Central Florida, Honeymoon Island State Park
This park is situated on a typical Gulf Coast barrier island with long, thin white sand beaches facing the Gulf and mangrove swamps fringing the bay side. Nesting ospreys and migratory warblers can be seen from either of the two nature trails. A walk along the Pelican Cove Trail, which passes along the edge of a sheltered lagoon, affords excellent views of great and snowy egrets, herons, various shorebirds, and an occasional reddish egret. Least terns nest on the beach. To get there take U.S. Highway 19 (Alternate 19) north of Dunedin for about 3 miles. Turn west on Curlew Road (Florida Highway 586) and follow signs to the park entrance.
Central Florida. Highlands Hammock State Park
The Highlands Hammock State Park contains over 4,694 acres of virgin hardwood and cypress swamp. Just off. Highway 27, south of Sebring, the park offers eight short nature trails that provide access to viewing the park's 177 bird species and other wild life. Swallow-tailed Kites are breeding here in summer. It is a reliable place to see Florida Scrub-Jays and Shiny Cowbirds, and Mangrove Cuckoos and Black-whiskered Vireos breed here. Highlands Hammock State Park is located off US 27 on SR 634 (also known as Hammock Road), four miles west of Sebring.
Central Florida. Lake Kissimmee.
This birding hotspot is only 30 minutes from Orlando, and if you want a birding break close to Disney World, then this is the place to come. Joe Overstreet Fish Camp located on the eastern shore of Lake Kissimmee is a good place to look for Snail Kite, Crested Caracara, Bachman’s Sparrow and Red Headed Woodpeckers.
Central Florida. Merritt Island NWR and Canaveral National Seashore – Titusville.
Approx. 90 minutes south from St. Augustine, this is one of the top birding sites on the Florida Atlantic coast and to date, 310 species have been identified. It also contains the world's largest population of Florida Scrub-Jays. At the Seashore, on days with strong east or northeast winds, many pelagic birds are seen. Best months are October - March.
Central Florida. The Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge
This birding site is a 1/2 mile west of the town of DeLeon Springs, and an hour's drive north from Orlando. The refuge contains over 19,500 acres of marsh, swamp and upland that borders the St. Johns River. It is an ideal habitat for many birds in Central Florida and approximately 200 species of birds have been recorded here.
Northern Florida, The Fort Pickens and Naval Live Oaks
At the far western end of the panhandle, the Fort Pickens area is located on the western end of Santa Rosa Island while the Naval Live Oaks area is on the mainland near the town of Gulf Breeze. Both sites offer interpretive centers, trails, ranger-led walks, and excellent birding during spring migration. Naval Live Oaks is just east of Gulf Breeze on U.S. Highway 98. To get to Fort Pickens, travel west from Pensacola Beach and look for the signage.
Northern Florida. Anastasia State Recreation Area
Located on a barrier island, Anastasia SRA is noted for its richly varied and abundant bird life. Beaches, sand dunes, lagoons, tidal marshes and hardwood forests accommodate a variety of shore birds, herons, ducks, and song birds. From I-95 take exit 311 (old 94). Go east on State Road 207. Turn right on State Road 312. Turn left on A1A. Travel approx. 1.5 miles north to main park entrance. (Turn right after The Surf Station.)
Northern Florida. Paynes Prairie State Preserve
About 2 hours south, southwest from St. Augustine, this 20,224 acre preserve is one of the most popular birding sites in North Florida. Thousands of Sandhill Cranes winter here as well as many species of sparrows. Fall migration at the Bolen Bluff Trail offers extensive warbler species such as Blue-winged, Golden-winged, Worm-eating, Kentucky, and others. Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is located 10 miles south of Gainesville, in Micanopy. From I-75, take exit 374, the Micanopy exit, and at the end of the exit ramp, turn east on the CR234. . Stay on this road 1.4 miles until it intersects with US 441. Turn left onto 441 and go 0.6 miles to the park.
Northern Florida. Ravine State Gardens – Palatka.
About 1 hour west from St. Augustine, this reserve is best seen in early spring when extensive plantings of Azaleas and Camelias are in full bloom. A mixed hardwood forest is home to many bird species, especially during spring and fall migration. Cedar Waxwings, Red-headed Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker and many other birds abound in this unusual setting. Ravine Gardens State Park is located in Palatka, Florida. From US17/SR100, turn south onto Moseley Avenue, then turn east onto Twigg Street.
