The Great Florida Birding Trail 1st to 11th March 2009
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Across the Atlantic is a new world with an exciting array of dazzling new species to discover. In fact for birders, the ‘Sunshine State’ of Florida is no Mickey Mouse destination as it has more than its share of birds, including its very own endemic Florida Scrub –Jay.
During this trip we shall experience the jewels in the crown of ‘The Great Florida Birding Trail’, with visits to famous names like ‘Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Big Cypress Swamp National Preserve and of course, Everglades National Park. All of these top venues have purpose built boardwalks and wildlife driveways, and at this time of year when migrant birds are heading north through the Floridian peninsula in their millions, the varied habitats of these chosen locations will maximise our bird list, which should include highlights like the endangered Whooping Crane, the remarkable Black Skimmer, the quirky Anhinga, Limpkin and Burrowing Owl, the delightful little Tufted Titmouse, numerous woodpeckers including the stunning Pileated, a whole host of colourful warblers, ten different herons from the little Green to the Great Blue, and even the iconic Bald Eagle. The remarkable thing about all these wonderful birds is just how tame and approachable they are.
So grab your optics and lets hit the trail!
Day 1 We depart London Heathrow at 9.20am on a direct flight to Miami with Virgin Atlantic. We arrive at 2.05pm, collect our hired vehicle and drive about 160 miles north to our first accommodation in Yeehaw Junction (yes it really does exist). Here we shall be staying at The Desert Inn for the next four nights. The inn was built circa 1898 as a trading post and saloon bar for cattle drovers and lumbermen and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. All rooms are en-suite and we shall enjoy traditional American buffet breakfasts and evening meals in the bar.
Day 2 We begin with an easy day exploring the Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area, where the prairie habitat offers the chance of Black and Turkey Vultures, Wild Turkey, American Kestrel, Sandhill Crane, Mourning Dove, Eastern Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird, Grasshopper Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Boat-tailed and Common Grackles and Brown-headed Cowbirds. Now that’s just for starters! Rarities within the area include Whooping Crane, Crested Caracara, and Red-cockaded Woodpecker, and we shall make a special effort to find them all.
Day 3 Today we drive north to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, where our first haul of shorebirds could include Semi-palmated Plover, Willet, Marbled Godwit, Western and Least Sandpipers and Ring-billed and Laughing Gulls, while the wetlands of The Black Point Wildlife Drive should provide great views of a multitude of water birds like Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Green, Tricoloured and Great Blue Herons, Great and Snowy Egrets, Blue-winged Teal, Hooded Merganser, Brown Pelican, White and Glossy Ibises, Roseate Spoonbill, Bald Eagle, Osprey, American Avocet, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Long and Short-billed Dowitchers and the striking Belted Kingfisher. We shall also visit an observation point for spotting West Indian Manatees, as these rare but gentle giants congregate in one of the waterways here in Spring. Wow, what a day!
Day 4 Today we visit Lake Kissimmee State Park, where the welcoming party of Florida Scrub-Jays will delight us by taking peanuts from the hand, whereas the handsome Eastern Towhee could be more of a challenge. In the woods, which are beautifully festooned with hanging Spanish moss, birds to look out for include Common Ground Dove, Great Horned Owl, Red-bellied, Downy, Hairy and Pileated Woodpeckers, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher, Black-and-white, Yellow-throated, Palm and Pine Warblers, Swamp and Chipping Sparrows, American Goldfinch and the stunning Northern Cardinal.
Day 5 This morning we depart the Desert Inn and drive west across the state to Myakka River State Park, with another chance for fantastic views of more wetland birds such as Limpkin, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Wilson’s Snipe and American Coot, as well as the possibility of White-tailed Deer and may be Racoons. We shall end the day at The Comfort Inn in Fort Myers, a handy base for our forthcoming west coast excursions.
Day 6 Today we visit the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, where the two mile boardwalk winds through a primeval swamp forest of 500 year old Bald Cypress trees. Two hundred species of birds have been recorded here, with peak numbers in Spring, including exciting species like Wood Stork, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Red-shouldered Hawk, Barred Owl, White-eyed Vireo, Carolina Wren, Grey Catbird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Yellow-rumped Warbler.
Day 7 Today we drive across the causeway to Sanibel Island and the fabulous ‘Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge, where the wildlife drive offers stupendous viewing opportunities of yet more water birds such as White Pelican, Little Blue Heron, Mottled Duck, American Oystercatcher, Spotted Sandpiper, and Royal and Forster’s Terns plus migrants like Red-eyed Vireo, Tree Swallow and the multicoloured Painted Bunting.
Day 8 We leave The Comfort Inn and head south along the coast to Marco Island, where we shall visit Tigertail Beach, hoping for shorebirds like Wilson’s, Piping and Snowy Plovers, plus Least Tern, Black Skimmer and the frenetic Reddish Egret. Heading inland a visit to The Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk will consolidate our by now impressive list of wetland and woodland birds. We then head east along the Tamiami Trail, where stop offs may produce the rare Snail Kite. Journey’s end is The Grove Inn, our country guesthouse accommodation for the next two nights. As well as an outdoor swimming pool, the Grove has en-suite rooms which are well furnished with antique style pieces.
Day 9 The Grove is well located for a visit to the world famous Everglades National Park. Although it will be difficult to find many more new species by now, we cannot miss the legendary Anhinga Trail, named after the strange Anhinga or ‘snake bird’ which literally perches on the wooden balustrades of the boardwalk, as if posing for snap shots. The photo-opportunities of birds and Alligators here are incredible and a doddle for wildlife photographers of any level. Elsewhere in the park, we can explore various trails in search of anything we may have missed, including possible species like Black-crowned Night Heron, Short-tailed Hawk, American Purple Gallinule, White-crowned Pigeon, Northern Flicker and Common Yellowthroat.
Day 10 A late evening flight means we can have a leisurely day with time for visits to Castellow Hammock Nature Centre, where the feeding station attracts Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and the adjacent woodland may have an Ovenbird. As a finale, to what should prove to be a trip packed with birds, we shall visit a sports ground near the airport, where the pitch invasion is by very approachable Burrowing Owls! We may also see exotic Monk Parakeets here. After some last minute packing, we must check in at 7.15pm for our overnight flight back to Heathrow.
Day 11 We arrive back in the UK at 10.25am.
Cost £1295
What the price includes:
Return flights from London Heathrow to Miami, with Virgin Atlantic (one night in transit), nine nights half board en suite accommodation, all transport, excursions and entry fees, and the services of your guide.
Deposit: £500
Single supplement: £400
Additional information:
The flight to Miami takes 9 hours 45 minutes and the return flight takes 8 hours 10 minutes. No visas or vaccinations are required and there is no risk of malaria. In March temperatures average at 18 - 26°C, with 70% humidity and roughly twice as much rain as in Britain.
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