Birding Tour USA: Florida Peninsula – Southern Specials and the Keys

Florida Peninsula: Southern Specials and the Keys
April 2025

On a map, the finger-like state of Florida protrudes prominently from the continental United States, reaching south towards the Caribbean just barely missing Cuba 90 miles (c. 140 kilometers) beyond. To the north, frost-hardy, temperate deciduous forest dominates, while warm bodies of water surround the rest of the state. Together, both climate and geography isolate Florida from the rest of the country. Because of its geographically unique position, Florida is a crossroads between the temperate northern latitudes and the sultry Caribbean tropics with almost tropical forest-like habitat resulting in some fantastic bird watching opportunities. Indeed, about a dozen bird species of West Indian origin reach the northern limits of their range here, while many species typical of more northern latitudes reach the southern edge of their range in Florida. Many of the West Indian species live nowhere else in the United States. We also time our tour in late April, when spring migration peaks and the national parks, botanical gardens and residential areas are teeming with bird life, potentially augmenting our trip list with a wide variety of colorful warblers and charismatic shorebirds.

On this tour, we cover the southern two thirds of the state comprehensively in search of the many special birds on offer. We begin by exploring Miami, a city with a decidedly Caribbean flair, in search of several established exotics such as Spot-breasted Oriole, White-winged Parakeet and Red-whiskered Bulbul. In the central/western part of the state, pinelands feature a specialized avian community, including Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch and Bachman’s Sparrow. We also explore nearby oak scrub for Florida’s only endemic bird, Florida Scrub Jay. On the last leg of our journey, we explore the tropical hardwood hammocks and mangrove swamps of the Florida Keys in search of Caribbean specials such as Mangrove Cuckoo, White-crowned Pigeon and Black-whiskered Vireo. We also take a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park, where Sooty Tern and Brown Noddy breed in their thousands. With some luck, many of the sites we visit on this tour may be alive with migrant songbirds, and there is always a chance for a vagrant from the Caribbean like a La Sagra’s Flycatcher or a Western Spindalis to show up.

Itinerary (9 days/8 nights)

Day 1. Arrival in Miami

After arriving at Miami International Airport, you will be transferred to a nearby hotel for the night.

Overnight: Miami

Spot-breasted Oriole is one of the many exotics we will target in the Miami area.

Day 2. Miami and the Palm Beach Area

The nearly tropical climate and exotic vegetation of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area offers a unique landscape of opportunity for a myriad of introduced bird species from all over the world. We spend our first morning in Florida exploring this urban landscape in search of ABA-countable exotics such as Grey-headed Swamphen, Spot-breasted Oriole, White-winged Parakeet, Red-whiskered Bulbul, and Common Myna. However, introduced species are only a small fraction of the avifauna of Miami, a county which claims one of the longest bird lists east of the Mississippi River. Parks, preserves, and even parking lots provide opportunities to see native species like Grey Kingbird, White-crowned Pigeon, and more, along with a supporting cast of migrant songbirds.

After a delicious lunch at a local spot in Miami, we will head north to Green Cay Wetlands and Wakodahatchee Wetlands, two artificially created wetlands that host nearly all of Florida’s water-associated specials: Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Least Bittern, Limpkin, Anhinga, Purple Gallinule, the incredibly beautiful Roseate Spoonbill and more. The rookeries at Wakodahatchee Wetlands should be active at this time of year, providing excellent birding photographic opportunities of nesting herons, egrets, ibises, and storks.

Overnight: West Palm Beach

The Palm Beach area usually holds decent numbers of Grey-headed Swamphens.

Day 3. Ocean side to gulf side

We will spend the morning hours birding the ocean (east) side of the Florida peninsula at several local parks, hoping to catch a new batch of migrant songbirds. Depending on how we faired with waders the previous day and how migration fairs for the day, we may head to Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge for species such as Roseate Spoonbill, Snail Kite and a shot at Smooth-billed Ani. After lunch, we will spend the slower afternoon birding hours driving across the middle of Florida towards Fort Myers. The late afternoon and evening hours will be spent birding the gulf (west) side of the peninsula, searching the coastline for shorebirds including Snowy, Piping and Wilson’s Plovers, American Oystercatcher, Willet and more.

