Florida’s Everglades and Keys

We’ll depart from our home airports, aiming to arrive in Miami by early afternoon. We may start birding right away, targeting any rarities nearby, or head directly to the hotel to relax and prepare for a great trip ahead. In the evening, we’ll gather for a Welcome Dinner and discuss the plans for the coming days.

Night: Miami

Meals: D

An early departure will allow us ample birding time as we make our way down towards Key West, the southernmost point in the contiguous United States. Along the way, we’ll stop in search of recently arrived neotropical migrants fresh off their cross-Gulf journey, while also keeping our eyes peeled for specialty species, including White-crowned Pigeon and Mangrove Cuckoo. In the evening, we’ll visit one of the open areas in search of Antillean Nighthawks, which occur here at the northernmost extent of their range.

Overnight: Key West

Meals: B

An early departure from the hotel will see us heading out into the Gulf of Mexico and towards Dry Tortugas National Park. This small selection of keys, located nearly 70 miles from Key West, provides a welcome respite for exhausted migrants as they attempt to cross the Gulf. During the crossing, we’ll keep our eyes peeled for a variety of marine life, including sea turtles and sharks. With luck, we may also spot a Sargasso Shearwater or a rare White-tailed Tropicbird.

Once on the island, we’ll be surrounded by thousands of Brown Noddy, Sooty Tern, and Magnificent Frigatebirds at their only breeding location in the contiguous states. Careful scanning will hopefully reveal a handful of Bridled Ternsand maybe even a Black Noddy mixed in. Brown and Masked boobies may be spotted flying in the distance. Once we’ve taken in the breeding colonies, we’ll explore the fort, its trees, and any freshwater puddles for migrants resting and refueling. Depending on the time, you may have the chance to explore the fort on your own, learning more about its history.

On the return crossing, we’ll again keep our eyes peeled for any surprise wildlife before relaxing back at the hotel. If we failed to connect with Antillean Nighthawks the night before, this will be our backup opportunity.

Overnight: Key West

Meals: B

We’ll spend the morning exploring some more of the parks along the Keys, including Fort Zachary Taylor and the Botanical Gardens. Once we’ve been satisfied with exploration, we’ll begin the long journey back towards the Florida mainland. We’ll keep our eyes peeled on the journey for the diminutive Key Deer, an endangered subspecies of White-tailed Deer that stands only 30 inches tall at the shoulder.

Overnight: Homestead

Meals: B

We’ll spend the full day exploring Everglades National Park. The first national park created to protect a fragile ecosystem, it’s one of only three locations in the world to be designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and UNESCO World Heritage Site. 36 threatened or endangered species call the park home, including the Florida Panther and American Alligator. Lovingly known as the “River of Grass”, we’ll explore the road towards Flamingo, the terminus of the only road that runs through the Everglades. We’ll visit the famous Anhinga Trail, well known for its Purple Gallinules and breeding Anhingas, while also keeping our eyes peeled for Mangrove Yellow Warbler, a recent split from Northern Yellow Warbler. In the evening, an optional excursion back into the park may yield Chuck-will’s-widow and other nocturnal species.

Overnight: Homestead

Meals: B

We’ll spend the morning targeting any Everglades species or sights we haven’t seen yet, before beginning the journey through Big Cypress National Preserve to the western coast of Florida. This large, expansive preserve has multiple boardwalks, and with luck, we’ll find Snail Kites, Limpkin, and more hunting through the expanse. We’ll aim to arrive in Fort Myers in the late afternoon, hoping to enjoy a family group of Burrowing Owls as the Sun sets.

Overnight: Fort Myers

Meals: B

A pre-dawn morning, hopefully while listening to a Chuck-will’s-widow, will give us our best chance at finding iconic species of open pinelands, including Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Bachman’s Sparrow, and Brown-headed Nuthatch, while Northern Bobwhite call from the underbrush. Once we’ve successfully located our targets, we’ll check some of the local parks for Florida’s only endemic species: Florida Scrub-Jay. In the afternoon, we’ll visit J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, well-known for its wading birds.

Overnight: Fort Myers.

Meals: B

If we missed the scrub-jay yesterday, we’ll try again today, as we journey back east towards Miami. Along the way, we’ll make stops for species we may have missed or to take in some more natural wonders.

Overnight: West Palm Beach

Meals: B

On our final full day in Florida, we’ll spend it searching for the myriad of countable, introduced species that can be found in the area. From Nanday Parakeets to Common Myna and Spot-breasted Orioles, the diversity of Miami is impressive! Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Orange-winged Amazons, Indian Peafowl, and more are some of the species that are considered “provisional”, meaning they may be officially declared “established” in the coming years. In the evening, we’ll enjoy a Farewell Dinner near the airport, before resting up after a great trip.

Night: Miami

Meals: BD

Departures can be scheduled throughout the morning back to our home airports, full of memories, photos, and more!

Meals: B