Most folks visit Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary,  but a much better birding excursion is to walk the trails at CREW Trails (Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed). I find the birding fantastic, and I enjoy the solitude (no crowds). Make certain you visit the second pond, as this is the the pond with all the birds! I often start my hikes at the Orange Trail Head as I love the walk through the forest regrowth. However if you are pressed for time, or only want to visit the water birds, park at the Lake Parking Trail Head. I love both areas. The forest regrowth is in an area of managed burn, and the wildlife including birds is dramatically different than at the ponds. While not a butterfly person, I love seeing these small insects flitter about.

Here are highlights from yesterday’s birding. My biggest excitement was watching a Loggerhead Shrike hunt for almost 30 minutes. Loggerhead shrikes are much more tolerant of humans than our Northern Shrikes back in Minnesota. Shrikes are songbirds which think and act like a raptor … truly a bird with an attitude! (Cornell link)

Loggerhead Shrike Hunting (video link for email subscribers)

Roseate Spoonbill

Herons a Three! (yup … three species in one photo)

Long Billed Dowitchers

Were you able to identify the three heron species?! Here are their names … front of the image to rear … Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Tri-Colored Heron.