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Snail Kite (1 Viewer)

Digbert Doobrey

Well-known member
Hello all.

I've got a two week holiday to disney world coming up with family in the first two weeks of May. Chances are that I will have a bit of spare time on my hands to get out and do a bit of birding although I wont be straying too far from the resort as I wont have a car.

Now I am happy to see anything as being from the UK it will be my first opportunity to bird the USA. However there is one bird I would particularly love to see while I'm there and thats the Snail Kite. So could anybody point me in the direction of the best area to take a cab to go and find one. I've read that the Lake Toho and Kissimmee Lake front park areas are close by to disney. Would this be the best spot to find them. Also how easy (or difficult) is it to get a cab there and back from disneyworld.
 
I'm not sure of your chances in May specifically but Snail Kite were seen easily in October from Boggy Creek and at the lakes around the Three Lakes / St Cloud area.

Distances from Disney to these areas may be further than you think and a hired car would likely be a cheaper option than using taxis who would want to drop you off and not wait. The area would be good for Red-cocaded Woodpecker and Brown-headed Nuthatch as well, along with an array of water birds.

Robin
 
Try these guys - http://www.bcairboats.com/index.shtml (one of the areas mentioned in Robin's post above)

When I was there a couple of years ago at Easter we booked a private air boat ride so we had the guide to ourselves & I specifically asked if he could find me a Snail Kite, which he dyuly did!! There are some photos on my Flickr stream.

From their website they appear to do trips with transportation, so you may best dropping them an email to see what they offer.

Richard
 
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Thanks for your replies. Not too sure about the car hire as my days out birding might be spur of the moment stuff as opposed to trips I can plan well in advance. Also as I drive for a living (check out my 'its a cabbies thing' thread on the greater london county patches section) I'm not sure I want to drive on my holiday. Yet if its my only option I may have to do that.

However if anyone can give me any info on travelling to birding sites around the disneyworld area without having to hire a car I would be very grateful. Is public transport an easy option? Or how much would say a 15/20 mile cab ride be?
 
Don't overlook the Disney grounds for birding too - snail kite would be difficult to spot there, but there are surprising numbers of regular birds on Disney property that would be easily accessible using Disney World transportation or walking on foot. At least the Florida 'regulars' should all be relatively easy to see, including most waders & swimmers and decent selection of warblers, sparrows, wrens, etc. and raptors.

Some good spots throughout Disney World for spontaneous birding:
1. The wilderness path that leads from Wilderness Lodge to Fort Wilderness Campground - it's about 1 1/2 miles walking/jogging path through the pine scrub woods and close by a lakefront.
2. The boat transportation that runs between Port Orleans French Quarter and Downtown Disney - it's a mile or so boat ride through small forested canalways, past a golf course and the Treehouse Villas and Saratoga Springs Resort. Lots of waders line the banks reliably year-round - snowy & great egrets, great blue herons, ibis, and occasional other visitors...along with cormorants and anhingas. You can also walk a nice path through the same route from Old Key West to Downtown Disney.
3. Saratoga Springs Resort has large birdhouses throughout the grounds to attract various perching birds and migrants, lots of waders and divers all along the lakefront, and some good raptor activity on the pathway from Congress Park section to Disney Marketplace.
4. Boat transportation from Contemporary Hotel to Fort Wilderness Campground, or from Magic Kingdom to Fort Wilderness Campground. This boat cruises the large lakes of the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake, including all along the old River Country property and the former Discovery Island, which has become a rookery for thousands of birds. Raptors are commonly seen circling the skies here, including red-shouldered hawks and ospreys.
5. Fort Wilderness Campground - a huge sprawling camping resort set into lots and lots of pine scrub wilderness, with lots of undeveloped forest land all around it - it makes it a good spot for some long walks through the camping loops and trails, and out along the lakefront, spotting good varieties of birds (and other small wildlife - racoons, foxes, wild turkeys, opossums, rabbits, squirrels, and turtles are all quite common there).
6. Epcot Center - yep, right in the theme park itself! Not only does the large lake in the middle of the World Showcase attract a large number of ducks and cormorants, but red-shouldered hawks will pop in and out of the various wooded areas like the China Pavilion and Canada pavilion; China pavilion will often have a green heron, great egret, or snowy egret roaming the lily pad ponds around the temple, and lots of various passerines throughout the trees in Future Showcase area, especially the trees around The Land, Wonders of Life, and Innoventions.
7. Magic Kingdom - Frontierland especially is chock full of waders - egrets, ibis, herons of all types hang out waiting to steal food from inattentive guests. Various ducks are usually all along Rivers of America.
8. Animal Kingdom - as expected from a wildlife park filled with tons of landscaping and tree cover, there are huge numbers of local birds that make the place home - waders in huge variety, raptors, and passerines by the dozens if you just pay attention. The bridge that goes from the main entrance paths onto 'Discovery Island' section of the park goes over a river which has lots of overgrown trees hanging over it - pass by this spot near sunset and it's a primary night roosting spot for ibis, cormorant, anhinga, and egrets - they come streaming in from all over the Disney World property and beyond, numbering in the thousands every evening.
 
