If you are an active birder heading for Florida' s west coast, an often overlooked area is Fort DeSoto Park located on the Pinellas Bayway near St. Petersburg Beach. Fort DeSoto Park is 900 acres in size and has many varied habitats. As you approach Fort DeSoto, a series of three fresh water ponds have wintering Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Coot, Blue-winged Teal, Mottled Ducks and Pied-billed Grebes. Edges of the ponds yield Great and Snowy Egrets, Great Blue, Little Blue and Tricolored herons.

Inside the park, the shore areas consistently produce Whimbrel, Wilson's Plover Marbled Godwit (March), Reddish Egret, Red Knot, American Oystercatcher and occasional Long Billed Curlew. The outer sandbar has a resident flock of Black Skimmers, all the plovers including the rare Snowy Plover as well as Caspian, Royal and Sandwich terns. White Pelicans are found feeding in the lagoons.

Kestrels overwinter here and there is a resident pair of Great Horned Owls usually seen at dusk.

The oak groves at North and East Beaches have a wintering population of warblers including, Yellowthroated, Parula, Pine, Prairie, Palm and Black-and-White. Last year a March 15 fallout yielded Hooded, Prothonotary, Magnolia, Black-throated Green, Northern Waterthrush, Yellowthroated and White-eyed Vireos in numbers.

A mulberry grove near the park ranger's home attracts waxwings, Orioles, grosbeaks and others (usually late March). Hummingbirds are in this area also.

Rarities that have occurred in the past two years include Mangrove Cuckoo and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.

A checklist of birds of the park can be obtained at the park office where a birders log is also kept.

The park also has excellent campgrounds, beaches and good fishing.

Submitted by Dan Cinotti

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Last updated 18 September, 2004 .