Migration Fun

Magnolia Warbler
Mead Gardens

Migration is in full swing here in Central Florida; it's always a fun time. There are several places I love to visit in the Spring. My favorite place to visit is Fort De Soto near St. Petersburg. It's over two hours away, so I'm lucky to get there once during migration, but it's a magical place. Some of my favorite birding of the year comes from my visits to this place.  But on normal days I stay closer to home, and in the Spring, nothing close to home beats Mead Gardens

Worm-eating Warbler
Mead Gardens

Hooded Warbler
Fort De Soto

Tennessee Warbler
Fort De Soto

Cape May Warbler
Central Winds Park

Blue-winged Warbler
Mead Gardens

Black-throated Blue Warbler
Mead Gardens

Louisiana Waterthrush
Mead Gardens

Northern Parula
Spring Hammock Preserve

Yellow-throated Warbler
Red Bug Lake Park

When I visited Fort De Soto last week, I couldn't believe the numbers of tanagers and grosbeaks. There were at least a couple dozen Scarlet Tanagers and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, not to mention Summer Tanagers, Blue Grosbeaks and Indigo Buntings.

Scarlet Tanager
Fort De Soto

Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Fort De Soto

Blackbirds and Orioles are also coming through.  Bobolinks like to visit one of my favorite birding places near Lake Jesup, Marl Bed Flats, and Orioles come through as well.  Orchard Orioles are a bit harder to find than Baltimore Orioles, so it's a special treat to see one.  But at Fort De Soto last week, there was at least a dozen.

Bobolink
Marl Bed Flats

Orchard Oriole
Fort De Soto

Baltimore Oriole
Fort De Soto

We still have a few more weeks of fun, so we'll see what else remains to be found.  But already it's been a great spring.