Alexander Springs
The Alexander Springs Recreation Area in the 383,000-acre Ocala National Forest has multiple birding opportunities. It’s a popular swimming location and gets busy at times; birding is best in the mornings and on weekdays.
Lake
Alexander Springs
The Alexander Springs Recreation Area in the 383,000-acre Ocala National Forest has multiple birding opportunities. It's a popular swimming location and gets busy at times; birding is best in the mornings and on weekdays.
Blue Spring State Park
Although Blue Spring State Park is best known for the 200 West Indian Manatees that overwinter in its first magnitude warm water springs, the habitats on the surrounding lands are excellent for birding, too.
Bourlay Historic Nature Park
This small but diverse park is ideal for beginning birders and family outings. Six short loop trails (about 2.5 miles total) through hardwoods and pine flatwoods allow for a quick visit or longer excursions. Stop at the visitor center (a shotgun-style, old Florida cracker house) at the parking/trailhead area and pick up a trail map. A demonstration garden by the parking area encourages visitors to use native landscape plants at home to attract butterflies and other pollinators.
Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area
Located on Lake Griffin, the Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area offers a diversity of birding opportunities. There are so many miles of dike trails here, you could easily hike all day!
Hidden Waters Preserve
Birders travelling through the Eustis/Mount Dora area will find this unique preserve worth stopping for a few hours of exploration. More than 3 miles of hiking trails reveal the site's remarkable topography (for Florida); a rapid change in elevation of 105 feet makes this quite an interesting destination.
Hontoon Island State Park
Leave your car behind to visit this island park nestled between the St. Johns and Hontoon Dead Rivers. As the free ferry whisks you across the water to the other side, scan for Osprey, Anhinga, Limpkin and other wading birds along the shoreline. Pick up a map of the area at the visitor center/museum and plot your course.
Lake Apopka North Shore
The North Shore area, also known at the Duda property, has 4.9 miles of multi-use trails. Check around the Barn Owl boxes near the parking area, then walk or bike the levee trails for Sora, Purple Gallinule, ducks, herons and Swamp Sparrow. Yellow Warbler and other migrants can be found in season.
Lake Louisa State Park
If you're traveling US 27 between Clermont and Haines City, give this site a try.There are 20+ miles of hiking trails, 6 miles of paved biking trails and 15+ miles of horse trails available for wildlife watchers interested in longer explorations. An extensive sandhill restoration project has restored 500 acres of citrus groves with native longleaf pines.
Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge
Lake Woodruff NWR's impoundments provide important resting and feeding areas for thousands of waterfowl, wading birds and shorebirds, especially in winter. Pick up a map at the entrance, and explore the multi-use dike trails around a series of pools of varying depths.
Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park
Depending on how much time you have, you can bird here for several hours or several days. The park encompasses nearly 18,000 acres, and borders 6 miles of the St. Johns River and 4 miles of the Wekiva River and Blackwater Creek.
Rock Springs Run State Reserve
This wild, remote, state reserve at the intersection of SR 46 and CR 433 offers a nice assortment of birds and butterflies for those who take the time to hike or bike the 17 miles of multi-use trails. Sandhills, flatwoods, hammock, scrub and wetland species are present, as are Florida Scrub-Jays.
Sawgrass Island Preserve
Located at the north end of Lake Yale, this preserve has an impressive 600-acre sawgrass marsh, plus additional wetlands. Six multi-use loop trails meander around three sides of the marsh through varied and well-maintained habitats, including mesic and xeric hardwood hammock, pine flatwoods, shrub/brushland and pasture.
Seminole State Forest
The immense Seminole State Forest is another tract of wild lands in the Wekiva River Basin in which you could gladly lose yourself. Wildlife habitats include scrub, sandhills, flatwoods, hammocks, swamp and seasonal ponds, plus hidden springs and the scenic Blackwater Creek.
Sunnyhill Restoration Area
Come explore the marshlands of the historic Ocklawaha River channel and witness firsthand the impressive restoration efforts to improve wildlife habitat, water quality and flood prevention.
