top of page
Writer's pictureBarbara Seith

Titusville & environs

Left Jacksonville at @5am to arrive at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive when it opened at 7am.

Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive – One of my favorite spots in Florida. 1) it’s a drive – so my feet are happy. 2) I went early on a Friday and it was raining on & off, so not so many people. 3) there were port-a-potties (clean ones) at almost every turn. 4) IT IS FREE! I did not know that at the start and kept thinking well they will charge around the next corner…but no.

The one drawback is that you cannot see the whole place in one pass – there are several points where you need to make a choice. I did not know that and was in a real quandary at the first choice point. I thought for a bit trying to figure out what to do, but I didn’t have good info on it, so I just picked. Shortly thereafter I saw the Gray-headed Swamphens (very impressive) and then 116 Black-necked Stilts (both life birds for me). I felt I chose well.

Then as I got to the end I realize I hadn’t see the two unusual ducks that were supposedly there in number. So I decided to go again and this time take the “other choices” – I was glad I did. Both Ducks Fulvous Whistling Duck and Black-bellied Whistling Duck were on the alternative path (and there was a LOT of Whistling) and a nice encounter with a Peregrine Falcon.

I had planned to try to go to two other places that day, but the decision to do the drive twice eliminated that option. I don’t regret it and I will return someday and go to Blue Heron Wetlands (down the street from my hotel) and Orlando Wetlands, which I hear is wonderful too.

One of the few times I took a shot of the habitat

Caspian Tern on the road

Turtle in the grass

Gator

Gator crossing the road in front of my car

Black-crowned Night Heron (Juvi)

Blue-winged Teal

Boat-tailed Grackle

Common Gallinule

Boat-tailed Grackle (Female)

Great Egret

Pied-billed Grebe

Anhinga

Common Gallinule

American Coot

Green Heron

Cattle Egret

Gray-headed Swamphen

Ruddy Duck (only one...)

Caspian Tern

Black-necked Stilt

Tricolored Heron

Ring-necked Duck

Immature Little Blue Heron

Fulvous Whistling Ducks & American Coot

Peregrine Falcon

Glossy Ibis

Fulvous Whistling Ducks

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Gator with a seafood lunch

Red-shouldered Hawk


Jetty Park – Saw my first Common Ground Dove here, but dipped on the Bahama Mockingbird. It has a nice assortment of birds on the beach and jetty, but I was really there for the BAMO. Went twice 1) was seen within an hour of when I left and 2) was seen while I was there, but I was in the wrong spot.

Common-Ground Dove


Merritt Island NWR--Black Point Wildlife Drive – I left Jetty Park to start on the Merritt Island Drive. First the negatives – 1) more people, not always nice about you stopping on the side of the road. 2) only ONE restroom on the entire 11 mile drive that takes at least 3 hours to drive.

The positives – 1) lots of really nice birders and mix of locals & tourists. Plenty were willing to share the scopes. 2) OMG so many birds my checklist says @5,000 I’m pretty sure it was more like twice as many. A local birder who goes there 3-4 times a week told me she had never seen that birds – not even close. Honestly it was a little overwhelming – when there are 1,000 Dowitchers your brain doesn’t have the bandwidth to ID each bird. Still, it was definitely an amazing birding moment! No new life birds, but still an experience I am very grateful to have.

Black Skimmers, Ring-billed Gulls & Royal Terns

Snowy Egrets

Mixed flock of white birds

Wilson's Snipe

Pied-billed Grebe

American Avocet

Another Mixed Flock of white birds

Many American Avocet

Many Dowitchers (mostly Short-billed) flying

& Feeding

Lesser Yellowlegs

Caspian Tern

Little Blue Heron

American White Pelican

Little Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron with a mouthful of Fish.

Butterfly (unsure what kind)

Lots of birds -- mostly Dowitchers

Great Horned Owl

Roseate Spoonbill


Helen and Allan Cruickshank Sanctuary – this Sanctuary is touted as the most reliable place for Florida Scrub-Jays and it was for me. I did have to walk but just a little, it was flat and sandy. The parking lot is very small and although I only saw one party of 4 on the trail, the parking lot was full.

I passed that noisy group and they informed me there were no birds. When they walked on, I turned the corner and there was the Florida Scrub-Jay. When it flew, I turned back and saw a Brown Thrasher on the edge of the trail. Not bad for a 7 minute bird.

Florida Scrub-jay

Vole (keeping me from approaching the Scrub Jay)



36 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page