April 5: up at 6, met up with Tony Menart, a resident of Florida who was going to be my guide for the next 6 days, had a quick breakfast and off we went for the east coast.
First birds along the route were BOAT TAILED GRACKLES, HOUSE SPARROW and STARLINGS. Around 9 AM we arrived at the Brevard County Water Treatment Facility (a traditional start no?
), which would prove to be an excellent spot. SNOWY EGRETS were flying around, A GREAT BLUE HERON and a WHITE EGRET were standing at the edge of a ditch near a new development, while LESSER YELLOWLEGS were feeding in it. (an unfortunate sight in most of central florida I should add. I've got the impression that the whole state is becoming one big development).We checked in, got the map to the place and got some earnest birding in. WOOD STORKS were foraging in the shaded ditch near the entrance, EASTERN MEADOWLARKS were singing from the top of various shrubs, a (late?) pair of CEDAR WAXWINGS were chattering on the wire. A SAVANNAH SPARROW was singing from the top of a bush. In the distance a number of BARN SWALLOWS were hawking insects, while several BLACK and TURKEY vultures were lazily going up on a thermal.
Arriving at the first pond we had AMERICAN COOT, MOTTLED DUCKS, cracking BLUE WINGED TEALS, PIED BILLED GREBE, and COMMON MOORHEN swimming around. The shoulder of the road held a group of about 20 GLOSSY IBISSES, more SNOWY EGRETS, WHITE IBISSES and several CATTLE EGRETS. In the grassy field on the right a pair of SANDHILL CRANES, followed by a pair of fluffy red chicks were foraging. TRICOLORED HERONS AND DAINTY LITTLE BLUE HERONS were stalking through the pond looking for their breakfast. ANHINGA and DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANTS were already sunning themselves on several snags, and a pair of OSPREYS (a bird we would see daily) were loudly calling. First lifer of the trip were a (totally unexpected) flock of BLACK BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS that flew up and took off. Apparently this species of duck is busy colonizing Florida.
Progressing slowly round the loop we swiftly added ROSEATE SPOONBILL (lifer N° 2), BELTED KINGFISHER, PALM WARBLER, RED BELLIED WOODPECKER, COMMON GRACKLE and RED WINGED BLACKBIRD.
The best however was really kept for the last. The far end pond, which held some cattails gave us cracking looks (15 feet at most) at at least 3!!! LEAST BITTERNS (lifer N° 3) alternately climbing through the vegetation, chasing each other and foraging. We spent nearly half an hour watching the spectacle, in the meantime also picking out a shy BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, and several GREEN BACKED HERONS. A ROYAL TERN decided to put in an appearance as well. Having had a real great time, we were reluctant to continue our journey, only to get gain about another 100 yards closer to the exit before a large shape siting near puddle by the side of the road drew our attention. A very obliging young NORTHERN CARACARA (lifer 4), calmly let us get good looks at it from not even 10 feet away (much to the satisfaction of a bird photographer). A pair of LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES hanging around were the last species added.
It was approaching noon when we finally left the place, preparing to head for lunch and then the spacecoast!
On the way over to Merritt island we had several BROWN PELICANS and quite a few OSPREYS hanging around. We started with several of the shallow lagoons along a track leading off to the south east, thinking it made a short loop back to main road. Turns out we would end up at the entrance of Cape Canaveral after several hours. Anyways, apart from the ever present species of waders, coots and teals, we found several large groups of sandpipers, containing a good mix of species of waders, shorebirds and terns: WILLET, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, DUNLIN, SANDERLING, SHORT BILLED DOWITCHER, STILT SANDPIPER, LESSER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LEAST SANDPIPER, several BLACK NECKED STILTS.
A large group of FORSTERS TERNS, CASPIAN TERNS and ROYAL TERNS of various ages and plumages gave a good opportunity to learn the different plumages. Also present was a large flock of BLACK SKIMMERS. LAUGHING and RING BILLED GULLS were omnipresent.
we regularly flushed COMMON GROUND DOVES beside the track.
We also found at least 7 REDDISH EGRETS busy fishing and a few ROSEATE SPOONBILLS. Quite unexpected was a MANNATTEE, which must have gotten in through one of the small locks. ALLIGATORS were common as muck.
We also saw several birds of prey: a PEREGRINE hunting shorebirds, NORTHERN Harriers, a MERLIN perched briefly. Several BALD EAGLES made a distant appearance as well.
After getting back to the main road, and finding out where exactly we were, we headed for Blackpoint wildlife drive within the reserve. As it was quite hot, and late in the day, we didn't see too many birds any more. A close up view of several ROSEATE SPOONBILLS, and a fine male NORTHERN HARRIER were about the only birds we saw.
The Canaveral National Seashore was the next and final destination. Due to some serious misreading of the maps, we ended up there near closing time, but were lucky with the birds once again. A noisy and inquisitive family group of FLORIDA SCRUB JAYS was hanging out near the entrance of the park, the only ones we ended up seeing during the trip.
