If you are a dedicated “birder” (bird watcher) – over the years you have compiled a list of the birds you have seen – commonly referred to as a “life list.” There are great spots for birdwatching on the US mainland; all along the Mississippi, and on the east coast. Cape Canaveral Seashores is outstanding! But have you ever thought about the Florida Keys?

You may not know it, but several species of birds migrate through the Florida Keys on their way back north from their winter “vacations” in the tropics. Our mud flats and mangrove islands offer migrating birds the perfect resting area. Each fall, autumn birds migrate southward through the Keys, back to their winter nesting grounds. An amazing variety of raptors (sixteen!) have been charted, with more peregrine falcons migrating through the Florida Keys than through any other location in the United States.

So when should you come down for peak bird watching? Land birds and shorebirds across the Gulf of Mexico start migrating during the first and second week of March, and reach a peak in late April/early May. The migration is essentially over by the third week of May.

You may think that the National Weather Service Radar only charts thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes, but the Key West WSR-88D unit can also detect the movement and location of migrating birds! Check out the fascinating National Weather Service radar link at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/key/?n=spring_migration.

Key West has it all…we care about the environment, nature, and preserve our pristine habitat for migrating birds of all kinds. If you have been wanting to “migrate” to the Florida Keys, call me when you are here. While you’re adding to your birdwatcher’s “life list,” I’ll show you great reasons to call the Florida Keys your permanent nesting ground!