Florida

Florida, in the south-east corner of the USA, provides a great introduction to birding in North America with the added bonus of a sub-tropical climate. As well as a great selection of east coast birds there are a good number of specialities to be searched for such as the endangered Snail (Everglade) Kite, the unique Limpkin, the bizarre Smooth-billed Ani, Caribbean species such as Short-tailed Hawk, Shiny Cowbird and White-crowned Pigeon. The southern latitude also encourages a number of other species to over-winter rather than migrate to Central and South America; these include a number of American warblers and possibilities of Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and always a chance of a Caribbean vagrant. Add to this the wealth of wintering wildfowl and shorebirds plus the array of resident species and introduced exotics (68 species of parrot have been recorded in Florida!), there are the makings of a mouth-watering trip. In February the weather is normally settled with temperatures at Miami averaging 24°C with a humidity of 54% and precipitation of 47mm. Given a normal year, conditions should be perfect for pleasant birdwatching. The trip will have few long drives (more than two hours) without regular stops at some of the plethora of State Parks, Wildlife Refuges and National Preserves. We will visit Merritt Island (Cape Canaveral) but not for the Space Centre but for one of Florida’s richest Wildlife Refuges, protected by its proximity to NASA HQ! The prairies and swamplands around Kissimmee and Lake Okeechobee will also focus our attention as will the complex of Refuges on the Gulf Coast around Sanibel Island and the primeval Corkscrew Swamp. Finally we will drive across the northern edge of the Everglades National Park, explore the park as far as Flamingo and bird around the Homestead/South Miami region for a strange mix of exotics! Birds in Florida are often ridiculously tame, especially some of the herons and egrets, offering great photo opportunities to both beginner and experienced photographers. The relatively relaxed pace of the trip will accommodate such needs. It is unlikely that this will be your first and last trip to North America!