Southeast & Central Florida

February 2021

We sweat in Florida while the folks back home froze and got buried in snow. There was no normal anywhere across the country the last half of February 2021. The trails were open in every park we visited but COVID had closed all the Visitor Centers.

The bird of the trip was Fulvous Whistling Ducks. They are uncommon in central Florida but not rare. We were lucky to find a good number of them along Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, in Apopka, FL. This drive has only been open a few years and it is fast becoming the birder's place to be in the area. Only about a half hour from Orlando.The light brownish ones with the white feathers on their flanks are the Fulvous. This was only the fourth time I had seen them--and this is one of the best photos I have ever gotton.

And who from the northeast doesn't look forward to seeing a Painted Bunting?

I don't know why but Ebird is currently not showing Painted Bunting sightings in Florida. I do know they are a much sought after bird by birders and photographers from around the country. Perhaps their nesting has been disturbed by all the fuss? Those we came across were by accident.

You may be shocked to know that some of the best hotspots in Florida are within an hours drive from Orlando. We also spent time on the southeast coast but we saw many more species based in Orlando. Some of our favorite places there are the Orlando Wetlands, Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, and Twin Oaks Conservation Area. Merritt Island NWR is just a tad more than an hour away, but usually worth the drive.

Here's the list of all the birds we saw, roughly in the order we came across them:

  1. American Coot,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

  2. Anhinga,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

  3. Black Vulture,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

  4. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

  5. Blue Jay,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

  6. Blue-winged Teal,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

  7. Boat-tailed Grackle,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

  8. Cattle Egret,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

  9. Common Gallinule,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 10. Common Grackle,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 11. Common Yellowthroat,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 12. Double-crested Cormorant,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 13. Fish Crow,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 14. Glossy Ibis,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 15. Great Blue Heron,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 16. Great Egret,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 17. Green Heron,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 18. Little Blue Heron,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 19. Solitary Sandpiper,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 20. Mottled Duck,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 21. Northern Cardinal,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 22. Northern Mockingbird,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 23. Osprey,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 24. Palm Warbler,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 25. Pied-billed Grebe,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 26. Purple Martin,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 27. Red-bellied Woodpecker,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 28. Red-shouldered Hawk,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 29. Red-winged Blackbird,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 30. Ring-billed Gull,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 31. Rock Pigeon,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 32. Snowy Egret,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 33. Tricolored Heron,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 34. Turkey Vulture,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 35. White Ibis,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 36. Wood Stork,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 37. Myrtle Warbler,  2021-02-15 , Green Cay W&NC, Palm Beach, FL

 38. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher,  2021-02-16 , Plantation Preserve, Broward, FL

