Description: Large area around US 17. Drive along Washington Loop Road. Be sure to stop at the reservoir (Three Rivers Road) and at Hathaway Park (south prong of Washington Loop). Wonderful creeks to canoe or kayak.
Vegetation Communities: Scrub, scrubby flatwoods, pine flatwoods, creek, reservoir, isolated wetlands.
Location: In the vicinity of Washington Loop Road.
Amenities: Driving the area allows great birding, but watch your speed: cars on Washington Loop go fast! Many of the roads off Washington Loop allow slower driving. With the exception of Hathaway Park and the Reservoir it is all private property: respect that!
Hathaway Park (southern prong of Washington Loop Road) has short hiking trails, a boat ramp, a canoe/kayak launch dock, restrooms, picnic areas, and a bird blind.
Birding by Kayak: Hathaway Park has a easily accessible launch area. Paddling south from the launch, there is good birding along the residential communities. Northward paddling has more natural areas for birding.
The reservoir has no amenities but there is good birding.
Animal Species: You may not be able to see all these species
Birds that you may encounter year-round include: Florida Scrub-jay Bald Eagle Little Blue Heron Blue Jay Red Shouldered Hawk Green Heron Rufous Sided Towhee Wood Stork Black Bellied Whistling Duck White-eyed Vireo Little Blue Heron Osprey Turkey vulture Great Egret Bald Eagle Black Vulture Snowy Egret Double Crested Cormorant Limpkin Barred Owl Pileated WoodpeckerRed Tail Hawk Anhingha
Migrants that you may see: Blue Birds Pine Warbler Tree Swallow Swallow Tailed Kite Yellow-rumped Warbler Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Palm Warbler American Robin
Documented Mammals: Raccoon Bobcat Opossum Armadillo
Documented Herps: Eastern Indigo Snake Brown Anole Black Racer Gopher Tortoise Green Anole American Alligator Pennisula Cooter Pig Frog
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