This site nicely represents the diversity of Panhandle habitats, all in the boundaries of a single park. The bayfront offers sandy expanses for wintering Black-bellied Plovers, Dunlin and Least Sandpipers, and winter ducks like Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Bufflehead and Red-breasted Mergansers can be seen diving in the bay from the East Beach tower.
From the parking lot, this functioning wastewater treatment facility has nearly 8,000 feet of boardwalk through the titi-lined wetlands created by the plant's treated wastewater discharge. As you enter the boardwalk, the first large pond on the left hosts wintering Blue-winged Teal, Hooded Merganser, Bufflehead and Common Goldeneye to name a few. Swamp, Song and White-throated Sparrows exploit the weedy edges and Brown-headed Nuthatches and Pine Warblers call from the adjacent pinewoods.
This migratory hotspot is not to be missed in spring and fall, as tired migrants make landfall after long migratory flights. Batteries Langdon and Worth are both good stops for migrants; closely check flowering oaks. Please respect closed areas protecting nesting birds: the beach here is prime for breeding Snowy Plovers and Least Terns spring through fall.
With binoculars alone, this site offers a fare of gulls and terns comparable to other area beach sites. However, with a spotting scope and a little blustery weather, this 0.25-mile pier can be a seawatcher's dream, offering a stable site away from the beach to scan out over the sea.
This property encompasses the eastern tip of Perdido Key at the mouth of Pensacola Bay, with miles of undeveloped beach. To begin, turn left (north) 0.25 mile past the fee booth and park at the end of the road. A 0.5-mile loop with a boardwalk nature trail begins here, which can be good in spring for Neotropical songbirds such as Swainson's Thrushes. Pine Warblers and Eastern Towhees call from the pinewoods while the boardwalk winds through marsh good for Clapper Rails and Spotted Sandpipers at muddy edges.
Project GreenShores is a restoration project undertaken by a suite of advocates and agencies. Located across from the Pensacola Visitor Center along Bayfront Pkwy., the project is systematically establishing an emergent marsh and oyster reef along the waterfront.
From the parking lot, hike the trail west through flatwoods, listening for the "squeaky toy" call of Brown-headed Nuthatches, the wavering trills of Pine Warblers and the harsh, squawking sounds of Yellow-breasted Chats. For a shorter hike, veer left at the fork. The paved trail leads to a boardwalk through a titi forest (listen for breeding White-eyed Vireos), which emerges on the sheltered bayou.
The Edward Ball Nature Trail includes a short boardwalk through a nice ravine and swamp, with Prothonotary Warbler-laden cypress trees above and wading egrets below. Songbirds like Northern Parulas, Summer Tanagers and Great Crested Flycatchers frequent the area, and migration in spring and fall can yield some interestingvisiting species.
The waterfront, fishing bridge and offshore breakwater all host a variety of ages of Herring, Ring-billed and Laughing Gulls, Forster's and Royal Terns and more. Common Loons feed very close to shore, and sport nearly complete breeding plumage in February/March before they return north. Bring your spotting scope to check the bay for wintering ducks and Horned Grebes.
This site nicely represents the diversity of Panhandle habitats, all in the boundaries of a single park. The bayfront offers sandy expanses for wintering Black-bellied Plovers, Dunlin and Least Sandpipers, and winter ducks like Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Bufflehead and Red-breasted Mergansers can be seen diving in the bay from the East Beach tower.
From the parking lot, this functioning wastewater treatment facility has nearly 8,000 feet of boardwalk through the titi-lined wetlands created by the plant’s treated wastewater discharge. As you enter the boardwalk, the first large pond on the left hosts wintering Blue-winged Teal, Hooded Merganser, Bufflehead and Common Goldeneye to name a few. Swamp, Song and White-throated Sparrows exploit the weedy edges and Brown-headed Nuthatches and Pine Warblers call from the adjacent pinewoods.
This migratory hotspot is not to be missed in spring and fall, as tired migrants make landfall after long migratory flights. Batteries Langdon and Worth are both good stops for migrants; closely check flowering oaks. Please respect closed areas protecting nesting birds: the beach here is prime for breeding Snowy Plovers and Least Terns spring through fall.
With binoculars alone, this site offers a fare of gulls and terns comparable to other area beach sites. However, with a spotting scope and a little blustery weather, this 0.25-mile pier can be a seawatcher’s dream, offering a stable site away from the beach to scan out over the sea.
This property encompasses the eastern tip of Perdido Key at the mouth of Pensacola Bay, with miles of undeveloped beach. To begin, turn left (north) 0.25 mile past the fee booth and park at the end of the road. A 0.5-mile loop with a boardwalk nature trail begins here, which can be good in spring for Neotropical songbirds such as Swainson’s Thrushes. Pine Warblers and Eastern Towhees call from the pinewoods while the boardwalk winds through marsh good for Clapper Rails and Spotted Sandpipers at muddy edges.
Project GreenShores is a restoration project undertaken by a suite of advocates and agencies. Located across from the Pensacola Visitor Center along Bayfront Pkwy., the project is systematically establishing an emergent marsh and oyster reef along the waterfront.
From the parking lot, hike the trail west through flatwoods, listening for the “squeaky toy” call of Brown-headed Nuthatches, the wavering trills of Pine Warblers and the harsh, squawking sounds of Yellow-breasted Chats. For a shorter hike, veer left at the fork. The paved trail leads to a boardwalk through a titi forest (listen for breeding White-eyed Vireos), which emerges on the sheltered bayou.
The Edward Ball Nature Trail includes a short boardwalk through a nice ravine and swamp, with Prothonotary Warbler-laden cypress trees above and wading egrets below. Songbirds like Northern Parulas, Summer Tanagers and Great Crested Flycatchers frequent the area, and migration in spring and fall can yield some interestingvisiting species.
The waterfront, fishing bridge and offshore breakwater all host a variety of ages of Herring, Ring-billed and Laughing Gulls, Forster’s and Royal Terns and more. Common Loons feed very close to shore, and sport nearly complete breeding plumage in February/March before they return north. Bring your spotting scope to check the bay for wintering ducks and Horned Grebes.
The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail is a network of more than 500 premier wildlife viewing sites across the state. When you want to know where to go in Florida to see native birds, butterflies and more, head for the Trail.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Russell Office Park
1875 Orange Ave. East
Tallahassee, FL 32311