By Barbara Salter
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! While I’m not going to go out hunting any further than my nearest grocery store for my turkey this year, it’s interesting to note that the wild Florida turkey is only found in Florida…and that’s just one of the many species of our fine feathered friends that you can see here in Flagler County.
I truly am thankful that I live in the most beautiful area in Florida. It has gorgeous greenery, fabulous beaches, and some of the most beautiful birds that you’ll ever see. Flagler County is often called Florida’s quiet side. And it is. You won’t find congested traffic or huge shopping malls here, but if you’re into nature, you’re in for a real treat no matter which season you choose to visit.
After decades of living in the fast paced concrete jungle that is South Florida, it was truly a pleasure to move north to the quieter side of the sunshine state. You know how they say to stop and take time to smell the flowers? Well, as soon as I arrived I couldn’t help but stop and notice the plethora of wonderful birds that we have here.
We’re in the migratory path of so many different species that you really never know what you might see on any given day.
December marks the 112th annual Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count, the longest running Citizen Science survey in the world. Tens of thousands of volunteers throughout North America will brave the winter weather to contribute to more than a century of data. I’m proud to be among the members of the Flagler County Audubon Society that will be participating.
I’m not an expert birder—I don’t even know all their names yet, but I’ve learned to identify the wild turkeys as well as the huge pileated woodpecker, red shouldered hawks, sandhill cranes, great horned owls, ospreys, great blue herons, egrets, ibis’, Florida’s own scrub jays and a slew of other interesting characters. My favorites are the swallowtail kites, the roseate spoonbills, and the magnificent bald eagles. And I still am amazed that things as big and clumsy looking as the pelican or the woodstork can leave their perches on earth and soar so gracefully overhead.
You don’t have to be a birder to appreciate the beauty of Flagler’s birds. Just look around you wherever you happen to be. You can find them on our beaches, in our parks, and because Flagler County is so green, you can see several different species in the trees right outside your hotel or restaurant. Or if you’re a golfer, then make a point to play a round at the Hammock Dunes Creek or Links courses—both are Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries.
So whatever you do when you come to visit, make it a point to stop and take the time to see the birds—and while you’re at it, it wouldn’t hurt to smell the flowers, too.
Photos by Barbara Salter