Wekiwa Springs State Park
Wekiwa Springs State Park is famous for its spring run, but this site also includes some excellent habitats for birding and butterfly watching (freshwater swamp, sandhills, flatwoods, scrub, hammocks, lakes and ponds). The trail from the main spring to Sand Lake runs through six different plant communities, and during spring and fall migration, the park hosts 34 warbler species.
Blue Spring State Park
Although Blue Spring State Park is best known for the 200 West Indian Manatees that overwinter in its first magnitude warm water springs, the habitats on the surrounding lands are excellent for birding, too.
Bourlay Historic Nature Park
This small but diverse park is ideal for beginning birders and family outings. Six short loop trails (about 2.5 miles total) through hardwoods and pine flatwoods allow for a quick visit or longer excursions. Stop at the visitor center (a shotgun-style, old Florida cracker house) at the parking/trailhead area and pick up a trail map. A demonstration garden by the parking area encourages visitors to use native landscape plants at home to attract butterflies and other pollinators.
Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area
Located on Lake Griffin, the Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area offers a diversity of birding opportunities. There are so many miles of dike trails here, you could easily hike all day!
Hidden Waters Preserve
Birders travelling through the Eustis/Mount Dora area will find this unique preserve worth stopping for a few hours of exploration. More than 3 miles of hiking trails reveal the site’s remarkable topography (for Florida); a rapid change in elevation of 105 feet makes this quite an interesting destination.
Hontoon Island State Park
Leave your car behind to visit this island park nestled between the St. Johns and Hontoon Dead Rivers. As the free ferry whisks you across the water to the other side, scan for Osprey, Anhinga, Limpkin and other wading birds along the shoreline. Pick up a map of the area at the visitor center/museum and plot your course.
Lake Apopka North Shore
The North Shore area, also known at the Duda property, has 4.9 miles of multi-use trails. Check around the Barn Owl boxes near the parking area, then walk or bike the levee trails for Sora, Purple Gallinule, ducks, herons and Swamp Sparrow. Yellow Warbler and other migrants can be found in season.
Lake Louisa State Park
If you’re traveling US 27 between Clermont and Haines City, give this site a try.There are 20+ miles of hiking trails, 6 miles of paved biking trails and 15+ miles of horse trails available for wildlife watchers interested in longer explorations. An extensive sandhill restoration project has restored 500 acres of citrus groves with native longleaf pines.
Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge
Lake Woodruff NWR’s impoundments provide important resting and feeding areas for thousands of waterfowl, wading birds and shorebirds, especially in winter. Pick up a map at the entrance, and explore the multi-use dike trails around a series of pools of varying depths.
Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park
Depending on how much time you have, you can bird here for several hours or several days. The park encompasses nearly 18,000 acres, and borders 6 miles of the St. Johns River and 4 miles of the Wekiva River and Blackwater Creek.
Rock Springs Run State Reserve
This wild, remote, state reserve at the intersection of SR 46 and CR 433 offers a nice assortment of birds and butterflies for those who take the time to hike or bike the 17 miles of multi-use trails. Sandhills, flatwoods, hammock, scrub and wetland species are present, as are Florida Scrub-Jays.
Sawgrass Island Preserve
Located at the north end of Lake Yale, this preserve has an impressive 600-acre sawgrass marsh, plus additional wetlands. Six multi-use loop trails meander around three sides of the marsh through varied and well-maintained habitats, including mesic and xeric hardwood hammock, pine flatwoods, shrub/brushland and pasture.
Seminole State Forest
The immense Seminole State Forest is another tract of wild lands in the Wekiva River Basin in which you could gladly lose yourself. Wildlife habitats include scrub, sandhills, flatwoods, hammocks, swamp and seasonal ponds, plus hidden springs and the scenic Blackwater Creek.
Sunnyhill Restoration Area
Come explore the marshlands of the historic Ocklawaha River channel and witness firsthand the impressive restoration efforts to improve wildlife habitat, water quality and flood prevention.
Wekiwa Springs State Park
Wekiwa Springs State Park is famous for its spring run, but this site also includes some excellent habitats for birding and butterfly watching (freshwater swamp, sandhills, flatwoods, scrub, hammocks, lakes and ponds). The trail from the main spring to Sand Lake runs through six different plant communities, and during spring and fall migration, the park hosts 34 warbler species.
