I have the good fortune to be flying to Florida to pick up a car - leaving on Tuesday morning and getting back to Holmes County by Sunday evening. That leaves three full days for birding and maybe a few hours Tuesday afternoon and on the way north on Saturday. The question Ive been considering is how best to spend that very short time. Id like to see as many birds as possible without spending all the time driving. Next week Ill tell you how it went.
Since my parents and grandparents spent many winters in the Sarasota area, we have gone south quite often, although usually it was mainly family time and not a lot of serious birding. This time I will be by myself and can look for birds from dawn till dusk. Ill be flying into Tampa, so it makes sense to check out some of the hotspots in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area. Fortunately, I have the latest bird-finding guide to Florida, which will be a great help. There are a number of parks along the Gulf Coast on my route from the airport through St. Petersburg and then across the Sunshine Skyway bridge.
I have fond memories of stopping along the Skyway bridge when I was a kid and later when we visited my uncle and aunt. They lived right at the waterfront, just before you get on the Skyway. We were able to see lots of shorebirds and waders from their front yard. I still have a photo of a Great Egret that got so tame that it would actually come into the porch and kitchen after snacks!
During the winter there are many shorebirds, ducks, and other water-birds to be found at any good habitat. Often the problem is finding a place to get off the busy roads. Another problem is that much of the shoreline has been built up with private homes, condos and hotels, making it difficult to find public access. Ill stop anywhere I can find an opening on the drive from the Tampa airport to Sarasota.
Although my parents are no longer living and we no longer have relatives to visit in Sarasota, this time I got lucky and will be able to stay for a few nights with a family member who will be spending most of February in the Sarasota area. Because of that, Ill make my base there and do day trips out from there. The first morning I plan to visit Oscar Scherer State Park, located just south of Sarasota. I have not been there, at least not for a long time. One of the specialties there is the Florida Scrub Jay. My dad once had a photo taken with a Scrub Jay perched on his hat (the hat was on his head!). There are also trails to walk or bike (if I can find a bike to use).
Ill also stop at a number of places along the Gulf Coast where there are public parks and places to see the coastline. In the Fort Myers area, the top locations are Sannibel Island and Corkscrew Swamp. However, traffic in the Fort Myers area can be really bad during the winter, so I may opt for finding some new places listed in the guidebook. Still, it will be hard not to head over to Sannibel, one of the finest places to see birds in Florida.
Other options are to head down to the Everglades for a day, maybe making stops near Miami to see some parrots. That will be a really long day and it might be best to overnight in the Miami area. If I do that Ill probably stay there Friday evening so I can work my way up the Atlantic coast early Saturday morning. There are lots of good birding areas along that route. All too soon it will be time to drive, drive, drive - until the weather turns cold - hopefully without encountering any snow or ice storms. Wish me luck!
To contact Bruce Glick, e-mail birderbruce@yahoo.com or call 330-317-7798.
