Florida Birding Sites

 

                                         Painted Bunting at Corkscrew Swamp

Since we are working our way through Florida birds and wildlife some readers have emailed inquiring about the birding sites we stop at. So today I have included our route plan with a  list of our birding stops working down the ocean coast to the Everglades then back up the gulf side. Of course we research a lot before we go including using ebird to see what species are being seen at the different spots. However there are numerous webpages providing a wealth of knowledge about birding in Florida that should also be looked at.

1. Fort Clinch State Park, Fernandina Beach  ( Barred & Screech Owls )

2. Anastasia Sate Park

3. Gamble Rogers State Park

4. Blue Springs State Park - great for Manatees

5. Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive - only open weekends, great birding, lots of waders

6. Merritt Island / Canaveral Seashore - great birding, Florida Scrub Jay

7. Viera Wetlands - I95 S, exit 191, Wickham Road

8. Vero Beach sewage lagoons - Snail Kites

9. T.M Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area - a must, located next to Fellsmere Grade, only open Thursdays. Fellsmere Florida. Marsh Landing restaurant.

10. Everglades National Park

11. Shark Valley Road - Everglades National Park

12. Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve

13. Collier-Seminole State Park

14. Big Cypress

15. Koreshan State Park

16. Fort Myers area - Corkscrew Swamp, Lovers Key, Barefoot Beach, Bowditch Point, Estero lagoon, Pelican Baseball fields.

17. Cape Coral area - Dingh Darling National Wildlife Preserve, Harns Marsh, Six Mile Cypress Slough, Cape Coral Library

18. Venice Rookery

19. Fort Desoto - Clam Bayou Nature Park

20. Circle B Bar Reserve, Lakeland

21. Paynes Prairie State Park