Bird Board
Visiting FL--seeking local birders to meet up with
Hello,
My name is Laura Marsh from Chattanooga, TN. My husband and I are visiting a few national parks in FL next week and were interested in potentially meeting up with other birders.
Here is a rough schedule for our trip. If anyone local is birding in those areas on those days, I'd love to meet up and learn a bit! I am not by any means a birding expert, nor do I enjoy birding all day long (I'm pregnant and will have to go slow, take breaks). However, I like birding with other locals in the area to get an idea of places to go and to help confirm the birds I am seeing.
5/25: Miami
5/26: Biscayne NP
5/27: Key West
5/28: Boat out to Dry Tortugas NP
5/29: Everglades NP
5/30: Everglades NP
Feel free to email me with any questions.
Thank you,
Laura Marsh
laurakmarsh@gmail.com
Comments
Laura, I hope that you and your husband enjoy your tour of South Florida National Parks. A visit to Dry Tortugas NP will be a magical highlight and you are well-timed to see thousands of nesting Sooty Terns and Brown Noddy, along with the year-round Magnificent Frigatebird. Back on the mainland, things are going to be a bit slower. Breeding is tapering off and nearly all the wintering and spring migrants are gone. The resident birds that remain are still great, but the hot days and insects can make birding a bit more challenging. In particular, I think you may find Everglades NP to be a bit slow. I was there last weekend and couldn't even find an Anhinga on Anhinga Trail (first time in 8 years that has happened for me!) I might suggest that you take your second day in the park and do a little urban birding instead. If you are willing to drive 1 hour north of Miami, you will find the tail end of the breeding season for lots of species at Wakodahatchee Wetlands (Delray Beach, FL). There are dozens of nesting Wood Stork, Tricolored Heron, Great Egret, Glossy Ibis, etc. I hate to recommend against a second day in Everglades, but I want to be realistic (given the season) and make sure you have an enjoyable visit. Best of luck!
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