Welcome to a Birder's Paradise
Birding has become a main draw for visitors coming to Washington Oaks, with multiple habitats located on one property.
Washington Oaks Gardens is an exceptional birding spot, a place to come and see a wide range of species in a relatively small area. We are home to a beautiful maritime hammock, a pristine lagoon system, and a rocky coquina beach; remarkably, all within a 400-acre park. This means that shore birds, wading birds, songbirds and raptors can all be viewed within a few hours’ time.
The diversity of species changes with the seasons, here are some clues as to what to see, when and where to look:
Spring
The highlights of spring are nesting warblers and the movement of migrating song birds throughout the park. Enjoy the early morning bird songs that are filling the air. Walk through the gardens and watch for small, blue and yellow warblers as they flit in and out of the Spanish moss, you’ve found a Northern Parula nest!
Summer
One of our most graceful summer residents at the park is the Swallow-tailed Kite. As you make your way down garden paths, be sure to keep an eye out for this elegant raptor, soaring effortlessly above you.
Fall
As autumn arrives fall migration begins and the gardens are again filled with colorful songbirds, this time on their way south. The beachside is a good place to view the fastest animal arrive, the Peregrine Falcon. Scan the skies for this powerful predator.
Winter
Winter is a wonderful time to view our beachside shorebirds. Terns, gulls, sandpipers and plovers abound. Take an occasion glance skyward to the west as well, our bald eagle population increases greatly in the wintertime.