Overnight: Fort Myers

Day 4. Babcock-Webb and Tamiami Trail

Today will be an early start to ensure our sunrise arrival at the Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area. This huge tract of land hosts a wide variety of habitats including Florida slash pine, a favorite of several special bird species. We will spend the better part of the morning exploring these pines in search of Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Bachman’s Sparrow and Brown-headed Nuthatch. Following a successful morning at Babcock-Webb, we will then explore one or two other locations to search for the endemic Florida Scrub Jay. Where we go will depend on recent trends and timing.

Afterwards, we start our journey southeast across the peninsula via the Tamiami Trail to Homestead, passing through Big Cypress National Preserve and the northern edge of Everglades National Park. Sites along this road provide excellent opportunities to see King Rail and Snail Kite for our growing trip list.

Overnight: Homestead

The majestic Swallow-tailed Kite is often encountered on this tour.

Day 5. Everglades National Park

Published in 1947, Marjory Stoneman Douglas’s The Everglades: River of Grass highlighted the uniqueness of the Everglades. Lying at the southern tip of the state, the Everglades is a vast, subtropical sawgrass prairie broken only by cypress domes, tropical hardwood hammocks, pinelands and mangrove swamps. There is nowhere else in the United States with such a decidedly tropical suite of habitats. We bird throughout the day along the length of the main park road that terminates in flamingo campground, exploring these various habitats for several birds, difficult or impossible to see anywhere else in the country, like “Cape Sable” Seaside Sparrow and Shiny Cowbird. American Crocodile is possible at the marina in Flamingo. There will also be an optional birding session after dark to look for Eastern Screech Owl, Barred Owl and Chuck-will’s-widow.

Overnight: Homestead

Day 6. Florida Keys

After an early breakfast, we will drive along Card Sound Road to Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park, making a brief stop at a patch of mangroves along the way to look for the Florida race of Prairie Warbler and the Cuban race of American Yellow Warbler. Once slated to become a housing development, Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park protects one of the largest tracts of tropical hardwood hammock in Florida. It is also an important breeding ground for several target species on our tour, particularly the elusive Mangrove Cuckoo and the vociferous Black-whiskered Vireo. For the rest of the day we will keep our schedule open as we make our way south to Key West, to accommodate the presence (or absence) of migrant songbirds or even the possibility of chasing a Caribbean vagrant. Regardless of the status of migration, we visit a breeding colony of Roseate Tern in Marathon and stand vigil in the evening for Antillean Nighthawk in Key West.

Overnight: Key West

Day 7. Dry Tortugas National Park

Seventy miles (c. 110 kilometers) west of Key West, the Dry Tortugas National Park consists of a series of tiny coralline islands surrounded by the shimmering aquamarine waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Among birders, these islands are particularly famous for having the only nesting colonies of Brown Noddy, Sooty Tern, Magnificent Frigatebird and Masked Booby in the contiguous United States. We reach these islands via the Yankee Freedom II catamaran on a day trip.

Upon arrival at Garden Key, we have about four hours to enjoy the cacophony and bustle of activity from the seabird colonies on nearby Bush Key as well as marvel at impressive Fort Jefferson, the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere. Due to the isolation of these islands from any land, the parade grounds of this grand fort function as a welcoming oasis for exhausted migratory songbirds including warblers, cuckoos, flycatchers, vireos, tanagers, and buntings. On our return voyage to Key West we make sure to stop at nearby Hospital Key to see the colony of Masked Booby.

We spend a second night in Key West to hopefully allow some time to relax and admire this famous town and perhaps to visit Ernest Hemingway’s home for example.

Overnight: Key West

Brown Noddy will certainly be a highlight of the Dry Tortugas.

