Re: Florida Wish List
Tyler Bell (bell@say.acnatsci.org)
Tue, 13 Oct 1998 12:27:12 -0400
Norm Saunders wrote:
>
> Another location where we've had great luck with Snail Kite is
> Markham County Park, on SR 84 (runs parallel to I-595), west of
> Fort Lauderdale. This park borders the Everglades. Go into the
> park, park at the entrance to the nature trail, ignore the nature
> trail (it has a tendency to lead you into suppurating mudholes)
> and look for the maintenance road that runs along the edge of 84.
> Walk this road a half-mile or so until it reaches a dike and turns
> north. Walk north till you see a gate, climb the gate, climb the
> dike, and behold...the Everglades stretching out in front of you.
> We've had Snail Kites flying here as close as 50 feet away!
> Best,
> Norm
> =============== Norm Saunders Colesville, MD osprey@ari.net
I have to second this. Since 1995, my job has been taking me to the
Everglades in a project studying mercury pollution. In all of the sample
sites we visited, which spanned the north end of Loxahatchee NWR all the
way down almost to Florida Bay, the best place to find Snail Kites was
in Water Conservation Area 2B near Markham Park. When we were there in
July, there were about 10 kites found easily from the dike. If you look
off to the northwest (the dike runs northeast, I-595/75 west northwest)
there is a weather platform. Near this is a small tree island where the
kites like to perch before and after making a snail foray.
To get there, make sure you get off of I-595 before the junction with
I-75. There are no exits after this until you get to the turn onto Rt.
27 which is about 10 miles west. Best bet is to get off of 595 west at
the Flamingo St. exit. Take 84 west to Markham Park. Do like Norm says
about parking then walk back towards the entrance to the park. Just past
the kiosk is a jersey barrier. Jump over this to get to the gravel road
that takes you to the levee. The view from the top of the levee is
excellent. Word of caution: watch out for fire ants!
While you're there, keep an eye out for Canary-winged Parakeets. You
might get lucky and find both kinds there! If you're looking for Monk
Parakeets, there is a group nesting in palm trees near the boat ramp at
Everglades Holiday Park which is south of I-75 on Rt. 27 then west on
Rt. 818. Drive through the parking lot then along the small road that
terminates at a boat ramp. Check the palms along this drive. I can't
remember exactly but I think they were in the third or fourth tree east
of the boat ramp. Check the phone lines across from the canal by the
trailer park (over the small levee) for Loggerhead Shrikes and Eurasian
Collared-doves.
--
Good Birding! The probability of a given
Tyler Bell event occurring is inversely
mailto:bell@say.acnatsci.org proportional to its desirability.
California, MD
http://www.audubon.org/chapter/md/smas/