neilpa Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 I'm going to be in Fort Lauderdale during the first week of October and looking for advice on spots to visit. It's not a birding trip but I should have one full day to commit to birding. From the Broward county bar charts, I quickly got a target list of almost 100 birds. I know I won't hit that, but would like to maximize some of the Florida specialties along with eastern warblers. Some of the non-warbler targets Limpkin Common and Purple Gallinule Wood Stork Magnificent Frigatebird Anhinga White and Glossy Ibis Short-tailed Hawk Parakeets Burrowing Owl @Clip since I know you're in Florida and have mentioned trips to the south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 3 hours ago, neilpa said: I'm going to be in Fort Lauderdale during the first week of October and looking for advice on spots to visit. It's not a birding trip but I should have one full day to commit to birding. From the Broward county bar charts, I quickly got a target list of almost 100 birds. I know I won't hit that, but would like to maximize some of the Florida specialties along with eastern warblers. Some of the non-warbler targets Limpkin Common and Purple Gallinule Wood Stork Magnificent Frigatebird Anhinga White and Glossy Ibis Short-tailed Hawk Parakeets Burrowing Owl @Clip since I know you're in Florida and have mentioned trips to the south. I believe these 3 places are near Ft. Lauderdale and are excellent birding spots: Green Cay Wetlands and Nature Center, Loxahatchee NWR and Wakodahatchee. If memory serves they are all relatively close together. But, if you have to choose Wakodahatchee would be first on the list then Green Cay. Should be good for Limpkin, both Gallinule, Wood Stork, both Ibis and Anhinga. White ibis are very common in Florida you could see them just about anywhere. The Magnificent Frigatebird you may need to get a bit further south but any where near the ocean is good for this bird. The Short-tailed Hawk and Burrowing Owl I have only seen 2 each and neither was near where you are going. So use ebird to find where others have seen them. Parakeets could be anywhere also listen for them. Sadly, Miami is where most of the parrots and parakeets hang out. Monk and Nanday are the most widespread and can be found closer to where you are. I will think on this some more and if I think of anything else I will let you know. October is a great time for migrants... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 7 hours ago, neilpa said: Common and Purple Gallinule 7 hours ago, neilpa said: Anhinga 7 hours ago, neilpa said: White and Glossy Ibis These should be pretty easy in the right habitat. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor Cochrane Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, Seanbirds said: These should be pretty easy in the right habitat. Glossy Ibis can be surprisingly difficult down in south Florida. They are spread out pretty randomly and are not really guaranteed (at least where I'be been before). Edited September 7, 2021 by Connor Cochrane 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 Just now, Connor Cochrane said: Glossy Ibis can be surprisingly difficult down in south Florida. Oh, OK. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpa Posted October 4, 2021 Author Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 9/7/2021 at 2:47 AM, Clip said: Green Cay Wetlands and Nature Center, Loxahatchee NWR and Wakodahatchee About how much time would you recommend to bird each of these? @Marilynne too since it looks like you're pretty familiar with these spots as well. On 9/7/2021 at 2:47 AM, Clip said: Sadly, Miami is where most of the parrots and parakeets hang out We'll be driving down to Miami one evening for dinner so may have a chance to see some then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilynne Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, neilpa said: About how much time would you recommend to bird each of these? @Marilynne too since it looks like you're pretty familiar with these spots as well. We'll be driving down to Miami one evening for dinner so may have a chance to see some then. Green Cay has two boardwalks - 1 mile and 1/2 mile. I'm usually there about 2 hours. The nature center is open Wednesday through Saturday. I think it opens at 9am, not sure, since I'm gone before it opens. The park opens at 6:30am right now. Wakodahatchee is 3/4 mile from the parking lot. Loop is 1/2 mile. That can be done in 1 hour if there's no wildlife. No nature center. Opens at 6am right now. Loxahatchee has loads of trails - grassy berms, one boardwalk, fishing pier and a boat ramp. You can also rent canoes and kayaks. The Marsh Trail and the Cypress Boardwalk are the most popular. Not sure how long it is. If you use the Lee Rd entrance there are usually Black Hooded Parakeets there. A flock of Monk Parakeets flew over a couple of weeks ago. Currently Green Cay has more to see than Wako. I have Black Hooded Parakeets in my yard all the time, especially when there are loquats on my tree. This is from Loxahatchee (made BirdWatching Magazine Photo of the Day back in March). Edited October 4, 2021 by Marilynne add photo 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilynne Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 9/7/2021 at 3:26 PM, Connor Cochrane said: Glossy Ibis can be surprisingly difficult down in south Florida. They are spread out pretty randomly and are not really guaranteed (at least where I'be been before). Glossy Ibis can be found at Green Cay and Wako. Look in any canal for LImpkins. Spotted a Roseate Spoonbill in a canal this morning. That should be on your list. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpa Posted October 4, 2021 Author Share Posted October 4, 2021 Thanks for all the extra details @Marilynne 3 minutes ago, Marilynne said: Spotted a Roseate Spoonbill in a canal this morning. That should be on your list. Heh, I actually saw my first Spoonbill in Michigan earlier this year so it wouldn't be a lifer like all the others. However, I would definitely like to get closer looks than a few hundred yards. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 Sorry I just saw you are going into Miami. Here are a couple of suggestions for the Parrots and Parakeets. 8247 S. Dixie Hwy. This is a small strip mall but for some reason a couple of species like it. I know for sure we saw Yellow Chevroned Parakeet there and one other but on different days. Tip listen for them and follow the sound. Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens when you pull into the parking lot there is another park to the left. Walk into that park not the Gardens look to the holes in the palm trees. Also a Hotspot called Miller's Drive Roost we found Chestnut-fronted Mccaws. Again listen for them. Chance are you will hear them before you see them. Spot-breasted Oriole get reported here too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 @neilpaOne more thing on the parrots and parakeets. They are very transient so no promises. At the Miller's Drive area for example I think we were there 3 maybe 4 times before we saw any Mccaws. Honestly the best was the strip mall. One last thing they can be anywhere so keep your eyes and ears open while you are in Miami. I just thought of one more thing. I'll be back! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 1200 Anastasia Ave. this a luxury hotel I forget which one. Park in the big parking lot and walk toward the hotel looking to the buildings ledges and fixtures for Red-masked Parakeets...Again you will probably here them before you see them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpa Posted October 11, 2021 Author Share Posted October 11, 2021 Thanks for all the advice in this thread. I ended up spending a few hours at Green Cay which was awesome. Sadly I didn't see any Wood Storks or Limpkins but did get all the other marsh birds on my list and then some. Got a few Magnificent Frigatebirds while on a sailboat we chartered. As for Parakeets, I only saw them a couple times driving or walking without bins so couldn't ID beyond parakeet sp. Ended the trip with 14 lifers so definitely nothing to complain about. Now I just want to go back for a more birding-focused trip. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted October 29, 2021 Share Posted October 29, 2021 On 10/11/2021 at 1:52 PM, neilpa said: Thanks for all the advice in this thread. I ended up spending a few hours at Green Cay which was awesome. Sadly I didn't see any Wood Storks or Limpkins but did get all the other marsh birds on my list and then some. Got a few Magnificent Frigatebirds while on a sailboat we chartered. As for Parakeets, I only saw them a couple times driving or walking without bins so couldn't ID beyond parakeet sp. Ended the trip with 14 lifers so definitely nothing to complain about. Now I just want to go back for a more birding-focused trip. We went down to Palm Beach County earlier this week and saw both Nanday Parakeets and Monk Parakeets. They both look very different in the head area. The Nanday have very dark heads and the Monk very light in the face. I was able to tell them apart even with the naked eye. If you remember you may be able to figure out what you saw from this. I believe these are the only two species the occur with regularity and in numbers in this part of Florida. Further south there are definitely more species. Wakodahatchee was closed again. I think they reopened briefly but then closed again. I do not know what the heck the story is. We saw several Magnificent Frigatebirds flyover town even. We also saw no Limpkins or Wood Storks at Green Cay. I think it was Wakodahatchee where we saw them previously but it was breeding season (March) and they were there in Abundance then. If you come back this way let me know and I will try to help. So far for Limpkins the best place I have found is Sweetwater Wetlands in Gainesville, FL Alachua County, Deland Florida on a boat tour we saw a bunch and at Westside Industrial Park in Duval County where we live has a few that see most every time we visit. None of these places are near Palm Beach County though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted October 29, 2021 Share Posted October 29, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 3:14 PM, Marilynne said: Green Cay has two boardwalks - 1 mile and 1/2 mile. I'm usually there about 2 hours. The nature center is open Wednesday through Saturday. I think it opens at 9am, not sure, since I'm gone before it opens. The park opens at 6:30am right now. Wakodahatchee is 3/4 mile from the parking lot. Loop is 1/2 mile. That can be done in 1 hour if there's no wildlife. No nature center. Opens at 6am right now. Loxahatchee has loads of trails - grassy berms, one boardwalk, fishing pier and a boat ramp. You can also rent canoes and kayaks. The Marsh Trail and the Cypress Boardwalk are the most popular. Not sure how long it is. If you use the Lee Rd entrance there are usually Black Hooded Parakeets there. A flock of Monk Parakeets flew over a couple of weeks ago. Currently Green Cay has more to see than Wako. I have Black Hooded Parakeets in my yard all the time, especially when there are loquats on my tree. This is from Loxahatchee (made BirdWatching Magazine Photo of the Day back in March). I believe these are now known as Nanday Parakeets. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilynne Posted October 29, 2021 Share Posted October 29, 2021 40 minutes ago, Clip said: I believe these are now known as Nanday Parakeets. I know, but I still go by the name in my old books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now