Day 8. Florida Keys to Homestead

We drive north back towards Miami, stopping at various state parks and preserves in the Florida Keys to look for species we may have missed (possibly a Bald Eagle or two). Perhaps we’ll find some new migrant songbirds and breeding specials or maybe we’ll even chance upon finding a Caribbean stray (we’ll be checking the e-bird reports frequently to see what’s around!). We also usually make a stop at the National Key Deer Refuge to see the miniature and endemic Key Deer, the smallest subspecies of White-tailed Deer and the smallest deer in North America. This will be a flexible day so that we can chase any reported rarities, and we will keep ourselves wired to any special sightings.

Overnight: Homestead

Day 9. Transfer to Miami International Airport

After some optional early morning birding, looking for any bird species we may have missed, we drive back (less than an hour when there is no traffic) to Miami to catch our flights home.

Please note that the itinerary cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed (usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides and other factors. In addition, we sometimes have to use a different international guide from the one advertised due to tour scheduling.

Florida – Set Departure Trip Report

27 APRIL – 5 MAY 2024

By Jacob Roalef

The beautiful Spot-breasted Oriole was the cherry on top of a great trip.

Overview

This nine-day birding adventure of Florida began in Miami with some exploration of the Atlantic Coast, crossed the state to Fort Myers on the Gulf side, then headed back along the southern edge and down throughout the Florida Keys, before circling back to Miami for the trip’s conclusion. The tour explored several different habitats and visited some amazing birding locations such as Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Babcock Webb Wildlife Management Area, Carlos Pointe, Everglades NP, Big Pine Key, Dry Tortugas NP, and Fort Zachary Taylor State Park.

We enjoyed many fantastic bird sightings which included a variety of specialty species, migrants, seabirds, and ABA countable introduced species, giving us a fine list for southern Florida, during our short nine-day visit. Avian highlights included Mangrove  Cuckoo, Mottled Duck, Reddish Egret, White-crowned Pigeon, Limpkin, Sooty, Bridled and Roseate Terns, Black and Brown Noddies, Mitred and Red-masked Parakeets, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Scaly-breasted Munia, Spot-breasted Oriole, Cape May Warbler, Black-whiskered Vireo and Snail Kite.

A total of 157 bird species were seen, plus two additional heard only species, for a total of 159 species recorded. In addition to the birds, several nice mammal and reptile sightings were had, which included West Indian Manatee, Marsh Rabbit, American Alligator, Florida Cooter, and the endangered subspecies of White-tailed Deer known as Key Deer. Full bird and mammal checklists can be found at the end of the report.

Wood Stork was seen throughout our tour of southern Florida.

Detailed Report

Day 1, 27^th April 2024. Arrival in Miami

All participants arrived in Miami and were transferred to the hotel for check-in, to get settled after traveling. We met in the hotel lobby and headed off to our first dinner together. At dinner we got to know each other  better and discussed the upcoming trip and plans. After some tasty food at a local Cuban restaurant, we returned to the hotel to rest, before an early start to our first full day tomorrow. Of course, we were searching for birds on the way back and picked up our first few species of the trip, including Grey Kingbird and Common Myna.

Day 2, 28^th April 2024. Miami birding and Wakodahatchee Wetlands

Today we began with urban birding all around the Miami area, with a special focus on established exotic species that are countable on the official ABA list. Our first stop was Pine Woods Park, a small section of cut grass along some power lines. It wasn’t long before we had our first target of the day, Scaly-breasted Munia. While enjoying these tiny birds, our second target appeared in the bushes above them, Red-whiskered Bulbul, another exotic. This species can be tricky to locate at times, so it was great to nail one early on. In addition to these two, we picked up some of the more common native species like Fish Crow, Common Grackle, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Blue Jay. After our nice morning walk, we headed off to several other Miami exotic spots. During these hours we picked up Egyptian Goose, Indian Peafowl, Mitred, Red-masked, and Yellow-chevroned Parakeets, and Muscovy Duck. We even added a non-countable exotic, Blue-and-yellow Macaw. While they aren’t on the official ABA list yet, they may be someday, and it is still neat to see these giants flying around a local park in Miami. With this, our exotic chasing around Miami was completed for the day, and it was time for a tasty local lunch.

