FLORIDA 7–22 February 2010 Leaders: James P. Smith and Nigel Warren

Florida is justifiably known as the sunshine state and is a wonderful birdwatching destination at any season. Having been successful in spring, we now focus on late winter with a tour designed to see the key Florida specialities found nowhere else in the United States. Amongst these will be Snail Kite, Short-tailed Hawk, Limpkin, Caribbean Flamingo, White-crowned Pigeon, Smooth-billed Ani, Florida Scrub-jay, Red-whiskered Bulbul and Spot-breasted Oriole. We will also find wintering ducks, gulls, shorebirds and around fifteen species of North American warbler. Late winter can be one of the better periods for rare visitors, with birds such as White-cheeked Pintail, Bahama Mockingbird, La Sagra’s Flycatcher, Western Spindalis and Bananaquit all recorded in recent years.

Day 1 Flight from London to Orlando followed by a 40-mile drive to Cocoa Beach for a two-night stay. If time permits we will bird locally, seeing our first common birds such as Killdeer, Northern Mockingbird, Mourning Dove, Laughing Gull, Boat-tailed Grackle and Fish Crow.

Day 2 Our first full day will be spent exploring the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, home of the Kennedy Space Center. Some of the birds we can expect to see are wintering ducks, shorebirds and raptors including American Avocet, Wood and Mottled Ducks, Bald Eagle, Turkey and American Black Vultures, Least Bittern, Sora and numerous herons, egrets and ibises. American Alligators are common here so we’ll be careful where we walk! Florida Scrub-jays will be around, and sometimes a Great Horned Owl can be seen sitting on top of a telegraph pole in daylight. Throughout the day the massive space rocket hangars dominate the skyline.

Day 3 Moving south we will visit the excellent Wakodahatchee Wetlands where we may see American Purple Gallinule, Anhinga and Limpkin. Next, we will visit Markham Park for Snail Kites; in 2003 we had 26 birds in the air together, though they are by no means guaranteed in these kinds of numbers! The last destination of the day will be Fort Lauderdale airport, where we will look for the rare Smooth-billed Ani as well as the introduced but well established Monk Parakeet and Spot-breasted Oriole. Overnight in Lantana.

Day 4 We head south, stopping at various sites around the greater Miami and Kendall areas where we will see a variety of the many introduced species, which may include Common and Hill Mynas, Red-whiskered Bulbul and Yellow-chevroned and White-winged Parakeets. Many of these feral breeders are countable (or may become countable in the near future) on the North American list. Our next stop will be the Matheson Hammock County Park. Although Hurricane Andrew destroyed many of the large trees in 1992, the park is gradually recovering and we have a chance of seeing Pileated Woodpecker and southern specialities such as White-crowned Pigeon. Three nights at Homestead.

Day 5 Today we will drive onto the upper Keys to look for (Cuban) Yellow Warbler near Card Sound Bridge. This race is indistinguishable in the field from Yellow Warbler but is resident and has a distinctly different habitat requirement; this is another likely candidate for a split! Continuing on to Key Largo we will visit John Pennekamp State Park. Although early in the season we will be on the lookout for Mangrove Cuckoo and Black-whiskered Vireo – both can be very difficult at this season but are possible. Returning to Homestead in the afternoon, we’ll be watching the roadside wires on the way, as Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and Western Kingbird have been found in the area in winter. We will visit Castellow Hammock Park, again severely damaged by the 1992 hurricane. Nevertheless, the feeders here are the most reliable place to see Painted Bunting as well as Indigo Bunting and White-winged Dove. American Swallow-tailed Kites are often present nearby.

Day 6 Today we will visit the Everglades National Park. Our first scheduled stop will be near Mahogany Hammock where there is a breeding population of Seaside Sparrows of the rare 'Cape Sable' race. Returning to the hammock itself, we will look for winterers such as Blue-headed, Yellow-throated and White-eyed Vireos and numerous warblers, plus resident Barred Owls. Moving on towards Flamingo, we will pass a number of ponds which may contain Mottled Duck and Limpkin, with American Swallow-tailed Kites overhead. We will spend several hours looking around this area of mudflats, mangroves and ponds where we may see Brown and American White Pelicans, the white form of Great Blue Heron (referred to as Great White Heron and formerly known as a separate species), the hybrid 'Wurdemann's' Heron, the very rare Caribbean Flamingo, Reddish Egret, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill and the rare Shiny Cowbird. Thousands of shorebirds may be seen gatherng on the mudflats of Florida Bay. By now it will be getting warm so we will head towards the inviting restaurant at Flamingo for a break and to visit the interesting visitor centre. In the afternoon we will return to Homestead, stopping at the Royal Palm visitor centre and the Gumbo Limbo and Anhinga trails. These can be good for a variety of wintering vireos and warblers.

Day 7 We head south across the Florida Keys to Key West. The drive is spectacularly scenic and we will make numerous stops for wintering terns (including Royal) and shorebirds including Wilson’s, Piping and Snowy Plovers and Marbled Godwit. Black Skimmers are also possible. The Keys area may offer the best opportunity for rarities such as Western Spindalis and Bananaquit and we’ll pay close attention to the local hotline. Two nights in Key West.

