Introduction: We closed out 2019 just as we started it, with a trip to Northeast Florida and Southern Georgia. This time, our home base was Fernandina Beach, the historic “shrimp capital of the world,” famous for its unique New Year’s Eve “shrimp drop.” Just across the St. Mary’s River lies the beautiful and wild Cumberland Island National Seashore, a perfect backdrop for our birding adventures.
Rare Bird Alert
On our journey north, we made a crucial stop at the Weeki Wachee Preserve. The mission: to find the Hooded Oriole, a species rarely seen in Florida. To our delight, more than 20 birders were already gathered, and we walked right up to a clear view of the bird. It was perhaps the easiest rarity we’ve ever found, and a fantastic addition to our list as Florida life bird #321.
Our next stop was to visit our friend, Joe Welsh, at his beautiful property near Floral City. He guided us to nearby Stage Pond and a local cemetery. As it was hunting season and the pond is within the Citrus Wildlife Management Area, we smartly donned some blaze orange. The cemetery proved to be a birding hotspot, with great sightings including White-eyed and Blue-headed Vireos. A delicious lunch at the wonderfully retro Lake Lindsey Mall and Deli was the perfect mid-day break. On the road to Fernandina, we were treated to a magnificent sight: over 500 Sandhill Cranes in a farm field just off I-75 near Wildwood.
Fernandina Beach and Cumberland Island
We settled into the historic Amelia Schoolhouse Inn and toasted our arrival at the Principal’s Office bar. We then took a stroll through downtown, enjoying the festive Christmas decorations, before a lovely dinner at 29 South. That evening, we consulted eBird to map out our next day’s birding plan.
Getting to Cumberland Island from our inn was a bit of a journey—a 28-mile drive to St. Mary’s, Georgia, to catch the National Park ferry. Despite a forecast and reality of 100% chance of rain, our spirits were not dampened. The ferry ride itself was productive, yielding many bird sightings. Upon arrival, we followed the trail to the Dungeness Ruins, hoping to spot the famous wild horses. The ruins, a former Carnegie family mansion, were an intriguing piece of history. We hiked extensively through the grounds and stunning sand dunes, but the horses remained elusive. Despite the rain, we tallied 32 birds and managed to capture a few photos with our cell phones.
Fort Clinch and Big Talbot Island
Monday morning brought a new opportunity at Fort Clinch State Park. We set up our scope and were finally rewarded with a sighting of wild horses, feeding in the dunes across the river. We then headed south along the coast, stopping at Peters Point, where we saw several Gopher Tortoises and a variety of beach and sea birds, including our target species: the Northern Gannet.
Next, we visited the Birdwatch Station on Big Talbot Island. The location features a great boardwalk and beach access along the inlet. While we struck out on our search for Seaside and Nelson’s Sparrows, we found a great variety of other birds, including Hooded Merganser, Marbled Godwit, American Avocet, and many different “peeps” (small sandpipers).
Huguenot Memorial Park
Our trip came full circle as we returned to Huguenot Memorial Park, where our year of birding began. Our goal remained the same: to find the elusive Purple Sandpiper, a life bird for Mike. The park’s drive-on beach access makes it easy to get to the birds near the north jetty. We dipped on the sandpiper once again but were able to enjoy a fantastic array of other shorebirds and Black Scoters feeding along the rocks.
Our final stop was the Kingsley Plantation, a beautiful yet somber place with the only remaining slave quarters in Florida. Standing beneath the 200-year-old trees, it was a profound experience to imagine the lives lived there long ago. The Fort George River in front of the plantation house was bustling with the usual herons and egrets. We even saw two women enjoying fresh oysters and crackers while taking in the serene view.
Our final evening was spent at the Palace Saloon, the oldest continuously operating bar in Florida. We enjoyed a drink and were entertained by a local little person selling cookies and playing the harmonica. We ended the night with incredible sunset views from across the street.
Fernandina Beach is truly a superb location for a birding weekend, offering proximity to a wealth of hotspots.
Trip Totals:
- Trip Birds: 72
- Year Birds: 3
- Life Birds: 0
Next Up: Long Island North Fork
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