Birds in Florida?
 

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?

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Roy, will you please stop referring to the people directing traffic as birds that strut about in the ridiculously heavy traffic...LOL 8-}

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

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.

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)?

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

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

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!

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.

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?

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.

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

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

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.

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!

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

LilMsFoodie, your story is ever so much more charming than mine. A number of years ago I was on the beach on Sanibel, lying peacefully on my back enjoying the sun, when a huge pelican passed over me and hit me dead on -- I was spattered from my waist right up my chest and across my face. Think about the diet of a pelican and you'll have a rough idea what that smelled like.

I have two woodpeckers that come every spring, they used to peck at their reflection on my windows. At first I thought it was cute, but after a few days of almost non-stop pecking from dawn til dusk I had to do something. After serveral failed attemps at different solutions...I put rubber snakes on my windows. Three years later the woodpeckers still come but don't peck on the windows anymore. Also have a very nice family of tunnel owls in the front yard.

LOL...poor Patrick!! LOL

Oh my goodness. I can tell a lot of fodorites are bird lovers. I'm scared to death of birds. My hubby thinks I'm funny. I know I get on his nerves when I jump whenever a bird comes around. He's not afraid of the birds like me. I run from the birds in Disney. Those big white birds. They even attack you while your eating. I've always been afraid of birds my entire life. Maybe it was from Hitchcocks movie "The Birds". I know they are harmless, but I just don't like them. Sorry instead of flamingos, I meant pelicans, spoonbills, egrets all those tall exotic looking birds. Honestly, I don't like any birds, but the tall ones look even scarier. I just don't want to be sitting on the beach in Sanibel and next thing you know one of those birds walk up next to me.

Unless you've been sitting having a picnic in Australia and been attacked by 6 or 7 foot tall ostriches, please don't talk to me about bird attacks!!

I love birds and I have never had the pleasure of having one walk up to me.
They are not as fond of people as we are of them, they generally walk the other way-unless you are tempting them with something they love to eat and I doubt that you will be doing that.

I've been going to beaches all my life and never has a bird of any size approached me. I have approached birds with my camera and only the woodstock allowed me to get so close. I still could not have touched him however and would never do so.

I've been to Disney many times and can not imagine the large birds you mention unless you are thinking of gulls which I do not consider large at all.

Your phobia (I think you have one) is not funny and it can interfere with your enjoyment of travel. Rather than avoid places attractive to birds (they like places most people like) you might want to get a consultation on the phobia with a professional (MSW or somesuch) or try a Bach Flower remedy for known fears: I think it's Mimulus. Google it.

Best wishes, LilMsFoodie

Edit: make that wood stork, not snoopy's friend. LMF

I think the birdies just know I'm afraid of them. I swear when we go place that have outdoor restaurants, they walk right by my chair. I dislike when people feed them. Especially in Hawaii, people love feeding the birds in the outdoor restaurants. They fly or walk right past my chair all the time. It gets annoying. Even those white seagulls in Disney. Heaven for bid you eat outdoors. Watch out!

Janny, I agree with LMsFoodie that you should at least look into your phobia. I hope it works out for you!

BTW, I can't get birds to come near me either.

I think you are thinking of pigeons which are pretty much rats with wings. Scavengers.

Janny, you would hate Montauk NY. We used to sit outside at a place called Gossmans Dock and the seagulls would sit on the railing of the dock, right next to us while we ate, fighting each other over our scraps..if you fed one of them, they would swarm all over the table!
My children learned about that the hard way.

Janny, my daughter got spooked once by geese and she has been afraid of big birds ever since. She had them hiss at her and rush towards her, so that she had to run off. Geese (and some other large birds who are territorial, but certainly not all birds)can behave like that soemtimes, and as tough as she is, this spooked her big time. We have parakeets that she takes care of, that is not the same, she has no problem w/them or smaller birds outside.

I steer clear of both geese and swans. They can be very mean.

I know I have a bad phobia.(ughhh!) But I have friends who are terrified of bugs and cats. I LOVE Cats. I'm also not afraid of spiders or any insects. I'll take a bug or spider in a minute versus a bird. Crazy isn't it. Another friend I work with told me I would never make it in the vatican. She said the pigeons swarm right around your feet. She doesn't have to worry, because I'll never go there.

Great! I will send you the spiders and you send me your birds :)

Pigeons- "Rats With Wings", how true. Go Travel you make me laugh. Try driving down Daytona Beach and throwing pieces of bread off the tailgate of the car... Talk about "A Flock Of Seagulls".