Birdwatching

Birdwatching
Florida birdwatching is excellent and our villa is well situated to visit a large number of the birding ‘hot spots’.
From our sun deck we have so far identified over 70 species of birds ranging from Bald Eagle to Eastern Phoebe. Birds seen from our villa and the first date of sighting are:-

1	PIED BILLED GREBE	Podilymbus podiceps	30 March 2005
2	DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANT	Phalocrocorax auritus	29 March 2005
3	ANHINGA	Ahhinga anhia	29 March 2005
4	GREAT WHITE EGRET	Ardea alba	29 March 2005
5	CATTLE EGRET	Bulbulcus ibis	06 April 2005
6	SNOWY EGRET	Egretta thula	29 March 2005
7	TRICOLOURED HERON	Egretta tricolor	29 March 2005
8	STRIATED HERON	Butorides virescens	29 March 2005
9	LITTLE BLUE HERON	Egretta caerulea	29 March 2005
10	GREAT BLUE HERON	Ardea herodias	29 March 2005
11	BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON	Nycticorax nycticorax	29 March 2005
12	GLOSSY IBIS	Plegadis falcinellus	29 March 2005
13	WHITE IBIS	Eudocimus albus	29 March 2005
14	WOOD STORK	Mycteria americana	29 March 2005
15	BLACK DUCK	Anus rubripes	29 March 2005
16	MOTTLED DUCK	Anas fulvigula	29 March 2005
17	FULVOUS WHISTLING DUCK	Dendrocygna bicolor	09 September 2005
18	SWALLOW TAILED KITE	Elanoides forticatus	5th May 2007
19	SHARP SHINNED HAWK	Accipiter striatus	30 March 2005
20	COOPERS HAWK	Accipiter cooperii	31 March 2005
21	NORTHERN HARRIER	Circus cyaneus	31 March 2005
22	OSPREY	Pandion haliaetus	01 April 2005
23	RED TAILED HAWK	Buteo jamaicennsis	01 April 2005
24	RED SHOULDERED HAWK	Buteo lineatus	10 September 2005
25	BALD EAGLE	Haliaeetus leucocephalus	26 January 2007
26	BLACK VULTUTE	Coragyps atratus	29 March 2005
27	TURKEY VULTURE	Cathartes aura	31 March 2005
28	AMERICAN KESTREL	Falco sparverius	04 April 2005
29	SANDHILL CRANE	Grus canadensis	29 March 2005
30	PURPLE GALLINULE	Porphyrio martinica	31 March 2005
31	COMMON MOORHEN	Gallinula chloropus	29 March 2005
32	SOLITARY SANDPIPER	Tringa solitaria	20th April 2007
33	KILLDEER	Charadrius vociferus	31 December 2005
34	RING BILLED GULL	Larus delawarensis	31 March 2005
35	LAUGHING GULL	Larus atricilla	14 September 2005
36	CASPIAN TERN	Sterna caspia	14 September 2005
37	EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE	Streptopelia decaocto	10 September 2005

38	FERAL PIGEON	Columba livia	31 March 2005
39	COMMON GROUND DOVE	Columbina passerina	31 March 2005
40	MOURNING DOVE	Zenaida macroura	30 March 2005
41	COMMON NIGHTHAWK	Chordeiles minor	10 September 2005
42	CHUCK WILL'S WIDOW	Caprimulgus carolinensis	2th May 2007
43	CHIMNEY SWIFT	Chaetura pelagia	09 September 2005
44	BELTED KINGFISHER	Ceryle alcyon	02 April 2005
45	RED BELLIED WOODPECKER	Melanerpes carolinus	02 April 2005
46	EASTERN PHOEBE	Sayornis phoebe	01 January 2006
47	EASTERN KINGBIRD	Tyrannus tyrannus	12 September 2005
48	LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE	Lans ludovicianus	29 March 2005
49	WHITE EYED VIREO	Vireo griseus	10 September 2005
50	BLUE JAY	Cyanocitta cristata	01 January 2006
51	AMERICAN CROW	Corvus brachyrhynchos	04 April 2005
52	CLIFF SWALLOW	Petrochelidon pyrrhonota	01 April 2005
53	BANK SWALLOW	Riperia riperia	02 April 2005
54	NORTHERN ROUGH WINGED SWALLOW	Steligidopteryx serripennis	27 December 2006
55	TREE SWALLOW	Tachycineta bicolor	27 December 2006
56	PURPLE MARTIN	Pogne subis	27 December 2006
57	BARN SWALLOW	Hirundo rustica	09 September 2005
58	BLUE GRAY GNATCATCHER	Polioptila caerulea	27 December 2006
59	NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD	Mimus gundlachii	29 March 2005
60	AMERICAN ROBIN	Turdus migratorius	19 January 2007
61	CAT BIRD	Dumetella carolinensis	31 March 2005
62	CEDAR WAXWING	Bombycilla cedrorum	24 January 2007
63	EUROPEAN STARLING	Sturnus vulgaris	02 April 2005
64	YELLOW WARBLER	Dendroica petechia	11 April 2005
65	YELLOW RUMPED WARBLER	Dendroica cornata	27 December 2006
66	YELLOW THROATED WARBLER	Dendroica dominica	19 January 2007
67	PALM WARBLER	Dendroica palmarum	27 December 2006
68	PINE WARBLER	Dendroica Pinus	27 January 2007
69	PRAIRIE WARBLER	Dendroica discolor	10 September 2005
70	INDIGO BUNTING	Passerina cyanea	19th April 2007
71	VIGINIAN CARDINAL	Cardinalis cardinalis	30 March 2005
72	RED WINGED BLACKBIRD	Ageaius phoeniceus	29 March 2005
73	COMMON GRACKLE	Quiscalus quiscula	29 March 2005
74	BOAT TAILED GRACKLE	Quiscalus mexicanus	29 March 2005
75	HOUSE SPARROW	Passer domesticus	29 March 2005

Within easy reach of the Sanctuary are various excellent birding sites. We can recommend Joe Overstreet Road where one can easily see the Florida Whooping Cranes, but this is not all, as Eastern Meadowlarks, Savanna Sparrow, American Kestrel, Bald Eagle, Eastern Bluebird and Wilson’s Snipe are all common.
Southport Road at the Southern end of Lake Tohopekaliga is good for Caracara, Warblers, and wading birds while at Kissimmee at the northern end of the lake it is possible to see Snail Kite and Limpkin.

A reserve not mentioned on many web sites is the Oakland reserve at the Southern end of Lake Apopka , east of Clermont. This is the best place to see Painted Bunting, Chipping Sparrow and Eastern Screech Owl. It is a small reserve about 30 minutes drive from The Sanctuary.

Anyone visiting Florida especially in the winter must go to Merrit Island. This is outstanding with large flocks of wintering wildfowl including Blue winged teal and Hooded Merganser. It is also the best place to see American Avocet, Roseate Spoonbill, American Coot, Kingfishers and Clapper Rail. The summer is less productive and the exposed area can be devoid of wildlife.

To find the best places to visit, including hot spots for warblers in the Spring and Autumn, we recommend you visit the Great Florida Birding Trail web site.

The Great Florida Birding Trail (GFBT) is a collection of 445 sites throughout Florida selected for their excellent birdwatching or bird education opportunities. This 2000-mile, self-guided highway trail is designed to conserve and enhance Florida's bird habitat by promoting birdwatching activities, conservation education and economic opportunity.

If you would like to know more about birding around Orlando you can always contact us.

HIBISCUS FLORIDA VILLA