Birdwatching Tips

The “when” is easy: Although you’ll find many species in the area year ‘round, visits from snowbirds – whether human or avian – increase during the fall and winter.

The “where” became even simpler when the South Florida section of the Great Florida Birding Trail opened a couple of years ago. Across the state, 489 sites were selected for their excellent bird-watching opportunities. And of the 116 South Florida sites, 16 are in Lee County.

The gateway to the trail is located at Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The sites include Bowditch Point Regional Park, Caloosahatchee Regional Park, Cayo Costa State Park, J.N. “Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Estero Bay Preserve State Park (Scrub entrance), Hickey’s Creek Mitigation Park, Lakes Regional Park, Lighthouse Park Beach, Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area, Lovers Key State Park and Matanzas Pass Preserve.

There’s no need to make a special outing to begin your bird-watching adventures. Start by just looking around. Ospreys and eagles frequently build their large nests on top of telephone poles and in trees. And if you look to the sides of the road, you might see roseate spoonbills, wood storks, sandhill cranes and burrowing owls.

Once your interest is piqued, you’ll want to set aside a morning or a day to wander through one of the area’s many parks and preserves.

If you’re looking to spot resident bird species, take a walk along Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve’s 1.2-mile boardwalk, where you can spy wild turkeys, tricolored herons and woodpeckers.

Caloosahatchee Regional Park’s 1.5-mile riverfront lures reddish egrets and great blue herons. At the Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, birders can add purple gallinules and red-shouldered hawks to their lifetime lists.

Lovers Key State Park attracts American white pelicans, black-bellied plovers, rose-breasted grosbeaks and other colorful birds. Head to Lakes Regional Park for opportunities to see anhingas and cormorants.

CREW Land and Water Trust, named an “Important Bird Area," is home to limpkins, wild turkeys and more. At Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve, rent a kayak to see an ibis nest or hike to the observation pier for more avian encounters.

When it comes to seeking out migratory species, J.N. “Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge is a hotspot. About 240 bird species have been identified at the refuge, which serves as a stopover for numerous species, including warblers, tanagers and buntings.

Another prime viewing spot during fall migration is the Sanibel Lighthouse, at the eastern tip of the island. Traditionally a resting place for warblers, including the yellow-orange prothonotary, the lighthouse area is also a great place to see peregrine falcons.

At the south end of Fort Myers Beach, you’re likely to spot American oystercatchers and avocets in winter. And striking swallowtail kites swoop inland, east of U.S. 41, from late spring through early fall.

However you choose to enjoy the birds of Fort Myers and Sanibel, whether by serendipity or by the book, you’ll be amazed by the astounding variety of sights, flights and songs.