14 replies to this topic

[triciav83]

So I may have the opportunity to head to Miami for a conference running from 9/29-10/4 and I was planning to stay the weekend (through the 7th) to do a little Florida birding/sightseeing since I've never been to the state. Anyone have any tips as to good places to see some Florida specialties within driving distance of Miami? I'll probably rent a car, but don't really want to drive more than 2 hours or so each way unless there's something REALLY freakin' cool farther than that.

Thanks for any ideas!

[guy_incognito]

Funny you mention that, because I just found out that I may be able to go to a meeting in Miami Beach from Oct 3 - 7, and I would probably try to spend the preceding weekend in the south Florida area. I've only done a small amount of research because I don't even know if the trip will happen yet. Obviously the Everglades are close by. Probably about 2.5 hours away is the west coast, with such hotspots as Sanibel Island. In Miami area, I've heard good things about Bill Baggs.

If you search this forum for 'Miami', there are about 3 other threads with suggestions as well.

[triciav83]

Thanks for the tips! You'll have to let me know where you go and what you see so I can know what to expect.

[MarkBird]

Hi. There will more more than enough places to visit in the area. I assume you've looked at http://www.tropicala...specialty.html. Also, ABA's A Birder's Guide to Florida has a good list of places, although I just found the book to be 'alright' - a little lacking on specific birds to expect by area by season.

The upper Keys and Everglades (and Miami) should be birdy. But keep in mind that our first nice weather days in the fall (low- to mid-80s) are usually the second or third week of October. So expect thunderstorms, 90s, and enough mosquitoes such that long clothes and 25% DEET still makes it uncomfortable.

It depends on what you're trying to check off. Key Biscayne and Everglades should be good all around. Dagny Johnson and/or the Keys should get you White-crowned Pigeons, vireos, tropicals, and others - raptors could be good then too. The Stormwater Treatment Areas are great for waterfowl. You could spend more than a day chasing parakeets in the city.

Feel free to ask specific questions or to write me directly - I know the above is a generalization. My particular comfort zone would be the STAs and the Keys - mostly because when I get away I don't like to be in the city. I am practically banned from the Everglades - for some reason my wife feels that hordes of mosquitoes at noon in early January makes it not worth visiting.

[triciav83]

It looks like I may be stuck in the city and will really only have opportunities in and around the downtown area. Are any of the parks there any good? Even parakeets would be fun. I won't have anyone to go with and I don't feel comfortable really venturing too far out as I'm not at all familiar with the area and don't want to be lost.

[triciav83]

I think I'll probably check out Bill Baggs and Crandon Parks on Friday the 5th since the buses go out there. I'll be staying at the Miami Regency, so I'll be close to Bayfront and Bicentennial Parks. Hopefully there will be some cool stuff there!

If anyone wants to go out somewhere, let me know and I'd be happy to tag along. I'm not a great birder, but I'm quiet and like to learn.

[guy_incognito]

Yay, it looks like I will be able to visit Florida in late September to early October. I will be staying in Miami for a meeting from Oct 2 - 7, but plan on arriving the weekend beforehand to get about 3 days of solid birding in.

Would love to get a lot of waders, seabirds, and shorebirds such as Anhinga, Limpkin, Tricolored Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Purple Gallinule, Piping Plover, Wilson's Plover, and Sandwich Tern. Sanibel Island should be good for these?

Other specialties I'd like to see are Short-tailed Hawk, Snail Kite, Black-whiskered Vireo, Gray Kingbird, Mangrove Cuckoo, and Spot-breasted Oriole. There are many migrant warblers, vireos, and Painted Bunting I'd also like to see.

The Miami area is too far south for Florida Scrub-Jay? How about Red-cockaded Woodpecker?

Any good spots still around for Smooth-billed Ani?

Yeah, I am probably overly ambitious, but want to make the most of my trip to southern Florida. Any tips on finding these birds would be greatly appreciated (all are potential lifers).

[Joejr14]

Yay, it looks like I will be able to visit Florida in late September to early October. I will be staying in Miami for a meeting from Oct 2 - 7, but plan on arriving the weekend beforehand to get about 3 days of solid birding in.

Would love to get a lot of waders, seabirds, and shorebirds such as Anhinga, Limpkin, Tricolored Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Purple Gallinule, Piping Plover, Wilson's Plover, and Sandwich Tern. Sanibel Island should be good for these?