Day 8 Today we take a boat trip to the Dry Tortugas. On the way out of the harbour (with breakfast on board) we may see a few gulls and terns but generally the 68-mile sea crossing tends to be quiet. However, we will surely be on deck scanning for a rare shearwater or some other seabird. As we get close to the Dry Tortugas, we may start to see Magnificent Frigatebird and Brown and Masked Boobies if we’re lucky. The large colonies of breeding seabirds will not be present at this season but Brown Noddy and Sooty Tern are still possible, along with Barn Owl and the Caribbean form of Short-eared Owl. Passerines will be few but we should see more wintering warblers and sparrows and could discover something truly rare as this is a fabulous site for national rarities. We will have about four hours for walking around the Old Fort Jefferson on Garden Key. Lunch will be provided by the crew onshore. We make the return journey in the afternoon, arriving back in Key West at about 17.30, allowing further time to look for key Florida species such as Shiny Cowbird, which can sometimes be found as a ‘yard-bird’ in Key West.

Day 9 We will bird our way slowly out of the Keys heading north through Saddlebunch Key and Big Pine Key where we will visit both Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge and Watson Nature Trail. We should see many shorebirds including Willet, Long-billed and Short-billed Dowitchers and Western Sandpiper, with another chance for the rarer plovers such as Piping and Wilson’s. Burrowing Owl is possible in the Keys and will be a high priority for the day. Overnight in Homestead.

Day 10 We drive west along the Tamiami Trail right through the heart of the Everglades. Our first stop is the Miccosukee Indian Restaurant, where we will look for Snail Kites. Anhinga, Limpkin, Green Heron and Double-crested Cormorant are possible here too. If time permits, we’ll visit Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, the largest remaining strand forest in the United States and the only remaining haunt of the Florida Panther. We continue on to Marco Island, where we will visit a superb shorebird, gull and tern hotspot on the beach. This may involve wading across a shallow lagoon but it’s worth it to watch the flocks of shorebirds! After lunch we will visit Eagle Lake. This area is a recently established preserve and is excellent for herons, shorebirds and other winterers. In the late afternoon we will continue to Fort Myers for a three-night stay.

Day 11 We will spend the whole day visiting the nearby Ding Darling NWR and the adjacent Bailey Tract on Sanibel Island. This really is a superb area and, as well as the resident species, we can expect to see various warblers, including Prairie, and various sparrows. Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill, Reddish Egret, Osprey and Black-necked Stilt are all probable here. Around the beaches on the island, American Oystercatcher, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Marbled Godwit, Least and Western Sandpipers, Red Knot, Laughing, Bonaparte’s and Ring-billed Gulls and Caspian, Forster’s and Royal Terns can all be seen at incredibly close range.

Day 12 Today we will visit the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, a superb reserve. Under the feeders outside the information centre, Northern Bobwhite can frequently be seen, whilst Painted and Indigo Buntings and Northern Cardinal are often present. Wood Stork and Yellow-crowned Night-heron are regular here and we should see several new species for the trip including Pileated Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren and Barred Owl, which are probably easier here than anywhere else on our tour. The huge Cypress trees are impressive and worth checking for warblers. By thoroughly birding and driving the backroads to and from Corkscrew Swamp we may also see Short-tailed Hawk, Northern Caracara, Sandhill Crane and American (Buff-bellied) Pipit.

Day 13 Today we will start early to visit the Babcock-Webb WMA, an area of virgin Longleaf Pines excellent for the rarer pine woods species, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch and Bachman’s Sparrow. Other special birds in this area include Eastern Bluebird, Pine Warbler and Eastern Kingbird. We may also visit the Archibold Biological Station where there is a good population of Florida Scrub-jays as well as Hairy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. In the surrounding area we will have a further chance to see Northern Caracara, Short-tailed Hawk and Burrowing Owl. Two nights in Orlando.

Day 14 We will work the Three Lakes area south of Orlando to look for any species previously missed, although there shouldn’t be too many! Wild Turkey is common here and there is a healthy population of Sandhill Cranes. Bald Eagles breed and we have further chances for Snail Kite, Northern Caracara and Red-shouldered Hawk. Red-headed and Downy Woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, Loggerhead Shrike, Blue Jay, Brown Thrasher, Tufted Titmouse and (Florida) Grasshopper Sparrow can also be found in the area.

Day 15 There may be some time for early-morning birding before our overnight flight home.

Day 16 Arrival back in London.

General Information Florida at this time of year averages warm and sunny, with only a slight chance of precipitation. There may be extremes (such as highs in the mid 20 de-grees C or the occasional heavy shower), however, so you should dress for warm, sunny days and cooler evenings. The pace of the tour will generally be relaxed with only a basic level of fitness required. Insects can be troublesome in some areas, including the famous Snake Bight trail in Everglades National Park. There are no special medical requirements. Visas are not required.

Group size Minimum number for tour to go ahead: 8; maximum group size: 9 with 1 leader, 16 with 2 leaders.

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