Gavin Bieber and Evan Obercian on their just-completed tour Florida: The South, the Keys and the Dry Tortugas

We just wrapped up a fun week exploring from Fort Myers to Key West.  We started with a day in the dry pine forests and upland scrub of the central peninsula with fantastic views of two pairs of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, and a very attractive Yellow Ratsnake.

A well-studied Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Inspected by a Yellow Rat Snake

The sandy beaches along Florida’s West coast supported some nice flocks of shorebirds which allowed for an impromptu wader workshop.

Short-billed Dowitchers and Dunlin...did I miss anything?

Waterbird rookeries in the Everglades gave us excellent views of birds like Great Egret, quite a sight in their full breeding regalia. 

Great Egret festooned with plumes

A day trip out to the unique Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas was sunny and hot (unlike last year) but still produced 15 species of warblers (like this male Hooded Warbler) and fine views of Masked and Brown Boobies. 

Fort Jefferson, a part of Everglades National Park

Hooded Warbler

One of maybe 60 Masked Boobies

Once back on the mainland we were happy to find a pair of Smooth-billed Ani, after a several year absence, and enjoyed the full sweep of Flordia’s countable exotic avifauna.

Smooth-billed Ani

I look forward to this tour every year, as it combines great eastern migration birding with Florida's highlight species, and a wealth of reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and even fish!