This preserve at the northwest tip of Estero Island may be small (only 18 acres), but its location and habitat diversity make it a must-see on any birding loop that includes the island. Trails along the Gulf beach yield views of Snowy, Piping and Wilson's plovers, in addition to the myriad terns and gulls that cruise the beach.
Offering pine flatwoods, scrub and bottomland hardwood forest along 1.3 miles of the Caloosahatchee River, the diversity of habitats in this park guarantees an impressive species list. Walk the trails on the south side of CR 78 (River Rd.), passing through dense hardwoods to the river overlooks and canoe launch (look for swallows). Put in a canoe or kayak here and tool along the shore or cross the river (carefully!) and visit Hickey's Creek Mitigation Park on the south side of the river.
This barrier island park is a unique experience. Board one of the commercial ferries that service the park and expect a day of birding in relatively undisturbed tranquility. As an island, this park is predominately coastal with species like American Oystercatchers, Black Skimmers, Snowy Plovers and Least Terns to occupy your day.
This Audubon Society keystone site encompasses the largest remaining stand of old-growth bald cypress on the continent, and the birds love it! Boasting a 200+ species list, the 2.25-mile boardwalk through this rare habitat is an easy walk where wildlife viewing and the appreciation of nature is paramount.
Bring lots of water and let the 9.5 miles of trails at this site take you through many habitats, including pine flatwoods, oak scrub, mangrove swamp, coastal dunes and isolated cypress domes. The Estero River borders this property on its south end (bring your canoe!) and the trails wind through protected land leading out to Estero Bay. Swallow-tailed Kites cruise over during spring, and Bald Eagles are a known breeding species.
With more than 65,000 acres of the finest intermixed pine flatwoods and freshwater marsh in the state (sprinkled with hardwood hammocks and dry prairie), this Wildlife Management Area (WMA) will keep you busy all day long. Drive or bike the roads (4WD not necessary), walk the trails, or take your canoe out onto Webb Lake.
This site offers everything from open, scrubby flatwoods to lush hardwoods along Hickey's Creek itself. Follow the Palmetto Pines Trail for your best chance to see the small population of Florida Scrub-Jays that calls this park home. The North Marsh Trail leads to overlooks on a wetland, good for a variety of waders and swallows.
This refuge on Sanibel Island is an internationally renowned birding destination, and for good reason – it is one of the finest wildlife refuges in the country. The Wildlife Drive will take visitors on an introductory tour of the impoundment system that makes the refuge famous, with incredible views of herons, egrets, ibises, storks and spoonbills, and shorebirds during draw downs in spring and fall.
Although mainly recreation-oriented, this park offers boardwalks and trails around the lake that provide great views of herons and egrets, anhingas and ibises (White and Glossy). A short nature trail is worth the trip to check the quieter hammock area for skulkers such as vireos and warblers, particularly during spring and fall migrations.
This small site at the eastern tip of Sanibel Island is a known hotspot during migration. Be here at sunrise after weather patterns produce a large migration event and you could witness one of the most phenomenal fallouts anywhere on Florida's coastline.
Walk south on the beach from the parking area and you will find a mangrove- and sea grape-lined lagoon, which hosts waders such as Reddish Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills and Clapper Rails. Palm Warblers forage in the sand near the vegetation (an unusual sight) and Merlins and Peregrine Falcons utilize the cover to stage hunting forays.
This park encompasses habitats ranging from Estero Bay mudflats to the Gulf of America beach, with the area in between including tidal creeks and lagoons, mangrove swamps and tropical hammock. Walk the trail loops on Black Island through the hammock for Red-shouldered Hawks, Bald Eagles and Osprey overhead. Low tide is best at the bay, where wading birds such as Roseate Spoonbills and Reddish Egrets will be seen.
This site encompasses not only the last remaining stand of maritime tropical hammock on Estero Island, but also supports all 3 species of mangrove (black, white and red) in close proximity, which is highly unusual. Boardwalk trails through this preserve lead through the mangroves (watch for Palm Warblers and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers) to an overlook at Estero Bay.
This site offers a 1.0-mile trail through predominately pine flatwoods that ends at Charlotte Harbor, where coastal berm and mudflats provide an end-of-hike treat. Plan your walk so that you arrive at low tide. The flatwoods give way to the harbor overlook, where you will see species like American Oystercatcher and White Ibis.
This site is predominantly mangrove estuary with a series of man made wetlands, and is one of the only preserved green spaces in heavily-developed Cape Coral. As such, it is a magnet for species seeking out foraging areas during migration and even areas to nest during summer.
This protected mangrove/beach system offers some of the best shorebirding in Lee County. Walk the beach for a mile either direction from the parking area, scanning the mangroves as well as the sand. Plovers abound – Wilson's, Piping, Black-bellied and Semipalmated – and waders at low tide include Roseate Spoonbills, Reddish Egrets and White Ibises.
If you have been looking for an astounding birding experience within a major metropolitan area in South Florida, this is it. With characteristics of much larger and more well-known sites nearby, this site offers some of the best birding around. The 1.2-mile boardwalk invites you to walk slowly and silently through the freshwater swamp and hardwood hammocks, watching at close range as everything from wading birds to warblers forage in the water and woodlands around you.
