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January 10 - January 17
Winter Florida Getaway *1 spot left*
Join Stefan and Brodie on a tour of Florida’s best. On this eight-day excursion, we’ll traverse the southern part of the continental United States in search of endemic birds and plants, wildlife, and butterflies.
We’ll start with a visit to Marco Island, where Snail Kites forage for Apple Snails, and a local population of Burrowing Owls famously digs their burrows. A walk on nearby beaches may turn up all four small plover species that winter in the area.
Venturing north, we’ll visit wetlands where we should find Limpkin and Purple Gallinule and, with lots of luck, Smooth-billed Ani. Weedy areas may yield some Painted and Indigo Buntings. We hope to glimpse the endemic Florida Scrub-Jay at Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
Continuing north to Central Florida, we’ll visit the Lake Kissimmee area, looking for the small wintering population of giant Whooping Crane, hoping for an encounter with Crested Caracara as we search. Afterward, we’ll visit The Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area, which conserves a large portion of the second-largest remaining dry prairie in the United States. This area sometimes holds the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebird, and wintering Pine Warbler.
Returning south, we’ll visit one of the most storied natural areas on the continent: Everglades National Park. Tucked in among the coastal mangroves, the Everglades consists of mangroves, sawgrass marshes, American Alligator, and American Crocodile lurk in the waters along with turtles, manatees, and a wide variety of native wildlife. As we traverse the park, we’ll watch for stunning Roseate Spoonbills, Wood Storks, and Short-tailed Hawks.
Our last full day will bring us to the scenic Florida Keys, a wintering locale for many North American songbirds and the only place in the country to reliably find the White-crowned Pigeon. We’ll search for local, rare specialties like Mangrove Cuckoo and Key Tree Cactus and hope to celebrate a successful trip with a slice of Key Lime Pie.
Register today to travel with us to sunny Florida in Winter!
Join Bird Alliance of Oregon for a getaway to sunny Florida, where we'll travel the southern portion of the state in search of its unique birdlife. We'll visit the famed Everglades and the Florida Keys in search of Limpkin, Snail Kite, White-crowned Pigeon, and many more. Along the way, we'll look for enigmatic wildlife like American Crocodile and Manatees and enjoy the fascinating natural history of The Sunshine State.
Register!Pacing: Slow
Rest stops Multiple rest stops, ideally every hour or less.
Sun exposure: Full. Temperatures typically 65-75F in January.
Amenities: We will strive for a bathroom break every two hours.
Accessibility
Distance: We’ll be hiking up to three miles daily, with multiple stops.
Elevation changes: Very flat!
Trail: A variety of trail types, from narrow footpaths to open beaches.
Trip Details
- Trip leaders: Stefan Schlick and Brodie Cass Talbott
- When: January 10-17, 2024
- Fee: $3,295 members / $3,895 non-members
- Single Supplement: $460
- Fee Includes: 7 nights lodging, transportation, park entrance fees
- Fee Excludes: Airfare, dinners, alcoholic drinks
- Group size: Limited to 10 participants