Spring Migration 2025 is Here!

Spring migration is here!

This year’s spring migration at Fort De Soto Park is primarily happening at the East Beach picnic area. Normally the birds are in the oaks or along the brush line, but this year they are in the shrubs along the beach trail. They’ve been staying in the sea grapes - a plant with large flat leaves that harbor insects. The birds are getting deep into these shrubs, staying close to the ground. Constantly on the move, these birds are very difficult to photograph. And if you do get a photograph that’s in focus (and not a bird butt), more often than not there is a branch or twig cutting across the bird. It’s a humbling experience, and shooting these small warblers suddenly makes photographing shore birds on North Beach seem like a total breeze.

The big stars of the migration are the Golden-winged Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, and Worm-eating Warbler. These three fantastic birds are found together, often in the same bush at the same time. Here is what I saw and photographed:

East Beach Picnic Area:

Golden-winged Warbler. A lifer for me. Nikon Z8 with monopod-mounted Nikkor Z 800mm VR S f/6.3 lens at f/6.3, 1/2500 sec, ISO 720.

Golden-winged Warbler. Nikon Z8 with monopod-mounted Nikkor Z 800mm VR S f/6.3 lens at f/6.3, 1/2000 sec, ISO 800.

Red-eyed Vireo. Nikon Z8 with monopod-mounted Nikkor Z 800mm VR S f/6.3 lens at f/9, 1/1000 sec, ISO 450.

Worm-eating Warbler. Nikon Z8 with monopod-mounted Nikkor Z 800mm VR S f/6.3 lens at f/6.3, 1/2500 sec, ISO 3600.

Worm-eating Warbler. Nikon Z8 with monopod-mounted Nikkor Z 800mm VR S f/6.3 lens at f/6.3, 1/2500 sec, ISO 1400.

Blue-winged Warbler. Nikon Z8 with monopod-mounted Nikkor Z 800mm VR S f/6.3 lens at f/6.3, 1/2500 sec, ISO 2500.

Tennessee Warbler. Nikon Z8 with monopod-mounted Nikkor Z 800mm VR S f/6.3 lens at f/6.3, 1/2000 sec, ISO 2200.

Orchard Oriole (male). Nikon Z8 with monopod-mounted Nikkor Z 800mm VR S f/6.3 lens at f/6.3, 1/2000 sec, ISO 1250.

Orchard Oriole (immature male). Nikon Z8 with monopod-mounted Nikkor Z 800mm VR S f/6.3 lens at f/6.3, 1/2500 sec, ISO 1100.

The warblers tended to stay together in one or two groups. They would often be just inches from one another. The Worm-eating Warbler stayed the closest to the ground while the other warblers stayed at about eye level. They were not timid as they were so focused on eating those little worms and other insects for protein. The Orchard Orioles were the most shy.

After photographing these birds, I moved on to the East Beach turn-around. It was pretty quiet, but here are a few birds I was able to photograph there.

East Beach Turnaround

Indigo Bunting. Nikon Z8 with monopod-mounted Nikkor Z 800mm VR S f/6.3 lens at f/6.3, 1/2000 sec, ISO 450.

Prairie Warbler. Nikon Z8 with monopod-mounted Nikkor Z 800mm VR S f/6.3 lens at f/6.3, 1/2000 sec, ISO 560.

The trail at the end of the turnaround is accessible, although there are a few tree limbs down. I saw two Prairie Warblers and heard a Brown-headed Cowbird, but that was it. I looked for thrushes or Veery but didn’t see any.

I found nothing at the water fountain, but did see a Blue Grosbeak in the back yard of the ranger’s house perched on the chain link fence. I was unable to get a decent shot of it.

I found nothing at the North Beach oaks. I looked for tanagers the whole time, but never saw one.

Sunday (tomorrow) I’ll probably bird at Lettuce Lake as I dont think I want to drive to Fort De Soto three days in a row.

I’ll close with a cell phone pic I took of all the birders and bird photographers looking for the Golden-winged Warbler this morning. At one point I counted well over 60 people out birding this area.