Florida Where To Watch Birds/bulgaria Cancelled (1 Viewer)

M

mattcoumbe

Member

• Sep 6, 2003

• #1

Please can you help me with information on sites in Florida ?

My wife and I were going to Bulgaria, but because of trouble with the tour operator who wanted us to move hotels for a second time in two days, and who wanted us to stay in a hotel 90 miles away from were we wanted to be to watch birds. we have cancelled our trip to Bulgaria.


But the good news is that we are going to Florida. The bad news is I haven't got any info on where to watch birds in Florida. we are doing a fly drive.

Please can any one name any good places ?

Can you recogmend a good field guide ?

Many thanks, we fly out on 08/09/03

Matt

 

HelenB

Opus Editor and Expat from Cumbria

Opus Editor

• Sep 7, 2003

• #2

Matt,
Try this website for starters it lists lots of places and trip reports:
http://www.camacdonald.com/birding/usflorida.htm

I have yet to go, but one of the hotspots that I've seen recommended is the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island.

Hope you have a great trip.

 

Larry Lade

Moderator

• Sep 7, 2003

• #3

Cork Screw Swamp is a good birding location in Florida. They have a fantastic board walk through the swamp.

Ding Darling as mentioned above is a highly recommended site. When my wife and I went to Florida several years ago we went on a Friday and it was closed! So you may consider this and not go on a Friday.

Florida is probaby best known for its Everglades. This is a must see area if you are birding in that state.

Larry

 

Charles Harper

Régisseur

• Sep 7, 2003

• #4

Corkscrew and Sanibel are both on the lower west coast, a 2-hour (?) drive across the state, through the Everglades, or what is left of them. Nearer to Miami (where you're flying into I suppose) is Everglades National Park itself, and it's a pleasant drive down to the Keys and Key West.

The Lane guide (ck any US birdbookstore) is the standard birdfinding reference, and Sibley East or Peterson East are the most appropriate fieldguides.

But as Helen says, there's LOTS of info on the internet. If you are flying into Miami, don't omit to spend some time in the city birding the exotics that are countable-- and uncountable, too, for that matter!

Sounds like much more fun than dour Bulgaria to me...

 

D

davebroadley

Well-known member

• Sep 7, 2003

• #5

Hi Matt, if you're around Orlando/Space Centre area there's a host of options from Port Canaveral& Merritt Island ( Pelagic & nature trails) www.portcanaveral.org, Airboat rides on the St Johns river www.airboatecotours.com
Orlando has hundreds of lakes that you can visit try www.floridastateparks.org search Tostahatchee
www.cityoforlando.net search parks
Have a nice time

 

Paulyoly

Well-known member

• Sep 7, 2003

• #6

The drive through part of ding darling is closed on Friday as well as the welcome center, but that can be a good thing if you don't mind walking, you can still walk in and avoid all the lazy's that don't want to get out of their cars.

 

Larry Lade

Moderator

• Sep 8, 2003

• #7

Paulyoly, when we were there (on Friday), they would not even let us walk into "Ding Darling", so maybe policy has changed. There was a nearby ancillary area (I can not remember the name just now, Ani Pool was located there). We did go there and got quite a few birds.

Larry

 

M

mattcoumbe

Member

• Sep 8, 2003

• #8

Thank you very much for all off your suggestions.

I am very grateful for the time and trouble that you have taken to help a fellow birder.

Thank you for your help
Best wishes

Matt Coumbe

 

M

mattcoumbe

Member

• Sep 26, 2003

• #9

Dear All,
We have just got back from Florida, we saw plenty of birds and the Manatees at Merrit Island at Haulover bridge.

The highlight of the trip has to be Ding Darling NWR where we managed to see about 20 rosette spoonbills. At Lovers Key near Bonita Springs I saw an Osprey at very close quaters and managed to photograph it and its needle fish. I do not think that i have ever been this close to a raptor.

Corkscrew Swamp was good but my wife ran off when she saw an alligator approaching the boardwalk. It is amazing just how many state and national reserves that there are in Florida.

I have no doubt that we will be going back again.

Matt Coumbe

 

PhilM

Active member

• Sep 26, 2003

• #10

The Lane guide can be purchased here, or maybe amazon.com will have it.
http://americanbirding.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=ASBS&Product_Code=175

 

Charles Harper

Régisseur

• Sep 27, 2003

• #11

Congratulations on a successful trip, Matt. How about posting the trip list here too?