lgonz1008
Well-known member
Marking the last multiday trip I can make for 2020 (also hopefully the last one that marks a year I cannot bird outside of my home state), my family and I took a quick trip up the Florida coast to spend some relaxation times and hopefully find something new for me in my state or life list (turns out both of these would get something). The main goal of the trip was to visit the Blue Springs State Park which is well known for the large number of wintering West Indian (Florida) Manatees, but along the way, seeing what other species we could add to the list.
November 27: Traveling from Miami to Orange City and birding Merritt Island NWR
The drive upstate started early enough and as it is recommended from Florida in the winter, roadside birding gave a chance of seeing many great, albeit common, species. Quickly the species list racked up with Wood Stork, Cooper's and Red-shouldered Hawk making up some of the highlights among the dozens of egrets, herons and vultures seen.
We arrived to Merritt Island NWR around 10 AM and between it and birding the coast, I was able to add some of the best birds of the trip. The drive in to the Cape Canaveral Seashore, provided with views of a pair of one of my favorite birds in the world in the form of Florida Scrub-Jays right by the road, sadly no other good birds would be seen until we got to the beach. Once on the beach, this quick stop provided me with views of Northern Gannets flying close to shore among the surfers, a lonesome Ruddy Duck behind the waves, and a variety of common shorebirds like Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, Willet and Black-bellied Plover. Driving back into the refuge, the birding truly kicked up with a juvenile Bald Eagle pretending to be a vulture in a kettle, and the multiple rafts of ducks around the park giving views to many charismatic ducks alongside the more common Blue-winged Teals and Northern Shovelers. Some of the other duck species included Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Northern Pintail, and my lifer Greater Scaup in the form of a pair that the female was kind enough to show off better than the male. Other roadside stops along the Wildlife Drive gave close up views of Caspian Terns, Tree Swallows and all of the common wading birds with a single Reddish Egret and Roseate Spoonbill being the clear winners. Not much other wildlife was seen except for a Gopher Tortoise near the beach area and a few American Alligators (baby gators were also heard at one point). From there is was time to go to town for lunch. (eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S76757443)
Lunch was average at best with sightings of two Sandhill Cranes close to the road being much more enjoyable. In the late afternoon, we took a quick trip to Fort Mellon Park and Marina and while there was not much there to see (both birding and normal tourism wise), I still managed to add some trip birds like Black-Bellied Whistling-Ducks, Limpkin and Yellow-throated Warbler. (eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S76771744)
November 28: Blue Spring SP
As could be expected of a vacation with a family, early rising is not always on the table, so we arrived to the state park well after 10:30, the park has a strong history for the water springs that keep the waters warm in the chilly winters that the manatees love, however with a temperature of 81F that day, it came to no surprise that only one lonesome manatee was seen as opposed to the dozens that normally winter here. Thankfully other wildlife like Yellow-bellied Sliders and American Alligators kept my family interested, but for me, I had one target in the park, and sadly I missed it, in the form of Carolina Chickadee, while this bird wouldn't be a lifer, it would have been a state first along with being my 300th bird in Florida, instead I am stuck with 299 birds as for December, 2020. Due to the popular nature of the park, the trails were full of people (many of which were forgetting to wear masks or give space to each other) and as a result, the birding was slow. With the only bird of note being a Blue-headed Vireo that came in to some pishing. Around midday, my brother and I decided to do some kayaking to better enjoy the park and this drastically boosted my species count from 14 to 26 species, highlights coming in the form of sunbathing Anhingas, territorial Little Blue Herons and a pair of calling Barred Owls. Overall, not a great park if you want to see birds, but one enjoyable enough for a family outing, a quick stop back to the hotel before lunch also gave me views of a fun year bird in an Orange-crowned Warbler. (eBird checklists: https://ebird.org/checklist/S76805955 & https://ebird.org/checklist/S76807454)
Once again for the afternoon, my family wanted to walk back in the Fort Mellon Park and Marina (mostly because there was nothing else to do in Orange City), so we went back and this gave me the last new bird of the trip in the form of Muscovy Duck, I wish I was kidding. (eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S76821556)
The 29th was a drive back to Miami and a somber reminder that while we can still enjoy the places around our home states/countries, the best/new birding experiences are still out there and hopefully, 2021 will be the year we can all slowly but surely, go back to birding those places that are full of unique species that so far we have only seen in our field guides.
