From the camping area, hike the 4-mile trail that rings the lake, watching for migrants like Ovenbirds and Swallow-tailed Kites in springtime. Red-shouldered Hawks echo across the lake and Pied-billed Grebes dive, hunting for fish.
Nestled in the Blackwater River State Forest's uplands, this fish hatchery is an oasis of wading birds and shorebirds. Stop at the entrance kiosk to check the sightings log and to pick up a checklist. Walk the dikes between the aquaculture ponds, looking for winter waterfowl such as Ring-necked Ducks, Blue-winged Teal and Wilson's Snipe at the muddy edges.
This site is a popular swimming, canoeing and picnicking area in warm weather, but offers nice access to floodplain hiking trails good for Yellow-billed Cuckoos and Hairy Woodpeckers in late spring and summer. Broad-winged, Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks are common and Wood Thrushes and Prothonotary Warblers breed here.
Nestled between Blackwater Bay and Eglin Air Force Base, this unique and beautiful natural area is accessed from Highway 87 by driving through the westernmost portion of the air force base.
Gorgeous wet prairie occupies much of this preserve, with slightly elevated patches of longleaf pine-wiregrass community breaking the otherwise unobstructed horizon. A habitat of extremes, this landscape burns frequently and absorbs lots of rainfall; trails may occasionally hold water so immersible shoes are recommended.
As it descends through mixed pine-oak uplands, this charming and interesting 1.5-mile round-trip trail leads to a creek, beaver pond and associated wetlands. Listen for Red-breasted Nuthatches in fall in the uplands and Hermit Thrushes overwintering.
This visitor center and park HQ for the national seashore spans the spit of land separating Santa Rosa Sound to the south from Pensacola Bay to the north. From the sound-side shoreline south of the visitor center parking, scope for Common Goldeneye, Lesser Scaup and other wintering ducks.
Shoreline Park South is a small sound-side park in Gulf Breeze, which lies between Fort Pickens and the mainland as the bird flies. This ensures it's on the direct path of migrants coming in off the Gulf in spring. In winter, bird the waterfront for grebes and loons (occasional Pacific and Red-throated in years when vagrant birds are prevalent).
This 5-mile stretch of Three Notch Rd. offers easy, safe roadside pulloffs with Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) cavity trees ringed with white paint, visible from the road. RCWs are most easily seen in breeding season in the mornings, when they emerge from their nest cavities to ferry food back to their waiting young.
From the camping area, hike the 4-mile trail that rings the lake, watching for migrants like Ovenbirds and Swallow-tailed Kites in springtime. Red-shouldered Hawks echo across the lake and Pied-billed Grebes dive, hunting for fish.
Nestled in the Blackwater River State Forest’s uplands, this fish hatchery is an oasis of wading birds and shorebirds. Stop at the entrance kiosk to check the sightings log and to pick up a checklist. Walk the dikes between the aquaculture ponds, looking for winter waterfowl such as Ring-necked Ducks, Blue-winged Teal and Wilson’s Snipe at the muddy edges.
This site is a popular swimming, canoeing and picnicking area in warm weather, but offers nice access to floodplain hiking trails good for Yellow-billed Cuckoos and Hairy Woodpeckers in late spring and summer. Broad-winged, Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks are common and Wood Thrushes and Prothonotary Warblers breed here.
Nestled between Blackwater Bay and Eglin Air Force Base, this unique and beautiful natural area is accessed from Highway 87 by driving through the westernmost portion of the air force base.
Gorgeous wet prairie occupies much of this preserve, with slightly elevated patches of longleaf pine-wiregrass community breaking the otherwise unobstructed horizon. A habitat of extremes, this landscape burns frequently and absorbs lots of rainfall; trails may occasionally hold water so immersible shoes are recommended.
As it descends through mixed pine-oak uplands, this charming and interesting 1.5-mile round-trip trail leads to a creek, beaver pond and associated wetlands. Listen for Red-breasted Nuthatches in fall in the uplands and Hermit Thrushes overwintering.
This visitor center and park HQ for the national seashore spans the spit of land separating Santa Rosa Sound to the south from Pensacola Bay to the north. From the sound-side shoreline south of the visitor center parking, scope for Common Goldeneye, Lesser Scaup and other wintering ducks.
Shoreline Park South is a small sound-side park in Gulf Breeze, which lies between Fort Pickens and the mainland as the bird flies. This ensures it’s on the direct path of migrants coming in off the Gulf in spring. In winter, bird the waterfront for grebes and loons (occasional Pacific and Red-throated in years when vagrant birds are prevalent).
This 5-mile stretch of Three Notch Rd. offers easy, safe roadside pulloffs with Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) cavity trees ringed with white paint, visible from the road. RCWs are most easily seen in breeding season in the mornings, when they emerge from their nest cavities to ferry food back to their waiting young.
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