BIRDING PAL TOURS Birdwatching tours around the world Fixed date tour around the world Birder friendly lodging in Florida
	Birdwatching in Florida Birding contacts and birdwatching information Local Birdingpal Contacts Local Birdwatchers Using the Birdingpal resources you must agree to the following: If you contact a local Birdingpal and make arrangement to go birding, you should note it is common courtesy to make sure you show up for the appointment. If for any reason you are unable to do this, the least you must do is contacting the local Pal right away. Please note that most Birdingpals are serious birdwatchers. It is a privilege to contact them, and your message should reflect it. A local Pal does not get paid, but should he/she offer to take you out birding, using their own vehicle, it would be courteous to pay for the fuel. A lunch and/or a small gift would also be appropriate, something as simple as a souvenir of your country, or a pin from your local birding club. _____________________________________________________________ We want to hear about your experiences with Birdingpals. Please contact us with any comments or suggestions you have. CONTACT US _____________________________________________________________ Shortcuts to Local Pals in major cities: Fort Lauderdale Fort Myers Gainesville Marco Island Miami Orlando Tallahassee Tampa Professional Guides Initial Last Name Area Available Language   Inactive   K Rasmussen Destin FL, winter in Toronto Anytime English, Danish   I am a snowbirder, but will be happy to show show you around the Choctawhatchee Bay area. K Rasmussen is the founder of Birding Pal. Area: Choctawhatchee Bay Area Birds: Interests: Nature: birdwatching   B Saltonstall Cape Coral Anytime English Cape Coral is home to the largest population of the Florida species of the Burrowing Owl in the world. Sightings 99% guaranteed. Tours available November through May only. K Smock Cape Coral (winter only) Anytime English, bit of Spanish I belong to the Calusa Birding Club. L Andruske Cocoa Beach Weekend English, Russian Interface b'n sub/tropical zones, Brevard County (FL) is a birdwatcher's paradise: Pandionidae, variety of raptors, wood storks, all estuarine/maritime wading birds; manatees, dolphins, pelagic whales (northern right). I can be made available during week with appropriate notification/lead time. R Peterson Deltona(Winter only) Anytime Spanish, English       L Kroll Gainesville Anytime English Retired State of Florida employee. Have been bird watching for more than 15 years. This area has excellent bird watching in Paynes Prairie, especially in winter. There are many nature parks nearby. The Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts are only 1.5 hours away. S Nesbitt Gainesville Anytime English Retired after 35 years as a wildlife biologist working with birds in Florida. A Kent Gainesville Weekend English, Spanish Happy to show folks birds in North Central Florida. We live just north of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, one of Florida's top birding sites, especially good in the winter for Sandhill Cranes, waterfowl and sparrows. My wife and I are ornithologists and frequently lead walks and give talks at birding festivals. R Wexler Grand Island Anytime English Birding in Ocala National Forest and Emeralda Marsh. P Sahlin Lighthouse Point Weekend English, Swedish SE Florida has a number of places to hit, some of my favorites are the water reclamation areas in Delray Beach. I will also sometimes wander over to Sanibel Ispand and Merrit Island eventhough those places are a bit far away. A Sissman Naples Anytime English C Retey Ocala Anytime English G O'Keefe Ocala Anytime English, some Spanish I've been birding since I was eight years old. I just moved into this area, but have found some really good birding sites. B Curry New Smyrna Beach Anytime English We live near the northern entrance to the Canaveral National Seashore Park. The Mosquito Lagoon is our back yard and the Atlantic Ocean in the front. We frequently go birding in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Park and the Vierra Wetlands to the south. I am also a amateur photographer with experience in digiscoping. I am 45 minutes south of Daytona Beach, and 90 minutes northeast of Orlando. E Reed Plant City Anytime English A Banks Rotonda West Anytime English Excellent birding opportunities in the SW coastal area of Florida. Summer is not the best time but there are interesting resident birds here. G Olsen Stuart Anytime English Not a serious watcher but very much enjoy it when I go. I live near the Intracoastal Waterway; have kayak access. Year round cardinal families; hummingbirds in season; Black-throated blue warbler arrives every year in my yard on (nearly) the same date! Reclaimed water "Parks" are about one hour away (in Palm Beach County)for wonderful for birding and photography. When I'm traveling in my new to my rv (Florida summers) I would love to meet up with other birders in other areas. This Oct. I will be going to Vermont for several weeks - St. Johnsbury vicinity after visiting family on eastern Long Island. P Davenport Sun City Center(Winter only) Anytime English Tallahassee     S Phillips Tallahassee Anytime English   Birding guide/pal within 25 mile radius of Tallahassee, Fl and will bird any day of the week/month. My birding started with my dad when I was 7 years old and I am now in my 70s. In addition to birding hotspots and kayaking rivers, creeks and lakes, I can also suggest restaurants and places to stay while you are in the area. St. Marks NWR is noted as one of the top 10 birding locations in the world and is only 25 miles from Tallahassee. Possible target birds in the area are Bachman's Sparrow, Red-headed and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Limpkin. ( ' >     >' ) / ) )     ( ( \ /|  "~~~~~"  |\ _____________________________ In every cloud there is a silver lining. - Sunny Phillips Area: St. Marks NWR Area Birds: Bachman’s Sparrow, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Limpkin Interests: Nature: birdwatching P Muddu Tallahassee Anytime English T Smith Tallahassee Anytime English St. Marks N.W.R. I am a rank amateur but am very familiar with the area. R Kruetzman The Villages/Ocala (Winter) Anytime English G Jackson The Villages/Ocala (Winter) Anytime English     We are volunteer bird guides in Lehigh Valley, Pa from May to November and in Venice, Florida from November to April. Professional Guides If you contact a professional Birdingpal guide you must be prepared to pay a fee for guiding services. Name company Area Available Language     Rebecca Smith & Gallus Quigley Archaeopteryx Birding and Nature Tours Minneola (near Orlando) Anytime English   We will lead tours anywhere in the state with arrangements in advance but focus mainly on Central Florida. Rebecca Smith Avid Birder for last 12 years with 333 species in Florida. Since 2000 during her first internship studying Dotted Skippers and Diamondback Terrapins in Cape May County, NJ, her passion for biodiversity spread from entomology and herpetology to birding. A Certified Master Naturalist, a bird bander with the Wekiva Basin Banding Station until 2017, she participates as a volunteer in Jay Watch, NABA butterfly counts and Christmas Bird Counts. She served 2 years as an Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society board member and coordinating that chapter’s field trips. She brings a diverse knowledge of all of Florida's fauna, is an amazing photographer, and loves insects, especially beetles. Rebecca brings a passion for all things nature and her love of birds, butterflies, and insects is contagious to all those who go out with her. With her long resume of jobs in biology studying everything from Clapper Rail to Red-cockaded Woodpecker and you won't find anyone more knowledgeable or passionate about what she does. Florida Bird List-333 Florida Butterfly List-101 Bird Life List- 848 G. Quigley Began birding at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in PA watching raptors in 8th grade which began his love of hawks. That soon changed after receiving a Golden's Field Guide that he paged through till he came across the wood-warblers and saw the Prothonotary Warbler which launched him into the world of birding. Since then he has been the hawk counter at Bake Oven Knob in PA, during his time here he was published in American Hawkwatcher for a paper on Migrating Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks and in conjunction with Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, and Mountclair in NJ. Arriving in Florida in May 2005 to work for Dr. Reed Noss of UCF doing Radio Telemetry and banding of the critically endangered Florida Grasshopper Sparrow. This eventually lead to his current job with Lake County Office of Parks & Trails where he performs quarterly bird & butterfly surveys on five conservation properties. Over his time with with Lake County he was on Birding Adventures with James Currie and was Keynote Speaker for 2015 Wings & Wildflowers Festival. In his spare time he is the eBird reviewer for Lake and Sumter Counties, co-compiler for Zellwood-Mt. Dora CBC, eBird Hotspot Reviewer for Florida, and was Lake County Coordinator for Florida BBA 2011-2016. With this background Gallus brings the details, with quality eBird checklists made at every stop and a knowledge of the when and where to find birds. His background also means he has a vast knowledge of local ecosystems and thank to Rebecca is becoming a butterfly enthusiast and better photographer. Florida