Northern Florida. Tallahassee and surrounding area.
Myers Park in downtown Tallahassee attracts spring and fall migrants. Broad-winged Hawks, Barred Owls and Yellow-throated Vireos all breed there. Indianhead Park, which is close by, has similar birds as well as Mississippi Kites. Other sites to visit close to the city are the Tram Road Sewage Treatment Facility to the south east of the city and Alfred B Maclay State Gardens. North of the city is the Tall Timbers Research Station. With a variety of habitats, this is well worth a visit as it has a good number of permanent residents including White-breasted Nuthatch.
Northern Florida. Washington Oaks State Gardens
Over 400 acres of Florida's original coastal scenery are part of this popular birding preserve. Hammock, tidal marshes, scrub, a boulder-strewn beach, tidal pools, and formal gardens offer a variety of plant and animal life including the Florida Scrub-Jay, shore birds, Brown Pelicans, Pileated Woodpecker, deer and other wildlife. The hammock forest is active during the spring (April-May) and fall (Sept.-Oct.) migration when many species of songbirds, including good numbers of warblers, move along the Atlantic Flyway. Washington Oaks Gardens State Park is located two miles south of Marineland, near Palm Coast, off A1A.
South Florida, Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
Fall through spring offers the best birding at this refuge. Herons, egrets, ibis, limpkins, anhingas, purple gallinules, vultures, and red-shouldered hawks are common. In winter, look for seasonal residents such as northern harrier and several species of ducks, including blue and green-winged teal and fulvous whistling and ring-necked ducks. To access the refuge, take Interstate 95's exit 50 in West Palm Beach, travel 7 miles west on U.S. Highway 98 (Southern Boulevard). Turn south onto U.S. Highway 441 and drive 13 miles. The entrance is on the west side of the road.
South Florida. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
An excellent birding hotspot, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary has a 2.25-mile raised boardwalk that takes visitors through four distinct environments: a pine upland, a wet prairie, a cypress forest, and a marsh. This is an excellent place to see Wood Stork, with more found here than anywhere else in the U.S.A. Barred Owls are also frequently seen. The Sanctuary has an impressive bird list, with over 200 species recorded here. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is located northeast of Naples, Florida, in Collier County. It is at the end of Sanctuary Road West, north of Immokalee Road (County Road 846), approximately 15 miles east of Exit 111 on I-75. The park is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. December through April, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. May through November. No visitors are permitted to enter after 4 p.m.
South Florida. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge.
On Sanibel Island between Ft. Meyers and Naples, the Ding Darling NWR is a prime birding destination. Reddish Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills and Ospreys are year round residents and three Florida specialties, Gray Kingbirds, Black-whiskered Vireos and Mangrove Cuckoo are spring and summer breeders.
South Florida. The Everglades
No birding trip to south Florida should be without a day spent in the Everglades. One of Florida’s most visited birding spots, the Everglades are a vast shallow expanse of water moving south through sawgrass and Cyprus prairies. Of the 350+ birds that have been sighted in the Everglades, about 200 are migratory. Some popular birding sites are the Anhinga Trail, a ½ mile boardwalk over Taylor Slough, the Gumbo Limbo Trail, Mahogony Hammock, Mrazek and Eco Ponds and Flamingo, where there is a visitors center, motel and restaurant.
South Florida. The Florida Keys
The Florida Keys is a good place to find a number of breeding specialties including Roseate, Bridled and Sooty Terns, Mangrove Cuckoo, Antillean Nighthawk, Gray Kingbird and Black-whiskered Vireo. It is also the place to look for stray West Indian species, as so far, nearly 20 have turned up here.
South Florida. The Miami area
In the Miami area, birding hotspots worth checking out include Greynolds Park in north Miami and Crandon Park and Bill Baggs/Cape Florida State Recreation Area on Key Biscayne. This is a low-lying island off the coast in south Miami. The beaches here are good for gulls, terns and waders. The Bill Baggs Park is noted for passerines and raptors during migration. The Arch Creek Park in north Miami has a creek flowing alongside it. This attracts migrants and in passage, look for Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Magnolia and Yellow-throated Warblers. The Doug Barnes Park in south Miami is on Bird Road, one of the major east-west thoroughfares. This park is an excellent migrant trap for warblers in both spring and autumn. Look for the introduced Spot-breasted Orioles here as well.