Everyone loves the adorable Burrowing Owl.

After lunch we headed north and left Miami behind. Our first stop was a quick one, at a local sports park complex, to check on a resident population of the Florida subspecies of Burrowing Owl. We were treated to some stellar views of a family of these adorable owls, as well as some other nice species such as Monk Parakeet (another established exotic) and Loggerhead Shrike. From here we continued north to spend the rest of the afternoon at the wonderful Wakodahatchee Wetlands. This series of controlled water ponds and dikes is heaven for wading species, especially during breeding season. We walked the entire boardwalk, noting loads of fantastic species like Wood Stork, Little Blue and Tricolored Herons, Great and Cattle Egrets, Least Bittern, Purple and Common Gallinules, Mottled Duck, Anhinga, Glossy Ibis, Black-necked Stilt, and our final exotic of the day, Grey-headed Swamphen. Most of these species were observed at close range, and some even on nests and with babies. These wetlands were the perfect finish to our first full day of the trip. It was time for dinner and rest at the hotel.

Day 3, 29^th April 2024. From Ocean to Gulf, crossing Florida

Today we had a lot of ground to cover, as the goal was to travel across the state and end up in Fort Myers. After an early breakfast we loaded up the vehicle and set out to our first stop of the day, Lake Ida Park. The birding was a bit slow this morning, but we did manage a few migrants like Northern Parula and Cape May Warbler, plus a couple other species, including Limpkin and Royal Tern. From here we pressed onwards to Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and took a peaceful walk around their cypress swamp boardwalk. Here we picked several new trip birds, like Sandhill Crane, Carolina Wren, and Snowy Egret. The forecast today was looking spotty for rain and, just as we loaded back up, the storms came. Our visit to a nearby wetlands turned up a cute family of Wood Ducks, but didn’t last long because the rain came quickly. We made a dash for the vehicle and headed to lunch to wait out the storm.

After lunch the storm had passed, and we began our journey westward across the swamps of Florida. We made a quick stop at a wastewater treatment facility and managed to find some very distant Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, along with Red-winged Blackbird and Pied-billed Grebe. As we continued our long journey, we picked up several other new trip species, like Red-shouldered Hawk, Tree Swallow, and Brown-headed Cowbird. Eventually we made it to Western Florida and began our search for the endemic Florida Scrub-Jay. In recent years this species has been reliable in a nearby neighborhood and today was no different as we scored nice views of two individuals. We were then off to our final location of the day, Harns Marsh. Soon after exiting the vehicle, we scored our top target for this location, the Florida special, Snail Kite. Our views were a bit distant, however, so we  hiked along hoping for some closer views. In the nearby pine forest, we found some other new species like Pileated Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, Palm Warbler, and Blue-grey Gnatcatcher. We managed to see another distant kite and got a sense of its location and behavior pattern. We loaded back up and found a section of the road crossing a canal, that the kites were hunting over. Here we were treated to much closer views of both a male and female Snail Kite and we even saw one pull up and eat a large Apple Snail! After this great success, we called it a day and checked into our hotel and enjoyed a tasty Italian dinner together.

It was fantastic to watch this Snail Kite hunt the canal below.

