watch Ospreys fishing in the lakes not more than 100 metres away, most houses / accomadation have lakes near to them, where the Osprey's fish and you also get egrets and heron.

Kennedy space centre blew me away with the amount of ospreys and vultures
Osprey sit on the telegraph poles along the side of the road!!

Boggy creek airboat rides will show you a nesting site for bald eagles and you may see them fishing, although i went to the silver spurs rodeo one afternoon and watch a bald eagle fishing there!!

honestly it is a fantastic place for birds around your accomadation you will see a variety of "garden" birds

Just a tip for eating out try the Golden Corral on the 192 all you can eat for about $10 ,the steaks are awesome and the selection of food is amazing.

Hope this helps

Have a fantastic trip

Regards

Rob
 
robam said:
Hi Steve,

Don't despair mate !!

Florida is superb for birds

I stayed in Kissimmee (hidden springs circle) and most days whilst swimming or sunbathing at the house I would watch vultures circling pretty close at times and every morning would watch Ospreys fishing in the lakes not more than 100 metres away, most houses / accomadation have lakes near to them, where the Osprey's fish and you also get egrets and heron.

Kennedy space centre blew me away with the amount of ospreys and vultures
Osprey sit on the telegraph poles along the side of the road!!

Boggy creek airboat rides will show you a nesting site for bald eagles and you may see them fishing, although i went to the silver spurs rodeo one afternoon and watch a bald eagle fishing there!!

honestly it is a fantastic place for birds around your accomadation you will see a variety of "garden" birds

Just a tip for eating out try the Golden Corral on the 192 all you can eat for about $10 ,the steaks are awesome and the selection of food is amazing.

Hope this helps

Have a fantastic trip

Regards

Rob
Click to expand...
Thanks for the encouragement & the tips Rob - I fear for my already excessive waistline!! ;)
 
Steve G said:
Thanks for the encouragement & the tips Rob - I fear for my already excessive waistline!! ;)
Click to expand...

If you end up going to Merrit Island NWR Steve I can recommend one of Florida's best seafood restaurants and it is run by a birder (infact she married my wife and I!!!). Its in Titusville on US-1 and called Dixie Crossroads, its not expensive and the food is great. Its one of the most popular places to eat and is always packed to the rafters. Birders are always made welcome and there is a superb mural on the outside wall of the restaurant depicting all the wildlife of the region. There are so many species painted on the mural they started a checklist so birders can entertain themselves whilst waiting for a table!
 
Warning! This thread is more than 19 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

M
Best field guide about birds of Florida
Replies
7
Views
1K
Jim M.
J
Andy Adcock
Guide, Sinai, Egypt
Replies
3
Views
360
trw
T
raymie
Birding On a Disney Trip Summer 2022 Trip Report
Replies
1
Views
1K
raymie
raymie
C
Hi everyone. Can anyone identify this bird?
Replies
9
Views
607
delia todd
delia todd
Larry Sweetland
Florida sites for specialities
2
Replies
21
Views
1K
Larry Sweetland
Larry Sweetland

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top