If you enjoy birding and / or bird photography – Central Florida offers many opportunities.  The winter months especially can be quite rewarding.  Insects and heat are much less of a bother, and many species that aren’t here year round, do visit.  This allows us to expand our observation beyond the birds we typically see.  Also, with less vegetation cover, some smaller birds are easier to spot.

I visited both Viera Wetlands and Black Point Wildlife drive over the past week and here are some of the  less common (at least for me) birds that I saw:

Belted Kingfisher, Black Point – Winter, non-breeding (in central Florida; they are year round in north Florida)

Hooded Merganser, Black Point and Viera – Winter, non-breeding in Central Florida

Killdeer, Black Point and Viera – Year round, but easier to observe in the winter

Loggerhead Shrike, Viera – Year round, but easier to observe in the winter

Northern Harrier, Black Point – Winter, non-breeding in Central Florida

Savannah Sparrow, Viera – Winter, non-breeding in Central Florida

White Pelicans, Black Point – Winter, non-breeding in Central Florida

Last winter, I also saw these at Viera:

American Bittern – Winter, non-breeding in Central Florida

Masked Duck – uncommon in central Florida

I’m certain there are many more “snow” birds that I’ve yet to see in Central Florida.  And that’s one reason to continue to look.

Happy New Year and thanks for looking at my blog.

© 2011, Ed Rosack. All rights reserved.