To Michael & Other VA Birders who would like information on South Florida
birding:
I was privileged to attend the American Birding Association's birding
conference in south Florida last January, and I previously attended one at
Fort Myers. I have also birded in Florida previously, and we too will be
going down there in January (the only month to go as far as we are concerned,
because it really does seem to be the month with the least mosquitoes and
other bugs). This time, we will be going to visit our son, who is living
down there and working in Everglades National Park as a fire-ecologist with
the National Park Service. He is also a birder, and we will of course do
some birding while we are there.
For all of you planning on going birding in Florida, or even thinking
about it, I strongly recommend you get a copy of "A Birder's Guide to
Florida," by Bill Pranty, which is one of the series of ABA Birdfinding
Guides. It tells you where to go, how to get there, and what to look for at
each site you visit. You can order it from ABA Sales at 800-634-7736, or at
<www.americanbirding.org/abasales/salecatal.htm>. If you are an ABA member,
this guide is listed on page 27 of the Fall 2002 "The Birder's Catalog,"
which is the ABA Sales catalog sent to members semi-annually. A Checklist of
South Florida Birds is also available. If you are not an ABA member, I
encourage you to join, but in any event, if you order a book you can also ask
them to send you a copy of the catalog.
Now for a little specific information for Michael and others. At Sanibel
and Ding Darling, you should be able to find Reddish Egrets with any kind of
luck. I would be surprised if you found any of the other 3 species there.
We had Wood Storks and Snail Kites last year at Shark Valley, which is in the
northern part of Everglades National Park. The entrance to Shark Valley is
located along the Tamiami Trail. We saw Wood Storks on the loop road near
the Visitor Center in the park; the best place for Snail Kites is just across
the road (on the north side) from the park entrance. You can pull off the
road at the old Indian boat launch area (or whatever they call it). As far
as I know, the only place where Greater Flamingoes have been reported in
recent years is Snake Bight Trail, in the main (southern) part of the
Everglades. I'm told that trail is also just about the worst place for bugs
there at any time of year.
Another bird you might want to look for is Florida Scrub-Jay. My
favorite place to look for it is the Archbold Biological Station near Lake
Placid. Joanna Taylor and I went down to Florida a day early last year, so
we could go up there to see them. The birds are quite tame there; one
perched on my binoculars and pecked at my finger, and another landed on my
hat! Information on Archbold is contained in Bill Pranty's book, but be
advised that the Area Code there has been changed from the number given in
the book to 863.
Hope this information will help all of you who inquired and others who
might be thinking of birding south Florida as well.
Val Kitchens
Arlington, VA
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