Bird List-433 Florida Butterfly List-86 Big Year-Florida 359 in 2008 (3rd Highest Total), Lake County 243 in 2015 (Record) Bird Life List-1331 If interested in Dry Tortugas Trips we do guide work through Florida Nature Tours which offers best guides, boat, and price of anyone leading trips there. Area: Central Florida is home "the mouse" but also is amazing for birding and is nicely situated to reach birding spots on both coasts in less than 90 minutes. It holds the largest concentrations of the endemic Florida Scrub-jay as well as several of the top birding locations in the state, if not the entire U.S. including Merritt Island NWR, Lake Apopka North Shore, and Fort DeSoto Park. Ocala National Forest, Merritt Island NWR, Three Lakes WMA, Mead Botanical Gardens, Lake Apopka North Shore, Orlando Wetlands Park, Tosohatchee WMA, Ferndale Preserve, Fort DeSoto Park Area Birds: Florida Scrub-jay, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Bachman's Sparrow, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Reddish Egret, Snail Kite, Limpkin, Purple Gallinule, Swallow-tailed Kite (March-August), Short-tailed Hawk, Wood Stork, Painted Bunting (October-April), Crested Caracara Interests: Nature: birding, twitching, photography, hiking, butterflies, dragonflies, insects, native plants, entomology, herpetology, biology, eco-system management Travel: train, bus, car, biking, long walk, backpacking, canoeing, kayaking, plane, cruise ship Visit: tourist site, museum, restaurant (vegan), vineyard, winery, outdoors, nature preserves, parks, beach, lake, ocean, architecture, shop, brewery, taproom, zoo Attend: concert, ballet, dance show, theater, live music, sports event, convention, Pokemon Go Community Day, Renascence Faire, movie, theme park Participate: wine, beer, liquor, social games, computer games, vegan cooking, pigeon rescue Please See Our Website or Our Facebook   I have been a professional Naturalist for 35 years in South Florida. I am the Coordinator of the Everglades Birding Festival, lead Audubon trips, bird festival speaker/leader and teach many bird i.d. classes. I can find the rare/life birds you seek, but more importantly my strength is teaching you to identify them by gaining advanced birding skills. It helps if you know what target birds you are seeking or what places you would like to visit (Everglades, Corkscrew, Keys, South Dade, etc..)in order to plan a successful day. Let's Go! Birding Friendly Lodging These hotels love birds and all who love them. Bayfront Home Apalachicola, St George Island The Laurel Oak Inn Gainesville Island Inn Hollywood Beach Ivey House B&B Everglades City Bayview B&B Cape Coral, Pine Island West-End Paradise Sanibel Island We will extend a discount of 10% off the nightly rates to Birdingpals Periwinkle Cottages Sanibel Island We will extend a discount off the nightly rates to Birdingpals Birding Pal Info Service Information Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Florida Local weather Yahoo Florida Ornithological Society Club Audubon Florida Society Club Audubon Society of the Everglades Club South Florida Audubon Society Club Space Coast Audubon Society Club Florida Keys Audubon Society Club St. Petersburg Audubon Society Club Sanibel-Captiva Audubon Society Club Southeast Volusia Audubon Society Club Duval Audubon Society Club Choctawhatchee County Audubon Society Club Citrus County Audubon Society Club Four Rivers Audubon Society Club Peace River Audubon Society Club St. Johns County Audubon Society Club Eagle Audubon Society Club Orange Audubon Society Club Halifax River Audubon Club Alachua Audubon Society Club Apalachee Audubon Society Club Bay County Audubon Society Club Hernando County Audubon Society Club Highlands County Audubon Society Club Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society Club Audubon of Martin County Club Pelican Island Audubon Society Club Ridge Audubon Society Club Seminole Audubon Society Club Tampa Audubon Society Club Clearwater Audubon Society Club Venice Area Audubon Society Club Collier County Audubon Society Club Kissimmee Valley Audubon Society Club Manatee County Audubon Society Club West Pasco Audubon Society Club Francis M. Weston Audubon Society Club Flagler Audubon Society Club Marion Audubon Society Club Hendry-Glades Audubon Society Club Santa Fe Audubon Society Club Tropical Audubon Society Club Sarasota Audubon Society Club Lake Region Audubon Society Club St. Lucie Audubon Society Club Caloosa Bird Club Club SRQ (Sarasota & Manatee Counties rare bird alerts) RBA South of Sarasota County rare bird alerts) RBA J. N. "Ding" Darling Foundation Site The Great Florida Birding Trail (GFBT) Site Space Coast Festival Florida Breeding Birds Atlas NABA Atala Chapter Butterflies Birding Hotspots around the world Sites