Day 4, 30^th April 2024. Babcock-Webb and the Tamiami Trail

This morning, we departed for the Florida slash pine habitat of Babcock-Webb Wildlife Management Area. The unique habitat here gave us a shot at many new and interesting species for the trip. Early on we heard the calls of Northern Bobwhite and Eastern Meadowlark, both of which played hard to get for visuals, but we lucked into nice views of each after a while. Thankfully it didn’t take long to get onto our top target of the area, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker. We were treated to some stellar views of family, with one even working the pine right next to the road in the gorgeous morning light! After the woodpecker, we began to focus on some other key breeding species in the pine forests. We checked off Brown-headed Nuthatch, Pine Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Northern Flicker, and Eastern Bluebird. There was still one pesky target left, so we pressed on for a bit and heard one singing in the distance. After some careful searching, we all managed some excellent scope views of the singing Bachman’s Sparrow, a notoriously sneaky species. We left the slash pines behind and headed south towards the coast, as we had a lot of ground to cover today. Our next stop was Carlos Pointe on Lover’s Key, a small sandy beach behind some large hotels, that acts as an oasis for shorebirds, herons, gulls, and terns. Unfortunately, the area was undergoing some major construction this year, but a little sweet talking to the supervisors allowed us about 20-30 minutes of access to the beach, and it did not disappoint. Right away we were treated to views of Reddish Egret, Osprey, Grey (Black-bellied), Wilson’s, and Snowy Plovers, and Sanderling. There were plenty of birds to scan through and, after some more careful searching, we noted Least Sandpiper, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Willet, Least Tern, and Black Skimmer, among others. Our time was quickly running out, so we hiked back to the vehicle and continued south to our lunch at a local café.

We scored some incredible close-up views of this Red-cockaded Woodpecker.

After lunch we did a quick drive through some waterfront communities in Naples. This netted us a Brown Thrasher, new for the trip, but otherwise it was quite underwhelming. We didn’t spend long here, as we still had about 110 miles (177 kilometers) left to cover along the Tamiami Trail before reaching our hotel for the evening. This drive took us through some of the Cypress Swamps of south Florida. We made a quick stop and explored a small boardwalk at Big Cypress National Preserve. As soon as we exited the vehicle, a pair of Roseate Spoonbills flew overhead. We also noted Wood Stork, Red-shouldered Hawk, and a few American Alligators. As the day started to turn closer to dusk, we scanned the canals next to the road and eventually discovered a Black-crowned Night-Heron,as well as many Snowy Egrets. We continued along the Tamiami Trail, stopping whenever possible to scan. This strategy netted us Black-necked Stilt, Tricolored Heron, and Semipalmated Plover. Eventually we rolled into Homestead, checked into the hotel, and headed off for a tasty dinner in town.

Day 5, 1^st May 2024. Everglades National Park and Homestead area

After an early breakfast we headed out for a day in the Everglades. Just outside of the park is a canal area that is typically good for birding, so we made a quick stop here. In our brief visit we found Western Kingbird, American Redstart, White-tailed Kite, and American Crow. We entered the park and enjoyed the scenic drive through the glades. Along the road we scored our best views of the Florida subspecies of Red-shouldered Hawk, plus some great views of Swallow-tailed Kite. In some of the wet areas, we found some secretive Common Yellowthroats and some noisy Red-winged Blackbirds. Eventually we made it to the end of the road known as Flamingo Campground. Here we checked out the marina area and were treated to a West Indian Manatee next to the docks. We continued to the amphitheater area and managed to spot a few birds just before it began raining. Species included Pileated Woodpecker, Dunlin, Western Cattle Egret, American White Pelican, and White-eyed Vireo. The rain provided an excellent time for us to enjoy a picnic lunch in the vehicle.

After we ate, we began the long drive back out of the park. The rain cleared up and we made a stop along the Po-Hay-Okee Overlook to enjoy an excellent view of the glades. Along the boardwalk we also noted a few species like Northern Parula and Blackpoll Warbler. After a short stop at the welcome center, we exited the park and drove along some agricultural fields nearby. Here we picked up some blackbirds and managed to pick out all three species of cowbird! Brown-headed, Bronzed, and the rare Shiny Cowbird were all present along the road and allowed for some nice comparison views. It was now time for some delicious fruit shakes, a visit to a Cave Swallow colony and then an afternoon break, after several long and hot birding days. We all enjoyed the rest and reprieve from the heat, then met up again for dinner. After we ate, we headed off for a little night-time birding back at the canal where we had started the day. Just before sunset we got onto a nice mixed flock which included Blackpoll, Cape May Warblers and American Redstart. We had a fantastic and close fly-by of American Barn Owl as it began its evening hunt! We waited a bit longer until it was dark and drove up and down the road until we could hear the distinctive calls of a Chuck-wills-widow calling. We also picked up a trilling Eastern Screech-Owl. A great session of evening birding to cap off our day!

