Janny

I know this is a stupid question, but are there lots of birds on Sanibel Island or Naples. I was in the bookstore this evening, and briefly glanced through a book on Sanibel/Capitva Islands and it mentioned there are tons of those exotic flamingo looking birds there. I am terrified of those birds. Is this true?

Patrick

I trust you're also looking at the responses to this question you posted on the other thread about Florida vacation?

CarolB

Janny, I wouldn't call your question "stupid" but, forgive me, it is an odd question. People do go to Sanibel expressly to see birds. The "Ding Darling" nature preserve is kind of known for them. That said, Sanibel is not in any way overrun with birds. Even the preserve doesn't have all that many. I can't promise you that you won't see too many birds for comfort, but it really is not that bird-intensive. You could go all over the islands and not see any, on a particular day. Any place you go in south Florida might have just as many exotic-looking birds. In any case they would not be flamingos (though I don't want to presume to know what "flamingo-looking" would mean to you).

I'm sympathetic because I also have a phobia about something, and I think other posters may be sympathetic as well, but unless we know why you're going to Sanibel and why you don't want to see certain birds it's hard to know how to answer.

roy

There are birds on Sanibel that strut about in the ridicously heavy traffic and bring it to a total standstill. Attempts to chase them away are largely ineffective as they run back into the street as soon as anyone attempting to scare them away gets back into their auto. If you run over the bird, you will be arrested.
Yes, be justifiably terrified and stay away.

Scarlett

I am sorry but this just cracks me up, those flamingo looking birds

Today I thought I saw a white stork nearby, white body, black neck and head..a wonderful huge bird. Be happy that it is here and not in Sanibel.

Heartburn3

Roy, will you please stop referring to the people directing traffic as birds that strut about in the ridiculously heavy traffic...LOL

LilMsFoodie

As I look out my window this morning I can see a Roseate Spoonbill (not a flamingo) wandering around our lake looking for little fish. I find him beautiful.

There are many birds on Sanibel but it is not inundated with birds like the Hitchcock movie. This time of year the Roseate's are in force and the underside of their wings are a shocking pink color. It is very dramatic and part of the appeal of Ding Darling.

I travel around Sanibel and SW Florida every day and have yet to see the sort of traffic jams mentioned caused by ibis. The jams are caused by a 50% increase in the resident population, many retired and heavily medicated.

You do see them(the ibis, not the heavily medicated snowbirds) in front yards eating the grubs in the sod. If you don't like birds I recommend you not go to beaches. Birds of every type stand along the beaches everywhere looking for food to roll in with the tide.
LMF

Tandoori_Girl

Many, many birds all over Florida. Ibises, spoonbills, yellow-crowned night herons, grey herons, pelicans, egrets, cranes, sandpipers, plovers, mangrove cuckoos, american avocets, blackbirds, bluebirds, woodpeckers, common parrots, and more. Forget about your trip to Sanibel. Go to the Antartic.

emd

This is so interesting, with all due respect for Janny and her bird feelings, I'd actually love to see these birds and would go back to do so. I didn't see many birds at the Sanibel seashore, except one rather large pelican that landed next to my daughter adn that frightened her due to size. Maybe I was there on a bad bird day or at the wrong time of year (June)?

LilMsFoodie

Pelican had scared them off that particular occasion. I don't know why you didn't see more birds. Predatory fish close to shore? A Bald Eagle nearby? Bird watching requires stillness which is difficult with children. LMF

LilMsFoodie

Scarlett: You saw a wood stork. They are on the endangered list but they are all over the swales along the interstates this time of year feasting on grubs. They are huge birds and in my experience, very approachable. I took a picture of one in my back yard from about 3 ft. before he spread his wings (7' wing span) and took flight. Part of why I love it here.

http://www.photosphrases.com/florida.htm
LMF

Tandoori_Girl

You will find the most birds in Florida during the winter months when all the northern birds have flown south and are hanging out with the tropical birds that are here year round. Some species, such as the Canadian white pelican, now make Florida home and don't go back north in the summer (this also is happening with our snowbirds, haha).

Birds tend to congregate where there's food. And that's why in Florida you're as likely, or even more likely, to find birds in developed areas as you are in more natural environs. I live in highly developed South Tampa a couple of blocks from the bay and there are often egrets and herons in my front yard, picking the grass for goodies. They love to eat lizards (yek!).