This preserve at the northwest tip of Estero Island may be small (only 18 acres), but its location and habitat diversity make it a must-see on any birding loop that includes the island. Trails along the Gulf beach yield views of Snowy, Piping and Wilson’s plovers, in addition to the myriad terns and gulls that cruise the beach.
Offering pine flatwoods, scrub and bottomland hardwood forest along 1.3 miles of the Caloosahatchee River, the diversity of habitats in this park guarantees an impressive species list. Walk the trails on the south side of CR 78 (River Rd.), passing through dense hardwoods to the river overlooks and canoe launch (look for swallows). Put in a canoe or kayak here and tool along the shore or cross the river (carefully!) and visit Hickey’s Creek Mitigation Park on the south side of the river.
This barrier island park is a unique experience. Board one of the commercial ferries that service the park and expect a day of birding in relatively undisturbed tranquility. As an island, this park is predominately coastal with species like American Oystercatchers, Black Skimmers, Snowy Plovers and Least Terns to occupy your day.
This Audubon Society keystone site encompasses the largest remaining stand of old-growth bald cypress on the continent, and the birds love it! Boasting a 200+ species list, the 2.25-mile boardwalk through this rare habitat is an easy walk where wildlife viewing and the appreciation of nature is paramount.
Bring lots of water and let the 9.5 miles of trails at this site take you through many habitats, including pine flatwoods, oak scrub, mangrove swamp, coastal dunes and isolated cypress domes. The Estero River borders this property on its south end (bring your canoe!) and the trails wind through protected land leading out to Estero Bay. Swallow-tailed Kites cruise over during spring, and Bald Eagles are a known breeding species.
With more than 65,000 acres of the finest intermixed pine flatwoods and freshwater marsh in the state (sprinkled with hardwood hammocks and dry prairie), this Wildlife Management Area (WMA) will keep you busy all day long. Drive or bike the roads (4WD not necessary), walk the trails, or take your canoe out onto Webb Lake.
This site offers everything from open, scrubby flatwoods to lush hardwoods along Hickey’s Creek itself. Follow the Palmetto Pines Trail for your best chance to see the small population of Florida Scrub-Jays that calls this park home. The North Marsh Trail leads to overlooks on a wetland, good for a variety of waders and swallows.
This refuge on Sanibel Island is an internationally renowned birding destination, and for good reason – it is one of the finest wildlife refuges in the country. The Wildlife Drive will take visitors on an introductory tour of the impoundment system that makes the refuge famous, with incredible views of herons, egrets, ibises, storks and spoonbills, and shorebirds during draw downs in spring and fall.
Although mainly recreation-oriented, this park offers boardwalks and trails around the lake that provide great views of herons and egrets, anhingas and ibises (White and Glossy). A short nature trail is worth the trip to check the quieter hammock area for skulkers such as vireos and warblers, particularly during spring and fall migrations.
This small site at the eastern tip of Sanibel Island is a known hotspot during migration. Be here at sunrise after weather patterns produce a large migration event and you could witness one of the most phenomenal fallouts anywhere on Florida’s coastline.
Walk south on the beach from the parking area and you will find a mangrove- and sea grape-lined lagoon, which hosts waders such as Reddish Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills and Clapper Rails. Palm Warblers forage in the sand near the vegetation (an unusual sight) and Merlins and Peregrine Falcons utilize the cover to stage hunting forays.
This park encompasses habitats ranging from Estero Bay mudflats to the Gulf of America beach, with the area in between including tidal creeks and lagoons, mangrove swamps and tropical hammock. Walk the trail loops on Black Island through the hammock for Red-shouldered Hawks, Bald Eagles and Osprey overhead. Low tide is best at the bay, where wading birds such as Roseate Spoonbills and Reddish Egrets will be seen.
This site encompasses not only the last remaining stand of maritime tropical hammock on Estero Island, but also supports all 3 species of mangrove (black, white and red) in close proximity, which is highly unusual. Boardwalk trails through this preserve lead through the mangroves (watch for Palm Warblers and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers) to an overlook at Estero Bay.
This site offers a 1.0-mile trail through predominately pine flatwoods that ends at Charlotte Harbor, where coastal berm and mudflats provide an end-of-hike treat. Plan your walk so that you arrive at low tide. The flatwoods give way to the harbor overlook, where you will see species like American Oystercatcher and White Ibis.
This site is predominantly mangrove estuary with a series of man made wetlands, and is one of the only preserved green spaces in heavily-developed Cape Coral. As such, it is a magnet for species seeking out foraging areas during migration and even areas to nest during summer.
This protected mangrove/beach system offers some of the best shorebirding in Lee County. Walk the beach for a mile either direction from the parking area, scanning the mangroves as well as the sand. Plovers abound – Wilson’s, Piping, Black-bellied and Semipalmated – and waders at low tide include Roseate Spoonbills, Reddish Egrets and White Ibises.
If you have been looking for an astounding birding experience within a major metropolitan area in South Florida, this is it. With characteristics of much larger and more well-known sites nearby, this site offers some of the best birding around. The 1.2-mile boardwalk invites you to walk slowly and silently through the freshwater swamp and hardwood hammocks, watching at close range as everything from wading birds to warblers forage in the water and woodlands around you.
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