The last bird added for the day was a SOLITARY SANDPIPER, and the last animal an ARMADILLO shuffling through the undergrowth of an oak hammock we made a pitt stop at.
April 6: After going over the many possibilities we decided to bird several places round Lake Kissimee.
First place on the ittinerary was "Joe Overstreet" a dirt road, that leads through farm / cattle land near the lake, and ends at a small boat ramp. On the way over we had a flyover of a SWALLOW TAILED KITE, an adult male AMERICAN KESTREL, several BALD EAGLES, A RED SHOULDERED HAWK, EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE and several small groups of shorebirds. We added LONG BILLED DOWITCHER to the list. The area near the boat ramp had several oaks covered in spanish moss, but no songbird activity. The lake however must be one of the best places in Florida to observe SNAIL KITES. We had at leat 6 young and 2 adult birds. several of these regularly foraging within 100 feet of the boat ramp. The water vegetation also held a pair of PURPLE GALLINULES. All the now regular waders were present as well. We spent quite some time observing the kites before heading to the next location.
3 lakes wildlife management area: This area has several active clusters of red-cockaded woodpeckers, including one near the campsite near the entrance of the park. The clusters can be found easily, as the trees that (should) hold the woodpeckers' nests are ringed with white paint. We did not see any here though, whether that was due to the time of day, or the fact that some clusters weren't actively used anymore I don't know. The park should also hold both Bachmann's sparrow and grashopper sparrow, but again none were active. We did see several other nice species though. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were nesting near the entrance, and this is the first place where we encountered groups of songbirds. We ended up seeing: BLUE GREY GNATCATCHER, NORTHERN PARULA, BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER, TUFTED TITMOUSE, CHIPPING SPARROW, DOWNY WOODPECKER, WHITE EYED VIREO, and a single BROWN THRASHER.
We then spent a good time on the road driving round the lake, to the Kissimmee Lake state park, passing several NORTHERN CARACARA's on the way. The state park was a bit of a letdown, parts of the park were closed off for controlled fires, but we did see several TURKEYS, a PILEATED WOODPECKER, several more SANDHILL CRANES and had a real close encounter with a RED SHOULDERED HAWK.
We then spent the rest of the day heading for the Gulf Coast and Fort de Soto.
April 7 and 8: FORT DE SOTO. The small isles of the Fort de Soto County Park are an excellent spot for birding (witnessing the numerous other birdwatchers around). In Spring it's one of the migrant hotspots, serving as the first point where the exhausted birds coming over the Gulf of Mexico can make landfall.
Unfortunately, the weather took a turn for the worst as we had a very windy first day, and a storm on the second day. While not heaving with migrant songbirds as we'd had hoped, the place still had several nice songbirds, as well as large numbers of terns and shorebirds. We found several fine male PRAIRY WARBLERS, good numbers of PALM WARBLERS, BLACK AND WHITE WARBLERS, WHITE EYED VIREO, a BLUE HEADED VIREO, a very obliging WORM EATING WARBLER, a perched CHUCK-WILL'S WIDOW, ORCHARD ORIOLES, a pair of GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHERS, EASTERN KINGBIRD. New shorebirds were MARBLED GODWIT, AMERICAN AVOCET, AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, a pair of WILSON's PLOVERS, a SPOTTED SANDPIPER and a WHIMBREL. LEAST TERN, COMMON TERN and SANDWICH TERN were added to the list as well.
The park's a good place for REDDISH EGRET as well. We left the De Soto Area in the late afternoon, and went back north up the coast.
April 9: We spent most of the morning near some of the remaining Cypres swamp forests of the Witlacoochee river, which had several singing RED EYED VIREO's and a fine pair of PILEATED WOODPECKERS. We then headed back inland, birding the Chasachowitzkah state forest. This consists mostly of open pine forest and is very dry. We encountered several mixed flocks of songbirds here. New birds were YELLOW THROATED VIREO, PINE WARBLER, CAROLINA CHICKADEE and at the last possible site: a family group of RED COCKADED WOODPECKERS. Well pleased with this success we then headed for the Lakeland area, planning to bird the Saddle Creeck County Park the next morning.
April 10: Saddle Creeck County park. As I was leaving for Key West the next morning, and we so far had missed limpkin everywhere we went, I didn't have my hopes up. Saddle Creek Park delivered in spades though!
I cannot recommend this place enough. Best time to go is early in the morning, as it's quite popular with people.
Almost right upon entering the park, a bird flew up from one of the tangled bushes near the water's edge, LIMPKIN! We ended up seeing about 10 of them, 6 of them foraging in the grassy shoulders of the road and heard several more calling from cover. Their calls sound alot like to those of a Crane. The park also has a sizeable population of black crowned night herons, and we also saw several least bitterns here. A nice bonus was a pair of calling YELLOW BILLED CUCKOOS foraging in the tall trees along the birding trail at the back of the park, and a swallow tailed kite flying accross the lake.
It was then time to head back to Orlando, having enjoyed a very fine trip with a fair share of cracking birds.
Next morning I took the early morning flight for Key West.
Filip