A low soaring Swallow-tailed Kite is always a treat.

Day 6, 2^nd May 2024. The Florida Keys

Today we left the mainland behind and crossed into the Florida Keys. Our first stop was Dagny Johnson State Park on Key Largo, the largest of the many keys. We enjoyed a short morning walk through the trees here and had multiple encounters with calling and singing Yellow-billed Cuckoos. We also scored our first looks at White-crowned Pigeon through the tree branches. We left the park and spent a little more time in some secluded areas on Key Largo, where we picked up on a Black-whiskered Vireo, a special species for the region. In addition to the vireo, we also saw another Shiny Cowbird, unusual to be seen on the keys, and a Bobolink, which was new for the trip. It was already mid-morning by the time we finished up here and began one of the most scenic drives in the US, highway 1 in the Florida Keys. We took in the stunning views as we drove over bridge after bridge, before eventually stopping on Long Key for a picnic lunch.

We spent most of the afternoon in the middle keys searching for waterbirds. A stop on Grassy Key yielded a Reddish Egret as well as a pair of Neotropic Cormorants, which is a rarity for here. It was low tide on Ohio Key so plenty of waders and terns were about, like Grey (Black-bellied) Plover, Royal Tern, Ruddy Turnstone, and Great Egret. We continued our drive through the keys, making a detour onto Big Pine Key to search for the famous tiny deer that calls this area home. Located here is the small and endangered subspecies of White-tailed Deer, commonly known as Key Deer. It didn’t take long for us to find a few walking around some neighborhoods here. The day was winding down, so we headed off to Middle Torch Key, a good area for our next target species, the subspecies of Great Blue Heron called Great White Heron. While not a split yet, it does have some potential for a future full species status. We managed to find one in the distance behind some vegetation. From here we finished our drive and arrived at the hotel in Key West where we checked in and headed for dinner. After a tasty dinner near the water, we headed back onto Key West to wait for sunset and hopefully our final target of the day. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait until it was dark before an Antillean Nighthawk flew overhead, giving its distinctive call. Another great finish to a beautiful day in the Florida Keys.

A Magnificent Frigatebird flew over to welcome us to the Keys.

Day 7, 3^rd May 2024. Dry Tortugas National Park

This morning was full of excitement and anticipation as we loaded up and headed for the docks to board the ferry to the Dry Tortugas. We enjoyed a little breakfast and coffee onboard the Yankee Freedom as we set sail for our roughly two-hour boat ride. As we approached Fort Jefferson, we got a little closer to the nearby Hospital Key, where we could make out the tiny white spots comprising a Masked Booby colony. We also spotted our first Brown Noddies and Sooty Terns, Garden Key was full of hundreds, maybe even thousands, of these amazing birds! We finally made it to the docks to unload and spend the next five hours or so exploring the island. The standard welcome party of Magnificent Frigatebirds were soaring overhead, and we headed for the interior of the fort. Our first plan was to make it on top of the fort wall to scan the noddy colony. We seemed to trip over Palm Warblers on our way, as they were everywhere today. On top of the wall, we scanned through the loads of noddies and terns and managed to pick out a Roseate Tern mixed in. After about 25 minutes we headed back down and investigated the water drip feature, a great bath and drink stop for migrating songbirds. We relaxed on the benches and watched as Northern Parula, Hooded, Cape May, Palm, and Prairie Warblers, and American Redstart use the bath. From here we headed over to the south coaling docks and discovered a few Bridled Terns perched on the nearby wall, another specialty for the Dry Tortugas. It was then time to head back to the boat for a little air conditioning and to grab our lunches.

