Everglades in the Spring

As temperatures warm and the rainy season approaches some wonder if it’s still worthwhile to venture into Everglades National Park to see birds and other wildlife. Last Sunday I set off from the Homestead entrance to find out.

My timing was not ideal as waiting in line for gas meant that I would not get into the Park until late morning and that my trek would last well into the afternoon, not the best time to photograph birds. Rather than stopping along the main park road at any of the ponds or trails I headed for the Flamingo area.

My first stop was Eco Pond located just past the Marina and the still under construction Flamingo Restaurant and Lodge. A large tree at the entrance to the pond had several small birds flitting from limb to limb. In and around the pond I saw heron, pelican, egret, avocet, as well as crows and a few turkey buzzards. While birds were not as numerous as in visits earlier this winter it was worth the stop.

The walk-in camping area and its shoreline had osprey and gull action and yielded my favorite bird on the trip, a Red-bellied Woodpecker. The Marina area also had several ospreys, though the resident crocodile that is frequently seen just off the small bridge was nowhere to be seen. Luckily, mosquitoes were not a problem.

My last stop was Anhinga Trail. The trail almost always provides up close views of birds and alligators, and today was no exception. Gators, ibis, herons, cormorants, and anhinga were all around.

The bottom line is that it’s still a great time to visit Everglades National Park. Check out the Park website for info on ranger led programs, Everglades Institute programs, kayak rental and ecotours.