ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry) (11/13/89)
We are off to the Tampa/St.Pete area for the xmas holidays and are planning a few side trips from the probably cold beach to check out exotic birds in the area. We already are going to Busch Gardens (to play with the teeny tiny macaws :-)) and are wondering if anyone knows the area well enough to recommend some other havens of birddom. All suggestions will be welcome. Mikki Barry Ooblick's Outrageous Psitacine Silliness (OOPS!) So Many Birds, So Little Time
maestro@dasys1.UUCP (Fred Goldrich) (11/28/89)
In article <1548@intercon.com>, ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry) writes: > We are off to the Tampa/St.Pete area for the xmas holidays and are > planning a few side trips from the probably cold beach to check out > exotic birds in the area. We already are going to Busch Gardens > (to play with the teeny tiny macaws :-)) and are wondering if anyone > knows the area well enough to recommend some other havens of birddom. > > All suggestions will be welcome. > If you find yourself in Pinellas County, there is a bird sanctuary in, I believe, Reddington Beach (possibly Reddington Shores?). In any case, it's clearly marked, and just off the southbound Gulf Boulevard. The people there take in all sorts of sick and injured birds, and it's not always a pleasant sight. But they seem to do a good job, and it's worth a visit. -- Fred Goldrich Big Electric Cat Public UNIX ..!cmcl2!{ccnysci,cucard,hombre}!dasys1!maestro
geek@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU (Chris Schmandt) (11/30/89)
>In article <1548@intercon.com>, ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry) writes: > We are off to the Tampa/St.Pete area for the xmas holidays and are > planning a few side trips from the probably cold beach to check out > exotic birds in the area. We already are going to Busch Gardens About 20(?) miles east of Sarasota (maybe an hour from Tampa?) is Myakka River (or is it Lake?) state park. I large shallow lake. Lots of gators! Great birds. Lots of herons and ducks, saw an osprey and bald eagle there two (around Xmas time quite a few years ago). Definitely take the "air boat ride". They leave several times a day. The boat captain was a decent naturalist and, although the main attraction seems to be gators, there were many birds to be seen. Oh yes, the Sandhill Cranes were pretty too! A nice boardwalk to go out on; bring your scope! Also came across some wild pigs there at night. And, the real treat was finding a Barred Owl, at dusk, at just about head level. I actually was about as close to him as I would have wanted to be, beautiful bird!! There's islands you can drive to out a causeway from St. Pete's. Lots of herons and other waders out there too. chris