Re: Visiting Birders from MN-Everglades NP

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: There are 2 enterances to Everglades NP. One enterance, the north enterance is Shark Valley. Shark Valley can yield some good birds, most notably many Wood Stork, Limpkin, and Snail Kite. : The main enterance is much larger and has many birds. : Before you reach the park, there are 3 stops within a few minutes of the enterance. : The first stop is the small loop called Flynn's. It is located by taking a right on SR-9336 (aka the main road to the Everglades (past "Robert Is Here" produce store. Look for Purple Martins at the Robert Is Here martin/House Sparrow houses). : After you turn right on 209th Avenue, go down the road past the houses and watch the wires for Western Kingbirds and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. Rarities sometimes show up, such as Cassin's Kingbird. Watch for flickers, too. To return to SR-9336, turn left on the T-Intersection and then turn left again down to reach the main road, and turn right to The Park. Pre-dusk is best, when they come to roost. : Before you reach the enterance, there are two more stops. The first is farther down to the enterance (about 1/2 mile). It is called the Greenway Belt Park. There is a water pump near-by, a few small oaks, and a large Ficus Tree near the canal. Look around here for a male Vermilion Flycatcher that has been seen reliably since November. Eastern Meadowlarks, Northern Harriers, Eastern Pheobe and Short-tailed Hawk. The bird will be seen easily once you get there, just keep an eye open, especially near the canal pump. : The next and final stop before the park is Lucky Hammock. Right before the park, turn left on Aerojet Road, and head down about 1/4 mile and stop at the hardwood hammock with the utility box infront of it. Bird the hammock (early morning is best!) for Least Flycatcher, Yellow-brested Chat, both buntings, and a few sparrow species (Grasshopper, Savannah, and Lark, Clay-colored and Linclon's. The last 3 are tough to find, but present in the weedy fields and bushes on the east side of the road adjacent to the hammock). : Warblers are in the hammock, including Black-throated Green besides the more notable chat. : Across Aerojet Road is a dirt road leading into the weedy, thick brush. Painted Bunting, House Wren, sparrows, Orange-crowned Warbler, and a BELL'S VIREO sighted in the ficus tree to the left if you walk down the dirt path, and proceed north on foot. It is with a White-eyed Vireo. Watch for more sparrows, American Pipits, and many raptor species. The 7 hawk species that are wintering there are: both accipiters, 2 Swainson's (both morphs), Red-tailed (possibly Krider's), BW, RS, and a few Short-tailed (mostly dark morph). Both vultures, and all 3 falcons present in Florida are present. Watch for Northern Harrier, and 3 Sandhill Cranes in the fields immediatly south of the actual hammock. : In the area down Aerojet Road where there are residents, watch for another Least Flycatcher, Purple Gallinule, waders, and Northern Waterthrush. Four species of Wren occur here. : After birding here, head to the actual park. The first stop should be the visitor center. There look for waders, and check the native plantings on the north side of the visitor center for RB Hummingbirds, Yellow-throated Warbler, Painted Bunting, and all 3 mimid-thrushes. Rufous/Allen's Hummingbirds have occured here in the past. : Anhinga Trail is not that productive, but has great photo opps., Purple Gallinule, American Bittern, and breeding Anhinga and sometimes Wood Stork. : Gumbo Limbo has a few warblers, including Black-throated Green and Ovenbird. : Research Road has a few pineland species and White-tailed Kite. Whip-poor-wills are there at night along the road. : Pineland Trail should be skipped for birding, as nothing really ever shows up there. : Pa-hay-okee Overlook has few birds, but breath-taking views of the 'Glades. Continue down to Pourotis Pond for a flock of Chipping Sparrow, and Common Yellowthroat. West Lake has pretty much nothing there but Pied-billed Grebes, but has a few warblers on the mangrove trail. : Mrazek Pond is a must. You will see waders, both BW and GW Teal, Northern Pintail, and a few Lesser Scaup. Watch for American Wigeon. : Christian Point Trail has a few notable species, but nothing much. : Flamingo itself is a great birding destination. The harbor has breeding Ospreys, larids, and Cape May Warblers and Baltimore Orioles at the visitor center. At low tide, the bay off the Flamingo visitor center, when low tide, has a collection of Willet, skimmers, and sometimes a few Gull-billed Terns. Short-tailed Hawks are present throughout the area. Dusk brings both night-heron species around the lodge lawn. Eco Pond has Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, many waders (Roseate Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, both bitterns), hawks, and Painted Buntings. Watch for Marsh Wren and rails. Lesser Nighthawks are seen at dusk. : The campground shoreline has shorebirds (mainly Dunlin, SB Dowitcher, and Least Sandpiper. Western Sandpiper can be found there, too.) : Watch for Bald Eagle. The Coastal Prairie Trail has Swamp Sparrow, and a both sharp-tailed sparrows. Marsh and Sedge Wrens can be seen on it, too. Early morning is best. Good luck! : For other birding sites, check out the TAS "Local Birding Sites" at http://www.tropicalaudubon.org/locations.html

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