Coral Gables (1 Viewer)

Hi Folks

I would appreciate some help here! I will be visiting Coral Gables (Monserrate Street) in late July/early August this year, on visiting family holiday. I know it is not the best time of year, but.....

What species am I likely to see in and around the neighbourhood....virtually all the American species will be new to me?

Any suggestions as to easily accessible birding sites? Are the local parks wortha look? Would a morning trip to the Everglades be viable?

Any other "must do's" and "definately don't's"?

All help gratefully recieved. Thanks in advance.

Mark

A number of very good birding spots near that location. But it will be hot/humid. See here and click on the Southern Miami/Dade link:

http://www.tropicalaudubon.org/locations.html

I'll leave more specific advice to the Florida natives.

Best,
Jim

A.D. Barnes Park and Matheson Hammock County Park (both the hammock and the coastal/mangrove area will be of interest to you) will start to see the first incoming migrants at around that time. Merrie Christmas Park is also worth a quick check.

The common neighborhood bird life at that time of year in suburban Miami, including both woodland habitats and freshwater ponds, will include:

Anhinga
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Green Heron
Cattle Egret
White Ibis
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Cooper's Hawk
Common Gallinule
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Eastern Screech-Owl (abundant in Coral Gables, very easy to spotlight)
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Gray Kingbird (look for them in parking lots)
Loggerhead Shrike
Blue Jay
Fish Crow
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Common Myna (parking lots)
Northern Cardinal
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle

Typical early incoming migrants in early August should include Red-eyed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Parula, and Prairie Warbler.

A visit to Green Cay/Wakodahatchee Wetlands as a morning trip (about a two-hour round trip drive) would be much better than the Everglades this time of year and will add things like Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck, Glossy Ibis, Wood Stork, Purple Gallinule, Limpkin, Black-necked Stilt, etc.

Pretty much any visit to the coast should be productive for things like Laughing Gull, Royal Tern, and Brown Pelican.

Hope this helps,

Carlos

Many thanks to Jim and Carlos. Your posts are a BIG help. Anyone with anything to add?

All the best

Mark