South Florida, Jan. 5-11, 2026
Ventures Birding Tours led this week-long trip to south Florida, including stops from Lake Okeechobee to the Keys. The trip focused on "countable" south FL year-round specialties typically seen in few (if any) other places in the US, along with rarities seldom seen in the area. Highlights among our 128 species included these south FL specialties:
· Waterfowl - Egyptian Goose, and Muscovy Duck
· Indian Peafowl
· Red Junglefowl
· Smooth-billed Ani
· Gray-headed Swamphen
· Raptors - White-tailed Kite, Snail Kite, Crested Caracara, Short-tailed Hawk
· 9 species of Psittacids (Parakeets, Macaws, and Amazons)
· Red-whiskered Bulbul
· Common Myna
· Scaly-breasted Munia
· Spot-breasted Oriole
· Shiny Cowbird
Rarities included –
· Groove-billed Ani
· Lesser Nighthawk
· Black-headed Gull
· Yellow-headed Caracara
· Brown-crested Flycatcher
· Tropical Kingbird
Here is a brief summary of the key sightings by location and date:
Jan. 5
Oleta River State Park – Yellow-headed Caracara attracted using a rotisserie chicken, Magnificent Frigatebird
Jan. 6
Hotel Parking lot – Peregrine and Merlin, several flyover flocks of parakeet, sp.
Vista Park Beach – unsuccessful try for Blue-headed Parakeets
Gulfstream Park – finally found 4 White-eyed Parakeets
Ft. Lauderdale Neighborhood – stakeout for Blue-headed Parakeet – unsuccessful despite 2 tries, but got most cooperative Spot-breasted Oriole
Highland Oaks Park – heard a couple more Spot-breasted Orioles, large crocodile
Jan. 7
Miller Drive Roost – 5 Orange-winged Amazons with 1 Lilac-crowned, 18 Yellow-chevroned Parakeets in 2 small flyover flocks, 3 Chestnut-fronted Macaws, 25 Red-masked Parakeets, with Egyptian Geese
Ride to/from Lake Okeechobee – 1 Crested Caracara and 2 Snail Kites
Paul Rardin Park – continuing male Vermillion Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, nesting Great-horned Owls, likely a Least Flycatcher, missed Cassin’s and Western Kingbirds
Belle Glade Marina – Black-headed Gull, Purple Swamphens
Jan. 8
Coral Reef Park – aka “Muscovy Park” – Egyptian Goose, Muscovy Duck, Indian Peafowl, 2 Chestnut-fronted Macaws, 35 Mitred Parakeets, 20 White-eyed Parakeets, 1 Limpkin
South Miami Roads – 1st Common Mynas
Pine Woods Park – 2 flocks of Scaly-breasted Munia, 3 RW Bulbuls, 8 Monk Parakeet at nest
Biltmore Hotel – 30 Red-masked Parakeets
Publix in Dadeland – 40 Mitred Parakeet
Miami Executive Airport – missed Burrowing Owls, 3 Loggerhead Shrikes
Homestead – 15 Junglefowl (uncountable)
Jan. 9
Larry’s Place – took 2 tries to find Shiny Cowbird – 17 of them; flyover Short-tailed Hawk and Western Kingbird, 6 beautiful Painted Buntings
Islamorada – Bayside Marina – 10 (countable) Red Junglefowl – 5 others including young chicks farther down Keys; photo of Tarpons waiting for scraps in shallows
Grassy Key – 5 shorebird species including 15 Short-billed Dowitchers and 2 Black-necked Stilts
Lunch on the water – more fish and 8 Ruddy Turnstones
Florida Keys Country Club – large shorebird flock including 200 Black-bellied Plovers, 50 Dowitchers, 100 Killdeer, 3 Leasts, 10 Westerns, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Jan. 10
L31W Canal – Groove-billed and 3 Smooth-billed Anis, calling Brown-crested and Great Crested Flycatchers, Tropical Kingbird. Long 3 mile walk but it was worth it
Everglades NP - Mahogany Hammock – slow – 1 Black-throated Green Warbler, 1 Catbird, Short-tailed Hawk nearby
Everglades NP – Flamingo – no Flamingos. Reddish Egret, Skimmers, Royal and Caspian Terns, Great White Herons, 1 “Wurdemann’s” Heron, Bald Eagle nest
C111 Canal – female Vermillion Flycatcher, White-tailed Kite, at dusk -Great Horned and Barn Owls, 10 Lesser Nighthawks
Jan.11
Miller Drive Roost – 2nd visit – 25 Monk, 35 Red-masked, 2 Yellow-chevroned Parakeets. No B&W Macaws
Coral Reef Park – 2nd visit – 2 Blue-and-yellow Macaws (last birds of the trip), 2 Chestnut-fronted Macaws, 2 Red-masked and 40 White-eyed Parakeets