 39. Eastern Phoebe,  2021-02-16 , Plantation Preserve, Broward, FL

 40. Egyptian Goose,  2021-02-16 , Plantation Preserve, Broward, FL

 41. Eurasian Collared-Dove,  2021-02-16 , Plantation Preserve, Broward, FL

 42. European Starling,  2021-02-16 , Plantation Preserve, Broward, FL

 43. Northern Parula,  2021-02-16 , Plantation Preserve, Broward, FL

 44. Royal Tern,  2021-02-16 , Plantation Preserve, Broward, FL

 45. Tree Swallow,  2021-02-16 , Plantation Preserve, Broward, FL

 46. White-winged Dove,  2021-02-16 , Plantation Preserve, Broward, FL

 47. Brown Pelican,  2021-02-17 , Mizell-Johnson SP, Broward, FL

 48. Laughing Gull,  2021-02-17 , Mizell-Johnson SP, Broward, FL

 49. Lesser Black-backed Gull,  2021-02-17 , Mizell-Johnson SP, Broward, FL

 50. Magnificent Frigatebird,  2021-02-17 , Mizell-Johnson SP, Broward, FL

 51. Red-breasted Merganser,  2021-02-17 , Mizell-Johnson SP, Broward, FL

 52. Sandwich Tern,  2021-02-17 , Mizell-Johnson SP, Broward, FL

 53. Mourning Dove,  2021-02-17 , Mizell-Johnson SP, Broward, FL

 54. Sanderling,  2021-02-17 , Mizell-Johnson SP, Broward, FL

 55. Black-and-white Warbler,  2021-02-18 , Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Palm Beach, FL

 56. Wood Duck,  2021-02-18 , Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Palm Beach, FL

 57. Spotted Sandpiper,  2021-02-18 , Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Palm Beach, FL

 58. American Wigeon,  2021-02-18 , Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Palm Beach, FL

 59. Loggerhead Shrike,  2021-02-18 , Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Palm Beach, FL

 60. Northern Rough-winged Swallow,  2021-02-18 , Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Palm Beach, FL

 61. Painted Bunting,  2021-02-18 , Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Palm Beach, FL

 62. Belted Kingfisher,  2021-02-19 , Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Palm Beach, FL

 63. Black-crowned Night-Heron,  2021-02-19 , Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Palm Beach, FL

 64. Gray-headed Swamphen,  2021-02-19 , Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Palm Beach, FL

 65. Yellow-headed Blackbird,  2021-02-19 , Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Palm Beach, FL

 66. Purple Gallinule,  2021-02-19 , Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Palm Beach, FL

 67. Roseate Spoonbill,  2021-02-19 , Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Palm Beach, FL

 68. American Kestrel,  2021-02-20 , Wellington Environmental Preserve, Palm Beach, FL

 69. Common Ground-Dove,  2021-02-20 , Wellington Environmental Preserve, Palm Beach, FL

 70. Limpkin,  2021-02-20 , Wellington Environmental Preserve, Palm Beach, FL

 71. White-tailed Kite,  2021-02-20 , Wellington Environmental Preserve, Palm Beach, FL

 72. Ruby-throated Hummingbird,  2021-02-20 , Wellington Environmental Preserve, Palm Beach, FL

 73. White-eyed Vireo,  2021-02-20 , Wellington Environmental Preserve, Palm Beach, FL

 74. American Robin,  2021-02-22 , Shingle Creek RP--Babb Landing, Osceola, FL

 75. Carolina Wren,  2021-02-22 , Shingle Creek RP--Babb Landing, Osceola, FL

 76. Downy Woodpecker,  2021-02-22 , Shingle Creek RP--Babb Landing, Osceola, FL

 77. Gray Catbird,  2021-02-22 , Shingle Creek RP--Babb Landing, Osceola, FL

 78. Orange-crowned Warbler,  2021-02-22 , Shingle Creek RP--Babb Landing, Osceola, FL

 79. Cooper's Hawk,  2021-02-22 , Shingle Creek RP--Babb Landing, Osceola, FL

 80. Pileated Woodpecker,  2021-02-22 , Shingle Creek RP--Babb Landing, Osceola, FL

 81. Tufted Titmouse,  2021-02-22 , Shingle Creek RP--Babb Landing, Osceola, FL

 82. Caspian Tern,  2021-02-23 , Orlando Wetlands Park, Orange, FL

 83. Crested Caracara,  2021-02-23 , Orlando Wetlands Park, Orange, FL

 84. Northern Harrier,  2021-02-23 , Orlando Wetlands Park, Orange, FL

 85. Sandhill Crane,  2021-02-23 , Orlando Wetlands Park, Orange, FL

 86. Savannah Sparrow,  2021-02-23 , Orlando Wetlands Park, Orange, FL

 87. Bald Eagle,  2021-02-24 , Twin Oaks CA, Osceola, FL

 88. Eastern Meadowlark,  2021-02-24 , Twin Oaks CA, Osceola, FL

 89. Eastern Towhee,  2021-02-24 , Twin Oaks CA, Osceola, FL

 90. Swamp Sparrow,  2021-02-24 , Twin Oaks CA, Osceola, FL

 91. Short-tailed Hawk,  2021-02-24 , Twin Oaks CA, Osceola, FL

 92. Snail Kite,  2021-02-24 , Twin Oaks CA, Osceola, FL

 93. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker,  2021-02-25 , Merritt Island NWR--Visitor Center, Brevard, FL

 94. Yellow-shafted Flicker,  2021-02-25 , Merritt Island NWR--Visitor Center, Brevard, FL

 95. Killdeer,  2021-02-25 , Merritt Island NWR--Black Point Wildlife Dr., Brevard, FL

 96. Northern Shoveler,  2021-02-25 , Merritt Island NWR--Black Point Wildlife Dr., Brevard, FL

 97. Reddish Egret,  2021-02-25 , Merritt Island NWR--Black Point Wildlife Dr., Brevard, FL

 98. Willet,  2021-02-25 , Merritt Island NWR--Black Point Wildlife Dr., Brevard, FL

 99. American Crow,  2021-02-26 , Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Orange, FL

100. Fulvous Whistling-Duck,  2021-02-26 , Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Orange, FL

101. Lesser Yellowlegs,  2021-02-26 , Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Orange, FL

102. Red-tailed Hawk,  2021-02-26 , Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Orange, FL

103. Ring-necked Duck,  2021-02-26 , Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Orange, FL

104. Ruddy Duck,  2021-02-26 , Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Orange, FL

105. Wilson's Snipe,  2021-02-26 , Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Orange, FL

106. Black Swan,  2021-02-27 , Lake Eola, Orange, FL

107. Mallard,  2021-02-27 , Lake Eola, Orange, FL

108. Muscovy Duck,  2021-02-27 , Lake Eola, Orange, FL

109. Mute Swan,  2021-02-27 , Lake Eola, Orange, FL

110. Trumpeter Swan,  2021-02-27 , Lake Eola, Orange, FL