Seeing thousands of Brown Noddies is a top highlight of the Dry Tortugas.

The rest of our time at Dry Tortugas National Park was some free time to wander a bit and check out the nesting Sooty Terns and Brown Noddies, see the visitor’s center, and relax on the benches by the water drip. Some new warblers came into the water while we watched, including Black-throated Blue, Black-and-white, Magnolia, and Blackpoll Warblers. We even had a strange looking Indigo Bunting drop in for a few brief moments. A few of us decided to climb back up the fort wall and do one final scan of the north coaling docks. This decision paid off as we quickly got onto a Black Noddy! One stayed with the bird while I rushed to inform the rest of the group and other birders around. Thankfully the bird stuck around for everyone who wished to see it. After this it was time to load back up and set sail for Key West. After a full day in the sun and about four hours on a boat, everyone was feeling a bit tired. We headed off for dinner and then to the hotel to sleep after an amazing day.

Grey Kingbird was commonly seen throughout the Florida Keys.

Day 8, 4^th May 2024. More Florida Keys and back to Homestead

This morning was a little more leisurely, with a later breakfast at our Key West hotel. We then packed our things and headed off for Fort Zachory Taylor State Park for some morning birding. Along the beach in a stand of pines we managed to get onto a nice mixed flock of migrants which included American Redstart, Myrtle, Magnolia, Cape May, and Palm Warblers. A scan of the water yielded Least Tern, Laughing Gull, and Magnificent Frigatebird. From here we headed towards the fort and hiked a little along the trails here. We managed some better views of White-crowned Pigeon, discovered four Bobolinks in the grassland area, and enjoyed a singing Black-whiskered Vireo. On our way out we were treated to excellent views of a Great Blue (White) Heron which was lovely after only distorted views were had on the previous day. It was time to say goodbye to Key West and begin our long journey back out of the Florida Keys. Next stop was the beach along Boca Chica Road. Here we picked up a new trip bird, Yellow-crowed Night-Heron, as well as Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, and Least Sandpiper. By now it was already time for lunch. After enjoying some tasty sandwiches from a local restaurant, it was time to enjoy the long scenic drive out of the Keys. We made one final stop at the Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park to see some interesting coral reef fossils, however the birding was slow in the heat of the day. We loaded back up and headed for our hotel and our final dinner of the trip in Homestead.

Day 9, 5^th May 2024. Black Point Marina, Miami, and departure

On our final morning, we decided to do some extra birding since we all had afternoon departures. We still had a few targets left to clean up and today provided an excellent opportunity to go for them. After breakfast we loaded up the vehicle one last time and headed off for Black Point Marina, an area full of mangroves. As we walked along the roadside we noted a few nice species like Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Downy Woodpecker, and Prairie Warbler. Finally, after about 30 minutes of searching, a Mangrove Cuckoo appeared on the forest edge and allowed us some excellent views before it flew back into the thick trees. Our first target was in the bag and, since it was cooperative, we still had time to go for our second target of the final, the pesky oriole which had alluded us thus far. We headed back into some known neighborhoods in the Miami area where we had looked before. Things were quiet and the birds were much the same as our search on the second day of the trip, White-winged Dove and Blue Jay. Then, as we drove some new streets, two Spot-breasted Orioles appeared and flew right across the road! They landed in an open tree and allowed us all to see them nicely. A perfect cherry on top of what was a fantastic trip! It was then time to head to the airport for drop-offs and to say our goodbyes after going two for two on our final targets of the tour.

The Mangrove Cuckoo made a last-minute appearance!

Bird List – Following IOC (14.1)

Birds ‘heard only’ are marked with (H) after the common name, all other species were seen.

The following notation after species names is used to show conservation status following BirdLife International: VU = Vulnerable.

Mammal List

Please see the downloadable PDF above with the full species lists included. This is a sample trip report. Please email us ([email protected]) for more trip reports from this destination.

