Dry Tortugas birding

Part of my recent trip to the Dry Tortugas National Park was the opportunity to see some different birds. I love the gold finches, titmouse, cardinals and chickadees that stick out the winter months with me in Vermont but it was nice to add some different birds to my list.

Magnificent frigatebirds were a constant presence over the island. There is a nesting colony on a nearby key which is the only one in the United States. Frigatebirds have a wingspan of 7.5ft! They look prehistoric like pterodactyls.

Sooty terns also nest in the Dry Tortugas. Both the Sooty Tern and Frigatebirds seldom land and spend most of their life - sometimes for years at a time for the terns! - in the air above the oceans.

The Sooty Terns were nesting and quite irritated by photographers or anything else on "their" island.

The Brown Noddy also nests in the Dry Tortugas.

Palm Warblers were working the picnic tables for scraps. Palm Warblers are common on the Gulf Coast all the way down to Florida. I didn't get as many bird photos as I would have liked. If you make the trip, I would suggest a sea kayak to get closer to the smaller keys (and of course a longer lens but I always wish for that 😊).

Ok this is actually in the Everglades National Park but I love the Roseate Spoonbill and got a nice shot - complete with reflection.

Some more common birds were around too ... like this Great Egret that demanded to be photographed.

My favorite photo is probably this Great Blue Heron caught with the brick wall of the fort in the background. Looks like its linkedin profile photo lol