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Thanks for that fella. I appreciate you taking the time to give me such a detailed report on the disney area. As I'm staying in the Animal kingdom with a room overlooking the 'savannah' area I'm really looking forward to finding birds within the complex and the rest of disneyworld. Your suggestions have certainly wetted my appetite.

Some lovely photography there on your site. Are the photos of Roseate Spoonbill and Horned Owl taken at the Animal kingdom of wild or captive birds?

Would still love to get the Snail Kite though because it's a Florida endemic for North America and I might not get another chance for a long time to get one. Any advice on cabs or local buses around the area? Or is it just a case of playing it by ear when I get there?
 
However if anyone can give me any info on travelling to birding sites around the disneyworld area without having to hire a car I would be very grateful. Is public transport an easy option? Or how much would say a 15/20 mile cab ride be?

I think Digbert, the greater consideration would be how you would arrange the cab back from somewhere relatively remote? I wouldn't be put off taking your family to places like Boggy Creek - I did a family holiday in 2007 and my family didn't miss out on much and I managed 130 odd species.

Some images here if it helps (check November's postings as well)
http://robinsbirds.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html

Robin
 
Some lovely photography there on your site. Are the photos of Roseate Spoonbill and Horned Owl taken at the Animal kingdom of wild or captive birds?

Many thanks. I've got some photos of the roseated spoonbills taken at Animal Kingdom, and one photo of a horned owl there, but the majority of my shots of each are in the wild. I've got a Disney gallery with an Animal Kingdom gallery which can isolate which photos were within the park...the galleries labeled 'Wakodahatchee & Green Cay Wetlands' and 'Florida Everglades' would be all wild natural birds.

Would still love to get the Snail Kite though because it's a Florida endemic for North America and I might not get another chance for a long time to get one. Any advice on cabs or local buses around the area? Or is it just a case of playing it by ear when I get there?

Lake Toho really is likely your best bet for a snail kite...but I'm not sure how 'cabbable' it is. It's not far at all from Disney - probably only 6-10 miles - but there's not a direct road that goes from Disney to the lake, so you have to work your way around. Much of the lake is residential, so you have to get to the public access areas...it's going to be about 30-35 miles. It would seem that renting a vehicle would be a much safer bet. Bus service is not as well organized or reliable as you may be used to overseas, and on some routes can involve some really colorful local characters that could be a bit intimidating.

Renting cars around Disney property is a cinch - as long as you're not too fearful driving on the other side of the road - and it would likely be cheaper than a cab by a long shot - probably well under $30 for a compact for the day, plus gas (which is quite inexpensive in the Orlando area, currently running around $3.40 a gallon). Driving my map in Florida is not difficult as it's quite flat, and roads rarely run other than N-S or E-W.
 