USA: Florida Peninsula– Southern Specials and the Keys

 Tour-specific Information

PASSPORT AND VISA

For US citizens, no visas or passports are required. You will need to bring along a government issued ID as they are sometimes required for hotels.

Non-United States citizens will require a valid passport to enter the country, and some may require a tourist visa. Please consult with your local US Embassy for more details and information. You may need to show your ID/passport at various hotels and for the boat departures on this tour.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

We strongly encourage you to purchase trip cancellation or interruption insurance in case you have to cancel due to illness or for any other reason, as tour payments are non-refundable as per our terms and conditions. We advise you to get a plan which covers all your medical care and evacuation back to your country of residence, repatriation, and trip cancellation due to illness just prior, or any other reason.

HEALTH

Florida poses no major health risks and there only a few potential minor items to consider. There is a boat ferry (approximately two hours each way) which typically is smooth sailing but if you are prone to seasickness, it is best to pack the needed medication. Additionally, some of the drives can be long and pose similar issues. Climate can pose small issues but overall, the temperatures tend to be pleasant with a consistent breeze and plenty of water will be made available. Mosquitoes and other biting insects can be present, especially in wet swampy areas, so we recommend insect repellent and appropriate clothing to help with this. Your guide will inform you when they think things might be particularly “buggy”.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Please make sure that you are covered by medical insurance in case of an emergency while on this trip. Without insurance the cost of medical care can be extremely high. Please notify us at the time of registering for this tour of any medical conditions you think we should know about (including allergies, heart conditions, epilepsy, etc.). This will greatly help us to cater to your needs and to update emergency services if required.

WEATHER/CLIMATE

The weather in Florida in April can range from 70–90 °F (21–32 °C) during the day with nights remaining mild and warmer. Rain and thunderstorms can occur at any moment, so it is best to be prepared with a waterproof jacket. Just as quickly as clouds can appear, they can dissolve, leaving behind a wave of hot and humid conditions. Wind is typically present, especially near water, with a gentle breeze felt most of the time.

ACCOMMODATIONS

We will be staying at comfortable hotels throughout the tour.

COMMUNICATIONS

Our hotels should have decent access to Wi-Fi throughout the trip and phone service is typically fine near these areas and in the larger more populated cities. There are times throughout the trip where we will be out driving through the swamps between destinations so service can be lost there. Additionally, out on the boat and Dry Tortugas, service will be spotty.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND PACE OF TOUR

Overall, this tour is labeled as fairly easy from a physical requirement perspective. All hiking will be on flat ground with an occasional stray to more sandy trails. There will always be an option to remain back with the vehicle if needed. There are no long hikes on this tour (all less than one mile). There are a few drives of distance but none lasting longer than three hours and those drives do have birding and restroom stops planned to break things up.

WHAT TO BRING

Please kindly read the general list of what to bring on a birding tour, here.

Layers and waterproof gear are always a good idea when preparing for a wide variety of possible weather conditions, and we consider them essential on this tour. We also do recommend bringing Dramamine or other motion sickness medications if you need them as there are longer drives in the vehicle and the ferry ride. Also, please bring along a face mask (or a few) to ensure we are able to follow local guidelines during the Covid-19 pandemic as they will be required in certain areas.

Do not forget – Binoculars, prescription drugs (also bring the generic names for these drugs), toiletries, prescription glasses (and a spare pair), sunglasses, camera, batteries (for electronic equipment and chargers for re-chargeable batteries if required), alarm clock, money pouch, field guide(s), daypack.

Key Documents and Cash – Passports, your travel or health insurance cards, photocopies of which can be carried by the tour leader in case of emergency, Covid-19 vaccine card (or photo/copy), credit cards (see info above). US dollars for drinks, gifts, tips, items of a personal nature, etc., which are not included in the tour cost.

LUGGAGE

There should be enough space for each participant to bring one medium-sized suitcase as well as a personal bag to keep at their seat with them. Please do be mindful with large cameras or tripods if you choose to bring these along.

Download Florida Peninsula: Southern Specials and the Keys Tour-specific Information