Other specialties I'd like to see are Short-tailed Hawk, Snail Kite, Black-whiskered Vireo, Gray Kingbird, Mangrove Cuckoo, and Spot-breasted Oriole. There are many migrant warblers, vireos, and Painted Bunting I'd also like to see.

The Miami area is too far south for Florida Scrub-Jay? How about Red-cockaded Woodpecker?

Any good spots still around for Smooth-billed Ani?

Yeah, I am probably overly ambitious, but want to make the most of my trip to southern Florida. Any tips on finding these birds would be greatly appreciated (all are potential lifers).

I've been to Sanibel a handful of times (though it's been July/August) and seeing Roseate Spoonbills, Tricoloreds, Reddish Egrets, YC Nights was not a problem at all. Anhingas are also all over the places as well.

I think you're much better off on the West Coast as far as the plovers are concerned, and Sanibel is a 3 1/2 hour drive from downtown Miami.

There are literally about a dozen ebird reports for Smooth-billed Ani for Sep-Oct around Miami. I'm not 100% sure, but you might be too far south for Snail Kites, and I'm almost positive you're too far south for the Scrub Jay (almost the whole Florida population is centered around Merrit Island National WIldlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore...which is about 7 hours north of Miami).

*Edit. Just kidding. I'm actually going down to Orlando in Feb and just did some Snail Kite searching on ebird and there are plenty of locations around Miami for them.

[guy_incognito]

Thanks for the reply, Joe.

Time is starting to get short, and I need to better plan my limited time in Florida. I'll be arriving in Fort Lauderdale in the afternoon, so it will probably be a bit too late for any useful birding that day. Thinking maybe I should use that time and make the long drive out to Sanibel, and spend a day in that area. I know that I also would like to visit Key Largo (Dagny-Johnson) and Key Biscayne (Crandon Park and Bill Baggs). Sounds like spots along the Tamiami trail should be good as well (maybe Snail Kite?).

Is it worth actually going into the Everglades, or will it be more of the same stuff I can see elsewhere?

Anyone have a good idea on how to best utilize 3 days? I will arrive in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday afternoon, and need to be in Miami Beach by Tuesday at around 5 pm.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[triciav83]

Bill Baggs is the one place I'm really going to try for. Let me know if it's worth the bus ride since I'll probably be going on the 5th.

[guy_incognito]

Anyone know whether the Fort Lauderdale airport Smooth-billed Ani is still around? On eBird, the most recent sighting is from May of this year, so there is some chance. For being one of the most 'reliable' spots to find it, there are very few reports.

[guy_incognito]

Bill Baggs is the one place I'm really going to try for. Let me know if it's worth the bus ride since I'll probably be going on the 5th.

Good luck at Bill Baggs. I wasn't able to make it there, but have heard good things. It just never fit into my schedule.

If you do have local parks around, those are probably worth a try as well. Within walking distance of my hotel in Miami Beach is Pinetree Park. I've gone a couple times and have seen American Redstart, Northern Parula, Prairie Warbler, Palm Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Magnificent Frigatebird, and some yet to be identified flyover parakeets.

[Davis Bruce]

IiF YOU DON'T HAVE A BURROWING OWL, BRIAN PICCOLO PARK IN HOLLYWOOD IS A GOOD PLACE TO GET THEM. I REALLY ENJOYED THE EXPERIENCE. BE PATIENT, BUT THEY ARE THERE AND WILL COME OUT. I GREAT SHOTS FROM ONLY A FEW FEET AWAY.

[triciav83]

As my hotel was downtown in Miami, the local park didnt yield much more than grackles (common and boat-tailed), fish crows, and laughing gulls. At least the first 3 were lifers for me. I had yellow-chevroned parakeets too. In South Beach there was a noisy group of monk parakeets. I didn't make it to Bill Baggs mostly bc birding alone in an unfamiliar area was a bit intimidating, but I did go to Crandon Gardens bc I knew there would be people there. I had osprey, white ibis, Sandhill crane, brown pelican, northern cardinal, common gallinue, mallard, anhinga, cormorant, a wide variety of domestics (including a cackling goose) and some unknown flyby shorebirds. And dinosaurs. Crandon Gardens is an abandoned zoo and the lizards established a robust population. Not as much birding ad I would have liked, but all the more reason to go back sometime...for fun, not work. Ill have to check out that Pinetree Park next time!

[guy_incognito]

I posted a trip report over in the photo sharing section, in case anyone is interested and hasn't looked over there.

http://www.whatbird....da-trip-report/