As I approach my thirties I find myself pausing (not unlike my chocolate lab) to stare down the Black Skimmers and gulls on our morning tromps down the beach. Though I suspect we’re doing it for different reasons.
Birdwatching is restorative to me. It forces you to really listen, squint, and be quiet. And when you spot a rare flocked friend or remember the name of a bird for the first time, it feels a little like magic.
One of the best parts about living on the Gulf Coast is the vibrant and constantly-changing environment. Salt marshes, urban forests, parks next to strip malls. We’ve got it all, baby. So start taking in all the creatures that call it home:
Get started
- Join the St. Petersburg Audubon Society and Tampa Audubon Society for a wealth of field trips to spots like Egmot Key + Sawgrass Lake, sessions on backyard birding, and more. Plus, a bunch of their offerings are free.
- Set off from the St. Pete Pier with the folks from Tampa Bay Watch on a 90-minute wildlife boat tour of Tampa Bay. Your friendly tour guide will point out all kinds of birds, plus fish and other wildlife too. It’s kind of like a safari, but TBAY style.
- Download a free birding app, so you can get started birding on those morning dog poop walks. We recommend Merlin Bird ID or eBird.
Could you name all of these birds?
Photo by TBAYtoday
Bird watch from these perfect perches:
- Fort De Soto Park : How lucky are we to live near one of the most popular birding spots in the US, with 330 species+ of birds?
- Lettuce Lake Park : Bring that camera to snap pics of herons, egrets, limpkins, ospreys, woodpeckers, vireos, and too many other species to mention.
- John S. Taylor Park : Head to the little park to look for rarities have like the Solitary Sandpiper, Least Flycatcher, Cliff Swallow, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Song Sparrow, Ruddy Duck, and Canvasback.
- Boyd Hill Nature Preserve : Wander the home of the annual Raptor Fest’s hardwood hammocks, sand pine scrub, pine flatwoods, willow marsh, swamp woodlands, and lake shore looking for flighty friends.
