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Birding in West Melbourne, Florida

For a very pleasant drive, we suggest State Rd. 419, thirteen miles west of Melbourne, Florida. This rural, farm road passes through the Deseret Ranches and groves. We have found it a great place to see the following:

• American Kestrel -- Endangered
• Sandhill Crane -- Declining
• Crested Caracara -- Not usually seen this far north of Lake Okeechobee
• Red Shouldered Hawk -- Florida morph common
• Eastern Meadowlark -- common
• Wild Turkey -- Occasional
• Loggerhead Shrike -- common
• Northern Mocking Bird -- common
• Palm Warblers -- Occasional
• Vultures both Turkey and Black -- common

Drive very slowly and watch for birds on the fence posts, utility poles and in the fields. It is about a 1.5 to 2 hr hour trip.

The road is not very busy but keep an eye open for the occasional car or pickup truck.

DIRECTIONS:

Take I-95 to exit 71. Drive west for 13 miles and turn right (North) onto State Road 419. This road takes you past the Deseret Ranches and Orange groves. Drive slowly but watch for other traffic, and look closely at the overhead utility poles for the Caracara and the wires for Kestrel and Loggerhead Shrike. The Sandhill Cranes, Meadowlarks and Wild Turkeys are usually off the road on either side in the cow pastures.

• Follow SR 419 North to SR 532 (Nova Rd.) turn right. This road has more traffic but offers good habitat for songbirds, hawks and Wild Turkey. The Nova road section of the trip is about 8 miles and intersects with SR 520.
• Turn right again and follow SR 520 through several miles of hardwood hammocks and on across the St. Johns River back to I-95. It is 21 miles from SR 520 and the I-95 intersection back to the starting point at I-95 and exit 71.

Remember if you've visited the area and have seen some interesting bird and wildlife sights send us an email and we'll pass it along.

Thanks for visiting the Central Florida Bird Watcher's Web Site.

For a more complete listing of birds in the Central Florida area click here: 

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