Florida Suburban Wildlife

White Ibis

   I have spent twenty four days in  Florida between my trip in 2019 and the one that just ended. I dedicated a few of those days to birding, but even when I wasn't birding...I was birding. I went to couple famous places like Ding Darling and Corkscrew. However, you would probably be shocked to know that I got the highest percentage of my Florida lifers at a Walmart parking lot.

Yes, you read that right. I've seen Painted Buntings at Corkscrew, Reddish Egret at Ding, and Magnificent Frigatebird on the Keys, but I have gotten more lifers and Florida state birds in Walmart parking lots.

Eurasian Collared Dove

   On my first trip to Florida we went to the Walmart in Florida City, which is the last town before going to the Keys. We stop there to get supplies and food that we didn't bring on the plane. In the parking lot  I saw my lifer Eurasian Collared Dove, and birds I'd only ever seen one other time Boat-Tailed Grackle and White Ibis. This trip I got a lifer in the parking lot when we saw a flock of Muscovy Ducks. 

   

Muscovy Ducks

   In a Walgreens parking lot I saw a bird I know I had never seen, it turned out they are Common Myna birds. Lifer and an unexpected surprise. 

Common Myna

   A lot of the wildlife in Florida has adapted to people. Of course, there is urban sprawl and a lot of wildlife is displaced. But some species like the White Ibis and Boat-Tailed Grackle like to be around people for free food.  

   The whole Mallory Square area of Key West is concrete. Yet, you can find some amazing wildlife. This trip I found White Crowned Pigeons which were a lifer. From what I saw, they seem more wild than regular Feral Pigeons.  They were eating berries off of Palm Trees and not looking for scraps. 

White Crowned Pigeons

   Of course, Key West is famous for the wild chickens (Jungle Fowl) running all over town. We saw them everywhere. They are wild birds and actually countable on the ABA list. They seem to be expanding their range. We saw them at a Winn Dixie on Big Pine Key and as we were driving off the Keys, I think I saw them on Key Largo. 

Wild Chickens (Jungle Fowl)

Just off the bulkhead at Mallory Square are a couple of concrete structures. They are only fifteen feet from the mainland. Yet, that is enough room for birds to feel safe. I've seen Black Skimmers on these structures every time I've been there. Because of the water between us, they are much closer than they would be on a beach. So, easy photos! Also, Laughing Gulls and Brown Pelicans will land on these posts. 

I will never turn down the
opportunity to look at Black Skimmers

 Lastly, while driving to Six Mile Slough we passed a college campus. Feeding right next to the road were three gorgeous Sandhill Cranes. We pulled into the campus entrance and I walked back over to them with the sun at my back. They didn't seem to mind me being forty feet away since they kept feeding. It was a challenge to be patient for them to lift their heads up as traffic was flying by me. (I was safely off the road, but must have looked like an idiot).

 

  The point of this post is to remind you if you go to Florida looking for wildlife, don't stop looking. Much of the wildlife has become used to having people around. This makes for easy photos and fun viewing. If I did a post that included wildlife I have seen in campsites I have stayed at (not even the campground as a whole, just my site) my list would include racoons, green herons, iguanas, night herons, warblers, and now fish.

Boat Tailed Grackle at Walmart

Palm Warblers were everywhere. Waiting for one to stop moving for a 
photo was the hard part.