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Birding trip to Florida 2011 (1 Viewer)

A Little Cuckoo

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Hi has anyone got any tips for me - I am visiting Central / Southern Florida from the 16th - 30th November this year and I am particularly keen to find the following species, RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER, BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH, WILD TURKEY, WHOOPING CRANE and most Owls except Great Horned. I am already planning to visit Three Lakes WMA, Joe Overstreet Road, Merrit Island NWR and the Everglades but would really appreciate any recommendations / tips anyone has. For example does anyone know if people are still marking trees in RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER clusters and are these clusters easily found in the Three Lakes WMA?

thanks,
Richard.
 
The Three Lakes WMA is very good for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Brown-headed Nuthatches, and Wild Turkeys (especially on the road heading towards the WMA). There are a couple of Whooping Cranes at the end of Joe Overstreet Rd, but keep in mind these birds are not technically "countable" as they are part of an experimental resident introduced population (which failed).

Carlos
 
Red-cockaded are also found at Dupuis management area near Lake Okeechobee. They have two colonies near the auto tour (easiest one to see is on the right about 5.5 mi in), but ifyou're going on a Fri-Sun call ahead to make sure it's not closed for hunting.
 
I've seen RC Woodpeckers both times I've looked for them at Three Lakes in the area with the marked nesting trees. Also had BH Nuthatch in the area near the entrance but they're not obvious. Not sure if the woodpeckers will be more dispersed outside the breeding season but well worth trying a couple of times.
 
The Three Lakes WMA is very good for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Brown-headed Nuthatches, and Wild Turkeys (especially on the road heading towards the WMA). There are a couple of Whooping Cranes at the end of Joe Overstreet Rd, but keep in mind these birds are not technically "countable" as they are part of an experimental resident introduced population (which failed).

Carlos

The birding trip that ultimately ended with me living in Florida back in 2003 saw my dad and I visit the above mentioned by Carlos. Outside of North Florida Three Lakes WMA s probably one of the most reliable RCW sites in the state. Never failed there. That whole area is great for birding Little Cuckoo and should be way up the list of every out of state birder visiting the sunshine state.

http://floridabirdingtrail.com/index.php/conservation/bird/red-cockaded_woodpecker/
 
I've seen RC Woodpeckers both times I've looked for them at Three Lakes in the area with the marked nesting trees. Also had BH Nuthatch in the area near the entrance but they're not obvious. Not sure if the woodpeckers will be more dispersed outside the breeding season but well worth trying a couple of times.

They roost in their cavities so keeping an eye on the marked trees an hour before sunset can be successful. RCW trees are marked with a thick band of white paint 6 feet above the ground. The cavity is very obvious and is usually not that high up the tree and has sap oozing from the lower rim of the hole, which reduces predation from snakes etc.
 
Hi has anyone got any tips for me - I am visiting Central / Southern Florida from the 16th - 30th November this year and I am particularly keen to find the following species, RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER, BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH, WILD TURKEY, WHOOPING CRANE and most Owls except Great Horned. I am already planning to visit Three Lakes WMA, Joe Overstreet Road, Merrit Island NWR and the Everglades but would really appreciate any recommendations / tips anyone has. For example does anyone know if people are still marking trees in RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER clusters and are these clusters easily found in the Three Lakes WMA?

thanks,
Richard.

Hey Richard, the marked trees in the hunters campsite were active last time I visited Three Lakes but the birds do move from time to time. I'll try and glean which clusters are active currently.
 
Thanks for the help so far

Hi thanks for all the advise posted so far, i feel encouraged that there is a pretty good chance of seeing the woodpeckers now. I had also wondered about the status of Whooping Cranes and at least now I know not to count them.
 
Burrowing Owl?

Hi everyone - thanks for the help with the woodpeckers and turkeys etc... Has anyone got any last minute advise regarding Owls, for example anyone know any reliable sites for Burrowing Owl in South Florida?

Thanks,
A little Cuckoo
 
Burrowing Owl is reliable at Tamiami AIrport in the late afternoon/dusk. Just look for the orange cones on your right hand side when you are driving in. That particular colony was active and fledged several young this year.

Carlos
 
They are also at Brian Piccolo Park in Cooper City. Their nests are along the edges of playing fields and are staked and marked with tape. If for some reason you can't find them, check at the main building - they know about the owls and can direct you (though they are fairly easy to find). That's where I got my avatar picture.
 
Burrowing owls also at campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, designated a Burrowing Owl sanctuary by the Audubon Society in 1971.
 
I also am headed to Central Florida next week and am pretty much going to focus on the RCW and BHN. After that I will tool around and hit a couple other places. But Three Lakes is where I plan on spending my time for them. Any info on if the nesting sites are still active for roosting activity at this time of year? Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
The nesting sites for the Red-cockadeds are right near the entrance to the hunting/camping area. The trees are well marked by bright white paint -- you can't miss them on your walk in.

The very best thing you can do to improve your luck/strategy for these two species is to learn their calls. I always hear them well before I see them. The Brown-headed Nuthatches will most likely be within a mixed flock of Pine, Palm, and Yellow-rumped Warblers. The woodpeckers will sometimes join these flocks as well.

Carlos
 
The nesting sites for the Red-cockadeds are right near the entrance to the hunting/camping area. The trees are well marked by bright white paint -- you can't miss them on your walk in.

The very best thing you can do to improve your luck/strategy for these two species is to learn their calls. I always hear them well before I see them. The Brown-headed Nuthatches will most likely be within a mixed flock of Pine, Palm, and Yellow-rumped Warblers. The woodpeckers will sometimes join these flocks as well.

Carlos

A good RCW tactic to employ is to either get there at dawn to see them leaving their roost or an hour before dusk to see them coming back. That's unless you see them out and about during the day. I've never missed RCW or BHNU at Three Lakes! Good Luck!
 
Thanks for all the help you guys. I can't wait until I can et out Friday afternoon and start searching. If I have time I will try for snail kites as well. Or some swallow tail kites. Up here we rarely get those.
 
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