The bus system in that area and for Central Florida in general is called Lynx. You can go to their site http://golynx.com for schedules and contact info. I don't know if it goes where you want to go but it's worth a call. The coverage is far more extensive than I thought it would be.
 
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Thanks guys for your help and suggestions. It looks like car hire is certainly the ideal way to do this.

I've had a look at a few other sites around Disney world like the Tibet-Butler preserve place so there seems to be enough there to keep me happy even if I can't get onto a Snail Kite. If I get to see a Swallow-Tailed Kite within disney world that will almost make up for it anyhow!
 
Thanks guys for your help and suggestions. It looks like car hire is certainly the ideal way to do this.

I've had a look at a few other sites around Disney world like the Tibet-Butler preserve place so there seems to be enough there to keep me happy even if I can't get onto a Snail Kite. If I get to see a Swallow-Tailed Kite within disney world that will almost make up for it anyhow!

When we were in Disney about 6 years ago I had Swallow-Tailed Kites in the parking lot of Animal Kingdom.

You mentioning where you're staying brought back loads of memories about our last stay 2 years ago - we had savannah views from our room in Animal Kingdom, and it's stunning. As as been said before there's loads of birding opportunities around Disney, but you really need a car to get to some of the better sites.

Would definitly recommend a run out to Merritt Island, enough to keep non-birders entertained. When we went we saw raccoons, armadillos, manatees, snakes & gators (one actually crossed the road behind the car!!)

I've already mentioned Boggey Creek Airboat Rides where I saw my Snail Kites, but even the road down to the site has loads of good stuff - we had Sandhill Cranes, Turkey, even a Bald Eagle eating roadkill by the roadside.

Enjoy the trip,

Richard
 
In feb 2007, i had a pair of snail kites on 2 dates in the north-east corner of lake toho, in the area of the little causeway (neptune road, obvious on a map or when your there) and would say this is within walking distance of kissimmee, so may be easier to get a cab back from there if that is your only option? Was also good for limpkin, green heron, bald eagle though they were fairly common throughout. Had brilliant 'scope views of the kites. A car for just a couple of days would greatly increase the amount of species you will see with many great places within easy reach of the area, though just working as many habitats as possible on foot should get you a good varied amount of species if you really dont want to drive over there!
 
In feb 2007, i had a pair of snail kites on 2 dates in the north-east corner of lake toho, in the area of the little causeway (neptune road, obvious on a map or when your there) and would say this is within walking distance of kissimmee, so may be easier to get a cab back from there if that is your only option? Was also good for limpkin, green heron, bald eagle though they were fairly common throughout. Had brilliant 'scope views of the kites. A car for just a couple of days would greatly increase the amount of species you will see with many great places within easy reach of the area, though just working as many habitats as possible on foot should get you a good varied amount of species if you really dont want to drive over there!

Cheers for that. Lake Toho certainly looks the best option for a Snail Kite.

The main purpose of the holiday is to take my partner's disabled brother and sister to disney so it's only on days when they want to rest in the hotel rather than get out and see the disney stuff that I will be out birding. As I can't plan when those days will be (after all their enjoyment of the holiday is the priority) I can't really plan any car hire. So I will have to see what happens when I get out there but thankyou all for your contributions.
 
We have just returned from a stay at the animal kingdom lodge, there is a lake as you entre through the security gate on your left, and can walk down to in the evening, also at the village there is a large reed bed area. Also check the roof of the lodge while laying by the pool in the evening with your cocktail as you will often find raptors roosting.
 
We have just returned from a stay at the animal kingdom lodge, there is a lake as you entre through the security gate on your left, and can walk down to in the evening, also at the village there is a large reed bed area. Also check the roof of the lodge while laying by the pool in the evening with your cocktail as you will often find raptors roosting.

Thanks for that. Did you enjoy yourselves. What wild birds did you see while you were there? Any chance of a brief list just to give me a pointer of what to expect?
 
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