Florida trip 2024

 My brother and I wanted to visit states east of Illinois. Our father drove us over the course of 7 days. It is about an15 hour drive from our home in Chicago to St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in St. Marks, FL My father had a conference in Atlanta, Georgia so we went beyond to drive to North Western Florida. Below are links to the posts from our adventure.

Day 1, 12.5.24:

Indiana: Eagle Creek Park (Woodpeckers), Indianapolis. Pictured: Pileated Woodpeckers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, American Robin, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Blu Jays, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpeckers

Indiana: Eagle Creek Park (Bop's), Indianapolis. Pictured: Barred Owl, Great Horned Owl, Barn Owl, Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagles.

Indiana: Eagle Creek Park, Indianapolis. Pictured: Tufted Titmice, Carolina Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, Northern Cardinals, House Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Blue Jays, Hooded Mergansers, Great Blue Herons, Mallards. 

Day 2, 12.6.24:

Kentucky: Warren County. Pictured: Turkey Vultures, Black Vultures, White-throated Sparrow.

Tennessee: Rest Area, South Pittsburg. Pictured: Bonaparte's Gulls, Bald Eagle.

Georgia: Chattahoochee River, Atlanta. Pictured: Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorants, Barred Owls, Rusty Blackbird, Red-headed Woodpeckers.

Day 3, 12.7.24: (Conference. One Red-tailed sighted downtown Atlanta, GA but no photographs taken)

Day 4, 12.8.24:

Georgia: Roadside. Pictured: Vultures, American Robin.

Florida: Wakulla Springs State Park (I). Pictured: White Ibises, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Little Blue Heron, American Alligator. 

Florida: Wakulla Springs State Park (II). Pictured: Anhingas, White Ibis, Double-crested Cormorant, Common Gallinule, Belted Kingfisher, Hooded Mergansers, American Coots, Pied-billed Grebes.

Florida: Wakulla Springs State Park (III). Pictured: Osprey, Black Vultures, Turkey Vultures, American Alligators, Florida Manatee, Red Squirrel. 

Day 5, 12.9.24:

Florida: Tallahassee. Pictured: Northern Mockingbirds, Eastern Bluebirds, Pine Warblers, White Ibises, Red-headed Woodpecker.

Florida: St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (Visitor Center). Pictured:American Robins, Red-shouldered Hawk.

Florida: St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (East River Pool and Stony Bayou Pool #1). Pictured: Great Egrets, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Herons, Snowy Egrets, White Ibis, Green-winged Teal, Dumlins, Pied-billed Grebe, Bald Eagle, Forster's Tern, Double-crested Cormorant, Killdeer, Great Blue Heron, Greater Yellowlegs, Boat-tailed Grackle, Eastern Phoebe, Merlin, Osprey.

Florida: St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (Lighthouse area I). Pictured: Osprey, Boat-tailed Grackles.

Florida: St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (Lighthouse area II). Pictured: Bufflehead, Brown Pelicans, Double-crested Cormorants, Boat-tailed Grackle, White Ibises, Redheads, Common Gallinule, American Coot and American Wigeons.

Florida: St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (Headquarters Pond). Pictured: Purple Gallinules, American Coots, Common Gallinules, Tree Swallow, Blue-winged Teal, Gadwalls, Ring-necked Duck, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-rumped Warbler, American Alligator, Bear poop.

Florida: St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (Roadside along Lighthouse Road). Pictured: Swallows (Unidentified), Belted Kingfishers, Red-shouldered Hawk, Boat-tailed Grackles, Northern Shovelers, Scaups, Snowy Egrets and Little Blue Herons, Northern Harrier, Anhinga, Great Blue Heron, Wilson's Snipe, Dunlin, Yellow Warbler, American Alligators.

Day 6, 12.10.24:

Georgia: Red Top Mountain State Park. Pictured: Dark-eyed Juncos, Blue Jay. 

Tennessee: J Percy Priest Reservoir. Pictured: Common Loon, Various Gulls, Bonaparte's Gull, Killdeer, Tufted Titmouse, Cedar Waxwings, Northern Mockingbirds, Eastern Bluebird.

Day 7, 12.11.24: 

Tennessee: J Percy Priest Reservoir. Pictured: Black Vulture, American Goldfinch, Eastern Bluebird, American Crow.