There is a spot in Tampa called McKay Bay. It is a mucky area where the tide goes out daily leaving an exposed bottom, prime feeding ground for all foraging birds. According to friends with Audobon Society, this is the site of the largest number of wintering shorebirds in the entire Southeastern US. Oddly, it is located right next to Tampa's incinerator, which is hidden away by the vegetation. There are many viewers that you can use on the wooden platforms to view the birds.

My favorite time for Florida bird watching is in the spring. The mangroves are loaded with nesting shorebirds and their infants. It is fascinating. Sanibel's Ding Darling park is supposed to be a good place to spot birds. Go soon to see those nesting birds and the baby hatchlings!

emd

Tandoori Girl: thanks! I am going to Orlando and Tampa areas in April and will try McKay bay. We like to visit the the bird sanctuary right on the beach down below Clearwater, over the bridge about 15 min. down (down by Indian Beach, I think?) They do a good job there rehabilitating the injured birds.
Janny, sorry we ended up discussing this when you started it w/a fear question. On reflection, maybe we should have started another thread.

Tandoori_Girl

The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary that you refer to is a great spot. Be sure to go at feeding time. It's hilarious to watch the pelicans all bobbing their heads in unison for the food handouts.

When in Tampa, also go to Lettuce Leaf Park in north Tampa. They have three-story viewing platforms.

Janna, did something happen to you to make you have this huge fear of exotic birds?

GoTravel

OMG LlMsFoodie, I cannot believe you saw a Roseate Spoonbill!

If you can't tell, I am a big bird freak.

We get a lot of the migratory birds here also. I've noticed an interesting flock of pelicans that are not indiginous to my area.

Blue Herons, Egrets and pelicans are my favorites.

Tandoori_Girl

Gotravel, aren't you in SC? What kind of pelicans are you talking about? Aren't there pelicans up your way?

LilMsFoodie

Go Travel: I am thinking you saw a white pelican which winters here from somewhere like Nebraska. Out on Pine Island Sound you will see huge groups of these birds floating in island like formations. I thought you were on the East coast of FL but they are probably all over right now. Not our typical Florida Pelican.

http://www.captstevebailey.com/photo.htm

Roseates are nesting at Ding Darling right now. They are pink because of their shrimp diet. No shrimp in my lake but it is an older lake in the area and we get all sorts of birds coming around on a daily basis, year round.
A mini- Ding Darling as it were. They are an odd bird, I have a Audubon print in my living room I have had for years. Wonderful to see them in your yard as well. I have Great Blue Heron, Large white Egret, Snowy Egret, Night Heron, regular heron, lots of LBJ's (little brown jobs of indeterminate origin), a bald eagle, osprey, the odd roseate and two kingfishers and a peregrine falcon. These are just some of the reasons to live in SW FL.

Favorite bird story that happened to me: I used to drive a cute little red Miata and one day as I was coming back over the Sanibel causeway I felt drops of water on my face and on my windshield. It tasted salty so I looked up and saw Osprey holding a huge fish in his talons flying about 10 ft. over my car. He was getting a great thermal apparently and when he grew tired of this he perched on an australian pine to have his dinner. Everyone driving past me was snapping pictures like mad. It was quite a visual. LMF

GoTravel

What a GREAT story! The osprey as so cool. I occaisionally see one flying with a fish.

These pelicans have black stomaches and are a little larger than ours. Ours are the off white/brown/tan pelicans. They amaze me just watching them. You can see how they evolved straight from the dinasours.

TG, I am on the southeastern coast of South Carolina geographically close to the northern coast of Florida.

CarolB

If you like roseate spoonbills, the aquarium in Tampa has tame ones. You can walk right up to them. Of course you're not supposed to pet them but children do; it's almost irresistable. They're impossibly pink and fluffy. They stare blankly at you with their beady eyes and then go back to waving their flat little bills through the water, hoping to pick something up.

(Note: It's been two years since I visited the aquarium so it's possible the spoonbills aren't still there.)

Janny, sorry your post attracted us bird nuts!

Judyrem

Just thought to give all bird lovers(like me)some info about bird watching cams. Go Cape Coral Florida's web site and find the cams: eaglecam, opspreycam and my fave, buurowing owl cam. The osprey was feeding her babies> Roseates rule! They are quite plentiful at Ding Darling on Sanibel. We always take our visitors over there and they love it. Judy