Thank you for everyone who read this report, hopefully the images taken and placed on the checklists were well received and if you need any detailed logistics let me know.
November 27: Traveling from Miami to Orange City and birding Merritt Island NWR
The drive upstate started early enough and as it is recommended from Florida in the winter, roadside birding gave a chance of seeing many great, albeit common, species. Quickly the species list racked up with Wood Stork, Cooper's and Red-shouldered Hawk making up some of the highlights among the dozens of egrets, herons and vultures seen.
We arrived to Merritt Island NWR around 10 AM and between it and birding the coast, I was able to add some of the best birds of the trip. The drive in to the Cape Canaveral Seashore, provided with views of a pair of one of my favorite birds in the world in the form of Florida Scrub-Jays right by the road, sadly no other good birds would be seen until we got to the beach. Once on the beach, this quick stop provided me with views of Northern Gannets flying close to shore among the surfers, a lonesome Ruddy Duck behind the waves, and a variety of common shorebirds like Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, Willet and Black-bellied Plover. Driving back into the refuge, the birding truly kicked up with a juvenile Bald Eagle pretending to be a vulture in a kettle, and the multiple rafts of ducks around the park giving views to many charismatic ducks alongside the more common Blue-winged Teals and Northern Shovelers. Some of the other duck species included Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Northern Pintail, and my lifer Greater Scaup in the form of a pair that the female was kind enough to show off better than the male. Other roadside stops along the Wildlife Drive gave close up views of Caspian Terns, Tree Swallows and all of the common wading birds with a single Reddish Egret and Roseate Spoonbill being the clear winners. Not much other wildlife was seen except for a Gopher Tortoise near the beach area and a few American Alligators (baby gators were also heard at one point). From there is was time to go to town for lunch. (eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S76757443)
Lunch was average at best with sightings of two Sandhill Cranes close to the road being much more enjoyable. In the late afternoon, we took a quick trip to Fort Mellon Park and Marina and while there was not much there to see (both birding and normal tourism wise), I still managed to add some trip birds like Black-Bellied Whistling-Ducks, Limpkin and Yellow-throated Warbler. (eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S76771744)
November 28: Blue Spring SP
As could be expected of a vacation with a family, early rising is not always on the table, so we arrived to the state park well after 10:30, the park has a strong history for the water springs that keep the waters warm in the chilly winters that the manatees love, however with a temperature of 81F that day, it came to no surprise that only one lonesome manatee was seen as opposed to the dozens that normally winter here. Thankfully other wildlife like Yellow-bellied Sliders and American Alligators kept my family interested, but for me, I had one target in the park, and sadly I missed it, in the form of Carolina Chickadee, while this bird wouldn't be a lifer, it would have been a state first along with being my 300th bird in Florida, instead I am stuck with 299 birds as for December, 2020. Due to the popular nature of the park, the trails were full of people (many of which were forgetting to wear masks or give space to each other) and as a result, the birding was slow. With the only bird of note being a Blue-headed Vireo that came in to some pishing. Around midday, my brother and I decided to do some kayaking to better enjoy the park and this drastically boosted my species count from 14 to 26 species, highlights coming in the form of sunbathing Anhingas, territorial Little Blue Herons and a pair of calling Barred Owls. Overall, not a great park if you want to see birds, but one enjoyable enough for a family outing, a quick stop back to the hotel before lunch also gave me views of a fun year bird in an Orange-crowned Warbler. (eBird checklists: https://ebird.org/checklist/S76805955 & https://ebird.org/checklist/S76807454)
Once again for the afternoon, my family wanted to walk back in the Fort Mellon Park and Marina (mostly because there was nothing else to do in Orange City), so we went back and this gave me the last new bird of the trip in the form of Muscovy Duck, I wish I was kidding. (eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S76821556)
The 29th was a drive back to Miami and a somber reminder that while we can still enjoy the places around our home states/countries, the best/new birding experiences are still out there and hopefully, 2021 will be the year we can all slowly but surely, go back to birding those places that are full of unique species that so far we have only seen in our field guides.
Thank you for everyone who read this report, hopefully the images taken and placed on the checklists were well received and if you need any detailed logistics let me know.
